Sanctuary_Bloodlines_Book 1

by C. L. Stevens

  She sped through galaxy after galaxy, only slowing when something of exceptional interest caught her eye. She stopped near a planet with green on its surface and zoomed in as far as she could. She was hoping for trees but at a closer look, she found that much of the planet was covered in a bright green moss or algae. As the rays of a gigantic blue sun crested the horizon, the moss glowed brightly, giving the landscape the appearance of a blanket of shimmering emeralds. It was so beautiful it took her breath away. In that same galaxy she found another larger planet nearly completely covered in a cloud of smoke and asteroids. Upon closer inspection the planet appeared to have a surface comprised of endless erupting volcanoes. Some were so large and powerful as to shoot magma and ash all the way into space. She didn’t zoom in as close to this one nor did she observe it long. The sheer might of some of the explosions unnerved her though she knew deep down that they could not hurt her. She chased and caught asteroids and comets, visited countless worlds, had even peered inside a huge star but it had been so bright she couldn't really make out anything. She was having so much fun that she probably would have never stopped had Meilin not shaken her out of it.

  “Desiree, you had best stop now or you will end up with a terrible headache.” Meilin was saying as she blinked her eyes repeatedly in an effort to focus. “You do not want that, truth me.” She added.

  “What time is it?” Desiree asked when she was fully out of the grip of the spell.

  “It is after midnight sister.” Came the surprising reply. For another, Meilin was fully dressed and appeared to have been already awake for some time.

  “Are you hungry?” Meilin asked. She shook her head.

  “Are you?” She asked back and Meilin smiled but shook her head as well.

  “I suppose you wish to check in on your friend once more.” Meilin stated knowingly and Desiree nodded.

  “I should probably check to see if anyone wants to come this time though.” She mused aloud.

  “One.” Meilin said. “It is not exactly visiting hours. I can get you in and one other. More would be too much trouble.”

  Desiree nodded. The truth was that she did not want a crowd there anyway. It would only make it harder to add another dose unseen, and that was the real reason she wanted to see Stasha again even though it was the middle of the night. It had been about 12 hours since she gave her some of her blood and figured it was time for another.

  On their way out they ran into Olivia and Patricia who had been coming to see if she wanted to hang out. Of course, they both wanted to go but Patricia won the ensuing rock-paper-scissors contest so it was the Gifted that got into the car with her and Meilin.

  Chapter 20

  “I hear you are becoming quite the talent.” Meilin stated, as they rode along.

  “It comes and goes lady Meilin.” Patricia replied shyly. Her plump cheeks seemed to glow red just from the vampire addressing her.

  Meilin tsked. “Meilin only child.” She scolded. “There is no need for such formalities.”

  “Yes, lady… I mean, yes Meilin.” She stammered.

  The girl was staring at the vampire with complete fascination, the same way she had been since they had run into her outside their rooms Desiree noted with a hidden smile. I wonder if I stared at her like that when we first met. Probably.

  To Meilin’s credit she took it all in stride Desiree noticed. Though come to think of it, she figured that if she was the type to get upset at people staring, she would be so nearly every hour of the day.

  Once Meilin got them inside and smoothed over anyone that insisted upon proper visiting protocols, she left them to see to other affairs. The few employees on staff all watched her back until she was lost from sight.

  They sat at Anastacia’s bed side for some time before Desiree could coax the shy girl into saying more than a few words at a time.

  “What's it like being a witch?” She asked softly. “It must be amazing to do magic.”

  “Well we are not witches anymore.” Patricia replied, at last seeming to come out of her shell. Her shy voice beginning to take on a distinctly lecturing cast as she continued.

  “We are Gifted. The small magic at our command is nothing compared to theirs.”

  “But still,” Desiree prompted. “It must be super cool.”

  Patricia smiled then, her face showing as much animation as she had ever seen on it.

  “It is.” she admitted excitedly. “All I want to do is practice day and night. To feel the magic flowing through me, through everything around me.”

