by Megan Duncan
I chuckled at her, finding her absolutely adorable. I liked a girl with an appetite. She’d make a damn good vampire.
“Do you want me to order something else?” she asked, turning around in her seat to try and grab our waiter’s attention.
“No, it’s alright.” I placed my hand atop hers, daring to calm her and craving the warmth of her soft skin.
“Are you sure?” she looked back at her dessert plate sheepishly.
“Yes,” I laughed at her again. “How about this? Next time I get all the dessert.”
She raised her brows at me, a cheery smile burgeoning on her face. “So there’s going to be a next time?”
“I sure hope so.” I began running my thumb up and down her hand as I looked into her eyes. I didn’t want this night to end, but as if on cue, the waiter showed up and dropped the bill on the table.
“I’d like that.” Her tone was suddenly sad. I gave her a questioning look, but she flashed me one of her dazzling smiles and I completely forgot.
Leaving a hefty tip, I helped Autumn with her jacket and we strolled out of the restaurant arm in arm. The winter breeze had calmed during dinner giving the entire lake a peaceful silence. We stopped outside the entrance as she tugged on her knitted gloves, her slender fingers wiggling into the fabric. The night had gone so quickly, and my heart was already feeling the ache of knowing I would have to say goodnight soon.
“Want to go for a walk along the dock?” she asked, hooking her arm through mine.
“I’d love to.” It took all the strength I had to keep from jumping up and down.
The wooden dock wound around the restaurant and branched off into a maze of pathways. Dozens of boats were tied down ranging from simple fishing boats, to extravagant yachts.
“Have you ever been on a boat?” she asked, taking in the luxury of one of the yachts. It had been named Catalina. “I’ve always wanted to ride in one.”
“You’ve never ridden one?” I asked, surprised. She shook her head, pointing to a set of speed boats beside the Catalina.
“How about I take you on a boat ride this summer?” It had been ages since I sailed, but I imagined after a short time I would get my sea legs back.
“That would be amazing!” she seemed thoroughly excited, running her fingers along the railing of a house boat.
“Then it’s a date,” I said, triumphantly. We walked through the labyrinth of docks, talking about what our favorite boat was and what we would name it if we owned one. When we reached the end of the dock that pointed out toward the center of the lake, we stood and watched the vessels that floated on the glassy surface of the water in the distance. Faint hints of music and laughter were carried across the water to our ears. One of the boats was playing a classic ballad, a romantic string of notes that I knew very well. ‘Stranger on the Shore’, I couldn’t have picked a better song.
“Can I have this dance?” I made a small bow toward Autumn like a distinguished gentlemen, my left hand pressed to my lower back and my right offered to her. A small titter escaped her lips as her fingers clasped in mine. I pulled her close to me as our bodies rocked slowly back and forth. The music grew louder and louder as the boat drew closer to shore. Her head was pressed against my chest, her small hand cupped in mine as we swayed and before I knew it I was whispering the words to the song.
“Here I stand, watching the tide go out, so all alone and blue…” The beautiful song of the clarinet fluttered around us, and I felt my heart melt for this precious woman in my arms.
“Just dreaming dreams of you,” she whispered the next line of the song, as her head turned up to mine. I could feel her heart hammering against my chest, and mine began to pound in sync as I knelt down and pressed my lips to hers.
Her warm lips were as soft as a feather, meeting mine with a curious passion. She released my hand, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace as our mouths mingled together. I let my fingers travel upward through her hair, sending shivers through my body that I’d never felt. As they reached her neck I felt the familiar urge to bite her, but I pushed it away. I didn’t want to bite her; I wanted to love her.
Breathless, she pulled away, her doe-like eyes gazing at mine in an affectionate haze. She looked at me like she’d known me her whole life; with a devotion I had not yet earned. No woman had ever laid eyes on me like this before, and the power of the affection emanating from her made my knees buckle. I had seen lust, I had seen absolute fear; but I had never seen anything like this. Could this dear, lovely angel ever love me?
“William…” As she said my name her face cringed in agonizing pain. Her tiny fingers clenched desperately to my coat as her body shuddered violently. In one horrifying second she was smiling up at me, and the next I saw her lifeless body falling for the lake.
Without even thinking I unleashed the vampire inside of me, flinging my body around so I could catch her as she fell backward. Her body landed heavily in my arms, and my heart landed just as heavily in my chest. Panic slashed chasms inside me as I clutched her against me.
“Autumn? Autumn?” I shook her in my arms, patting her cheek, and trying desperately to wake her up. “Come on angel, wake up!”
I shook her again as hot tears raced with fire down my face. I knew I had to get a hold of myself, but fear was squeezing my insides. The sight of her vacant eyes snapped me into place. I refused to let her go. I couldn’t; not when I’d just found her.
Setting her body flat on the dock, I tore open her jacket; placing my fingers on her chest. There it was; a heartbeat. Incredibly faint, so much so that no machine could sense, but me…I could. As my vampire instincts slowly began to take control, so did the urge to bite her.
Just one bite.
No one will ever know.
She’s so innocent, and pure. She’ll taste incredible!
