by Dara Nelson
“Why?”
“Why? In case he freaks out and tries to escape.”
“No, I mean why do you have to tell him he’s a vampire? Right now, he’s not exhibiting any signs that he is, so why tell him now?”
Carlos looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders. “I suppose you’re right. But we do need him in a familiar environment, surrounded by pictures from his past, to try to help him get his memory back.”
“Okay. You can take him for a few hours, but then I want him back here for more tests.”
“Thanks Cam.”
Carlos and I headed out. I stopped by the kitchen and picked up some breakfast for Matt. Surprisingly, it didn’t smell too bad. Matt’s face lit up as I walked up to his bedside, “Sarah! So nice to see you again. And you brought me food. Now you’re definitely my favorite person,” he said then he looked at Carlos. He stared at him for a few seconds, frowning slightly. You could see that he could feel something familiar but couldn’t quite grasp what it was. Finally he said, “I know you, don’t I?”
Carlos grinned his familiar grin as he stuck his hand out, “You do. I’m Carlos, Matt. It’s nice to meet you again.”
Mat shook his hand, “Carlos,” he said, frowning as he tried really hard to remember, “Carlos, Carlos.”
Suddenly he shook his head, “No, damn it, no. I’ve got nothing. I mean, I can feel that I should know you But there’s nothing there. I can’t remember anything. Fuck!”
I put my hand on his shoulder, “Matt. It’s okay. You just woke up a few days ago. Give it a little time. It’ll come to you.”
“She’s right buddy. Give it a little time. It’ll come back to you. Besides, with all of the crazy adventures that you and I have had, it’s probably best that it doesn’t come back all at once. It might be a little overwhelming for you.”
Matt looked frustrated for a moment, then nodded his head and licked his lips as he looked at the tray that I held in my hands, “What have you got for me, Sarah?”
I pulled the lid off the tray, expecting to have to hide my grimace, but surprised when it actually smelled good, “I bypassed breakfast and went straight for the good stuff - Hamburger and French fries,” I said,smiling.
Matt sat up in bed as I rearranged the pillows behind him, “Thanks, Sarah,” he said, blushing slightly. He pulled the tray a little closer, picked up the burger and licked his lips as he slowly moved it towards his mouth. His mouth opened and he was just about to take his first bite, when he stopped. He looked from Carlos, to my face and back again, “Ummm, is there some reason you’re staring like that?”
“Sorry,” Carlos said, “It’s just, it’s just that it looks so freaking delicious.”
Carlos turned his surprised face towards mine. I nodded my head then blushed as my stomach growled, “Sorry,” I mumbled.
Matt held the burger out towards me, “Would you like a bite?”
I hesitated as I glanced at Carlos. Cameron’s voice behind me made me jump, “Go ahead, Sarah,” he said to quietly for Matt to hear.
I turned around and looked at him, “You’re sure?” I mouthed.
Cameron nodded and I turned back to Matt. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
He pushed it towards me again, “Not at all. Please, go ahead.”
I could hear Carlos lick his lips as he watched me lean down. I looked at Matt and our eyes locked as I placed my hand on top of his but then my eyes closed as I reached the burger and bit down. My tastebuds exploded in my mouth. “Oh my God. That’s the best burger I’ve ever tasted,” I groaned. I wiped a drop of catsup off the corner of my mouth and licked it off of my finger. I finally opened my eyes as I swallowed and that’s when I saw them. Both Matt and Carlos were staring, no, leering, at me. Matt had pulled his knees up on the bed and Carlos had moved so that he was slightly behind me. Carlos’ voice popped into my head, ‘Holy shit, Sarah. That was so fucking hot. I am completely turned on right now.’
‘I can tell,’ I thought.
“How about I get us a couple of burgers too, then we can go have a picnic out by the waterfall. Sound good?” Carlos said.
I looked at Cameron, “Is Matt cleared to go outside for a little while?”
Cameron nodded, “For a few minutes, yes. But don’t keep him out too long.”
“I won’t.”
“Am I allowed to go to the bathroom now or do I still need to use a bed pan?” Matt said.
