Carm I think I fucked up. Carmilla stared at the text in confusion. She glanced at Laura's sleeping form and tried not to wake her as she typed her message back to Danny. What happened? Are you alright? Carmilla carefully extracted herself from Laura's arms and pulled on her pants. I don't know…I'm at my apartment. Don't bring Laura. Carmilla froze with her shirt halfway over her head, the last sentence filled her with dread. She found a piece of paper and wrote Laura a note, telling her not to worry and then she was out the door.
Moments later Carmilla was outside of Danny's apartment complex. She punched in the door code Danny had given her weeks ago and raced up the stairs. She knocked on Danny's door.
"Hey, open up it's me." A second later the door opened a crack, Danny peered out. Carmilla frowned at her.
"Is Laura with you?" Danny asked.
"No it's just me, let me in." Carmilla pushed the door the rest of the way open and nearly lost her composure. The smell of fresh blood was overwhelming. She took a step back from Danny. She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain still.
"Danny, what the fuck?" She took a deep breath trying to ignore the want to drive her fangs into Danny's skin.
"Shit, I'm sorry I forgot." Carmilla heard Danny back away toward the kitchen. "I wasn't thinking about the blood, I just didn't know who else to call."
Carmilla opened her eyes and took in Danny's disheveled appearance. The redhead was covered in scratches and had a large gash on her forearm.
"Why aren't you at the hospital?" Carmilla asked.
"I-I can't." Danny ran a hand through her hair. "The Summer Society was patrolling, you know? We had reports feral dogs attacking people." Danny met Carmilla's eyes. "I don't think they were dogs."
"Danny…"
"I don't want to hurt anyone! I can't go to the hospital, what if I…I mean one bit me. Doesn't that mean I'm…I'm–"
"Shit." Carmilla pinched her brow as she tried to think. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to take you to a place I know. I'm going to take some of your blood to the ginger twins so Laf can run some tests. In the meantime you and I will stay away from people until we know for sure what we're dealing with." Carmilla moved closer to Danny. "We need to get you cleaned up first, okay? Just let me take care of it."
Danny nodded. "O-Okay."
It was unnerving for Carmilla to see Danny this vulnerable. One of the things she loved, and hated, about the red head was her confidence and bravery. Carefully, tenderly if she was being honest, Carmilla tended to the scratches and scrapes on Danny's face and arms. She looked at the large wound on Danny's forearm. Definitely a bite mark.
"Alright, do you have a car?" Carmilla asked.
Danny shook her head. "I normally bike or take the bus."
"Damn," Carmilla sighed. "I guess I'll have to carry you."
Danny's eyes widened. "What?"
Carmilla gestured to Danny's clothes. "Do you really want to get on a bus looking like that?" she asked.
Danny shook her head again, her face crimson. They exited the apartment and Danny locked the door. "Don't tell Laura." She allowed Carmilla to carefully scoop her into her arms.
"That you got bit or that I'm carrying you?" Carmilla asked.
"Both." Danny curled up tightly against Carmilla's body.
Carmilla sighed and kissed Danny's forehead. "I'm going to have to tell her something," she murmured. Carmilla took off running, effortlessly flying through the now empty streets. Carmilla took them to a small gothic house on the outskirts of the city. She led them inside.
"I only stayed in the dorms to try to protect people," Carmilla explained when Danny gave her a questioning look. Danny looked around at the sparse house.
"I feel a little better being here. I'm not as worried that I'm going to hurt someone." Danny walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Carmilla sat beside her and gently caressed Danny's cheek. Danny leaned into the touch and into Carmilla, who wrapped her arms around the taller woman.
"I won't bring Laura here, but she needs to know what's going on," Carmilla murmured.
"I'm scared," Danny whispered.
"I know. Believe me, I know." Carmilla absently trailed her fingers through Danny's hair. "But you need to get some rest."
Danny's hand found hers and Carmilla gave it a squeeze. "Will you stay with me?" she asked.
"Of course."
Where are you? Carmilla sighed and shifted until she could reply to the text without waking Danny. I'm with Danny. She only had to wait a few seconds for Laura's reply. Is everything alright? Are you at her apartment? Carmilla frowned trying to think of how to answer that without alarming her other lover. We're not at her apartment. I don't know yet if everything is alright. We're both safe though, I'll let you know when I know more. Danny shifted against Carmilla's side and mumbled something before settling down again. Carmilla's phone buzzed. Laura was calling her.
"Cupcake now is not a good time." Carmilla whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" Laura asked. Danny whimpered in her sleep and Carmilla frowned.
"Because Danny is sleeping." Carmilla gently rubbed Danny's back and the red head seemed to relax again.
Laura made a frustrated noise. "Why won't you tell me what's going on?"
"Danny asked me not to Cupcake, and I don't want to worry you until you have a reason to worry. It could be nothing," Carmilla explained.
"But it could also be something?" Laura shot back.
Carmilla silently counted to five. "Laura…"
"Where are you?" she interrupted.
Carmilla studied Danny's arms. The scratches from the evening had started to close up. Shit. "I'm not going to tell you that sweetheart, I'm sorry."
"You said you're safe." Laura's tone was accusatory.
"I'm safe because I have super human strength and speed. We don't know what we're dealing with yet and neither Danny nor I want you to get hurt. You have to trust us on this, cupcake. Please?" There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.
"The second you know what's happening I want to know. Okay?" Laura said. She glanced at the bite bark on Danny's arm and frowned. It didn't look good.
"I promise, Laura."
Laura hesitated for a moment. "Carm I…"
Carmilla managed a small smile. "I know cupcake. Me too." She hung up the phone and pulled Danny a little tighter in her arms. She pulled open an internet tab on her phone and began typing in the search bar. "Lunar schedule…"
A/N Hey all Sy here. I just had this rolling around in my head for a while and thought I'd actually put it to paper so to speak. I don't know how much more of this I want to write, but I like the idea. Let me know your thoughts.
~Sy