(no subject)
Sonja stumbled into her room, nearly collapsing against the bedpost, her breathing labored.
“What have I told you about going outside these walls?” Victor continued his angry monologue, seemingly unaware of his daughter’s rapidly worsening condition.
“Not only are you infected, you are contagious. Now the lives of the other vampires are in danger because of your utter disregard for my instructions!”
Sonja tried her hardest to stay standing but soon found it impossible. She moved to the side, just enough to be able to lean down, her palms flat on the bed as she pulled her body up.
“You realize there is no known cure? It’s by pure luck that anyone has ever survived it!”
Sonja found her father’s rants slipping further and further into the recesses of her mind and soon, all thought was lost as she fell into blackness.
She awoke to a cool cloth pressed against her forehead.
“Apparently Lycans are expendable.” He whispered with a weary chuckle.
“Can you catch it?” Her voice croaked nervously.
“Not to my knowledge.” Lucian smiled gently, his hand brushing lightly over her cheek. “For a vampire, you are burning up, my darling.”
“Why are you here?”
“Your father believes that not only am I expendable, but apparently I am trustworthy as well.” He thought for a moment. “Well as trustworthy as a Lycan can be.” He smiled. “Apparently he didn’t want to risk losing any more vampires. Everyone who has had contact with you since you fell ill was decapitated and burned.” At her look, he chuckled dryly. “Except, of course, your darling father.” He shrugged a little. “Maybe he believes himself above such nonsense as diseases.” That got a weak smile from Sonja. “Even sick, your smile still lights up the room, love.”
He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I have sent some of the Lycans on a hunt for a special herb that I know of in the woods. It will not heal, but I know it can ease your pain. We use it all the time when one of our own falls ill.” He smiled sadly. “Many times it has eased the passage of a weary death.”
Sonja bit her lip and averted her gaze.
“But you shall not die, my darling.” He murmured, his fingers running through her hair. “I will not let you.”
Her bright blue eyed gaze locked on him again and he could see the tears forming.
“You are strong, you are my Sonja.” He leaned down and kissed her lips.
As the tears ran down her cheeks, he slowly kissed them away. “I will stay by your side.”
----
She woke up screaming. He was kneeling by her side in a matter of seconds, clutching her hand.
“What is it, love?”
It took her a moment to focus her eyes and when she realized where she was, her screams stopped and she panted heavily.
“Shh…” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Everything will be okay.” He murmured.
She rolled closer to the side of the bed where he was and nestled her head against his chest, her breathing ragged as she tried to fall back asleep.
He ran his fingers through her hair, his other hand rubbing her back before she finally drifted into an uneasy sleep.
----
Her condition was getting worse. Now he was almost certain she had a fever that would have been bad for a human. She could barely move, her eyes glazed over, her pores sweating blood.
He tried his best to keep her hydrated, the Lycan slaves bringing cups of blood to the room when needed.
He pressed a damp rag to her forehead. “My Sonja,” he whispered. “They are still looking for the herb, but when they find it, you shall not be in so much pain. I promise.”
She panted slightly her eyes the only thing moving as they locked on him. He could see the light, the fire that he loved, trying to burn somewhere deep inside. But he could also see that it was a struggle, that every day some wind would blow through it and try to put it out. If they didn’t find that herb soon, he was afraid she would slip away from him and he feared more than anything that it would be for good.
----
It had been nearly two weeks when they finally got it and brought it to him. He ground it up as best he could and put it in a cup of blood for her.
Swallowing had become hard, but he wrapped his arm around her, holding her up, trying to ease the red liquid down her throat.
Her sips were slow and he could tell that even this small act was taking a toll on her. Yet still, he pressed her to drink the entire cup. When she finished, he set it aside and gently lay her back, positioning her pillows behind her.
She gazed at him, her eyes pleading, begging him to somehow take the pain away. He kissed her forehead, just wanting the herb to kick in quickly.
----
Another two days passed and she only seemed to get worse. She barely awoke and when she did it seemed a fight to keep her eyes open. But still he never gave up, keeping a vigil by her bed, a damp cloth on her forehead to wipe away her sweat, to try and keep her temperature down.
She would whimper in her sleep and he would hurry to her, taking her hand, squeezing it gently murmuring words of love and comfort until she calmed down and her sleep became a little less fitful.
Then, on the third day Lucian woke to find her gazing intently at him. He lifted his head from where it had rested on her bed and gazed at her.
“What is it, love?” He asked, his voice a gentle murmur as he brushed strands of hair off of her forehead. He realized that it was cooling rapidly and a small smile spread across his lips. “Feeling better?”
She nodded slowly, her eyes staying locked on him. “You have not left my side.” She whispered, no question in her voice.
Lucian smiled sadly. “No and I don’t plan to until I am sure you are well.”
“Thank you.”
“No thanks needed, love.” He kissed her forehead. “You are the most precious thing in this world and I am too stubborn to let you leave me so easily.”
He received a small smile for that and he smiled back, glad that he could see much of his Sonja returning.
“Just rest. Already you are beginning to feel cooler.”
“I am feeling infinitely better.” She murmured, her eyes closing as she drifted back to sleep.
The fourth day, Sonja awoke and slowly, testing her strength, she sat up. Lucian heard her stir and his eyes glowed as he watched her. Her eyes found him almost instantly and a small smile crossed her lips.
He hurried over to her and cupped her cheeks in his palm. “My Sonja, you are still in there.” He murmured, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.
By the end of a week, Sonja could finally get out of bed and when she did, it was with a great sadness. “They’ll no longer allow you to keep a vigil by my bedside.” She whispered sadly.
“Shame.” He smiled slightly. “But at least you are well.”
She kissed him gently. “You, my love, are unbelievable.”
“Not really.” He chuckled. “Just persistent.”
“I prefer to call it devoted.” She grinned.
Lucian laughed. “Yes, that I am.”
She sighed. “I guess you should tell Father he no longer has need to worry. I am safe for other vampires to be around.”
“Unfortunately.”
Sonja chuckled. “Yes, unfortunately. I shall miss you.”
“And I you.” He kissed her again before he headed out of the room. He bowed slightly out the door and she laughed softly, blowing him a kiss as he shut it slowly.
Victor swooped in moments later, instantly clutching her in a stiff hug. “My Sonja, how I have worried so.”
“Lucian tells me you never visited my bedside.” She replied, her tone level.
Victor pulled back, stunned. “It was not safe, you know that.”
“You didn’t care when you berated me for going outside the walls. You were around me for plenty of time then and did not fall ill.”
Victor just stood there, mouth agape. Slowly, he shut it and his eyes narrowed into a glare. “You ungrateful child. I could have had you beheaded like I did other vampires who fell ill with this disease but you are my daughter and I spared you. This is how you repay me?”
“You should have ordered my beheading, what makes me any better than any of the others?”
“You are my daughter, next in line for my chair.” He snarled. He stared at her for a moment, his anger seething until he finally turned and stormed from the room.
Sonja sank down in the seat by the window and gazed out over the alleyway, wishing for the illness to fall on her again just to have Lucian back by her side.