Victoria looked up weakly as Vail got off the chaise lounge to come to her bedside. Her eyelids appeared heavy. Her eyes were unfocused and slightly glazed over, they no longer had a twinkle behind them that suggested an intelligence that dwelled within. She was tired and weak, more than yesterday. The root cause was Spencer, however Vail’s feed on her last night only accelerated her condition. 

She could see the pity in his eyes as he looked her over. Had he never seen a sick human before? It was the same look of how she would look at a sick pet dog. Something smaller, weaker and that relied on her. Vampires were obviously immune to all human disease and infection. A gift most humans would kill for. Who wouldn’t want their life extended, no sickness, always healthy? But for someone like Vail, it may be a curse having lived so long for so little quality and human interactions in society had to be brief. Now she saw a glimpse of fear behind those usually steeled eyes. Fear of losing her to illness. It was always a risk for vampires, probably why they were so discouraged to bond with them. 

Peter may have slowed the infection by cleaning the outer wound, but the bacteria had already entered her blood stream and she could even be on the verge of sepsis. As his hand located her hand beneath the blanket, she smiled meekly.  She didn’t like to show vulnerability to anyone but to Vail, she didn’t mind so much. She would let him see her in that state and only him. As he asked her the question if he could do anything, she focused hard on his words to understand, then shook her head. She took a breath and coughed into her free hand. Even his father wasn’t able to help unless he was a trained medical professional. Which she wasn’t really sure he was. Vampires had no need for doctors. 

Se took a breath to speak. “I-..” She entered a coughing fit that eventually turned into gasping for air. “Need….doctor.” She panted with exhaustion as she felt hot and sweaty but her skin was cold to the touch. She attempted to push away the bed covers and she respirated quickly as if she appeared to be too warm. “Human…Doctor.” She took a few breaths. “I think I….need penicillin.” She pointed to her sore neck. “Might have…sepsis.” She gasped and coughed again. Although there was one thing he could do for her. She looked up at him with ‘puppy dog eyes’ as it were. “Could I….have water…please?” She needed to keep her intake of fluids up. Dehydration would only add to the myriad of medical problems she faced right now.