The Savior of Souls ✔

Part Nine

"Okay everyone, it's time to get moving," Abby said, getting all of our things around. Before we left, Anthony said he was really hungry. The people who'd managed the hotel heard us out when we told them how long we'd been walking, and they were glad to help out and lend him food.

That took a good thirty minutes out of our night, but we could risk a little time today. Anthony's health was most important to us, and if he needed a little more food to keep up then so be it, we were giving him food. "I'm sorry," he said as we kept moving.

"Don't be sorry," Abby told him. She wasn't one to beat around the bush, and after all Anthony could potentially be doing for us, we would never complain. Besides, after gaining sympathy from the hotels, we were now starting to get discounts. They all seemed to be expecting us, the hotel networks were tight, telling everyone everything.

There was a small buzz of conversation, as there always seemed to be with us, until Anthony fell to the ground. We all stopped in our steps to crowd around him. He hugged his knees for a second, regaining himself, and stood up. He started walking forward again without us, as if he knew where he was going, and said, "I'm good, really. I just had to take a break."

He leaned back and forth, his knees trembling if he leaned on his foot for too long. "I may not be bonded to you," I started, approaching him and saying, "But I know you need some proper rest."

"I-I'm fine. We've come to far to stop now." Anthony stuttered as he spoke, looking upset as we delivered the news to him, he was too weak to continue. I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed any sooner. I was too preoccupied with my own issue, lame issues involving Shane and Tyler, that I hadn't noticed the severity of Anthony's physical exhaustion.

We all rested by the tunnel walls, Shane and Abby talking to each other about arrangements for food and a place to sleep. "Today should be fun," said Abby once they'd figured everything out. Shane offered to carry Anthony to the restaurant they'd found.

Anthony was in no position to turn down his offer, and nearly fell asleep in SHane's arms. It made me truly remember how young he was, how fragile he could be, and how much we had put on his shoulders.

We stopped at a down to Earth restaurant, there was nothing special about it, except for us, the group of vampires that always brought their little human. Apparently, the hotels aren't the only one's hearing about us. It must be super unusual for something like this to happen, and I was angered at some of their comments, they even went as far as to say Anthony was our personal feeder. They thought that was why he was so weak, little did they know we had not taken an ounce of blood from him.

"Hello, would you like to order drinks?" the waiter asked as we sat down.

"Yes," Abby said. "Water please," she gave the waiter a smile and nodded to Anthony, who waved innocently to the waiter.

"Of course," he replied. "Would you like anything else for drinks?" We all shook our heads, he said he'd be back with the water and our menus.

"Do you think you'll be okay for tomorrow if we rest today?" I asked Anthony, I knew his answer, but I wanted to hear it from him first.

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine," he replied as expected. I got Shane's opinion, and he thought Anthony would be fine tomorrow. If not, he wouldn't have had to walk. We were all willing to carry him if he'd needed it, though he didn't like to admit he was getting weak, so he would never ask to be carried. He was an independent soul.

We then ordered food and drinks, the portions were rather small, fitting for a vampire but not a human. We gave Anthony our leftovers, and he flushed a bright red as he realized everyone was watching him consume the food.