The Royal Within

Chapter 29

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Willow and Chris both just stared. Willow, too angry for words, and Chris, feeling too bad for the girl, he didn't want to upset her anymore.

He knew his vampires attacked others, and he tried to prevent it, but he never had met a victim of one of the attacks..or a victim's relative.

"We need to go." Willow finally decided, and Chris sighed. Willow grabbed his arms, and tried to haul him up, but she couldn't pick him up.

Chris tried not to laugh as she grunted in frustration. She pushed her fingers over her temples, and rubbed them. "Ok.. If I give you some of your movement back, promise not to attack me.. Or run." Chris knew that she was extremely worried, escpecially since she was trusting him (sort of).

"You could just get more people." Chris offered, but Willow shook her head. "I don't have the status to get people to do my work." Her stare almost seemed to say "unlike you." But she didn't say that.

"I promise." He stared at the short girl. "I didn't catch your name."

She rolled her eyes, which Chris took as a good sign. She was getting used to him...or annoyed even more. "I didn't give it." She snapped, and moved to put a small dose of the cure into him. He was expecting her to shove it in his arm, but she gently pricked the needle into his skin.

"I'm sorry about your brother." Chris said quietly. Her eyes saddened, and she nodded. "You didn't even know him." She whispered, almost as if she was in pain. "I've lost everything, and he was all I had left."

She injected the serum, and removed the needle. Chris slowly started to feel like he could jump up, but he moved slowly. He didn't want to scare her.

"So you're a pixie right?" Chris asked politely. Willow barely nodded, but instead kept her eyes on him for any sign of his movement. "You can mess with emotions.. Right?"

She nodded, but her eyes darkened. "We can also fly, but I lost my power after my brother died." Chris stopped moving, and exhaled slowly.

The poor girl. He thought to himself.

Just then, a loud ringing went through the air. Willow fell to the ground, and started wailing.

Chris moved over to her, as blood started dropping from her nose. She tried to push him away, but he stayed. Luckily for him, he just ate, and wasn't hungry.

Willow started to scream as the noise got louder, and Chris pressed his hands against her ears. Her nose was pouring blood, and her body was shaking. When the sound stopped, Willow remained lifeless, and stopped shaking. The blood drainage has stopped, and was starting to dry. Chris had to look away from the blood.

"Plum?" Chris asked quietly. He began to lightly shake her, and her eyes slowly opened. She looked tired, and she didn't even try to push him away.

When the barn door opened, Chris grabbed her, and sped into the sheep pen. He cradled her against him, and she closed her eyes once again.

Chris glanced over to see who came through, and saw a fish boy walking through. He quickly realized the mer people have come for revenge.

Willow began to cough, and he silently begged her to be quiet. He wasn't afraid to fight the fish boy, but rather, he was afraid to leave Willow by herself. He didn't know what it was, but he felt responsible for her misery. Some part of him needed to make it up to her.

The fish boy turned the corner to stare right at Chris. Chris sighed, and gently laid Willow to the ground. Her eyes stayed closed as he got up.

He turned to face the fish boy, who smiled at him. "Come on, ya big fella." The fish boy taunted.

Chris rolled his eyes, and ran to him. Part of him wanted to kill the fish boy, but he was trying to prove that vampires weren't all bad. So, he compelled him. Chris stared into the fish boy's eyes until they dilated.

"You found no one in the barn. You only saw animals." Chris spoke harshly, but confident.

"Only animals." The fish boy said hazily. He started walking back to the entrance, and Chris smiled with victory, and turned back to the girl who wouldn't tell him her name.

Her skin was still looking pale after the sound, but it was starting to turn back to it's normal light pink color. He kneeled down next to her, and she tried to scoot away. "If I wanted to hurt you, I could have already done it." Chris told her.

She stopped moving, and looked up at him. "What do you want from me? Huh?" Ever since her brother died, no one has ever thought to help her, and now this guy walks in, and saves her life?

Chris was speechless. He didn't really want anything from her. "Is it really that unusual for someone to help you?" He asked, but he didn't realize how true those words were.

Willow laid on her stomach, and pressed her head to her arms. She didn't want to talk to him anymore. But, Chris laid down next to her on his back, and tried to start a conversation.

"Does this usually happen? The invasions?" Chris asked normally. Willow couldn't answer, she was afraid her voice would give away how she was feeling. Afraid that it would show weakness. So she shook her head.

Chris sniffed the air, and could smell the salt coming the girl. He could hear her slight sobs that she tried to keep quiet. He also could tell, that no matter how much this girl tried to hide it, she needed someone there for her.

He lightly touched her back, and she tensed. Then he started to gently rub it, trying to show a comforting gesture.

At first, she seemed ok with it, but after about a minute, she turned away, and slapped his hand away. "I don't need your pity." She whispered loudly.

"It's not pity." Chris spoke firmly, but he knew he was lying. Willow felt like she was breaking apart. She hated the fact that the first time someone wanted to be her friend, that they are the one thing she despised most. On the other hand, she felt like she needed someone, and finally having a person to talk to, seemed so much better than being alone.

They sat in silence, just staring at each other. Chris, trying to show he was good, and Willow, trying to show she didn't need him.

The fighting continued to wage on outside, and Willow felt a lump rise in her throat. If Delphine found out that Willow didn't fight in the war, she would kill her. Hastily, Willow got up, and tried to walk to the door. Her body was screaming in pain, and Willow clenched her teeth. She started to fall back, but Chris was right there to catch her.

"What are you doing?" He had no intention of letting her go. Willow struggled, but couldn't remove herself from his hold.

"They'll kill me if I don't go out and fight." Willow snarled, and continued to try to wiggle out of his grasp.

Chris rolled his eyes."They won't kill you." He acted like he knew.

"Yes they will!" Willow protested. Chris shook his head, like he knew something she didnt.

"I won't let them kill you Plum." He told her with a smile. Willow grimaced at the nickname, and hoped he would let her go.