All Wounds

by Dina James

“Promise you...what? What do you need me to promise, Ryan?” Ryan shook his head and fell back on the bed as convulsions overtook him. This time, Rebecca knew what to do.

  She didn’t panic. Grabbing her nana’s old healing case, Rebecca found the tincture her nana had made especially for Ryan’s bite and seized the waistband of his pajama bottoms. The liquid hadn’t been working fantasti-cally well, but it was better than nothing. It was all she had until she could figure something else out.

  Rebecca gasped as she saw his wound smoking and hissing. She ripped the cork from the bottle and dumped most of the bottle into the festering blackness that was Ryan’s hellhound bite.

  What is going on? Why is it getting worse?

  Ryan groaned and writhed in pain. Rebecca laid her wrist over his mouth in an effort to calm him, and Ryan instinctively bit down hard. She yelped as his fangs pierced her wrist. Instead of pulling away, Rebecca forced her wrist even harder against his fangs, pushing him firm against the bed.

  With her other hand, Rebecca pinched the sides of the hellhound bite closed and leaned into her elbow along Ryan’s thigh. The wound hissed and bubbled more as the potion she’d poured into it couldn’t find much of an escape and tried to do its work.

  Rebecca whimpered and closed her eyes against the pain.

  Almost immediately, the image of chains and spiked bars assaulted her. The same over-rotten stench she’d been aware of last time invaded her nostrils, making her retch.

  This time, she could hear someone—more than one person—screaming. Nearby there was sobbing. The sound of panicked, hysterical crying echoed off the thick stone walls.

  “Hello?” Rebecca called. “Who’s there? Can anyone hear me? I hear you...”Nothing replied to her.

  She was so focused on keeping her eyes closed and the picture clear in her mind that she didn’t feel it when Ryan’s thrashing stopped.

  His fangs disengaged from her wrist, taking the images behind her eyes with them.

  Oh, cripes. Did he die? Oh, please...don’t let him die...

  But she didn’t smell anything, and Ryan’s body was still there. Rebecca breathed again.

  “Mind getting off me?” she heard Ryan say in a weak voice. “Your elbow is really starting to dig into my leg.”

  Rebecca lifted herself up. Ryan groaned, and Rebecca smacked his stomach.

  “You scared me!”

  “Sorry!” Ryan defended, holding his hands over his face.

  Rebecca swatted him again anyway, sighing through gritted teeth. “Oh, hold still and let me have a good look.”

  She grabbed the candle in the holder off the night-table and brought it close to his leg, trying hard to see.

  “Hey, bite me again,” Rebecca murmured, thrusting her bleeding wrist back toward Ryan’s mouth.

  “What—?” he began.

  “Just do it!” Rebecca ordered.

  Ryan shook his head and brought her wrist to his mouth. She didn’t flinch this time as his fangs slid into the punctures they’d just made.

  “Mmm?” Ryan made the noise a question.

  “Drink,” Rebecca said, keeping her eyes on his wound.

  “Mmm.” He rolled his eyes and did as he was told.

  Rebecca’s vision changed, just as it had before. She saw Ryan’s wound clearly in the dark, and suddenly the candle was too bright. She moved it and studied the hellhound bite carefully.

  Glowing, pulsing flecks of black and gold wriggled inside the wound, but something bright green—Rebecca could only guess that it was the potion she’d just poured into it—made the black and gold flecks go out as it touched them.

  “Mmm?”

  She was tempted to close her eyes again, just to see if she could see—or hear—anything more from whatever she’d seen.

  But Syd wasn’t there to keep her safe, and Rebecca didn’t want to chance doing something she didn’t understand without him there.

  “Good,” Rebecca said, pulling back a little. “You can quit now.”

  “What’d you do?” Ryan asked as he lifted his mouth from Rebecca’s wrist.“Nearly every time I’ve fed you, I’ve seen things,” Rebecca said, shaking her head. “And last time, when I opened my eyes before you finished, I could see in the dark as though it were daylight. I thought maybe if I looked at your bite while you were doing that, I might see why it’s not healing.”

