Heavenly Blood

9 - Alec

That night it had been touch and go. She didn't want to see Max so I hadn't called for her. I knew what to do, I had help to heal Max a thousand times. I bathed the wounds in a saline solution, hating each time she screamed in pain as I washed the cuts. When the feathers were clean I sighed in relief to see that the gouge wasn't a gouge after all but four deep scratches but thankfully not deep enough to require stitching, in which case I would have had to call my parents.

The rest of the night was probably her reliving the attack as she healed. The screaming torn me down inside. Often the smell would get too much, I had taken three trips to the hospital to retrieve their 'special' blood bags in one night just to control my hunger. By morning I felt drained, which I thought was impossible for my kind. When I check on her I saw her arm was healing well but her wing looked worse. I needed her to wake in order for her to retract her wing so she could heal.

It wasn't until about two in the afternoon, where I was just about to admit defeat, that she woke up. She seemed groggy as her consciousness surfaced. I watched her face as she studied the bedroom, trying to deduce where she was. She caught sight of her wing and her face turned white as her lip trembled at the sight. She knew what had happened was real.

"How you feeling?" I asked, instantly feeling guilty as I saw her jump.

She swallowed before replying, "I've felt better...what happened?"

I sat next to her on the bed, "That's what I'm hoping you can help with. All I know is you jumped out the window and I found you bloody in Truro."

"Are you all angels?" She asked.

I paused, "Sort of."

"What do you mean sort of?" She asked.

"One question at a time. You want to know what's happened, do you remember anything?" I said, changing the subject.

She wriggled her nose. I held my breath. She still wriggled her nose when she was in thought. She always reminded me of a twitching guinea pig whenever she did the action. I smiled inside at the amount of times I had gently touched her nose just to watch it twitching. It was adorable. Somehow it saddened me also, she was even more of a ghost of her former self than she had ever been. The very thing that made her her was something she couldn't control.

"I remember being attacked," she whispered finally, "I don't know by who but....but they mentioned you..."

I took her hand gently into mine. She shivered slightly, "I'm sorry. It's complicated. I'll explain everything when you are stronger, ok?"

She nodded. Her lips trembled as she diverted her eyes, "Why do I feel like we have been in this position before?"

"Don't worry about it now," I smiled weakly. I brushed strands of her hair behind her ear as I turned her face to look at me, "For now you have to retract your wings and rest. I have to take you back to Max or my father with have no choice but to contact the Host."

She had opened her mouth to protest but decided against it, "Do they know I'm here?"

"No. You didn't want to see Max so I didn't tell her. Is is ok if I call her to at least tell her you are safe?" I asked.

She nodded slowly. I got up to make the call when she called me back.

"Wait..." her mouth faltered, "I .... I ....I don't know how to close...."

I smiled. I sat back down next to her and took her hand, "Close your eyes." She followed. "Now go into yourself and move through your chakras. Go slowly for now. You control your spirit."

She clenched her hand around mine. Her grasp slowly tightened over a few minutes as she moved through her chakras. Her breathing then stopped as her wings rolled back into her shoulders. I almost held my own breath waiting for her's to restart. Suddenly she sat bolt up right gasping and gulping the air, her hand tight in my own. I pulled her into me and held her.