Cash sighed and nodded his head "Fine. But as soon as she's taken it, you *must* go to Maharet, understand?" Cash held out his hands for Angel "Let me try Tris. I may not have as much as you and Raul, but I am stronger by far." Gently taking Angel into his arms Cash let her head rest against his chest. He remembered fondly how she would climb onto his lap when she was a child. She would insist he read to her, or tell her a story, or sing.... she had been his Angel even then. Cash kissed her gently on the head as he slipped off his always present leather jacket, revealing his muscular arms and back. "Angel... can you hear me sweet?" he cooed softly as he tried to rouse her "Come on baby.... its Cash, I need you to take some medicine now...alright?" he spoke to her as if she was still the child on his lap.

Cash felt a huge wave of relief flood over him as he heard Angel murmur something "What was that sweet? You have to speak up." he prompted, he knew the more time they spent with her, the more they touched her, the faster she would heal. If only Sirius or Remus were here, she needed someone warm to hold her. Someone who wasn't afraid to love her, she needed that more than she needed the blood. Cash remembered so many women in his family being afflicted like this, everyone soon discovered how important touch was to them. He could vividly remember wrapping his arms around his cousin as he laid in bed with her, comforting her, keeping her warm letting her know how much she was loved. That is what Angel needed right now, she needed a man to hold her, to comfort her, someone who could show her love without harming her.

Cash smiled widely as he heard Angel softly complaining about being in the hospital again. "I know Angel, I don't like it here either, but you have to take your medicine now." Slashing his wrist with his teeth Cash gently pressed the wound against Angel's mouth. He gasped as he felt her draw out his blood, apparently she had gotten Tris's aggressive nature along with her blood. He rested his head against hers as he pulled her closer to himself. How he loved her, she and Tris had made his life worth living again, she had to survive, he wanted to see her happy, he wanted to see her grow heavy with child and bring new life into this world. He wanted to hold her hand as she watched her children grow, he wanted her children to climb up on his lap and ask to hear the old stories he had been telling every generation of MacLeod since before he could remember. "That's it Angel" he said sluggishly "take as much as you can handle. It will make you strong like me." Cash felt himself beginning to swoon, Tris was right, he didn't have much blood to spare, not even for her.

"Cash?" Raul said gently "Cash, that's enough" he insisted as he gently pulled Cash's arm away from Angel. "You need what little you have left" he saw Cash was going to argue with him "Listen to me Cash, I am Primogen!" he reminded him forcefully, then added softly "Besides, if Mohrg's potion fails, we will need you to embrace her, you are the eldest and the strongest." That seemed to do the trick, Cash nodded silently and handed Angel to Raul as he rose from her bed and walked to Tristessa's side. Raul watched as Tristessa and Cash held onto each other, supporting each other both physically and emotionally, it was the true secret of their Clans Strength their bonds to each other.

Raul looked down at Angel as he carefully held her in his arms, she seemed almost drunk. Not that that was surprising, the power of the blood was probably overwhelming her senses, it was amazing she was still conscious at all. Looking up at Cash, Raul asked "Shall I give her more? Will she be able to withstand it?"

Cash looked back at Raul with dull eyes "As much as she can take, its not the first time she has tasted the blood. She was initiated into the service of Samhain as was I. She understands." He explained weakly as he sat on one of the beds. "It won't hurt her, she's not human, remember? Her blood is older than yours."

Raul nodded as his gaze returned to Angel, he couldn't imagine such a frail creature being able to withstand the blood. "If you are sure" he said softly as he wondered what it would feel like to have her feed from him. It secretly thrilled him to think of her lips against his skin, she was so soft compared to himself, so delicate, it was hard to picture her as the one who would be feeding from him. It was like the lamb attacking the lion.

Raul did as Cash and Tristessa had done, he slit his wrist and held it to her lips, he was surprised by the ferocity with which she fed, it was as if she was a newborn childer to the clan. Raul felt his muscles tighten as she took a deep draught from him, he felt as if his entire being was being drawn up by her lips, he did not find it unpleasant. Raul relaxed as his mind began swimming; wandering back to the night he had fed from her, he looked down at Angel, how could she take so much blood? Human or not, it didn't make sense. Raul let his head rest against Angel's as she fed from him, he could feel her growing stronger with every passing moment, he only hoped the blood would not have any unforeseen effects on her. Raul was becoming pleasantly drowsy when he felt a cold, hard hand on his shoulder.

"Raul, you've given her too much" Mohrg said gently "you and Cash need to feed. If this does not heal her, one of you will need to embrace her."

