Dark Silhouette

Chapter 8

(Lauren's P.O.V)

My sister and I had finished picking up our dishes. The table is empty and a pouring rain falls over the streets. I had somewhat calmed myself from my previous sudden fear. I've also tried calling Kay but her mobile is apparently off signal. And even though I try not to think of it, I'm getting anxious about it. It's been a while since she told me she'd left to catch this guy and normally she lets me know when she's home. It's ridiculous, isn't it? Me worrying about her. She knows what she's doing, being a vampire of 200 something years must have to count in some way.

I check my phone for the hundredth time during the night before hearing a hurried knock at our door.

"Who could it be at this hour?" My sister asks looking at me.

"I- I don't know..." I answer.

"Are you expecting someone?"

A second knock, more quicker than the previous one, sounds at the door. My sister gets up from the sofa and walks to the dinning window to see who it can be. I walk near our door after a third knock, not being sure of what to do.

"I don't think I can see from here, rain is not helping..."

I start thinking neither of us shall open the door no matter what but that thought vanishes right the way when I hear the voice calling my name at the other side of the wood.

"Lauren"

I can hear my sister walking back to me, asking me to wait but I've already reached for the door's handle.

When I open it my sister is by my side and in front of me stands a soaked Kay with a white shirt stained with blood, holding her left side. I have no time to say or think anything before she fells, first over me then to the ground.

"Kay!" I kneel to help her, she doesn't seem to be very conscious. My sister freaks out while I try to make her talk.

"What in the world is happening?! Who are you?"

"Jess wait."

Kay tries to incorporate but fails. I stop her before she tries again cuz she may be hurting herself. I still don't know why she's bleeding when I hear her whisper something.

"H-He knew... He knew I was...following him. It was...a tr- trap, he used s-silver. Lauren...he used silver. Please..." My sister interrupted when Kay stopped.

"Silver? Why is he bleeding? What's wrong with his arm?..."

I took her left arm in my hand. She had a cut along it, her veins were darker and her pale skin had turned light grayish. Her entire body was trembling.

"Jess, please! There's no time for explanations. She's allergic to silver and now it is in her system. You were nurse. Please do something!" I didn't realize the frantic anguish in my voice until I let those words out.

My sister bit her lips debating about it before giving a glance to the empty street and closing the door.

"We need to move her from the floor" she stated. I turned to Kay.

"Can you walk?" With a clenched jaw and a tired look she denied with her head.

"Help me get her to the sofa" said my sister grabbing her injured arm so we could move her. Not without a hiss and groan escaping Kay's mouth.

My sister took off Kay's wet jacket, throwing it to the floor before laying her on the sofa.

"Try to make her talk, I'm going for some gauze and my kit" I did as she ordered me.

"Please try to calm down, my sister will help. She was the best in the business I swear..."

"I- don't...doubt it, Lauren. But I...she has no...idea h-how to c-cure this..."

"But you told me, don't you remember? You told me what to do when you explained what it was"

She denied trembling, drops of sweat where forming over her brow. She was breathing heavily.

"It changes... It's different for e-each...amount o-f venom..." It was hard for her to concentrate. All her attention was focused on trying to distract herself from the pain but it was clear she wasn't achieving it. I couldn't bare seeing her like that but neither could I break under my seeing. I needed to help her in some way.

She whispered a name before recognition appeared in her eyes.

"S-svetla... Svetla knows wh-at to do"

Nodding to her comment I assure her I'll contact her. Leaning over her I caressed her head, lowering my hand to her neck before planting a kiss on her forehead. I'm very sure she has fever.

My sister comes back and starts cleaning her arm cut while I start looking for this Svetla on Kay's phone. Jess asks me if Kay has any relatives to whom we could inform but before saying she doesn't I answer mumbling that I'm not sure.

After finding a 'Svetlana' and pressing 'call', a girl with Russian accent answers me complaining for the time.

'Hi, I'm very sorry for the time, I didn't know there was a difference... '

'You're not Kay'

'No, I'm Lauren, I'm...with her right now. Please it's an emergency. Kay's been poisoned. She told me you could help her' the girl keeps silence for a moment before interrogating me. By the sound at the other side of the phone I assume she's getting up.

'When was this?'

'Today...'

'Exactly when? How long has it been?'

'I...I don't know. She appeared at my door. I wasn't with her..."

'Chyort. Are you attending her?'

'No, my sister is. She's a nurse...'

'I'll need to talk to her' I turned the speaker on.

'She can hear you now'

She started to talk again and to give instructions for my sister to follow. I felt useless realizing I could do nothing to help and Kay was less conscious with every passed minute.

'You understood well what you have to do?' Asked the Russian voice to my sister. After a pause she added:

'Never mind, I'll guide you right now. Take the full syringe and the scalpel...' The unfamiliar voice's secure tone almost broken by evident anguish too... I tried not to see what my sister was doing, all my attention was on Kay's pained face.

When my sister finished with her arm she attempted to do the same procedure with her left side, but Kay backed to the sofa's backrest. Her face reflected pain and tiredness. She tried to stop my sister...

'N-no, wait...' But my sister had already started. Kay clenched her jaw, suppressing any scream, and turned her head to the opposite side. I caressed her head tangling my fingers between her hair to calm her down. Most of her pale skin was now stained with a grayish tone and some dark ramifications where seen at her arms, her eyes were reddish as I had seen them last time.

She keep on mumbling nonsense and both, my sister and I, were worried. I was very worried, of course, but my sister didn't like Kay's hallucination a bit. It was the Russian girl who called our attention after Kay whispered the name of a Scarlett. >

'How long has she been like that?'

'A while' answered my sister 'almost since I attended her arm wound. I'll see what can I do to help her. Who's this Scarlett? Can you locate her?'

'No. Doesn't matter what you do to help her, she can only get out of this by herself. Don't bother yourself trying to low the fever, nothing you can do will work. Hallucinations and other varieties may keep bothering her for what remains of the night. You must let her rest now. I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do either. If she wakes up please tell her to call me'

That was the last thing we heard before she hang up. After few minutes Kay passed out. And as soon as this happened my sister sent me to sleep.

'What? No. Jess, I won't go to sleep. I need to watch her, I won't leave her side...'

'Lauren, that's not your decision. Please do as I say, I don't trust your friend and even though she's out, for your safety I'll be calmed if you're upstairs...'

'Jess, you don't understand. She's not dangerous, please let me stay' She put her arms gently over my shoulders and looked at me.

'I'm not discussing it. I'll stay here with her if anything happens I'll call you, all right? I promise'

Reluctantly I turned and went to my room upstairs.

(Jess P.O.V)

It's been an hour since Lauren went up. I've been checking on her friend but I see no better in her. I have a bunch of questions that need answers but I know it's not the right time, it was either me and my questions or saving this girl's life. And I'm very sure my sister won't be able to answer them so I'm hoping her fried can.

I don't trust her, but the way Lauren saw me when she asked me to help her... I couldn't say no, no matter what I think of the business. I must say I feel sorry for her cuz she's injured but c'mon, mixing a bunch of substances to treat a strange wound AND realizing the strange method works? That's... I don't know, suspicious for me. Plus the strange marks I found on her back... Not all of it, I hope, but treating her side wound lead me to some old scars that give me no mind rest at all.

This Kay is still struggling to rest, but I'm too tired and I can't do anything about her condition. Getting up from my chair and turning off the light I get to the stairs to follow Lauren and get to my room. I shall come back down later to check on her.