Arthur sat quietly for a moment, thinking of the right words.
“You do a brave thing, consorting with my brother.”
She glanced at him as they pulled out onto the road.
“Yes. But I do not find it so difficult.”
He wanted to ask whether she loved him, whether this was all an act. Wanted to see proof that a mortal and a vampire could be in love ... that what he felt for Annalise was possible. But he didn’t know the words for it, and so he leaned his head against the passenger side window, closing his eyes. He was surprised how much more emotion he felt, being close to the Guard. Being a vampire made you cold.
They drove home in silence, and twice he turned away from her so she would not see the tears that were forming. He felt like all hope was lost as he looked out on the land they passed. Each house had Christmas lights, decorations. There were several houses that had extra cars in the driveway, families arriving to spend time together, bearing gifts of food and material goods.
When they pulled up into the Bugresson house, Rosa opened the door for him and led the way inside the house. It too, of course, was decorated for Christmas, and there were even some presents under the tree.
Trying to push away the emotion, he turned to her.
“Do you not have family to go to?”
She looked up from hanging up her coat, surprised.
“Here.”
“Here?” he looked around.
“I don’t have family, unless you count the Guards who share my blood. They certainly don’t. I grew up in foster care, in the system. It was a vampire who paid for my dance education, a vampire who gave me a home when there were no hotels, and a vampire who saved me from a lifetime of street living.”
He nodded, the words running through his mind. He knew her story was grim, and he knew that she had a secret benefactor, another vampire to whom she was loyal. And he also knew she always traveled for shows.
“And no show now?”
She shook her head.
“It’s Christmas. A time to be home.”
She left him standing in the hallway alone, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. As if he had not just rampaged through town, possibly exposing them. As if his brother was not going to kill him when he came home. To Rosa, nothing was out of the ordinary. She was home for Christmas, and this was her reality.
A time to be at home.
What she meant was with the ones she loved, whether she said it or not. And Arthur loved his brothers dearly, but the truth was, they would always be there. They had all eternity to be together, now that he was awake. And no matter how much he sulked around, there was no way to threaten that eternity. He was an Initial, immortal to every threat.
But Annalise was not. Annalise only had one Christmas left, and possibly not even that.
It took him an hour to gather up the courage to go to the redhead who was sitting at his brother’s desk, clicking away at the computer. He took a shower, changed his clothes, and cleaned the blood, trying not to think of what he did. If he thought about it, he knew that he would lose it. He knew that he couldn’t go to Brock or Knox, for they would not support him. They would not understand this love story. But Rosa, who saw things as they were, she just might. For all that she denied that she loved his brother, she was here and she wasn’t leaving. Maybe, just maybe, she would understand the need to be with the one you loved on Christmas.
He gathered up all the paper money and coins from his desk, left over from shopping. He also took down the map Annalise had put up in his room, where she had circled her home town.
Creeping down the stairs to Gregory’s desk, he knocked on the door.
Rosa spun around in the chair.
“What? You feeling rampage-y again? Gregory will be home in an hour.”
“Please,” Arthur took a few cautious steps towards her, his heart thumping in his chest. He felt so nervous he thought he might be sick, a long forgotten feeling. “Please, help me.”
He handed the map to her, indicating Annalise’s hometown. She glanced at it, sighing.
“It’s 500 miles away, Arthur.”
“Please,” his eyes were wide. “Before I run out of time. You will have all the time in the world, but she will not.”
Rosa met his eyes, and for a moment, he saw fire. He thought she was going to deny him, that there was no one to help him and Annalise would die alone, without him.
But then, she sighed, and turned to her computer.
He pulled some money out of his pocket, all of the paper bills, and handed them to her.
“Please.”
She raised an eyebrow, looking at the cash in his hand.
“Do you want to bus, train, or fly?”
“Whatever is fastest.”
She turned back to her computer, clicking some keys.
“It’ll be expensive, Arthur. And you can’t be afraid. I don’t imagine you’ve ever seen anything like a plane. It’s going to scare you.”
