by S. M. Bowles
"Is he your only family? I mean, I know you have a brother. Did he ever marry and have children? Do you know any of them?"
"I am aware of them and a handful of details, but mostly no. I try to keep my distance. It's safer for all of us, them and me, if I keep myself detached. It's hard but I know that they are there and that they are well and I have to content myself with that."
"Hmm," I stroked his arm, "I think I understand. Sometimes I wonder about my family."
"Do you? I don't know many details but...well here." Herrik edged closer to me and took my hands.
"Oh! Is that Evan? He's so tall and...and handsome!" I said excitedly. Then Herrik shared a second image with me. It was my mother and father. They were well dressed and smiling. They looked as though they were ready to go out on a date.
"Birthday party, actually," Herrik released my hands. "That was about a year or so ago. I'm sorry I don't have specifics. I've always tried to respect their privacy and aside from someone catching a glimpse of them here or there, there's not much I can tell you."
I wiped a tear or two from the corner of my eye, "It's OK. I'm just happy...they looked so happy. Thank you for letting me see," I kissed his cheek.
Herrik smiled, "You've never celebrated a birthday here have you?"
"No, I never know what day it is or what month or year. No one keeps track."
"I'll keep track and the next time your birthday comes around we'll all help you celebrate."
It was a very exciting prospect. I couldn't remember the last time I celebrated anything – Christmas or New Year's or Easter or the Fourth of July.
"You've missed out on quite a bit haven't you?"
"Yes. Well, no. Not really. I mean I've been busy and too..."
"Isolated."
"Focused,” I corrected. “I haven't really had a chance to think about it. And besides somehow you’ve always managed to surprise me whenever I did feel like I needed more than the compound had to offer. Every night that I've spent with you has more than made up for what I've missed."
"I'm not so sure about that," then Herrik went into a long list of the things he felt I had been deprived of. "Oh, and dancing!" he added with a great deal of emphasis.
"Dancing?" I giggled nervously.
Herrik's expression brightened, "Ah, dancing!" He sprung from the couch and disappeared. A moment later he returned to the sensuous voice of a beautiful tenor.
I shook my head no but he held his hand out to me insistently and begged me not to disappoint him. "But I've never danced before! I can't. I don't know how," my voice filled with panic.
"This will be easy. I promise," he smiled and tugged me from my seat.
Herrik took my hands and moved us towards a more open area of the living room. He drew me close and began swaying gently back and forth to the rhythm of the music. One of his arms was wrapped around my back and his hand was resting on my hip. He held my fingers to his chest and brushed my knuckles with a kiss.
"You see," he grinned down at me, "nothing to it!"
He was right, of course, and it felt wonderful standing so close and feeling him holding me confidently, securely. It was a perfect moment when everything felt completely right; the music, the lighting, the two of us. I laid my head against his shoulder and let him lead me through a handful of songs. I'm not sure how it happened but eventually his lips found mine and before I knew it I had let go of the hand that was holding mine and wrapping my arms around his neck lost myself in a kiss that I never wanted to end.
It was so soft and beautiful and so full of emotion that I nearly started to cry it made me so happy and feel so fulfilled. Minutes later we pulled back and without a word Herrik wrapped his fingers in mine and led us to the bedroom.
We carefully undressed and admired one another while we covered each other's bare skin with feathery kisses. Every touch was silky, delicate and beyond a mere act of pleasure. We were committing ourselves to one another, making and weaving an elaborate promise that our love was eternal, transcendent and unbreakable. Herrik stepped away from our discarded pile of clothes and reached out invitingly. Together we made our way to the bed and with great solemnity made love to one another. There was no urgency or unnecessary eagerness, every second a precious sensation to be relished and enjoyed.
"I want to taste you," I whispered, "I want to feel you flowing through my veins. I want you to be a part of me."
