"Kol. Kol. Kol! You must stop now! "
Kol stood with his teeth deep in a young girl's neck while her blood flowed warm and tastefully into his mouth and down his throat. He tried the best to ignore the voice that kept talking. It was like having a mosquito buzzing around his ear without being able to escape from it. Argh, why could it not just be quiet, so he could enjoy his meal in peace? What was it the voice kept saying? That he had to stop? But why on earth would he stop something that was so pleasurable?
"Kol, I warn you. If you do not stop now, then you get a snap ". The voice did not sound threatening, it just sounded determined.
Suddenly Kol knew who it was and what the words meant. And with an effort he had not thought possible, he pulled his teeth out of the girl's neck. He looked her in the eyes and compelled her to forget it all, and to make sure to cover the wound until it was healed. And then he turned around with triumphant eyes.
"Bravo, Kol. You did it. "Did it sound from an enthusiastic Amilia. She took out a handkerchief and wiped some blood off his chin.
It had taken Amalie a few weeks to convince him how convenient it would be if he could control his bloodlust. That it would actually make him master of his own life, rather than just being a slave to the eternal thirst for blood. And if there was something Kol would not be, it was, to be a slave to anything.
Initially it did not work at all; he had to admit that he exactly was a slave. Therefore he suggested that she should give him a snap with her magic if he did not stop before he had drained his victim.
Kol could still remember the first snap, it had hurt insanely, though she claimed that it was the mildest snap she could deliver. Subsequently, it had only been necessary to threaten him with it, to get him to pull his teeth out.
"Have you had enough, or should we find one more?" She asked curiously.
"I've had enough; let's go back to the inn so you can get something to eat."
The next morning was Kol quite confused when he woke up. He could see the light coming in from his window that the time was way past the usually time when Amilia awoke him.
Ever since they had met and she had invited herself onto his journey, she had been the first to get up in the morning. Although she never said how long she had been up or what she had been doing, could Kol scents that she had been out walking in the woods.
He jumped out of bed and got dressed in a hurry, while he smiled cheerfully to himself. He loved the superior speed and strength he had had with the transformation.
He burst through the door to her room without knocking and found her lying in bed, with the blanket well tucked up over her. From what he could see, she looked incredibly pale. And what was that smell? Did it smell of vomit?
"Are not you getting up?" He asked.
She looked up at him. "I'm not feeling so good. You have to go hunting alone today ". She said with timid voice before she suddenly became quite green in the face. She leaned out of the bed and pulled the chamber pot out from under the bed and vomited into it.
Kol stared at her in astonishment". Should I not get hold of a doctor or something?" He asked when she had settled back in the bed again.
"No, it's nothing serious. However, would you please go and find me some herbs for me in the woods "? She asked.
"Sure. What herbs do you need"?
"Some spearmint, chamomile and ginger. Do you think you can find them? "
Kol frowned, he knew very well the herbs and also what these three were used for". What do you need a drink intended for pregnant women with nausea?"
"How ..." She did not say more before he interrupted her. "You forget that my mother is a witch. As she expecting my sister, she was very ill with nausea and vomiting. And she always asked me to pick up the herbs and make the drink to her. So tell me why you are asking me find just these herbs! "Kol crossed his arms as he stared at her expectantly.
Amalia took a deep breath. "Kol, I'm pregnant ..." She looked carefully at him.
"Impossible, I've never touched you." Did it come promptly from him.
There came a little giggle from her before she continued. "I know. I actually don't think that you can procreate. Kol, I was pregnant already when we met. "
Kol was speechless. "Why did you not say that before?"
"Because I was afraid of how you would respond and that you would refuse to let me come with you. Moreover, it was safest that you did not know about it". She said as she looked carefully at him.
"What do you mean?"
Amilia sighed. "Kol, I'm not feeling so good and it's a very complicated story, will you please get the herbs for me, then I will tell you everything later. And you should know that I will respect it if you want me to go away. Just get me the herbs. "She said pleadingly.
Kol did not know what to do. He could not gather his thoughts about anything. Instead, he nodded and disappeared out the door.
At first he just wandered restlessly around, hoping to find a suitable prey. Just outside the village he passed a tramp that rested against a tree. Kol was quickly on the man who fiercely opposed. But Kol just bent his head to the side and sank his fangs into the neck. The warm pulsed flow of blood caused him to relax and he breathed relieved when he dropped the empty body on the ground. He was finally able to think clearly. Why did it matter if she was pregnant? He could always leave her with an old woman at a later date. But so far he still found her company useful.
He grabbed the arm of the empty body and pulled it a little into the woods. After which he used his nails to make scratch marks on the body, so it could look like an animal attack. And then he set out to find the herbs she had asked for.
It was a cinch to find the ginger and spearmint, but he could not find any chamomile flowers, so when he spotted a woman who also was picking herbs in the forest, he asked for her help. The woman explained to him where he could find them and asked what brought a young man out in the woods to look for herbs. Kol explained that it was his sister who was pregnant and had nausea. And that he was on his way home to their family with her after her husband had passed away.
The woman nodded and wished her good recovery.
On the way back Kol smiled for himself over the story he had told the woman. It was just one of many stories they had told strangers. Not that they before had mentioned anything about her being pregnant. But otherwise, she had both been his wife and his little sister.
Back at the inn Kol asked for a mug with warm water. He mixed the herbs in the water and went up to her room with it.
"You came back." She said relieved when he entered the door.
"Yes and here's the drink. I hope it will help, so I can get the twisted story. "He said and handed her the mug.
She took the mug and smiled gratefully. "Does that mean that you are not sending me away?"
"Yes, at least not right away. As long as I can see an advantage in having you, then you can stay. Now tell me."
Amilia nodded and began to drink from the mug. "You should sit down, it's a long story." Kol took a chair before she continued.
"I come from a very powerful witch coven. A coven where all children, girls and boys are already betrothed when they are born. This is done to keep track of what skills are passed on. Though they make sure that there is not a huge age between them.
In the neighboring village there was another powerful witch coven, and they had a boy about my age. But my coven would by all means not form an alliance between exactly us. They were simply afraid of how powerful a child could get out from it.
But I had other plans. I would not let myself be ruled by them. Not that I had any plans that I should have a child, I just wanted to be allowed to enjoy my youth.
Unfortunately, did the covens eldest discover that I was pregnant before I even knew it. The oldest immediately went to find out what they should do. When I discovered that they would give me a drink that would get me to lose the baby I ran.
I have always kept us hidden from my coven which arguably is looking for me, with a cloaking spell. "
"That was a bit of a story. I understand why you ran. And now I finally figured out why you absolutely would accompany me. You needed someone to protect you if you were to be found. "
She nodded again and put the empty mug away. Kol could see that she now had a more normal color in the face. "You're right, Kol. I needed you. But it does not change the other reasons I said. I really wanted to help you, and then I found you fascinating. "