D

Leila Marcus raced through the streets of Paris on her motorbike. She needed to get home quickly. An urgent call from an old friend had made sure of that.

"Leila, Meier Link was right...I'm turning into a vampire...Leila I need help. I'm coming to see you today". D then ended the call. He sounded distressed, scared even. He saved her life so many times before that she knew she had to help him. She finally arrived home and not a moment too soon for D arrived seconds later. His tall frame very skinny, his usual light blue/grey eyes had lost their sparkle. He almost collapsed and Leila rushed to stop him from falling. "Oh D, look at you. I'll help as much as I can. Cole!" Her wolf cousin came out and growled at the young dhampir. To his surprise, even in his weakened state, D growled back. His inner vampire and Cole's wolf were never going to get along easily. "Ok you two, cut it out. D needs blood. Do you have any medical blood packs left?". "I do, but why should I help him when I have a sharp stake just inches away in the parlor?" Cole clearly did not like D, Leila expected that. "Cole please. Those years ago in the castle, D saved me multiple times. I don't expect you to like him. Just help me help him, please, for me". Leila begged him. "Tch, fine" came his half-hearted reply. Cole annoyed her but he was the only family she had left, so she kept him close.

They carried D into the parlor and lay him on the couch. "Right blood". She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a blood pack from the fridge. It no longer freaked her out in doing so. It had been three years since her's and D's time in the hellish castle. So to see him go from being a strong force, she'd even say a handsome man to a skinny train wreck broke her heart. She brought in a bucket just in case the blood came back up again. "Here D. It's O-Positive, and the bucket is next to your head, just in case". The mere sight of the blood made his weak senses spring back into life. "Leila I can't. If I drink that I may crave your blood". D's voice broke and Leila hated seeing him in this state. "No you won't, my blood isn't that type. Please, just try a bit". She poured some into a cup and D took it. He drank it all in one go. Leila flinched, she was waiting for the possibly imminent gagging and vomiting noises but they never came. D looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back.

It had worked, ok he was still a skinny mess, but the blood had perked him up. His eyes gained a bit of sparkle, his face no longer a deathly grey pallor. Sure he was still pale as death but he felt a bit better. "Thank you Leila". "Not a problem D. Just a suggestion, don't drink it all in one go, the bag I mean. It may help in the short term, but you may be right. You may end up turning". He nodded in agreement and rose up. He wobbled a bit but lent against the arm of the couch. "Er D? I hear no smart ass comments, where is Left Hand?". Leila actually missed D's demonic hand, with it's annoying comments, but it was useful. It collected evil souls to feed itself. "I woke up to find him gone. Maybe his soul has finally found solace somewhere else". D'd voice didn't break now, that was good. "Okay, well. I have a spare bedroom just upstairs and on the second left, if you want to stay". Cole would not like this but it was her house, D was a friend so Cole had no say on where D stayed.

"Are you sure? I doubt Cole will like that. And I don't wish to agitate myself or anyone else, it could speed up my turning, the anger can do that. That is why I chose to stay away from everyone for those three years. But I realised from looking at myself that I was dying, so I needed help and at least I knew you may say yes to that. I will stay, but not for long". "I will do what I can D, I promise". She led him upstairs and to his room, the bathroom being directly across from that. "Cole? Could you go to the hospital and see if they have any spare blood packs left?" "Fine, fine. I will.". Cole practically barged his way out of his bedroom door and past D. "If you even look at Leila, I will kill you. I'll tear you limb from limb". Cole's eyes turned golden, his pupils becoming huge. He snapped out of his little trance and stomped down the stairs. D knew he'd hate his answer. "I can't promise that I won't hurt Leila, but I do promise I will do everything I can to stop myself". "You better had". Cole growled again, grabbed his jacket and was out the front door.

D and Leila just looked at each other, Leila was slightly annoyed and D was just D, calm and graceful.