Dhampir Secrets

by Lewis, Shirlee

  Sitting at the table, I looked toward the backyard. The wind was beginning to blow and swaying the pine trees. I looked at all the trees knowing Charlotte would not be in them. I opened the backdoor and went outside. Taking in a deep breath, I smiled. Sitting in the gazebo, I looked around. I got up and walked around, enjoying outside without having to worry about someone or something trying to take me away from it.

  Tony stood in the backdoor. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  I didn’t hear Tony open the door, and I didn’t jump when he spoke. “I’m enjoying my yard,” I quickly said. “I don’t have to worry about anything anymore.” I continued to walk around the yard slowly. I walked over to Tony and hugged him tight. I could tell he was relaxed, too.

  We went back inside and I poured myself a cup of coffee, I sat at the table. Tony went to the refrigerator and got a flask. He sat down beside me. Sitting in silence was good. Not one word was exchanged, because we knew what the other was thinking. Charlotte was gone. She’d never be brought up in this house again.

  Tony and I were going over to visit Jennifer and Victor.

  Just as I got to the front door to leave, the phone rang. Tony was out on the porch waiting for me. Hurrying to answer the phone, it was Jennifer.

  “Hello” I said into the receiver.

  “Jess, could you have Tony come over immediately.”

  “We were headed there now.”

  “Okay dear. See you two in a minute.”

  “That was your mother. She needs you immediately!” I told Tony closing the front door.

  Jennifer was waiting for us on the porch, pacing back and forth. Her face showed signs of worry. I wasn’t used to seeing Jennifer worrying. She is always calm and happy. Panic set in before I knew what was going on.

  “What’s wrong, mother?” Tony asked.

  “We received word today. William is on his way to the States to find Charlotte. He apparently followed her scent here,” she said with a frown. “Jason called Victor this morning to tell us William had caught a flight last night.” Jennifer hadn’t stopped pacing since we arrive and my fears were building. “He should be here this evening,” Jennifer said. “William will not be pleased with this. Victor is going to try and reason with him, but I’m afraid the outcome will be devastating.”

  Tony went immediately to his father. I put my arm around Jennifer, and we went into the house.

  “You don’t think William and Victor will fight over this, do you?” I asked.

  “Jess, it will be horrible. I’m afraid one will die. William is not a reasonable man like Victor. We are all in danger. William will avenge Charlotte’s death.”

  “Just when I thought everything was going to be normal,” I muttered under my breath. “What exactly do you mean by ‘all’?” I asked, afraid I already knew the answer.

  “All of us Jess. Victor, myself, you, Tony we are not safe here.”

  “Charlotte was responsible for what happened. Won’t William even try to understand?”

  “I’m afraid not. He will hold Tony responsible.”

  “Tony has nothing to do with this.”

  “William won’t see it that way.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. William was going to try to kill Tony. I was not going to let that happen. I would die before I let anyone hurt him. William wasn’t going to reason with Victor. I had to think of something to help. What could I do? I needed to talk with Victor. Tony and Victor came into the living room with worried looks on their faces. “I think I know a way to keep William from hurting any of us,” I stated before anyone said a word. “I will lure him to that abandoned house Charlotte took me to.”

  Tony, Victor, and Jennifer looked at me like I was crazy.

  “No you’re not!” Tony growled. “I will not let you. You and Mother are going to England tonight. Father and I will take care of William,” Tony said, holding my shoulders square with his. It suddenly hit Tony that I mentioned the abandoned house and being there. “I thought you didn’t remember what happened?”

  “Tony, I faintly remember. I saw the news segment on the house being on fire, so I figured that’s where she had taken me. Anyway, my point is, I will not have William hurting you,” I replied, looking around the room.

  “I’m not going to let you do that,” he said, pulling me to his chest. Father has already booked a flight for you, and you are going with mother tonight,” he said, softly but demanding.

  “I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying here. I will do whatever it takes except leave!” I looked up at him. “I will be more worried not knowing if you and Victor are okay.”

  Tony wasn’t listening to me. He held me tight against his chest. He excused us and took me out in the backyard.

  “You are going to leave tonight!” he snapped at me turning me to face him at the same time. “I thought I lost you once, I will not go through that again.”

  “Tony, I—”

  “No Jess, no excuses. You are leaving, and you’re leaving tonight! End of discussion.

  “Will you please let me speak?”

  “No!” he said, growling louder.

  “Tony, I’m going to say it anyway,” I said, even more determined.

  “I know you want me to leave, but I think it will be better if I stay. Charlotte lured me to that house. You and Victor were there. I saw you both. Charlotte came at you, and Victor ripped off her head. Yes, I collapsed when I was in your arms. I think it will work again with William. Only this time you won’t have to find me.”

  “No, no, no!” He snapped, “I will not let you.”

  Hearing the sliding glass open, I looked to see Victor coming over to us. He walked over to Tony and whispered so low I couldn’t hear. Tony balled his hands into fists and looked at me. “No, father, I cannot allow her to put herself in danger.”

  “Son, I agree that your mother and Jessica, need to be far away from here. But at the same time I believe it will work. We will stop him as we did Charlotte.”