Herrik eased himself to sitting and with complete understanding ran his fingernail across his chest opening an inch long gash. I caressed the wound with my lips and tongue then he began moving again. He pulled me close and held me tight as my body came to life. All my senses awakened to a fevered pitch as his blood joined with mine and coaxed my body into a greater and stronger yearning.
"Taste me," I clutched and begged while I felt him full and rigid inside me.
I closed my eyes as he lowered his head and wrapped his mouth around my neck. I felt the pull on my veins, on my heart, on my soul and cried out at the glorious completion of our union.
"Oh, Emily," I felt his breath in my ear. "I love you."
"I love you, Herrik."
I nuzzled him as we flopped back onto the pillows both of us exhausted and satiated. Eventually I fell asleep laying there in the crook of his arm. Herrik must have too, it must have been far later than either of us realized. I didn't expect to spend the night at Herrik's apartment and assumed that we would go back to mine before the night was over since it was comparatively safer.
We had worn each other out though and ended up sleeping peacefully through the night. Towards morning, however, Herrik woke with a start. He was filled with trepidation and seemed to know that something terrible was about to happen. It was utterly quiet adding to the ominous feeling he had.
"Emily! Emily! Wake up! Wake up!" he shook me roughly.
"What? What is it?" I slowly came to.
"We have to go! We have to go now!" he threw himself out of the bed and began dressing.
"Herrik, calm down! What are you doing?"
I stood up and took his trembling hands.
"Don't you feel that? Don't you feel that?!" he screamed. "They're coming! We need to get to the elevator before it's too late!"
"Herrik, you need to calm down. Tell me what's wrong. Who's coming?"
Herrik just stood there cocking his head and looking at me in complete confusion.
"Please," he begged, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Reluctantly I began to dress but as soon as I put one pant leg on the bedroom door burst open and there was Carah and an army of others. Carah seized me and someone else grasped Herrik who was apparently too bewildered to make an effort to escape.
"What's going on? What's this all about?" I glanced over my shoulder at Carah.
Carah thrust me to one of the bystanders and nodded to them to make sure they held me securely, "Don't underestimate that one!" she scowled.
Carah moved forward and stood directly in front of Herrik. She laid her hand on his shoulder and smiling wickedly told him exactly why she was there.
"No," Herrik mouthed but the word never escaped his lips.
He stood there lifeless and unbelieving for a few short moments then recklessly tried to break free.
"Uh, uh!" Carah forced him to look my way.
The man who held me had his teeth fully exposed and resting against delicate skin along my neck. I looked at Herrik imploringly but he knew there was nothing he could do without any risk to me and against so many. Herrik let go of all the fight that was in him. Carah flung herself at him and before I realized what was happening drained him to the point where he could no longer hold himself up without any support.
"Why?" Herrik whispered.
"Soon enough," Carah taunted.
"How?"
"Did I break your pledge?"
Someone began pushing their way through the crowd, someone I had never met before or at least didn't recognize. She was unlike any other vampire I had ever seen
. There was no way she could ever have been mistaken for anything other than supernatural she looked so unreal, so unearthly. Her skin, her eyes, her lips and hair all impossible shades and possessing so much beauty they couldn't conceivably have belonged to a human.
I couldn't turn my gaze away as I watched her approach, not until she was standing directly in front of Herrik. When I turned from her to him I was stunned to see the look of recognition that flashed in his eyes. There was something else there, too; fear, an all-encompassing, deadly fear. Instantly I knew who this strange vampire was.
"Hello Herrik," her voice was as beautiful as she was. He nearly fainted away at the sound of it, weakened as he was by what Carah had taken from him. It seemed to bring back all the horrific memories of the night she stole his humanity from him.
She turned to me, "You must be Emily," as she reached her hand out the vampire that held me released his grip on my arm and roughly shoved me towards her. I clenched my jaw and stood my ground refusing to take part in the introduction.
