Rebi quickly walked towards the bathroom. "Hold on a second Pepper…I…need to use the girls room."

She shut the bathroom door and locked it quickly behind her. She leaned her back onto the door, already feeling her body tensing up instinctively. She clutched at her mouth; the burning sensation was dim but spreading like a flame all around her throat.
" I shouldn't have waited this long…"
She just wanted to spend more time with her friends…
She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face, drank desperately, but the burning still flourished slowly, slowly…
She grabbed her annteanna and stroked it over and over, trying to calm herself. Her breathing was becoming heavier. She could smell the blood within her racing through her veins. She heard a ringing within her head. Her chest began to tighten, the air stuffed and stale.

"Rebi? Are you decent?..."

She could only hear Pepper's voice faintly, muffled and warped. She began to feel clastrophobic, seeing shadows swarming in her eyes. Everything inside her seemed to be working in overdrive…
She had to keep the door closed. She had to. For Pepper's sake…but damn it, if he stayed longer, she didn't know what would happen.

"Rebi! Rebs?..."

She heard his voice again, more frightened now, followed with another sound, like something pounding on steel. Everything started slowing down. The water flow was a slow rumble. Her breathing was heavy and deep. Her throat and tongue started to burn, a thirst that not even the purest coldest water could satisfy. Her eyes widened in anticipation, almost as if she was suddenly trapped inside an inner hell.
And to her horror, she heard the haunting melody play inside her head once more…
"n-no..please don't leave me again…please…"

~*~

As soon as Pheles kicked the lock down, the door opened forward, with Rebi falling on her side. Her whole left side and her mouth was covered with blood. Dangling from her teeth was a piece of black and bloodied string. Pheles immediately realized that it was the stitching that had held her battle wound together: while she had been inside, she had tried to suck her own blood to ease the burns.

His voice was low and serious: "Pep, get some towels, quickly. Try to keep your distance."

The smaller Celtians eyes were wide with shock, and then he nodded hastily, scrambling around the two of them to the cabinet.
Little service bots started to swarm over them, but Pheles waved them off swiftly. "Shoo now, get on out of here." As they backed off, he knelt down and gently sat her up on her knees.
"Rebi, hey, can you hear me?..."

Her voice croaked dryly, and her eyes only stared at him in a rather uncomfortable way.
Her blood-crusted mouth opened alittle to reveal retracting fangs, which made her look even more unsettling.

At first he was hesitant and even nervous. But as he looked more into her eyes, he didn't see intimidation or blood-thirst. Sadness and fear shone in those dark eyes. This was no monster; she was a sickly girl who needed his help.

With one hand he began to undo his tie and shirt collar. He tugged the collar down to reveal his neck. "Rebi, I don't want you to go hurting yourself."

A soft rattle came from her throat. "n-no…"

He held her close to him, ignoring the scent of blood around her. "You and I have no choice in the matter."

She groaned in half-resistance, half-pain.

"Rebi," his voice lowered and was soft. "I am doing this for you. I will be ok. I promise."

Rebi stared for a moment, her blood-stained mouth frowning in distress.

Pepper came running in, his face still pale and troubled. "I got-a towels for you, Miss Valeska…"

You could see that Rebi was trying hard not to look at Pepper or even breathe around him.

"Miss Valeska?" He squeaked with concern.

Pheles took the towels from him. "Pepper, I need you to go prepare a bath for Rebi please while I take her to her room." He bent and wrapped one towel around Rebi's waist tightly, applying pressure on the wound. "She would really appreciate that." He tried to smile his best at him.

The young man nodded, trying to smile back. "Will she be ok?"

Pheles picked the weak vampire up in his arms like she was a doll. "She will be, I promise."

Pepper disappeared into the bathroom as Pheles retreated into the bedroom, holding Rebi close to him, her face pressed gently to his neck. "Do it now…" He whispered.

He tensed up alittle, not sure what amount of pain to expect. He heard her sniff, and felt her hot breath on his skin. Then there was a sudden suction and a hard pain right behind his jaw. Pheles winced alittle, feeling heat surge through his neck like electricity. Then the pain dulled just alittle, and he could hear her softly breathing, her body relaxing. He held so still, like a statue, holding his breathe even when he knew that the pain was bearable. She swallowed big amounts, stopped once to take a breather, then slowed down.
He began to feel faint, even a bit dream-like. Sitting on the bed with her in his lap, he stared off into space, one hand resting on Rebi's shoulder. Finally, after what seemed like hours (when it was only 3 minutes), the suction lifted and a soft sigh of relief escaped her.
" guuuuhhh…"

~*~

Rebi's vision was slowly coming back into focus, as her throat burns were soothed by the steady warm flow. The shadows faded away, and she felt the familiar sensation of a light being restored inside her.

Pheles blinked and shook his head dazily. Rebi clung to him gently, and she raised her hand to gently apply pressure to the place she bite him. "Pheles….are you ok?..."

He nodded, finding no words to describe this strange feeling. "You alright?.."

"Mmhm," she began to sit up slowly, and she put a towel on his neck. "…it will take a few minutes to heal…"

Pheles smiled alittle. "Not worried about it in the least."

Rebi's face was now soft and normal again, even with the little patches of blood stain here and there. Her eyes had a new light -in fact, she had a brand new feel about her, as if he was seeing her for the first time. It was…actually quite lovely.
"How's your side?"

Rebi shrugged. "I will patch it up…" She stood up carefully, clutching the towel around her waist. " I think..I heard something about a bath?"

Pheles gently kept his hand on her back, alittle smile on his face. "Y-yeah. Pepper should have one ready for you by now."

"Will you be ok?"

"Oh, sure…" He stretched out alittle, his eyes closed sleepily. "It just…seemed to have gotten me alittle sleepy, is all."

"That will happen…" She managed to smile alittle. "Thank you…"

She gave him a warm little hug, her body was warm and gentle. He could not help but smirk.
"Y'know, you ARE the most strangest vampire I have ever met."

She smirked back. "You haven't known me for that long. Thanks again..."

The man watched her as she carefully left the room. "Anytime," he sighed. He closed his eyes, feeling incredibly relaxed. He laid down on the bed as he slowly began to drift into a rather peaceful sleep, something he hadn't gotten for a long, long time…