Patio

*Mykhol*

Outside on the patio, Mykhol relished the change in temperature. It was still humid, yes, but not stifling like back in the ballroom. And there was a light breeze that shook the surrounding trees. 

As it blew, a few flower petals broke free. One caught onto Ana's new veil. Mykhol moved without thinking to pluck it off.

Ana blinked up as he moved, stretching over her, suddenly inches apart from his face. For a moment, Mykhol stopped breathing where he was. Finding himself suddenly transfixed. Her gaze was unyielding. Making something pull between his ribs. 

How long have I wished for your eyes tonight? Mykhol swallowed back the pull in his chest before forcing his gaze away. He let the petals drift over the balcony. 

He turned to clear his throat.

"Your food?" Mykhol lifted his offering

"Thank you." Ana rushed for the plate. Her little fingers instantly dug to pull apart the meat and start eating. She seemed famished, snacking and licking at everything he chose without question.

Something about that made him smile.

"It's good but- kinda dry?" Ana swallowed mid-chew. Mykhol scuffed.

"Well, seems Her Majesty wanted the meat well done," Like the devil woman she is. But Mykhol kept that piece to himself.

Instead, he moved to lean over the balcony to distract himself. Below, on the lawn, he could see fireflies burst and ebb in pulsing light through the darkness. The sight was enchanting, but it wasn't enough to keep his attention long before he grew bored. Turning instead to only notice something about the petite girl. Her face.

"You look a little pink." Mykhol pressed up a brow, reaching to cup her cheek.

Her skin felt hot to the touch- much hotter than his cold hands. He moved to stroke it gently before taking her plate back and setting it aside with a clink.

"It's the dress-" Ana explained touching the white lace. 

Mykhol could see it better when they were alone. It was foreign. Cut after the Dawny style. 

He lifted his lips into a small knowing smile.

"The dress is from the last time we visited, isn't it?"

"Yes, I didn't have time to commission new ones," 

Mykhol could only smirk.

She must be burning up in that. Dawny dresses were not easy to put on- so many layers involved. But his thought stopped as his cousin went on.

"But I will once we are back." 

"Back?" Mykhol repeated flatly. 

"You plan to come here again…?"

"I do." 

Mykhol had to snark, crossing his arms. It made Ana look up at him.

"What's funny?"

Mykhol shook his head, incredulous at her.

"Even when they kick you out, you just can't wait to run back to them every time, can you?" He couldn't hold back his malice. He clenched the stone railing.

"What are you? Some kind of dog?" 

"Cousin!" Ana snapped, no doubt upset by the insult but so was he. And he couldn't help himself. He waved a hand dismissively. 

"I am just speaking my mind. You seem to be fascinated with these humans-"

"My family." Ana corrected, but that only soured his mood. Something snapped inside of him.

"Your family?" He pushed off the railing to stand over her sneering back with fangs.

"Your family, you say. Then what am I!?"

Mykhol slapped his chest.

"Have you any idea how it's been for me?"

"Cousin?"

"All the years I've been at your side. All the things I've done." 

Mykhol was lost and shaking his head so fast to click the earrings together. He swallowed, trying to calm down but it wasn't working. None of it was. He couldn't believe his ears. No, he didn't want to.

"Cousin, why are you upset?"

"Because you always look elsewhere when I'm standing right before you." 

Mykhol pointed at his chest. His face was burning- his calm and handsome face was now botched up and upset.

But for the first time, he didn't care. It didn't matter how he looked. She never did.

"You haven't even danced with me!" Mykhol scoffed bitterly. "Prince Nicoli this or King Alexander that- " 

Mykhol yanked his hat off to throw to the ground. Suddenly sick of it. All of it.

"I keep finding you with everyone else. But you never come to me. It's not fair!"Mykhol snapped before turning away. 

Mykhol could feel his heart hitting his chest. His face and neck were hot. He flexed and closed his hands repeatedly into fists. Unable to focus on anything. He was not sure what he was even feeling. If this was anger. Or if he was just upset. 

Get ahold of yourself. Mykhol chided. He knew he shouldn't care who Ana spent her time with. It didn't matter. None of that did. He only needed to marry her. That was the plan.

Marry her, and then- It was the plan from the start. Mykhol knew from the very first time they met. His parents had gone over and over what to do.

