Bleeding Tears, Crying Blood

I woke up instantly, snapping my eyes open. My room was bathed in faint sunlight and confusion filled me. I had gone to bed shortly after White left me. After poking my nose into Wolfram’s study, intending to tell him I was going to lie down for a while which he responded to with a grunt, I curled up under my quilt and rapidly fell asleep.

And now it was dawn.

It bewildered me. I had never slept for that long. With a frown, I pushed myself up and winced at a sharp pain in my head. It was still there, the pain, just not as intense as yesterday. While I was thankful for that, I didn’t understand why it was there. Sickness was not something an immortal could experience. The only time they would be bed ridden is after a horrible battle and suffered savage wounds. Vampires don’t get headaches.

With the frown still in place, I got up and showered, all the while trying to ignore the faint throb in my head. As I finished dressing, I sensed someone come into my room so I wasn’t surprised to find Wolfram sitting on my bed, watching me with concern as I came out, brushing my wet hair.

“How are you feeling today?” He asked.

I hesitated for a moment, tempted to lie to avoid the attention, before I decided better of it. “My head hurts still.”

He frowned and pushed himself onto his feet. I stared up at him when he came to my side, placing a hand on my forehead to check my temperature. “You don’t appear to be sick.” He said.

“I can’t be sick so I am not.”

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, stepping away from me as he fished out a cigarette and lighter. He never seemed to go for long without smoking, I noticed. “You are young, still not matured. Children can catch human illnesses.” He stated.

“But I am not a child. I am nearly twenty.”

“But you aren’t matured. Your body is not quite immortal or strong. Sickness is something you could suffer from still.”

I narrowed my eyes in doubt but he did have a point. I hadn’t matured so I could still get sick, even if it was now very unlikely.

“Where is White?” I asked as I made my bed.

I had noticed his body wasn’t there on my pillow when I woke. It was unusual but it meant White was still around as he promised.

“Downstairs, rummaging around in my study.” He grumbled in disapproval.

“What for?”

Wolfram shrugged. “I don’t know. I just left him to it.”

I nodded with a faint frown, knowing that White was still seeking information on the dhampir, then my eyes shot to my door when I felt someone coming towards the house. People I knew. Wolfram nodded at me and I left the room with him following behind slowly. I barely entered the entrance hall before there was a loud hollow bang on the front door. I opened it swiftly and stared at Kenny who grinded at me widely. Leroy was standing behind him, looking a little annoyed.

“Hello Kenny.” I said as he stepped inside. He didn’t give me much choice but to stand aside and let him in.

I looked back at Wolfram, hoping he was okay with this. He just stood in the darkness of the stairwell, staring at Kenny and Leroy as the cigarette butt glowed gently in the air.

“What is it I can do for you?” I asked.

“He just wanted to come with me to the gardens but didn’t want to go there without you knowing it.” Leroy explained a little irritably.

“I would’ve known.” Wolfram said from the darkness. “And if I didn’t want strangers in my garden I would’ve done something about it long ago.” Leroy’s cheeks glowed a little at the stab.

“We’ll be outside.” Leroy muttered.

“Wait, White is in the study. I’ll go get him.” I said.

“I’ll come with you.” Kenny informed.

I just nodded. I knew I couldn’t change Kenny’s mind once he has decided on doing something. Leroy remained by the front door while I wondered back with Wolfram to his study. Kenny followed me like a shadow and I didn’t like this stare. I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my head, unfriendly and untrusting. It bewildered me.

White peered up at me from the books he was sitting on and reading when we entered the room. I sensed him glance and welcome Wolfram and Kenny with a blossom of relief following when he couldn’t see Leroy.

“How are you today, Alma?” He asked as he reached out to me so I could pick him up.

I scooped him into my hands and held him to my face, letting him nuzzle my cheek in affection. “I am better.”

“That is good.” He said warmly.

“We’re going outside now if you want to come.”

White hesitated then agreed. “I’ll come.”

I smiled, pleased he agreed.

“I’ll leave you to it. I have some work to do.” Wolfram said and sat heavily in his old chair, letting out a stream of smoke from his mouth. “Alma, be careful. If your head begins to get worse, come inside and rest.”

I promised lightly and trundled back to Leroy, clutching White to my chest. White’s mood soured considerably at the sight of my young vampire friend. I felt his tiny body cool and his aura darken, all the while he remained perfectly still in my grasp. Once we had stepped outside, Leroy lead the way with a sulky aura while Kenny stuck close to me, questioning me about my head and how I had been since he last saw me. I gave him singular syllable replies but that didn’t seem to curb his chatter and enthusiasm. I kept glancing at him when his eyes trailed the gardens, trying to find the hostile glare I felt burning my back earlier. I never saw it.

We remained outside for a long time. Kenny and Leroy seemed happy, even if Leroy seemed to be curt and sulky towards Kenny’s invasion. White was quiet and refused to leave my side while I stayed outside from sheer will power. My headache was worsening as time wore on and the sun grew stronger. White had felt my discomfort and quietly asked if I wanted to go back. I refused firmly and he dropped it after he managed to convince me to move into a shaded area. I sat there happily, finding it a little easier to ignore the pain now that the sun wasn’t warming my head, until I felt someone approach.

White and I both stiffened instantly and out heads turned towards the house. The feeling was unfamiliar, a stranger approached. My eyes glanced to Leroy and, as expected, he looked confused, watching me carefully for any signs of danger. Kenny wasn’t though. Kenny was quite still, crouched on the ground with his hands in the earth, staring in the direction of the stranger. My eyes narrowed. He shouldn’t know there was someone nearby. He’s human.

