Split Blood: The Ancient Codex - Part One (Book #1 ) - COMPLETE

CHAPTER FOUR - THE SACRIFICE (Part 2)

CHAPTER FOUR – THE SACRIFICE

(Part 2)

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The air was still but the wind whistled through the branches, making us aware of the storm brewing.

Exhausted by the battle and drained by the emotions, the journey left us quiet and feeling weary, so we decided to have a rest in an abandoned cave we stumbled across, near a small tranquil lake.

Walking down a small corridor, we came into the centre of the cave. ‘Well, at least it’s dry,’ I commented as Rohan went to get some leaves, branches and rocks to make a fire.

He rolled a large rock over the opening, leaving a slight gap for us to get in and out. ‘Cover it with this!’ Idony said as she produced a branch-woven guard she’d just created. Leaving us to set up the cave to instil some form of cosiness, he returned minutes later with rocks, branches, berries and two squirrels he’d killed. ‘I thought we could cook these for you,’ he suggested to Idony as I set up the fire.

‘I think you will need the cooked meat too; the blood will no longer satisfy your hunger,’ she replied as he tried to taste some of the blood and threw it back up in the corner. Idony hugged him for his kind gesture and after he cleaned himself up, he lit one of the branches for a torch, took a pot out of my bag and started frying the skinned and gutted squirrels.

Using some of the sheepskin rugs we’d managed to salvage from the village, the cave actually became very comfortable. ‘How’s my baby?’ Rohan asked as he rubbed my stomach.

‘Tired and hungry…’ I replied sadly as I lay on the sheepskin rug and watched the fire stroke the pot with its flames.

‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ he said as he ran out of the cave and Idony looked at me with confusion. I shrugged my shoulders, unaware of his plan, and pulled the cover over myself.

Rohan returned with a live squirrel, squirming in his hand to get free. ‘I know it’s not my blood but it’s better than nothing. Plus, the other squirrel didn’t have enough for you,’ he explained as he offered me the rodent. I took it without hesitation and bit down on its stomach.

The blood rolled off my black fangs onto my tongue, and although it didn’t give me the satisfaction I would get from drinking Rohan’s blood, I knew I couldn’t drink from him again. ‘You’re in the final stages of becoming human, aren’t you?’ I asked as he joined me under the blanket and held me in his arms.

Idony heard my question and stopped eating. Rohan slowly nodded. ‘It’s nothing to worry about though. It doesn’t change anything. I will never leave you,’ he replied reassuringly as he held me tight. Idony regarded me with fear and I could not reassure her with a smile.

Removing the pot from the fire, we blew out the torch, rolled the stone further over the opening and got ready for sleep. Two makeshift beds surrounded the fire, and as we watched the flames in silence, we all knew we were thinking the same thing. The flames fluttered magically until there was nothing to see but the smoke in the darkness.