Dark of the Night

"I don't understand, Ian. This shouldn't be happening to her. Can you bring her to me?" The Oracle seemed confused.

"Yes, I am leaving right now."

With the dark of the night approaching, Ian grabbed Anna from the kitchen and ran out of the door, heading south towards the Oracles house. As Ian was running down the back roads and in the fields, Anna only saw blurs of light flashing past her and began losing consciousness from the amount of blood she was losing. Ian realized that he was losing his speed and strength, "what is happening to me?"

"C'mon Anna, hang in there! Stay awake, please! We are almost there." Anna was so weak that she couldn't respond, she can only fight to keep her eyes open.

Turning a half hour trip into a ten minute trip, they arrive at the Oracle's doorstep and before he open the door, the Oracle was inviting them into the house.

"Put her there on that table, Ian and hold this towel on her wound." Ian held Anna's head and placed her down gently.

"Anna, I am so sorry. I didn't know this would happen. I would have never done it if I would have known." Anna looks at him and nodded her head, unable to speak.

"Anna, you are going to feel a little pinch. I am going to insert this IV into you now." With a slight pinch, Anna can feel the IV pinching into her skin and it burns like fire. Tears falling out of her eyes and panic taking over her body; Anna lets out a scream.

"Shhhh now Honey, it will be okay. This should help get your strength up so we can figure out what is happening to you." The Oracle was trying to comfort Anna while trying to hide her guilt. She knew exactly what was going on, she was instructed to make sure that it happened. With shame written all over her face, the Oracle pulled Ian aside.

"Ian, I am sorry about this. Tell me again, what happened?"

"She told me to bite her, she said it was okay and I was curious about her blood. You said she was the cure for me, so I figured I would try it and see. You never told me this would happen, how didn't you know? You're a fucking Oracle, you should know 'all things', right?!"

Ian's veins are in full and his eyes are turning blood red, setting his sights on the Oracle's guilty face.

"I should have told you, but I wasn't allowed. Someone wants Anna dead, she is too much of a liability. The only way to cure her is to consult the witch, Ariana. She is extremely powerful and has a temper. You must control yourself around her or with a snap of her finger, she will drain Anna completely."

"Call her here now, before I drain YOU completely. NOW."

The Oracle grabbed her phone and dialed Ariana's number, hoping she would answer. She now had two vampires threatening her life and she had to strategize this the right way so that one or the other wouldn't kill her.

"Yes? What do you want?"

"Ariana, it's me. I need your help, please."

"What do you acquire my assistance with?"

"I have Anna here; she is bleeding out and won't survive another hour of this."

"What is she doing there? I thought Wes gave you strict instructions to let her die."

"He did, but I have Ian here as well. Can you please come here and help me, old friend?"

"Ariana... Hello?"

The phone went silent on the other end. The Oracle looked over at Ian with fear as he advanced towards her with his fangs piercing through his gums.

*Knock, knock, knock*

Ian darted over to the door and swung it open. The door frame revealed a slender woman with glorious red hair and piercing blue eyes and pale skin.

"Excuse me, Ian, I'm assuming."

Ian realized this was Ariana and moved out of her way. Ariana advanced into the house and began walking up to the Oracle. "Where is she? I need Crow's foot, ginger root, a strand of Anna's hair and toads blood. And a bowl to mix with."

The Oracle ran to her cabinet and gathered all of the things she needed and met Ariana and Ian by Anna's side. Ariana ripped the towel covering Anna's wound off of Anna and began chanting while mixing the ingredients in the bowl. "Arde, morte, fulla, siene. Arde, morte, fulla, siene."

Ariana, dipped her fingers in the now orange paste and began digging it into Anna's wounds. Trying to escape the pain, Anna wriggled and screamed on the bed, crying to make it stop.

"There that outta do it, keep this wrapped up for 24 hours, and for God's sake, keep your fangs out of her, it will kill the both of you. You owe me, Karlene. I will be in touch." And with the slam of the door, Ariana was gone. Ian's rage growing higher and higher, veins pumping harder and harder, and his fangs growing longer and longer the Oracle knew she was dead one way or another so she had to think fast.

Ian lunged at her full force, "You know, Ian, if you kill me you will never be able to find out who ordered me to make sure Anna died."

Ian stopped dead and released his grip from her throat. "You know, you're right. I can't kill you, not yet anyway. When Anna is healed, you're coming with me and we are going to have a little chat. I am taking Anna back to my house, don't do anything stupid and try and run; I will find you, Karlene."

The Oracle caught her breathe and let the tears stream out of her eyes, one vampire avoided, one to go.

Ian scooped Anna up in his arms and ran her back to his house to let her rest. Ian places Anna on his bed so she can rest. "Thank you for taking care of me, Ian. Is it okay if I stay again? I cannot go home to my roommate like this, she will have a heart attack."

"Absolutely you can stay here, I am so sorry again about this, I swear I didn't know."

"I know you didn't, I believe you. I need to text Cass, and call work and tell them I won't be in tomorrow."

"Okay, I will give you some space. I will go make some dinner."

Anna grabbed her phone once Ian shut the door and called her boss to tell him that she wouldn't be in. "Hi Mr. Graber, I'm sorry but I am feeling very ill and will not be in tomorrow."

"Anna, I hope you have a speedy recovery, take as many days as you need."

"Thank you Mr. Graber, I will rest up and be back in the office as soon as I can."

"Okay Anna, sounds great. And by the way, you know you can call me, Wes. We can skip the informalities from here on out. Get well, dear. I will see you soon."