My mouth began to water as the evil, yet familiar thoughts, rambled through my mind. I could feel my fangs descending; ready to pierce into her supple flesh. But the scent of her sweet perfume fluttered into my senses and snapped me back into reality.
With my fangs piercing my lips, I began CPR. I tilted her head upward, and placed my mouth against hers. Pinching her nose I blew two deep breaths into her before beginning compressions. I continued thirty times before repeating, and going through the whole cycle countless times. Minutes felt like hours until she suddenly coughed violently.
A stream of tears poured down my face as I pulled her up into my arms. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” I cooed to her as she shuddered in my embrace. I could sense her slow heartbeat and ragged breathing, but she was alive! I knew I had to get her to the hospital, but it was more than twelve miles away. Shady Willows was only minutes and they should have everything needed to get her stable until help arrived.
Knowing she wasn’t out of the woods yet, I lifted her into my arms and began to jog down the dock, back toward the parking lot. I didn’t care who saw me, I pushed my speed as high as I could without shaking Autumn too violently. Her head was cradled against my shoulder, and I was so afraid she would stop breathing again. I had no idea what happened, but I wasn’t going to let it happen again. Maybe she’d had an allergic reaction, or perhaps it was too cold out? Damn me for not offering her my jacket! I was such a fool! This was all my fault!
I reached the SUV in seconds, sliding to a stop beside the passenger door. Balancing her weight against my chest, I released one hand to fish for my keys. I fumbled with them as my nerves got the best of me, but managed to press the button and unlock the door. It creaked as I flung it open, not paying attention to the amount of strength I was using; a fatal flaw of most vampires. We could snap a person’s neck in half without even thinking.
I had to be careful, my panicked state was making me lose control and I needed to be gentle with Autumn. I lifted her up, placing her as carefully into the passenger seat as I could. She coughed again, her head rolling back and forth as I attempted to fasten her lap belt. I stepped up, trying to reach over her w
aist to latch it when her fingers were on my face. I met her face, trying to hide the sheer terror that had cemented my features, when her fingers traced along my jaw and down to my mouth. I had completely forgotten about them until her fingers slid across my lips and down the side of fang. Her brow furrowed slightly before her eyes met mine again. All I could think to do was close my mouth and hope that she would forget she ever saw them. The knowing look in her eyes told me otherwise. I was ready for her to scream, or to look at me in disgust but she simply cupped my cheek as her eyes closed and her head fell to the side.
My fingers flew to her throat. She was still breathing. I latched her lap belt and shut the door before racing to the driver’s seat and cursing myself the entire time. How could I be so careless? I let her see me! What will happen when she wakes up? Stupid, foolish vampire!
I latched onto her hand as the SUV rocketed down the lake road. We would be there in minutes; she was going to be okay. I had to keep reassuring myself, just so I would believe it. My eyes flickered over to her every other second to make sure she was still there; still alive. Was the world really so cruel that it would bring her into my life, only to take her away? If such a world existed I wasn’t sure I could exist with it.
~
9
Awake
“She’s awake,” Maryann said, shaking my shoulder and startling me out of my vacant stare. I jumped out of my seat on the couch, kicking over the coffee table in our employee break room. My untouched cup of vending machine coffee and countless abandoned magazines fell to the floor.
She had been one of the few staff on duty when I ran in with Autumn in my arms. Before I was even able to speak a word, Maryann started barking orders as if she knew exactly what was wrong. At the time I was too worried to question it, and I was grateful I didn’t have to talk. It was bad enough I revealed myself to Autumn, but if Maryann saw my fangs there would be no way to hide it.
“Is she okay? Do you know what happened?” Questions flew out of me as I fumbled to get the coffee table right side up; I’d never been so uncoordinated in all my life. Maryann had kicked me out of the room saying my nervousness was making it hard for her to concentrate. Almost two hours had gone by as I waited for word if Autumn was alright.
“I think you should talk to her about that,” she said, her tone uncharacteristically gentle.
“Talk to her about what?!” I marched toward her, clenching my jaw to keep my fangs from descending again. They’d only retracted minutes before she arrived and any tiny flux in my temper would make them fling out like a spring loaded switch blade.
“It’s her decision whether or not she wants you to know,” she roared back at me, her normal aggressive tone returning. “And since you obviously don’t already know, then maybe she doesn’t want you to.”
She snapped around like a soldier, turning on her heel before heading for the door. Her words only solidified that there was definitely something wrong, and I couldn’t let her leave without telling me. I leaped over the couch, reaching the door just before she did.
“Please!” I pleaded, bracing myself between the doorframe. “At least tell me she’s okay.”
She exhaled a sigh of annoyance, and rolled her eyes at me before she spoke. “She’s as good as she can be. She wants to talk to you.”
I breathed a quick thank you before flinging myself down the hallway, my feet pounding against the cheap linoleum toward Autumn’s room. Her door was sitting open, and I slid to a stop before peering inside. As much as I wanted to see her, I was afraid to. What if she wasn’t really okay, or what if she wanted to tell me to leave her alone? This was entirely my fault. I shouldn’t have taken her out on the docks on such a cold night. Humans were so much more fragile than I realized. How could I be so stupid to forget that?
