I felt Bastian's teeth sink into my flesh, blood began to come out, and he drank some of it. Then again and again. I was beginning to feel weaker and weaker but seeing his wound heal I tried to resist. His vermilion-red eyes were fixed in mine, his breathing was getting heavy and he began to drink more and more.

My strength deserted me and I collapsed on the bed, fainting without even realizing it. I could hear Bastian's voice in the distance calling me, trying to bring me back. I reopened my eyes and was confronted by Bastian with a worried expression on his face. I pulled myself up to reassure him, I was fine in the back even though the bite mark on my arm was quite obvious.

«Forgive me Coral I couldn't stop myself» he said regretfully almost on the verge of tears.

«Don't worry about it. Bastian I'm fine» I tried to reassure him. I had to admit that the situation had scared me very much but at the same time it was the only way I could help him. I sat in the chair next to Bastian's bed and took bandages to dress my wound.

Animal attacks were commonplace so no one would suspect anything if I said a dog had bitten me.

«Please. Please forgive me» Bastian apologized again, his voice trembling, and I tried to console him. I finished bandaging my wound and took his hands in mine.

«That's enough now» I said in a calm but gentle voice «You don't have to either apologize or worry, I'm fine and your wound is healed. Only this is important.» I explained, smiling. I imagined this must be difficult for him since he had never hurt people before.

«I really don't know what came over me, I couldn't stop myself» he admitted with guilt consuming him.

I tried to calm him down as much as I could, I could tell he was very shaken by what had just happened and I couldn't blame him. The wound caused by the bite stung n a little but I tried not to let it show so he wouldn't worry more.

«I know how hard it was for you Bastian. but look at me I am fine.» I could not convince him with mere words so I mustered up courage, took his face in my hands and looked him straight in the eye.

«I'm fine Bastian. You are fine now, you don't have to either apologize or worry» I emphasized in a confident tone. Bastian's eyes had returned to their natural color but had lost that swaggering air that always accompanied him. He was vulnerable at that moment even though he tried to hide it from me.

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His skin was cold and pale; I still had my hands on his cheeks when he put a hand on mine.

«Coral I...» he tried to say but I interrupted him.

I reached out to him and kissed him to shush him. It was not common for a girl to make the first move but I was not going to put up with hearing any more excuses. I was not going to put up with being in the dark about whether he was sick or hurt. By now I was too connected to that man despite his inner darkness.

Bastian seemed astonished by my action but only for a moment. The next moment he was pulling me to him in a passionate kiss, it was more than evident that we were now lost to each other.

«You are my cure Coral» whispered Bastian. «I'm not just talking about the blood you offered me, I mean in every aspect of my life» he continued, moving a strand of hair behind my ear.

The sound of footsteps coming closer and closer brought us back to reality. We couldn't let that situation find us especially since I had snuck into the house. I hurriedly got up and hid inside Bastian's closet, he still couldn't move so he struggled to settle on the bed. A little later his maid came in to inquire about his condition.

I could peek at something through the crack between the doors. The maid was furious with Bastian because he had put himself in danger, according to what I could tell Mr. Blastor was behind Bastian's injury. In what way, however, he was guilty of it I still had no idea.

When the maid came out of the room I slipped out of my hiding place.

«What do you mean Mr. Blastor is behind your wound?» I asked worriedly.

«How come you know him?» asked Bastian in curiosity. I explained that Thomas Blastor had been a customer of the tailor shop for a short time and that I had been to his house a few times for deliveries. I didn't know him well however, I didn't think he was capable of hurting anyone.

«You see Coral there is something different about Blastor too.» stated Bastian «He is not a vampire like me but he is a sorcerer, he has been after me for years but this is the first time he has come to hurt me» he explained.

«What do you mean?» I asked even more puzzled than before.

«Between vampires and warlocks there has always been a huge rivalry and a deep hatred» Bastian admitted "That night after I rescued you from the river I was on my way home, it was almost dawn and I had to hurry but Blastor was watching me and hit me from behind" he told me.

«So it was from that day that that wound was in that condition?» I asked perhaps a little too loudly. The maid from before re-entered the room but without being heard this time and found us sitting next to each other. She said nothing but her look made it clear that she did not approve of that situation.

«Unfortunately, wounds caused by magic do not heal by themselves like others, you need human blood for that. Not wanting to hurt anyone, I continued to suffer alone» he concluded.

«So now what should we do?» asked Bastian worriedly.

«Nothing, I don't want to cause further trouble and I don't want others to get hurt» he replied calmly. «I can heal more or less easily, but a mere human would not have survived such an attack» he continued.

«You know very well that I won't be able to sit still without knowing why it attacked you, but if you say it's too dangerous for me then I won't do anything» I replied. It would have been very difficult for me not to act but I would respect Bastian's wishes.