"What do you mean, Qila?" Spike asked her but she fell asleep once more.
He frowned as he tried to understand what had been happening to her.
Was it planned? Their meeting and his attraction to her... Of course not. Spike was attracted to Qila when she was normal...
'What about the cocci plantation inside her walls?'
Qila was not normal when she met him. But she was his type of woman.
Elusive.
Enigmatic.
Mysterious.
And it turned out that she was a trained assassin!
Spike saw that the bed was done. He carried Qila to the bedroom.
"Oh, Miss Qila is asleep again. We prepared your lunch, sir," Soledad informed him.
"Thank you, Soledad." Spike did not have dinner and breakfast. He could go without food for days but Soledad would be concerned so he ate lunch even without appetite.
Qila was pale again. Spike texted Dr. Peralta.
The doctor checked the wound dressing and found that it was healed.
"Impressive, sir!" he exclaimed as he applied new dressing. "Even the knife wounds are healing!"
The male nurse took out the dextrose stand.
"But why is she pale? She was listless when she woke up earlier."
"Let's give the medicines time to work, sir. I've given her antibiotics and vitamins for the lost blood."
"Okay." But Spike was not convinced.
Soledad came with the two employees. They cleared the table for two.
His celfone rang. "Hello?"
"Sir! You must come to the Monitor Room! The prisoner!"
Spike forgot about the prisoner! He was totally occupied with Qila.
"Have you learned anything from her?" Spike asked when he faced the guard who called him.
"Nothing, sir! She just said: Qila Arrow! I am Qila Arrow!" the guard monitoring the cameras answered. "But look at the camera, sir!"
The woman was vomiting black liquid copiously. The dark gooey was all around her feet. She was sitting on a chair. Her arms were tied on her body and her legs. Her face was shrunken due to dehydration.
"She started puking nonstop ten minutes ago. The doctor tried to stop it but in vain."
"Where's the doctor?"
"Changing his clothes."
"Untie her!" Spike ordered through the microphone.
When the woman was untied, she started to fall down. The two guards carried her towards the bunk bed. They barely avoided the vomit. It was even blacker than before. The liquid splashed on their shoes.
The woman had bulging eyes and sunken cheeks. She appeared older. Her body had shrunken, too. Her face was wrinkled and sagging. Her mouth was open because she had difficulty in breathing. Her chest was surging in and out until it became still.
Dr. Peralta had been called to revive the woman. He had changed to freshly laundered white medical clothes which got dirtied again because her mouth gurgled blood when her chest was pumped.
Spike watched the death of another 'Qila Arrow!'
His men knew how to dispose the dead body. They would try to trace the relatives first. Afterwards, they would deliver it to the government's morgue.
But now, Spike was worried about Qila. He went back to his bedroom urgently.
Qila was vomiting again! Soledad was supporting Qila while a female employee was holding a basin in front of her face.
"Sir, Qila complained of an empty stomach so we helped her to drink tea but she puked it all!" Soledad told Spike.
He carried again Qila to the bathroom. She was lighter than before. Her face was gaunt and her lips were blue. She was shivering.
And her vomit was getting blacker!
Spike did not know what to do. He had watched the stranger die in front of his eyes! He would not let Qila die in the same manner!
'No way!' he snarled as he brought Qila out of the room. The direction of his feet was sure. He was going to the swimming pool!
Spike closed the iron door securely behind him. He walked into the water with Qila on his arms. His brown eyes were turning to red slowly. The water was smoking when his body started to submerge.
"Qila?" Spike called her name huskily. When she remained unconscious, he shifted his shape from human to dragon. His forked tongue licked into her mouth and throat. It reached as far as the stomach and the lungs.
When his tongue went out, it fetched more black liquid. He lapped the dark fluid until it was depleted but he did not stop. He tasted the bitterness of the white powder. His whole body was glowing red as he performed his magical powers.
Spike did not stop until he had drawn out all the fine particles inside Qila's bones. He let her body float down in the boiling crimson water. His smoldering cerise eyes watched her intensely. His magic was flowing from his gaze to her physique. The reddish aura was moving from head to toe and back.