 But somewhere along the way, it went wrong.

No. I strayed. Mykhol clenched the sides of his tunic feeling his claws poke through to cut into the palm. But even then he couldn't let go.

I can't go back. Mykhol had thought this before. But it was undeniable tonight. How he felt.

My feelings for her…

Mykhol moved to hold his face in his hands. He pressed his fingers into his eyes to feel his cold skin. It slightly calmed him.

"Cousin?" 

Mykhol shifted his fingers to peep down to see her take his side. She was looking at him with such gentle concern. Her wide eyes watery and wide.

"Cousin, I'm sorry." She went again to touch his hand. Just the touch made his heart quicken. He knew he should pull away, to make distance. But he could also feel himself lean in.

"It's…fine." Mykhol breathed and lowered his hands. He swallowed to feel his fangs between his teeth. Again trying to collect himself.

But he was calming down now. More thanks to her than him. Her touch was like a balm. It felt good to have her care for him. To pay attention to him.

For a moment, silence fell between them. Ana standing by him, and Mykhol just waiting there. The silence was only broken by the sounds of the night. It was louder here, Mykhol noted. Almost deafeningly with all the bugs chirping and droning. 

Mykhol wondered how Dawny could ever sleep at night with so much noise. How could they not hate it? It would drive him mad.

"Cousin?" Ana interrupts as the song behind the French doors changes. It was something slower- just a violin was playing now.

"Yes?" Mykhol looked back to find himself stopping as he was. His eyes widened at the rarest of sights. Ana was smiling and not to someone else. It was to him.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

"Dance?" 

Mykhol opened his mouth as so much rushed into his head at once. But in the end, it all tampered down to a straightforward response the most honest he had been with her.

"Yes." 

"Then let's-" Suddenly Ana was crumpling over and shutting her eyes.

"Ana?" Mykhol moved to lift her face.

"Cousin, what's wrong-" But his voice trailed off as his eyes widened when it hit him.

That's- Mykhol felt every fiber inside him vibrate as his nose picked up the smell. It filled with it. The ever-familiar scent of vampires. The weighted aroma that could intoxicate.

But Ana was focused on her pain- she hadn't noticed yet.

Ana whimpered, wrapping her arms protectively around her waist. Trying to ride out the pain. But it was only going to get worse. And he knew that.

"Cousin, something is…" Something dripped to fell to the floor. A red dot stained the limestone patio. A waft of iron coming from its afterglow.

Both of them stopped when it did. Mykhol's breath caught in the top of his lungs, while Ana widened her eyes in disbelief. Then another drop fell, splashing near the first. Two red dots. Another dose of copper temporally marinated the air.

Slowly, Ana lifted her small hand to touch under her nose. When her hand pulled back, it was wet and slick with red. She peered up at Mykhol with sheer confusion painting her face.

"Why am I….bleeding?"

 *Ana*

Why is there blood? I touch my nose again, not believing this. No, it can't be true. It's too sudden. I didn't have any symptoms. No warning signs. 

However, when my hand pulls back there is more. It's dripping down my lip, I can almost taste it. I'm bleeding.

But that can't be possible. Vampires don't bleed out of nowhere unless-

"Mykhol, something is-!" The pain rips through me again. It's not my stomach anymore. My whole body is on fire. My skin feels like it's tearing open.

I'm on fire, every part of me ripping open and burning. I can't even breathe. My lungs are full of blood, coughing up with every exhale, drowning in it. And the pain won't stop. It's pounding in my hand, making me unable to see, unable to think. 

Why now!? I cry clenching the air. Why of all damn times does this have to happen now! It's so painful. I can't stop. It's happening.

"It hurts!" I cry, tears burning and blurring my vision. More blood, tossing out. And my bones are burning inside. I want to claw off my skin to make it stop. I want it all to stop!

"Ana, hold onto me." Mykhol gruffs, quickly at my side, trying to lift me as I can't control my legs. There's no more blood there to work them. But just touching me makes me scream. His arms hurt. Hands hurt. Everything hurts.

"I-" I cough up sprays of it. Red splatter all over the white balcony, painting everything with my blood inside. But now my muscles are throbbing angry. They need blood to work. I need to feed. But to do that-

"Help." I squeeze his arm. I'm so scared. Mykhol can only offer me a sympathetic look, before pulling me closer.