  “See anything useful?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “Bits of hellhound drool and the medicine I just dumped in there. It’s working, sort of. Other than that, not a thing.

  It’s so frustrating!”

  She deliberately avoided telling him about the...other things she could see when he bit her. She didn’t want to sound crazy, and something inside her told her not to mention it to him. She shrugged and looked down at the inside of her wrist.

  “Now that you’re awake, do you think you could eat more?”

  “What?”

  Rebecca held out her bleeding wrist again.

  “Eat more,” she repeated. “You look horrible. This should at least make you feel better.”

  “What are you doing?” Ryan asked, edging a little further away from her.

  Rebecca frowned at him. “You need to eat, and it’s not like I can bring you a plate of bacon and eggs.”

  “You’re not...I won’t...” he stammered, looking very afraid again.

  “You will too, and you have been,” Rebecca said, gentle but firm.

  “You’re a vampire now, and you’re still badly hurt. You can’t hunt yet. That’s why you’re here, Stereotype. You need healing and guess what? I’m a Healer.”

  “Yeah, but...” Ryan eyed her wrist, unsure.

  “Come on,” Rebecca said. “You need your strength, and for the moment, I’m all there is. Don’t get all snobby on me like Marla Thompson. She wouldn’t take my blood if I were the last human on the planet. Now, come on. I know you need this.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t want to drink your blood, Rebecca,” Ryan said with a scowl.

  “Yeah, well, I don’t want you to either. I mean, how do you think I feel? I know guys are only supposed to be interested in one thing, but it’s a little creepy when it’s your blood. Still, it’s what I do and what you need, so, get to it, would you? I can tell by your eyes that you’re practically starving.

  You’re over the worst, so I don’t think you’re not going to go all crazy on me.” She gave her arm a meaningful shake. “It’s okay, really. You’re not going to hurt me,” she coaxed.

  Ryan took her hand, unsure, and brought her wrist to his mouth. He looked to Rebecca and, at her nod, closed his eyes and bit down again.

  She, too, closed her eyes and tried hard not to flinch for his sake. If he thought it hurt her, he might stop feeding, and not take her blood again.

  He needed to eat, and she needed to help him.

  What’s more, she wanted to help him. So what if it hurt a little?

  She opened her eyes and caught him studying her face. She smiled for him, hoping it looked like a smile and not a grimace.

  He winked at her and her smile broadened. Rebecca blushed and turned her head, hoping he hadn’t seen that he’d flustered her.

  “Not too much, now,” Rebecca cautioned after a long minute. “You’re still turning, and too much is just as bad as not enough according to Syd.” Ryan continued feeding from her for another moment or two, then lifted his mouth and let go of her hand. He tilted his head back, and Rebecca saw red glistening along his white fangs.

  He closed his mouth and swallowed a few times.

  “It’s...it’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” Ryan said after a moment.

  “Gee, thanks. I’m glad my blood meets your standards,” Rebecca said with a giggle. “Now, could you finish?”

  Ryan looked at her, confused. “What?”

  Rebecca held out her bleeding wrist again. “You’re the vampire,” she said. “Don’t you just know how to do this? Why am I the one teaching you how to suck blood?”


  “Because he is a fledgling, and untrained, just as you are,” Syd said, placing his hands on her shoulders as he appeared behind her in silence.

  “Allow me.”

  Syd brought her bleeding wrist to his mouth and, looking pointedly at Ryan, ran his tongue along the wound Ryan had made. The punctures sealed shut, and Syd licked them again, removing any stain of blood or trace that she’d been injured.

  “Thanks,” Rebecca said, looking up at Syd. His blue eyes glowed and pulsed in a gentle rhythm that reminded Rebecca of a heartbeat.

  Syd released her wrist, letting it fall to her side without care. “The young fledgling has fed well, I see. Well done, Acolyte.”

  “I’d take that as a compliment if you didn’t sound like you were making fun of me,” Rebecca replied, hesitant now as she rolled her sleeve down again.

  Why is he acting like...? Why is he so different when we’re alone?

  “Perhaps you are overly sensitive, as you’re accustomed to being mocked,” Syd replied as she stood up. “Or so Ryan tells me.” Rebecca just looked at Ryan.

