Alucard's POV

I stood talking to Sypha and Trevor for a while. All of us traded ideas as to what could be the best course of treatment for my beautiful Iona. She looked peaceful, at least until I noticed her limp arm hanging off the edge of the bed. Instantly I was at her side, shifting over to her so I could try and rouse her from her sleep.

"Iona… Iona, I need you to look at me. Please." I pleaded with her. Gently shaking her already small frame. I couldn't begin to imagine what this illness was about to do to her. Sypha met me at my side,

"Alucard… You're not going to like this, but she needs an ice bath. She is hot to the touch, we need to get her body temp down… Quickly." Her voice became more frantic as she spoke. I scooped up Iona in my arms and ran to the nearby master bathroom.

"Turn the faucet to cold and I'm going to go get ice from the basement cellar. Do not let her die, Sypha. I will never forgive myself." I spoke quickly. Every bone in my body is aching. That's when I remembered the rings. I could feel everything she was feeling, just slightly duller. My skin felt warm and the room turned around me. If this was only part of what Iona was feeling, I felt sick knowing that what she felt was far, far worse.

I shifted down the castle halls, rushing as fast as I could to the basement cellar. It was underground and the room was constantly under freezing temps. Ice wines and large blocks of ice were kept down here for the much warmer summer months to cool the castle. I grabbed as many ice blocks as I could carry and bolted back through the castle hallways.

I found my way back into the bathroom to find Trevor holding Iona in his arms. I was enraged. I never told him not to touch her, but the image of seeing my future wife in his grasp sent fire through my veins. I threw the ice into the tub then turned to Belmont,

"In the kindest way possible… Never touch her without my permission." I looked Belmont dead in the eye while taking Iona's limp body back into my arms.

"Damn dude. Chill… It's not like she's going anywhere." Belmont laughed at his little 'joke'. Cackling much longer than he should have. Sypha walked over to him and smacked him. She hit him harder than I had ever seen her hit anything in the past. Belmont let out a low groan before exiting the room to gather his breath.

"Alucard. I'm sorry for his behavior, please… Try not to let that idiot get under your skin. He always speaks before thinking. Anyway, the bath is ready." She let a wave of her arm showing me the frigid water.

"Please forgive me if you wake up during this." I set her fragile body into the water. Sypha put a hand on my shoulder,

"It'll be ok… She looks strong, she'll make it through this. It may sound strange, but I want to battle her someday. I want to see her powers against mine." Sypha's eyes met mine. She was trying her best to make light of the situation. I looked back down at Iona's body, her chest slowly rising and falling. I pulled away from Sypha's touch. I appreciated the fact that she was trying to comfort me, but I didn't want it. What I did need was a promise that Iona would make it out of this. Alive. That's all I wanted.

"I'm going to go to the kitchen and put some ice chips in a cup. When I come back rub them on her lips, it gives her the hydration her body needs." Sypha left the room quietly. Returning shortly after with the cup of ice before leaving once again. I sat down on the tubs stairs, facing poor Iona.

I grabbed an ice cube and carefully rubbed it on Iona's soft pink lips. She looked peaceful, but I could feel the pain she was in. I just wanted to hear her calming voice and tell her that she would never have to worry about anything as long as she was with me. I couldn't help but feel guilty, I felt as though somehow what she was going through was my fault. However, she would have caught this virus from any of us. Trevor and Sypha had been on the road for a year. I was almost certain their bodies had dealt with far worse things than the Influenza virus.

I had to remember that Iona had been locked in a lonely cramped cell for months. Having Sypha and Trevor come back home was a risk I didn't think about. It puts Iona's immune system at risk…

Sypha returned to the bathroom about an hour later.

"You should be ok to take her out of the bath now. I made some soup for everyone. If you're able to get her to eat, it would help a lot with the healing process," Sypha continued, "Her temp feels much better now, but just keep light covers over her so her fever doesn't come back." Sypha began to leave before I began to speak,

"Sypha… Thanks for your help. I couldn't have kept a clear head without you and Belmont here." I kept my voice low. I wasn't the best at showing thanks, but this was one of those situations where I had to tell her I appreciated her. She smiled at me,

"Alucard, really it's my pleasure. We've, I mean Trevor and I, have missed your friendship. It's the most we can do since you saved our asses that time in Targoviste. I'll leave you for now, but please holler if you need anything at all. I left the soup next to the bed." And with a wave of her hand, she was gone.

I looked back at the tub to see a pair of dull blue eyes looking at me.

"Alucard…" Her voice was so weak. It pained me to see her this way. She was slowly reaching for me until I took her small hand in mine,

"Save your energy beautiful," I hushed as I brushed her wet hair out her face with my free hand, "If you stay awake for a few minutes… Sypha made soup for us dear." She squeezed my hand, her little way of showing she acknowledged what I said.

I picked up and carried her cold body over to our bed. I changed her clothes into something a little more breathable, hoping in the end that it would keep her body cooler throughout the rest of the day and night. I sat down beside her on the bed, letting our legs interlace so that we were facing each other. I took the smaller of the two bowls and began feeding Iona. I could tell she wasn't hesitant, I could imagine that eating didn't feel the greatest compared to how she felt overall.

"Just take a couple more spoonfuls and then you can rest," I spoke to her tenderly. Holding the spoon to her mouth, she did exactly as instructed.

"Ok, darling. If you want to sleep now go ahead. I'll be right here if you need anything at all." I placed a warm hand on her cheek. Before I could pull away she nuzzled into it. I smiled at her sweetness. I looked at her closed eyes and reveled at how beautiful she actually was. Her long eyelashes sat along her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, her soft plump lips curled into the smallest smile, and her adorable slightly upturned nose.

I was pulled out of staring at her when she gently pulled at my arm. I laid down beside her, our bodies only touching slightly. I decided to move my head to her chest, curling up beside her and letting her soft heartbeat lull me to sleep.