Blood and Water
I found Owen in the small sitting room sound asleep on the damp sofa. There were towels everywhere. He had obviously been trying to salvage whatever he could after the sprinkler incident. I knelt down beside him and brushed a strand of blond hair from his face, watching his eyes move beneath their lids in deep REM sleep. For a moment, I considered slipping into his dreams to see what I might find there, but soon decided against it.
Instead, I scooped him up. He awoke almost immediately. Drowsy and confused at first, then anxious when he realized what was happening.
“I moved as much furniture as I could,” His words were hesitant. “I’m sorry I couldn’t clean up all the water. I tried.”
I hushed him gently as I ascended the stairs, making my way to the master bathroom. I could sense his fear after witnessing the events of the previous night, so I reached into his mind to calm him. He wrapped one arm around my neck and rested his head against my shoulder.
I helped him to remove his damp clothing and carefully lowered him into the bath I had drawn for him. He seemed to relax a little as he sank into the warm water. The scented oils I had selected specifically for their soothing properties glistened on its surface. He stared at me in wide-eyed wonder as I soaped up a sponge and began to bathe him. Eventually, my attention shifted from his body to his hair and I lathered this up as well. His eyelids fluttered closed as I massaged the sweet-smelling shampoo into his scalp. He was crying, but I didn’t question this. It was common for Owen to shed tears when in a highly emotional state.
His left eye was slightly swollen and bruised. There was a fresh abrasion at the top of his cheekbone where my ring must have scraped when I struck him. I brought my thumb to my mouth and sliced it open on one fang. We both watched as my blood dripped into the water before him. It disappeared instantly into the depths as if it had no real power at all over the soaps and oils that absorbed it.
I rubbed it over the small wound, watching as his skin began to heal. Within seconds, the bruise and swelling had vanished as well. He was, once again, perfect in all his imperfection.
I refused to think upon all of the possible repercussions of what I’d just done.
I patted him dry with one of the few remaining towels that had not been used to soak up water from the main floor. Then I dressed him in a pair of newly purchased Derek Rose pajamas made of mulberry silk.
He followed me to my room without a sound and willingly complied when I urged him onto the bed. Once he had found a comfortable place, I crawled across the mattress to join him lying my head against his chest. I felt his arm rest on my back.
We must have stayed there for hours. Owen, slipping back into a deep slumber while I listened to rhythmic beating of his heart.
I left him only when the approaching dawn made it impossible for me to stay any longer.
Instead, I scooped him up. He awoke almost immediately. Drowsy and confused at first, then anxious when he realized what was happening.
“I moved as much furniture as I could,” His words were hesitant. “I’m sorry I couldn’t clean up all the water. I tried.”
I hushed him gently as I ascended the stairs, making my way to the master bathroom. I could sense his fear after witnessing the events of the previous night, so I reached into his mind to calm him. He wrapped one arm around my neck and rested his head against my shoulder.
I helped him to remove his damp clothing and carefully lowered him into the bath I had drawn for him. He seemed to relax a little as he sank into the warm water. The scented oils I had selected specifically for their soothing properties glistened on its surface. He stared at me in wide-eyed wonder as I soaped up a sponge and began to bathe him. Eventually, my attention shifted from his body to his hair and I lathered this up as well. His eyelids fluttered closed as I massaged the sweet-smelling shampoo into his scalp. He was crying, but I didn’t question this. It was common for Owen to shed tears when in a highly emotional state.
His left eye was slightly swollen and bruised. There was a fresh abrasion at the top of his cheekbone where my ring must have scraped when I struck him. I brought my thumb to my mouth and sliced it open on one fang. We both watched as my blood dripped into the water before him. It disappeared instantly into the depths as if it had no real power at all over the soaps and oils that absorbed it.
I rubbed it over the small wound, watching as his skin began to heal. Within seconds, the bruise and swelling had vanished as well. He was, once again, perfect in all his imperfection.
I refused to think upon all of the possible repercussions of what I’d just done.
I patted him dry with one of the few remaining towels that had not been used to soak up water from the main floor. Then I dressed him in a pair of newly purchased Derek Rose pajamas made of mulberry silk.
He followed me to my room without a sound and willingly complied when I urged him onto the bed. Once he had found a comfortable place, I crawled across the mattress to join him lying my head against his chest. I felt his arm rest on my back.
We must have stayed there for hours. Owen, slipping back into a deep slumber while I listened to rhythmic beating of his heart.
I left him only when the approaching dawn made it impossible for me to stay any longer.