23 I Thought Wrong

A thick liquid trickled down and rolled down my cheek. The strong metallic smell of iron filled my lungs and my stomach dropped at the sight in front of me. It was as if someone pierced my gut with a knife and was twisting it like a screw already tightened to its limit.

I looked up to see his glass-like presence hovering over mine. Blood dribbled from the corner of his perfect lips, but they were curved up in satisfaction that he was able to accomplish his initial objective. He opened his mouth to speak but jerked his head the other way immediately and coughed up more blood.

The maneuver affected his balance and his tall stature collapsed onto the snow with the weight of the massive beast cuffed to him.

"Niko!" I found myself crying out as I crawled by his side in a frantic manner, contrary to the cold shoulder I was giving him earlier.

My hands were shaking as I tried to analyze the situation but the pounding in my head wasn't helping. Niko seemed to have crushed the wolf's skull upon the impact but the lifeless body wasn't letting go with its jaw clamped shut around his torso. I tried shaking it loose to no avail before exerting my remaining strength to force open its mouth. Not a single fang budged.

Niko wasn't nearly as panicked as I was despite being the one bleeding out. He lifted a hand, assuring and motioning me aside and I obeyed. With his free hand, he contorted his fingers into blades before sinking them to the side of the wolf's face and cracking open its jaw. One by one he removed the fangs, each of which were hard and heavy like granite. I scooted back to his side and tried to assist the best I could though I probably caused him more pain than anything else with my trembling hands.

His injuries weren't healing fast enough and it became apparent when the blood didn't stop. Not thinking much of it, I stuck my wrist out. Instead of taking my offer and drinking, he reached over to pat my head.

"I'll be fine," he breathed out before pushing himself up.

I stared at his large back as he straightened himself two heads taller than I was before hunching back a little. He took a step forward, but ended up falling on one knee. I sprinted by his side, ready to catch him, but he only shook his head and reminded me to keep my distance.

"I'm too tired to hold my weight right now. Let me fall if I do."

He was right. Catching him would be no different from trying to catch a stone boulder. I guess I got a little carried away with Pure Blood running in my system for the past week though I'm probably just running on adrenaline right now.

If anyone else were to find us, I'd doubt either of us would be welcomed. If only I can get to Ralphie...

"Don't go there," Niko said when he caught me sneaking a glance in the direction back to the Border where I was headed. "Wolves are headed this way."

How many?

"At least nine," he answered without even hearing my question. I looked at him and he shared a faint smile, knowing that he read my mind.

Niko's smile soon faded when he deciphered I still had plans to head to the Border. He shot me a warning look which guilted me to confess.

"I need to find someone." I owed him that much of an explanation for saving me twice.

"They're trying to kill you."

"And you too," I snapped back when he used his 'I know better' tone.

"They can't kill me."

"Doesn't look that way to me." I eyed his injuries which looked worse than before. "Why aren't you healing?"

He refused to answer me and pushed himself back to his feet. "My men are stationed a little beyond the lake. The area didn't have any traces of activity for some time. We'll be safe there." Niko headed the opposite direction of where I wanted to go and down the snowy hills our pack avoids in the winter when snow falls and roads get too slippery. We would never suspect the vampires to be camping there.

The question is how they got there undetected. They had to cross the Border which means that they bypassed our patrol. Unless...

"How long were you guys camped out here?"

"Let's find somewhere safe first and then you can interrogate me to your heart's content."

It was strange that he agreed so easily, not even suspecting me to collude with his enemy even though I've lived here for years. Though I wonder if it would be in my best interest to follow him or make a run for my life to locate Ralphie.

Suddenly, my lord halted his steps and whipped his head towards the sky then back to me. His expression was unreadable, but he sugarcoated the situation with a gentle smile most likely to appease me.

"Alvena."

It was just my name but my knees went weak hearing it roll off his tongue, but he flipped me around and held my shoulders as I faced the direction of the Border. Aside from our current scene, the fields were miles of white. I didn't know what he wanted me to look at so I turned back to look at him.

"Is he by the Border?" His directness caught me off guard when I realized he was referring to Ralphie. "He can keep you safe, right?"

"Yes."

His hand tightened around me shoulder before letting his forefinger warp into a pointed dagger. I flinched backwards into him when he slit his wrist and pressed the blood onto my lips.

It was so unexpected I didn't have time to react any different from what he intended and took a few big gulps before the cut scarred. Normal blood was normally repulsive because they lacked the nectar flavor of pure blood, but Niko's blood wasn't either. It was just a flavorless warmth. I can't explain why my body had no problem ingesting it but its effects were Immediate. The fatigue of the past week no longer lingered and I could feel the lightness of my body once more.

I turned to my husband who didn't age a day from the last time I've seen him except for darker circles under his eyes.

"Run towards the hills and follow the downward stream to the Border. Don't stop for anyone until you reach him. If you don't feel safe, go find my people. No vampire will touch you. You have my blood."

We stayed in the same place, looking out at the serene landscape before us. The gentle falling of snow was peaceful like the leaves falling back in our garden during autumn. How did we end up like this?

"You want me to leave you," I stated, hurt apparent in my voice. I didn't dare face him since I wouldn't be able to suppress the overflowing jar of emotions I was bottling in already.

"When the time comes."

Niko lifted me up and I threw my arms around his neck, bracing myself for the ride.

I thought I didn't want to ever see him again, but a certain realization daunted upon me.

I thought wrong.