When the Sun meets the Moon

19.

I exchange a glance with Leila and we start moving through the trees without a word, forgetting the two men with us. They start after us with a small delay but quickly catch up.

"What" Xavier starts but I order him to be silent with a wave of my hand.

Now is not the time to chit-chat, first we need to find out what happened and then we'll have all the time in the world to discuss. The nearer we get the stronger the scent grows. And finally we hear people scurrying around and whimpering, others shouting for help, heartbeats quickening or slowing down, ragged breaths and moans, children crying and people gasping. I strain my hears for the other kind of sounds, maybe the attackers are still nearby, maybe they haven't left just yet, I concentrate on the woods around but don't find anything. We quicken our pace even more and climb the last of the rocks in front of the village.

I growl in anger at the sight on the other side. This is a massacre, there are corps laying everywhere and wounded people in every direction. There were definitely more than one or two attackers, vampires aren't weak. My eyes flash as I see small inert bodies on the ground covered in mud and blood. I try not to think too much about it, blocking my feelings from surfacing. We need to help the survivors. I concentrate on a young man with burns on half of his body gripping tightly an older woman.

"Change of plans." Leila grits her teeth. "Everyone scatters around and call for me if the patient is critical."

She looks quickly at me, her lips tightly close. I nod quickly without the others noticing.

"They need blood to heal and judging by the state of the houses their stocks are gone," Leila continues getting four small glassy vials out of her bag and handing one to each one of us. "I need you to give them yours. A few drops are enough. Any wound to deep you call me. Gather the people still standing and have them help you. Once you've given your blood to the patient bring him to the left and go to the next one. Don't waste time, act fast."

She's gone before even finishing her sentence and I don't wait another second either.

'This is bad.'

They won't say anything. I'll concentrate on the deeply wounded.

'Don't give them too much...'

I know, don't worry.

I run to the young man and he suddenly looks at me with wide eyes finally noticing our presence. His disheveled dirty blond hair his sticking over his angled face.

He stretches over the woman's body and I see him wince.

"D-Don't come any closer !" He stutters trembling.

"I'm here to help." I say reassuringly bringing my arm slowly to my mouth under his suspicious eyes. I feel my canines elongating in my mouth and don't stop before biting hard onto the skin of my wrist. I pour the few drops on the flask and hand it to him. With trembling hands he lifts it to his lips and gulps it down. As soon as my blood enters his system I can see his wounds healing slowly, his burnt skin turning a pink color. I kneel down beside him and with the same slowness as before extend my arm to examine the woman. She's not breathing but I can hear her faint heartbeat.

"She's too far gone." He whimpers in a small voice his eyes full of tears.

"What's your name ?" I inquire.

"Max." He answers in a whisper.

"Alright Max, I think that my blood can help her, just like it helped you."

The young vampire shakes his head vigorously in denial.

"I couldn't help her and now it's too late."