When Qila opened her eyes, she lunged upwards. She coughed slightly but no liquid entered her nose and mouth. The bubbles started to disappear until the pool became a peaceful body of water.
Spike deliberately stayed in his dragon form. He stared at her silently.
Qila tread water while she looked around her. The thin fabric of her loose shirt drifted as she swam towards the shore.
Spike smiled to himself when she did not see him.
"Qila?" His deep voice resonated around the concave roof of the thirty-feet deep swimming pool.
Qila whipped her head. She recognized the voice!
"Huh? Dragon? Am I dreaming?"
"No. You're awake." Spike walked over to the shore. His feet swept the floor of the pool.
Qila gazed up at him in disbelief. "You are... real?" she whispered doubtfully.
"Touch me." He curved his neck downwards to bring his face closer to her.
She stretched her hand hesitantly. Her fingertips felt his moustache.
Spike shivered slightly. Even in his beastly shape, he could feel the desire he had for Qila!
Qila met the sizzling quiver and pulled back her hand. She pinched herself.
"You are the dragon in my dreams?" She asked the obvious.
"Yes."
"But... how?"
"Because I desire you, Qila..."
Her eyes widened when he shifted his shape. "Spike..."
They were standing on the fourth step of the pool. They were on their waist-high in the water.
Spike ambled towards Qila. She was staring at him without blinking. Her eyes traced his manly form. His strong face, his wide shoulders, his muscled chest, his flat abdomen...
Qila swallowed as he neared her. He was caressing her body with a hot look. Her skin crinkled and pointed at the gauzy shirt she wore with just a steamy gaze.
"How do you feel now?" Spike asked in concern. Her healthy color came back. Her lips were once again red and kissable, not bluish and puckered. Her eyes were sparkling and alive. She was cured...
"Hot..." Qila fanned herself with her languid hand. "Um, Spike?"
"Yes?"
"You are... naked..."
"Yes..." Spike stopped walking when he was one meter away from her. His scorching stare spoke to her mutely.
Qila glided towards him without knowing until she put her palms on his chest. His heartbeat was thumping like a drum.
Spike turned to a statue. His knuckles were tight as he controlled himself. He would let her take the first move.
"I want you, too," she whispered huskily.
"What about the one-month waiting period?" he murmured softly.
"I think, we know each other better now..." Qila muttered as she kissed his jaw. "What do you think, Spike?" she asked teasingly.
"It's about time, Qila!" His large hand cupped her head. His firm mouth rubbed against her smooth cheek and her sweet lips. His other hand gathered her figure close to his body.
Qila wrapped her arms around his neck. She bit his ear provocatively. Her legs enveloped about his hips temptingly.
"Qila, wait..." Spike closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.
Qila squirmed gently as she removed her shirt. "I'm ready, Spike!" she replied throatily. "Take me!"
"Oh, Qila, Qila...!" They shared a deep kiss while their bodies held each other closely.
Spike thought he would carry Qila to one of the lounging chairs but Qila would not want out of the water. While they were kissing hotly, she rested her back on the tiled wall and received him while standing.
Spike stopped all movements. He savored the glorious sensation. Qila fondled his longish hair while she looked at him with half-closed eyes.
"You're my first," she remarked matter-of-factly. "Do you mind, Spike?"
"No, I don't mind," he answered with pride. "I'm glad!" He rained tiny kisses on her face and neck.
"Show me! Do me good!" Her slender hands clutched his muscular arms while her hips shifted.
Spike adjusted their positions. He showed his appreciation through careful and accurate thrusts.
Her nails scored his back and her teeth bit his shoulder. The water splashed around them slowly from start to finish.
Afterwards, Spike carried her pliable body and sat with her on his lap. He laid down and hugged her closely to his chest.
Qila listened to his heart. It was beating fast like her own.
"I can't believe it," she murmured to his neck. "You are the dragon in my dreams?"
"Yes."
"Then... who is the alpha wolf?"