  “Father, I’m sorry.” Tony threw up his hands. “I cannot do that. I will personally take them to the airport and see they are on the plane….tonight.”

  “Excuse me for interrupting. But I will not get on a plane tonight or any other night without you,” pointing at Tony.

  “Jess, I….”

  “I believe it will work, and I will not take no for an answer,” I said, trying to be calm.

  “Jess, you don’t understand.”

  “I understand if anyone of us is at risk, it’s you. You can’t heal if William gets a hold of you. I, however, can. So, I will not be on that flight unless you’re on it with me. That’s the end of the discussion.” I looked between the both of them.

  Tony started to say something, but I shook my head no at him. He looked at his father for an answer. Victor looked at me, and I shook my head no at him, too.

  The three of us stood looking at each other, not saying a word. Tony was furious with me. His eyes burned a hole right through me. I felt the burning, so I headed back inside the house. Tony and Victor stayed outside talking. Jennifer came up to me and hugged me.

  “Honey, I know you mean well, but I think you should come with me tonight to England. Victor will not let any harm come to Tony,” she said, in a very quiet calm voice.

  “Jennifer, if you feel you need to go, I won’t object. I’m staying here with Tony. I know I can help with William.

  Victor came back into the house. “Tony needs you outside,” he said.

  I went over to where Tony stood.

  “I am staying here with you, unless you decide to go with me.”

  “Jess, William is far worse than Charlotte. He won’t lure you to a house. He will attack you as soon as he sees you.”

  “Then you better be there quick to save me. I am not leaving!” I said, pushing past him heading back to the house. He grabbed my arm and turned me around to look at him.

  “Jess, I think father and I can take care of William without you.
Please understand that.”

  “Please understand I will not let you do this alone. I think it will work the same way for William as it did for Charlotte.”

  “Tell me something,” he said.

  “What.”

  “You keep saying it will work for William like Charlotte. How do you know? Did you just say you didn’t remember for my sake?”

  “I told you, I don’t remember all the details. What I do know is as I told you before. My eyes were fixed on her, but I could hear you, remember? I just couldn’t move or speak. I heard a ripping sound, and then she screamed. I know you didn’t do it, because you don’t have fangs, so I assumed it was Victor.”

  “Jess, please will you go with Mother to England. I want you to,” Tony begged with pleading eyes.

  “I will if you go with me.”

  “I can’t. Father needs me here to help him with William.”

  “Then no, I’m staying here with you,” I said, turning away to go back inside.

  Everything I had been through hit me in a split second, the burglary, Max’s attack, the burning of my house and car by Megan and Charlotte. I figured I could handle one more thing: William.

  “I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you,” he said, with sadness. “I am nothing without you. I can’t live without you. That’s why I need for you to go to England tonight.”

  “Tony,” I said, turning back to him with all the compassion I had for him. “I will not go,” reaching up and touching his face with my hand. “If something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be able to go on with my life. You are my life, my whole life.”

  “Jess,” he said, “if I let you stay, and I’m not saying I am, you will have to make sure William stays away from you.”

  “I will not let William get that close. I can draw his attention to me, so you and Victor can…you know. I’m not trying to be the hero, and I don’t want to be on some flight while you and Victor are cleaning up Charlotte’s mess,” I stated, pleading my case with him.

  Looking into his eyes made me think of the time I was in the hospital recovering from the attack of Max, looking so helpless. I had no doubt he loved me and wanted me safe. I was not going to leave. I did the next best thing to make sure I was staying. I kissed Tony with all the passion I could summon.

  He pulled me away from me. “Jess, if you’re trying to distract me so time will pass before your flight leaves, it won’t work. You are getting on that plane, and tonight. I don’t know when I’ll be able to send for you.”

  “All the more reason for me to stay,” I said.

  He kissed my face without taking a breath. “I just want you away from here so you’ll be safe. I’ll send for you as soon as it’s over.”

  “Tony, do you realize it will be over before the plane heads over the Atlantic Ocean,” I replied, making a point. “You’ll be here, and I’ll be up in the air.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” he finally said.

  “I think the best way to take care of William is for you to let me help. I need to be here.”

  “You’re not going to let this go until I say you can help, are you?”

  “No, I’m not. I know I can help, and you know it too.”

  “What can you do to help?” he asked.

  “I was thinking I could lure William away. To do this we need a place where I can wait for him. You and Victor will be waiting in the shadows. You do like you did with Charlotte, and Victor will come in and take care of him—a surprise attack. It will work, Tony. I can feel it in my gut. Let’s talk to your father and see what he says about it.”

  Once Victor heard the plan, I thought he’d side with me. I was wrong.

  Tony went to the sliding glass door and asked Victor to join us. Victor and Tony came over to where I was standing.

  Victor looked between the both of us.

  “It’s your idea, you tell him,” Tony said, crossing his arms across his chest.

  “Tell me what, Jessica?”

  “I know I can help. I can lure him to a secluded spot. Tony can distract him before he gets to me, and you can take care of him.”

