I was still a little sore walking down to the bath; even a full minute of my mana wasn't enough to pletely heal the abuse do night. I feel bad for my new and only follower. I still don't know what to do with her. I'll have to ask Yuki about it. She's strong and knowledgable so she should be helpful. I don't really mind marrying her; I've heard most noble marriages have a few girls who are there not for love but for other reasons. Mistress let her up, so she likely wasn't part of the group that po hurt us.

  I'm with the crowd bathing today, and not seeing Mai ih, I decided to just use magid cheai i. The pool does seem to treat sex-reted injuries really well, but I want to talk to Mai. Even i, I 't find my kitty, so I check the lounge , which is empty, besides a few young orphans. Panig, I run up to the third floor; Mai is e; there is no reason for her not to be downstairs already.

  Pushing through the pain, I quickly reach the third floor and rush to her room he middle of the hallway. All the ers have already left, so I barge in. Mai has do enough times to me that she 't pin about it. The first thing I see is red spshed against the far wall, then a staiail lying still.

  "MIA!" I shout; I rush to her side as my mana surges forward, fast enough to ma physically, pushing the blood-stained sheets off her bed. It searches for a target to heal. Mai is crumpled on the floor, blood slowly pooling arouomach. I search for a pulse but I've only seen Kelly do it, I'm not sure what to really look for. Fuck my useless mana and csses. How 't I heal my friend with this much life mana? "e on, Mai. You aren't dead. Please wake up. Flick your tail, breath, make fun of my useless ass. e on, why are you still bleeding?" I cry out. Tears blur my vision. I don't know what else to do, just push my mana to her and hope it does something. I have no healing skills and no mana training. The only knowledge I have of healing is moving my mana around and watg Kelly.

  "e on, kitty, e bae. I haven't had your litter yet. You 't leave me," I mumble out. Her bleeding has stopped, but I'm not sure if that is from running out of blood or if I'm actually doing something for her.

  "Alzi, you move. Keep your mana up; just let me see her," Yuki says behind me. I'm not sure whe here, but I'm not willing to let my kitty go. Frozen in fear, I just sit there mumbling. "Alzi she'll be ok, but you o move. Please, I o get to her." Yuki ends up needing to peel me off her, leaning me against the wall. My body was soaked in Mai's blood, body shaking. Luckily, I still 't move, or I would likely fight Yuki to get baai.

  Yuki's back hides what she is doing, but I feel my mana finding a target to actively heal. I'm not sure if that is Yuki herself or Mai. Kelly steps into the room, and Yuki moves to the side so they both work on Mai together, leaving stupid me off to the side.

  The stress must have put me to sleep as I was shaken awake sometime ter.

  "Hi Alzi, e on. They took Mai downstairs to Kelly's room. Get up. They say they could use your help," Vasati says to me.

  "Is she ok?" I whisper, fearing the answer.

  "She's alive but hurt. I'll help you up here. Mai needs you now," she answers. She puts her hands under my armpits and starts to lift; I get my feet under me and rise. She quickly walks out of the room, and I stumble after her.

  Inside Kelly's room, I see Mai oable. Her stomach has been stitched close. She is extremely pale and I don't see her breathing. Yuki and Kelly are oher side of her, poking and prodding.

  "I've brought her down, Yuki," Vasati says, getting both girls to turn to us.

  "Good, Alzi, you still have mana, right?" Yuki pleads.

  "Yes," I say. Yuki said she'll be fine, yet Mai looks like she's already dead.

  "Perfect, e here. I'll do everything. I just need you to be the power source, ok? Together, we'll get Mai to pull through, ok?"

  "Ok, please help her." Tears e back as I make my way to Yuki. Kelly is still searg for something.

  "Alright, just rex; I'll handle everything," she warns right before pain explodes in my stomach, and I pass out.

  Yet again, I'm shaken awake. I think I'm still in Kelly's room; the first-floor ceilings are slightly darker than the higher floors.

  "Alzi, how are you feeling?" Yuki asks me. I sit up, looking for Mai. I'm still in Kelly's room, so she should still be here. Yet only Yuki and I are present; the table Mai should be on is empty.

