A cottage, even.
I fall to my knees as exhaustion overtakes me. I can smell my scent being sprayed everywhere. I see two people emerge as my vision begins to fade, and as I fall forward, I feel a strong pair of arms catch me.
“Get her inside,” a woman says.
“Heat her up some of that soup,” a man says.
“What if she’s one of them? What if this is a trap?”
“We know when the Council gets out this far. She isn’t with them. Trust me.”
“How do you know that?”
“Just get her some soup.”
“Lie her down. Right there. And use that blanket to cover up her scent.”
I feel something fluttering down on my skin. My entire body is shaking with the exertion it took to find this place. I have no idea who these people are, and I don’t have the strength to voice who I am.
It isn’t until I smell him that I try to sit up.
Vlad.
He’s at the door.
“Clarissa? Are you in there?”
I groan to try and answer as a bowl is lifted to my lips.
“Are you Clarissa?” the girl asks.
I nod my head before I begin chugging the salted broth.
“Hello? Anyone?” Vlad asks.
“Is he safe?” the man asks.
I take one last gulp and look over at him before I nod my head. The man rushes to the door and opens it, and I see Vlad standing there. With tattered clothes around his body and claw marks on his face, I watch him heal right in front of my eyes as he’s ushered into the house.
“Who are you?” the man asks.
“That would be a wonderful question for you to answer as well,” Vlad says as he comes over toward me.
I watch as he kneels beside me and takes my hand within his.
“Clarissa, are you okay?” he asks.
His touch is soft. Tender. Not at all like the uncontrollable Wolf that was in Theo’s apartment. I shake my head “no” and allow it to fall back onto the pillow.
“Do you have any more of that soup?” Vlad asks. “If you do, get her some more.”
“Who died and made you king?” the man asks.
Vlad growls as other footsteps are heard bouncing up the stairs to the cottage.
“Looks like we’re going to need a lot more soup,” the woman says.
“Clarissa!”