  “What kind of stuff can you do?” Desiree asked wide eyed.

  “All sorts of things.” She replied. “I am only a beginner now but my Patron says I have a lot of talent. The most he has seen in generations.” She blushed hard at her own words. “That is what he said, not me.” She reiterated. Desiree only smiled and nodded.

  “Excuse me a moment, I need to visit the restrooms.” Patricia stated.

  “OK. Maybe you could show me something small when you get back Patty.”

  She smiled and nodded before leaving. As soon as she was gone Desiree dug in her bag for the item that had been on her mind since the moment they had sat at Anastacia’s bedside and began to draw her own blood. When it was full, she wasted no time in administering it to her friend's IV. She wasn't positive but it seemed she had to press harder to get it all to go in this time. When she was pulling the needle out Stasha spoke, causing her to jump and poke herself in the finger.

  “Desiree?” She said drowsily. She blinked at her a few times. “What are you doing? What did you just give me? Uhh Ahh! I feel it burning in my arms.”

  “Stasha!” She gasped, her voice a mix of relief and excitement. “You're awake!”

  Anastacia sat up, looking around in confusion. When she tried to rise, Desiree pushed her gently back into bed.

  “Where am I? Is this the hospital?” She asked.

  “Yeah, Stasha. You were hurt.” She replied cautiously.

  “Oh my god, my arm burns!” Anastacia said, scratching at the appendage frantically. “What did you do? What did you give me?” She didn't sound angry exactly, but she certainly did not sound pleased either. Accusing would have been closer to the mark. As if she feared Desiree had played a practical joke on her or something.

  “You have been in a coma for over 3 weeks now Stasha.” She explained hurriedly. “The Doctors didn't know when or even if you would ever wake. I have been giving you something to help you wake up. To help you get better.”

  “3 weeks!” Anastacia gasped and then she groaned softly. “No, no, no, God dammit. That means they dropped me from all my classes.” She struck her fist against the mattress in frustration and cursed again softly.

  “Dang, I forgot about that.” Desiree said sympathetically. “That sucks to lose a whole semester.”

  Anastacia rubbed at her head and then seemed surprised to find it wrapped tightly with bandages. She pawed at it absently but what she said was.

  “What in the hell did you put in my IV? At first it burned but now I feel… good.” She admitted. “Really good. Was that morphine?”

  Desiree thought about lying, only for a second but she definitely thought about it. In the end she decided to tell her friend the truth. She trusted Anastacia and respected her. She deserved better than lies.

  “Do you remember what happened to us Stasha?” She asked her friend warily. She watched as a dark shadow seemed to pass over her face and knew that she did before the girl nodded slowly.

  “Well then you also remember that I am part of some special rare bloodline.” Her friend nodded again. “I found out that that bloodline, my blood, can help cure people who are very sick or injured.”

  “You gave me some of your blood?” Anastacia guessed. She had an uneasy look to her all of a sudden as if she were going to be sick.

  “It was the only way Stasha.” She said hurriedly.

  “I know, I know.” She said hurriedly. “It just… I mean, I guess
I owe you thanks.” Anastacia said at last, even gracing her friend with a warm smile, though it looked a little forced. “Will I be fast and strong like you now?”

  Desiree chuckled. “That would be nice wouldn't it.” She said, sitting back down. “Stasha, you can't tell anyone about this. You can't tell anyone at all.”

  “But you said your patron already knows. And why not tell everyone. I mean, I feel really good. I feel like running around, I have so much energy. Uh! Shit! I need to walk!” Suddenly there was a light behind her eyes. Desiree remembered seeing it’s like before. When they were with that handsome boy, Thomas and when she was fired up about Mina.

  “Oh lord you are awake!” Patricia blurted loudly as she stepped into the room. Her eyes seemed as wide as they would go.

  “Hurry, find a nurse,” Desiree commanded and the plump girl nodded and sped off.

