These Streaks of Blood

11

Ryffin pushes the woman away when all her blood is drained. After that, humans just taste like spoiled, salty water... it's repulsive. He stands up and looks over at Olivia.

She's a newborn, inexperienced with feeding, so she's still chugging down the man's blood. Her hands are sticky with the stuff, and it's smeared all over the floor around her. Ryffin sighs; there's nothing to be done about it. Newborns are messy eaters.

Olivia's eyes are nearly rolling into her head, she's so overcome with pleasure. The man has long since stopped squirming, and is now limp and deathly pale. After another minute or so, Olivia growls with despair, and Ryffin knows that she's discovered there's no more blood to drink.

"Come on. Time to go," he announces. Her head snaps up to look at him for a moment... then her rabid expression clears and she nods. She looks around.

"Wow, we made a mess, didn't we?" she laughs.

"No, you made a mess," Ryffin snaps, "And it isn't funny. You're just lucky that nobody heard all the ruckus, otherwise the police would be heading over here."

"So what? Let them come. I could still feed a little more, I think," Olivia says, grinning.

Ryffin clenches his teeth, begging for patience. "No, Olivia. We don't want them to come. I cannot be seen."

Olivia waves her hand indifferently. "You won't be seen, we can teleport in an instant. Plus, even if you were, we could just finish them off so they wouldn't be able to tell anybody--"

"What, and then kill the next round, and the next, and the next? How many stacks of bodies are you planning on building today, Olivia?" Ryffin wonders scathingly.

She shrugs. "It was just an idea. I don't see why we have to run from humans."

Ryffin pinches the bridge of his nose. "Olivia... we don't. We don't have to run from humans. But I have a desire not to be sighted, and I'm just being reasonable in not wanting to kill everybody in the neighborhood in one go. Okay? So let's just leave now, before--"

He's interrupted by the sound of sirens.

"Oh, great. Wonderful. Come on, we're going," he commands, and grabs her arm before she can object again.

Once back in the lounge of his mansion, Olivia spins on Ryffin in anger. "You know, maybe I don't like taking orders from you. Maybe I don't like you stepping all over me. I do what you ask, I respect you, and then you never even notice!" she cries.

Ryffin opens his mouth, eyes flashing, ready to shout back at her - but at that moment, Nelye drifts into the room, looking surprised.

"Why, Olivia, that's no way to speak to your master," she chides.

To Ryffin's surprise, Olivia backs down immediately at Nelye's words. The latter gives Ryffin a self-satisfied smirk.

"Thanks," he says reluctantly. Inside, he's just wondering how she had claimed Olivia's loyalty so quickly. What had she offered her? What is she gaining in return? He knows that Nelye will use Olivia to her advantage if given the chance, and Olivia won't know what she's getting into. 

"Oh, it's not a problem. Sometimes newborns just need a stern hand, that's all," she says, smiling.

Ryffin isn't falling for it. "Yes, I suppose they do." He looks around, then asks, "Natalee still in bed?"

"Yes, fast asleep, the little angel. I completely understand what you see in her, Ryffin, she's such an extraordinary newborn!" Nelye exclaims.

Olivia stares at Nelye with poorly-concealed surprise. The latter shoots a glare in the girl's direction, and Olivia rapidly looks away. Ryffin doesn't miss any of this, and though he's highly suspicious of what the two are up to, he just decides to shrug it off; his eyelids are drooping dangerously, and he realizes how badly he's slept the past few nights, if at all. It can't hurt, he decides, to get a short nap in before bringing Emily to the hospital. After all, her state won't change any time soon, and Natalee can't argue, as she's asleep too.