This Time Of Year
Written by: wizardtho
Story dedicated to: Bella MacLeod
Chapter 09:
Isabella’s silence was unnerving to me, but knowing the reason, I could only be thankful for any amount of burning she was spared by her shield. I took care of her the same as I had throughout her turning, often trying to soothe her with a cool rag to her face, neck, and arms.
As the hours ticked down, I wondered how far my little changeling would go in depleting her resources, how immensely hungry she would be when she woke, and how the best way to handle it would be. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dialed Jane. She picked up on the 2nd ring.
“Definitely burning that shirt, Brother. Yes, Sir. Is there something you need?”
I chuckled, “Please do,” then asked, “I’m sure Aro told you of Isabella’s shield expanding?”
She replied right away, “Yes. He also told me of her certain need to feed. There is a large ice chest ready for her first feed. I prepared it myself; 16 bags of blood from various regions, in case she has an aversion to one or two. I can deliver it whenever you wish. Is she still silent?”
I let out a breath, offering, “Yes, but I don’t know how much longer that will hold. The time before her turning completes is dwindling quickly. Once you are certain Alec’s mission clothing has met a pyre, please bring the cooler.”
She responded, “Of course, Sir. Right away.”
When Jane knocked on the suite door less than 5 minutes later, I was actually startled, as Isabella chose that instant to let out the most ear-piercing wail I had ever heard. Without a thought toward Jane, I was instantly tossing my phone and watch on the bed, then lifting Isabella in my arms. Holding as much of her body to mine as I could, I rushed us to her shower, hoping that the cold water would help in some way.
Clothes and all, I carried Isabella into the shower with me, then turned the tap to the coldest setting. For the first time ever, my changeling actually begged me, “Pleeeeeease! I caaaaan’t! No mooooore!”
That’s when Jane poked her head in, nodded, and silently came in to find towels for us. She completed her objective as I tried to soothe Isabella, then whispered almost silently as she reached the bathroom door, “Good choice, Sir. Keep her in until she wakes, if possible. The water will dampen sound and smell for her, at least at first, which should allow her to concentrate on you. I’ll leave the ice chest in her bedroom for you. Call if you need me.”
I take a quick second to lift one of Isabella’s eyelids, then say seriously, “Scratch that. Bring it in here. Her eyes are already so dark. I don’t want her tempted by her human scent until after she’s fed.”
Without a word, Jane hauled the large cooler into the room, nearly silently placed it into the tub, then disappeared before coming back with the microwave. Though my eyes met Jane’s as I nodded once, my words were only for Isabella as she cried out. “You are so strong, Sweetheart. You can do this. You are so close to the end, and the pain will be gone. Concentrate on me, Isabella. Just you and me. It’s almost over.”
Though Isabella screamed as forcefully as her small frame would allow, she also clung to me, her arms wrapped tight around my neck. Though I risked having her crush me by doing it, I pulled Isabella up into my arms, allowing her to also wrap her legs around me. I tightened my arms around her enough for her to feel close but not smothered, then said into the top of her head, “I have you. I won’t leave you, Sweetheart. I promise, it’s almost over. This pain will be gone soon. Hang on for me just a little longer, Isabella.”
Time moved quickly. Soon Isabella’s heart pounded loudly as the last of my venom raced to finish the job it started. She let out a final scream before her voice and heartbeat both died out. Her breathing was ragged for several moments, her arms and legs still tight around me, before I heard her out-of-breath whisper. “Demetri? Is it finally over? Please, tell me it’s over.”
I nodded into her neck, confirming in my own whisper, “It’s over, Sweetheart. I have you. Just take a second to gain your bearings.”
She let out a shaky breath, nodded into my shoulder, then rested her nose against my neck. I gently rubbed her back, letting her know she could take all the time she needed.
When she finally lifted her head enough to look at me, the purest onyx orbs stared back at me. I cupped her cheek sadly, “You overextended yourself by holding your shield as long as you did. You need to feed, Isa. Tell me honestly, how thirsty are you right now?”
She looked at me, thinking, then said seriously, “It hurts to speak… burns... I don’t know how to judge. It doesn’t feel like hunger would.”
I nodded, “Yes, the unit of measure is quite different. You’ll have some idea after your first feed, and I’ll need you to tell me whenever you start to feel thirsty… feel the ache, then burn. If it ever burns so much that you can’t concentrate on a conversation, you are well past your limit.”
She was looking down at our clothes, but said softly, “I think I’m getting close to that, honestly. I can barely think beyond these wet, sticky clothes.”
I nodded, lifted Isabella’s chin, then offered, “Stay with me for just another minute, okay? I need you to concentrate on me when I turn off the water. There will be many more smells and sounds once I turn the water off. The shower is dampening everything right now. Do you understand?”
Isabella nodded, then asked, “Can I just bury my face in your neck again? I couldn’t even really smell the water when I did that. All I smelled was you.”
I smiled, “Of course you can. Now when you say you’re ready, I’m going to shut off the water, wrap a towel around us, and then we’ll take care of your thirst. After you are full, we’ll both change clothes.”
