[ Corbin ] Blood Bags!

[Othella]

Bony white hands closed the lid to the small storage fridge in the hospital. She had plucked a few bags of blood.

She had been working as a nurse. She had seen many humans come in with fatal neck wounds some never made through her shift. They had died of blood loss, some even blood poisoning - every time she went home she had to strip off as she got into the door - her husbands sense of smell was pretty good and he could smell the blood. She threw herself into the shower most nights. Death was around her constantly. However she was never the one to deliver the deathly blow.

Vampires were real. That much she was sure of.

The microchipping had made it very clear. She had seen people - yes she used that term loosely being man handled by men in riot outfits. She knew what it was for, they were looking for vampires. She had to be temperature checked every time she came in and out of hospital for her shift - perhaps it was to make sure she was still human, or maybe this was a great place to feed for a vampire. Who knew.

She placed the collected blood bags into her brown leather satchel and shoved her scrubs over them so they were hidden from plain view.

She pulled her iPhone out her pocket and began to text her husband.

‘OMWH XX’

Was all it said. It was text slang for on my way home. He would understand it. He always did, and often he would have food cooked for her yet he never dined with her. Perhaps she liked it that way.

She exited the hospital and swerved right she knew the route home like the back of her hand. She had made the commute many a times.

There was something about this walk home that had her spooked. She felt like a set of eyes were on her. She turned, strands of blonde swayed with her. Slapping with the pink flesh of her cheek. ”Who's there?” she called to the darkness. No response. She could hear a dripping. Her emerald eyes looked down to view a small blood pool. She lifted her satchel and could feel wet. Her hand touched the wet spot and she knew it wasn’t her wattle bottle that hadn’t leaked. It was the blood bag!

Damn, her hospital ID must’ve punctured the bag.

She had known vampires could smell blood a mile away, and she was in a maze of alleyways - wasn’t near a main road, safety. Perhaps the person who was following her was a vampire.

‘I think I’m being followed. I think they smell it XX’

She fired another text to her husband. It was a silent cry for help. In the meantime she kept her phone in her hand and began to walk again. One foot in front of the other.

[Corbin]

Long before the setting of the sun, Corbin would begin his routine. Much of it the same, day in and day out. This rarely included leaving the house. The world had become too dark and dangerous, since he had become a vampire. For a man with much to lose, he had taken advantage of the modern world. Starting by closing the family owned jewelry shop, and moving to an online market. Groceries were now delivered to the home every week, along with anything needed. It wasn't that his wife could not do such things, Corbin simply wanted to take care of everything he could.

Othella had sacrificed a lot, since his turning; too much in his opinion. At first he worried she would leave him or that he should leave her. Scared of the monster he had become, he feared putting her life in danger every moment she stayed. Over time things got better. The love they shared, held strong as both learned to live with what he had become. They took care of one another, and leaving was never an option.

After a few hours of tedious work, down in the basement studio, Corbin set to straighten up the house. During such times, his only companion was Salem the family pet. The aged black cat oftentimes took to following Corbin around, hissing and growling at his leisure. " Not to sound like a broker record, but we were great friends once." Words that granted Corbin a swipe of a clawed paw in his direction. The two had come a long way, over the past couple years. The feline would no longer bite Corbin, so long as he kept his hands to himself. The days of Salem being his lap cat were long over.

Dinner was then in the works, the water for the pasta just beginning to boil as the first text came in from his wife. 'SeeUSoon <3' He sent the text, while stirring a red sauce that didn't smell appetizing but he knew his wife would love. Cooking for one had been tricky at first. It didn't help that everything smelled unappetizing and tasted like nothing to him. Following a recipe was an improvement and over time Corbin took great pleasure in the preparation.

While adding fresh pasta to the water, his phone went off again. Reading over the words, he was startled and the phone fell into the water along with the noodles. Cursing, he used a spoon to pull the ruined device out. His wife could be in trouble and a rush of emotion overtook him, as he smashed the phone to the floor. Reaching out with his mind, he willed his words to her. 'I'm on my way to you, my love. Ditch the blood.' With that, he was out the door. Not thinking to turn off the stove, or even locking the door. Running in the direction of the path she normally took home from work, he thought only of worst case scenarios.

"Othella!" His voice frantic, yelling out even when he knew she was likely too far to hear. Rounding a corner, a soldier would call out to him. Recognizing him as a vampire. Corbin had no time for confrontation. Pushing on he gave the armed man the slip but not before shots were fired. Hit several times in the side, this didn't slow him. Marked as even more of a Target for government officials, Corbin feared the worst. Silently he prayed for his wife's safety, while pressing on at full speed.

[Othella]

Her pace had quickened the phone was held within her tiny, bony hands as she looked around frantically. Othella was claustrophobic and right now all she could see was the brick walls of the alleyways closing in around her very slowly. She panicked - her heart hammering through her chest, if it beat any faster it would have probably jumped out of her rib cage. She paused as those emerald orbs of hers looked around. She was sure she could see the shadows around her moving at this point she dropped her satchel with the broken blood bag inside on the ground without hesitation. She wanted to end the scent there, Corbin had told her he had a keen sense of smell and she wanted to make sure if the shadows moved they could see she dropped the blood.

