Ellie's hands trembled as she brought the blood-filled mug to Nick's ashen lips. The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows across his gaunt face, accentuating the hollows beneath his cheekbones. She swallowed hard, pushing down the fear that threatened to overwhelm her.
"Please, Nick," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the howling wind outside. "You have to drink this."
Nick's eyelids fluttered, a faint groan escaping his pale lips. Ellie's heart clenched at the sight of him, once so strong and enigmatic, now reduced to this fragile state. She gently tilted his head back, carefully pouring the crimson liquid into his mouth.
As she watched him swallow, Ellie's mind raced with memories of their shared moments, the quiet understanding that had blossomed between them. She co
