The Immortal Cure - Series Three

Chatper Six - Talk

"Carlos! Carlos sent me!" The Vampire yelled across the house as my ears rung, my eyes intent on Duke's face, wide with concern as he applied pressure on my neck, slowly dripping with blood

"Why!?" Darius demanded again, his figure looming over the Vampire

"I don't know! Something about a warning, getting the message across!" He revealed, actually sounding like he had no idea what was going on underneath the surface

"What else!?" Darius continued, eager to drain him of information

"Here, use this" Andrè rushed out, returning to my side with a towel he'd found in my bathroom

Duke hastily took the towel from him, replacing his soaked hand over my wound

"You can't stay here" Duke spoke, his eyes wandering over my neck and the blood that trickled down my shirt

"I live here" I groaned out croakily

"Not anymore" He replied, stern and forceful as he lifted me upright with his other arm, his skin cold and sharp against mine

"I can't leave" I mumbled, now feeling the pain associated with the Vampire bite radiate through my system

"Stop talking" Duke demanded

I was on my feet, but I was wobbly, it was hard to stand when all the blood rushed out two gapping holes in my neck.
It took Duke a minute to realise I couldn't stand, so he lifted me completely off the ground, into his arms like a small child

It brought back memories, unwanted memories.

I didn't speak, not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't.
The sensation of pain was all too familiar, it was the same feeling I had felt many times before, a constant burning ache along my throat and neck.
I remained still, crumpled in Duke's arms, hoping the pain would soon subside. I needed to argue against him, stay in my own home.

I didn't want to be with Duke, I couldn't. It only made things harder for me, what if Callum found out I was back home with Duke and he wanted to visit? I'd be buried in the same grave all over again.

Unable to focus, unable to argue back, I closed my eyes. Minutes later, cold air rushed around my body, nauseating me.

When I opened my eyes again, I recognised my surroundings instantly.
I sat in the study room of Duke's home, the smell and sight of it bringing back months worth of memories I had tried to delete.

Duke seemed to be less concerned about the untouched feelings lingering between us, more intuned to the bleeding as he sat beside me and tried to control the steady flow

The pain was consistent, aching, but it wasn't as intense as I had once remembered it. In a way, I may have become used to it, my tolerance growing a level each time.

"Is Darius going to kill him?" I grumbled, making conversation so the air didn't hurt more than my bite did

"Probably" Duke answered casually and truthfully

"He looked young" I sighed, the burning running up my throat like a fire

"The more you talk the more it's going to hurt" Duke told me, concerned

"I'm used to the pain" I shrugged, feeling his fingers brush over my skin, sending a trail of sparks up my neck and down my spine

"That's what irritates me the most" He sighed, applying a new cloth with pressure to my neck to absorb the blood

"So I guess it's true then" My voice broke "No matter where I am, or who I'm with, it's always going to happen"

"No, it isn't, when you're here with me, it doesn't happen nearly as much as it does when you're not here" Duke mumbled seriously