Hey everyone. As always, thank you so much for all the support! I really appreciate it and I hope you're all enjoying it so far while we're stuck in quarantine. I hope this chapter isn't too bad.
The next day, Eddie and I used the storage room once again to train Lissa and Christian. It wasn't just techniques, but real hands-on training where they would have to fight with one of us. I was hoping to train Adrian too, but he was still ignoring my phone calls. I was worried about him, but it was starting to irritate me a little bit.
Eddie taught Christian while I stayed with Lissa and taught her how to block punches. She was doing okay for someone who had never fought physically, but she definitely wouldn't be able to fight off a strigoi like this. If my goal was to kill her, she would have been dead a long time ago.
"You have to give me more," I told her. "If you encounter a situation where you have to fight a strigoi and you punch them like that, they're going to laugh at you. Do you know what comes after that? You become their meal. Oh, and let's not forget you're the last Dragomir."
"I don't want to hurt you, Rose," Lissa said timidly. I stood there, letting the strigoi side of me come out. My eyes changed colour and Lissa took a step back as I started walking towards her. I wasn't actually going to hurt her of course, but a little bit of intimidation might encourage her to toughen up. I spent a lot of years protecting Lissa and I sometimes wished I had taught her to fight before. It was always me who willingly took all the damage. I loved Lissa and I would always protect her, but she had to learn to defend herself. I had to teach Nevaeh to do the same. It was best for both of them.
"Rose..." Lissa stepped back again as I stared at her like a predator.
"Come on," I taunted. I smiled, showing off my sharp fangs. "You know, if I didn't have humanity, you would have been nothing other than food in my eyes."
Lissa attempted to push me, but I didn't move an inch. "Seriously? That's the best you've got?" I asked. She rolled her eyes before pushing me again. It was harder, but I still didn't move.
"Damn it!" Lissa yelled.
"You realize I'm not even doing anything, right? Technically, you're supposed to run in a situation like this, but if I grab you like this—" I wrapped my hands around Lissa's neck, but my grip was gentle and I didn't put any pressure. I simply wanted to see if she remembered the defence move I had taught her, and she did. Lissa's hands came in between my arms, effectively breaking them away from her neck. When she had my wrists in her hands, she pulled me in and snaked her leg around mine, bringing me to the ground. My back hit the floor with a loud thud, but it didn't hurt that much. On the other hand, Lissa was worried sick.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?" she asked frantically.
"I'm good," I laughed. Lissa pulled me up, checking me for injuries. "Lissa, I'm fine. That was good."
"Good?" she asked doubtfully. "I thought you broke something!"
"I'm half immortal. I don't break like that. I'm glad you remembered what I taught you, but if it had been any other strigoi, you would have been ripped to shreds."
"Thanks," Lissa muttered, rolling her eyes again. I took her hand before she could get too upset. I realized I should have been more encouraging rather than pessimistic. Lissa was trying, and for someone new to combat, she wasn't bad. I hadn't been that far off from her before Dimitri had become my mentor. I could at least acknowledge her for trying instead of putting her down.
"Lissa, wait. I don't mean the things I say in a bad way, but you're vulnerable in our society and I just want you to be the best that you can be. I know you're trying and you should keep doing that."
Lissa sighed, grabbing my hands between us. "I know. I'm just not used to this. I'm so used to having you there all the time. I didn't even realize how hard it was to fight something you're afraid of, but you always did that for me."
I smiled. "And I would still do that for you if the time came again."
"I know, but I can't rely on you all the time. Maybe...maybe I'm just holding back on you because you're my friend and I don't see you as a monster."
"Understandable," I said, reaching back to rub a part of my back that was slightly bruised. "Just keep trying. I'll keep helping you. You're doing great, okay?"
Lissa sighed, pulling me in for a hug. "Okay."
My phone rang, pulling us both apart. I walked over to my bag and reached inside, surprised to see that it was one of the numbers from the academy. "Hello?"
"Good evening, Ms. Hathaway." It was a woman's voice and I recognized it to be Nevaeh's teacher. "Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to let you know Nevaeh wasn't in class today. I thought I'd call and let you know."
"Is she okay?" I asked worriedly, glancing at Lissa who was stretching her muscles out.
"Well, the hall matrons have checked on her and she's in her room, but she's refusing to come out. She said she wasn't feeling well. If you could maybe check on her and let us know what's going on, that'd be great. She's comfortable with you."
"Sure, of course. Thanks for letting me know." I hung up and turned towards Lissa.
"Is it Nevaeh?" she asked, standing up as Christian and Eddie approached us.
"Yes," I said in a hurry, grabbing my bag. "I'm going to go check on her. I know you guys have class, but I have to see her."
Eddie looked a little concerned, but he didn't question me. "Go see her. I hope everything's okay."
"Yeah. I hope so too," I replied.
