Blood Ward

Chapter 12

I refused to let go of Stefan'shand as Beri and Anders gathered up Daeron and placed him on a bed onthe other side of the room. I sat by his side most of the night, evenafter we pulled anchor. Only after all my limbs went stiff did Idecide to take a walk and clear my head.

I went up on deck, passing agroup of crew members playing at dice and headed for the bow. Ileaned on the rail, looking over the side and unsuccessfully tried toswallow my tears. I could have lost Stefan.

I was so entrenched in my ownthoughts that I did not hear Anders approach. Somehow though, I knewit was him when he placed a hand on my shoulder. I whirled around andflung myself into his arms, crying hysterically. He hugged me tightlywhispering soothingly.

When I'd calmed down, I pulledaway. "I almost lost him Anders. I'm not ready... I don't knowwhat I'd do..."

"Shhh..." He stroked myrunaway hair behind my ear. "You won't have to worry about thatjust yet. Beri assures me he'll be up and about in no time."

He produced a handkerchief out ofnowhere and started dabbing my cheeks. "Thanks," I said.

"I've decided I don't likeit when you cry," he said.

"Is that so?" I asked.

"Well it makes me feel likecrying is okay, and that confuses my manhood, because if someone astough as you is allowed to cry, well..." He shrugged.

I snorted. "I'm not as toughas you might think," I said.

"I find that hard tobelieve," he said. "Come, let's get you to bed. It's goingto be a long trip." I sighed and nodded, my fatigue catching upwith me. Anders slung an arm around my shoulders and led me backbelow deck. I slumped tiredly on a bed in a different room thanStefan. Anders tucked me in, gave me a gentle kiss on the foreheadand whispered, "Sleep well, little warrior," as I dozedoff.

I was hungry... For the firsttime in weeks. My senses kicked into high gear as I stalked the citylooking for that special someone. The one whose life would sustainmine, whose blood would keep my heart beating. It had been so longsince I'd needed to hunt... Since her.My head spun at the thought of her. Why did she affect me so? Whycould I still feel her? I'd run to rid myself of her, but to noavail. She followed me everywhere. I did not miss the hunt as much asI'd thought. Though it was curious, I no longer felt the hunger everynight. One taste of her had tamed the beast... Until tonight.

I spotted a young girl leavinga shop and locking the door behind her. Slipping from the shadows, Ifollowed her to a secluded street, careful not to alert her to mypresence. I sensed no one else, so I ducked back into shadow and ranquickly to bypass her and slip into a dark alley. When sheapproached, I coughed to capture her attention. As she stopped tolook, I sprung, leaping deftly from my hiding spot and clamping myhand over her mouth to stifle her screams. I pulled her into theshadows of the alley and sunk my fangs into her neck, tasting thatwonderfully sweet, salty blood.

I was full before I shouldhave been. I'd not nearly drunk enough to kill, yet I found my fangsretracting and my racing excitement dimming. I pulled away from thenow unconscious human and frowned. Was this another side effect ofher?I dropped the girl and she sunk to the ground. I needed to figurethis out. She was coming... My body told me so. I must make myselfavailable to her. "Anastasia," I whispered.

"Reif!" I bolted up inbed, my hands shaking so badly I could barely push my hair from myface. I had dreamed as if I were Reif. I saw through his eyes andexperienced his thoughts. He was as unsure as I was about what washappening. I needed Anders. I stood and took a moment to gain mybalance as the ship rocked, then I crept out of the room, wary not towake Beri. I went back to the cabin that Stefan, Daeron, and Andersshared. As I crept in and toward Anders' bed, I heard a whisper.

"Ana." I turned andStefan was frowning in my direction. "Where am I? How did I gethere?"

I stepped over and knelt by hisside. "We are on a ship bound for Dravin. Anders and I smuggledyou from prison. Earl Compton is dead."

"Are you alright?" heasked.

"I should be asking you,"I pointed out. "It was lucky Daeron is a healer."

"I don't remember much."He frowned again.

"Try to rest," I said."Daeron said you would take time to mend." I stood andstarted toward the door.

"Ana," he called afterme. I turned and looked at him and the words died on his lips. "Thankyou," he said at last.

I sighed and walked away,forgetting about my former urgency to speak with Anders. The sun wasrising and I was still exhausted. I made it back to my bed and onceagain fell asleep.

I did not wake until late in theafternoon. Daeron had recovered and Stefan was on the mend. Afterchecking in on him, I sought out Anders. "Can we talk?" Iasked.

"Of course, little warrior."He flashed me one of his grins. "What of?"

"I had a dream..." Isaid.

"Was I in it...? Covered incream?" he joked. "Oh wait, that was my dream."

"Stop." I couldn't helpsmiling. "I'm serious."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine,what did you dream?"

"Reif," I said and hiseyebrow rose. "Not like that," I scolded. "It's like Iwashim. Inside his body... Does that make sense?"

Anders frowned. "Hmm... Whatelse... Could you hear his thoughts?"

"He thought it was odd thathe hadn't fed since biting me, but he was hunting, like he'd juststarted to feel hungry again. Then he... Attacked... A girl, butdidn't need to drain her." I explained, not getting toographic.

"Interesting..." Andersmused.

"Have you a thought?" Iasked.

"It is more a legend,"he said. "I've only heard of such a thing happening threeother times."

"Tell me," I said.

"Every once in a longwhile, there is a human born with the ability to bond with a vampire.He or she carries special blood. It is undetectable, and vampireswould not know until the bond is sealed, which rarely happens becausethe human is killed during feeding... Butwhen such a bond does occur, the human becomes the vampire's SalonulSange or Blood Ward,"he explained.

"What does that mean?"I asked.

"To be a Blood Ward is to bea vampire's substance. He will not need to hunt as often, nor kill tosustain himself... It is not known truly what other benefits the pairmay reap. As I said, this is very rare," he shrugged.

"Is there any way to findout more? Are there any accounts written down?" I wondered.

"Only brief references andhearsay," he shrugged again.

I sighed, frustrated. "Ofcourse Reif knows nothing. I suppose I'll be in for some surprises inthe near future."

"Maybe you should begin torecord your experiences... For future reference," he suggested.

"Such as my dreams and theability to... Feel... Reif?" I asked.

"Precisely." Hegrinned.