Taking a deep breath they both follow me the rest of the way. I find that Chancey has returned. He's in the kitchen. He looks up when we enter and glares at me.
"Remind me never to leave the grounds again."
"Was Mario that much of a handful?"
"Mario was exactly what he said he'd be. He taught me the herbs to look for and left me to gather them, while he went to get some stuff. He came back with a big bag and then we came home. We were only gone a couple of hours. It's you that's the handful."
"Really?" I raise my eyebrow and he bows his head.
"I'm sorry, My Lord. It has been a somewhat difficult day. I came back to find Serif almost dead, Taz spinning out of control and Sacha going demented trying to find 'something special' for Bridge's lunch. He's a dreadful cook and he'd made such a mess of the kitchen. If it hadn't been that it was for Bridge I would have hit him over the head with a frying pan."
"How is Bridge?" It's crazy how the sound of his name makes my heart jump.
"I don't know. I haven't had the chance to go up. I think he's okay, Sacha was smiling."
"And Serif?"
Chancey frowns. "I don't know, My Lord. David did a good job and he's very strong but..."
"But?"
"He was very close to the edge when I last saw him. Mario was doing something with him. He seemed confident but Mario is confident about everything."
I smile. "Yes, he is."
I turn to my new acquisitions. "This is Chancey. He is the one who makes the house run smoothly. He is your brother but he is also your master. If he is unfair or cruel to you let me know but I would be beyond surprised if he was. He can be a pain sometimes but it's only because he has a huge task on his hands running this place and he wants to do it well.
"You will not be expected to do any work around the house, as we have a staff for that. In the beginning, at least, you will concentrate on getting yourselves fit and well and then we will see where you niches lie. Chancey will instruct you on the rules and routines of the house. He will introduce you to the others. If you have any questions then direct them to him and he will answer."
I smile at the boys who, now that they are here seem very uncertain and lost. They all do. "Chancey, this is Sam and Alex. Now they will be Yin and Yang. They are twins and fit together perfectly. The one exists within the other and they are only complete when they are together. These are perfect names for their new life."
"Indeed, My Lord." Chancey says brightly, smiling at the twins. "Come on then, let's get you cleaned up and see what's under all that grime.
"I'll leave you with Chancey. I'll see you again in the morning. Ten o'clock Chancey, okay?"
"Of course, My Lord."
"Do you need to replenish your supplies?"
"Not just at the moment but, unless you want to do it as intensely as last time, we are going to have to start taking a little every day again quite soon."
"Speak to me about it again tomorrow."
"Yes, My Lord."
When I leave the kitchen I go straight to the transfusion suite. I hear voices as I pause outside the door. When I open, it I find Taz sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, holding Serif in his arms, resting his head on the bright gold hair. Serif has his eyes closed but his cheeks are pink and he looks much stronger than he was when I left him.
They are speaking softly to each other and I am utterly shocked. I have never seen them so gentle and tender with anyone, let alone each other. What on earth is going on in this house?
"Are you feeling better?"
Serif opens his eyes and smiles his angelic smile. "Much better thank you, My Lord."
"No thanks to you," Taz snaps and I take a mental step back. "When I first came I thought he was dead. You took too much."
"I know."
"Taz," Serif scolds, "My Lord told me what he was going to do and it was..." He flashes a look at me that makes me gasp. "It was my pleasure."
"But..."
"Tell me again what you told me after what happened to you."
Taz colours. "That was different. That was an accident."
"But it was a wild ride." He tilts his head to look up at Taz and, after only a few moments of their eyes locking, Taz relents.
"I'm sorry, My Lord. I was..."
"I know you were, Taz. I promise I will never do anything like that again."
"Spoilsport," Serif teases and Taz punches him, none to gently.
"I am glad you're alright. I'll call in and see you again tomorrow. It would probably better if you transfused again then just to make sure."
Serif laughs. "I have enough of your blood in my veins already to make me want to bite, and Taz won't let me. He says I'm not up to it but as soon as you leave I'm going to show him that I am."
Smiling, I shake my head. "Very well, but if you insist, perhaps you will take him back to your room, the walls are far too thin here. I think that one of you would probably go through."
They look at each other with a glint in their eyes and I retreat hurriedly.