  “You are not going to tell anyone are you?” Desiree asked her friend hurriedly when they were alone again.

  “If you don't want me to I won't,” Anastacia began. “But if you knew how this feels you wouldn't…”

  “I do not!” Desiree assured her and jumped up and sat on the edge of the bed in order to keep her from getting up.

  “How do you do that!?” The girl squealed loudly. Too loudly by far Desiree thought with a grimace. “You moved like them again. First you were there, and then you were by my side like that.” She finished with a sharp snap of her fingers. I did?

  First one hospital staff member and then another came bustling in to the room, each politely but firmly pushing her out of the way to marvel at the patient. Before too long they were carrying her off for tests, 2 doctors talking excitedly to one another at her side.

  When they were gone, Patricia surprised her by giving her a heartfelt hug, grinning from ear to ear.

  “I knew she would be OK, I knew I,” She said virtually bubbling with excitement. “Olive is going to be so jealous when she finds out that Stasha woke up while we were here considering she wanted to come tonight.”

  Desiree found herself laughing and excited as well. She had not realized it but it felt as if a gigantic weight had been suddenly lifted from her shoulders. A terrible burden weighing her down that she had no idea was even there before now. Suddenly free from it, free from the crushing guilt deep down in her soul, she could finally take full breaths again without pain. She could breathe freely once more.

  After a while she excused herself to use the ladies room. Instead of going there however, she walked around the hospital looking for a certain room. They were in order so it did not take long. There were four children total in the room but she recognized Danielle right away. The child was sleeping contentedly, even snoring lightly she noticed and couldn't help but smile. The room had a very strong ‘hospital’ smell to it, much more than Stasha’s. The strong smell of harsh medicines, cleaning agents and the stuff the cleaning agents were supposed to mask. She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose.

  She paused at the child's bedside with the syringe poised over the IV. At the last minute she decided to add it to the nearly full saline bag instead directly into the IV right at the arm. She hadn't liked the way it had affected Anastacia and Danielle was not even half her size. She figured that if her blood was diluted in the solution, she would get all the dose but not all at once. She looked nervously at the red in the bag, sure than someone would notice but after a few moments it began to fade away. She started to leave when she turned to regard the other three sleeping children. They all looked to be of an age with Danielle, give or take a year or two. It was a little dark in the room but she could plainly see that the two boys and the other girl looked just as sick as Danielle had appeared in the restrooms, complete with the dark rings around the eyes. Before she even knew what she was doing, she found herself drawing more blood.

  She was about to add the blood to the last child's bag when Danielle suddenly sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes vigorously. Desiree froze. If I don't move perhaps she won't...

  “Is that you Desiree?” The child asked sleepily.

  Desiree sighed. “Yes sweetie. I came like I promised to give you more magic medicine.” She said in a soft whisper. “I am sorry if I woke you.”

  “It really is magic medicine!” The girl clamored sounding nothing short of effervescent.

  “Shh,” She cautioned with a raised finger to her lips.

  The girl scrunched up her shoulders and planted both hands over her mouth.

  “Sorry!” She whispered, but unfortunately not much more quietly than before.

  “I feel so much better!” Danielle assured her. “I wanted to play today. I never want to play anymore. My mommy thinks I am just having a good day but I know it is because of your magic medicine.”

  Desiree smiled as she added the last of the blood to the bag. “Hopefully soon it will make you all better and you can leave the hospital for good.”

  “Are you giving Allison the medicine too?” She asked in delight.

  Desiree nodded. “I gave some to all of you.” She admitted.

  “Desiree, are you an angel?” The child asked curiously.

  She chuckled softly. “No sweetie. I am a normal person just like you.”

  “I think you are an angel.” Danielle stated. She gave a quick nod of her head as if she were doubly sure. “That is what angels do. They help sick children. You are an angel from heaven. Why else would you help us?”

  “I am sorry sweetie but I am not. I only know how to get the magic medicine that can make you better. Wouldn't you help Allison and the others if you knew how to make them better Danielle?”