  “What? We talk,” Ryan defended. “You’ve come up on occasion.”

  “Why? Have you guys been spying on me or something?”

  “Yes.” Syd raised an eyebrow and smirked down at her.

  “No,” Ryan said at the same time.

  Rebecca caught Ryan glaring at Syd.

  “Why can’t I see?” Ryan asked. “I mean...like normal?”

  “It’s the light,” Sydney answered. “And you no longer have human eyes.

  Come nightfall, or in darkness, it will be different.” Syd gestured with his hand and the candles in the enclave went out.

  The room fell into instant darkness.

  “You see?”

  “Cool,” Rebecca heard Ryan murmur. “Wow...hey this is neat! Is it always like this? Your hair looks like fire, Hot Stuff, and your eyes—” The candles illuminated again, making Ryan squint against the sudden harsh light.

  Rebecca glared at Syd. “We want him to feel better, not worse.” She really wanted to be angry with him, but just looking at him made her stomach all jittery.

  “My apologies,” Syd said, though he didn’t sound at all sorry.

  “Well, I’m going to go back to bed,” Rebecca said as she got to her feet. She pointed a stern finger at Ryan. “You stay put. No matter how you might feel now, you’re not healed yet.”

  Ryan lay down again. “I’m not going anywhere. I feel like you say I look.”“Hey, you don’t look as bad as you have been,” Rebecca teased back.

  “This is an actual improvement.”

  She reached under Ryan’s chin, cupping it as she tilted his head up toward her. He closed his eyes.

  “Look at me,” Rebecca ordered in her calm Healer’s voice.

  Ryan opened his eyes, and Rebecca studied them intently, making careful notes in her mind about their shade.

  “You still hungry?” Rebecca asked.

  Ryan shook his head a little, careful not to disturb her gentle hand beneath his jaw.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Awful bright in here,” Ryan murmured, closing his eyes again. “And I’m real tired. More tired than I ever been in my life.”

  “You probably will be for a while longer,” Rebecca replied. “You’ve been through a hard time, but you’re safe here, so you just rest.” Rebecca moved her hand and laid the back of it against his cheek. Ryan opened his eyes again and looked at her, but didn’t say anything.

  He pulled away when Rebecca brought her hand to his forehead.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” she assured him, confused. “I just want to see—”

  “I’m tired,” Ryan said again, interrupting her. “Quit poking at me.” His tone carried a trace of viciousness, and it scared her. She remembered what Syd said about newly turned vampires being unpredictable and unable to help themselves. She took a step back, flinching as Syd’s hands caught her upper arms and held her steady.

  His grip wasn’t warm this time. It was tight and painful, and made Rebecca wince.

  “He won’t harm you,” Syd said, glaring at Ryan over Rebecca’s shoulder.

  “He might not,” Rebecca said. She turned her head to look up at him.

  “But you are.”

  Syd’s grasp relaxed instantly. “Forgive me,” he whispered.

  “It’s all right,” Rebecca whispered back. “I know you guys are strong.

  Stay with him?”

  Sydney nodded in reply but didn’t look at her. Rebecca smiled at Ryan and blew out a few of the lit candles on her way out, to make the room more comfortable for him.

  w x

  Rebecca woke up refreshed and strangely energized. She was used to getting up early for school and to help Nana get ready for the day, and it was strange to wake up and have to do neither. There had been some days when she would have beyond welcomed the chance to sleep in, but again she’d slept better than she had in weeks. Months. Maybe years. She just couldn’t stay in bed a moment longer, even though the clock beside her bed read 7:37AM.

  Her stomach growled. She went into the kitchen and shook her head at the mess Billy had made before she set about making a couple pieces of toast. The untoasted bread reminded her of something and she set another piece aside before popping the other two in the toaster. She poured herself a glass of milk, then took a small pint of cream out of the fridge and poured a few tablespoons into a shallow saucer. As her own bread toasted, Rebecca took the other piece of bread and the cream out to the back porch and set it on the top step.

