Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze [2]

Max

Panic roared through me as the words Riley had said sunk in. Coughing up blood usually meant dying. I wasn't ready to lose her, I wasn't about to. But what could I do?

Isabella's body collapsed onto the floor and I dragged her back to me, slicing open my wrist and held it to her lips, "drink love, it may taste funny, but you'll enjoy it."

Natan-

I was on the brink of unconsciousness when i felt someone shaking me. Hard. I struggled to rouse myself with the help of the chill hands that gasped my shoulders in their iron grip.

"Natan! Natan, wake up!" Val's voice called dimly, as if coming over a large, deep chasm.

I groaned and succeeded in opening my eyes into slits. "What?" i whispered, my words no more than a nearly inaudible breath.

But Val heard. "It's your sister. There's something wrong-"

A cry of pain cut through my head, threatening to either thrust me back into the darkness or force me painfully into the light. While the dark seemed oh so inviting, i managed to pull away and open my eyes fully, struggling to sit up. My arms collapsed under me and i fell back onto the pillows.

"Val, i'm still too weak. Tell me what's wrong." i commanded weakly, my eyes flicking to Isabella in worry.

Val--

"She's coughing up blood, and seems to be in a great deal of pain," I explained quickly, looking worriedly from Isabella, to Max, and back to Natan.
~~~~~~~~~~~`
Isabella--

"No," I argued weakly as Max held his wrist out to me. "Father wouldn't like it...I'm fine."

Max pushed his wrist closer to my mouth, and I did my best to move away.

"No," I said sternly. I barely made out my father moving in his bed, making to sit up. "Not until I know there's no other option." Max gave me a curious look.

"You acted like you wanted it before."

"I do," I replied. "Oh Gods, I do. But not yet."

Natan-

I watched Isabella helplessly, knowing there was little to nothing i could do in my weakened state.

Out of the corner of my eye i saw my father stir restlessly as Isabella's cries grew louder. After a moment he opened his eyes and winced. Then, as his eyes found Isabella, they widened. He struggled ti sit up but appeared to be having the same trouble as i was. Neither of us was recovered fully from the effects of spell-casting.

"Val," i said weakly. "You have try to get help for Isabella. Please."

Val--

"What should I do?" I asked worriedly, getting to my feet.

"Go find a mage, tell them to come immediatly!" Natan ordered, the look of concern in his eyes heartwrenching. Nodding, I ran from teh room.

"Help!" I cried, looking from mage to mage. They were everywhere, but none of them paid much attention to me. Finally, I grabbed one that looked slightly familiar. "I need your help." I said.

"With?"

"One of my friends is horribly ill," I replied. I did not wait for the mage to say something, but dragged him back to our room.

Natan-

My head whipped around as the door opened and Val reentered, dragging a confused young mage behind her. I curse.

Of, course, of all the mages she picked, she just HAD to make it Bastian. One of the only mages that i truly hated. Why? Oh, betrayal, and treachery had a good something to do with it.

But Val hadn't known this. I refused to speak to anyone about it, even my father and Isabella. Even so, my eyes narrowed.

Bastian glanced at me and smirked, seeing me in my weakened state, hardly able to sit up.

"Hello, Natan," he said coldly.

"Get out of here. You have no right. You're lucky i'm still exhausted or else you'd be halfway to hell by now," i spat venomously.

"Temper temper," Bastian taunted, making a 'tisk, tisk' sound with his tongue.

Isabella's agonized screams sounded behind me again. I glared at Bastian harder.

"Get...out. Now."

Val--

I looked from Natan to the new mage -- Bastian. Natan had asked me to get help...had I done something wrong?

"Natan, Isabella is in dire need of help!" I snapped as he began cursing at the new mage.

"I don't want him anywhere near her!" he snapped back.

"We don't have time to be picky!"

"I don't trust him!" Isabella let out another sharp scream, this one the worst yet.

Max

"Love, you won't be a vampire," I said. "Not yet."

She tried to push me away and I finally gave into the urge and stuck her there, and made her drink it. But I could feel the anger and panic rising off of her. I'd let her kick my ass for this, so long as she was alive and able to do so.

"What are you doing?" Natan yelled as he came across them.

"Saving her life!" I shot back.

"You're turning her int-"

"That requires taking blood first, by means of vampire biting. I'm just giving her mine to heal her. Even if it's only temporarially."

