by Suzy Shearer
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Tomas. It is near the address and I thought it was her. The house I was heading for is just over two kilometres from here and when I felt the psychic female, I hoped. I’m sorry.”
“Tomas do you want to check that house out before going back or will Louisa? I still have mine to check.”
“I’ll do it. I already checked the address on my list.”
Michael looked at the other two owls perched alongside him. “We should make a note of this address. Who knows? A psychic woman. She’ll attract strigoi and there is also a chance she could be a mate for some Hunter.”
“Makes sense, we’ll have to protect her.”
With that, Louisa and Michael flew off into the night skies. Tomas sat a little longer on the fence, then spread his wings and took to the air.
As he flew, he scented the breeze, he could smell the trees, there was water nearby, and chickens.
Then he smelt something in the air. He was sure it was Julie’s scent. He got a stir of excitement. He sent a message to the others not to go any further until he got closer to confirm if it was her.
As he flew toward the scent, he caught the tang of something else in the area, a strigoi. He heard a dog start to bark.
“Michael, Louisa there is a strigoi nearby. Can you come? Be careful. It may be headed for Julie or for that other female.”
* * * *
When Julie woke the next morning, she felt lethargic but tense. After showering, she let the chickens out and gave Milly some breakfast.
She didn’t feel hungry but a made a few slices of toast with honey and a cup of tea. Catching up on the washing in the morning, she tidied the house and then made herself a sandwich for lunch. Julie spent the afternoon working but found herself continually distracted. She kept listening for odd sounds, things that were not quite right, but with no success.
“I think I’m going crazy, Milly. I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Julie’s feelings of restless and being on edge increased as the evening approached. Milly could sense her discomfort and tried to comfort her. Julie fed her but her stomach was feeling so upset she decided not to risk eating.
After wandering through the house for the third time, Julie sat in the family room. Milly jumped up alongside her and they both curled up on the couch. Julie tried to ignore the feelings of dread by talking to Milly about Tomas.
“There has to be a way to find him, Milly, there just has to be! I can’t live like this. I can’t stop thinking about him and now I have this…this fear of something terrible.”
Julie picked up her book but after staring at the same page for ten minutes, she threw it to the side.
Suddenly Milly jumped off the couch and started growling, her hackles raised.
Julie stood, holding the dog’s collar.
She moved toward the window and looked outside. Milly was still growling, then she started to bark. Julie didn’t know whether she should let the dog go or keep her with her. She couldn’t believe that just a couple of days after getting a dog something would come. Perhaps before she had not been alert enough all the time.
Suddenly she realised this is what all her premonitions had been about. She could sense something outside, it felt evil, like the monster that had come to the campsite. Obviously that was why she felt the need to get a dog.
Milly was barking furiously and trying to get away from Julie’s hold. She half walked and was half dragged as the dog tried to get to the back door. Julie didn’t want her going outside. She was pulling hard on her collar but Julie managed to slam the heavy door shut before the dog managed to escape through the dog door. Once the door closed, she released Milly’s collar. The dog went frantic trying to get outside.
Julie was terrified.
What if the vampire found a way inside? She tried to remember if all the windows were closed. Milly was going crazy.
Julie tried to get her to calm down but the dog was in defence mode and wouldn’t obey. She was going to protect her new mistress, no matter what cost.
Julie went to move further inside the house when she heard someone calling her, telling her to open the door and come outside. She shook her head.
“Come, my love, come outside. I’ll give you all you crave, you want me, you want to come out to me. Let me caress you, hold you, love you.”
Julie took a step toward the door, Milly pushed against her, trying to distract her from opening the door.
“I wait for you. Come to me, my love.”
Julie heard a second voice, more feminine, more compelling but just as horrifying.
“Join us. Come, open the door, come outside and join us.”
Julie tried to move Milly away from the door. She needed to get outside. She needed to join her new friends.
“Yes, come to us.” The woman’s voice was compelling. “We want to play with you, open the door and come outside.”
Julie had her hand on the lock and was about to turn it when all at once she thought of Tomas. She cried aloud, “Tomas! Tomas.”
Tears pouring down her face she desperately tried to resist the voices begging her to come outside in her head and with her ears. With each whispered word from them she struggle to resist opening the door and going outside. She knew she had no defence against either. There was no way she could get away if they got her. Even Tomas had been injured when he fought them.
She knew she could only resist a few minutes longer. Now she was going to die.
“Why did I run away?” She cried, “Oh, Tomas.”
Any minute now they would come in. This was it! She had her hand on the lock and was about to open the door. Once she did, she knew either she would go outside or the creatures would come through the dog door .
“Julie! Julie I’m coming. Listen to me, do not listen to the strigoi.”
“Tomas? Tomas!” Julie cried in disbelief and hope.
“Julie, we are almost there. Stay inside. It cannot enter your house unless you invite it in. Do you understand? Stay inside and you are safe. It can’t come in!”
Milly was barking furiously and growling at the same time. Drool was flying everywhere as she defended the door against the danger outside.