Something flashed behind my eyes and a brilliant pain spread from the back of my neck in a straight line up my scalp to my forehead, to the bridge of my nose. I fell to my knees in astonished agony and watched in amazement as a series of red drops fell and spattered on the floor at her feet. I looked up and she raised her brows and rolled her eyes at me challengingly.
I glanced behind her to where Carah was standing beside Herrik. Neither one would meet my eye. Herrik looked shamefully away and it was impossible to get any sense from him of what was and what had happened.
I helplessly turned my gaze back to the woman before me and this time when she offered me her hand I reluctantly took it. "Oh, God!" my mind cried out, "she can't be real!" She was cold! So cold it...it burned.
Smiling she helped me to my feet before softening her expression into a look of complete concern. She ran her thumb beneath my nose swabbing up the blood, "There," she smiled, "all better." Then she callously wiped her hand on one of the bystanders.
"I'm sure Herrik has told you all about me," she watched my expression closely. I carefully shook my head so I wouldn't aggravate the pain that was still throbbing at the base of my neck. "No," she frowned and glanced back towards him, "pity," she sighed, "I guess it is up to me then."
Suddenly she reached forward and placed her hands one on each side of my head with her thumbs pressed firmly into my temples. My mind went completely blank and my eyes closed. Behind my lids swift and painful pinpoints of light began to flash and each one seemed to be telling me a story.
"Freya, please don't!" Herrik struggled briefly against his captors. "You've already taken my wife and my son. Please don't take Emily, too!"
His plea surprised her and dropping her hands she whirled to face him, "I took away something you never wanted and gave you a life beyond your wildest dreams!"
"That's not true! This? I never wanted any of this."
"Huh!" she laughed and cast her gaze around the room before finally returning it to Herrik. "You've been mighty ambitious for someone who never wanted any of this. When Carah asked me for my help and told me what you've done, what you were trying to accomplish I almost couldn't believe it. Now that I've seen it for myself I realize that I was right – I have made you ten times the man you ever were."
Herrik visibly cringed at the reminder.
"I'm impressed. Fascinated, actually," she stepped forward and looked down at him. "My but you turned out well," she ran her fingertips over one of his arms.
Carah anxiously stepped forward, "Is any of this really necessary? All I want is Herrik, Herrik before the council. That was our agreement." She looked very uncomfortable with everything Freya was saying.
Freya's eyes flashed with anger but she quickly concealed it, collected herself and shrugged, "Ah, yes, the council," she took a deep breath and smothered her emotions, "Go ahead," she nodded to Carah and the others that were standing idly about, "take him to the council so we can all see what lies beneath this charming exterior."
Carah called to one of the nearest vampires who immediately stepped up and helped haul Herrik away. Afterwards Carah seized me and we followed directly behind them while Freya trailed after us.
How word had spread so quickly and what exactly it was they thought was happening I couldn't imagine but the council room was overflowing and everyone gathered there seemed anxious to be the first to see the outcome of such an unprecedented event. Carah forced me to a seat at the table as Freya edged by her and took the seat Herrik would normally possess at the head of the table. They exchanged challenging looks but Carah clearly wasn't about to take any action other than that.
As I glanced around I noticed that there wasn't a single human amongst the bystanders. I could not see Herrik from where I was sitting and wondered what had happened to him since we were parted. Artur and Avery were nowhere to be found either. I tried to recall whether or not I had seen them in the crowds at any point but knew that I hadn't. I hoped that they were alright, that somehow they had been overlooked but my heart was filled with dread and my mind could only imagine the worst.
I tried to clear my thoughts so I could make some sense of everything that was happening and as I did a path opened up through the throngs of onlookers and I saw Herrik, head bowed, hands and feet bound shuffling between several guards as they led him towards Freya. He looked completely disoriented and I knew that they had managed to make him complacent by whatever other means they had.
Without thought I began to rise from my seat so I could hurry to help and comfort him but Freya recognized my intentions and held me in place. It was horrific to see Herrik so degraded and weak. Once he was standing before Freya, Carah began reading off a list of the charges against him. When she was done she turned to me.