“Are you going to come in?” Autumn’s weak voice called out to me from inside her room. That sound was all I needed to boost me inside. My normally light footing stomped through the modest living space toward her bedroom. A small bedside lamp lit the space with as much orange light as a single candle. My eyes scanned the array of machines, housing blinking lights that flashed harshly through the room. I stepped farther in, bumping into the footboard before my eyes settled on her. She was smiling at me, an oxygen tube draped across her face. I inspected her, my eyes raking up and down her body making sure she was really there; that the world hadn’t taken her away from me. She was tucked under a familiar quilt, her arms lying casually over her stomach. An IV hung from her left arm and a blood pressure strap over her right. Aside from that she looked…okay.
“This is where we first met,” she said, a single tear falling down her cheek. She looked toward her night stand, and I followed her gaze, my eyes landing on a box of tissues. Finding that my legs still worked, I strode over and grabbed them for her. I plucked a tissue from the box, and took a seat on the bed beside her. There were a thousand words between us, but not a single word was spoken. I wiped the tear from her cheek, just soaking in her beauty.
“Ya know, if you wanted me in your room again you could have just asked,” I said, returning her smile and hoping I could hear her laugh again.
“I thought I did,” she smirked at me as she tried to sit up. I helped her so we were closer to eye level.
Several minutes passed by as I stroked her hand and waited for her to explain what happened; if she even wanted to. But, I couldn’t be as patient as I wanted to be. I needed to hear it from her that she really was alright.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better,” her voice was as sweet as ever, but it didn’t hide the exhaustion that was clearly evident.
“I’m sorry I had you out so late. If I would have known it was too cold for you I wouldn’t have taken you out. We could have stayed in. Do you forgive me?” The guilt was tumbling in my gut like a cement truck.
“There’s nothing to forgive,” she replied, squeezing my hand. “If anything, I should be apologizing to you.” I raised my eyebrows at her. “William, there is something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago.”
“You can tell me anything.” I scooted closer, squeezing her hand to reassure my words. There was nothing she could do or say that would ever change how I felt about her. She was the living symbol of all the good I struggled to find within.
“I hope so,” she whispered to herself, but unbeknownst to her, I had impeccable hearing. “I didn’t come here because I missed Hazel. Well, not just because.”
“Is it because of your parents?” I asked, thinking they must have something to do with it. The way she refused to talk about them had to have some meaning.
“No.” She shook her head. “I came here because I’m sick, William.”
“What do you mean sick?”
“I have a hole…in my heart,” she said, completely numb. She unbuttoned the top of her nightdress, opening it to reveal a long thick scar traveling down between her breasts. She traced her index finger across it. “It’s called Marfan Syndrome. Stupid name, huh?” I answered her question with wide-eyed silence. “I wonder if they call it that so it doesn’t sound as scary as it really is.”
“What is it?” I asked, squeezing her hand. I couldn’t take my eyes away from her scar. The pain she must have endured broke my heart.
“The arteries in my heart are weak, causing them to rupture. That causes blood to travel away from the heart. I’ve had to have parts of my aorta replaced. My real problem was when that caused me to have an irregular heartbeat. The rapid beating of my heart made it more likely to tear again, and resulted in more surgeries.”
“Oh, Autumn, I’m so sorry.”
She sniffled a little, buttoning her shirt up to hide the scar.
“I don’t understand. Why would you come here, the city has some of the best doctors?”
A laughed escaped her lips, but there was no humor in it. “I’m not going back to them,” she said, sternly. “I’m not going to let them stick me with needles, p
ump me full of poisons and cut me up like some thanksgiving turkey again.”
“What did they do to you?” I growled the words, ready to tear out those doctors throats.
“They did their job,” she answered, sadly. I was still utterly confused, but I waited in silence for her to go on. “I’ve been sick for a long, long time. That’s how I met Hazel.” At the mention of her name, Autumn’s eyes lit up.
“I thought you said you met her through church?”
“I did. She helped take care of me when my parents weren’t around; which was pretty much all the time. She cooked, and cleaned, and even took me to appointments. She was more of a parent than my own were.”
“She was a wonderful person.” I missed my friend, and it warmed my heart to hear she touched someone else’s life as much as she had mine.
“When my parents were too busy with their charity events, parties, and traveling the world; she took care of me. To them I was just a burden; a stain on their social status. My own mother wouldn’t even be seen with me. She kept telling me that I was making myself sick, that I just wanted attention. Sometimes I think I disgusted her; that I wasn’t living up to the woman she wanted me to be.”
“You’re perfect,” I said, opening my heart. Her mother was the one that was disgusting, and I planned on putting her name on the short list of people I would kill if I ever turned back to my old ways. Of course I hoped that would never happen, but one never knows.
“Stop,” she blushed, waving me off.
“So, if you didn’t come here because of Hazel, then why did you?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.
“I came here to die.”
“What?” I felt my lip quiver at her words.
“I’m tired, Will. I thought if I came here I could spend my last days as close to Hazel as I could get. She’s the only person that has ever loved me, and I wanted to feel that again before…before I died.”