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Chapter 26

Henri had run through several plans in his mind as to how he could get the werewolf blood out of Elaina faster. There were many choices but depending on what had happened he would need to make the right one.

If she had taken on only a little of the poison, his best option would be to blood her for a few days, that meant allowing her to drink from him. By drinking the family blood, it should give her body enough of a kick start to fight back.

He could also if Josef didn't like it allow the blood to run its course but Elaina would be out with a fever for about a week and she would be in a lot of pain as her body burned up the blood. She would also be left so weak after whereas with the blooding option, she would have some energy.

If she had ingested a lot of blood though he would have to try and infused her. A more difficult procedure, similar to the human one of transfusion with blood running into her body via IV and using a second IV to release the bad blood. Henri hoped it wouldn't come to that as most vampires did not survive the process.

He was anxious to see how she was. In the short time he had known her, he had started to become attached to his little niece, and he hoped she would be okay.

As the plane touched down in LA and Henri entered the car on his way to the house, other thoughts plagued him as well.

Had this been an accident or a deliberate poison?

Did someone know that there was a Duvall living outside the realms of the family, unprotected by their influence?

*A*A*A*

Hueilen hid her head in her hands in despair. The drill they had been doing was one of the most simple vampire hunter drills but Robert couldn't seem to grasp it. And as always as soon as it got hard, he withdrew into himself, hiding in the recesses of his mind.

She had come out with hope at twilight that day; Devlin had filled her in on the night before, how Robert had seemed to enjoy the game with his new brothers. She had hoped it may have inspired him to start trying with his training and she had purposely chosen this drill as it involved a tackle similar to a football player.

It seemed that no matter what she did, she couldn't get through to him. And the fact that he was not her own blood made it worse as she could not even rely on the instinctual primal bond to lead her through. Eventually they decided to call it a night, Hueilen wanted nothing more than to retire to her green house and not feel like a failure as a sire.

Another failed attack and Robert hit a pile of weights causing them to stumble over on top of him.

Hueilen rushed to his side and hurried to pull them off. After she had pulled him free, she began to check him for signs on injury, any bones which may need to be reset.

As her hand moved over him, Robert stood still and it was only when Hueilen lifted her hand that he moved, flinching away.

"Robert" Hueilen asked, her hand dropping to his shoulder "does something hurt child?"

He shook his head dumbly and realisation dawned on Hueilen "did you think i was going to hit you?"

"Should i not be punished my lady?" he asked timidly, his head bowed low. He sounded like a meek and small child and her heart bled for him.

Huielen sighed and reached out to comfort the fledgling. Robert backed away, unsure. Hueilen moved closer and wrapping her arm around the young fledgling drew him back towards the house.

"You're giving things your all Robert. That is all i ask. It is not something to be punished for" she soothed.

Robert looked up unsure for a moment. Hueilen was about to speak again when Devlin appeared around the fence.

"Mother" Devlin called "may i borrow Robert? Kurt and i are heading into the main town and it may be good to give the fledgling some exposure" Devlin's grin was lazy, with just the tiniest hint of teasing.

Hueilen smiled and gave Robert a gentle push "go with your brothers Robert. Enjoy the town"

Robert moved forward towards Devlin, casting a quick look back over his shoulder at Hueilen who smiled encouragingly and nodded.

Moments later, as he settled into the car with the guys he touched the arm Hueilen had wrapped her arm around.

She was always so kind and patient. His sire had assured him members of the council were not so, that they were wicked, pompous and arrogant, assured in their own importance.

He wished to honour his sire, to hate the elder who held him here as she would want.

But he sighed as he looked out the window some part of his heart would seemingly not allow it.

*A*A*A*

Darren met Henri at the door "go on up, i was told to expect you"

Nodding his thanks, Henri hurried up the stairs, casting his vampire senses and allowing himself to be drawn to where Elaina and Josef were. He turned into the bedroom and was greeted by the pleasant feeling of the air conditioner.

