Chapter 35 #2
“Thank you,” Boaz said, quickly following after Drago.
The vampire didn’t slow down. He moved ahead, climbing the stairs and walking down a long hallway. Boaz had to quicken his pace just to keep up.
Drago stopped at a door and pushed it open.
“He’s in there,” he said, stepping inside.
Boaz hesitated at the doorway, then followed.
The sight of Alexander hit him the moment he entered the room. His breath caught as his eyes landed on the bed. There he was.
A white sheet covered his body from his shoulders down to his feet. His hair had been neatly combed back, framing his face. He looked like he was simply sleeping.
“What is…?”
“We don’t know,” Drago said. “His body is warm.”
Boaz moved closer to the bed and reached out, touching Alexander’s arm. It was warm beneath his fingers.
“We couldn’t bury him because we weren’t sure what was going on,” Drago continued. “So we’re waiting to see what happens. He woke up after two hundred years. Maybe he can wake up again.”
Boaz went still, the words sinking in slowly.
Was it possible? Could he still be alive?
“Did you try feeding him?” Boaz asked, smoothing his hand over Alexander’s arm.
“Yes. We feed him once a week, but there’s still no response,” Drago said.
Boaz turned to him sharply. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“We told the sorcerer. He said he would inform you,” Drago replied.
“Manlius knows?” Boaz asked, incredulous. “Why the hell didn’t he tell me?”
Drago offered no answer.
“Can we get someone to draw my blood?” Boaz asked, turning his gaze back to Alexander.
“Are you going to try to save him again?” Drago asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.
“I’m going to try,” Boaz said.
“I’ll send someone up,” he said, before turning and leaving the room.
As soon as the door closed, Boaz pulled out his phone and called Manlius. His other hand stayed on Alexander’s arm, the contact almost instinctive now, like he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
“Boaz?” Manlius answered after three rings.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Boaz asked immediately. “You knew he might be alive, but you didn’t tell me.”
“Because I was afraid you’d do exactly this,” Manlius said. “You can’t wait for him another two hundred years, Boaz. We don’t know what’s happening to him. He should be dead.”
“But he’s not,” Boaz said, looking down at Alexander. “You said he offered his life so you could get your powers back. Did something go wrong? Is that why he’s still here?”
“No. I got my powers back. I’ve been trying to figure it out. The only possible explanation I can come up with is… uhm…” Manlius said. “He had two souls living inside him. Do you remember what he turned into right before we closed the veil?”
“Yes. He turned into that demon,” Boaz said, remembering how he had gone on a rampage afterward. “Are you saying the infection was a real being inside him?”
“It’s possible,” Manlius said. “Vampires turn humans. They might need the human to be close to death, but that doesn’t mean other creatures follow the same rules to reproduce themselves.”
“If the demon is the one that paid the price, why isn’t he waking up?” Boaz asked.
“I don’t know,” Manlius said. “We’re going to have to wait and see.”
“Okay,” Boaz said quietly. He ended the call and dropped his phone onto the bed.
The door opened again, and Drago returned with a young vampire behind him.
“This is Slove. He’ll take your blood,” he said.
Boaz nodded as Slove stepped closer. He quickly inserted the drip into his vein and placed the bag on the bed.
Drago remained in the room while they waited for it to fill. When it was done, Boaz removed the needle from his arm.
“How do you feed him?” he asked.
Drago took the bag from him and moved to the head of the bed. He removed the syringe from the tube and placed it at Alexander’s mouth, holding the bag up and gently squeezing it every so often as the blood flowed through.
“I hope this works,” Drago said, staring down at Alexander.
“Me too,” Boaz replied.
Drago left as soon as the feeding was done. Boaz stayed behind with Alexander, his hand moving slowly over his arm, as if his touch alone might bring him back.
Later, he went downstairs to check on Michael, only to find he didn’t need to worry. The baby was being cared for by his grandparents.
“I hope he hasn’t been a bother,” Boaz said as he stepped into the waiting room.
“Not at all,” Alexander’s mother replied, patting the couch beside her. “Come, please tell me about yourself. Alexander never told us he had someone.”
Boaz rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed as he sat down. Michael immediately lifted his arms toward him, reaching.
“Oh, do you want to go to daddy? Okay,” Alexander’s mother said, smiling as she handed him over.
Boaz settled Michael in his arms as he sat. “How did you two meet?” she asked.
“Uhm…” Boaz hesitated, trying to decide where to begin. In the end, he decided the beginning made the most sense. “After we managed to close the chasm, he went a little… crazy, and we had to subdue him…”
Alexander’s mother nodded, fully invested in every word.