by Jones, L. A.
Aradia was confused. "But if you don't use the bed to sleep in then what do you use it for?"
He had then stopped and looked over his shoulder.
Grinning, he said, "What do you think I use it for?"
Aradia couldn't stop herself from blushing.
She was actually pretty amazed that she got to sleep at all that night and when she awoke she felt perfectly rested. And hungry, Aradia thought as her stomach began to rumble. She then got out of the bed and walked down the cold iron steps to the kitchen. She hesitated before opening the door fearing that there would be nothing in there but bags of blood. Amazingly, she saw it was fully stocked with food, and drinks. Foods from eggs to roasted chicken and drinks from orange juice to Sierra Mist. Aradia was also surprised to find plates, cups, and cutlery in the cabinets. In addition to mixing bowls, pots, and pans. She was so surprised that she began to feel a little suspicious.
Why would a vampire have this much food? Aradia thought to herself. Domitilla had once told me that the vampires don't really need to eat and they can only taste a bit of the food they try so really he doesn't need all this stuff. Unless...Aradia's thoughts trailed off and her expression soured. Unless he was expecting guests. Guests that need food such as me.
After finding a frying pan, she carefully selected two eggs from the fridge door. Cracking the eggs and frying them in the pan, Aradia speculated. Come to think of it, it was awfully convenient of him to be there when I burned down the forest. He also seemed to know a lot about my powers. He claims he is a historian but I dunno. It seems far too convenient and besides I have already learned that vampires can not be trusted.
Aradia sat and munched her breakfast bitterly. She knew she shouldn't but she couldn't stop herself from turning bitter whenever she thought of Dax. Aradia swallowed a large piece of egg as if it could help her swallow her bitterness. Glancing at the blinking clock on the microwave, Aradia thought that she should probably head home. However, something kept her from getting out of her seat.
If he helped me fix that forest then that means he does know about the extent of my powers. He claims he is a historian and knows about my people. More importantly, he was the vampire that I saw when I had been kidnapped by Henry McAlester. Aradia gulped her orange juice and licked the froth off her lips. So he might be my enemy and I need to find out why. I need to find out the answers no matter how much pain it causes me.
Eventually, night fell and Saul rose from his gray coffin hidden underneath the stairs. He was startled to see Aradia was to still there. Strangely though he didn't say anything about it. He just smiled
"Want a drink?" He asked.
Aradia shrugged which he took as a yes. He made his way to the kitchen, trying to hide a smirk. He then found a corkscrew in one of the drawers and took out a wine bottle in one of the lower cabinets. Uncorking the wine, he never stopped looking at Aradia and smiling. He poured two glasses and then walked over to her.
"I really appreciate this," Aradia began as she sat down on one of the couches.
"Shhh," Saul whispered as he handed Aradia a wine glass.
Aradia took it unintentionally but stopped short of bringing the red liquid to her mouth.
"What's wrong?" Saul asked.
Aradia bit her lip and said, "um do you have water or anything?"
She braced herself in case Saul flew off the handle but instead he just shrugged, took the wine glass, and walked back to the kitchen. A few seconds passed and Saul was back holding out a glass of water. Aradia peered into it and hesitated. This guy had helped her, but she still had no idea who he really was.
"What's your name?" Was not the biggest question on her mind but it was the first that came out of her mouth.
"Saul" he replied with a rakish grin.
"Well Saul," Aradia said, "would you mind answering a few questions?"
He shrugged and Aradia didn't know whether that was an agreement or a refusal but she didn't care.
She put her glass down and demanded, "were you really the guy I saw at the mansion?"
"Yes," Saul stated bluntly.
Aradia's mouth dropped open in shock.
She then shook her head and asked, "why didn't you help me?"
"Who says I didn't?"
This definitely got Aradia's attention. "What?"
Saul sighed deeply and then sat down next to her. "I guess Dax never told you huh?"
The mention of Dax froze Aradia up. After taking a deep controlling breath she said, "tell me what?"
"That I was the one who told him to where to find you," Saul stated.
Chapter Eight
"As a historian," Saul began, "my travels have taken me all over the world. However, upon hearing rumors about a hidden witch living in Salem....well needless to say my curiosity overwhelmed me and I wanted to see you. So I traveled all the way to America to observe you but the moment I got here I had heard unsavory things about you."
"Such as?" Aradia inquired.
"Such as people wanting to acquire you in their pursuit of power. People such as the McAlester brothers."
"Why didn't you warn me?" Aradia demanded as she shot to her feet.
Saul sighed and stood up.
He stared down at Aradia and said, "I tried but I couldn't get a chance alone with you. Furthermore, I had no proof and let's face it would you really believe a random guy if he walked right up to you and said someone was trying to kill you? Especially if he has no concrete proof?"
Aradia couldn't say anything so Saul continued, "So I followed them around and tried to get people to help me. However, no one was willing to help me stop them so I had to figure out a plan on my own. I tried to warn Dax about the trap he was walking into but unfortunately I wasn't able to stick around and see if my warning had been effective."