“The witch is here.” White stated abruptly. “Hopefully Wolfram won’t kick up too much of a fuss about this.”

I bit my lip, taking my eyes from Kenny and his strange inhuman actions. “He is likely to.” I murmured and stood, striding out into the sun and wincing from the pain it caused me.

Leroy dropped everything and jogged after us. “Is the sword here now?”

“Yes, the witch has come to deliver it.” I told him.

I walked quickly back through the garden and, as I drew closer to the front of the house and strained, angry voices began to be heard, I walked faster over the small thin path that trailed around the building until it stopped at the front. I stopped sharply, clutching White with Leroy and Kenny on either side of me, while I stared at Wolfram and a strange woman with a small owl twittering on her shoulder irritably.

The woman was short, slim and had fluffy pale blond hair. Her sharp eyes scowled at Wolfram in challenge while she stood defensively, ready for a fight. Strapped to her back was a long cylinder which didn’t appear to be any problem for the tiny witch to carry. Wolfram was standing tall yet languidly before her, cigarette in his mouth, hands stuffed in his jean pockets. He appeared quite calm. But it was his eyes, narrowed and glittering behind his glasses, that told me he was quite angry. I swallowed. Maybe not telling him about Cian wasn’t the best idea. While I didn’t know who and exactly what Wolfram was, every cell inside me told me he was not someone I should cross.

“I was told to deliver this here.” The witch declared in a firm tone.

“I told you, nothing has been asked to come to this house.” He said stiffly.

Her eyes narrowed and she turned her nose upwards in challenge. “White, child of the Clans, asked for the sword of my mother. I was told to bring it here, to the Wolfram home and to bring it back once it has served whatever purpose he wants it for. So here I am.”

Instantly Wolfram’s gaze snapped to myself and the toy I held. I felt a ripple of livid power stir from my guard. “White!” He snapped. “What is this? Did you ask for a Witch-blade?”

“I did.” White said confidently, letting his own power curl in the air alongside Wolfram’s.

“What for?” He demanded.

“That business is my own.” White replied sternly.

Wolfram was for a moment amazed by the blatant refusal at his demand before raw rage exploded. “You bring a witch-blade here? To my home and without my permission when I am trying to keep Alma hidden and you refuse to give me an answer as to what bloody hell you’re doing?” He roared, taking several strides towards me.

I had to admit, I took a few steps back in fear. I had never seen Wolfram so angry nor felt so much strength come from him. I never realised how powerful he was. It made me realise why my father chose him to be the one to guard me. You need to be well versed in battle with considerable amount of power backing you to take Wolfram on easily.

I shivered a little at the coldness the air began to take. White was retaliating now.

“I would not bring danger to Alma.” White snarled.

“Then why do you need a Witch-blade?” He snapped in response, now towering over myself and White’s tiny body.

“To help her.”

“What?” His tone became a little confused and his eyes snapped to my face. “What with?”

“Research.” I stammered. “I want answers to something.”

“And why not come to me about it?” Wolfram asked, now a little hurt that I couldn’t confide in him.

“I will, just once we have worked a couple of things out.” I said.

Wolfram’s aura dwindled and eventually snuffed out of existence. No trace of the strength he had let out could be felt in the air. It was completely gone. He was now human again.

With a scowl still in place, Wolfram ducked aside and swept his hand in front of us, indicating to the tense witch standing several feet away, hand stuffed in her large jumper, obviously holding a witch-gun.

“Do what you want.” He said irritably then turned and strode back inside.

I stared after him, wincing when the door slammed shut. Guilt filled me but I knew what I did was right. I had to keep Cian a secret until I got the information I wanted from him. I had no idea how long he would go without execution when word got out. If anyone remembered who he was that is.

The witch slowly approached us, glancing at the gothic house nervously.

“White and Alma Pluvia?” She asked warily. White stirred, letting his aura be felt by her for confirmation. She smiled thinly. “I have brought my mother’s sword, just as you asked, White.”

“Thank you.” White said. “What is your name?”

“Sofia Strand.” She replied without hesitation and reached up to touch the small barn owl that sat on her shoulder, now calmed. “This is Emil.”

White bowed his head in acceptance. “Well we won’t be needing the sword until dusk which isn’t for several hours. I would offer the house to you but I am not sure if Wolfram will be so welcoming to the idea.”

Sofra shrugged but I saw that her eyes held some unease when she glanced at the house. “I don’t want to cross paths with Wolfram. I’ll stay in the town. Once nightfall is coming, I’ll return here.”

White agreed and, once she said goodbye, she turned and strode out of the iron-gate with the owl taking off to the sky, hooting loudly.

“Well that was intense.” Leroy muttered behind me.

I glanced back at him and gave him a small smile when I noticed that he looked a little alarmed but was trying to cover it. I had forgotten he had never seen a fight between two Old Ones. Even though a fight hadn’t broken out, feeling that amount of strength crackling in the air would’ve been quite daunting. And I noticed that, once again, Kenny was un-phased by it all.

“At least we now have the sword, even if we did upset Wolfram.” I said quietly. “We’ll be able to get some answers about the dhampir and Cian’s history now.”

White nodded. “Come dawn, we will know what the Clans have forgotten so long ago and why.”

I agreed softly and then returned to the gardens, letting Kenny and Leroy follow me from behind to mutter to themselves of what nearly passed. I however was not overly pleased with the arrival of the sword. Not only had I upset Wolfram but I may find things out from Cian that I would rather have been left unsaid.