start to bubble. “We need to go in now,” she
said quietly. “Please come with me.” Arianna finally noticed the
blisters forming on Molina’s exposed arms.
“What’s this?” she asked pointing to
Molina’s arm.
“Even though it’s later in the day, direct
sunlight will easily burn our skin,” Molina explained.
“This is my fault,” Arianna complained,
carefully looking at the blisters on the back of Molina’s left
arm.
“Don’t worry. It’s nothing a little blood
won’t heal,” Molina replied, leading Arianna through the living
room and adjoining dining room to the kitchen. Opening the
refrigerator, Arianna peered inside as Molina grabbed several
packets of blood from the bottom shelf. Her face changed suddenly
as she bit into the packet. The bubbles stopped growing, and began
to shrink. After Molina finished the second packet, the blisters
still remained but were much smaller. “Dearg-dul is named for our
undead properties. Day humans consider us undead because we don’t
die from normal things due to our intake of blood.” Molina ran her
hand over the blisters. “I guess they need a little time. I didn’t
realize they were so deep.”
“So, blood heals your wounds?” Arianna
asked.
“The same with yours,” Molina replied.
“But why are they still there?” Arianna
pointed to the remaining blisters.
“To heal you first need blood, and then you
need some time for it to work,” Molina replied.
“Is that night human blood?” Arianna asked.
She could still smell the faint odor on Molina’s breath. Molina
nodded. “So, will it heal quicker with dearg-dul blood?”
“The stronger the blood, the quicker it
heals,” Molina replied.
“Then my blood should heal you quicker
because I’m a purebred?” Arianna asked.
“Correct, but don’t get any ideas. It’s a
crime to drink purebred blood,” Molina answered.
“But what if I offer it?” Arianna asked,
feeling guilty that she caused Molina to get burned. Arianna took
the knife from the counter and sliced the palm of her hand. “You
have to follow my orders, correct? I order you to take some of my
blood to heal.”
Molina was stuck. It was true she had to
follow Arianna’s orders, but it was also true that it was a crime
to take it. Molina shook her head as Arianna held out her bleeding
palm. Hesitantly she licked the blood off Arianna’s hand, which had
already healed itself. The blisters faded until nothing was left
from the burn. Arianna smiled.
“My blood can heal that easily, even with
just a drop?” she asked, surprised that it had actually worked.
“Just a drop of your blood could heal over
fifty people. You know nothing of this world you are now a part of,
but you are the strongest I’ve ever met, and you haven’t even
finished turning yet,” Molina replied.
NINE
Arianna followed Devin and Molina downstairs
from the dining room into the apartment below hers. From the
lingering scent, she could tell that it was her grandfather’s
apartment. She curiously peered into the side rooms from the dining
room she was standing in, beginning to remember only fragments of
her childhood: the deep burgundy satin-covered pillows on the
couch, the leather-bound books stacked near his desk, the little
ship sitting on the fireplace mantel in a bottle. Lord Randolph sat
quietly in the formal living room, watching his curious
granddaughter. As soon as she realized he was there, she backed
into Devin. Lord Randolph had the same glaring indifference from
the night before as he looked to Molina, who was standing beside
Arianna. Arianna quickly understood, as she could also still smell
her own blood on Molina’s breath.
“I ordered her to take my blood,” Arianna
began. “It was my fault she got burned while outside with me.”
Arianna waited for her grandfather’s reply, but he said nothing.
With a wave of his hand, Molina bowed and returned up the stairs.
The fear in Molina didn’t decrease even as she left.
said quietly. “Please come with me.” Arianna finally noticed the
blisters forming on Molina’s exposed arms.
“What’s this?” she asked pointing to
Molina’s arm.
“Even though it’s later in the day, direct
sunlight will easily burn our skin,” Molina explained.
“This is my fault,” Arianna complained,
carefully looking at the blisters on the back of Molina’s left
arm.
“Don’t worry. It’s nothing a little blood
won’t heal,” Molina replied, leading Arianna through the living
room and adjoining dining room to the kitchen. Opening the
refrigerator, Arianna peered inside as Molina grabbed several
packets of blood from the bottom shelf. Her face changed suddenly
as she bit into the packet. The bubbles stopped growing, and began
to shrink. After Molina finished the second packet, the blisters
still remained but were much smaller. “Dearg-dul is named for our
undead properties. Day humans consider us undead because we don’t
die from normal things due to our intake of blood.” Molina ran her
hand over the blisters. “I guess they need a little time. I didn’t
realize they were so deep.”
“So, blood heals your wounds?” Arianna
asked.
“The same with yours,” Molina replied.
“But why are they still there?” Arianna
pointed to the remaining blisters.
“To heal you first need blood, and then you
need some time for it to work,” Molina replied.
“Is that night human blood?” Arianna asked.
She could still smell the faint odor on Molina’s breath. Molina
nodded. “So, will it heal quicker with dearg-dul blood?”
“The stronger the blood, the quicker it
heals,” Molina replied.
“Then my blood should heal you quicker
because I’m a purebred?” Arianna asked.
“Correct, but don’t get any ideas. It’s a
crime to drink purebred blood,” Molina answered.
“But what if I offer it?” Arianna asked,
feeling guilty that she caused Molina to get burned. Arianna took
the knife from the counter and sliced the palm of her hand. “You
have to follow my orders, correct? I order you to take some of my
blood to heal.”
Molina was stuck. It was true she had to
follow Arianna’s orders, but it was also true that it was a crime
to take it. Molina shook her head as Arianna held out her bleeding
palm. Hesitantly she licked the blood off Arianna’s hand, which had
already healed itself. The blisters faded until nothing was left
from the burn. Arianna smiled.
“My blood can heal that easily, even with
just a drop?” she asked, surprised that it had actually worked.
“Just a drop of your blood could heal over
fifty people. You know nothing of this world you are now a part of,
but you are the strongest I’ve ever met, and you haven’t even
finished turning yet,” Molina replied.
NINE
Arianna followed Devin and Molina downstairs
from the dining room into the apartment below hers. From the
lingering scent, she could tell that it was her grandfather’s
apartment. She curiously peered into the side rooms from the dining
room she was standing in, beginning to remember only fragments of
her childhood: the deep burgundy satin-covered pillows on the
couch, the leather-bound books stacked near his desk, the little
ship sitting on the fireplace mantel in a bottle. Lord Randolph sat
quietly in the formal living room, watching his curious
granddaughter. As soon as she realized he was there, she backed
into Devin. Lord Randolph had the same glaring indifference from
the night before as he looked to Molina, who was standing beside
Arianna. Arianna quickly understood, as she could also still smell
her own blood on Molina’s breath.
“I ordered her to take my blood,” Arianna
began. “It was my fault she got burned while outside with me.”
Arianna waited for her grandfather’s reply, but he said nothing.
With a wave of his hand, Molina bowed and returned up the stairs.
The fear in Molina didn’t decrease even as she left.
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