She took a step back toward the bed. “Let me help you. Take my arm.” She crooked her arm at the elbow to form a brace he could use to pull up. He grabbed her arm and let her haul him up using as few muscles as possible, but gave up a whisper of a groan in spite of himself.
She waited in the living room until she heard him come back into the bedroom. Gingerly, he sat back down on the side of the bed and stared at her as she handed him first two pills and then the glass of water which he downed all at once. He set the glass on the table.
“Do you want anything before you go back to sleep? I brought an extra club sandwich. It might not be good anymore. I don’t know.”
He shook his head. Again she offered her arm to help him down without too much strain. When he settled back, she pulled the covers over him.
“You should sleep until morning. I’m going to lock the door on the way out.” And with that she turned to go.
“Elora.” She stopped at the door and looked back over her shoulder, “Do no’ be mad. And do no’ be embarrassed either.”
“Good night,” she said softly. On the way out she noticed his phone on the bar. She picked it up and punched her own name and number into ‘Contacts’, then locked the door behind her as promised.
***
CHAPTER 9
BLACK SWAN FIELD TRAINING MANUAL Section 1: Chapter 15,#45
Unlike most literary misinformation regarding vampire, there is one bit of lore that is mysterious, but true. There is some chemical property, or properties, in wood that kills the vampire virus, and consequently its host, upon contact with the heart.
When Ram woke up he was sore and hungry. He sat up with some effort and noticed the glass left by the bed. In the kitchen he found a club sandwich waiting for him on the counter. Not a dream. The lettuce and tomato were no longer edible so he pulled the veggies off and threw them away. The rest was good enough for breakfast. He got a carton of juice out of the refrigerator, sat down at the bar, and picked up his phone to see if he had any messages.
He thought he’d call Storm and find out if he was in small, medium, or large trouble for letting Elora spar with him. Pulling up ‘Contacts’ in alphabetical order and scrolling down to Engel Storm, he happened to notice Elora Laiken and backed up. Great Paddy’s balls. If his rib didn’t hurt so badly he’d laugh out loud.
He dialed her number.
“Hello.” She answered on the first ring.
“You left your number.”
“How are you? Do you need anything?”
“I need help takin’ a shower.”
She suppressed a giggle that was far too girlish on a woman her age. The elf was chipping away at her carefully constructed walls. “You have other friends for that, Sir Hawking. I meant do you need anything like breakfast?”
He grinned. “Had breakfast. Club sandwich sans lettuce and tomato, at least I think that’s what they had once been. And thank you. For takin’ good care of me.”
“Please do not thank me. I feel wretched about the whole mess, but we’re taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“What kind of steps?”
“Storm and Kay have arranged to close the fitness level for the next couple of hours. They’re setting up a series of tests to quantify my strengths…and weaknesses, I suppose.”
“And this is when?”
“Half an hour.”
“I’ll be there.”
“No. Isn’t that too much activity too soon?” It suddenly occurred to her that this was the reverse of the same exchange she’d had with Storm the day before.
“My rib is taped nice and tight and tidy. Good as a cast. I’m no’ proposin’ bench press, just walkin’ to the elevator. Believe me, I have lived through worse than this.”
“But that’s a story for another time?”
“Could be, if you’re a really good girl.”