When I enter my apartment, I hear the laughter from the bedroom straight away. I recognise Bridge's light chuckle and I would know Star's from a mile away. I am so tuned in to him I can feel him wherever he is in the house. There are others in there too.
When I open the door I am surprised to find half the house here. Star and Sacha, of course and Mario who I expected to be here, and also Ara, David and Pen.
"Who decided to have a party and not invite me?"
Bridge, who is sitting cross legged on the bed, flings himself into my arms and I am instantly filled with sweetness. Oh what fortuitous chance led me to find this angel?
"I missed you," he says softly, looking into my eyes. I look into his and see stars. I have become accustomed to thinking of Bridge as small, but he is almost as tall as I am, as tall as anyone in the house. He is very slender, though. I could almost put my hands around his waist, and his wrists look as if they would snap if I held them too hard.
Somehow, he has managed to keep himself well fed and the slenderness is genetic rather than due to malnutrition, although his illness has hollowed him. Since the treatments began he has started to pick up condition again and I can only hope that it's enough to see him through.
He looks very, very tired. I take his face in my hand and look into the beautiful emerald eyes. There are shadows there.
"You should be resting and not having a party."
"I was resting," he says indignantly. "I was just resting with company."
"Yes. It looks like it. I think David and Pen have other things to do and Chancey is looking for you Ara, we have two new friends to take care of."
"Yes, My Lord," they murmur but they all have twinkles in their eyes.
"I'd say you behave like my father," Bridge says lightly as he throws himself onto the bed, "but he never cared that much." It's a good thing he can't see my eyes right now.
Mario catches my eye but speaks to Bridge. "I have to go. I have some things I need to talk over with Chancey about what we did today. You make sure to drink all of the tea I made for you."
"It's horrible." Bridge wrinkles his nose.
"No it isn't, it's sweetened with honey." His voice and face soften considerably. "It's going to help you get strong, Bridge and that's all that any of us wants."
Bridge bites his lip and nods, reaching for the cup.
I follow Mario into the sitting room. "Thank you," I say awkwardly. This respect thing still doesn't come easily to me.
"The tea will help but it will take time. There is nothing that can do miracles, not like you can. It all takes time. Is there no way you can boost his energy."
I shake my head. "Don't think that it hasn't been on my mind since the start, but I have to keep attacking the cancer. I can't do both: I can't take and give. If I am drawing sickness out I can't put energy in; it doesn't work that way. And I can't stop drawing the cancer out. It is all through him, everywhere. It is so close to killing him I can't risk one day. Even now, his body is struggling to fight it, that's what saps his energy so quickly. He fights but it is still too strong to be fought. So no, there is nothing more I can do, anything I try other than what I am doing now will only make it worse. I have to keep attacking the cancer and hope that he'll have the strength to hold on to the end."
"How much longer?"
"Two days."
He purses his lips. "I don't know. Do the treatments make him weaker?"
"Yes. They make his body weaker but cleaner. As the sickness declines his body fights it harder but it's still too strong. Every day he's better but weaker."
"I think I understand. I'll do my best."
I put my hand on his shoulder. "I know you will."
When I go back into the bedroom Sacha is trying to interest Bridge in lunch but he simply shrugs and sighs. "Whatever you want, Sacha. I'm not hungry but I know I'll get grief if I don't eat so I'll eat whatever you give me."
"But there must be something that you'd like. Scrambled egg? Noodles? Candyfloss?"
Bridge smiles. "If you get me candyfloss I'll eat it off your cock."
"Give me half an hour."
Bridge is smiling as Sacha leaves.
I lie down on the bed next to Bridge and look deep into his eyes. I am aware that Star is watching us but I ignore him. Bridge smiles his slow smile and a light twinkles deep behind his pupils. It's not the flash of red it is with Star, it is a golden light that shines from deep within. It almost feels as if the light is reaching out to me and drawing me in. I smile, despite my gloomy mood and reach out to touch his face.
He is cold. He is always cold and his skin is translucent pale. Now that I have drawn the sickness to the surface I can almost smell it in his blood and I can see it in him when I look at his face. There are deep shadows around his eyes and it makes me shiver. It would be unbearable if I lost him. But he is far from that. He is ill and cold and tired but he is still strong, I can see that too. I will do it. I will make him better; just a few more days.
"It's alright, Luma."
