Olivia was very patient with James, teaching him just how his new abilities worked and giving him advice on the best times to use them. He insisted she teach him how to fly first, as she assumed he would. He was enthusiastic about that bit from the moment she'd mentioned it.
Not surprisingly, he caught on to everything quickly, but Olivia had to keep urging him to be patient with his lessons. He ran himself ragged, practicing the techniques she'd shown him over and over, trying to get everything just right. He often got exhausted and had to rest immediately after a lesson as he wasn't fully used to his abilities and they still drained his energy quite a bit. She assured him he'd be able to handle more and more as time went on, and before long he'd be able to fly across the country before he felt the twinge of exhaustion. She didn't see why he was getting so upset. It took most people months, sometimes even a year or more to master what he'd gotten the hang of in a mere eighteen days.
But then she remembered who she was working with and how James had been the best at his game for so long, mastering the ins and outs in no time at all. He wasn't used to the idea of not immediately being good at something.
She thought it was adorable the way he pouted, but she'd never tell him that.
Well… maybe she'd save it for a rainy day.
She came back home from shopping one day to find the house oddly quiet.
Her senses immediately went on alert.
Something was wrong. She could feel it.
"James?" she called out.
No answer. She put the groceries down on the kitchen table and hurriedly walked into the bedroom to see if she could find him.
Nothing.
She walked back out to the sitting room and gasped.
"James!"
He was collapsed on the floor just to the side of the couch.
She ran over to him as quickly as he could. He was face down on the floor, so she gently rolled him over onto his back. She stroked his cheek and called his name to see if he would respond, and she did manage to get a small groan out of him but that was about it.
Her mind started racing. He was feeling fine when she left. They had eaten together and…
Her eyes got wide.
He hadn't fed yet.
He needed blood. He'd gone too long without any.
She lifted his top lip to see his fangs had extended themselves. It happened when their bodies were trying to encourage them to feed. She thought about the way she'd found him and which direction he was facing and quickly realized he was trying to make it to the kitchen. She had blood packs in the refrigerator. He must have figured out what was wrong and tried to get to them, but he never made it that far. If he'd fed at least once before, he wouldn't have been weakened so quickly, but of course this was all new to him, so he didn't have the resolve to last until she got home.
She looked at the refrigerator and back down at James.
Blood bags wouldn't help him now. He was too far gone. There weren't enough nutrients in a bag to revive him.
There was only one thing to do.
She extended her fangs and bit into her wrist.
She winced a bit at the slight pain, but it didn't matter to her at the moment. All she cared about was the man lying in her arms.
She shifted him in her lap so he was propped up a bit and held her wrist to his lips.
His eyelids fluttered, but he didn't latch on.
She bit her lip, hoping she wasn't too late.
She kissed his forehead and stroked his hair, whispering to him how much she loved him.
"Please… drink… you'll feel better. I promise. I won't let you leave me this way, damnit." Her voice broke as she tried her best not to cry.
A few seconds later, she felt his mouth move.
"That's it, love," she pressed another kiss to his forehead.
His mouth opened a bit wider and within a few seconds, he'd latched onto her wrist and was drinking steadily. She smiled and stroked his hair, so happy she hadn't lost him.
She sat there with him for a few minutes more, allowing him to take as much as he needed.
He groaned again as his eyes fluttered open. His vision was a bit blurry, but he could just make out Olivia's face.
His eyes went wide as he realized what he was doing.
He gasped and retracted his fangs immediately, pushing her wrist away from his mouth. He tried to berate her, but he sat up a bit too fast and the room started to spin. She caught his shoulders to steady him and held him close while he clutched at his forehead.
"What were you doing?!" he asked, his anger clear.
She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
"Don't ever do that again! I could have hurt you! What if I took too much? What if-"
She stopped his lips with a kiss.
"You wouldn't have done…" she stroked his cheek and he took a few calming breaths. "You wouldn't hurt me. You'd never let yourself do that." She kissed him again. "I trust you."
He sighed. "I'm sorry. I just…"
"I know. We should have had you feed a couple of days ago, but we were so busy with your lessons, I wasn't properly keeping track of time. I only let you feed from me because you were too far gone for the blood bags to do you any good. You needed nutrients from something living." She held his hands as she tried to get him to understand. "I wouldn't have done it unless you needed it."
He nodded his understanding. He knew she'd go to any length for him, just as he would for her. Even if it meant putting themselves in person danger to save the other.
He pulled her closer and hugged her tight.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing her wrist. He instinctively laved his tongue over the puncture wounds and watched in awe as they healed themselves over.
She smiled. "Good as new." She leaned in to kiss his lips again and he held her close.
They stayed curled up together on the floor until Olivia's joints began to protest. Despite her warning him not to waste his energy, James lifted her and carried her into the bedroom, placing her down gently on the soft mattress. He curled up beside her, feeling a bit worn out and she stroked his hair until he went to sleep.