The beguiling voices in her head kept calling. “Come. You want to come to me. Open the door. Come.”
That feminine voice was harder to resist as she crooned to Julie.
“Yes, come. Let us play. You know you want to join with us.”
“No!” Julie screamed, holding her hands over her ears. “Go away! Go away!” But unable to stop herself, she then turned the lock and went to pull the door, but Milly inserted herself between her mistress and the door. Struggling to stop herself from going outside, Julie fell to her knees. The only thing that stood between her and the door was Milly.
She tried to concentrate on resisting the voices. All at once, she knew that the female had left.
Suddenly she heard an angry snarl and a roar. She knew that Tomas had arrived and the remaining vampire had seen him.
Milly was barking, the vampire was screaming, and Tomas was roaring his rage.
Just as suddenly it was quiet. Even Milly was silent.
A lightning flash brightened the night and she could smell ozone in the air.
“It is over, iubită, you are safe.” She heard Tomas reassuring her from the back verandah.
Milly started barking again, but this time it was a joyous bark, as if it was someone she knew outside. Her tail was wagging furiously and Julie kept getting hit by it. She crawled closer to the dog and hugged her. Milly licked the tears from her face, then continued her loud greeting. Julie slowly got to her feet.
“Iubită, it is safe for you to open the door.”
Julie hesitated. Her heart was still pounding, adrenaline pumping through her system.
“Please, Julie,” Tomas begged.
It was Milly’s actions that finally swayed Julie. The dog was obviously no longer in attack mode, instead she wanted to greet whoever was
on the other side of the door.
Julie pulled the door open. Milly raced through the dog door. She was jumping up and down, spinning in crazy circles, demanding attention. There were three people outside and she was racing from one to another, ecstatic to see them. They were laughing and smiling at her antics. Julie stood behind the screened door, looking at them. Tomas was smiling joyously at her. As well there was a handsome, tall muscular man and a very beautiful woman. They were all patting Milly whenever she came to them.
Tomas stepped forward, one hand over his heart, the other held out toward her.
“Iubită, may I enter your home? May you give me permission to enter?”
Julie hesitated for only a heartbeat. She opened the screened door, stepped outside, and then threw herself into his arms. He enveloped her, kissing her head, hugging her.
“Iubita, dragostea mea. My Julie.”
She started sobbing into his chest, shaking, as the adrenaline left her and the shock set in.
“Come, let’s go inside.” He held her away from his body and looked at her face. “It’s okay.”
She nodded through her tears and led the way. When they got to the door, Julie entered but no one else did.
“May I enter your home? May you give me permission to enter?” Tomas asked her again.
She looked at him and realised what he was asking. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, said “yes,” and stepped aside as he entered. His friends were still on the doorstep.
The beautiful young woman said, “May I enter your home? May you give me permission to enter?”
Once more she agreed, then the tall man asked “May I enter your home? May you give me permission to enter?”
Julie had to giggle, it seemed funny that these people were asking one after another to come inside. Again she agreed and stepped aside for him to enter.
Milly bounded in between the woman and the man, still trying to get everyone’s attention at once. Julie led them into the family room, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.
Tomas took Julie’s hand and said, “This is Louisa, Michael’s mate.” The woman smiled at Julie, she was around five foot eight with long blonde hair to her waist, and her blue eyes had brilliant flecks of bright green. She was petite and had the most amazing smile. Julie could only smile back. Louisa was dressed in dark clothing, a shirt and black pants with heavy boots.
“And this is Mihăiță. Remember I told you my friend Michael would be looking for me? This is him.”
The man stepped forward. He looked a little taller than Tomas but not by much. He was a little broader but just a muscular. He looked very powerful and assertive. He was also dressed in black, similar to Louisa and Tomas but he wore a long black duster over his clothes.
Julie would hate to be on the receiving end of his anger, he looked formidable. His hair was as long as Tomas’s and held back by a leather thong. He had amazing eyes, brown with golden flecks, but Julie didn’t think they were as beautiful as Tomas’s.
Michael seemed to hold back a laugh as he held out his hand. “I’m Mihăiță, Michael in your language, please call me that, it is much easier to pronounce.”
“You are safe now, iubită,” Tomas reassured her. “The strigoi could never have entered your house unless you gave it permission as you have given to us. Do you understand?”
Julie nodded then looked from one to the other. She was not sure what she should do or say when Milly solved the problem. She had jumped onto the couch and was trying to get Mihăiță’s—Michael’s—attention. She was nudging him with her huge head. He turned and petted her.
“What is her name?”
“Milly, her name is Milly.”
Michael knelt and greeted the dog. He put his head on hers and rubbed her ears and her flanks, Milly was quivering in delight. When he stood, she went to Louisa and Louisa did the same thing.
Finally, she went to Tomas. This time she sat in front of him and looked adoringly at him. He knelt and put his arms around her.
“Thank you for protecting my Julie. You are a brave dog.”
Milly gave a little yelp of pleasure and licked his face.
“Milly! No!”
Julie was embarrassed. Tomas laughed and told her it was fine.