  "Where is she? Why isn't she here? You said I just o rex, and she would pull through. What happened."

  "Calm down, Alzi. Answer my question first then I'll answer yours."

  "I'm distressed, Yuki. Alright. Now where. Is. Mai?" Anger is repg my fear. How hard is it to let me know Mai is fine? She promised me Mai would be fine.

  "Alzi, how are your kids?"

  "No, I answered your question, answer mine."

  "Alzi, that is a longer discussion. We o worry about you first."

  "Fuck that! I don't care about these bastards I'll never see again. Tell me where Mai is!"

  "Alzi, tell me how the kids are doing."

  A and, the s is forced into my vision.

  "Womb is perfectly healthy."

  "Good, your fall scared us. We saw the twelve dots dull out for a while and got worried. I'm going to move the covers and check that they are still pulsing ok."

  "Yuki, stop ign me." Tears bursting through my anger. How hard is it to talk to me? Bme the fucks that hurt Mai and have the Duchess fuck me again. I 't repce Mai.

  She tio reveal my naked body, my tattoo glowing as normal. "I'm not, and I see twelve pulsing dots."

  "I told you I don't care."

  "I know. Look, Mai is. Well, she did make it through the ordeal. But she had some ges happen. All her blood was gone by the time I got there. Your life mana sed the room, lettiay alive through unnatural means. Mai should be dead right now, Alzi. That obviously means she had some problems."

  "What do you mean problems." I ha if she is crippled. I just need her alive. I just o be able to hug her, maybe see her smile.

  "I'm going to work with her to fix the problems. Don't worry. Just you won't be able to see her for a while, ok? I promise she is alive. You'll marry her and me. Ok, we'll have our happy family. Just give me some time to help get her strength back."

  "My soothing touch help after her sessions. My mana is good for recovery." My tears y vision, anger, fear, and worry swirl around in my head. "Just tell me what is happening, Yuki. Let me see Mai. I don't believe you. I should be able to help her." I'm shaking again. How could they keep Mai from me? I could help, right?

  "Look, your mana would hurt her right now."

  "Did she turn into something?"

  That question makes her wait, staring at me, uain of how to respond. What did I turn Yuki into? If I knew how to heal her, this wouldn't have happened. Damn, Mistress is f me to be ignorant of mana, having these useless csses. She e Mai. My little kitten.

  "Yes, if you really would like to help, I could use some of your blood."

  "Vampire. I turned my friend into a vampire." How did I mahat? I healed her. How did I make her into a new being? What is going on?

  "No, we turned her into a vampire. By the time I got there, this was the only option. Your mana would keep her alive but not heal her. I'm sorry I took too long to get to you ahe only option was to turn her into an undead creature. Vampires are the best option; they at least have ways to stay sane."

  "Doesn't it take another vampire to create one?"

  "Most of the time. There are a few other ways to do it. This method is the most dangerous oying the person of blood but keeping them alive. There are a few potions they need; all are actually on healing potions and antidotes. The st thing I needed ark of life. That is what made you pass out and why I o check the kids. I took a bit of life from the twelve to do it. Adults hold onto theirs too well to use," Yuki pulls me into a hug. "She'll take some time to adjust. Bloodthirst is something she has to get used to. She'll have a hard time being near you as her progenitor."

  "As her what?"

  "You turned her, so you'll be her progenitor. Since you aren't a vampire, it won't do anything special besides making her love your blood. So just give it some time, and you'll have Mai ba your arms, ok. Now, let's move you back to your room so Kelly sleep."

  "How long was I out?"

  "I don't know. It's midnight now, but I didn't pay much attention to the time you passed out. I had a lot going on handling the neire. The brothel will be closed tomorrow; today was also closed. Just get some sleep. There should be some food in your room." Yuki pulls me off the bed and out of the room. I expect Kelly to be waiting, but the room is empty. Yuki heads straight up the stairs, pulling me along.

  "Ok." Finally, not needing to worry about Mai's survival, I feel my huhe food would be nice. Making it to my room I see the food Yuki mentioned. I quickly eat it and fall asleep.