Isabella--

I drank unwillingly from Max's wrist, until I felt a wave of fatigue roll over me. I pulled away from his wrist, and he finally allowed it. I sunk down, leaning against him.

>.< soorrry...i'm out of ideas

Natan-

I watched helplessly as Isabella drank from Max's wrist. Thankfully, my father had sunk into unconsciousness again, else who knows what could've happened. I myself was beside myself with concern.

Bastian inched closer to Isabella. I shot him an angry glance before a wave of exhaustion gripped me, sucked me under, and closed in around me, bringing instant darkness.

Davnix-

I watched everything happening with wide eyes. I felt Velna and Trent shift beside me.

As the new mage, Bastian, entered, i saw Max shove his wrist at Isabella who had no choice but to drink. At almost the same moment, Nathaniel lapsed back into unconsciousness. I wondered and hoped he had not seen...

Natan, on the other hand, had seen. He went pale, his eyes wide with shock. Then, as he glared at Bastian, i could almost physically see the wave on weariness pass over him. Moments later he passed out, though the others seemed not to notice, their attention on Isabella.

I gripped Velna's hand unconsciously.

Velna-

Velna felt Davnix's hand wrap around her's. She barely caught herself from gasping in surprise. Could he....no that was impossible, wasn't it. She turned back to the others trying to push the thought away. She squeezed his hand when his grip tightened sending a small bit of pain through her hand. She didn't like the look that Natan gave the new mage. There was something there, something bad, something Natan knew that they didn't.



Trent-

Trent walked over to where max and Isabella were. He looked at the other mage and then Natan. They would be able to help Isabella when Natan felt better.

"We might want to get her to a bed. It will be more comfortable, and that should help." He said gently, and carefully.

Max

I sighed in relief, "Isabella's going to be fine...for now. I've got no clue what's wrong with her, but she'll wake up in about 12 hours. Him," I nodded towards Natan, "won't be for another 14. I had to do it, the guy looked exauseted."

"You mean you willed him to sleep?" Val shreiked.

"And Nathaniel, they'll both be fine though."

"When's Nathaniel going to wake up?"

"About the same time as Natan, they'll be refreshed better than ever when they wake up."

With that he lifted Isabella into his arms and laid down on a bed with her held close. Please just let this have been a one time thing he prayed, I couldn't bear to lose her.

Davnix-

I felt Velna squeeze my hand. I jumped slightly and looked at her, blushing.

"Sorry," i murmured, letting go of her hand. "I hadn't realized i was hurting you."

She smiled, her hand finding mine again. She turned her face away sheepishly.

Riley-

Ariana and I wandered the dim hallways of the tower, taking in the delicate, majestic tapestries that adorned the walls. Flights of winding stairs disappeared into the depths of darkness below us and seemed to always be in constant motion.

I stretched my wings, arching my back and yawning widely as i stretched. Ariana laughed beside me and i looked down at her, pursing my lips.

"What, you don't stretch?" i asked her playfully.

"Not like that. Plus you have wings, so it looks odder than it should." she said, laughter tainting her voice.

"Oh yeah? How would you like to have wings?" i teased.

Natan-

I drifted in darkness so deep and smothering that i feared there would be no escape this time. I could dimly feel a hand stroking my hair absently but i heard no words, and i was unable to speak any myself or move any limbs at all.

My mind wandered. I recalled the argument between myself and Bastian which had ended up in a fight between the two of us, resulting in the long scar running across my back. The scar that i never showed anyone. The one i never mentioned. The one i was partially ashamed of...

Finally, i let full unconsciousness claim me, falling deeper into the blackness.

Ariana

"I told you not ten minutes ago that I'd like to have them," she said sliding her arm around his waist under his wings. "Maybe they'd help me get over my fear of heights."

"That they would."

"But I'd have to talk to Dav a little bit, just to see what he thinks mom and dad would think. Is it painful?"

Riley-

I shook my head and smiled. "Not at all, though it does take some getting used to."

I flexed my own wings again, smiling as the tips brushed against the opposite walls. Then i folded them snugly against my back and continued walking with Ariana by my side.