“Milly is very happy to be here. She is glad she protected you and will continue to, and she also promises not eat the chickens.”
Julie looked at him with wide eyes, and she felt the room start to spin. Tomas leapt to his feet. He grabbed her before she fell, leading her to a couch and setting her down. Milly rushed to her, concern on her doggy face.
Julie shook her head. Weakly she said, “Please don’t tell me you talk to dogs, too.”
Tomas exchanged a grin with Michael. “It isn’t so much talk. We can exchange emotions and pictures.”
“Oh…”
Julie thought things were just going from strange to really weird. Tomas patted the dog’s head and sat alongside Julie. Milly looked from Tomas to Julie and back again.
“She is very happy you choose her to be your friend. When did you get her?”
“A day or so ago,” Julie replied. “I picked her from a shelter last Friday. For some reason I knew I had to get a dog.”
“Well she’s very glad it was her you chose and not the other dogs, she doesn’t think they would be as good as she is.”
It looked as if Milly was grinning at Julie, her eyes sparkling as Tomas relayed her thoughts.
“This is so weird!” Julie shook her head but reached out to pet the dog’s head and rubbed her ears. “She’s a wonderful dog. I knew the minute I saw her she was for me.”
Louisa left them and Julie could hear her in the kitchen. She went to get up but Tomas pushed her back down.
“You’ve had a shock, just sit and relax.”
He had his arm across her shoulders. Julie felt hot and it had nothing to do with the temperature. Tomas’s nearness was making her think of how he had made love to her. She almost laughed aloud when she remembered he said the next time would be in a bed. She tried to ignore her thoughts but it was hard as Tomas had started to feather his fingers over her neck and across her ear.
Michael looked over at Tomas. He seemed to be trying to keep a straight face as he spoke to him.
“Was this strigoi the one who cut you?”
“No.” Tomas shook his head. “What is drawing them here?”
Michael looked pointedly at Julie. Julie looked at Michael with a frightened look on her face. “There are more here.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was another one out there. I’m sure it was a woman.”
“I only saw one when I arrived, iubită. They can trick you, make you think there is more.”
Julie shook her head. She was positive there had been two. Tomas looked at Michael then back to Julie.
“Strigoi hate others, they would never fight together. It was probably just another trick to get you to open the door.”
Maybe Tomas was right, maybe in all the terror she was confused.
Michael looked at her then spoke. “Have you ever had the urge to go outside at night, as if someone was calling you?”
She nodded. “On and off through the years it happened, not a lot. I always thought I was dreaming. But it has been happening more lately. It was only after Tomas told me and I saw that…that thing, I realised that maybe I haven’t been dreaming. I’ve always tried to ignore them but since I saw one, well, that’s why I decided to get a dog.”
“A good idea. Dogs are sensitive to the strigoi. They will warn you before you’re aware of one nearby. It may only be a few seconds but it gives you time to harden your mind,” Michael assured her.
Louisa came back into the room. She had made tea and had mugs, milk, and sugar on a tray with a teapot.
“You’ll feel a little better after some tea. It always helps me.”
She put the tray on a small table and knelt. “I hope you don’t mind, Julie, I hunted aroun
d and found everything. Do you like milk and sugar?”
“Just sugar, thank you. I should be doing that, you are guests,” Julie protested, but Louisa just laughed.
“Relax.”
She passed a filled mug to Julie and then poured out one for each of them.
Milly edged over to Louisa. She shook her head. “Sorry, Milly, no tea for you, and I don’t know where your biscuits are.”
“I haven’t bought them yet. I need to go to the shops and get more food for her and some treats. Sorry, Milly.”
Milly looked at Tomas with soulful eyes.
Tomas asked, “Do you have any fruit? I wonder if she would like an apple.”
Milly looked interested. Julie went to stand but Tomas said he would get one, so Julie pointed in the right direction. He came back with an apple that he had quartered and gave a piece to the dog. Milly sniffed it first, then delicately took it from him. Deciding it was good, she ate the rest with relish.
Tomas laughed. “She is comparing the apple to some of her dry treats and likes the apple better.”
Julie still couldn’t comprehend that these people could “talk” to dogs.
Tomas sat back down, his arm brushing against her breast. She knew she was getting wet just having him so close to her. Milly was licking his fingers, trying to get the last of the apple juice.
Idly, Julie wondered what it would be like to lick his fingers.
She imagined licking them and then licking his body all over. Would he enjoy her sucking and licking his cock?
Michael snorted, trying to smother a laugh, and ended up almost choking on his tea. Julie looked at him puzzled, then at Tomas, who had a very big grin on his face. He cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Michael before looking at Julie.
“Julie, why did you run away from me?”
Julie looked at her hands. “It was the way I felt. You scared me, still do.” She looked at the three of them. “You all do.”
They saw her give a shiver. “Then that thing came. It felt like everything I knew was untrue. I…I needed to get away. I wasn’t thinking properly. It was so overwhelming.”
“Please don’t be scared of me, of us. We would never do anything to hurt you.”