by P. Mattern
Channing smiled widely and fondly back at Carey and gave the signs for “I’m Hungry” and “Let’s eat!” Rubbing her non - protruding extremely flat tummy for emphasis.
And for a skinny chick Channing could put away and amazing amount of chicken. Kimbra had no sooner passed out the traditional fluted edged white paper plates than Channing had filled her plate with a huge chicken breast and two wings and was munching away contentedly.
Kimbra smiled back at her gratefully. It was almost like many sisterly times they had shared, and she was so relieved to have Channing here in Fort Hunt. She knew that Dr. Caligare would give Channing the best medical care, and she also knew that she would never, never, leave Channing again. She had made Carey promise her that they would always live in proximity to her younger sister.
The trio ate in companionable silence for awhile. Even though all three of them now would be able to subsist on a blood - only diet, they were so newly turned that they didn’t even consider it. Blood was lovely, and Carey was rather addicted to the Sanguo carbonated blood sodas, but it seemed more natural to resume their lifestyles in human fashion, with all its inconveniences and quirks.
As Carey spooned a dollop of creamy potato salad onto an empty corner of his plate, he teased Channing.
“Damn, girl, you ate half the bucket-doesn’t Mitzi feed you?”
Channing reached across the quilt they were sitting on and smacked Carey’s knee by way of response, making the sign for “Oh Sure!” and then, ”You ate twice as much as I did, don’t lie!”
Kimbra and Carey laughed in unison.
“Well I guess she told ME!” Carey remarked, rubbing his knee with a pout as though Channing’s smack had actually hurt.
Up over the crest of the hill that formed part of the manteau above the entrance to the underground manse a dark haired figure appeared, looking downward and carrying a plastic grocery bag by the handles. He was wearing a brown tee shirt that was printed with a woman’s pink lipsticked mouth showing fangs and dripping a few tasteful drops of blood , and the slogan on the front of it was ”BLOOD IS THE NEW SEXY.”
As he approached he looked up grinning, his handsome face instantly recognizable.
“DANIEL!” Kimbra and Carey called out in unison, motioning for him to join them. Channing smiled and motioned also. Since the hybrid attack, all of the extended tribe of V-net vamps that had fought side by side at the cottage had formed closer than ever bonds of friendship and trust, maybe one of the few positive collateral results of the bloody conflict and the hard won battle.
Daniel sat down on one corner of the quilt space, brushing his hair out of his eyes and grinning as he pulled some containers out of the bag he’d been carrying.
“Don’t mean to be a party crasher - or a picnic crasher-but I couldn’t find Fress so I decided to come out to see Mitzi and the rugrats and she told me you guys were picnicking. Being Mitzi she’s managed to make time to do some Southern style cooking today and she insisted I bring this lemon meringue pie and these M&M monster cookies out here with me. I’ll take a piece of that chicken first I think though, ”he said with a wink, “And the deviled eggs look wonderful also.”
As Kimbra handed him a plate and the food containers from the cooler, she said, ”Carey did the eggs - he uses the dry mustard like Mitzi does so that they have that little ‘kick’ that I love!”
As Daniel relaxed and munched the delectable food, he reached over with his free hand and tugged a lock of Channing’s long blonde hair.
“Hey Girlfriend! How’s the private education going? Mitzi told me she arranged a private tutor for you and you’ll be a High School graduate in three months!”
Channing nodded enthusiastically, and began signing really quickly. Kimbra did the translating because Channing was signing so rapidly that Carey couldn’t keep up.
“She says it’s going fabulously and she’s even getting to study French architecture which she is totally in love with. Also Archaeology and Sanskrit and she already know all the surviving 80 words in the Goth language. After hearing the details of the Hybrid Battle and the truce with Balik she decided she would like to sit in on official V-net meetings as a translator, at least that’s what she’s hoping!”
While Daniel was listening to Kimbra’s translations his focus was fixed on Channing’s face. She was young, to be sure, but beautiful, articulate and, in his mind, so very brave. In Fort Hunt news tended to travel fast and nearly all the V-net vampires had heard some version of the young vampire girl that had been rendered mute by her torturers.