My little warrior only took a second to steady herself before nuzzling her nose into my neck and saying, “I’m ready.”
Isabella’s silence was unnerving to me, but knowing the reason, I could only be thankful for any amount of burning she was spared by her shield. I took care of her the same as I had throughout her turning, often trying to soothe her with a cool rag to her face, neck, and arms.
As the hours ticked down, I wondered how far my little changeling would go in depleting her resources, how immensely hungry she would be when she woke, and how the best way to handle it would be. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dialed Jane. She picked up on the 2nd ring.
“Definitely burning that shirt, Brother. Yes, Sir. Is there something you need?”
I chuckled, “Please do,” then asked, “I’m sure Aro told you of Isabella’s shield expanding?”
She replied right away, “Yes. He also told me of her certain need to feed. There is a large ice chest ready for her first feed. I prepared it myself; 16 bags of blood from various regions, in case she has an aversion to one or two. I can deliver it whenever you wish. Is she still silent?”
I let out a breath, offering, “Yes, but I don’t know how much longer that will hold. The time before her turning completes is dwindling quickly. Once you are certain Alec’s mission clothing has met a pyre, please bring the cooler.”
She responded, “Of course, Sir. Right away.”
When Jane knocked on the suite door less than 5 minutes later, I was actually startled, as Isabella chose that instant to let out the most ear-piercing wail I had ever heard. Without a thought toward Jane, I was instantly tossing my phone and watch on the bed, then lifting Isabella in my arms. Holding as much of her body to mine as I could, I rushed us to her shower, hoping that the cold water would help in some way.
Clothes and all, I carried Isabella into the shower with me, then turned the tap to the coldest setting. For the first time ever, my changeling actually begged me, “Pleeeeeease! I caaaaan’t! No mooooore!”
That’s when Jane poked her head in, nodded, and silently came in to find towels for us. She completed her objective as I tried to soothe Isabella, then whispered almost silently as she reached the bathroom door, “Good choice, Sir. Keep her in until she wakes, if possible. The water will dampen sound and smell for her, at least at first, which should allow her to concentrate on you. I’ll leave the ice chest in her bedroom for you. Call if you need me.”
I take a quick second to lift one of Isabella’s eyelids, then say seriously, “Scratch that. Bring it in here. Her eyes are already so dark. I don’t want her tempted by her human scent until after she’s fed.”
Without a word, Jane hauled the large cooler into the room, nearly silently placed it into the tub, then disappeared before coming back with the microwave. Though my eyes met Jane’s as I nodded once, my words were only for Isabella as she cried out. “You are so strong, Sweetheart. You can do this. You are so close to the end, and the pain will be gone. Concentrate on me, Isabella. Just you and me. It’s almost over.”
Though Isabella screamed as forcefully as her small frame would allow, she also clung to me, her arms wrapped tight around my neck. Though I risked having her crush me by doing it, I pulled Isabella up into my arms, allowing her to also wrap her legs around me. I tightened my arms around her enough for her to feel close but not smothered, then said into the top of her head, “I have you. I won’t leave you, Sweetheart. I promise, it’s almost over. This pain will be gone soon. Hang on for me just a little longer, Isabella.”
Time moved quickly. Soon Isabella’s heart pounded loudly as the last of my venom raced to finish the job it started. She let out a final scream before her voice and heartbeat both died out. Her breathing was ragged for several moments, her arms and legs still tight around me, before I heard her out-of-breath whisper. “Demetri? Is it finally over? Please, tell me it’s over.”
I nodded into her neck, confirming in my own whisper, “It’s over, Sweetheart. I have you. Just take a second to gain your bearings.”
She let out a shaky breath, nodded into my shoulder, then rested her nose against my neck. I gently rubbed her back, letting her know she could take all the time she needed.
When she finally lifted her head enough to look at me, the purest onyx orbs stared back at me. I cupped her cheek sadly, “You overextended yourself by holding your shield as long as you did. You need to feed, Isa. Tell me honestly, how thirsty are you right now?”
She looked at me, thinking, then said seriously, “It hurts to speak… burns... I don’t know how to judge. It doesn’t feel like hunger would.”
I nodded, “Yes, the unit of measure is quite different. You’ll have some idea after your first feed, and I’ll need you to tell me whenever you start to feel thirsty… feel the ache, then burn. If it ever burns so much that you can’t concentrate on a conversation, you are well past your limit.”
She was looking down at our clothes, but said softly, “I think I’m getting close to that, honestly. I can barely think beyond these wet, sticky clothes.”
I nodded, lifted Isabella’s chin, then offered, “Stay with me for just another minute, okay? I need you to concentrate on me when I turn off the water. There will be many more smells and sounds once I turn the water off. The shower is dampening everything right now. Do you understand?”
Isabella nodded, then asked, “Can I just bury my face in your neck again? I couldn’t even really smell the water when I did that. All I smelled was you.”
I smiled, “Of course you can. Now when you say you’re ready, I’m going to shut off the water, wrap a towel around us, and then we’ll take care of your thirst. After you are full, we’ll both change clothes.”
My little warrior only took a second to steady herself before nuzzling her nose into my neck and saying, “I’m ready.”