  The girl thought for a long moment.

  “I think so... but I don't know why I would.” She scratched her head loudly.

  When she looked up Desiree could see that she still looked ill but she looked a lot better than before. The dark circles around her eyes had diminished significantly and there was strength in her movements that were not there before.

  “I don't know why I would help them, even though I know that I would.” She sounded really upset that she didn't know. Her face suddenly perked up again. “Why do you help us Desiree?”

  Desiree found herself thinking about the question much longer than she would have thought it warranted. At first, she was just going to say, “Why not?” But that was no kind of answer to give a curious child. “Because it was the right thing to do,” or “That is what a good person would do.” Sounded pompous and melodramatic. “Because it's no bother.” Sounded even worse. Like she was calling the kids suffering and relief from that suffering and even death insignificant.

  “I don't know either.” She said finally. She found herself scratching her head in the manner Danielle had and stopped. “All I know is that if I did not help you when you told me you were dying in that restroom, I could never forgive myself. I would feel sad every day until I made it right.”

  “I think that is why I would help too.” Danielle said somberly.

  “Bye little angel. I will be back tomorrow to see if you need any more medicine. Get some sleep.”

  “Bye Desiree.”

  Despite Anastacia looking like a million bucks, the doctors insisted she stay another day for observation when Meilin returned. Surprisingly, the vampire did not try to Intervene.

  “One more day won't hurt sister.” She said when Desiree protested. “It is always better to be safe in situations like this.”

  The next day was one of the best days Desiree had ever had in her young life. When they returned to the hospital, Desiree slipped away to add another dose to the children without being seen by anyone. When they were safely back at the sanctuary, Meilin treated them all, Kennedy and Eric, Stasha and Olive, Patty and Martin, all of them, to a crazy shopping spree that took them from New York, to Paris, to London, to San Francisco, all in a single day. They chatted and joked and dined at a 5-star restaurant and just had an amazing day. Desiree was hit on 3 different times in one day. 5 if you count Eric and Kennedy,
though Eric at least pretty much hit on everyone. To her utter shock, one of the times she was approached by a young man, she was walking with Meilin. She was walking right next to her. Yet he walked right up to her and gave her his number. She was so shocked she didn't even say anything. She only watched stupidly as he took her phone and put his number inside. After he walked away she couldn't even recall what he had even looked like. The other two times she was with Stasha. That girl garnered so much attention, at least when she was away from Meilin, you would have thought all men really were dogs and she walked around all day with pork chops tied around her neck. But for all her flirting, she only ended up taking one man's number. A tall Frenchman with wavy gold hair, bright blue eyes and a smile that made it all come together nicely. She thought they looked good together though he was a bit too skinny for her taste.

  Martin and Olivia never left one another's side. It was almost as if they thought they were alone half the time, the way they carried on. It was cute to watch though. She did have to give him a kick in the ankle for staring too long at a woman in London wearing shorts so short you could see her butt cheeks hanging out. She seriously doubted Olive would have appreciated his interest in the hussy had she seen. Of course, nearly every man had stared at her, the women too for that matter, but he should have known better.

  It took her nearly the entire next day to put away all the stuff she bought. She figured she tried on and purchased more clothes in the last few days than she had in the previous 10 years.

  She finally talked to her father as well. It was so good to hear his voice that she ended up crying by the end. With her sister's help, she convinced him that she was on special assignment from the military, top secret. He had scoffed at first, but Meilin could be quite convincing. She had even thought enough ahead to set up a bank account with a modest sum that she would add to each month as part of her pay. With the pride most fathers show, he refused the money until Desiree lied and convinced him that the money was not actually her pay but a family living expense stipend that would go to waste if not used each month. Meilin made sure the amount was just under his current living expenses so that most of what he made at his normal job would be put away and saved and his bills would be paid from the account. She had thanked Meilin profusely for that gift. She slept better each night knowing that her father would be in such good financial shape.