Blood Bride

Chapter Fourteen: Training

THEY had gone home the next evening. While she still refused to call Marissa back for more reasons than one, she did call her mother to allow her to know she was alright and that she just had been studying late the prior night.

If only she had been studying instead of murdering vampires.

She didn't dare bring up anything to her mother. She was sick enough and Ophelia didn't want to worsen her condition with questions about her childhood.

"Mother, I'm home now, so I need to do a little bit of homework. I will call you back tomorrow morning if I can." Ophelia promised.

"Alright sweetheart, I wouldn't want to distract you from your work. You have such good grades. My goodness, what did I do to get blessed with such a good child?"

Ophelia smiled despite being upset by how ill her mother sounded today. Her voice was raspy, her throat sore and she said her chest ached. Still she remained in good spirits for her daughter.

"I learned from the best." Ophelia piped, gazing at Everly, who held the car door open for Tobias and Jon. They climbed out of the car and Ophelia was soon to follow.

"I have to go now. Goodnight, mother, I love you."

"I love you more, Ophelia." Ophelia simpered slightly before she hung up. She crawled from the backseat of the car, onto the black asphalt of the driveway.

Tobias carried her bag, as well as Jon's, heading towards the mansion.

"Once you get settled, you should have dinner. Training tonight I'm sure will drain you." Ophelia agreed to his terms.

Earlier this evening, she woke curled up against him, freezing and a migraine throbbing her skull. She almost didn't want to get up, for she was so lethargic. When he attempted to shift her, she clung to him, burying her face in his side to shield her eyes from the bright luminescence.

Once he scolded her to let go, she loosened the grip she had on him and curled into a ball where he tossed the blanket over her head. He let her sleep for a small amount of time. When Everly arrived to retrieve them, she was ordered out of bed and brought to the car. Her zombie walk said it all. She looked like she had too much to drink. She desperately needed the support of Tobias, who luckily was waiting for them in the hallway.

She didn't remember too much after that. He helped her to the car and she returned to sleep. She woke a half hour later, deciding it was a good idea to call her mother. Thankfully the slur in her groggy voice was barely noticeable. She sounded tired rather.

"I'll be sure to eat something." She murmured to Jon, taking a few cautious steps ahead of him. Still dizzy on her feet, she managed to get to the doorway, slowly making her way inside to the dinner table.

She rested her head down against the table, listening to the tap of Tobias' shoes trailed into the kitchen after dropping off the luggage in their rooms.

Various clings of pots and pans could be heard over the muffled sound of running water. The clutter of noise was interrupted by the voice of Yami.

"Master Cross, I'm going to start setting everything up for training. Anything in specific you want me to do?" With her eyes closed, she listened to the seat nearby creak under his weight as he sat down at the table.

"No. Just plan out whatever you believe will be helpful to expose her skill sets."

"Yes, Master Cross." And then the sound of her footsteps grew distant as she left.

"You're really going to train her in that condition? She can barely stand on her own." She really did appreciate the fact that Tobias was fretting about her, but she wanted to do this. Jon wasn't forcing her. She wanted this.