"Just bite down if it hurts too much." His words drift through my ears as he pushes my face in. I take handfuls of his gown and squeeze as another searing tear runs up my chest.

"... me out of here." I barely breathe through the relapse of pain. My vision is growing dark at the sides. I'm going to pass out soon. Both from the loss of blood and the pain.

"…not safe."

"Yes, yes." Mykhol's voice is so distant in my ears. It's muddled thanks to the blood still pushing out. My skin feels sticky and slick with all the red still gushing out and drying in trails. It's soaking into Mykhol's gown.

The rest of the events are a blur to me. I barely hear, let alone register what happens next. But I know someone must have opened the door because I can smell him. Winter and campfire are suddenly filling my senses, making me twitch and convulse against Mykhol. 

It's so strong right now- it burns. But then it does something worse. Something I never wanted to feel towards him. 

No, please, not him- not now. I can't see him- it's not safe.

"Ana?" Nicoli's voice calls out, and I whimper again.

"No!" I bury my face into Mykhol's chest to stop the smell. Blood and snot mix, cloaking my nostrils, and forcing me to breathe through my mouth. But that only intensifies the taste- his scent now on my tongue. I have to fight every urge to push away and leap for him. 

"Ana, what's-"

"Get away!" I scream desperately before the fire is back again, pulling up more blood to puke out. I have to bite into Mykhol's tunic before feeling my body tremble violently. 

"Ana, your-" I hear the sharp gasp from behind, then a scream again from inside. 

No, please- Nicoli- don't look at me. Don't come closer.

"Mykhol-" I can barely lift my head to meet his gaze between bloody tears. My teeth- I feel my fangs clenching and throbbing. They are growing.

Please. Please help me. 

Without a pause, Mykhol cups my face, holding me closer. We are running.

"Clear the way." His voice booms, and I feel the air brush past us on my skin. It feels delicious against the heat and then so cold and bitter at once. I only cling to him tighter as his footsteps smack against what I would imagine was black and white tile- now dripped with red.

"I said move!" Mykhol's shouts as I hear the room again. The violins cut to a screeching halt.

"IS that-" 

I hear a scream.

"Blood!" 

Another girl shrieks and then everyone moves. Everyone knows now. But this doesn't stop us. We can't stop. It isn't safe. 

"Get out of my way!" Mykhol screams before I can peek through his fingers to see the room. My vision is blurry, but I can make out the shock and horror.

The girls are moving to the opposite rushing together, crowding near the platform. Everyone is looking at me wide-eyed and pale.

"Where is Nicoli!?" It's Stepmother screaming. She's running off the stage. Her perfect face was gone in a loss of fear.

"Where is my- Nicoli!" She cries out for joy rushing to him.

"My baby- you're safe!" She's holding him and crying. Shocked gasps of relief ripped through her but Nicoli didn't move. He only turns to find my eye.

His blue eyes are so clear and big that I can see them, even with blurry eyes. 

Father gets up stunned still. As if this is the last thing he ever thought to see. And I suddenly feel horrible that he has to. 

This was not what should have happened. And worse, with all these people? Little girls? Could life play a crueler joke on me?

 Somehow I find it funny that this would. 

But before I can even think about making the barest laugh it starts again. More fire, more pain, pull, tugging at the muscle to push up more blood. It feels like I'm splitting apart from my groin to my chest. 

I scream and claw at Mykhol. He, meanwhile, is charging out into the hall. He's plain sprinting now down the hall.

"Quickly. I need to get to her room!" His voice booms as he pushes past the guards. 

Will we make it? I wonder vaguely as I feel myself drift. The blood loss is too much- I can't keep my eyes open anymore.

Maybe that's a good thing. I think drowsy. If I passed out, that'd mean I won't see their terrified expressions anymore. 

I won't see Nicoli make that face. My mind lingers on his face last. How he looked at me…afraid.

"Ana!" Someone cries, but I can't see where. My vision is black, and the hearing fades next. My blood is too low. I must sleep.

I hope we get to the room before I wake up again. Because that's when the danger begins. The blood lust will be next. 

Blood lust…I feel my neck slacken as I slip into Mykhol's arms. And then I don't know what happens after that.