The Scent Of Vampires (Book 1)

Chapter 9: You Call him Rafi?

"Tell us what happened. You've barely spoken a word since you came back from the neck biter district." Pixie insisted as the three of them walked up the front steps to their house.

"Can we focus on the task at hand first? I know you to want to know what happened but I'm still processing everything." Zephora had been evading their questions about all that had transpired. She still felt unsettled, even though everything had gone fairly smoothly. Maybe that was why Zephora was still feeling out of sorts.  Getting the blood from the neck biter district had been almost too easy.

She knew it was because of Rafael.  Who ever he was he had a lot of influence with his kind. Hardly no one questioned him at all.

"All right, but as soon as we take care of things with the blood sucker in the basement, you have to tell us everything." Hudson insisted.

"Fine."

They found Leo in the basement standing guard over the girl.  He just sat there watching her as if he were deep in thought. It took a moment for him to realize they had come back.

"It's about time." Leo lectured ignoring their curious glances.  "I was worried you weren't going to make it in time. She seems to be getting worse by the minute."

Pulling her pack off, Zephora walked over to an old table and sat it down. Inside were the pouches of blood. Rafi had warned Zephora that they had to keep the blood chilled or it would spoil. Pixie cast a spell that would keep it cool until they arrived home. 

"How do we give the blood to her?" Hudson asked. Zephora thought for a moment. 

"They really just drink blood normally. So, I would imagine we'll have to see if we can rouse her enough to take a few sips at a time." Zephora said as she walked over and sat down next to girl . Figuring there was nothing to lose, she ripped open the top off the pouch then placed the tip of it between the neck biters lips.

 "Hold on a minute!" Hudson stopped her. "Are we sure we really want to do this? What happens when she gets all her strength back and tries to attack us or something?"

"Hudson are you saying that a moon howler, a spell caster, a gargoyle and a freakish human aren't capable of handling one sickly neck biter?" Zephora asked.

"All right! I get your point. Get on with it then." Hudson muttered and leaned back against the cement wall.

"Leo, can you help me hold her head up slightly so she doesn't choke?" 

Leo knelt down near the girl and gently lifted her head, brushing her red hair back from her face. Zephora tilted the pouch up to allow the blood to flow into her mouth. At first it pooled between her lips and dripped down her chin. Zephora began to wonder if they were too late and the girl couldn't be helped.  Leo pulled her lips apart a little wider and after a moment, Zephora thought she heard a faint swallow and then another. 

It took Zephora by surprise when the girl suddenly reached up and grasped Zephora's hands around the pouch and she began to drink in earnest. Within a few moments, the neck biter had drained the entire pouch. Zephora wasn't certain if they had given her enough, but the girl seemed content for the moment. 

"Should we wait to give her more?" Leo asked?

"I'm not sure... I don't know if it's like someone being starved of food and you should only eat a little at a time to keep the food down?" Zephora shrugged.

"She appears to have had enough for the moment. We could try and give her more in a little while." Pixie suggested.

They all agreed, and Leo settled her back into her makeshift bed. It was strange to see Leo mothering the neck biter. Zephora didn't know what to think of his behavior toward the girl. He seemed rather protective of her.