A Full Moon

-Chapter 10- Averie: Hibernation

Caleb, covered in red oozing vampiric blood, fell to the ground. Dust swirled up the air with a thud as he hit the marble flooring.

He looked at me, eyes begging. He struggled to stand up. But his injuries prevented him. As the magic tying me up dispersed, I ran to him. He stumbled into my arms at my approach.

"Let's get out of here. Fast." He said.

I nodded, seeing the desperation in his eyes. I helped him get up and I carried his arms to support him as we walked out. The halls were a catacombs of skulls and bones. Of ancient glyphs and texts. I had no time to ponder through each one by one. Caleb didn't stop moving and he seemed to be in a hurry. His breaths were shallow, each a struggle to keep up.

The stairs going up seemed to be an eternity. But this time, the walls were nothing but onyx stones with cobwebs. Just a few faint sconces lighting our way. Maybe vampires didn't think of putting elevators since they have super strength and speed.

But now, with Caleb weak, I would give anything for an easy way out. Finally, we reached a wall that was obviously a concealed door. Caleb reached for the nearest torch and pulled it. A few creaks and we're out of the dungeon basement altar. We found ourselves inside a decrepit mausoleum. All gray stones for the walls and ceiling. And in the center is an elaborate sarcophagus.

"It's ok. That's an empty coffin." Caleb said. It was the first few words he spoke ever since we trekked the underground lair.

But I wasn't afraid of it. I was more concerned with Caleb. We passed the coffin like it's nothing and I pushed open the heavy oak double doors.

And I saw the backyard of the infamous Vladislaus Straud. A lifeless contrast to the lush greens outside his wrought iron fences.

On the horizon, dawn was almost breaking. The sky a tinge of periwinkle.

"I need to get home before the sun rises."

There was genuine worry in his voice. All of his usual bravado gone.

"Climb onto my back. I'll carry us to Wolfsbane Manor." Caleb could barely talk.

"Caleb, I'll only slow you down. You go ahead, I'll be right behind you."

"No."

And that was the end of the argument. He still thought of my welfare and I felt so useless that I couldn't help him in his dire need.

I met his eyes. His gaze was unbreakable. So I climbed onto his back and he sprinted his way to his mansion in the plains below.

His breathing became more labored as he ran. And the first rays of the sun were hot in our tail. Dawn had finally arrived.

We got to the manor in the nick of time. Caleb opened the door and closed it before the sun got through.

And he collapsed on the floor a second later, carrying me with him.

"You're safe now. I'm sorry." He looked at me with longing eyes.

"Caleb, I don't understand."

He hushed me. Sorrow crisp in his eyes. He held my cheek and whispered, "Averie, I love you. I truly do. Live. Don't wait for me."

Then he closed his eyes, his grip loosened and his hand fell from my face. My heart was tugging with pain I couldn't recognize. Like it was goodbye but not.

I took Caleb's hand and felt his wrist. His pulse is still moving, he is still breathing. Caleb is alive. But why do I feel like he's gone?

My throat tightened, and I held tears from falling.

I heard rushing footsteps from outside. And then the door burst with a beautiful figure. Her face searching and a picture of forced calm.

Caleb's sister, Lilith.

"Averie! I heard commotion. What's...." As she saw Caleb on the floor, her expression turned to worry. She sped to where we were.

Lilith touched Caleb's forehead, and thought deeply for a moment. Her eyes suddenly lit up at the realization and she looked at me sadly. "A vampiric hibernation." she whispered.

I creased my forehead in confusion. It was the first time I heard of that.

"Why don't you sit at my bar, Averie? I'll bring Caleb up to his bedroom. He'll be okay, don't worry too much." She gave me a smile that didn't meet her eyes.

Confusion still in my head, all I could do was obey. I dragged myself to the nearest stool and held the bar surface for support.

Lilith slowly lifted Caleb to her shoulders. She was obviously the more muscular and stronger vampire. She gently carried him upstairs, I heard the door opening and closing.

There was a swoosh of the wind, and Lilith was suddenly behind the bar. I turned to her and the sadness in her eyes were evident.

She took a deep breath, "Pick your poison, Averie."

Maybe this was her way to calm my nerves. "Your best Zebra Fizz, please." But there was only melancholy in my words.

Lilith nodded and got bottles at the bottom of the bar. She slowly started to talk to me.

"Averie... Caleb is alright. He is alive."

But why was there gloom in her voice? She slowly poured a clear bubbly liquid into a metal shaker bottle. She put two leaves of mint. A hissing sound generated from it.

She waited for the sound to subside before continuing, "But Caleb is in hibernation. It happens when a vampire has exhausted his dark energy. He needs rest to gain it back."

I nodded, not quite sure how to react. Lilith paused and shook the bottle in her hands. She poured the concoction into a wide mouthed glass. Grace in her movements. The bubbles gave me a sense of calm.

Lilith lifted the glass and put it on the bar surface in front of me. "Averie, you see, there's no guarantee when his energy will fill up. We don't know when he will wake up. It may be tomorrow... or centuries from now. It's indefinite."

What? I lifted my glass and drank the whole thing in one go. Letting the spritz and the bitterness swallow me whole. I'm not ready for... for Caleb to be gone. It's just... too soon.

I stared into my empty glass, not really knowing what to say.

Lilith held my hand on the glass. "Caleb loves you, Averie. The most cruel thing about us immortals is we see our loved ones die. That's why we love them fiercely. Being Turned into a vampire is not something we would want for them, because the loneliness is crushing."

I nodded my head, still out of it, felt like I've been sucked into a world of shadows in my soul. Of uncertainty. Of death.

Lilith continued to speak, "Averie, Caleb loved you, really loved you. Cherish the memories you have with him. Live and take photos. I'm sure he would ask about you when he wakes up."

It was then that tears spilled from my eyes. My breath hitched and Lilith left the bar to hug me.

She breathed deeply, "Averie, I'll do my best to help Caleb recover faster. There is a certain magic I have been researching. But until then, you have to be strong. For me, for Caleb."

I nodded my head in silent tears. Lilith wiped them with her hand and looked at me in the eye, a reflection of determined fierceness. "You work at FutureSim Labs, right? There are some... rare and alien ingredients I need you to get for me."

I stared at her, all the sudden realization hitting me in a blast. My sorrow was replaced with hope. "Tell me and I'll get it, no matter what."