Soon, some of my strength returns and my vision clears.
"Are you a nurse as well?" I ask Vasily, smiling at him while he works away with such efficiency.
"You're feeling better," he says and smiles back, but it's forced, his lips thin.
Michel leans down and presses his forehead against mine.You're alive.
My mouth feels dry, and an incredible thirst hits me.
"Water," I say to Vasily. He leaves the room. "What have you done to me?" I say to Michel. But whatever connection has formed between us, Michel seems able to control it for he doesn't answer me. He's a blank. But then I know – I know because I saw it when we were connected so deeply. When Michel lost all control over himself, for a brief moment, I saw into his memories – memories he tried hard to block when I touched him that day in the SCU and has been blocking ever since.
He knew Soren killed my mother because she wouldn’t turn over her research to him. Michel knew it had been Soren all along. He lost my file on purpose so Soren couldn't have me. So Julien couldn't have me. So I wouldn't be a weapon.
One thing Michel was certain of – Soren was out to claim Dominion for the Ancients, enslave us all to them, using me as a tool.
Even in my weakened state, I know then that my motivation in life has changed permanently. I no longer need to kill vampires. I needed to understand Ancients and their plans to enslave humanity.
I don't want it. That's what I'm fighting.
Whatever connection forms between us by my drinking his blood seems to be two-way for I can hear his thoughts, but apparently only when he wants me to.
"It's not fair," I say. "That you can hear everything I think at all times, but I can only hear your thoughts when you let me."
"Existence isn't fair." He says out loud. "Now drink more."
I take another mouthful of the blood that drips out of the wound on his wrist, enjoying the taste for it makes me dreamy. "What will this do to me?"
"Save your life. Now drink."
I do, but only because it will save me so I can fight the Ancients. Time passes with me in a sleepy daze, swallowing the occasional mouthful of Michel's blood, watching while Vasily attaches yet another bag of blood to the I.V. Sensation returns to my limbs and I can lift my head off the pillow briefly to glance around the room. I reach down and pull a sheet up to cover my nakedness. Blood stains the bed beside my neck.
"You almost killed me," I say to Michel, who sits on the bed beside me.
"I lost myself," he says. "Or Soren compelled me to kill you. It won't happen again."
You're right it won't.
He lets me in at that, and I can feel his pain and regret.
Eve… Please…
"I could know everything right now, and you won't let me in."
"You can't know everything."
"Why?" Anger fills me despite my weakness. "Why not tell me the truth? Because it might ruin your plans?"
"If you knew and they took you, they'd know everything as well through you. Compartmentalization is key to keeping a plan secret. You just can't know."
I try to block him, but have no idea how. Will pain work now? I bite my cheek hard, feeling the sharp intense pain of it.
He takes my face in his hands and looks in my eyes.
"Eve, I love you. Don't shut me out."
"Then tell me what you're planning."
He shakes his head,and then kisses me.