burden, again killing him quickly, also relieving him of his head.
The battle was over.
Everyone turned to see Dorian cradling Amber in his lap. She was weak but still alive.
Paul pulled himself up and stumbled over. “Is she going to be all right?”
Dorian flashed tearful eyes his way. “Don’t know yet…She’s really weak.”
Paul dropped down to his knees beside them. “Is there anything I can do? Any of us?”
Now that the bad vampires were eliminated, the rest of the crowd gathered around, all concerned for Amber.
Dorian peered lovingly down at her. “Amber…Do you hear me?”
She moaned but didn’t speak and her eyelids fluttered.
“She’s awfully weak,” he said, looking off at Judy, the one she may have given her life for.
“If there’s anything at all…” Paul said. “If it is within our power, you got it.”
Amber moaned again and opened her eyes and beheld her lover. “You came,” she said weakly. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
He choked back his tears. “You know I’ll never desert you!”
Paul saw the love there between them, knew that though he loved Amber, that what Dorian and Amber had was unsurpassable. “I’m glad she chose you, Dorian,” he suddenly said. “I know now that you two were meant for each other.”
Dorian was obviously a little surprised and nodded appreciatively. “Thanks, Paul. That means a lot.” His focus returned to Amber. “You hear that, Amber?”
She nodded ever so slightly.
Brooks spoke up. “Can we do anything, Dorian?”
“Not sure yet.”
Klaus and Sally gathered around. “Amber, you’re a fighter! Remember?” the big German said. “I know you can make it! I know you can!” He glanced at Paul and then back at Dorian. “Blood, Dorian…That’s what makes us strong! You know that! She just needs blood.”
Dorian looked up hopefully. “You sure?”
“If you weren’t upset, you’d realize it. Besides…got a hundred years on you, buddy. Trust me…Can’t hurt.”
Dorian scanned his surroundings. There were a lot of humans around, but they’d come to help them, not attack them.
Paul spoke up, “My blood! Amber can have my blood, Dorian.”
He cocked his head. “You’re sure?”
“Mine, too!” Grady suddenly offered. And soon everyone was willing to donate their share.
Dorian’s eyes widened. This was something he’d certainly never expected.
“Just tell me what to do,” Paul said.
Klaus looked around. “One person should be enough. She only needs a little to regain her strength, to get her on her feet. We can take care of her when we get back to Dorian’s. But all is much appreciated.”
Dorian spoke to Amber. “Do you have the strength to bite?”
She opened her eyes again. “I don’t know…I’ll try,” she whispered.
“Give her… your wrist, Paul.”
“Gladly.” He wasted no time in rolling up his sleeve. “Now what?” he asked Dorian.
“Just lay the underside across her mouth length ways, so she can get a grip. And it’s going to hurt a little.”
“Already been bit in the neck. I know.” He let Dorian assist him in placing his wrist against her lips.
“Okay, Amber. Go ahead!” Dorian helped her raise her head so she could get a better grip. She opened her mouth wide and then bit down, sinking her teeth in. Paul flinched, as she began to drink, weakly at first, but soon was sucking harder.
Paul met eyes with Dorian as the woman they both loved drank from him. They shared a common bond. There would be no jealously. They just loved Amber and they wanted her to live. That was all that mattered and ever would matter between them.
After a couple of minutes, Amber stopped sucking and coughed, gently pushing Paul’s wrist away.
“You okay? Had enough?” Dorian questioned.
She opened her eyes wide, looking much better. “Yes! Yes! For now!” she said, looking at him and then to the faces gathered around her. “I’m going to be okay!” Her eyes focused on Paul. “Thank you!”
“Yes! Thank you!” Dorian said.
“No…We…All of us here owe you! We thank you! And we especially thank Amber for taking on all those other vampires by herself to save Judy. She almost lost her own life for her. That is something none of us will ever forget.”
Amber smiled warmly. “You and Grady risked your lives for me, too! We won’t forget that, either!” She sat up then, and Dorian assisted her to her feet.
“You sure you’re strong enough?” Dorian asked, securing an arm around her.
“Sure she is,” Klaus said. “She’s a fighter!” He squeezed Sally then. “And so is this one!”
Sally just smiled, tiptoed and kissed his cheek.
Paul stood and Judy ran up and gave Amber a hug. “I’m so glad you’re going to be okay!”
Brooks and Grady reached out to shake hands with the neighborhood vampires then. “We hope you four stay around for as long as you want,” Brooks said. “And not just to protect us…But because of what you’ve done for us…for this community. Your secret is safe with all of us.” He glanced around at the onlookers. “Isn’t that right, folks?”
“Yeah…” They all agreed in unison.
A female deputy standing in back of the crowd yelled, “Damn right!”
“Thank you!” Dorian replied. “We do kind of like it here.”
“Well…Guess this show’s over,” Grady noted, shifting up his pants.
“Yeah…I think we can all go back home, now.”
Paul looked over at Dorian. “You guys want beer this evening?”
“You know we do,” Dorian replied, face cracking into a grin.
“On me…All you can drink.”
“Very generous!” Klaus nodded in approval.
“You can be expecting us,” Dorian said.
The humans turned than and walked off and the vampires shimmered out. Their work was done for the day.
Later that evening, just above the treetops somewhere near Mount Rainer, two vampire couples hovered, sharing and making love in the soft moonlight, while a dog named Star lay on the back porch and chewed on one of many bones that Paul had given him.
The end
Powers Page 51