Chapter 25 #3
She braced herself for the expected surge of blood born power, but the feeding didn’t strengthen her as it should.
Instead, it drained her as the Veilroot infiltrated her body, weakening her with each swallow.
But something else was happening, too. Kiba’s color began to return, and the cuts and bruises from their earlier fight sealed, vanishing as if they’d never existed.
What is this? she marveled.
Taking his blood shouldn’t have healed him. Yet, the exchange was generating healing energy where there should’ve been only weakness for him. It was beautiful.
While Kiba improved, though, her body faltered, thoughts growing sluggish as the poison ravaged her from within.
I probably won’t die, she mused faintly.
Unable to even muster the strength to swallow the next mouthful, she slid down his torso, as the world spun around her.
She was about to hit the ground when strong arms wrapped around her, holding her tight.
“Rest now, Aimee.” Kiba eased her down, gently laying her against the cool earth. “I’ll take it from here. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Oh good, she thought, slipping into unconsciousness as a calm peace washed over her.
“You know.” It was Momoka’s voice. “I think I’d like to pursue the healer track more fully when we get back.”
“That’s a good idea, Momoka,” Kiba answered. He sounded tired.
When Aimee’s eyes fluttered open, the warmth of the sun, already high in the sky, pressed against her face. She groaned, every muscle stiff and aching as she attempted to sit up. Her limbs felt like lead, her body heavy from the remnants of blood loss and poison.
“Aimee!” Taiga was at her side in an instant. “You’re awake.”
She tried to respond, but all that came out was a garbled mess.
Rubbing her jaw, she cleared her throat and tried again. “Yeah, I’m awake. Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah!” Taiga didn’t wait for more words; he wrapped his arms around her limp body, pulling her into a tight hug despite her weak protests. “By the time I woke up, the bird asshole was dead, and Kiba-Sensei and Iruka were dragging us to a new campsite.”
Aimee finally managed to sit up as feeling returned to her body. Her gaze immediately fell on Kiba, who was propped up against a tree, his head resting back as Momoka stitched up a deep gash in his side.
“You killed him?” she asked, her voice rough but clearer now.
Kiba nodded. “It was...more difficult than I anticipated,” he admitted. “But yes.”
She studied his face, searching for any flicker of recognition. Her heart pounded as she hesitated, the memory of sinking her fangs into his neck still fresh in her mind.
Does he remember? She swallowed hard, finally daring to ask. “Do you remember...” Her voice trailed off, her lips dry. When I dropped fang and drank your blood like the monster I am.
Kiba exhaled, grunting as Momoka tied off the knot in his bandages. “We'll talk about it later.”
“You should have seen it,” Iruka chimed in, trying to maintain his gruff exterior while pulling a clinging child from his leg. “A Ryōsh-level duel.”
Aimee raised an eyebrow, watching at least ten kids, all under ten, swarm the grumpy boy.
Despite his best efforts to push them off, they hugged onto him, shouting, “Kaka! Tell us again!”
Iruka looked visibly embarrassed, torn between the wide-eyed children and Aimee’s growing curiosity.
Taiga rolled his eyes dramatically. “We've heard the story at least ten times in the last day.”
“A day?” Aimee asked, blinking. She’d been out that long?
Kiba groaned as he pulled himself to his feet, wincing from his injuries. “Yes. You were so pale, we weren’t sure you’d...” His voice trailed off, and then Momoka jumped in.
“You lost so much blood!” Momoka exclaimed. “By the time I got myself closed up, you’d somehow healed most of your wounds, but your heart was barely beating. I didn’t know what to do!”
Aimee nodded. It made sense. Her abilities could heal a lot, but blood loss was harder to recover from. She had to take it from others.
Kiba glanced between Taiga and Momoka, then back at her. “Why don’t you two help Iruka get dinner ready for the younglings? I’ll catch Aimee up.” He looked back at Aimee, concern knitting his brow. “If you’re well enough to walk.”
“Yeah.” Aimee struggled to her feet. Her legs wobbled beneath her, but before she could fall, Kiba was there, his arm steadying her.
Behind them, the sounds of Taiga, Momoka, and Iruka wrangling the children began to fade. The whispers of wind through the trees slowly drowned out the laughs and squeals as Kiba led her away from the group. Each step felt heavier, quieter, until the chaos of camp was just a distant hum.
He guided her to a large, smooth rock, setting her down carefully before crouching next to her, his eyes locked on her face, observing every tiny movement.
Aimee winced, heart pounding. She waited for the inevitable, for the words that would tell her she was no longer part of them, that after what she’d done, what she’d shown him, there was no place for her here anymore.
But instead, his voice broke, thick with emotion. “You saved us,” he whispered, dropping his head into her lap, shaking. “I almost killed you...almost killed everyone. I saw it all but couldn’t stop myself.”
Her mouth opened, but the words didn’t come. She hadn’t expected this. “It was the Veilroot.”
Kiba shook his head, his fingers gripping her hips tightly, his whole body shaking against hers. “It doesn’t matter. It’s my job to protect you. I failed.”
“Kiba...” She ran her fingers through his hair. “You did protect us. Even after everything. That Crow, whoever he was, would’ve killed everyone and taken Taiga.”
“If I can’t handle a single rogue ninja.” He looked up at her, his voice trailing off. “It’s time for me to retire. Even with whatever those shadows were.”
“Yes, yes,” she cooed, wiping the tears from his eye with her thumb. “Big, strong Ryōsh.”
He snorted, and as he glanced down, he seemed to realize for the first time that he was kneeling between her legs, his hands resting on her hips, their faces only inches apart.
Hesitating, his fingers tightened against her waist as he whispered her name. “Aimee?”
“Yeah?” Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, each beat louder than the last.
His hand moved to her face, stroking her cheek with a tenderness that belied the pain he'd been carrying. “I don’t see how you could possibly forgive me...but I swear I will never hurt you like that again.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Kiba.” She sighed, leaning into him until their noses brushed.
His shoulders sagged in response, as though the weight of the world had just been lifted.
His fingers gently tilted her chin up, and for a moment, everything else faded until there was only the two of them.
He lowered his mask and raised his lips to hers, the kiss soft, hesitant, but filled with the promise of something more.
In that instant, all thoughts of the blood, the fear, the things unsaid melted away. He never asked her about it, and she never brought it up again. It didn’t matter. This…this was enough.