He heard expensive, and drew the coins out of his pocket as well, practically shoving them in her face.
She glanced at them, and then her face softened, an expression he had never seen on her.
“That’s all the money you have in the world, isn’t it?”
“Please,” he begged. “You can keep whatever is left over. I need to get to her.”
She laughed, shaking her head.
“Keep your money, Arthur, buy her a teddy bear. It’s not enough to get you there. But don’t worry,” she continued typing without looking. “You want to go now?”
“Before Gregory returns.”
“Kind of you to do that to me,” she replied, and then hit one final key, spinning around to the printer. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle your brother.”
She took the paper from the printer, folded it in half, and handed it to him.
“Bring your wallet, with all the cards Gregory got for you. If you stutter through your English, that’s fine. And it’s fine to ask people where you are going. Tourists are lost all the time. Go pack your stuff. I’ll call a taxi for you.”
He glanced at the paper, the words and letters foreign to him.
“How long?”
“You’ll be with her by tonight. Christmas Eve. Now, go pack your stuff.”
She shooed him out of the room, and he walked upstairs in a daze, staring at the contents of his bedroom. What exactly was he supposed to pack? What exactly did one bring to say goodbye to his one true love?
The taxi arrived within 15 minutes, and Rosa managed to get him out the door and down the driveway before anyone noticed.
“Aren’t you afraid of what Gregory will say?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“There are worse things in the world than Gregory, trust me,” she smiled as she closed the door. Looking at her fragile frame, Arthur half wondered what battles she had fought with Gregory beside her, what they were keeping secret.
And then the taxi was hurtling down the lane, towards the airport.
She had given him instructions, but he listened to her advice and summoned the courage to ask people at every corner. He showed them the paper she had given him. To his surprise, no one was annoyed or angry with him. They were all kind, smiling and pointing him in the right direction, wishing him merry Christmas after every instruction.
Somehow, by some miracle, stuttering through his words and forgetting half of them, he managed to be boarding the plane without too much confusion. A lovely young woman pointed him to his seat, and offered to put his coat overhead, which he denied.
He was shaking when the engine started, the roar so much louder than that of a car. Rosa had told him not to worry, it was just like a car and it flew, not by magic, but technology. She also had rolled her eyes at his reaction and informed him that it was much safer than a car. He had nothing to fear.
But he still felt an overwhelming wave of nausea when the plane’s nose pointed upwards and they took off.
He let out a strangled gasp
and leaned his head forward, wondering if he was going to throw up the stomach full of blood he had.
“First time flying?” came a voice beside him.
Glancing sideways, he found himself beside an old woman, likely in her 70s or 80s, with sparkling eyes and a kindly smile. She had knitting needles in her lap and a cup of tea in her hand.
“Yes,” he managed, trying not to heave. She smiled and patted his hand.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be alright. There’s a bag right here if you need it,” she said, pulling the paper bag from his seat. “But what I think you need is a good strong cup of tea and a chat. Are you headed to see family?”
“Uh …” he was surprised that the nausea was subsiding. The woman raised her hand to signal a flight attendant, and within minutes, he had a cup of tea as well. “No.”
She smiled.
“A girlfriend?”
“Uh … yes.”
“Does she know you’re coming? Or is it a surprise?”
“It’s a surprise,” Arthur took a sip of the tea. Peppermint, strong and full of flavor. He began to feel better already.
“Well, won’t that be lovely! My husband used to do that to me during the war, arrive in town as a surprise. It was always such a treat. Tell me all about her, dear.”
“I uh …” Arthur closed his eyes as the plane hit a bit of turbulence, trying to tell himself it was just like bumps in a car. “She changed my life. Taught me how to live. I don’t think I could do it without her.”
“I know the feeling,” the woman nodded. “Sometimes, we just meet those special people, don’t we?”
“Yes,” Arthur smiled at her. “We do.”
