My Annoyingly Handsome Vampire

Chapter 7

The cramps hit at 4AM.

Kira woke up curled in a ball, sheets twisted around her legs, and immediately knew it was going to be a bad one.

Not the normal 'take ibuprofen and power through' kind.

The 'can't stand up, can't breathe, world is ending' kind.

She made it to the bathroom and threw up.

Then she made it back to her mattress on the floor and pulled the blanket over her head.

Class was at 9.

Project meeting was at 11.

Trish Ware shift was at 3.

She texted Trisha: _sick. cant come in._

Trisha: _rest. I got you._

By 10am she was sweating, shaking and considering if dying would be easier than getting up to get water.

That's when the knock came.

Three soft knocks.

Kira groaned and dragged herself to the door.

Ken.

VALOR. The driver from the launch. Black suit, holding a brown paper bag like it was fragile.

"Delivery," he said.

Kira leaned on the doorframe. "I didn't order anything."

"From a friend."

She frowned. "Which friend?"

Ken smiled. It was a kind smile. Not pitying. Just... kind. "The one who notices."

He handed her the bag. Inside:

Ginger tea.

Soup. Actual homemade soup, still warm.

Painkillers.

A heating pad.

And a note that just said: _Drink water._

No name.

Kira stared at it. "Did Trisha send you?"

Ken shook his head. "No ma'am."

"Then who—"

"I'm not allowed to say." He stepped back. "Feel better, Miss Kira."

He left before she could ask more.

She texted Trisha immediately. _Did you send soup??_

Trisha: _?? No?? Are you dying??_

Kira: _someone from VALOR just dropped off soup and meds_

Trisha: _...okay that's weird and hot_

Kira drank the soup on her couch.

It was good. Really good. The kind of good that made her cry for no reason.

She fell asleep with the heating pad on her stomach.

At 2:17pm, across town, Xeron teleported away from her building.

He'd sat on the floor beside her couch for 20 minutes while she slept. Held her hand when she whimpered in her sleep. Brushed hair off her forehead.

"Get better," he'd whispered.

Then he was gone.

No trace.

The next morning Kira woke up and the pain was 50% less.

She stared at the empty mug on her table and whispered, "Thank you."

To no one.

To whoever noticed.