13 Blood is the Cure

"This is the craziest idea I've ever endorsed!" Diane stated as if she still didn't believe she was doing what she was doing. "If Bryant wasn't busy playing temp Alpha and attending meetings with the other four, I would probably be skinned alive..." she mused as she gasped for breaths.

Still, a mischievous smile sat comfortably on Diane's beautiful face as she looked at me with her twinkling blue eyes filled with energy from a good exercise.

"Don't rejoice just yet. We only completed the easy part," I said, but couldn't stop my lips from curving upwards too as I turn my head back to see the miles of water we somehow made pass together. Swimming across the Infinite River with me clinging on to Diane for our dear lives and actually surviving was a feat in itself. This was probably the first time I smiled in the past thirty-six hours.

Ralphie's current condition still hangs over me like a dark cloud and the only hope I have is find the cure and give it to him within seventy-two hours. The image of him lying unmoving on the floor shook me to the core. If not for the occasional sporadic shivering that scared the senses out of me, I would've been convinced he stopped breathing altogether.

"So what next?"

I pick out a stick lying on the floor of the cave we took shelter in and began drawing a map. I point to the northern region at the top where we crossed over.

"We should be in Ashenvale right now, but we need to cross over Flame Keep and head to the central region—Argid," I point to the middle portion. "If anyone would be willing to help us, I can only count on two. And those two would either be in Argid or Emberwind, the southern region."

Diane nodded encouragingly. "As long as you get that vampire blood."

Regular vampire blood would be much easier to get especially with Diane, but the type of blood that Ralphie needs to intake to regain his senses isn't just anyone's blood. Normally a few vampire bites don't cause much harm to wolves, but he had too much of their venom invade his immune system. That could be lethal.

Worse, the venom dealt were that of nobles who earned their ranks through their lineage which boasted natural born strength and powers. That is to say, their venom and poison would naturally be double or tripled that of the average Bloodsucker. I would know because I've lived as a prisoner to a noble family for six years before escaping.

And now I have to seek one to help me.

"From here on, you stay here by the Border and wait for me. If I don't return by sundown today, find a way to swim to Argid and find shelter near there. I'll meet you there in three days," I say as I place a hand on my good friend's shoulder. "There are fewer guards near the edge of the Border so don't wander too far into their territory. Steer clear of any vampires with golden irises. They are of royal blood and have heightened senses."

"But you have to approach one and get its blood?" Diane asked in disgust.

I nodded and she looked at me with trust and hid her worries well. That gave me confidence. We weren't going to concern ourselves about how I'm going to get a full bottle of noble blood or what happens if I don't get the cure because I will and I'm going to save Ralphie who's waiting for us to return.

With one last gesture of reassurance, Diane let down her lovely blonde mane and ran across the white field of snow in her inhuman speed. She would've been quicker and perhaps more camouflaged if she shifted into her wolf, but decided to retain her human form to create the footprints that would lead the patrols astray.

After waiting for the only visible guard I saw to make his turn, I dashed across the snow myself, running as softly as I could manage. While running in the snow, I had a funny revelation. Back then, when I was still living here in amongst the vampires, the cold seemed so cold and the snow was almost impossible to trudge through. But after spending the last four years in Wolf Territory, where the snow sometimes passed my knees, the weather here seems almost too kind.

It was good news since I covered more distance than I originally anticipated. And to my realization, Diane brought us closer to Flame Keep than I thought we would land, making my journey to the central district much easier. In fact, the very first town I stumbled across wasn't Ashenvale but its southern neighbor.

Flame Keep's ruling lord was a proud noble with a massive superiority complex if I recall correctly. He was hospitable when my lord brought us to visit, but other than that, we didn't exchange a word more than we had to. He didn't respect any race below his own and only really showed some respect to those with a higher rank than himself which for the record, wasn't more than a handful. He was one in a few of my noble acquaintances, but I doubt he'd help me. Seeking him out would literally just mean walking myself back into prison.

Still, his district was quite impressive and one that could provide good resources to get me to Argid in a short amount of time without too much of a hassle as opposed to the other lands. That is, in Flame Keep, if you have money, you get what you want.

They weren't as concerned about newcomers or visitors from unknown origins. They welcomed merchants of all sorts which kept their markets diverse and unique and in turn attracted a wider variety of visitors that contributed favorably to their economics. In that sense, I wouldn't be too eye-catching among them if I come across as a traveler.

Then again, we're in Vampire Territory. The fact that I'm a human hasn't changed and as long as there is still fresh human blood coursing through me, I would still most definitely come across as tempting.

A rush of adrenaline ran through me. On honest reflection, I haven't been allowed to wander the streets alone ever before. Even as a child growing up, the vampire council kept me under close vigilance, not allowing me to be exposed to anything beyond what they felt appropriate.

Only after I lived with him did I get to travel for leisure. But even then, if I wasn't with his company, I would be escorted by sweet Evelyn.

Once I find Eve, I'm sure she'll be able to help me find a cure. So this mission is much less about me hunting a noble vampire down and extracting his blood as it is locating an old confidant.

The last I saw of her, we were running to the Border through the Emberwind path. She let me escape while she served as distraction. Since then I only prayed she left unscathed or if she did get caught, he would show her mercy in light of all she did for the family. I'm just gambling that the probability of her being in Argid is still higher than anywhere else she could be. I don't have much time.

I hug myself tighter as my clothes were still damp from earlier. It wouldn't look normal for a human to not be freezing in this weather while in the plain dress I was wearing—the same dress I wore when I leaped off the Border and dived straight into the Infinite River.

Ironically, it was bought here in Flame Keep from one of the traveling merchants when he and I would visit the streets together because he thought I was plenty bored staying within the gray walls of his castle.

I remember how there would be eyes following us wherever we went, but not like how people looked at me and Ralphie back at home, more like eyes filled with judgment and contempt. They would wonder why a noble of his status would accompany such a lowly being like myself, much less buy things for her just to see her smile.

The simple human thought it romantic at the time and fell in love with the perfection of a vampire man. She thought that as long as he loved her, it would be enough. It didn't matter if everyone hated her, as long as he didn't that would be enough. They would raise their child together and be a happy family despite how unordinary they were. She saw a future with him. How naïve she was.

How naïve I was.

I'm not the same gullible unlearnt girl from back then.

Walking forward with my head held high, I made my way through the colorful market where vendors were lined up looking for their next big customer. The minute I came into the light, I could feel at least a dozen pair of eyes on me.