"How on Earth did you figure out where Henry had taken me?" asked Aradia.
"I didn't," Saul said surprisingly. "You see by being a historian I have to be able to make nice with several of the vampire leaders such as the leaders of Salem, New York, and others. On that particular night, I had been invited to a blood feast by the leader of the Philadelphia clans..."
"What's a blood feast?" Aradja asked.
Saul heaved a heavy breath as if what he was about to say was going to be very emotionally painful. "It's a sort of party...for vampires...who enjoy sharing a human."
"Sharing a human..." Aradia murmured.
"Yeah," Saul said in a very dragged out and uneasy way. "I, the leader, and one of his concubines decided to procure a young man hanging around a bar."
"A guy?" Aradia's voice was wavering.
Saul chuckled a bit. "Don't worry I am not gay or anything."
"Then why did you pick a guy?"
"I didn't," he stated, "the leader's concubine did. She went in, she chose him, and then brought him back to the car where we..."
There was an awkward pause between the two of them that lasted several minutes.
Until finally Aradia asked, "Did you kill him?"
Saul just exhaled a deep breath and turned away. Aradia gasped and clutched a hand to her mouth.
"Why?" she finally managed to croak, "why on earth would you..."
"Look," Saul stated boldly as he swung back around to face her, "you know how in the real world nothing is black or white. Well in the hidden world it is kill something or be thought of as weak and weakness is what gets you killed. I know how different the human world is in comparison to the hidden world but one thing stays the same: they all want to live. Therefore, in order to live especially in the hidden world they have to do things they regret."
"God knows," he added under his breath, "that's what I have had to do for the past hundred years."
Aradia just shook her head softly, speechless.
Saul sighed heavily before talking again, "anyway that's beside the point. I went with the leader and his concubine. I didn't know you were being held there. I had hoped that the McAlesters hadn't been able to capture you."
He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. "So needless to say I wasn't happy when I saw you there. I couldn't do anything with Henry McAlester there or the other vampires. I mean seriously, they would kill us before we got halfway to the door. There was nothing I could do for you there at least not alone. So I did the next best thing, I went to get help. I found Dax and told him where to find you and the rest you know is history."
A horrible pause passed between them before Aradia spoke again.
"He raped me," Aradia spat sneeringly and with a ferocious look in her eyes, "did you know that? While you left to get help that bastard took me to his room and he raped me!"
Saul struggled to speak but Aradia didn't wait for a response. "You could have helped me. You could have stopped him. Instead you left and I got raped! Do you have any idea what that was like? I still have nightmares. I remember his awful touch and shudder. I still wake up screaming in the middle of the night for Christ's sake. Do you have any idea what's that like? I mean for christ's sake do you have any idea how horrible that experience was for me?! Did you even care?!"
"I am sorry..." Saul began.
"You're sorry? You're sorry! Oh well why didn't you say so earlier" Aradia sarcastically. She tried to turn and stomp away from him and out into the streets, but Saul sensed this. He worried that if Aradia ran off now he would have to spend more time trying to win her over and having more time was not an option. Thinking fast, his arms shot out to grab Aradia and held her close.
"Hey!" Aradia shrieked. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I have thought of that night too you know," Saul muttered, sounding breathless and ragged, "I have thought of how much I wanted to rip that guy to shreds for daring to touch you. I have thought of ripping his heart out and watching crumble to dust. I have thought about chaining him to a rock and having the sun fry him while he is still alive. I have thought of everything but most of all I thought about what a coward I was."
Saul forced tears to come out of his eyes that dripped slowly onto Aradia's hands. "I am so sorry Aradia for not helping you. It's true I went to tell your friends where to find you but I should have stayed to protect you. I should have..."
He stopped and shook his head, burying his nose in her hair and trying to suppress a shudder of desire. He kept the solemnness in his voice when he spoke again, "I am so very sorry Aradia. I am so very sorry."
He then sighed deeply, shaking his head yet again. Aradia knew she shouldn't but she couldn't stop herself from feeling sympathetic for Saul. She then closed her eyes, ignoring her better judgement, and clutched his shoulders. Saul was glad he was taller than Aradia because that made it easier to hide his smirk of triumph.
Chapter Nine
"Young lady! Where the hell have you been?!" Ross stood in front of Aradia, blocking the way to the stairs.
He had been angry before but Aradia had never seen him like this. His face was flaming red and eyes were bloodshot. Her mother, however, was just sitting at the kitchen table. She was wearing the puppy bathrobe that she had owned for years. She was clutching a mug but still staring at her daughter. Aradia's eyes silently pleaded for help but her mother just avoided her gaze.
Typical, Aradia thought bitterly.
"Hey!" Ross's roar commanded her attention. "I am talking to you!"
"yes daddy," Aradia said meekly.
"Where were you?! Your mother and I have been worried sick. You have been missing for two whole days. I had the police scouring the whole damn town for you. Why didn't you call? Where in God's name were you?"
Aradia put her hands in her pockets and looked down at the ground.
"Well?!" Ross demanded, "where were you?"
