The Vampire's Heart II - The Dying Heart (Phan)

Chapter 9 - Whatever Happens

Dan's POV

Storm rushed to her herbs and picked up one. She fumbled with it and tore up it's small, suspicious leaves and dropped it into her pot of water. She then poured the pot into a smaller glass and swished it around. She took my head and tilted it back, opening my mouth, and poured the mixture into my mouth. It slipped down my throat and into my stomach. In a moment, I choked and began to cough loudly. I felt my torso and legs again and could move! I covered my mouth and I coughed up whatever she gave me. Storm stepped back.

I immediately crawled to Phil. I didn't know what to do. I removed my shirt and dabbed the bleeding wounds on his neck with it. His breath was painfully cut and jumpy. His eyes looked up at me.

"D-Dan...."

"Are you okay?" I interrupted. "D-does it hurt?"

"I-I'm fine, please, Dan. D-did she... hurt... you? Are you o-okay?"

"Besides being paralyzed and tied down, no, I'm fine. But your bite.... What's going to happen to you?"

He looked away. I didn't even think that Storm was behind me, watching all this happen. He didn't speak. I began to tear up. I lowered my head down to him, and kissed his lips. I touched his face.

He smiled. "I don't know. But Dan," he said, catching his breath and seeming to be able to speak clearly again. "I'm so glad you're safe."

I kissed him again.

"Phil! Dan!" I heard Cynthia call. She slipped into the cave from the entrance that Phil carved out. She ran to us on the floor. "What happened?"

I removed my bloody shirt from Phil's neck to reveal the quickly closing bite marks. She gasped.

"Did she bite you?" she whispered.

He nodded. I cradled him close and felt his weak arms wrap around me.

"What's... going to happen?" she asked nervously.

"Dan," Phil snapped, "if I turn back into a vampire, I have to leave and be alone."

"What? No! Phil!"

"Yes. I can't do that to you. I can't let you be forced to live like this with me. I won't let you suffer."

I couldn't imagine losing Phil. No. It wouldn't happen. No way. I stood up and stomped over to Storm, who had her hands balled up and covering her mouth.

"Bite me," I said menacingly. "If he has to go through that again, I'm not letting him go alone!"

"Dan, please!" Cynthia said from behind me.

"Dan, no! Don't do that!" Phil added.

"Is he going to turn back into a vampire or not?"

Storm stuttered about, and finally spoke. "I-I don't know," she answered. "I've never seen an ex-vampire be turned back human and then bitten again!"

"Dan can we please go? You're free!" Phil weakly stood up. Cynthia helped him.

I gave one last look to Storm. She spoke. "Such sacrifice..." she said, almost to herself. "I was greedy. I tried to fix myself, but look at what I caused." She giggled. "But you would really have me bite you to keep him from being alone forever? You would do all that for him? Hmm. I guess these were the things I was missing when I tried to get you to like me. I was too deep into a dumb idea. Whatever you think, I never planned on it going this far. I lost control. I sincerely apologize, though there is no forgiveness you can offer."

I looked and Phil and I took his hand in mine. I kissed him. "Let's go home so I can clean that for you," I offered.

"Okay." He smiled. We stepped out of the cave. It was deep into the night still, but it was my first breath of fresh air in a while.

"Cynthia?" Phil called. "Are you coming?"

"I'll catch up," she answered from inside Storm's cave.

Phil and I walked home, out of the woods and back into the little town we lived in, and right back into our home. As soon as the door closed behind us, he broke down in tears.

"Phil, are you alright?"

He hugged me tightly. "I was so worried I wouldn't see you again."

I gave him another kiss. "Of course you would."

"And you're sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But you...."

He clasped a hand over the bite marks.

"We'll figure out what to do. Together. Whatever happens. I'll be there for you."

"I'm just happy to have you back," he said.

And I was overjoyed to be back.

Phil's POV

I cuddled Dan closely, not letting go of him all night. I kissed him and hugged him and told him I missed him. "I don't know what I would have done without you," I said. "God, I love you so much."

"I know, but I love you more."

"That's impossible!" I said cutely.

"I love you more than anyone else could ever imagine."

"I love you more than you could ever even guess."

Dan snickered. "You're such a dork."

He put his lips to mine. He kissed me so deeply and eagerly. I felt a tear slip down one of his cheeks, but he wasn't sad. He was happy to be home where he belongs.

Forcing love on someone, I've always known, is crazy and wrong. There's a difference between true love and a one-way relationship. With Dan, however, I've never felt so in love or happy. I loved having his scent on me, his eyes looking at me, his lips pressed to mine... anything that involved him being there. It was everything I needed and trusted. I didn't, in anyway for some reason, feel like I would become a vampire again, physically or mentally, bitten or not.

Dan kissed my neck, right over the bite wounds. It stung a bit, but I let him. "Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you," he said. "I won't let it."

I knew he meant it. I knew whatever happened, he would be right there. I knew that he really did love me.