Except for the obvious fact that she couldn’t speak, she was as animated as any young female energy her age, only twice as charming.
Some empathetic feeling welled up inside Daniel Cook, and after Channing finished ‘speaking’ and her hands lay again folded in her lap, he reached over and , picking up her left hand, raised it to his lips and brushed his lips lightly over the back her hand.
“I salute your effort and your bravery, milady,” he said. ”I am VERY sure that you will accomplish whatever it is you set out to do. You have quite a spirit!”
Channing’s cheeks filled with color, and as Daniel returned her hand to her, she began signing again even more rapidly than before.
“You have NO IDEA!” Kimbra translated for Daniel,” It’s like I just WOKE UP one day and I have this new life… and I can FLY… and I’m strong and I can read twice as fast. It makes me want to do EVERYTHING! I want to be a doctor or at least a Physician’s Assistant like Pierre and be able to deliver babies, especially V-net babies and cross phylum babies… Pierre told me that there is a crying need for specialists in that field. I want to do something to help protect the environment, and help needy children. I’ve already decided that I want to adopt at least SIX kids when I get established!”
Channing paused, blushing again as she realized that she was going on and on. Daniel seemed unperturbed.
“ONLY SIX?” He teased her, smiling and chuckling. “Sounds like you’re going to be very busy for awhile. What about a boyfriend? Will you be making any time for a romantic interest?”
Beside him, Daniel felt Kimbra suck in her breath sharply, making him wonder if he’d inadvertently broached a sore subject.
But Channing seemed to take his question in stride, signing more slowly and thoughtfully.
“I used to have a boyfriend, a human boyfriend, but that seems like a long time ago and like another life. Right now I’m just concentrating on my studies, and I have my sister and brother-in-law, Carey, and I get to stay in this beautiful place. I feel very blessed… and it is enough.”
As she finished the sign for ‘enough’ Daniel saw her hand flutter down to rest lightly on top of his hand.
She looked up at him pointedly from under her thick curly eyelashes and then added, raising her delicate hands to sign.
“Please come visit more often Daniel, that’s the only thing I miss… I can’t do crowds of people right now… Dr. Caligare says that my selective agoraphobia will decrease with time, but I love when friends come to visit. Please say you’ll come again!”
Daniel was touched. He looked over at Kimbra, who had looked pensive a few moments earlier and now seemed relieved. He looked over at Carey’s face… Carey seemed to be in a speculative mode, as if he were observing something interesting unfolding before him in real time.
“Of course I will.” He answered, his heart seeming to melt a little. This young lady Channing was a puzzle… she seemed to bring out his more gentle side, qualities he had learned to keep hidden from a very early age. He found himself wanting to protect her.
“Of COURSE I’ll visit again…. we’re all family here, right? Do you ride horses?”
Channing leaned toward Daniel enthusiastically nodding her head. Daniel had the brief thought that her megawatt smile contained all the collective sunshine in the known universe.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll check with Mitzi when I go back to the house and see if we can’t arrange
a riding date. I’ve ridden Thor, the big black stallion before with Mitzi. She told me that they are in the process of getting two more, since everyone seems to be into the riding thing recently. And ponies for the twins, who will be having riding lessons soon. “Daniel stood up and stretching, said,” Well I guess I’ll continue my Fress search! Great to picnic with you all - Carey, man, Kimbra - you guys were fearsome in the Hybrid battle. I’ll never forget it!”
Looking pointedly at Channing, shining like a small golden flower as she sat on the quilt, he knelt briefly and kissed her hand again. Then took off on a sprint toward the underground farmhouse.
All three of them, Carey, Kimbra and Channing watched him as he continued over the top of the hillock and then disappeared from view. Channing sighed so loudly then that the other two turned immediately to look at her.
Although the youngest of them, she had a determined look in her eyes that was soft but focused.
“What is it?” Kimbra asked her, taking her hand. “What are you thinking about?”
