He pulled a pocketknife out, slashing and putting it to Isao's lips in one smooth motion.
She winced but watched Isao carefully, praying this would help him.
Isao's eyes suddenly flew open, red irises glowing as he locked his mouth around the wound. He drank rapidly, growling when Ryon tried to get her free.
She soon began feeling dizzy, but she was glad he was alive.
"ISAO! Let go of her!" Ryon's voice was sharp.
As if he'd been slapped, the vampire's eyes reverted and he dropped her wrist. He stared at her in horror, then tried to scrabble backwards.
With her other hand, she grabbed his arm lightly. "I'm glad you're doing a bit better. We need to help take care of your wounds though."
"You should have let me die.." His voice was strained as he averted his eyes from her wrist.
Ryon wrapped a bandanna around it with a shake of his head. "Shut up, Izzy."
"I just wanted to help you," she said quietly, letting go of his arm.
Isao tried to smile but instead his eyes rolled up.
"Let's get him cleaned up," Mia said as she tried to stand.
"You need stitches." Ryon requested Yamae to come get her.
His brother quickly arrived, sending her a puzzled glance before sighing and picking her up.
"I can probably walk, you know."
"You'd deny me a chance to carry a beautiful woman?"
She chuckled, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness passed over her.
"Stitch her wrist and transfuse her for safety. I'll take care of Izzy." Ryon ordered.
She sighed quietly.
Yamae brought her into her room, quickly following instructions. When he had finished, he pulled the quilt over her. "Get some rest."
She nodded slowly, her eyes already drooping.
She woke hours later, pulling out the IV and heading out to check on Isao.
He was staring out the sliding door at the bloodstained grass, now dried a dark brown. His hands were clenched at his sides.
"Hey.. are you feeling better?" She asked softly.
"Why did you save me? Weren't you scared?"
"No. I just wanted to help.."
"I'm nothing to you. Why risk it?" He turned to face her, his eyes haunted.
"You're a friend. And even if you weren't, I'd try to help anyway, because that's just what I do."
"I failed. I almost cost everyone their lives."
"You tried your best, and that's what matters."
"When it's discovered.." He trailed off for a moment, then glared at her. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you have a strain of the virus?"
She stared at him for a few moments, "...I do?"
"I know what I tasted. It's weak, but you definitely have been infected. You didn't know?"
She continued to stare at him before shaking her head.
"You've never been attacked?" Isao looked puzzled.
Her mind flashed to her nightmares, "I don't know.. I keep having a nightmare about a vampire but I don't know if I was attacked. More like kidnapped.. but that could just be a nightmare.."
"Starting to think your father is hiding something.." Isao looked thoughtful.
She stayed quiet, staring down at the bandage on her wrist.
"You can tell him. I'll take responsibility."
She shook her head, "I'll tell him I found out vampires are real and ask again about my nightmare.. but I'm not telling anything that'd get you in trouble."
"Why are you trying to protect me?" He moved to her side and lifted her chin.
"I don't know," she sighed. "You're protecting me, so I might as well protect you back."
He looked amused. "Pretty sure that isn't what is supposed to happen." He sobered. "I'm going to report what happened in the morning. I will stress that you had no idea, that I bit you of my own free will. You'll be safe and so will the others."
"I didn't save you just so you could report it.. no one has to know."
"If I become dangerous.."
"I don't think you're going to," she said softly.
"You don't know that. If I do, and it's discovered you guys hid it..I can't have your deaths on my conscience. Especially not yours." His voice went soft.
"I'll take the blame if it's discovered. It was my idea."
"Not a chance. You'd either be executed in secret or become a prisoner in a lab."
"Okay. I'd rather that than you giving yourself up."
He raised an eyebrow at her statement, then sighed. "How are you?"
She frowned at the change of subject, "Alright."
"I would have killed you if Ryon hadn't intervened..I'm sorry." He dropped his eyes and leaned on a nearby wall.
"I knew the risks."
"Really?" His voice was incredulous. "Somehow I doubt that."
She sighed and just picked at the bandage quietly. After a few moments, she finally said, "I mean, isn't death an obvious risk when dealing with giving blood to a vampire? Or at least, as stories go." She paused, "I just wanted to help. I didn't really think past that.. But as long as I helped, I'd have been okay with whatever happened."
"You're quite selfless. Ryon told me you were outraged at the idea of the others dying. And that you wouldn't accept the fact that I had no pulse. That you insisted on trying to revive me. Most people wouldn't have done any of that." His lips curled for a moment. "Hell, most people would have lost their mind at the revelation that vampires not only existed, but were under the same roof with them."
"Well, I knew shifters existed, so it's not like vampires would be totally unbelievable at that point. But I guess I'm not most people.."
"Guess not." Isao leaned forward, softly pressing his lips to hers.