Raphael’s fangs scratched his lips as he grinned, squeezing Klaus’ neck, who didn’t even try to resist. This immediately dampened Raphael’s enthusiasm, and he threw his body aside.

The blow fell on the service cabinet and it shattered, showering on the floor with small glass fragments and fragments of broken dishes.

Raphael did not allow Klaus to put his thoughts in order and in an instant was in front of him, pinning him to the floor and biting into his neck with his teeth. His body immediately began to burn, as if molten lead was poured through his veins, but this did not stop his thirst for blood, which he had needed so much for the last few days.

The taste of Klaus’ blood was disgusting to the vampire, and when he finally finished his meal, he spat out the rest of the blood on the floor to get rid of this fetid smell of bliar blood in his mouth. No, it was even worse than ordinary werewolf blood, even more caustic and unpleasant.

Clearing his throat and breathing in plenty of air, Klaus rubbed his neck, but remained sitting on the floor, pulling up his leg and putting his hand on it. His head was a little dizzy due to the loss of blood.

- How long have you known? – that was the first thing he asked.

He didn’t care that he was the victim of an attack just now, because he understood his mistake, as he promised to be a protective wall for the princess who saved his life.

-Relatively recently, that’s why you’re still alive. - Rafael said, wiping the remnants of blood on his lips with the sleeve of his shirt.

- Hmm. I can’t say it’s fair to leave me alive, because I really made a mistake leaving her there. But in my defense, I dare say that she is under the reliable protection of her mentor.

- There can be no reliable protection. - Raphael let out a half–growl, half-scream. - If it weren’t for a coincidence, I would have killed her with my own hands while you’re having fun here.

Klaus immediately got to his feet and his whole body was pierced by tension. He dared to get closer to the vampire.

- What do you mean, "almost killed"? Is she all right? – although visually he did not show his panic, but his inner feelings were more truthful.

- Does it matter already? Don’t pretend that you suddenly became such a caring mom who suddenly remembered that she has a weak defenseless child.

Klaus’s chest was heaving often and he tried his best to restrain himself, but in the end he grabbed Raphael by the shirt and pulled him hard, literally joining their faces inches apart.

- What the fuck did you do? – he didn’t choose expressions.

Raphael grinned and the next moment twisted Klaus’ arm so much that the crunch of bones could be heard by both. Klaus immediately fell to the floor, squealing and whining like a dog.

- Don’t worry, it’s just a dislocation of the shoulder, you’ll recover quickly. But don’t you ever touch me with your filthy hands again. - there was a direct threat in his words as he glared angrily at the man lying on the floor, but soon he froze as if his body had become a stone.

Marcel appeared in the doorway, holding an unconscious girl in his arms, whose dress was abundantly covered with blood. Raphael’s instinct couldn’t help but be touched by this sweet, alluring smell and he turned around in an instant.

If magic could exist in the northern lands, he would certainly have felt it earlier.

His gaze was filled with rage and even more intense rage than before.

- I know you don’t like witches, but you’ll have to keep your hands off them. - Marcel managed to say before the body of the red-haired girl was snatched from his hands, as if she was not a person, but some kind of doll.

The next moment, Raphael disappeared from his seat using vampire speed and occupied one of the rooms that was closest to his path.

He carefully placed the fragile body on the soft bed, not caring that the blanket would be soiled, and with his hands tore the corset of the dress, exposing the open wound. His gaze fell on a piece of paper that had fallen out of the inner pocket of the corset and he immediately picked it up, putting it in his pants pocket.

Marcel stood in the doorway, watching the vampire’s actions and could not help but notice the strangeness of his actions, because everyone who knew Raphael knew how much he hated witches. But what does he see now? The same vampire, with trembling hands, gently and carefully tried to remove the blood-soaked fabrics.

If he decided to tell someone about it, they would hardly believe him. He wouldn’t have believed it himself if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.

- Get some warm water. - Raphael growled without turning his head in Marcel’s direction.

A little later, he carefully treated her wound, which was too big for her small stomach. The blood was already caked, but the rotting of the tissues continued. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers.

It was his personal agony, his pain and suffering. He could have healed her, but this wound was caused by a bliar, which means there was little he could do. Even turning her into a vampire wouldn’t help save her life.

He stared at her closed eyes and felt her ragged, weak breathing. How much longer could she hold out?

Raphael didn’t know what to do because he had never been involved in rescuing people injured by werewolves, let alone bliars.

His hands gently caressed her cheeks as she moaned faintly and fell silent again. It was this that prompted his to act, despite the fact that he knew her outcome. He bit into his own wrists, causing the blood to flow profusely.

Slightly parting her lips, he let the blood flow into her mouth. But it didn’t turn out as he expected and her body immediately convulsed, as if convulsions had passed through every cell of her body.

Marcel realized that his help would be useful now and began to hold her legs while Raphael held her hands. It didn’t last long, but in the minds of both men it looked like a very long time had passed before she calmed down.

A coolness touched Raphael’s cheeks when he realized that tears were flowing from his eyes. This made him shocked, because the last time he allowed himself such a weakness in relation to his late wife. But even this time he couldn’t do anything about his own feelings.

His heart ached too much for this girl. Despite the fact that his whole appearance showed severity and steadfastness, inside he was irrevocably in love with her and this caused his heart to break into pieces again and again from the realization that he could lose her again.

Raphael had been alone for too long and Thea had become a warm ray of sunshine for him, which showed that life was not as gloomy as he was used to seeing it. And now the darkness seemed to be gathering around him again, shrouding that thin ray of light that this young girl was for him.

It was good that he was standing with his back to Marcel, it gave him time to quietly wipe away the shameful tears.

- Leave it to us and don’t let anyone in here. Even you are forbidden to enter this room. - Raphael said coldly and without emotion.

And although Marcel had too many questions for the vampire, he decided to leave them for later and went down to the living room, where a large company had already gathered. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

- How is she? - Adeline asked, who was not even happy to meet Klaus right now, because all her thoughts were occupied with her wounded friend.

Marcel was silent for a minute, and then honestly stated that Thea had too little chance of surviving.

- And you left her there with that crazy vampire? - Nicole screamed, who saw Raphael literally pull Thea’s body out of the werewolf’s hands.

Nicole still hasn’t recovered from the shock of meeting Raphael last time. That was why she couldn’t accept that her friend was alone with him right now.

Both Adeline and Nicole understood that in fact he knew Thea and should not harm her, but she was in a changed form and it did not work in her favor. What if he decides to kill her?

- He won’t hurt her. - Marcel said and collapsed on the sofa, wearily throwing his head back and closing his eyes. – I myself am a little shocked by what I saw, but I can say that he was caring with her.

He chuckled at his own words because they sounded too absurd in his ears. But he didn’t care if the witches believed him or not, his task was to prevent anyone who could unceremoniously break in and prevent Raphael from treating the girl. Although this was absurd, because it was impossible to cure her, since even the sacred lake did not help.