“You can use the bathroom. But don’t go by yourself. Have Sarah help you, and don’t lock the door.”
Matt nodded. I pulled the tray out of the way. I clasped one of his hands in mine as I slid my other arm around behind him as he tossed off the covers and turned sideways until his feet were hanging down. “Ready?” I said.
He nodded then slowly stepped down. His free hand moved back to the bed as his knees buckled, but it wasn’t necessary. I held firmly and kept him upright. Matt looked a little stunned as he said, “You must work out. You’re a lot stronger than you look.”
We slowly made our way to the bathroom. As we got to the door, we both knew that he wasn’t going to be able to get himself the rest of the way in on his own, let alone stand in front of the toilet. His legs had no strength at all. “How about if I help you sit?” I said.
Matt looked completely embarrassed, but he nodded. We walked in and turned around. I waited, but he didn’t move. “Matt. You need to pull your pants down first.”
“I know,” he whispered, but he still didn’t move.
“Look. My eyes are closed. They’re squeezed shut and I won’t open them, I promise.”
“No, it’s not that,” he said.
“Then what is it?”
“You’ve seen me before, haven’t you? I feel comfortable with you. In fact, I’m strongly fighting the urge to ask you to, ummm, hold it for me.”
Now it was my turn to blush. I opened my mouth to respond, but he stopped me, “No, don’t. I shouldn’t have said that. Close your eyes, please,” he said as he pushed his pants down to his knees. I helped him sit then turned to walk out but he grabbed my hand, “Stay please. I’m feeling a little, mmmm, dizzy.”
“Okay,” I whispered. He held my hand as he leaned forward and tried to concentrate on what he was doing. After about thirty seconds we both knew that there was still a problem, because nothing was happening. “Is it because I’m in here, Matt? I know guys sometimes have issues with that.”
“No that’s not it, damn it. It’s because, it’s because, well it’s because I’m too aroused right now. What the hell is it about you that does that to me? I’ve never met anyone like you, Sarah. God this is so embarrassing. I feel like a frickin’ teenager right now.”
“Don’t be embarrassed Matt. I’m not,” I whispered.
We looked at each other for a few seconds. Suddenly he yanked my arm down, pulling me down to him, as his other hand moved to my cheek. His lips met mine and the passion sparked instantly. “This is so wrong,” he whispered into my lips.
“No it’s not,” I groaned, disappointed as I realized that sex probably wouldn’t be able to happen right now because of my period, but I could help him in other ways. He seemed to sense this too as he guided one of my hands between his legs. He groaned as my hand wrapped tightly around him and began to slide up and down. His hands squeezed on either side of my head as he pressed his lips harder to mine. He growled in his chest and I felt his whole body grow tight. He moaned into my mouth, “Dear God don’t stop, please don’t stop. Oh fuck yes, Sarah,” His body jerked a few times as he climaxed. I tried to not act surprised, but my eyes popped open and glanced down as I felt wetness on my hand and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw white liquid shooting out of him onto the floor, so in my mind I knew then that the Seraphim blood was changing him in other ways. My hand slowed, but kept moving until his body finally stopped its spasms. He kept kissing me for a few seconds then he stopped and pressed his forehead to mine as he tried to catch his breath, “Ummm, shit,what is a guy supposed to say at a time lik
e this?” he mumbled.
“Well, how about ‘I think I can pee now’,” I said.
He chuckled, nodded his head and finally began peeing in the toilet. As he did, I pulled a few paper towels down and began cleaning up the mess from the floor. He watched me, but kept avoiding eye contact if I looked at him. He finally finished peeing and I helped him stand. I placed my hand on his cheek and forced him to look at me, “Matt, trust me when I say we didn’t do anything wrong and you have nothing to be embarrassed about. So, how about that picnic now? Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” he mumbled, smirking at me. I smiled as I helped him up out of the bathroom. We found Carlos waiting for us by his bed, holding another tray full of food. “You guys ready? I’m starving.”