I knocked on Nevaeh's door, waiting for her response. She didn't answer at first, so I knocked again and called her name, letting her know I was there. "Nevaeh? It's me. I know you're in there."
After a few short moments, she answered me, shuffling in her bed. "Come in."
I opened the door and walked in. She was still lying down in her bed, wearing her pyjamas. I closed her door and dropped my bag on the floor before sitting on her bed. She was looking pale, but I assumed it was because she hadn't fed today. "Why aren't you in school? You can't just skip without an adult calling in for you," I scolded.
"I feel sick," she said with a groggy voice. I grabbed her hands again, realizing they were feeling colder than yesterday. I pressed a hand to her forehead and gasped when I felt how hot it was. She had a fever and my concern was starting to rise.
"What about your throat?" I asked her.
"It hurts," she said, letting out a harsh cough.
"Sit up," I instructed, helping her sit in her bed. I pressed my hands to her cheeks and neck, confirming her fever. This was so strange. Vampires rarely got sick. Some viruses could affect us, but we were all required to get vaccinations and I was sure she had hers.
"I'm going to take you to the clinic," I told her. She nodded, coughing again as she held her toy against her chest. I started going through her drawers and found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt before pulling them out. She was tired and a little dizzy, so I helped her change into the warm clothes and included a pair of thick, fuzzy socks to keep her feet warm. I grabbed her winter coat and helped her put it on, zipping it up to the top.
"Can I bring him?" she asked, holding up her teddy.
"Of course you can. I just need to put it in my bag so you can keep your hands warm." I took the toy from her arms and gently packed it into my bag before slinging it over my shoulder. I pulled her hood up and decided to carry her since she was weak, and left her building.
Nevaeh clung onto me on the way to the clinic and I could hear her pulse. It was faster than usual which was a result of her body fighting whatever was going on.
I walked into the clinic, only seeing one other novice who had gone in for an injury—nothing new. I went up to the front desk and told the receptionist what was going on and her expression faltered a little. People usually came in here for injuries or special health conditions they might have had. It was unusual to have cases where people had flu-like symptoms.
"You can wait in one of the private rooms," the receptionist said, getting up from her seat and leading me into a cubicle. "Dr. Olendzki shouldn't take long. I'll let her know you're here."
"Thank you," I said, placing Nevaeh on the examination table. I took her jacket off and left it on the nearby chairs before pulling out my phone. I dialled Dimitri's number, rubbing her back as she coughed.
Dimitri picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"
"Are you busy right now?" I asked.
"Rose? What's wrong?"
"I just took Nevaeh to the clinic. She's sick. I'm waiting for Dr. Olendzki."
I heard some movement in the background and he suddenly sounded worried. "My shift just ended. I'll be there in a few minutes." He hung up and I put my phone away, sighing heavily.
"Dimitri will be here soon," I informed her, pulling her into a hug. I caressed her hair, holding her close until the door opened. Dimitri walked in and noticed us as he shrugged off his jacket.
"Hi," Nevaeh murmured. She was always enthusiastic and bubbly when she saw him, but right now, all she could offer was a tired smile. Dimitri seemed to notice it too as he gave her a warm hug.
"You're feeling sick?" he asked, pulling back to feel her forehead. She nodded, turning away to cough into her sleeve.
"That's not a good sign," he said. He looked at me as we both stood in front of her. "I thought she had all her shots."
"I'm pretty sure she got them when we first brought her to the academy. If she has a virus that she wasn't immunized against, she would have had to get it from someone else who also wasn't immunized, but that's not possible because everyone is."
Dimitri sighed. "We'll have to wait for the doctor to check on her."
The door opened again and Dr. Olendzki walked in, brushing her lab coat. "You two again. My favourite people." She smiled as she closed the door and switched her gaze to the tiny figure between us. "Nevaeh! It's so good to see you again. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
I loved how enthusiastic Dr. Olendzki was with children. Nevaeh was comfortable with her too. "Yeah," she replied, making her hands disappear into the sleeves of her sweatshirt.
"So, what brings you in today?" she asked, leaning against the small counter across from her.
"I feel sick," she said, moving her covered hands around nervously.
"And where do you feel sick? Is it your tummy? Your throat? Your head?"
"My throat," Nevaeh answered, tapping her neck.
"She also has a fever," I added. "She's got chills too and a bit of a cough and fatigue. I'm not sure what's going on. Vampires don't get sick like this."
Dr. Olendzki had a puzzled look on her face, but she kept her upbeat attitude for Nevaeh's sake. Whether the situation was bad or not, it was important not to let her worry. "Okay, well, I'll take a look and see what's going on."
Dimitri and I sat down on the two chairs across the examination table while Dr. Olendzki grabbed her stethoscope. I held Dimitri's hand in between us as she lifted Nevaeh's sweatshirt and snuck her hand underneath the fabric, pressing the bell against her chest. "Deep breaths, honey."
