“Oh, my Goddess… What are they, Logan?”
“Ghouls.”
They had just arrived to Ravensholm. From the distance everything had looked normal. Though it was night, there were still some people walking around, and they could see flickering light of candles and fireplaces on some windows. It wasn’t before they rode in to town when horror of what had happened was revealed. Townsfolk were well past ripe, nothing but rotten corpses, swaying back and forth. Some of them missing limbs, clothes torn, huge chunks of flesh and innards scattered all around on the ground. They paid no attention to Logan, but Marie received several suspicious looks.
“Ghouls?”
“When a vampire kills someone, that someone won’t stay dead. They become ghouls. Ghouls eat dead flesh. Vampires, zombies, even other ghouls. Eventually this sorry crowd will take care of each other, we don’t have to bother. But we can’t stay here.”
“Wouldn’t we be safe? Why not stay and lure that vampire after us? These people would probably help us to get rid of it,” she proposed. Angry frown settled over Logan’s features.
“Think again, Marie. Do you really want to stay in here?” He asked.
“Why? Wouldn’t we be…”
“I’d be perfectly safe. Dead-eaters wouldn’t raise a finger against me. But it won’t take long before your body starts to die. I’m not about to start a two-front war. One vampire is big enough opponent for me. I can’t divide my attention between it and pack of ghouls trying to make a snack out of you.”
“Oh…” Shiver run down her spine and she drew closer to Logan. At first he looked reluctant, almost backing away from her, but finally threw an arm around her shoulders.
“I won’t let them anywhere near you. We’ll find that vampire and kill it before anything happens to you. You’ll get through this, I promise.”
They stayed in Ravensholm only long enough to gather some food and pick up Marie’s clothes and other belongings she had left behind when she had fled. Then they retreated fast to the forest, trying to figure out safe place to stay during daytime. Ghouls wouldn’t mind sunlight, but to Marie it would already prove lethal.
“I don’t feel so well…” She felt absolutely horrible. Hunger that had plagued her for days had turned to a nauseating, cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. She practically swam in cold sweat. Her ears, skin and eyes were unnaturally sensitive; making everything around her hurt her. Softest breeze of the wind felt like she was being whipped. Silent chirping of crickets tore her ears, and faint light of closing full moon made her eyes water.
“You’re dying. I suppose it isn’t even meant to be pleasant experience,” Logan snorted, bitterness oozing from his words and tense posture. She didn’t speak again, not before she saw something further in the woods.
“Look!”
“That’ll do for today…” Logan grunted and they urged their horses towards a small hut.
It was old, partially collapsed, but it still provided them shelter from approaching sun. They took care of their horses, made sure they had enough to eat and went in.
Floor was bare, one intact room empty from furniture, but there were no windows, and only one door led in and out.
“This is perfect. We’ll rest for the day, and go after that vampire tonight, Logan declared and stretched on the floor on his back, hands crossed behind his neck and closed his eyes.
She didn’t know what to do. She wanted nothing more than to collapse and curl against his side, to wrap herself in the warmth and security he had radiated only few days ago. Now it felt like all he had to offer was a cold shoulder and harsh words.
Ever since he had fed her with his blood he had been distant, even cruel in his words. She had taken every insult, every barked order and remark and suffered them in silence, but now she was at the end of her rope. She was dying, and he was going to sleep over the whole ordeal like it was nothing. She wanted to scream and lash out, to make him see how unjust and mean he was, but she had no strength left. Rage had been boiling and bubbling in her for two days, and now it just bled out from her, and she fell on the floor sobbing.
“What?” She could hear Logan asking. Leather of his jacket creaking.
“What’s the matter with you?” Anger. Annoyance. He practically reeked off every negative emotion she could think of.
“What the hell is matter with you?”
“I’m dying!”
“Christ… What do you want me to do?” Logan asked. She couldn’t answer. She had no answer. His annoyed tone of voice made her hurt only worse.
“Jesus, Marie… There’s nothing I can do! No matter what I do, you will die today. If we find and kill that vampire, you will live again. But right now there’s not much I can do!”
“You… You could ho… hold me…” It was degrading. Degrading to beg something he should have done the whole time. To offer her support.
“You’re burning up.” Strange. She felt cold and numb, but Logan was tearing open her clothes.
“Take these off. You’ll feel better soon enough…” She did as he told her to; shedding of every piece of garment she had on, and stood shivering in front of him. Logan shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her, cool leather against her skin, garlic and silver tainted lining safely outside.
“It’ll get better soon.” He kept shuffling her around until he had her secured against his chest. She was already falling to that peaceful state of half-slumber when her nose caught a familiar scent wafting in the air. Her eyelids fluttered open.
“It’s safe. I haven’t taken the cure since we left Tirgoviste. Drink.”
She could only stare at him. It was hard to comprehend things. He had opened a large vein from his wrist. Blood was pooling to the floor already.
“Drink. If you get enough, it’ll keep you alive little longer.”
Instead of turning away Logan cradled her tightly against his chest while she drank. She could hear his heart, could feel it in every pulse of blood that flowed to her mouth. Wound was closing, but she kept gnawing it with her blunt teeth, keeping blood flowing. Logan didn’t even flinch. When she tried to stop he grasped her tighter against him.
“More.” His lips started to pale from blood loss.
“Wolf will keep me alive no matter what happens. You will die if you don’t take enough. Drink.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
More tomorrow. Werewolvie came to visit me again. :)