Matt and I glanced at each other and smiled. I brought him over to a wheelchair and helped him sit down. I put Matt’s tray on his lap and the three of us headed outside. The bright mid-day sun felt good on my face. We wheeled around the corner and stopped by the waterfall. Carlos and I sat on the bench with the tray between us then all of us began digging into the food like starving animals. About ten minutes later, Carlos lay back on the bench, “I’m stuffed,” he said then he belched loudly. “Sorry,” he mumbled then he propped himself up on his elbows and stared at me. “What?” I said.
“I can’t remember when the last time was that I burped, Sarah. Wait, what the hell? Oh shit, I gotta pee,” he said as he jumped up and ran behind a bush. “Sarah, I’m peeing! Oh God that feels good,” he groaned.
I turned and found Matt looking at me. “Sarah. Is he your boyfriend?” he whispered, clearly worried because of what we had done earlier in the bathroom.
“My boyfriend? No,” I said.
“But. Come on. I hear a ‘but’ in there,” Matt said. Suddenly he grabbed his head and fell out of his chair to the ground. I ran over to him, “Matt! What’s wrong? Oh shit. Carlos! Get over here,” I shouted. Carlos’ hand rested on my back as I brushed Matt’s hair from his face. “Matt? Can you hear me?” I whispered. Matt started mumbling, “I got shot. I’m dying, but no, somebody is carrying me. They changed me somehow. They made me a, they made me a, no way, a vampire? That’s not possible. A fucking vampire? They’re not real, are they? And you. I saw you when you were a little girl. I saved you. Then I watched over you for years. Why did I do that? I fell in love with you. I waited for you. A pier. I watched you from a pier. You fell in love with me then we went on a trip, a trip to find a way to make you a vampire too. And Carlos helped us. He helped me change you into a vampire. Sarah? Carlos? We’re all vampires? But how were we just able to eat food? And why don’t I crave blood? Wait! Sarah! You’re my wife! We got married right here! And we all fought a big battle right here. And you, Carlos, you fell in love with Sarah too. Sarah? Did you leave me? No, wait. Malina took me. Then we fought her too. Then the Seraphim’s came. One of them took you. A child! You had a baby and you almost died. But you came back to me. And then you married Carlos too. The three of us, we’re married? Should I be angry? I’m not angry. Why aren’t I angry about that? It’s you, Sarah. Oh my God, it’s you. I love you. I love you so much,” he whispered then he started sobbing into the grass. Carlos rubbed my back as I hugged Matt tightly. “I remember,” he sobbed, “I remember everything.”
Suddenly his head shot up, “Save you. We’ve got to save you Sarah!” he cried.
“What? Matt. I’m fine. I don’t have this thing,” I said.
He scrambled upright. “No. You don’t understand. This thing isn’t a disease. This thing is an evil curse conjured up by a very powerful sorceress – I think her name was Amelie – and she despised vampires. And you don’t have it yet because it hasn’t reached its full power. The more vampires it infects, the stronger it becomes. It has to be its most powerful before it attacks you. Carlos, we have to protect her. She’s the only one who can kill this thing, but it can also kill her.” He gasped.
“Matt. How do you know this?”
“Because it speaks to you when you’re infected with it.”
I sat back on the grass. “This has happened before, hasn’t it?”
Matt nodded, “Yes, several times over the centuries.”
“But the one that this evil thing searches for is called the ‘creator’. I’m not the creator. I haven’t created anything. Why would it be after me?”
“It’s trying to stop you from becoming the creator, Sarah. You may not be the creator yet, but you will be.”
“Creator of what?”
“I don’t know. The creator of the thing that can kill the evil, that can destroy the curse, I think.”
“How am I supposed to create something that kills an evil curse that can’t be seen?”
“I’m not sure. All I know is that we have to protect you. Carlos, what are you doing to protect her?” Matt said.
“Mona, Marie, Musetta and Sissy are here casting protection spells over her.” Carlos said.
“That’s all? We need more, Carlos. Ask them to call for more. This thing is so strong. It’s stronger than all of us,” Matt said.
Carlos turned to me, “Sarah? What happened when it came before? That’s in your head, right? What happened?”
“It won,” I whispered.
“It won? What do you mean it won? Won what?”
“It killed the creator.”
“But why? What is this creator supposed to create?”
