Two Beasts | Mikael

Chapter Six

 Mikael opened his eyes. He was back, back in that room Radu gave him, the one he was trying to escape.

 "Good. You're awake." Radu stood beside the bed, a look of concern shadowing his features. "I've been waiting for you. How do you feel?"

 Mikael opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He couldn't find his voice, as if his throat were stuck somehow.

 "Mikael, can you move at all?"

 Mikael tried, he really did. But he found he couldn't move his arms and legs. He didn't know what Radu saw when he looked into his eyes, but he seemed to guess that something was very wrong.

 "Whatever magic you messed with," he said, "It's paralyzed you. That is a very serious matter, Mikael. I can fix it, but you have to stay calm, please."

 Well, since Mikael was paralyzed, it didn't seem like there was anything he could do besides stay still and try to keep calm.

 "Now, what was it?" Radu muttered to himself. "No, no that wasn't it. Hold on. I'm going to have to go consult my books."

 The fact that he had to go 'consult his books' in such a dire situation didn't make Mikael feel any better. There had to be a way out of this himself. He just had to keep trying to move.

 "Please, Mikael," Radu said, "You're only going to make things worse if you're trying too much. Let me go find the spell I need. I will return soon. I promise."

~~~~~~

 Radu thought it probably wasn't a good idea to leave Mikael alone in that state, but what other choice did he have? Besides, Mikael couldn't climb out any windows this time.

 However, Radu knew he had to work fast. Mikael was a lot closer to desiccation than he thought, and it almost made Radu feel bad for killing every vampire who came within the region.

 He went to his study and opened his grimoire, flipping through the pages until he found what he was looking for. When he returned to the bedroom, Mikael was still the same as he'd been when he left.

 "I'm afraid I'm going to have to perform this as quickly as I can," Radu said. "Your body is growing weak, Mikael. I don't know when the last time was you actually drank any blood, but my concern is that your body will begin to desiccate very-oh, no."

 He looked down at Mikael's left hand, which was beginning to turn gray.

 "No, it's already started," he said. "I'm sorry, Mikael, but you are going to be very tired when this is over."

 Radu began to chant his spell, removing the paralysis from Mikael's body. But as he did so, the desiccation set in further, and had taken over his body by the time Radu was finished.

 "If you would just drink human blood like everyone else," he said with a sigh. He would have to revive him with his blood stores up in the study.

 That would make him angry, though, wouldn't it? Radu certainly didn't want him to wake up angry (although that would probably be the case, anyway). No, there had to be something else he could do.

 Radu looked down at himself. He was a vampire, and Mikael claimed to only drink vampire blood. If he wanted Mikael to be slightly less angry, the best thing to do would probably be to give up a little blood of his own.

~~~~~~

 It was well past midnight as Radu let his blood drip into the cup. Once he thought there was enough, he held the cup to Mikael's lips, and let it pour into his throat. He watched as the color of his skin changed from gray to pale again.

 "Good." Radu pulled off Mikael's shoes and coat, and pulled the blanket over him. "I think you need sleep."

 Radu poured more blood into the cup, and left it there for him, just in case he needed more when he woke up.

 By now, Radu himself was becoming rather exhausted. What had he done that day? Well, it had been five or six days since the last time he'd had any blood, so he could barely concentrate on anything except Mikael. Then Mikael went and fell out a window and got himself paralyzed. And then Radu had had to donate his own blood to keep Mikael from staying desiccated. 

 Good Lord, he thought. What a exhausting guest.

 It didn't take him very long to fall asleep.