After Jakob left to go get the healer, Natasha went about cleaning up the kitchen. It would likely surprise the humans to know, but many of the appliances they had in this world existed in her own world, albeit as magical equivalents. She would admit, however, that they were not quite as widespread across her world, with only the richer members of her people possessing access to them. Naturally she was familiar with most of them.

Which was why she ended up cursing so loudly when she forget to aim the sink nozzle away from herself before turning the water on to clean the dishes.

“Gak shit!!” She shouted, frantically turning the water back off.

Her long ears twitched. She could just make out the muffled sound of Jakob chuckling as he walked away down the hall. Natasha’s face heated in embarrassment. She had been trying to present herself as a deadly fighter and competent ally to the human, but with one clumsy misstep that might all have been undermined. She would have to be extra careful for the rest of the day. Regardless, she would get her revenge on Jakob for that chuckle.

Composure restored, she grabbed the nozzle to point it down into the sink. As she relaxed into doing the dishes, Natasha thought over how everything had changed for her so quickly. Another mission that she had expected to be killed by her supposed kin. Instead, the weak humans had turned the tables on them, killing all but her. She had been taken captive, and not killed out of hand like she had expected to be.

Like she would have killed the human had their situations been reversed.

She blushed again when she thought of how she had attempted to kill Jakob upon waking up. His hand had taken a firm grip on her breast, shocking her into immobility in the middle of her strike against him. Despite her anger in the moment, and she had indeed been furious, she could not stop thinking about those moments leading up to their bonding. It was a strange feeling she was experiencing, but not one she could deal with right now, so she set it aside like the bowl she had just finished rinsing.

At least she felt rested. Indeed, last night had been one of the most relaxed nights of sleep she had had since coming to this new world. Since being away from her father and his followers, she had always been on edge, keeping an eye on the other dark elves she had been with. Afraid that they would turn on her at any time.

Strange that it would be that she had gotten the best night's sleep in weeks at the home of a human she had fought against, multiple times at that. And he had been sleeping practically within arms reach the entire time. It had been like she had been drugged with a sleeping poison. Only luck had allowed her to wake up before Jakob.

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When he had grabbed her hand yet again.

Natasha set aside the last glass to dry when she heard the door open again. Two sets of steps made their way to Jakob’s bedroom. Apparently the healer had been awake and waiting for Jakob to come get him.

She hesitated only for a moment before deciding to go to his bedroom herself. Gripping the handle of the door, she opened it slowly. Jakob and the healer were standing over the bed, talking quietly.

“There really isn’t much more that I can do,” the healer whispered, “they both need to be taken to a hospital.”

“Just do what you can, Henry,” Jakob whispered back. “Just no hospitals. They won’t be able to do anything. Trust me.”

Jakob stepped away from the healer, patting him softly on the back as he did so. When he turned to the door, his eyes landed on her. The glided up her face to her ears and back to her eyes. His expression remained serious but his eyes held a trace of amusement. Likely remembering her outburst earlier. She would make extra sure to get him back now.

“I’m heading down to check on the car,” he said. “Be down in ten minutes and we can go.”

“Sounds good, I’ll be down soon,” Natasha replied, giving him a wide, fanged grin as she did so. Her smile got still wider as she watched Jakob hesitate slightly to stare at her teeth, before he left the room. The door to the apartment opened and closed soon after.

“You shouldn’t tease him like that.”

“What do you mean?” Natasha said, turning back to the healer.

“I may be old,” Henry snorted, “and out of practice, but I can tell when a woman is flirting with a man.”

The healer’s words stole the lingering enjoyment of messing with the human she now shared a Blood Bond with. Natasha went deathly, unnaturally still, cocking her head to stare at Henry without blinking. Henry shivered at her predatory stare, unthinkingly taking a step backwards, away from the dark elf.

“You are mistaken, healer,” she said, her words reeking of looming death. Long fingered, delicate hands drifted to hidden blades as she stalked forward. Sharp teeth gleamed as she suddenly darted into Henry’s personal space. “I am no woman, but a dark elf. A creature of the night and of death. I did not flirt with a human.”

“R-right, my m-mistake.” Henry hurriedly said, hands half-raised ready to protect himself, but his face said he knew he was dead should the monster before him decide to end his life.

Point made, Natasha discarded the almost feral persona she had adopted. Hidden blades returned to hidden sheaths on her person. The human healer was cowed, but she couldn’t help but realize how closely his words had come to what she had been doing.

She stepped away from Henry, looking down at Jakob’s unconscious subordinates. While it looked like she was looking over their health, her mind was preoccupied with what had just happened and how she had reacted to the healer’s words.

Was this one of the side effects of the Blood Bond?