  “Brr!” she said to herself as she went quickly back inside to the warm kitchen. It was cold out there! If they didn’t hurry, the bread and cream might freeze before the faeries got it. That is, if any still lived around the house. Rebecca could remember Nana leaving out the traditional offering of bread and cream out on the back porch, but she’d thought it had been for the neighborhood strays or something. Now she knew what her nana had really been doing, and what she had been so adamant about being done each morning before Rebecca left for school. She’d been thanking the garden fae for looking after the plants and trees around their house.

  Rebecca had yet to see one of the Wee Folk, as the book had called them, but Billy assured her they were there. As she put the cream away in the fridge, a large brown form filled the kitchen doorway.

  “Reminds me,” Billy rumbled. “Need to get more cream. Coffee too.

  Sugar. Bread. Whiskey—”

  “Whiskey?” Rebecca interrupted. “Faerie beer not strong enough for you?”Billy gave her a surprised look. “Can’t make a decent cup of coffee without whiskey, Bit.”

  “I manage fine without it,” she replied, though she tried hard not to smile.Billy grinned at her. “You’re a little human, and drink weak coffee.

  Anything else you want while I’m out gettin’ stuff? Figure since I live here now, we’re gonna need supplies. What kind of ice cream you like?” Rebecca just looked at him. “I can’t think about ice cream before dawn.”

  “Why not?” Billy asked. “Oh, right...you’re mortal. You got that ‘time of day’ thing going on. Weird beings, humans. Oh, well. I’ll get a bunch of different kinds. You’re bound to like at least one. It’s ice cream!” Billy enveloped her in a huge hug and kissed the top of her head before he left the house.

  Rebecca stood there for a long moment, stunned.

  A werewolf had just kissed the top of her head and given her a hug.

  Either she was going crazy, or Billy had eaten something that didn’t agree with him.

  Before she could think too much on it, the mark on her neck tingled and she felt the now-familiar tug below her breastbone. Voices whispered in Rebecca’s ear. She sighed.

  The enclave was calling to her. Something needed help, and she knew it wasn’t Ryan.

  chApter Fourteen

  She still didn’t feel ready to face whatever was waiting for her on her own, but after taking care of Ryan b
y herself just last night, how could she refuse? She took a deep breath, went up the stairs, and entered the enclave.

  A quick glance around showed Ryan asleep—his open eyes still un-nerved her. Syd was gone—no surprise there this early in the day. It was just after dawn, and he needed rest too. As she was learning to do, Rebecca put her own thoughts and concerns aside and made herself focus on what Billy called “what needed doin’.” It took Rebecca’s eyes a moment to adjust to the light of the single candle near Ryan’s bed, but still she couldn’t see anything waiting for her.

  “Hello?” Rebecca said in her gentlest Healer’s voice, hoping she wouldn’t wake Ryan. “Does someone need help in here?”

  “You are indeed still blind, if you cannot see what is right in front of you,” she heard a very faint voice say.

  “Uh...where?” Rebecca peered into the darkness where she thought the voice came from.

  “Could you not shout? We can hear perfectly well,” the little voice answered. “Look to the candle!”

  “Sorry,” Rebecca said in the softest whisper she could manage.

  Then she saw them. Two tiny specks of bright white light that danced around the candle. No wonder she hadn’t seen them at first glance. They could easily have been mistaken for dust particles or sparks rising from the flickering candle.

  How am I supposed to heal a light? And what could possibly hurt—

  As though they could hear her thoughts—she really needed to learn to shield them, but it was so hard to do, let alone remember to do—Rebecca’s eyes widened as she watched the pinpricks of light become two tiny creatures standing at the base of the candleholder. They were no bigger than her hand, and one was waving its arms and grinning up at her.

  She smiled back. She knew these creatures from one of Nana’s old books she’d thumbed through. So this was what came to the back porch for the grained bread and cream Nana had insisted Rebecca put out every morning, even on her “bad days.” The ones who made the ale Billy so loved.

  Garden faeries.

  With slow, careful steps, Rebecca approached the table on which the candle sat. She crouched down so she was at eye level with the two small creatures. Their beautiful wings were thin and iridescent, nearly touching their ankles. They reminded Rebecca of the wings of a dragonfly.