Her eyes still focused on the crest of the hill, Channing’s hands fluttered upward again to ‘speak’.
“I love him.” She signed, with strong emphasis on the sign for “love.” “And I will marry him someday, sister! “
Kimbra gave a sudden sharp intake of breath.
“But sissy!” She said, shocked at Channing’s declaration, ”He’s Fress’s boyfriend - at least he was the last time I talked to her about … anything like that.”
“Girl talk!” Carey teased.” I knew it, you ladies discuss your men folk constantly! No wonder my ears were burning!”
Carey’s comment broke the tension and had both the girls laughing. Still, Kimbra was secretly concerned for Channing, fearing that she was crushing on Daniel and that her little sister might be damaged yet again when Channing’s affections weren’t returned. Kimbra had no doubt that Daniel would let her little sister down easily… he had proven to be very kind toward those that were vulnerable-Buttercup, the twins Cory and Ab, and Channing… but she didn’t want Channing to be disappointed in anything, especially given how far she had come from her feral, traumatized state.
But Channing’s eyes were still focused on the crest of the hill, and to the shock of her sister and Carey she was about to utter her first actual word since being traumatized.
“Daniel.” She said softly. Then as if she’d just realized what she’d done. She turned excitedly to Carey and Kimbra who were already looking at her with astonished faces.
“DANIEL!” She repeated, jumping to her feet and laughing as she twirled around in an elated and giddy victory dance.
“You POKED me!” Cory complained, his face reddening with both effort and annoyance at his twin, ”Mother said no poking, just ‘touch’ pretend stabbing!”
The twins were close to their fourth month, the rough equivalent of human four year olds, and swordplay was their favorite activity. They had the best tutor Mitzi could find - Fallon Lunel had agreed to make herself available on a weekly basis to train the two Noble boys, but they loved playing swords so much that they invariably ‘practiced’ several times in a day. They were only allowed to practice with supervision, since Absolam had actually stabbed Cory once already. Even though the wound healed almost instantaneously Mitzi had put him in a corner for it and forbade the twins to swordfight without adult oversight.
“Don’t whine so much - daddy says whining is for sissies!” Ab retorted, deflecting a heavy blow from Cory’s sword. Although the swords they played with were lighter than those used in actual battle they were the actual size of adult swords and given the twin’s stature (though they both were tall for their age) were difficult for the boys to wield.
Mitzi, sitting with Buttercup on a lacey white wrought iron bench set under a group of willow trees watched with a sense of euphoric pleasure as the twins flailed at each other, using their junior sized shields to deflect each other’s blows. They were dressed alike, in summer weight linen shirts and jeans and barefoot in the grass. Watching her twins grow before her eyes was a thrill that she couldn’t get enough of. They were both handsome little boys, and very strong although not as strong as their adult male counterparts. They were so much fun to be around that Charley and many of their extended family, as well as local V-net acquaintances, paid regular visits to the farm just to check on their growth and progress. In that way the twins had become somewhat of a local treasure and little celebrities in their own right.
There were fights in their extended vampire family over who would take them for their first pony rides, first ice cream shop trip, first zoo trip, first time swimming and other rites of passage shared by relatives and children. As soon as the twins had gotten out of the very young baby stage Cass had gotten more involved, telling her that he wanted to be as much of a presence in their lives as possible.
In many ways his stepping up to the Fatherhood plate had been a welcome relief for Mitzi, who, having raised Charley mostly on her own had no desire to raise the twins as a single parent. She was grateful that Cass seemed to have a genuine affection and enjoyment for both the twins, just as if he had fathered both of them himself. He visited nearly every day, at least 5 days a week although he was still living at the cottage with Fress. He was making progress toward getting his memories back but not nearly enough to restore the soul-to-soul connection that he and Mitzi had once shared.
When she was physically near Cass Mitzi had the same visceral feelings that he had always stirred in her. But of course it was no longer the same for him. He had lost most of their shared history, had no recollection of the steamy days and nights they’d shared, unable to keep their hands off each other for a moment, making love like teenagers with ramped up libidos. Sometimes he’d remember curious and seemingly insignificant things, like how he loved her dainty doll like hands.