“The purpose of the curse is to set the vampire species back almost to extinction, so that we have to spend the next few hundred centuries rebuilding our race. It prevents us from having too many ancient, strong vampires. The creator, if successful, creates something that destroys this curse for good, so that the curse can never be conjured up again.”
“But what are you supposed to create?”
“I’m not sure. No one knows because it’s never been created.” I said.
“Oh. Wait. How the hell are we able to eat food? And pee! And, and, how could I, you know, what happened in the bathroom, Sarah, how did that happen?” Matt said.
“Why? What happened in the bathroom?” Carlos said.
I leaned over and whispered the answer in his ear. “No shit? Really? All over the floor? That’s crazy. What the hell is happening to us?”
“I’m not sure,” I said, “But I do know that it’s time to get Matt back inside.”
I helped get Matt back into the chair and we all walked inside. Cameron was waiting for us in the clinic. He opened his mouth to say something but Matt stopped him, “Cameron, I’m fine. I got my memory back. Yes, I’m a little weak, but I’d really like to go home with my wife tonight. Can you make that happen? I promise I’ll be back first thing in the morning for a checkup.” Matt said.
Cameron stared for a moment. He looked at me, “All of his memory came back, just like that?” he said.
I nodded.
“Okay. But I want you all to feed before you leave here. I know you’re not craving blood, but you still need to feed on it. And, Sarah, Aquila is waiting for you inside. And Matt, you’re in my office by eight tomorrow morning,” Cameron said.
We all groaned about the blood.
“Look. It’ll help you get stronger,” Cameron said, “You can go eat a big dinner of real food after you’re done.”
The three of us looked at each other and grinned, “I want a big steak dinner,” Carlos said.
“Oooh yeah, with baked potato,” I said.
“Do we even have that here?” Matt said.
Carlos nodded, “We have a lot more humans living here than usual, so the kitchen is well stocked these days. Plus, the three of us aren’t the only ones exhibiting these human symptoms. Ours are definitely more pronounced than others, but there are some who are eating human food right now.”
“Wow. Um, Sarah? What do you need to see Aquila about?” Matt said.
“I have to feed on him,” I said.
“You what? What the hell for? That’s insane.”
Cameron ste
pped in, “It saved your life, Matt. Her blood mixed with Aquila’s is what reversed your symptoms.”
Matt stared at him, “So, draw blood from the two of them and mix it. Why does she have to feed on him?”
Cameron shook his head, “We tried that. It’s not as effective. There’s something inside of her that makes the blood stronger. It has to go directly from him and through her first. You should see it under a microscope, Matt. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Cameron said.
“Come on guys. Let’s get this over with so we can go eat,” I said.
Matt and Carlos each held one of my hands as I tried to recover. There was still pain when I stopped feeding, but it wasn’t nearly as bad. I still got light headed, but I didn’t pass out anymore. And I still got nauseous after I fed on Aquila, but I wasn’t throwing up anymore. Carlos explained all of this to Matt as I sat with my eyes closed, taking slow deep breaths. “She would pass out and then throw up? And she did this how many times a day and for how long? Jesus, Sarah. You could have killed yourself.”
I smiled slightly, “I had no choice, Matt,” I whispered.
“No choice. Well I’m going to have some choice words for Cameron, that’s for damn sure,” he hissed.
“No Matt. It wasn’t Cameron. It was her. She had no choice because you were dying, Matt. She had to save you,” Carlos said.
Matt ran his hand down my hair then pulled me closer to kiss my temple. I opened my eyes, “Okay. I’m fine now. Let’s go eat.” But Cameron walked through the door with an arm full of blood and stopped us, “Drink first, then you can go eat,” he said.
“But I just fed,” I groaned.
“Yes, and I took that right out of you. You need to feed again,” he said.
I held my hand out and he dropped two pints into it, “Fine,” I groaned. I dropped my fangs and grudgingly drained both bags. I didn’t want to admit it, but I did feel a little bit better. “One more, Sarah,” Cameron said. “What? Why do I have to have one more than everyone else?”
“Well. Because everyone else isn’t having their period,” he said.
Matt’s head whipped around, “What? You’re having your period? When did that start?”