Ivy
Killian turned, and when he fixed his blackened stare upon her, it sent a strange mixture of fear and longing barrelling through her.
He was dressed in all black, with matching circles beneath his eyes.
His features were drawn and pale. Fatigue weighed his movements down, but he likely still had a well of strength to draw from.
There wasn’t a shred of red visible in his eyes, and it made him appear more dangerous than she’d ever seen him.
But as he started moving towards her and Finare, she stepped towards him instead of fleeing.
Finare grabbed her wrist to halt her, but she shook him off.
“It’s okay, Fin.”
“Ivy, this is bad. He’s not in control.” There was fear in Finare’s voice, but Ivy stood her ground.
“I have to help him.” Ivy kept her eyes on Killian, and when she spoke again, it was to Killian directly.
“Killian, it’s me. It’s Ivy. You’re okay.”
Killian snarled in response as he stalked forward.
Ivy lifted her hand and pressed it to his chest when he got within range.
The contact seemed to trigger something within him and the black in his eyes swirled, revealing hints of the red beneath.
Killian’s breathing was heavy, his body was tense, and he seemed to be fighting against the force that gripped him.
Ivy took a step closer. Her hand was still pressed against Killian’s chest and she locked her gaze with his. She knew she stood no chance of fighting him if he attacked her, but something told her that he wouldn’t harm her.
The red of Killian’s eyes fought against the storm clouds of deepest black, and they slowly faded away entirely.
Killian’s senses returned and he blew out a breath.
He wrapped his arms around her middle and leaned into her neck, breathing her in.
She in turn was greeted by his wood and vanilla scent, and she inhaled it deeply.
He whispered her name against her skin, and it sent a shiver through her body.
“I need to feed.” Killian’s voice wavered, but the urgency in his words spurred Ivy into action.
Ivy started to move, and Killian clung to her as they made their way out of the basement.
Finare led the way, and they exited through the front door of the house.
Killian stumbled down a small set of stairs, and he almost took Ivy down with him.
Finare swept in to help Ivy support Killian’s weight, and the trio staggered back to Finare’s car.
Ivy helped Killian into the back seat. He pulled her in with him and snaked his arms around her.
Finare slid into the driver’s seat and started the car. “Where to?”
“Killian, are there any blood bars in Diarom?” Ivy lifted a hand to run her fingers through Killian’s hair.
Killian nodded, before slurring his response, “Ruff… Drafffft.”
The swirls of black crowded Killian’s eyes again, and he appeared to be holding onto his control with the tips of his fingers.
Ivy called out to Ozias mentally and poked her head out the window as he approached. He circled above the car as she issued her instructions.
I need you to find a bar in Diarom. It’s called the Rough Draught.
I will find it, Ozias responded before flying off.
Ivy caught Finare’s gaze in the rear-view mirror, and they exchanged a nod. The car was on the move almost immediately, and Finare headed back towards Diarom at breakneck speed.
Killian writhed in his seat, groaning as he repeated the word ‘blood’ over and over. Ivy did her best to distract him, mostly by continuing to stroke his hair and whisper reassurances to him.
As they neared Diarom, Ivy rolled her window down and kept an eye out for Ozias. Eventually he appeared beside the car, and he directed them to a bar near Killian’s apartment building.
When the car stopped, Killian’s eyes widened, and his nose started twitching as he scented the air. His body tensed and Ivy gripped him tightly.
“Killian, it’s okay. We’re going to get you some blood.” Ivy cringed when her words made him snarl and struggle against her.
“I’ll go in and make the arrangements.” Finare jumped out of the car and hurried towards the bar.
Ivy turned to Killian and gripped his hand tightly. He squeezed her hand back, and she gasped at the force he used. Despite his hunger and fatigue, he was still strong. His eyes were a swirling mess of black and red and Ivy could see how much effort Killian was putting into maintaining control.
“I need… you to… stop me,” Killian pleaded between ragged breaths.
“Stop you?”
“From… Rubicon.”
“Of course.” She glanced out the car window and saw Finare’s head poke out the front door.
She helped Killian out of the car, and Finare rushed over. They hurried Killian into the bar, dragging him to a small private room in the back of the establishment.
Ivy quickly took in the surroundings on her way through.