Well she was a woman of passion and appetite who need a lot more than handholding now, and although they had gotten to the point where they embraced briefly when they saw each other there was a wall between them, a wall that seemed to grow in thickness with each unconsummated encounter. He never tried to touch her in a romantic way, and she wasn’t at all sure she wanted him to. If he made love to her now it might feel worse than coupling with a stranger. Awkward, self-conscious - those moods killing things their love had never been even in the very beginning.
As the twins continued to attack each other, Mitzi felt Buttercup tug at her sleeve.
“You’re thinking of Mr. Cass again, aren’t you Miss?” The wetnurse queried, looking up at Mitzi with sympathetic eyes so pale blue that they were almost clear.
Mitzi looked at Buttercup affectionately, sighing and nodding.
“Yes, Buttercup, it’s hard not to think of him every time I’m with the twins. Did he say when he was coming today?”
“No miss,” Buttercup answered, returning her mistresses smile. “But you know he will be here by and by.” They both watched the boys playing for a moment and Mitzi’s thoughts were again her own.
She had been meeting Ian in the Redwood grove with regularity now, and found herself in an odd position where she was unable to sort out any feeling she had for him from his vigorous lovemaking. Mitzi was secretly embarrassed at how her desires had overtaken her sensibilities. Sometimes she thought it must be part and parcel of being a tribite… tribites had a reputation for being sexually voracious creatures that could make love for hours at a time. Mitzi had always been modest and slow to be aroused… that is, until the first time she and Cass had made love. Their lovemaking seemed to awaken something primal inside her that had been asleep for decades.
Maybe because they had both been immortals. No wonder Lux had referred to the V-net vamps as ‘uberhuman.’
Ian stayed in touch with Mitzi even though he had packed up and left the Farm after his unpleasant exchange with Cass. Usually they met at the portal-Ian made sure that he left his car parked down by the road. Mitzi had some sense that he was in love with her, but it
didn’t make any difference because there was a part of her that she had permanently walled off from her current persona… a part she feared would always belong to the man she had shared so many poignant memories with.
Castor Noble.
She felt on some level that she should stop meeting Ian. Because he was officially banned from the Farm their trysts amounted to what would probably be termed in the modern vernacular, a “booty call.” Buttercup, of course, knew what was going on, and though she didn’t entirely approve, had given Mitzi her own solid and practical counsel.
“You are a passionate woman, Miss,” Buttercup had said,” And a thrice-bitten on top of it, so there is no getting around wanting to make love with a male energy. Lack of sex will make you tense and uncomfortable just as I get tense and uncomfortable when no one has been feeding on me. Your body is made to receive the male ‘gift’, so I think that you should be discreet and make the most of it!”
Well, Mitzi reflected, she certainly had been’ making the most of it.’ Their trysts had gone from biweekly to nearly daily lately. And with Cass stepping up his visitation with the twins, it had been a wonder that they hadn’t run into each other. True to his word, Ian never drove his car onto the property; instead he left it parked up the road in a turnaround. Ian never came to the underground mansion either. He always met her at the portal entrance to their meeting place in the giant Redwood Forrest.
Mitzi heard the familiar alerting whistle of her smart phone, and then heard it again before she was able to retrieve it from the pocket of her sundress. Squinting and shading the screen she saw that she had not one but two text messages.
One was from Cass. It was in his usual terse style. ”Hi! Be by in a few.”
The other was from Ian, equally to the point. ”Love…I’ll be at the portal soon.”
Panicking Mitzi furiously punched in a message to Ian, ”Cass is coming to see the boys, I can’t meet you .Sorry.”
Jumping up and noticing the twins were scowling at each other and looking a little dehydrated, she ran over to gather them, kissing both multiple times, and began scooting them toward the farmhouse quickly with Buttercup running behind as quickly as she could on her short legs trying to catch up. Inwardly her mind was whirling.