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

CHAPTER SIX - THE BLOOD DOCTOR (Part 1)

CHAPTER SIX – THE BLOOD DOCTOR

(Part 1)

Hearing the laughter of the women brought back memories of my own family. I tried hard to fight back the loneliness.

After three hours of cleansing and protecting the apartment (and showering Luther with all their praise), the apartment was silent. Alin came rushing into the bedroom, looking calmed. ‘It’s safe. They’ve gone now,’ she announced as she jumped onto the bed.

Luther followed close behind her, came to my side and gave me a relieved hug as he sighed at the stress of the previous hours. His embrace lingered longer than a usual hug should but he was relieved the ordeal was over, so I accepted his enthusiastic squeeze and followed them to the lounge. ‘Do you think it’ll work?’ I questioned as Alin poured me a glass of blood.

They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. ‘Hope so - but I guess all we can do is wait and see,’ Luther replied as she gave him a doubting glance.

We spent the evening talking about their past and laughing at fond memories as Luther brought out their photo album. ‘Who’s she then?’ I asked as I looked at an old, crumpled black and white photo of an ominous elderly woman.

Her eyes pierced through the camera lens as she sat around a circle table, draped with lace, where she dealt tarot cards without a sign of emotion on her worn face. ‘This was my great grandmother. She was known for her “gifts”…’ Luther replied as he smiled at the photo fondly.

‘Yeah - but not her friendliness!’ Alin chipped in as Luther regarded her with a frown at her comment. It seemed Alin didn’t get on with a few of the elderly women in their group and I was about to find out why.

‘She was friendly but just so distrusting and cynical with some of her friends - it’s no surprise she found it difficult to bond with you’ Luther said as Alin waved her hand in protest.

‘Unlike you, I do not tend to just smile and nod to keep the peace. I have my own thoughts and opinions and if I think there is something strange about someone I won’t pretend to be their best friend,’ Alin spat back spitefully as I sat, silently, on the sideline observing this sibling argument. Weirdly, I was almost enjoying it; it reminded me of my own silly arguments with Raven.

Luther refused to admit defeat on this matter. ‘Remember what Tanti used to say?’ to which Alin nodded as they both recited their Grandmother’s motto: ‘If you have nothing good to say, then say nothing, until you are put in a position where every other option as been exhausted and you have to say it.’ I chuckled at the thought of this unique woman saying this to them and wished I could have met her and revelled in the stories of her interesting past.

Alin decided to spend two more days with her brother, but after another sibling spat, I think she realised she had outstayed her welcome and retreated to her apartment, leaving Luther to try to look after my growing needs alone.

******

Without Alin, the days seemed longer. Gone were the sharp humour and girly chats and in came the awkward atmosphere, the discrete looks of revulsion Luther would try not to give as he handed me the bags of blood he was risking his career to provide me with. I devoured each plastic container like a lion tearing through a zebra. He also hated the constant excuses he had to use to prevent Ms Vaduva from inviting herself in. Unfortunately, the latter was easier said than done: ‘Okay, I’m going to work now. Stay in bed and call me if it starts to twinge again and I will be back straight away,’ he said as he touched my moving stomach and walked out of the bedroom.