"Emily...Emily is living proof of all that I have said. I implore you to share her visions and see for yourselves how Herrik's arrogance has betrayed us all into believing he has our best interests at heart. You will see that the only interests that concern him are the ones that serve him best. Herrik has used all of you and all that you have built as an instrument for his own personal gain."
"That's not true!" I tried to interrupt and frantically met the eyes of anyone who would look my way.
Some looked skeptical, others unreadable and more than both those groups combined there was nothing but anger emanating from the glares they sent Herrik's way. It was obvious that they were preempted as to what crimes Herrik had purportedly committed and what evidence would be submitted to demonstrate his guilt.
"Herrik, please, don't let them do this to you!" I pleaded but he wouldn't or couldn't even acknowledge that I was there.
"Enough," Freya abruptly stood up and raising her arms she motioned everyone to their seats.
The room slowly quieted and those that had chairs took them while the remaining adjusted their stances and turned their gazes towards the council table. Freya resumed her seat and reached her hand out to Carah who had taken the vacant seat next to her. Then Freya looked pointedly at me and I felt her forcing me to grasp her free hand.
I tried to clear my thoughts, tried to wipe them all away and wrap them in the mental cloak Herrik had shown me how to use when I first came to the compound. My lips quivered and my eyes pooled with tears from the effort but Freya was too strong and I couldn't bar her from my thoughts. The curtain fell away and all my memories were completely exposed. Freya gathered them all up and for a split second they were nothing but shadows shifting in a dense fog. It was far more revolting than I could have imagined. Herrik's presence was always gentle and discreet. He never exposed anything unnecessarily and he never forced anything to the forefront of my mind the way Freya did.
I tried not to resist because I knew how painful it could be if I did but she was so repulsive that my defenses seemed to naturally try to take control away from her. My nose started bleeding again. I could feel several droplets trickling from my nostrils and running towards my lips.
I shivered, my head felt leaden and I couldn't hold myself upright, "Not true," I sobbed. "None of this is true!" but no one seemed to hear me.
The visions grew brighter, clearer, and crisper. I was in the crawlspace urging Daemon to let me help him; insisting that I was not afraid and determined to do whatever was necessary to save him...Once it was over my vision shifted and they all saw the exchange Carah and I had had in my room. From there it was obvious that Carah was listening to some inner voice and following some hidden command. It must have been Herrik...Herrik telling her to bring me to the compound, to him.
"Oh, Herrik," my mind agonized as I realized what would happen next. Then something distracted me the feeling or sense that the people gathered there were finding fault with Carah, too. That she was somehow guilty by following Herrik's commands even though she knew they went against the compounds directives. Carah suddenly realized it too, that the visions I was sharing seemed to implicate her as well as Herrik. I felt her resisting Freya's manipulation of my memories.
It was too late. The crowd was being swept along with the images that told the story of how Carah had brought me to Herrik and he forced me to stay. My memories kept coming one after another and in every one of them it seemed like Herrik was making some meaningful mistake and furtively trying to cover it up. I screamed unknowingly. Then I frantically tried to wrench control of my thoughts back from Freya hoping to show the council that she was changing the context of all that they were seeing. That it was much more complicated than they imagined.
Carah was trying to break free as well and her determination augmented mine but as soon as Freya realized she was about to lose control she abruptly released me and the sudden backlash made my mind writhe with pain. I slumped face down on the table while the assembly erupted all around me. An angry wave radiated through the crowd and they began attacking Carah and Herrik with an indescribable brutality.
I lifted my head off the table and tried to shake myself free of the pain then I heard a familiar voice in my ear. I don't know where he had come from but suddenly Avery was hunched over me absorbing the errant blows and protecting me from the chaos. Though I couldn't see either Herrik or Carah I could see Freya. She had a faint grin playing on her lips and looked as though she knew that in a few short moments the odds would overwhelm them and it would all be over.