The Bride and Her Bloodlust

It was hard lugging the Master back. Finding a safe way proved difficult enough but then fact I was bleeding still and growing weaker with the coming of dawn just made it a lot worse. I gritted my teeth and ploughed on though. He was slowly beginning to put more and more of his weight on me and his mumbled deliriously to himself. As I reached the outside of the city and began to plod through the thicket and fir trees, he was no longer registering I was there. He constantly failed to respond to my desperate questions and instead spoke to himself. It was terrifying me.

As we slowly drew closer to the house hidden away in the depths of the woodland, I heard something move. I stopped sharply, which was a mistake for the Master. He slipped from my grasp and collapsed to the floor where he didn’t so much as twitch. I spared him only one glance before I knelt beside him, covering him a little with my arms and torso, and sharply stared about the darkness. I calmed though with relief as a scent was brought to me on the gentle breeze; a very familiar scent.

Young master Alphonse strode warily into view. He seemed confused, tilting his head as he observed myself and the Master. Very slowly he registered it was indeed us and that something very wrong had happened.

He ran to my side and knelt down, placing a hand on my arm. “Susan, what’s happened?” He asked as he peered down at his Uncle’s pale face.

“I don’t know.” I wheezed. I felt dreadful. “A witch attacked us and Lucius said he got stabbed with something.”

Al was alarmed. “She got the best of both of you?”

“I am weak without my Matter, remember.” I snapped as shame filled me. I felt awful a letting harm come to Lucius, worse than awful. Seeing him so sick and weak because I had failed made me want to hide and cry in disgrace. I had promised so long ago that I wouldn’t let anyone hurt my family ever again and here I was, failing with the one member I treasured the most.

Al did and he nodded rapidly, muttering an apology. “I’ll get you back.”

“You’ll need others.” I said as I felt the usual grogginess come. It whirled before my eyes and thickened in my brain, making me a little dizzy. I didn’t even need to look up at the sky to know it was becoming slightly pink with dawn light. “You’re not going to be able to carry both of us.”

Alphonse patted my arm. “Wait here. I’ll get a few of the servants to help.” He paused and wiped away some of the blood that was congealing on my face. “Will you be okay?”

I smiled thinly. “I’ll be fine.”

Without another word, he leapt to his feet and ran off in the direction of home.

I sighed and let my body collapse as it began to ache and gradually go numb. I lay my cheek on Lucius’ chest and stared up at his face. He was no longer mumbling now but unconscious. His body and muscles twitch madly now and then, making my own body jolt with his. He seemd to be in pain. A lot of pain. I wanted to help him but had no idea how. Vampires to get sick. They’re immortal and are entirely immune to all illnesses of mankind. It was deeply worrying that Lucius was acting as though he was ill.

I reached up and touched his hair, slowly stroking the thick locks in hopes it would calm me. While I was anxious, I was growing angry with every breath. That witch had hurt him. She had hurt my mate. I wanted to go out and hunt her down then tear her throat out from what she had done. But my body wouldn’t let me. It was growing thicker and heavier with every moment. So I was confined to where I was, listening to Lucius’ mad heartbeat and feeling the thickening of my rage.

I soon fell unconscious with voices and scents approaching, giving me some sense of comfort at leaving Lucius to face his sickness alone.

*

I woke with heavy and sore eyes with a hand clutching mine. My nose stung and my head pulsed with pain. It was my groan that alerted whoever was next to me. Their grip tightened and I hear the gentle voice of Ella.

“Hey, Susan.” She murmured with a smile in her tone.

I pushed myself up slowly, feeling my nose and face. It was swollen in some places but not as bad as it could’ve been. Healing for a Black Blood was far faster than a human’s but it was still slow. I assumed my face was purple in colour.

But my mind instantly focused on where I was. I was alone in Ella’s room. I wasn’t in my bed with the Master’s arms wrapped around me. I remembered rapidly what had happened, that he was sick and the link between us was blocked firmly still.

“Where’s Lucius?” I demanded.

Ella frowned. “He’s in your room.”

I nodded, ignoring Ella’s pleas for me to remain in bed, and strode off into the house. The servants kept their distance, making sure they remained out of my way as soon as they saw the rage flickering in my eyes. Ella followed me closely, trying her best to keep up with my firm strides. I didn’t even stop to knock when I reached my room. I just opened the door and entered.

Alphonse and Mo were inside, watching over the Master who lay motionless in bed. With the fear and anxiety that swirled around them, my heart stopped for a second as the thought he had died popped into my head. But Mo approached me and took my hand, smiling her wrinkled comforting smile.

