Under the vampire Lord's protection

Heart in heels, Arabella descended the last two steps to the ground floor. Following in Ada's tracks, she needed not lift her eyes from the floor. 

She held the wrist that Silas had bitten into in hand, shaky just like the rest of her body. 

The fuss in her mind only grew louder the more possibilities and reasons arised, but those screeching voices all went dead quiet the instant Lady Persephone had cleared her throat. 

Arabella kept her head down, not daring to meet the Lady's gaze. 

"My Lady, Master Silas has ordered Miss Arabella to come see you," Ada broke the uncomfortable silence. 

"Is that so?" the Lady raised an eyebrow. 

One glance at Arabella's wrist and a different expression dawned on her features. With a faint smile, she leaned back into her chair.

"Come closer," she ordered.

Eyes still on the floor, Arabella advanced towards the Lady. Persephone set the book she'd been reading down on the table near her and slowly pushed herself off the chair to face Arabella.

For the first time, Arabella realized just how tall Lady Persephone was since the only other time they'd met, she hadn't been up on her feet. 

"Your hand, girl," the Lady stared down at Arabella.

Without further explanations, Arabella knew the Lady wanted the arm that Silas had bitten. 

As a warm breath fell on Arabella's skin, she fought the urge to jerk her hand out of the Lady's grasp.

Just like Silas, Lady Persephone took her time and shut her eyes, bringing the wrist closer to her mouth.

Only a few seconds after that, Lady Persephone gently pulled Arabella closer towards herself for her breath to then tickle Arabella's neck, forcing the girl to tilt her head further out of the way without much effort. 

"I see," said the Lady upon reopening her eyes and sitting back on her seat, "Ada, I'd like you to escort Arabella back to her room and make sure she's comfortable in bed. Do let Katherine know that upon the end of your shift she is to take over in watching over her state," 

"Yes, my Lady," the response from Ada came immediately.

Lady Persephone then turned towards Arabella, "Tonight is going to be a long one for you. Perhaps even heftier than the previous," she looked at Ada again, "Make some herbal tea and don't forget to add some vampire blood to it. She'll need it," 

"Of course, my Lady," 

Perplexed, Arabella stood and merely stared at lady Persephone who'd already gotten back to reading her book.

Eventually, and upon receiving a gentle nudge from Ada, her legs followed while her eyes remained on Lady Persephone for a little longer. 

"You poor thing," began Ada as they walked through the hallways, "I truly do not envy you," 

"What's happened?" Arabella's vocal cords were finally untied.

"Vampires can easily tell when a human is about to come down with something nasty. You may have caught a virus of sorts or something on your way here and the vampire blood I've given you yesterday was simply not strong enough to deal with it," Ada explained. 

Arabella did not protest and got in bed, allowing Ada to tuck her in like the child she no longer was. 

Cozying up under the covers to find comfort for the things that she'd just gone through and those she'd still have to live through. Fathoming the idea that a cold or a fever was coming her way was quite hard when she felt completely alright. 

Nevertheless, there wasn't much that could be done and shutting her eyes to sleep was her only recourse. 

Sitting among the ignited candles, Silas held a small chisel tool in hand and chipped away at the wood.

Pausing for a moment, he brought the fingers of his free hand up and grazed the two crossed swords engraved into the canvas. 

A memory of Arabella smiling as she did the same earlier flickered back in his mind, but the memory of the way her blood had tasted jogged his craving for more of it. 

That invigorating rush that had coursed through all of him when it flowed so lightly in his mouth had set his nerve endings on fire; flames of pure delight. 

Like sweet nectar it lingered on his tongue, haunting his senses for when another lick would be allowed. 

It had been a few hours since he'd sent her away to see his mother, wondering how things had panned out only aroused his curiosity further. 

So, he put the tool down on the desk next to him and shut his eyes in order to listen. 

Quite easily, he sifted through the sounds and voices that echoed through the manor to find the one he sought. 

The erratic breathing of Arabella stood out among the rest, heavy and quick as her body battled the fever, no doubt. The occasional moans and groans that came with it was an added confirmation. 

From time to time, a cough would escape her, before a sniffle, followed by yet another cough only for a wet sniffle to ensue right after that. 

Again and again, those actions kept repeating until Silas grew tired of only listening to them from afar.

He stood up and found his way to Arabella's room, pushed the door open and drew nearer only to stop and stand over her frame.

Drenched in her own sweat, she clenched at the bed sheets covering her while her face reflected the agony that had her in its clutches. Red around the nose and eyes tightly shut, her dry lips were forced to remain apart as it was her only way to inhale.

The sound of another heartbeat walked towards the room along with footsteps of somebody in a bit of a haste.

When Ada appeared at the threshold, she halted all movement upon realizing the door was open, but it was the sight of Silas standing by Arabella's side that made her breath hitch in her throat.

"Master…," she muttered, holding a tray that carried a single cup at its center. 

"It is quite late," he remarked.

"Miss Kathrine was supposed to take over after me, but I simply could not bear going to sleep knowing she still needed me," Ada gave a half smile as she approached. 

"Is this the second cup you bring tonight?" his diamond eyes had moved from Arabella's face to glaring at the cup on the tray. 

"Tis the third, Master," she whispered. 

"Whose blood did you use?" he asked.

"I've mixed blood from the infirmary with herbal tea. I believe the vial belonged to Miss Katherine, Master,"

Silas' gaze fell on the grievous face of Arabella once more. The coughing was getting harsher and more frequent as she struggled to breath.

Ada tried to step towards Arabella's side, but Silas stood in the way and showed no sign he was going to move.

"Master, please excuse me. I need to help her ingest it as quickly as po-"

Ada never finished her sentence, "Take it back and make a new one. Only tea, do not add any blood," his tone was calm, but his words were crystal clear. 

Brows a little furrowed, Ada's eyes snapped between her Master and the unconscious figure of Arabella a few times. She seemed stuck until his icy cold voice startled her out of it.

"Go now," he ordered. 

"Yes, Master!" she yelped before practically running out of the room.

The moment she disappeared behind the door frame; Silas brought his attention back onto Arabella. 

Even in that state, he couldn't help but glare down at her as though she'd committed the most heinous of crimes. 

Upon catching a glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror facing the bed, Silas hoped Arabella wouldn't open her eyes while in his presence as the light from the sole ignited candle on her nightstand mostly fell on his well-defined chin and jawline, casting a darkened look on the rest of his face. 

It took mere minutes for Ada to run back with a new cup on a tray, "I brought it just like you ordered, Master," she uttered, almost out of breath. 

"Bring it here," he spoke.

When Ada stepped closer to him, Silas plunged his right hand into his left sleeve before pulling a magnificent looking dagger that glistened above the candlelight. 

Ada took a sharp breath as she realized what was about to happen right before he unsheathed it and brought the sharp edge of it towards his own palm.

Silas slashed himself open and squeezed his hand above the teacup just enough for a few drops to trickle inside.

"From now on, if she is ever injured or ill, always come to me for blood," he said, "Give it to her right this instant," 

A little stunned, it took Ada a few seconds to register his words. She merely blinked before taking action, realizing that by then, Silas had already left the room. 

Along the way, he lost the fight against the urge to listen in on her and caught the little slurps as she sipped on the tea.