Josef was on the bed, holding Elaina to his cool chest. As he moved towards them, Josef looked up.

"Thank you Henri" Josef said "I'm not completely sure what to do; we never had to deal with this problem back home".

Henri gave a small smile "I'm sure; what with the immunity and all"

Henri proceed to examine Elaina, despite the cold of Josef's chest and the air condition in the room, she was burning hot. Her body had heated to the point where sweat was actually dripping down her face.

"The fever is almost ready to break" Henri informed Josef.

"i don't think she can afford to get much hotter . Are you sure we can't cool her down?" Josef hovered worriedly.

"No" Henri said firmly "i know it looks bad and she is in a lot of pain but we have to keep her temperature up. The fever will only break if we keep her temperature up, for no other reason. Once it does, she'll drop right back down, and i can blood her for a few days after the get her back on her feet if needed"

Henri took her wrist and pulling a small knife from his pocket, slashed it open. With a sniff of her blood, he coughed, turning his head away, and allowed the cuts to heal. Turning to Josef he spoke "she ingested a small amount, it's still in her blood but her body is putting up a fight. The fever will break soon; we'll need to watch over her tonight. Why don't i take the first shift so you can get some rest and then we can swap? I can smell you haven't been to one since you got home"

Josef nodded his agreement but he was reluctant to leave her side. Henri saw it and gave him a look of understanding.

"Josef to take care of Elaina later, you need to rest and feed. Please, go to the freezer for a while and sleep. Elaina will be safe with me" Henri reassured.

Josef left the room and retired to the freezer. He was exhausted from the travelling and worrying. Thus it was not long before he found himself sound asleep.

*A*A*A*

Under the dark of night she crept forward, stealthily through the town.

She had taken out two yesterday easily, a little bolder than she had been before. It was fun to play with the guardian who had been called in to solve the issue.

She had watched her crime scenes, admiring him ascetically but living pleased in the knowledge that his skills as a tracker were nil or next to it. Her simple cloaking techniques, manipulations of the scenes were making this fun, far too easy.

Thus she could be bolder, creeping into the main town, in search of a more...satisfying substance. Fledglings were fun as they still had elements of human blood to them and it riled the sires up no end, causing havoc.

But some days a girl just needed to go back to basics...human blood.

She descended upon a window ledge, gazing into a nursery. A child of five or less lay sleeping peacefully, a teddy bear clutched in her tiny grasp.

Unhinging the window she slipped through easily, preparing to drink her fill.

*A*A*A*

Veli was out that night, running and scouting, perplexed with the lack of leads. Earlier that evening, he had had to advise Serafina with much embarrassment that she would need to enforce a siring ban. They could not have new fledglings running around the place at the moment.

He thought back on the scene last night, two more fledglings attacked and near drained. Two more angry sires, fretting, taking their anger out on him.

They were unwilling to believe him when he tried to explain the sheer terror the fledglings were feeling was actually messing with the guilty vampire's scent. He knew it was a female vampire but all other leads in regard to his senses seemed closed.

Turning a corner, he sniffed the air casually. Shock radiated through him as he sensed a vampire and a young human in pure terror not far away. Dashing towards the site at vamp speed, he hoped he would not be too late.

*A*A*A*

The child had unfortunately woken before she had gotten to drink, her cold hands stirring it from slumber.

Now it was crying out for help while edging away from her. She knew it would not be long until the parents turned up. She didn't dare risk exposure.

A sudden sound of another vampire nearby, hurtling towards her at speed. She realised with a curse the guardian was coming.

Her boldness had perhaps been too much; he must not get her scent.

Jumping from the window, she was gone, dashing down the road, her blonde hair glinting under the street lamps as she fled.

Moments later, Veli arrived.

He sniffed the air, definitely a female, about 650 years in vampire age. There was a familiarity to the smell he couldn't place; he wondered if he had met her before.

At least the smell was clearer this time.

