The Vampires #1: Alaric and Faina

Chapter 17 (Faina): Safe

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

***TW FOR GRAPHIC MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH***

It was the voices.

First it was the voices, as if I was far away and someone was calling to me.

It was the voices calling to me.

To me.

Or maybe to someone else.

I heard my name.

Maybe they weren't calling to me.

Just saying my name.

The voices, the words slowly began to clarify, to make sense.

But they didn't make sense.

Let Faina go.

Put her down on the bed.

The doctor needs to check Faina. Check the babies.

We won't hurt her. We're trying to help Faina. Help the babies.

The babies? It seemed like that should make more sense but my mind was not working right.

Slowly, as the words began to pierce my consciousness, other senses began to function. Arms. I felt strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close. Protectively.

I smelled blood. My cheek was pressed against something wet. Blood.

I tried hard to make my eyes open. It would have been so much easier to keep them closed because just the brief swim back to the surface had tired me. Drift back to sleep...sleep sounded so good.

"Faina!" I knew that voice, but then there was a deep growl. A warning. Not to me, but to the man who had called my name.

"Open your eyes, Faina. You need to open your eyes." Papa. He wanted me to open my eyes.

"Faina!" This time it was a woman's voice and I knew this voice, too. Maman.

"Cordula, get out of here," Papa snapped at Maman. That didn't seem right. They never raised their voices to each other. "It's not safe."

"Gervais --" Maman's normally cool voice sounded strained.

"GET OUT!"

Another growl rumbled against my body. I knew, now. More and more was coming back to me and I knew the arms that held me. Alaric. On that thought, I forced my eyes open, forced them to stay open. Looking up at him, he looked back at me, his eyes burning red as they always did for me.

"Alaric," I breathed, realizing he was drenched in blood, his face and neck covered in it. I was struggling to find words and think. What had happened? Something must have happened. Something terrible. The babies?

My hand went to my belly, and I felt the familiar bump under my hands, the feather-light flutterings that had begun very recently. So whatever was wrong, whatever had caused all the blood, had nothing to do with the babies, fortunately. They were still safe within me.

"Alaric," I said again, calling to him, calling him past the Hunger because I knew very well that it was the Hunger holding me so protectively and warning people away. What had happened? Why couldn't I remember? Alaric had fed and sent me to sleep...and now I was in Alaric's arms, held tight to his bloody chest, but it was the Hunger who was guarding me.

So much blood, and then his huge, bloody hand -- it was all over him -- came up to cup my face, and I noticed the shackles around his wrist and the chains attached to the shackles. The shackle around his neck was still on him as well. What had happened? His touch was tender, reassuring, and I wanted to reach up to his face but I didn't have the strength to move my hand up.