A long wooden bar spanned the length of the building, and an array of colourful bottles lined the shelves behind it.
The scent of alcohol was thick in the air, and there were several patrons scattered about the tables, a few whose heads snapped in their direction as they rushed past.
The private room was utilitarian compared to the plush furnishings of the bars and clubs in Zentroa.
A table and chairs stood in place of couches, and Ivy helped Killian into one of the chairs before dropping into the one beside him.
Killian grabbed a hold of her chair and dragged it closer to him, and she reached out to grab his hand once again.
Finare lingered in the corner of the room, running his fingers through his blonde locks. Ivy could feel the nervous energy radiating off him.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. It’s been a crazy night, is all.”
“If you want to head back to Veldmoor, you can.”
“I’m not leaving you.” Finare’s mismatched eyes flashed, and a frown crossed his features.
Further discussion was halted as the door to the room opened and three Humans walked in. The Humans fanned out and each picked their own Vampire to approach, but Ivy raised a hand to stop them.
“You’re all for him.” Ivy gestured to Killian, whose eyes were now a solid black once more.
Killian was straining against Ivy, but she held a firm grip on his hand.
She flicked her gaze over at Finare and mouthed the word ‘Lacuna?’ to him, while gesturing with her free hand.
Finare pulled his case from his pocket and handed Ivy one of the pills.
She asked Killian to open his mouth and dropped the pill into his tongue.
Ivy nodded to the nearest Human, and as she laid her eyes on Killian, she visibly paled. She was a short female with shoulder-length orange hair, and she looked genuinely worried as she stepped towards Killian.
Ivy watched as she raised her wrist to Killian, and he snatched it before biting down hard. The girl winced as his fangs penetrated her skin. Killian fed forcefully, and it was less than a minute before the girl showed signs that she was rapidly approaching her limit.
“Killian, that’s enough,” Ivy warned.
But Killian didn’t stop.
Panic speared through Ivy, and she repeated his name harshly as she squeezed the hand she was still holding. Killian pulled away after a long moment, blood streaming down his chin. The Human stumbled backward as she retreated, her eyes filled with fright.
Killian’s eyes met Ivy’s, and she could see a little of the red peeking through the misty black. The dark circles had retreated by a mere shade. His tongue darted out to lick the blood from his lips, before his eyes shifted to the next Human in line.
The second Human, a wiry looking male with pale red eyes not dissimilar to the shade of Drachen’s eyes, shifted his gaze from Killian to Ivy.
He looked at her pleadingly, and Ivy threw him a sympathetic smile before gesturing him forward.
His shoulders sagged as he stepped forward and offered Killian his wrist.
Killian’s bite wasn’t as savage as the first, but he still fed as ravenously.
The male withered quickly, and when Ivy pulled Killian away, he put up less of a fight.
Ivy noted that the shadows under Killian’s eyes had faded further, and colour was returning to his cheeks.
With each feed he was gradually returning to some semblance of normal.
The male moved out of the way so that the third Human, a tall and slender female with a blonde-coloured bob haircut, could move in. She didn’t seem as nervous as the previous two and offered her wrist to Killian without protest.
This feed was the most subdued of the three, but it was still rougher than she was used to.
This time, his eyes shifted to Ivy’s as he fed from the female, and it reminded her of the Human they shared at Lunarian.
The memory sent a wave of desire through her that caused a blush to creep over her cheeks.
Killian smiled against the girl’s wrist, and Ivy wondered if he knew what she was thinking. If he did, it meant he was coming back to his senses. Ivy heard a sniffing sound from across the room, and she avoided making eye contact with Finare.
Killian pulled away from the female’s wrist, and she retreated from the room.
Ivy appraised Killian once again, and the circles under his eyes had faded to pale smears.
The red of his eyes was brighter than before, and just a trace of black mingled within the red. The sight of him made her heart race.
“How do you feel?”
“Nowhere near sated. But… liveable,” Killian breathed, and he released Ivy’s hand to run both his hands through his hair.
“Let’s get you home.” Ivy rose from her seat, and they made their way out of the bar.
Finare drove them back to Killian’s apartment, and this time Killian allowed Ivy to sit in the front seat. Killian seemed to be lost in thought on the drive.