For the next few minutes, Dr. Olendzki checked Nevaeh's breathing and listened to her chest, lungs, and heart. She placed a thermometer in her ear and waited for a few seconds before taking it out when it beeped. She checked the numbers and frowned, giving us both a worried glance.
"What is it?" I asked her anxiously.
"Her temperature is 102.4," she said. "While this can happen in humans, it's extremely rare to have this happen with a moroi. I think I'm going to have her stay here overnight. Her throat's a little red, so I'll also take a quick strep test."
"Do you think it's a virus?" I asked. "I-I mean...she would have had to get it from someone else."
"I can't say for sure. Not without testing. I'll check her immunization records to see if she got all her vaccinations. This is unusual and I want to get a sample of her blood to see what else is going on."
I sighed, standing up to rub Nevaeh's back again as Dr. Olendzki pulled out a long white swab and quickly moved it against Nevaeh's throat. "I'll be right back," she said, leaving the room.
"Can I have my teddy?" Nevaeh asked. I looked towards my bag where Dimitri was already pulling it out. He stood up and handed her the toy, and she squeezed it in her arms. "Do I have to sleep here?"
"You'll be in a different room. Don't worry, sweetheart, you'll be comfortable," I ensured her. "Dimitri and I will come back to see you. The people in this hospital will take good care of you."
Nevaeh nodded, mumbling something incomprehensible as she closed her eyes, leaning her head on her toy and nearly falling asleep. She looked so sick and tired. I wanted nothing more than to bundle her up in some warm blankets and help her feel better.
Dr. Olendzki walked back in, this time with a syringe and some other medical equipment. She put gloves on and gently lifted Nevaeh's sleeve before tying a rubber band around her upper arm.
"W-wait," Nevaeh protested, cringing away. "I don't want that thing."
Oh no. I should have expected this. Kids hated needles. To be honest, I wasn't that far off. Needles freaked me out just as much.
"Oh, honey, it'll be over in a few seconds," Dr. Olendzki said, using a cotton ball to wipe rubbing alcohol over her forearm. Nevaeh moved her arm away again, grabbing Dimitri's shirt.
"I don't want the needle," she whined against his chest. She frowned, almost on the verge of tears before Dimitri calmed her down.
"Hey, look at me," he said, tipping her face the other way. "Don't look at the needle. Just keep looking here, and remember you're a big girl. Do you think a tiny little thing like that can hurt you?"
Nevaeh shook her head. "No..."
"Exactly," Dimitri said, darting his eyes at Dr. Olendzki who slowly took her arm again. Nevaeh flinched and attempted to turn around until Dimitri tilted her head to face him again. "Don't look. Here's what I want you to do. On the count of three, I want you to squeeze your toes as hard as you can, okay?"
"Okay," she murmured. I watched them in awe as Dimitri counted to three and she clenched her toes as Dr. Olendzki inserted the needle in.
"Keep squeezing. You're doing great," he said, watching her blood fill up the little space in the syringe. Goodness, Dimitri was so good with her. He made such an excellent father figure and I was glad he was here to calm her down.
"All done," Dr. Olendzki said. She removed the needle, pressing another cotton ball against the spot and applying pressure.
"Really?" Nevaeh asked, relaxing her muscles.
"Yes. See? You're a champ, Nev. Good job," Dimitri praised, kissing the side of her head.
"We'll send this off to the lab. I'll let you know the results if you come back tomorrow. For now," Dr. Olendzki continued, placing a pink bandage on Nevaeh's arm, "let's get you into another room."
Dr. Olendzki had cleared a bed for Nevaeh to sleep in. She wasn't optimistic about having to sleep at the hospital, so I stayed with her until she fell asleep in my arms. It was hard to see her look so sick, but I was sure she would be better tomorrow with all the fluids and vitamins given to her.
I walked into Dr. Olendzki's office with Dimitri by my side and sat down at her desk. "Did you look at her immunization records?"
"I did," she replied, pulling out a file folder from behind her. She placed it on her desk and opened it up, turning it over so that I could take a look. Sure enough, Nevaeh was vaccinated against everything. The shots had been given over weekly periods since the day we brought her here. She had them all.
"So...she couldn't have gotten any of these viruses," I stated, pushing the files back.
"No," Dr. Olendzki replied. "I'll run some more tests if I need to. Hopefully, she'll be better by tomorrow. I can't say what it is exactly, but we'll just have to wait and see. It could just be a false alarm."
I nodded, getting up from my seat to leave the room. I wrapped my hand around Dimitri's bicep, stopping in the hallway to look at Nevaeh again. She looked so adorable—curled up in the blankets, clutching her teddy while she slept.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" I asked quietly.
Dimitri sighed, wrapping his arm around me as he watched her. "I hope so."