He could hear the child inside being comforted by its mother, her insistence there was no such thing as monsters.

Veli longed to correct her, vampire or human, there was definitely such a thing as monsters.

*A*A*A*

Serafina watched Hueilen in the greenhouse as she sat next to her. Her friend stuffed the clay into the pots with vigour, muttering to herself under her breath as she did.

"sure there is nothing you want to talk about?" Serafina regarded her friend in amusement.

"sure" Hueilen shot her a look before returning to her pots.

Serafina moved closer and sighed "liar"

Hueilen chose to ignore her, continuing her ministrations until with a sudden and unexpected crack the pot broke under her hands.

Serafina placed a hand on her friend's shoulder "now do you want to talk?"

*A*A*A*

Elaina burned. She physically throbbed.

The pain, the darkness, the burning...it felt like her turning all over again.

As the fever picked up pace, it got harder and harder to stay awake. She was acutely aware when someone touched her, the coolness of their skin against her feverish one.

Every now and then a few words would break through her burning foggy mind, voices asking how she was doing and saying it would not be long now.

Elaina didn't care that it would not be long now, it was already too long.

She felt herself suddenly being pulled towards something cold, it seemed to envelope her and she welcomed it gladly.

While it dimmed for the briefest moment the burning, it could not halt it.

And she had no choice but to continue to stumble through the burning darkness which waylaid her.

*A*A*A*

Josef had pulled her back into his arms since he had gotten up. She had from somewhere let a sigh of relief before stilling again.

His hand went through her brown hair, trying to offer what little comfort it could at this time.

Taking the rag from the water bowl he had wiped down her forehead again, removing the beads of sweat that formed as the fever kicked into high gear.

He could feel her temperature rise and rise as she lay against his chest. He was pretty sure her temperature would be unhealthy for a human right now let alone a vampire. Henri had explained to him that Coraline had also always been particularly sensitive to werewolf blood; Elaina had come out on the bad end of that like sire, like fledgling conundrum.

He stayed close holding her until Henri returned from his freezer time. They had been taking it in four hour shifts so as to ensure neither of them got too tired, especially since both of them had recently been travelling and were jet lagged.

"How is she?" Henri asked.

"The same, perhaps hotter" Josef replied.

Henri reached over and felt her pulse point "another hour or so. It'll be over the worst of it then."

*A*A*A*

Two hours later, Elaina felt strange. The fire which had ran over her, threatening to consume her with no one o hear her silent screams was beginning to disintegrate, and starting to flush out with a coolness sweeping over her.

She welcomed the cold, embraced it. The sheer relief it brought.

Her mind, now clearing tried to piece together what had happened. She had woken feeling over hungry, tired and warm in her design studio. She had drunk a lot of blood but nothing was helping.

She hadn't been able to move. Then Josef...

Josef had been there. She tried to put more of the picture together but her memories from then on blurred together, unrelenting to her vain attempts to grasp them.

A single tear slid down her cheek, her body's response to the dreadful fight it had just undergone.

A voice breaking through the dark, lifting the last of the fog "Elaina?"

She opened her eyes to find Josef and Henri looking at her, Henri was reaching for her pulse points, checking them.

When he noticed her eyes following him, he smiled "you gave us all quite a scare bebe"

Elaina opened her mouth to speak but she began to cough, a short, dry one.

Josef handed her a glass of blood, she tried to sniff and figure out what it was but found her senses were dimmed.

Panic immediately set in and she looked at Henri with wild eyes. He patted her hand "its okay, your senses will be dimmed for a few days. It'll take that long for the rest of the blood to leave your system"

With a nod, she lifted the glass to her mouth and downed it quickly. She sank back against the soft pillows, her eyes starting to shut. She was vaguely aware of a hand tracing her hair but within moments she was much too fast asleep.

*A*A*A*

So the end of another chapter. I hope this latest offering is to all of your tastes. But as always please please review! I do love to hear back from you!