"We intend to hold off on that for as long as possible" Cash said, determined to find someway to keep Angel alive and mortal no matter what. "She is stronger now, the blood is working its magic on her."

Mohrg nodded "You do realize it is only temporary, when the blood runs its course, if she has not healed... .....it will only delay her suffering" he reminded Cash gently.

"She will heal, she has to" Raul told him as he reluctantly pulled himself away from Angel. Even as weak as she was, her warmth was intoxicating to him, he wanted to hold her, to comfort her, to feel the warmth of her body against his skin. "Mohrg, is she strong enough to take the potion? We don't have anymore to give her." Raul lamented as he gestured to Mohrg to take Angel from him, he had never felt so weak as he did now.

Mohrg stared at Raul for a moment "Me? You want me to administer the potion to her?" he found this hard to believe, he was Nosferatu, a monster even among the Kindred, how could they hand over someone so dear to them to the likes of him.

"Has she ever pulled away from you Mohrg?" Cash asked wearily "Has her son? Even her husband only hesitated a moment before accepting you." Cash smiled as he rested his head on Tris's shoulder "She trusts you. So do we."

"Husband..... what husband?" Tris asked as Raul walked over to them. "No wonder you're so keen on keeping her mortal."

"A wizard I caught her with the night we arrived. I'll explain it later, but I'm fairly certain he will end up as her husband. Sure as hell beats tall, dark and grumpy." Cash smirked as Raul rolled his eyes.

Mohrg felt strange, he had never been in a situation like this before, no one trusted the Nosferatu. They were respected and feared, they were sought for their knowledge and their power, but this was unheard of. "Are you sure?" he asked almost meekly "she is still so very weak." he stated as he tenderly touched her cheek, he was so afraid of hurting her. He was like marble; cold, white and hard while she was soft and warm, he could snap her in half if he wasn't careful. "I don't think she's strong enough to manage the potion. Her heart may not heal Cash.... "

"Yes it will, she just needs warmth..." Cash was slurring now, he needed to feed and quickly even if it was only a mouthful, he needed blood. "She needs someone who can hold her and bring her warmth, physically and emotionally. She's a healer by nature, that means she's empathic too... she needs to feel love..." Cash shut his eyes tightly as he tried to fight off the urge to feed "where the hell are Sirius and Remus, she needs them....."

Remus saw Poppy waving at him frantically "Oh brother... this is never a good sign Filius" he joked to Professor Flitwick "I guess I should go see what's happened now. Probably one of the first years got into my classroom again and let out the boggart. You think they would have learned after the last time." he added as he rolled his eyes.

Remus jumped out of the carriage and walked quickly towards Madame Pomfrey "What happened this time Poppy? Did the students get into my classroom again?" He knew immediately by the look on her face it was something much worse than that.

"Professor Lupin, you have to come to the hospital right away. Its those vampyres they're doing something to Cat. She's hurt terribly, I can't help her..." Poppy never got to finish her sentence, as soon as Remus heard the words Cat and hospital he took off like a bolt of lightning.

"The only thing I can do is offer my blood" Mohrg replied hesitantly "but I have no idea what it will do to her. And I can't stand the thought of forcing her to drink from me, I am not soft and malleable as you are. I am ancient, my skin is cold and hard....." he shook his head "and my blood may well kill her, I am not of your clan"

"She has tasted Nosferatu blood before" Tris said quietly as every eye turned to her. "Your clan brother, Daedelus ... he fell in love with her. . .he. .he didn't mean to do it....." Tris hung her head as she felt Cash's eyes bore into her. "I know I should have said something, but it ended up saving her life when the Brujah attacked us. They could feel his presence inside of her, it did something to her, ..... but she overcame it."

Mohrg couldn't believe what he was hearing, Daedelus had bonded with the Angel? Such a thing was unheard of, and to harm someone so trusting, so affectionate... he shook his head with dismay "And his blood did not harm her?" he asked Tristessa as he laid Angel down on her bed, taking great care to be gentle with her.

"She became ..... well, I suppose *aggressive* would be a nice term for it. I'm sure you both noticed that when she drank from you." Tris explained "But after a few days she was fine, and she was alive."

"I understand" Mohrg replied as he opened the potion bottle "Cash, do you agree with this?" he asked "You are the eldest both of her clan and clan Gangrel. I need your permission."

