Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 185

You could have heard a Prozac drop.

"Holy c.r.a.p, Nelly," I made some odd, high-pitched squealing sound and jumped up to grab the gun away from her. However, someone had beaten me to it. Instead of getting lost, as I had specifically asked him to do, Alex must have been listening from somewhere close by. He wrestled the huge firearm away from Nelly and dragged her into the kitchen.

The doctor's eyes were open wide and he looked like as if he was in need of a change of underwear. Luanna had risen from her seat by the fire and was standing near Gunter, who, to his credit, had not seemed to move a muscle. He still looked rather bored, actually. I apologized three times for the behavior of my housekeeper and made a beeline for the kitchen, where I found Alex leaning over Nelly threateningly. He still had a hold on both her arms. The shotgun had disappeared.

"What in G.o.d's name were you thinking?" I shrieked, "You've never touched a gun in your entire life! Someone could have been killed!"

"Having one vampire sneaking around the house is more than enough, young lady." She grumbled, glaring at Alex and me in turn.

I reached out and grabbed her shoulder, "What? What vampire?" I sneaked a peek at Alex's face. It had gone an unhealthy shade that reminded me of the color of the cream I put in my coffee every morning. However, he remained completely silent. I refocused on Nelly. She had jerked her arms out of Alex's grasp and sat down at the kitchen table.

"That Michael's a handsome devil. I will give him that much. But I don't like anything about these other two." She rolled her eyes to the sitting room, "Filthy, vile creatures."

My mouth hung open. She knew about Michael? I do not recall any other time in my life when I had been so completely taken by surprise. Except for seeing Nelly holding that shotgun. Oh, yeah, and finding out my Mom was still alive... or undead. Whatever. It was turning into one h.e.l.l of a night. I turned back to Alex. "Lock that shotgun up somewhere." Looking back at Nelly, I tried to gather my thoughts. Alex left the room hastily, heading out toward the back.

"Listen to me, okay?" I made sure Nelly was paying attention by turning her face toward me as gently as I could. "I want you to pack a few things and go stay at your sister's place. I can take care of things here."

She shook her head, "Oh no, you can't, young lady."

"Sheila will be happy to have you. You know that." I tried to use my most persuasive, pleading, little-girl tone with her.

It was not working though. The new vampires had woken up the protective instinct in her, and I knew nothing short of physical force would change the outcome. What I saw in her eyes was righteous anger, some of which was directed at me. I began to wonder at that point how long she had known about all this.

"Nelly, what exactly do you know about Michael?" I asked.

She looked away, "Nothing."

She was lying. Nothing p.i.s.sed me off faster than somebody telling me an outright lie to my face. If anybody in the world knew how I hated being lied to, it was Nelly. I growled and peered more closely at her. She had started pulling on the lobe of her right ear and rubbing at it, keeping her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her.

"Look at me. And don't lie."

She finally turned to me. "All I know is that he's a d.a.m.n vampire and that he can make more vampires."

"Did my mother meet him first, or did you?" As if I did not already know the answer to that question.

A weary little sigh came from her, "It was me. And yes, I was the one who told your mother about him. She wanted to escape from here. I'd had enough of her drama and wanted her out of all of our lives."

So it was her? She pushed my mother into the idea of becoming a vampire? What the h.e.l.l? But, could I honestly be angry with her if my Mom was already looking for a way out? What else was Nelly not telling me?

All her work over the years may have stamped calluses on her feet and hands and constructed deep lines on her face, but I realized then that those few years she had been here at the Inn and working under the direction of my mother had caused some deeper kind of wound in her. It must have been a great deal of personal pain that had caused Nelly to do such a thing to a woman who wanted to escape from her family. There must have been some serious animosity between the two of them. However, I couldn't blame Nelly. I had built up so much animosity against my mother that Nelly definitely seemed the lesser of two evils.

I put a hand on her shoulder and met her eyes directly when she looked up at me.

"We'll talk about this some other time," I said evenly. "For now, I'd feel better knowing that you're safe in Greenwood with your sister. I realize you don't like vampires and I understand that, but I need their help right now. When they leave, I'll call you at Sheila's."

"This just isn't right, Sarah. What if something happens to you?"

"Alex is here. He can protect me if I need it. It'll be fine."

The look in Nelly's eyes nearly broke my heart. Sending her away was necessary for her own safety, but by doing this, I also felt like I was telling her that her support and love were not enough anymore. The tears in her eyes cut into my heart and left a gaping wound somewhere inside that I feared might never heal completely. I took her hand, kissed it, and gave her a brief hug.

She raised a hand and patted my cheek softly, managing a weak smile, "You're a good girl, Sarah."

I curled my lip, "Sure I am. Now get going. I've got vampire c.r.a.p to deal with."