“The Master’s just sleeping.”

I nodded and swallowed thickly, not wanting to show the relief that swamped me. “Has he not woken at all?”

Mo shook her head sadly. “He’s not woken once but he’s no longer twitching. He seems to have calmed.”

That pleased me also. I let Mo guide me to the Master’s side. Ella remained by the door, wringing her hands with worry. I sat beside Lucius, taking his large hand. He did seem less paler and no longer sweating as much. His expression was also calmer, not pained. As Mo said, he didn’t look so sick now.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I’ve asked the Heads of our Branches but they don’t recall anything like this.” He said darkly. “They’re throwing a tantrum about this by the way. Cassandra is baying for the blood of all witches for this.”

“Waging war against the Families would be idiotic.” I said calmly as I rubbed the Master’s arm. Feeling his warm skin was some comfort for me.

“I’ve told the Young Master I think we should get the Lady involved.” Mo said beside me. “She may be able to delve into his mind and find him for us.”

As much as I didn’t like the woman for closing off my Matter, Mo had a point. If anyone could possible help Lucius, it was going to be Eva Sinclair.

I was about to nod and accept her suggestion with some disgust when I felt Lucius’ hand twitch in my grasp. My focus snapped to his face, eyeing his features hopefully. His eyes scrunched up and his head moved. I couldn’t help but smile and feel my heart flutter. He was stirring.

But all my excitement and relief was stopped short. His eyes opened slowly and they were focused well but something was off. His eyes were usually soft and filled with mirth and affection when he looked at me. Instead they held a strange bloodlust.

He reached up at touched my neck gently, an action that would normally send shivers down my spine with delight. Instead my body stiffened. I couldn’t help but stare in utter confusion and disbelieve, even as my body screamed as me to run.

And then his claws sunk deep into my shoulder, making me yell in pain and shock. I saw his face, perfectly calm and showing a hint of his old affection for me, as he spilled my blood. Without thinking twice, he chucked me across the room. I hit the wall hard, making it snap against the force, and only had a moment to quickly recover.

“Ella, get out!” Al bellowed as he tossed Mo away from the bed just as the Master darted forward and took a swipe at her throat. She scrambled to her feet, obeying the Young Master without a second thought, and quickly shoved Ella out of the room, bellowing at all servants to get out of the wing as she did.

I didn’t understand what was going on, all I could think of was when he tried to kill me years back under Morrigan’s influence. I remained frozen, ignoring the firey pain in my shoulders, as I watched the Master’s fist aim straight for Alphonse’s face. It shattered the wall with a plume of rubble and he didn’t wait long for Alphonse’s to prepare himself for an attack.

This wasn’t the Master. It smelt like him, looked like him even felt like him. But those eyes and the bloodlust and madness I felt in his mind wasn’t him. It was something entirely different.

With my face blank as ever, I grabbed the tall lamp beside me and yanked it out of the mains. I approached Lucius and Alphonse as they fought one another and ripped each other’s flesh apart, before I poised myself and raised the lamp, ready to strike.

The Master didn’t even see me. He was entirely focused on Alphonse, snarling and hissing as he tore his dear nephew to shreds. Without a second thought, I brought the base of lamp down sharply on my mate’s head. He stumbled and blood spurted out from the wound, but he remained standing. As he turned, his eyes ablaze with rage and his teeth bared at me, me, his chosen mate of twenty years, I struck his face with more force than before. He dropped to the floor, bloodied and wounded.

I dropped the lamp and wiped Lucius’ blood from my face. Alphonse got to his feet, wincing and holding his arm as it bled profusely.

“I’ll get him locked up.” Alphonse said heavily.

“I’ll contact Eva. Whatever has happened to Lucius, there must be a way to revert it.” I said calmly.

Alphonse nodded, looking miserable, and watched as I knelt down beside my mate. The wounds I had inflicted were bad and there were dozed of gouges across his chest and arms. He was in a far worse shape than before.

I touched his face and tried my best to wipe away the blood while I quietly pressed again the link. It was open now and it made me want to cry. Inside his mind was nothingness. A great big blob of darkness and hatred. This wasn’t the mind of Lucius Rain. The soft, calming warmth wasn’t there anymore. I had no idea where he had gone.

Trying my best to hold back my panicked tears, I kissed his mouth fleetingly then left him to Alphonse. I hurried through the house, seeking the phone in the Master’s room so I could contact Eva.

She had to be able to find him and help him. I’d beat it out of here if I had to. And if she couldn’t, I would find a way. I was not going to lose him. I couldn’t. Lucius was mine and I refuse to let him go.