She began to jog now -away from the scene, away from a bag of blood. She threw her head over the shoulders and could see the shadows moving behind her still. She turned back and her body hit the brick wall of another alleyway. She yelped as her hand went to her nose rubbing the pink flesh. She turned her gaze back to the shadows this time only to see a claw reach out and slash her abdomen. She could feel the cold, frozen pain as she screamed. She pushed a hand on her stomach, to stop the bleeding, despite it being a futile mistake.

”Cor...bin” She called through deep breaths as the shadows slithered away from her to the bag. This time she could see a large man, holding up her satchel he lifted it above his head and opened his mouth as the droplets of blood slowly dripped into his open mouth, all he wanted was the blood - but now she smelt of blood. She grunted as her back leant against the wall and she began to push past the pain, and forced herself to walk away from the creature.

[Corbin]

Once within range, he could sense where his wife was. Not that far, but he would reach out with his mind, to send words of comfort. I am almost to you my love. He did best not to let his worries linger with his words. Corbin feared the worst, and this fueled him to run faster. It was not long before he found her and what he feared had come true. She was hurt. How could I let this happen?! Running to her, he had only enough time to catch a look into her eyes, before the feral vampire made itself known. With the use of predictive reflex, Corbin was able to anticipate the vampires approach. Reaching out to the vampire's mind, Corbin was able to confuse him. Taking advantage of the feral vampires disorientation, Corbin slashed out with a short blade he had been carrying.

The blade would easily make contact, wounding the vampire in the face. "It doesn't have to be like this. You can go now and none has to know…" Corbin tried to reason with him, but the vampire would only charge at Corbin. The vampire's steps were sloppy. As he caught Corbin's leg, teeth sank in. Corbin didn't hesitate then, using his blade to put the vampire out of its misery. Turning then, his full attention went to Othella. She was injured, and he didn't know how serious the wounds were but he could smell the blood. " How badly are you hurt? We can get you to the hospital? You will be ok…"

Corbin knew he could not walk up into a hospital with her. They would think he had done this. The thought of calling an ambulance and leaving her to be picked up made him feel sick. "I could…. I could turn you?" He asked this knowing he never wanted this sort of life for her. Corbin told himself now this could be better. As a vampire, she would be stronger against the monsters of this city, and he would no longer have to worry about hurting her. "I am so sorry this happened…." His words laced with sadness, knowing if she had not had the blood the vampire likely would have left her alone. Corbin wanted to reach for her, but held a small distance. For the first time he feared she might be afraid of him now. He had just taken out another vampire, and didn't think twice; or regret doing such.

[Othella]

Othella caught the glimpse of Corbin as he got onto the scene he caught the vampire just in time. She had never seen him move so fast, and yet why would she? He hid that side from her mostly. Possible for her sanity - normality. She blinked a few times her hand bloodied as she held onto the wound.

”Corbin watch out!” she screamed at her husband but it was to late the vampire had sunk its teeth into his leg. She jumped and winced as she did so. She brought her hand to her eye level to see the deep maroon colour. She was beginning to lose feeling in her arms, or was that weakness. As she looked up she saw her husband end the other vampire turning him to dust.

He mentioned words she didn’t really pay attention to them at first. She was fixated on the pile of ash on the ground. That could have been Corbin, if the other was strong enough and she was grateful for his strength. He mentioned turning her, and was apologising. Like he was blaming himself.

She looked at him with love within her gaze.

”Stop it.” Her voice cracked slightly as she shifted her weight. Her pale hand reached out for husband, drawing him closer as she tried to shrug off her jacket to reveal the flesh of her neck. She wasn’t thinking about him turning her at first she was thinking more so about him healing - he was hurt. She was being selfless.

”You are hurt. Come, take some of my blood and get better. I dropped the blood so your going to be hungry. Take it from me. No one else.” Her bloodied hand still outstretched waiting for her husband to take it from her and come closer. Black spots came into her vision as she blinked a few times to clear them.

[Corbin]

Relief washed over him, as her eyes held no judgement, as he had feared. Corbin didn't know what he would do in this life without her. It was a horrific thought he often tourchered himself with. Despite his worry, she still held the same loving gaze he knew well. This eased some of his tension. Corbin still held himself in high alert, an almost animal-like instinct. Should another monster, soldier or any other threat come he would be ready to take action. His dominant hand still held onto a short blade, it's tip stained with blood. Corbin knew the weapon well, as it was one of many he had crafted himself.

As she reached for him, Corbin drew in closer, taking her hand with his free one. Kissing her fingers, as he said several silent prayers. Please don't take her from me He begged. Watching then as she shrugged off her jacket. Corbin would shake his head, knowing what she was offering. "Not now my love. You are hurt, we have to get you someplace safe." Corbin knew also that if he took her to the hospital, a bite mark upon the side of her neck would not help his situation. Even if she had been willing, many humans still looked down upon those who fed from the living.

He didn't know how much time they had, but Corbin knew the two had to be moving. He had a place in the sewers, a place he had not yet told his wife about. Being underground made him feel safe but a sewer was not the ideal place he wanted his wife to have to deal with. Now this had changed, he would take her to his safe haven. This was likely to become a more permanent dwelling for the two, if the night went as he assumed. Over the past two years he had been fixing the place up, though realized now how much more needed to be done. Tucking the short blade away, Corbin would take her into his arms. Cradling her in his arms, he made his way to the nearest entrance to the sewers. Even in the darkness, he would have no trouble navigating the underground.