He could feel the life ebbing from his victim as he lapped up his blood.

A thought beat against the back of his mind like a trapped thing would throw  itself against the walls of its prison.  He sensed it was somehow important,
but he was too desperate for life-giving fluid to heed it.

Then he was torn from his prey and hurled across the room.  He snarled and leapt at the interloper who would dare deprive him of his meal, only to be caught in a superhuman grasp he couldn't break.

"Hear me, Illya Nikovich," his captor said, "and heed your clan leader. Think of who you would deprive of blood and life."

It was the only voice which *could* draw him from his blood-madness: the ancient being adopted by a noble line before they became Princes of Kiev, and given as wife a daughter of the house in gratitude for saving the life of its heir.  They were not to know what they had mingled into their blood until years later, when the blood-madness came upon the eldest son of that union.

They accepted the explanation given by the boy's father, and over the centuries the main and cadet lines had intermarried many times, as well as marrying into the ruling lines of several neighboring lands.  Such unions had produced the likes of Vlad the Impaler and the infamous Elizabeth Bathory, known as "The Blood Countess" for her wholesale slaughter of peasant girls.  There were others who also fed on humanity, but were wise enough to do so discreetly and cause no comment.

Now the being who had worn many names but now called himself Valentine Kuryakin exerted the strength of his princedom on one of the youngest of his line.  "Do you hear me?"

Lids closed over blood red eyes and opened to reveal crystal blue ones as Illya's canines retracted.  "Polya --?  What?  I was on the couch --"  He turned confused eyes on his ancestor.  "What happened, and why are you here?"

"I followed you here," Valentine said.  "He must have mistaken your morning topor for starvation and foolishly offered himself as a meal.  And yes, before you ask, I saw your other guests."

"They're Lilim, aren't they?"  Illya's eyes fell on the bed.  "Polya!" he cried, trying to get over to him.

"I'll take care of him," the older man said, "you just get some rest.  Go and lie down -- he will be well when you wake, and human still."

After Illya left the room he moved swiftly over to the bed and injected Solo's wound with a special counteragent for the anticoagulant found in vampire saliva, then set up an IV with O negative blood taken from a donor kept for just such emergencies.  Beside being a universal donor the person was also a "bubble baby", with no antibodies in their blood, so it would cause no adverse reaction when given.  Solo had taken a whole unit and half of another before he stirred and opened
his eyes.  "Where's Illya, and who are you?"

"For the next few decades, I am Valentine Kuryakin, at your service," the man said.  Solo could see he was a large man, standing well over six feet in height, with a well-muscled frame.  The face was lean, with gentle dark blue eyes and a nose which looked as though it had been broken at some point, surrounded by dark blond hair pulled back in a ponytail.  "That was an exceedingly stupid thing to do.  Had I not followed my kinsman here to ensure his safety you would now be dead and Illya would be hunted by your brethren of UNCLE.  How much do you know of us, anyway?"

"Obviously not enough," Solo stated, attempting to rise from his bed.

Valentine put a large hand on his chest and pushed him back down.  "What you mistook for starvation was morning topor.  It's common among vampires less
than 500 years old.  Do not *ever* attempt to feed him again from your own body; if you think he is undernourished, call this number and avoid him as best you can."  He pulled a card from his billfold and placed it on the nightstand, then leaned down until he was bare inches from Solo's face.  "I am very fond of Illya.  I wouldn't like it *at all* if you should force him to break the Covenant by your own stupidity."  He withdrew and stood, then checked the IV and added another unit of blood.  "Illya is resting on your couch.  I think you will be well enough after this unit, and he should wake in time to remove the needle from your hand."  He turned toward the door, as did Solo, and when the UNCLE agent turned back, he was gone.