Chapter Fifteen

Andro’s POV

"Boss, your phone is ringing," Stefan called my attention to the phone. I checked and saw it was Annika. I could've picked up the call that instant, but I couldn't; I needed to stay here with the boys. I was in the warehouse, and we were still discussing the murder of those drivers.

"I'll call her back; I don't think it's something serious. So, you were saying something about Igor," I asked him.

"We got a message from him this morning. It was a picture of an olive branch. He's also denying the attack on our drivers," he explained.

"I wasn't expecting the culprit to man up to it. Have you checked the car's…?" I asked him.

"We're on it, Boss." My phone started ringing the second time and I quickly picked it up without hesitation while dismissing Stefan.

"Help me; I saw blood, Andro." I stood up abruptly from my seat.

"Where are you?"

"Behind a restaurant on Dream Street."

"Hold on; I'll be there soon," I promised her.

I went over to Raven's cage and opened it.

"Stay with her till I get there." She rolled her eyes and took off, without hesitation.

If it was nighttime, I would've easily used my supernatural speed to get to her but doing that during the daytime will put us both in danger.

I picked up my car key and ran out of the office. My driver tried following me, but I stopped him. Things might get ugly, and I wouldn't want him getting caught up in that situation.

I got into the car and drove off instantly. The ride to get to her took ten minutes and that was as a result of the reckless driving. I was worried about her, and I couldn't stop blaming myself for not picking up the call in the first place.

What else could be more important than my Emerthus?

Raven sent a vision to me, and I could see her sitting with her legs in her laps, at the place she'd told me.

Quickly, I got down from the car and ran towards the back of the restaurant. She was hiding behind the giant waste bin that was placed there.

I could see Raven perching beside her. I knew if anyone had tried getting close to her, Raven would have plucked their eyes out. The one time Raven did that to someone, Stefan never went towards Raven or her cage since then.

I bent to her level and touched her hair.

"Please go away," she cried.

"It's me, Annika."

She lifted her head up and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Her eyes were swollen with tears and her mouth was bloody. Her bottom lip ruptured as the fangs pierced through it.

Her hands were bloody as well, probably from cleaning the blood.

"I tried feeding from myself, but it didn't help."

I kissed her hair and pulled her closer to my body "You did well, lyubov. You did a great job. I'm so sorry I came so late. Forgive me," I pleaded.

I removed my suit jacket and wrapped it around her head before I picked her up bridal style, ready to take her to the car.

I turned to Raven and instructed, "Go home." It perched on my shoulder, rubbing her head against my ear. Raven wanted me to take care of her.

"I'll do just that, now go. You've done the best part." It flapped its wings and flew away.

Her destination was only two places: the cage at the warehouse or the garden I'd built for Raven in my backyard.

Gently, I placed Annika into the back seat of the car and looked for an extra juice box, the one I'd placed in my car after I turned her.

I'd placed juice boxes in random places, knowing she might need one at random times.

"Take this first, okay?" She nodded. She was weak, her body couldn't take the hunger especially with how it had happened. It must have been embarrassing for her.

She gulped the whole contents of the juice box at once and looked longingly at me. I couldn't possibly make her feed from me on a road with people passing by every second.

I held her hand. "Hold on for me," I pleaded.

I went to the driver's seat and drove off. She was breathing heavily, trying to keep herself in control.

By the time we arrived at my home, she was tired, too weak to walk, so I picked her up and ran into the house.

"Is everything okay?” Alek asked.

"Everything is fine, don't worry about it," I yelled as I rushed into the room.

"Do you need me to call a doctor?" he asked as he followed me.

"You shouldn't," I simply replied. I used my leg to push the door open and locked it to stop him from entering.

The bathroom was where I went into immediately when I entered our room. I placed her into the bathtub and opened the tap to let cold water run down her body.

"Annika," I called out as I placed my hand close to her mouth, urging her to feed but she was too weak to do it herself.

I bit my hand and watched as the blood gushed out. I placed my hand close to her mouth and watched it do its magic.

By the time she was done feeding, her strength was getting back to her little by little. I stripped her off her clothes, gave her a thorough bath, and inspected her lips to be sure it wasn't infected.

A vampire couldn't possibly feed from themselves when they're hungry or exposed to blood. In her case where she was exposed to blood, the only thing that could have satisfied her thirst would have been that blood or another blood. Her feeding from herself might have stopped her from doing a lot of damage to people but still, it could leave that wound infected.

I found out that the wound was already healing. If I keep her thoroughly fed for the next three days, she'll be perfectly healed.

She stepped out of the shower, and I gave her one of my shirts to put on. I guided her towards the bed and covered her with a thick blanket.

"You've had a rough day. You should rest, malyshl," I told her.

"Stay with me."

I nodded and I quickly wrapped my hands around her tiny body. My heart breaks that she had to go through such. I never imagined it would happen to her; I'd always thought about how to protect her and keep her safe, but I guess I failed myself.

As soon as I realized she was already asleep, I untangled from her and went back into the bathroom. I removed the stained shirt as well as my pants before walking into the shower and letting the water run down my body.

The regret and guilt running through my head were enough to drive me crazy. I could've lost her today, after so many years of waiting for her. How could I have been so stupid to believe she'll be fine on her own?

I stepped out of the bathroom once I was done, with a towel still wrapped around my lower body. I could hear a slight knock on the door and when I opened it, it was Stefan.

"Good evening Boss."

I nodded. "Is anything the matter?"

"Alek was telling me you rushed in with Annika. Is she okay?" he asked.

"Something crazy happened but she's fine."

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later. I want her to rest all through today and I'll be staying here with her. I'll be grateful if you can send food up around five or six in the evening," I told him "I'll do just that. I'll also make sure nobody disturbs you till then. But Adonis has been calling since you left the office and I didn't have a choice than to bring your phone," he said, showing me my phone.

I collected it from him.

"I'll call him in the morning, thank you," I thanked him.

"You should at least send him a text. You know how your boyfriend can get," he joked, and I smiled.

"I'll do that now."

"She'll be fine, Boss. You shouldn't look so worried," he reassured me before leaving.

I sent a quick text to Adonis that I would call him in the morning. I dropped the phone on the table and went straight to bed.

I pulled up the blanket and pulled Annika close to me.

"I'm sorry, baby. I shouldn't have left you out there to figure it out on your own. It would've killed me if something terrible had happened to you but I'm lucky to have you. Someone as strong as you are. You kept your ground and won against your thirst, ya lyublyu tebya, rodstvennaya dusha.” (T: I love you, baby.)

Even though she couldn't hear me, I still told her the 'L' word. Holding her body close, I promised myself that I'll protect her till the end of time.