  “How do you plan on luring him?”

  “I was thinking I could cut myself so he smells the blood and come to me,” I said smugly.

  “Jess, sweetie, that’s insane. It’s a death wish. I will not let you,” Tony said, sharply.

  “Hold on, son, I think she may have a point,” Victor said.

  “Father, I cannot and I will not subject her to this,” Tony said with sternness. “Have you thought about William getting to her before we can stop him?”

  Tony cocked his eyes over to me. I knew he wouldn’t agree to it, but it was the only way I knew I could help stop William.

  “Jess, you are absolutely insane,” he snapped at me.

  “I don’t think I am. You will work harder getting William away from me so—”

  “Jess,” Victor said, “Tony is right. All that would be is a death wish. You have to go to England with Jenn tonight. Tony and I will take care of William.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I figured Victor would surely agree to my idea. I looked between the both of them and then stormed toward the house.

  “It would have worked if she didn’t want to cut herself,” Victor told Tony.

  I stopped and turned around. I looked at Victor who was looking at me. Tony had his back to me.

  “Father, I cannot lose her. Jess is everything to me. She is my life. It’s best if she leaves tonight.”

  “What if we let her help us without cutting herself and taking the chance on William or myself trying to make her immortal?” Victor said, still looking at me.

  “Father, how do you propose we do that?”

  “I say we let Jess get his attention while we are in the shadows. We’ll be a lot closer to her than we were when Charlotte got her. We do it the same, only we have Jess in the open. It will work, my son.”

  “Where do you plan—if I let her—to do this?” Tony asked.

  Victor was looking at me. I smiled, turned around, and went in the house.

  The airplane landed at Portland airport. William got off and headed north toward Mayville. Just outside the town limits, he stopped at the city limit sign. He smelled the road and found Charlotte’s scent. He followed it to the trees outside of Jessica’s house.

  Jennifer was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee in a traveler’s cup. She saw me and smiled. “Jess, would you like a cup too?” she asked.

  “No, thank you. I think I’m staying here,” I said, proudly.

  “Jess, dear, you need to consider coming with me to England. Tony and Victor will handle things here. He’ll come get you as soon as it’s over,” she said in her sweet, soft voice.

  “I will not go to England without Tony. He stays, I stay,” I said, looking back to the yard.

  Tony was heading to the house. I looked at Victor, he nodded once, and I knew I was staying.

  “Jess, father and I need you out here a minute,” Tony said, when he opened the door.

  I went outside and stood by Victor, making sure my scent was downwind from him. Tony walked over and stood in front of his father. He was not happy.

  “Jess, Father and I have been talking, and we think—”

  “Son, it will sound better coming from me,” Victor said, stopping Tony. “Jess, like Tony said, we have been talking, and we think that you can stay and help us with William. But, there is a condition,” he said, pausing.

  “What’s the condition?” I asked.

  “You cannot cut yourself in any way. I cannot stop once I smell blood. I will come at you, and we don’t need any distractions. You have no idea how sweet you smell.” He paused at the memory. “Anyway, William is more powerful than me. The minute he smells you, he will attack. He is fast, and he will not be thinking of anything but Charlotte’s revenge. When he comes at you, you need to hold your ground and let Tony distract him away from you. I will take care of William.”

&nb
sp; “So where are we going to do this?” I asked, looking between the both of them.

  “We are going to do it here,” Victor said. “You cannot be out of our sight. Tony is going to take Jenn to the airport while we stay here and wait for William.”

  “Okay, I guess it’s settled then. I need some coffee,” I said and started for the house.

  Tony reached out for my arm, and I stopped. He looked at Victor and nodded. Victor went back to the house.

  “Jess, I don’t like this. I can’t lose you, sweetie. You’re my life, the love of my life,” he said and hugged me tight.

  “Tony, you are my love and life. I won’t let anything happen to me, okay?” I said, trying to reassure him.

  Tony and I embraced each other. We kissed passionately, when out of nowhere we were both knocked down to the ground. William had arrived.

  Tony and I were in the process of getting up when I was knocked down on top of him.

  “Father!” Tony screamed.

  Victor was outside the second Tony screamed for him. I was getting up off Tony when an arm wrapped around me. I was lifted from the ground and carried toward the trees.

  “Tony!” I screamed as I was flying through the air. “Tony!” I screamed again.

  William had carried me into the trees setting me down in front of one. “Where’s Charlotte?” he growled an ear curling growl.

  Looking at him with wide eyes, I couldn’t speak. I froze with fear.

  “Where’s Charlotte?” he growled even louder, snapping me back to reality.

  “I don’t know where Charlotte is,” I stuttered, trying to be calm.

  “She’s been gone for a month now. I followed her scent here. Now where is she?” he growled again.

  “William, I’m telling you I don’t know where she is.”

  “Her scent is strong leading west of the house across the street. Your scent stops at the edge of the trees. You were with her. Where is she?” he asked bearing his fangs.

  Victor was hearing the conversation between William and me. He had Tony follow him to the edge of the trees. When we were in their sights, Tony took off to the east and Victor to the west staying in the trees.