Hi, everyone! sorry I hven't updated in a little while, but I've been a bit.. off lately. I promise, I will upload every other day, or as close to that as possible! Til next chapter, Volt~

Chapter 3
Darien POV

The next day we woke early - or late, as it was night time,which is technically morning for vampires... You get it.
Anyways, we woke early and walked again,carefully making sure we didn't head back towards the now most likely infested academy.
Erika was trembling and stumbling as we plodded on, so I complained to Ana that we could bust if we walked any further, but she said we were nearly there. I knew we would - hell, I had the best sense of direction out of my novice class - I was only worried for our moroi. She hadn't had blood in two days: She'd missed her dose the night before because of the attack, and the day before that, a feeder had been sick.
If a donor is sick and a moroi feeds from them, sickness travels from the human to the moroi. Something in Moroi DNA reacts negatively to a usually minor sickness to mortals, and can result in a life-long coma or death.
Erika was a blood-deprived moroi who could attack any being with life-blood in their veins. That meant Ana and myself, as well. So we were trying to keep our eyes glued to her without her finding out: she wouldn't take it so well. Unlike Ana, I could tell that Erika was growing more and more annoyed at not being told important info. Now that, paired with her lack of daily feedings, could be ballooned into a larger problem, like her lashing out at Ana. I couldn't afford to lose control of them, or lose their lives.
I sighed in frustration, then met Ana's eyes. "Let Erika on your back: we're running the rest of the way there."
Erika piggy-backed Ana and we soared through the forest like penguins over ice. Ana told meour exact destination: and amish village called Oren, southeast of the Academy. So I led the way and was reassured of my companions' presence by Ana's sure footsteps echoing my own.
About 3 kilometres southeast and we stopped to rest. Erika never let her iron grip free Ana's forearm. The Ozera princess's usually blazing teal eyes were now dull, her voice shaky and cracking, pale face gaunt and dark bags weighed down her eyes.
"I'm so thristy Ana..." She whispered hoarsely.
It broke my heart to see her like that: so helpless and frail, when she had always been so influential and powerful.
"I know, just a little further, Erika. You can make it." Ana soothed.
"Just two more kilometres." I chipped in.
Erika nodded stiffly, robotically. I had tightened my lips into a tight, thin line of tension. We had to keep moving: Erika wouldn't last out here in daytime.
Again Ana let Erika scuttle up her back and we sprinted away.

Oren was just as deserted as I'd imagined, with only a few elderly couples dressed in amish garbs strolling the gravel paths. The three of us entered a small tavern, thankfully it hadn't been very full so Erika hadn't had to strain to keep herself from biting someone.
Once Ana and I had downed our nasty, bland gruel and Erika had let Ana and I share her bread, we set off again, leaving one of my gold bangles behind as payment.
The rest of the night had passed without much excitement. When we saw pinkclouds far in the distance, we took to the shelter of a maple tree hidden in the outskirts of the woods.
When both Ana (exhausted from hauling Erika five kilometers while sprinting) and Erika were asleep, I had my usual bout of insomnia. I sat there, watching the skies, wondering if we'd ever find ourselves a home again, wondered if there were another survivors, wondered if there were, who would they be?
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a very awake Erika struggling to sit up. I bent to help herto her knees.
"Darien," She said after wetting her lips anxiously. "I need you to promise me something."
I smiled a little at her. "You know I'd do anything for you, Erika."
She nodded a little, her gaze studying my every inch, combing through every atom that composed me, for lies or any sign that I wasn't taking her seriously. I guess I must have passed her assessment because she cleared her dry throat and continued.
"I need you to promise me that you won't let me go insane. I can't become as low as a rabid animal. I owe it to... to everyone, I just can't-" Her voice cracked and I interrupted her to calm her.
"Shh, i know. It'll be fine."
"How can you be so sure?"
I took a deep breath, knowing in my heart that this was the right thing to do. That my reputation didn't matter when all seemed lost.
I flipped my cappacino hair over my shoulder and tilted my head in a way that pushed my neck vein taut against the flawless skin of my neck.
"Because you will feed from me."
She gasped quietly, so as not to wake Ana.
"But-"
"No buts. You come first, Erika. Please, I insist."
She hesitated, and I felt my heart break again for her. She was so considerate about other people, putting their comfort and wellness before hers. I knew that her instinct and her personality were clashing, and it hurt her that she had to give up the fight and let her instinct win over.
The biting sting of her fangs as they pierced my throat was nearly unbearable, I would have shrieked, had her endorphins not kicked in so quickly.
Elation. Bliss. Pure, astounding adoration. Everything was jubilant and colourful, everything blurred but the feeling of glee and giddiness - so much happiness I almost laughed aloud. It felt like sex (Well, what I imagined of it), chocolate and a scented bubble bath combined and multiplied by impossible numbers.
Finally she released me, and I'd had to dig my fingers into the mulch so I wouldn't crawl to her and force her fangs into me again. A couple seconds later I got off the high and felt ashamed for being so disappointed to end it.
I was relieved to see that her turquoise eyes were shining brightly, new strength glimmering in them. Her ebony hair groomed to silky perfection without split ends and breakage. Her lips had returned to a pretty shade of ruby and were again full.
"Darien, thank you. I won't forget this."
I waved off her offer of rewards.
"No, it was an emergency. We had no choice."
She nodded, then lied down again, seconds later she snored lightly. Again I was left alone to gingerly prod at the puncture wounds in my vein. It didn't bleed, as her saliva coated it (special moroi saliva: It stopped blood-loss after feeding).
I again returned my gaze to the stars that seemed to twinkle in approval at me. I sent a silent prayer to them in the hopes of something - anything. I wasn't sure what, but it had to have been something good.