An hour later, I watched the taillights of her car disappear over the hill that led to the main road. It would take her at least another hour to get to her sister's place. The doctor had left around the same time as Nelly, leaving me with a warning to be very careful. It was all pretty scary and I regretted asking the vampires to stay for the evening.

I stood on the front porch, leaning against one of the big posts. With Nelly gone, I suddenly felt very much alone. The two vampires were settling into one of the guest rooms. They had brought a box full of black tarps and made it clear they would be sealing up the windows with it. I was too tired to argue with them about the nail holes they would be leaving in the walls.

I smelled the rain before I heard the first drops. The scent of it always made me feel like everything that was wrong in the world was about to be washed away. The tapping of raindrops began shortly, slowly coating the steps that led down to the brick walkway. The moisture was invigorating and soothing. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

There was one tiny moment when I thought that maybe all my problems would just be rinsed away, down into the earth and easily forgotten. Then I opened my eyes and realized I was not alone out here anymore. I was being watched. A tiny little shiver shot up my spine. However, when I realized who I was looking at, an oddly familiar warmth stole through my limbs.

Michael stood before me in the rain. Every inch of him seemed to glisten and shine. He was wearing a simple black tank that emphasized the muscles in each arm and the width of his shoulders. He wore the same type of black jeans I had seen him in before. However, what startled me more than anything was the dangerous wash of emotions evident in the firm line of his mouth and the heat in his narrowed blue eyes.

"You are unharmed?" His voice caught me completely off guard. The strain in his tone was palpable. He was standing about twenty feet away from me in the gra.s.s of the lawn.

The rain had picked up and was beating an unending symphony on the roof of the porch, but there was something that was drowning out everything in the background. A hammering that resounded through me faster and faster. My heartbeat. I glanced down at myself, expecting my heart to burst through the fabric of my shirt.

"I'm not hurt." I said, trying not to look at him.

However, it was hopeless. Because even if I did not let my eyes feast on his body, that voice of his was bound to break through my reserve. I should have known. If I had pressed my hands over my ears and closed my eyes, I might have had a chance. But it was too late.

"Come here, Sarah." It was almost as if he was drawing me to him with a steel chain. There was no breaking this. Running away was not an option. The lack of warmth in his tone when he spoke that order did not deter me. I did not feel any hint of anger coursing through me at the way this undead creature was summoning me.

The rain was cold on my skin. My feet moved steadily toward him. I craved his warmth and would not be denied. Somewhere in the s.p.a.ce that separated us, there existed some heavy veil of the unknown, and in my mind, I ripped it to shreds that scattered in the violence of the rain. I was tired of being the good girl.

The moment I was within reach, he s.n.a.t.c.hed me up into his arms. The feel of him was so contrary to every myth and story I had encountered about the undead, I had a hard time grasping the idea that this was not a real man clutching me to him with such desperation. He was incredibly warm and smooth. Only the depths of his eyes held any hint of frost.

Looking up at him, I felt like a little child about to be reprimanded for some unknown transgression. He held me away from him for a moment, his stare skipping over my face, arms, and chest. Then he grabbed a handful of my hair and held it away from my neck, a fanatical gleam of suspicion in his eyes. Finding nothing incriminating, he released my hair.

"They haven't had your blood."

I was still far too engrossed with the warmth of his muscles against me to understand who or what he was talking about. It took me a few seconds to realize that he meant Luanna and Gunter. Of course, he had known they were here. He probably had known they were coming for days.

Gathering my self-esteem with a hiss through my teeth, I stepped back from him, "Of course not. They're from the Council."

"They're dangerous, Sarah." Again, his eyes were narrowed in disapproval.

"Of course they are. So are you. So what?"

His deep chuckle seemed inappropriately timed. "Fearless girl. No wonder I can't get you out of my head."

"Get away from her now."

I turned and saw Alex standing at the corner of the porch. He held the same big shotgun that Nelly had brandished with such haste earlier. The gun was not pointed at Michael. It was pointed at me.

"If you don't get away from her right now, I'll shoot her in the leg."

A feral snarl split the air around me as Michael reacted to the threat. It only took a fraction of a second for him to neutralize Alex and empty the shotgun. He had tossed the sh.e.l.ls so far into the tree line that I never heard them hit the ground. Alex was flat on his back on the rain-soaked ground, and Michael had one booted foot on his chest to keep him in place. The movements had been so fast that my eyes could barely keep up. It had mostly been a blur of motion and sound that ended as quickly as it had begun.

I approached the two of them and stared down at Alex, "You were going to shoot me?"

He glared up at Michael with pure malevolence, "Shooting him wouldn't have done a bit of good. I had to do something before he bit you. Or worse."

"So shooting me would have been better?" I threw my hands up in the air, wondering how in the h.e.l.l I had ended up in this situation. "You acted like a complete idiot."

"He wouldn't have allowed you to be injured."