Cash nodded "You have it. Do whatever you have to...." Cash turned to Tris, "No more waiting.. Find Maharet now..." he added sternly "and we *will* talk later about your nasty habit of keeping secrets"

Tris nodded and moved quickly the last thing she wanted right now was to get into it with Cash. He was too dangerous when he was like this, weak and worried, never a good combination. She hated to think about what would happen to the first hapless victim he would find. He had been know to do some pretty vile things when he was in a state like this, hopefully Angel's condition and the presence of Raul and Mohrg would prevent him from doing anything too horrible.

Mohrg looked at Cash "Are you sure Cash of Gangrel, I will not be able to take it back once it is done."

"Do it.... there is no other choice now" Cash replied as he closed his eyes and prayed to the green god of the woods and to Brighde of the eternal flame to keep his Angel safe and alive. He watched as Mohrg removed his overcoat and rolled up one sleeve, exposing his alabaster white skin. Cash watched with amazement as the Nosferatu's fingernails grew in front of his eyes, turning into vulture-like claws. Mohrg ran one of these claws along his flesh, causing a large wound to open, Cash felt the terrible pangs of the hunger as he saw Mohrg's blood drip thickly into the potion bottle he had prepared for Angel. It was all Cash could do to stop himself from attacking Mohrg and trying to feed from him, Cash let out a soft groan as he fought against his own instincts.

"I am sorry my friend, I do not mean to torment you, but I cannot force her to drink from me" Mohrg explained softly "she is far to tender for that, and I hold her much to dear to cause her needless harm." Mohrg finished just as Remus came bursting through the doors of the hospital. Mohrg and Remus locked eyes for a moment before Mohrg calmly finished swirling the potion, mixing in his own blood in the hopes that it would preserve Angel's life.

Remus watched dumbfounded as Mohrg gingerly lifted Cat from her bed, she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Remus was nearly frantic "Cash, what happened to her... what happened to you?" he asked as he watched Mohrg cradling Cat in his arms as he held the potion bottle to her blood stained lips. "Why is he giving her his blood? And who attacked you? Have the Tremere arrived already?!" He only stopped when Raul placed a heavy hand on his shoulder "Sweet mother of ..... Raul, who did this?? Who attacked our clan?"

Raul and Cash smiled weakly "No one attacked us my brother. It was Angel, I heard her scream out, by the time I arrived she had already collapsed. Something has happened to her heart, we are doing all we can to keep her alive" Raul explained as he gestured to his wrist, dried blood evident around the site of his now healed wound.

"And now it’s your turn Remus, you need to help her as best you can." Cash sighed as he stood on his now wobbly legs. "She needs your warmth, she needs to be held." he explained as he nodded towards her bed.

Cat felt her world turning inside out, everything seemed so strange, so alien. She wanted to cry or scream, maybe a bit of both. Three times now she had woken up from her dreams only to taste Kindred blood in her mouth, she had recognized Tris’s and Cash’s immediately they had often given her a taste of their blood, it helped to reinforce the bond they shared. It allowed them to keep in touch over long distances, to feel each other’s emotions and sense each other’s thoughts. She was so used to the taste of their blood, it was like liquid light to her, it never staid still, it would move through her body of its own accord, drawing emotions and strength out of her that she had never realized she had. But this last time, the blood had been different, it was hot to the point of being scalding. It made her feel things she had tried to hide for so long, it made her want to lose herself in the arms of a man.

She remembered the surprise she had felt when she opened her eyes to see Raul pressed up against her, his blood flowing into her mouth along with his desires. Cat closed her eyes, she was afraid of what she might do to him. He was so close, and so willing, she could feel it in his flesh and taste it in his blood. It was his blood, it was his desires... she had to remember what the blood did to her. It gave her their strength, but it also carried their emotions, their memories and their fears. Cat tried to let herself relax, to allow the feelings to wash over her, but she couldn’t, they mirrored her own far too closely. She was tired of being alone, tired of being so careful, she wanted it to be the way it was years ago. It was so simple then, it was her and Sirius they loved each other and they shared that love constantly. Cat felt a pang course through her body as she remembered the last three hours, Sirius hated her now, there was no more love between them. A fact which had become painfully obvious this afternoon when he manhandled her and accused her of being a whore.

Remus understood immediately what Cash meant, her mother had done the same thing to him the night they cured Cat of his curse "I can’t Cash... I..... it isn’t right for me to .... I’m not the one for this." Remus stammered.

"You are Clan, you have a responsibility to her and to us, just as we have responsibilities to you" Cash reminded him.

Remus nodded "I understand that Cash, but wouldn’t Sirius be a better choice for this?"