"I was at a friend's house," Aradia muttered.
"What friend?!" he bellowed, "I called all your friends Rhonda, Roy, Everett, and Calvin. Hell, I even called Dax for Christ's sake."
Aradia couldn't help but add sneeringly, "you do realize we broke up right?"
"I didn't! At least not until I called his house and Dax told me everything."
Aradia felt like she swallowed a whole tray full of ice cubes that were now slithering towards her stomach. "Everything?"
"Everything! From the party, to you seeing him with Hesper, to you running off into the woods."
Aradia clenched her fists. My God Dax, just when I thought I couldn't hate you more.
"Of course, I was furious with him for cheating on you but when I found out that you had been at a party in the bad side of town and destroyed people's property...well needless to say my anger didn't last that long at least not with him."
"Destroyed people's property..." as far as Aradia knew the only thing she had destroyed was the forest and thanks to Saul she had righted that wrong.
"I know I have no proof but for Christ's sake Aradia, how else would you explain three cars spontaneously combusting on the same street and at the same damn time?"
Oh crap! Aradia thought with a wince, I had completely forgotten about that.
Two hours had passed with her father shouting at her in the living room. Only then was Aradia finally allowed to go to her room, her entire being heavy as if weighed down by grief. She then sat down on her bed and hung her head, balancing it with both of her hands. She had tried to listen the entire time her father had been yelling but she couldn't help it. Her thoughts had kept going back to what Saul had told her. Before dropping her off at her house in his black convertible, he had told her that as a way to make up for the injustice he had done to her he was willing to teach her everything he knew about her past. At least the past concerning her people. According to Saul, he knew and even had proof about every bit of the witches' past. The fact that he had been able to help her re-grow the forest in a manner of seconds had shown Aradia that he indeed knew something. However, she still wasn't sure that she trusted him but ever since she had been little Aradia had always wanted to know about her past. The fact that she now knew she was a witch didn't change that. Ironically, it gave her more questions and an even deeper desire to know more. When she had first discovered her old coven, she had wanted to investigate further but organizing the club and other priorities had distracted her.
Like my love life, Aradia chuckled grimly.
Although she couldn't remember most of them, Ross's words still rang in her ears so much so that it made her eager to distract herself. The only way she could think of was thinking of Saul. Saul with his blonde hair, his handsome face, and attractive body. Most of all, she remembered his promises of telling her the truth. Aradia knew she had more important things to worry about but the thought of finally getting answers was like waving a donut in front of a swimsuit model.
Aradia sighed heavily and rubbed her left hand over her face. When she opened her eyes again, a fierce determination was glimmering from her eyes.
Chapter Ten
"Hey Aradia," Melina murmured timidly as she approached her.
Aradia glanced at Melina before slamming her locker door shut. "What? What do you want?"
Melina exhaled a long breath through her nose. "Look, I know I haven't really been there for you lately. I guess I got too caught up with Roy and everything which is no excuse I know but..." she paused but only to sigh, "well anyway I have heard you have been having some problems so if you need someone to talk to Rai..."
Melina now lifted her head to smile as encouragingly as she could at Aradia. Aradia's expression, however, was still sharp as a flint. Her smile weakened a little but Melina was nevertheless determined to extend her hand of friendship. "I know we have had our rough spots but we are technically a family. Families stick together you know so if you ever need someone than I am here for you."
Last night, Melina had heard Ross yell at Aradia and she couldn't help but feel bad for her. In spite of her jealousies, Melina did feel a bit of kinship to Aradia. Hence why she was talking to her today and why she was hoping that she would be able to help her.
A warm affectionate pause passed while Me
lina waited for Aradia's answer.
Aradia, however, didn't even hesitate with her own answer. She glared straight at Melina, and snapped, "bug off bitch! I don't need your pity."
She then spun on her right heel and stalked off.
It was while Aradia was stomping along one of the hallways when her cell went off. Flipping it open, she stared down at the screen which read in bright letters "look out the window." Puzzled and yet curious, Aradia obeyed and was shocked to see Saul standing in front of the school. He was still dressed in all black; smiling and waving at her from the steps. Aradia's first instinct was to dial his number and ask what he was doing here but the school had a strict policy against using phones in school. If someone saw her, her father would have even more reasons to yell at her. She stared down at him through the window panes and with a reluctant shrug of her shoulders she decided to go down and confront him.
Besides, she concluded, I have been meaning to talk to him anyway,
"What are you doing here?" She demanded as soon as she reached the parking lot.
Saul shrugged. "I came here to see you."
Aradia, touched but still skeptical at his motives, pressed on by asking, "what for?"
"I was worried about you."
Aradia didn't say anything.
"And," Saul added, "I was wondering if you wanted to take me up on my offer?"
"Offer?" Aradia repeated.
"Yeah, you know about my helping you find out more about your people." Saul let the statement dangle between them like a carrot.
Aradia fought her conflicted emotions as best as she could. However, her desire for the truth seemed to be waging a battle like never before.
"What about school?" This was Aradia's weak attempt to suppress her desire once more.