Michael turned his eyes to me quickly and then looked away with a roll of his eyes. "I'll bet you've been a real pill since you became human again, Alex."

I stared at Alex, "Human again?"

He tried to push Michael's foot off his chest, "Get off me!"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Michael complied and took a few steps back. He grinned at me and waved a hand at Alex, "Go on. Let loose on him. I have a feeling you both have a lot to talk about."

When I looked to Michael again for an explanation, I realized he had disappeared. A little spot of emptiness burned in my chest when I found him gone. That was not good. It was also completely unlike me to get that attached to a guy. Very unusual.

Alex struggled to his feet, "I'm sorry."

"You were really going to shoot me, weren't you?"

He looked wounded for a moment at the thought, "Of course not. I just needed to pull his attention away from you for a second."

I drew my fist back and slammed it into his cheekbone by his left eye. The contact produced results, but not exactly what I was hoping for. Before I could enjoy the expression on his face, I had another vision.

A light seemed to strike me, filling me and nearly burning me in its brilliance. I saw a figure in the light-something feminine in shape yet featureless. It floated above the ground effortlessly. Before the figure of light stood a young man who was instantly familiar-Alex.

This version of him was something altogether different from the man who had shown up injured and powerless on my doorstep. This was a powerful being with strength beyond measure. He was not nearly as powerful as the creature of light before him, but something far beyond human, nonetheless. He was also easy on the eyes.

Kneeling before the light, Alex bowed his head and began speaking in a voice filled with urgency, "Please. I'll do whatever you want, but please just take this immortal horror away from me. I can't do this anymore." His brilliant eyes were swimming with tears of bright red blood that began to fall, staining the smooth perfection of his face.

The heat of the light began to center itself, glowing as bright as a star. My hand was burning, I realized. The image cut off abruptly once I connected the physical pain to myself. The rain had slowed into a light drizzle. I felt wet gra.s.s beneath most of my body except for one leg, which was lying across the walkway that led to the steps of the porch.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position and realized Alex was only a few feet away, kneeling on the wet ground with his hands buried in his hair, cradling his skull as if in extreme pain. I could have kicked myself for hitting him. I scrambled over to him and reached out to touch his arm.

He jerked away before I could make contact, "No! Don't touch me."

"Are you in pain? I'm so sorry, Alex. Is there anything I can do?" I pleaded.

He slowly stood up and half staggered over to the porch steps. He slid down onto the top step and again pressed his hands against his head, "You had another vision."

"Yes."

"What did you see this time?"

I cautiously sat next to him on the steps, "A figure made of light. And I saw you, but you were..." Hesitating, I tried to come up with a word that could accurately describe it, "You were beautiful."

He glanced over at me, shortly making eye contact, before he fixed his stare on the forest beyond the front lawn, "Ironic that you should think so. I hated what I was then."

I tried to get a grasp on the idea that Alex had been a vampire, but it defied everything I thought I had known about the undead. I guessed there were many myths that were not even slightly accurate when it came to their kind. However, for him to have been a vampire and then been changed back to a human?

"How is it possible?" I whispered.

"Only she knows that."

"Who?"

"The Breath-Giver. She has sort of kept an eye on vampires for a long time. She occasionally will grant requests like mine, but it doesn't happen often. She's pretty picky about who she does favors for."

"What is she?"

He shrugged, "A fairy? An angel? I don't know. But she was kind enough to help me."

I considered that carefully. n.o.body gets a favor like that for free. What exactly could he have promised her? I glanced at him for a moment and ran my hands through my hair. It was completely drenched. I squeezed some of the water out of it with a twist and watched the liquid pool beside me on the step.

"She told me I had to come here and help you."

My eyes shot back to his face, "I thought my mother sent you. Wait a minute." I went over everything he had said about my mother during our conversation in the barn.

"Alex, were you lying to me about my mother?"

His emerald eyes were locked on some distant spot in the trees. "She told me that my relationship with you had to remain platonic." He turned back to me, his gaze sweeping over my face, looking for some sign. "I had to say something that would keep you at arm's length."

"You were never with her? You two didn't have s.e.x?"

He shook his head slowly, "No. It was never about that. She wanted me for one specific reason, and that was to protect you. She brought the Breath-Giver to me who explained that I could have my humanity back as long as I spent the rest of my life protecting you and helping to keep the detention zone in operation."

"Detention zone? You mean the meadow?"

He nodded, "That's what it is, essentially. It keeps vampires in and it can keep vampires and other supernatural creatures out."

My thoughts ground to a halt. Other supernatural creatures? Holy c.r.a.p. I shuddered at the idea of what he might mean.

"Alex, please tell me you're joking."

He turned to me, a deadpan look on his face, "Unfortunately, none of this is a joke."

"Oh, my G.o.d."

Chapter Nine.