Round Robin Part VIII

Part VII is here, in case you've not seen it yet. It's been a while since I played with vampires. I hope I remember how.

The eyes were Blake's, but the person behind them wasn't the man Samuel knew. They held a flatness, a coldness that didn't belong to his ex-lover. He recognized it and cursed its demonic origins.

As swiftly as he identified it, it was gone. The vestige vanished and a flash of clarity lit the green depths as Blake's gaze focused on him. "Samuel?"

"Shh." He put a gentle hand on Blake's shoulder, prepared to shift to force to hold him down should the apparition appear within him again. Samuel had a good idea what the momentary trace had been and only hoped Blake's preternaturally strong immune system was defense against more than physical injury. "You need to rest."

"No. No time." Blake shook his head against the pillow, mussing his already disheveled hair.

"It's all right." Samuel held him by both shoulders now, trying to still him, not wanting him to dislodge the bandage that covered the gash along his left temple. Even as quickly as Blake healed, the wound was still fresh enough to open up again.

Blake was stubborn even in his weakened state. "No. I have to warn you."

Samuel shushed him again. "Don't worry. I'm here now. You're safe." Blake was growing agitated and the last thing they needed right now was for the machines to pick it up. Their increased beeping would bring Cecilia or one of the other nurses running to check on the patient. He reached out a hand and adjusted the IV drip that ran into Blake's arm, upping the dose a fraction. His aim was to calm Blake, not send him back under. "Everything's fine."

It was a stupid thing to say for so many reasons and Samuel silently cursed his inanity. An elder vampire was casing Samuel's territory with an eye for the people Samuel cared about. Blake was fighting injuries both physical and spiritual. Ken doll was suffering, possibly dying, from soul-loss. And on top of it all, Blake had always been able to tell when Samuel was lying.

The corner of Blake's lips curled into the smallest of sardonic smiles. Even as Blake's eyes fluttered shut and he drifted back into drugged slumber, Samuel heard him mutter, "You're so full of shit."