Page 17

17

GAIDA

The thought of feeding Felix my blood makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. It’s not the blood-sharing itself, it’s the clinical nature of it. The calculated exchange. The fact that Felix will experience my blood as a non-vampire first, with all the disgust and revulsion that entails.

“You’re overthinking this,” Luke says softly as we walk, his thumb tracing circles against my lower back.

“Stop reading my emotions,” I mutter, though there’s no real irritation behind it.

“I don’t need to read them. Your face tells me everything.”

I sigh, leaning into him slightly. “I just don’t want to make this harder for him than it already is.”

“Felix is resilient. He’s also pragmatic. He knows what needs to be done.”

We reach Felix’s door, and I hesitate before knocking. Luke gives me an encouraging nod, and I rap my knuckles against the wood.

“Come in,” Felix calls, his voice tired but alert.

When we enter, I see him sitting cross-legged on his bed, surrounded by books and papers covered in arcane symbols. Dark circles shadow his eyes, but they brighten slightly when he sees me.

“You look like you’ve been swimming,” he remarks, taking in my damp appearance.

“Just enjoying the lovely weather,” I reply with a half-smile.

His gaze shifts to Luke standing behind me, and something flickers across his face. “An audience?”

“I can go if you prefer,” Luke says.

“No, stay. It might make it less weird.”

“How?” I ask with a soft snort.

He chuckles. “Fuck knows, but I’m clutching at straws. Any sign of the sword?”

“Nope, not yet. Maybe it returned to Draken.” I choke on his name but push it aside.

Felix’s expression shifts, becoming more serious. “Can we do this by blood transfusion?”

I glance at Luke. “That’s actually a really good idea. Would that work with me being a vampire?”

Luke nods. “I think I have something that will work. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

When Luke leaves, the room falls into a heavy silence. Felix tidies up his notes, stacking books methodically, which feels like a stalling tactic.

“How are you holding up?” I ask, perching on the edge of his desk.

He doesn’t look up. “About as well as can be expected for someone scheduled to die tomorrow.”

“Felix—”

“It’s fine, Gaida.” He finally meets my eyes. “Really. I’ve made my peace with it.”

“Have you?” I search his face, trying to see beyond the composed exterior.

“As much as anyone can.” He sets down the last book with a sigh. “The ritual is solid. The timing is perfect. Full moon, midnight, all the pieces are in place except for the sword.”

“And my blood.”

His lips quirk into a half-smile. “And that.”

The tension between us crackles with unspoken words. I want to tell him everything will be okay, but we both know that’s a promise I can’t guarantee.

“When I become your charge… will you feel me?”

“Yes,” I say softly. “I think so. I’m aware of Luke. Always.”

“Can you explain that?”

I consider his question carefully. “It’s like how you know where your arm is without looking at it. Luke is just there.”

“And you’ll feel me the same way?” There’s vulnerability in his eyes that makes my heart ache.

“I think so. Maybe different, but the same principle.” I step closer, unable to resist reaching out to brush his hair back from his forehead. “Are you worried about that part?”

He leans into my touch slightly. “I’m not worried. Just curious about what to expect.”

The door opens as Luke returns with some medical equipment.

“This should work,” Luke says, setting down a collection of tubes, needles, and a small machine on Felix’s desk. “It’s a portable transfusion unit. We can control the flow and amount precisely.”

“Okay, so I’m thinking we need to replace mine by at least half or it won’t recognise Gaida as the dominant force.”

“Makes sense,” I murmur and lie down on the bed next to Felix.

“I brought you some supplies,” Luke says, producing a few blood bags. “Human.”

My eyes widen, and I smirk. “So, the straitlaced Headmaster hides contraband on academy property. How… informative.”

He looks like he wants to give me the finger, but refrains. That control is admirable. I would’ve flipped him off faster than a rocket if it were the other way around.

“Given the circumstances, I think we can overlook protocol.” Luke approaches the bed, setting up the equipment. “This will allow us to extract Gaida’s blood and feed it directly into your system while simultaneously removing some of yours. It’s more sterile and controlled than alternatives.” He inserts the pure silver needle into my arm first, his touch gentle despite the clinical procedure.

“Oww, motherfucker,” I hiss as the silver burns like a bitch. “Gods.” I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Sorry,” he murmurs. “It has to be this way to stop you from healing and forcefully ejecting the needle.”

“Warn a girl next time,” I grumble, trying to breathe through the burning sensation.

Luke’s expression softens. “I should have. I’m sorry.”

Felix watches with fascination as my dark blood begins to flow through the clear tube. “That’s different from what I expected.”

“What did you expect?” I ask, grateful for the distraction from the pain.

“I don’t know. Something more intimidating?” He winces as Luke inserts the needle into his arm, though his discomfort is clearly nothing compared to my silver-induced agony.

The machine hums softly as it regulates the exchange, my blood flowing into Felix while his is collected in a separate container. His face pales slightly as the first of my blood enters his system.

“How does it feel?” I ask quietly.

Felix grimaces. “Strange. Cold. It’s...” He pauses, his eyes widening slightly. “Powerful. I can feel it moving through me.”

Luke monitors the machine carefully. “Your body is fighting it. That’s normal.”

“It tastes like metal and something else,” Felix murmurs. “Something ancient.”

I exchange a concerned glance with Luke. “Is this normal?”

“There’s nothing normal about any of this,” Luke replies, but his tone is reassuring. “But he’s handling it well.”

Felix’s fingers tremble slightly, his grey eyes dilating as more of my blood enters his system. A thin sheen of sweat breaks out across his forehead, and I instinctively reach for his free hand, squeezing it.

“I can feel you,” he whispers, his voice taking on a strange, almost reverent quality. “Not just your blood but you.”

Luke’s expression remains carefully neutral, but I see his concern.

“How much more?” I ask him.

“Another few minutes should be sufficient,” he replies, adjusting something on the machine. “Felix, tell me if it becomes too intense.”

Felix shakes his head, his eyes never leaving mine. “It’s like seeing in colour after a lifetime of grey. Is this how vampires experience the world?”

I shake my head. “Can’t answer that.”

“Yes,” Luke says with a soft smile. “This is working.”

The machine beeps, signalling the completion of the transfusion.

Felix’s normally pale skin has taken on an almost translucent quality, the veins beneath darkening as my blood mingles with his.

Luke carefully removes the needle from my arm first, and the relief from the silver’s burn is immediate. I flex my fingers as the wound heals instantly, leaving no trace.

Felix stares at his arm where the puncture mark remains, a small drop of blood, darker than it should be, beading on his skin.

“The connection will be stronger after the turning, but this temporary bond should help convince the sword,” Luke says.

Luke hands me a blood bag and I drink it eagerly, feeling weak after losing so much blood.

Luke watches Felix carefully. “Your magick will respond differently now. Be cautious if you try to use it before the ritual.”

Felix flexes his fingers, and I notice a slight tremor. “It feels like it’s humming beneath my skin. Your blood.”

“That’s the power in it,” Luke explains.

He stands, swaying slightly before finding his balance. “I need to test if this will work with the sword.”

“Which we don’t have,” I remind him.

“Yet,” Luke adds. “It will return to you, Gaida. It always does.”

“Let’s just hope it does before we actually need it. If we miss this window, we are fucked,” Felix says, letting that settle and I inwardly send up a prayer to the sword gods that it appears when we need it.