* * *
Chapter 8
He did as Rosa had instructed, and bought the largest teddy bear he could afford on his way out of the airport, handing over the last of his money. If he wasn’t so focused on his mission of being with Annalise, he would probably be still wide-eyed from the plane. But his seat companion had talked his ear off the entire trip and he barely noticed when they landed. She had wished him a merry Christmas and best of luck when he had stuttered out his story, or at least as much of it as he could, without looking too suspicious.
Rosa had told him that there would be a man with a sign waiting for him when he got off the plane to take him to Annalise.
As soon as he stepped out of the terminal, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, and saw with dismay that it was Gregory.
Sighing, but unable to completely disobey, he answered.
“Hello?”
“Arthur, are you alright?”
To his surprise, Gregory was not angry, but concerned.
“Yes. I’m alright.”
“Thank God,” his brother sighed.
“I’m going to Annalise.”
“Yes, Rosa informed me of that little tidbit.”
“Rosa is not to blame,” Arthur said, quickly, scanning the airport for his name on one of the signs.
“Of course she is to blame,” Gregory replied, although he didn’t sound annoyed. “And she did the right thing. I was pigheaded to not let you go.”
“Have you spoken to Dr. Hever, then?” Arthur asked, hopefully. There was a silence on the other end of the phone. “Gregory?”
“Yes,” Gregory replied. “I informed him of your arrival. When you get to the house, he will take you to Annalise. Although you may not get the warmest reception.”
“And her condition?”
“It’s unchanged,” Gregory answered. “Please, Arthur, do be prepared for the worst.”
“I will be with her,” Arthur spoke with firmness. “I will be prepared for no such thing.”
“Call me as soon as there’s news. We will miss you, here, for Christmas.”
“I’ll return when I can,” the regent replied, and then ended the call. He had spotted a man dressed in a suit holding up a sign that looked like his name. Strolling over, he glanced at the sign once more. “I am Arthur.”
“Nice to meet you,” the man grunted at him. “Right this way.”
Arthur wasn’t used to such a rough reception, but he followed the man through the crowds and into an idling taxi cab at the front of the line outside. There were hundreds of yellow cabs it seemed, stretching through the lot. “How do you know which one is yours?”
The man laughed, and held open the door, Arthur getting into the backseat.
“How far is it?”
“Not far. Ten minutes, perhaps. That’s a fancy neighborhood you’re headed to. About to have a nice Christmas, eh?”
“Bittersweet,” Arthur replied, proud of himself for coming up with the word. The man, not wanting to dig any further, closed his door and then they were off, navigating through streets and traffic.
Twice on the short drive, Arthur tried calling Annalise again, but each time, there was no answer. His heart was pounding and he felt breathless, wondering if he were in a race against time. Wondering if he should be screaming at the man to go faster, and praying the situation was not that desperate.
Lord, if you are merciful enough to hear the cry of a demon, please, let me reach Annalise in time, he repeated, over and over again in his head.
The second time her phone rang through to voice mail, he left a message.
“I’m coming, love. Hang on.”
The Hever home wasn’t quite as grand as the Bugresson home, but it was still lovely. Rustic and large in the middle of a wooded area, it looked as if they lived in paradise. Although there was snow covering the ground, Arthur could feel the life in the place, the birds chirping, the winter plants pushing through. It was peaceful, quiet, and secluded.
Holding the giant teddy bear in one arm, he pounded on the door.
It opened immediately. A tall man with blond hair and kind eyes stared back at him. His face had the paleness of a vampire, although he seemed to radiate life.
He bowed his head.
“My Lord Arthur. What a pleasure.”
“Annalise,” Arthur said, assuming correctly that this man was Dr. Hever. “Please.”
Dr. Hever held open the door and Arthur crossed the threshold, looking around.
This was so different than the Bugresson house. This was a real home, filled with pictures and memories, of items lying around. There were school bags and notebooks, graduation caps and soccer balls. This was a family home, warm from love and use.
Arthur was about to take another step when a vampire was suddenly in front of him. He knew at once who this was. Slightly shorter and thinner with the eyes of a warrior hardened by the life he lived, his face no more than 19. This was Tony. Tony, the boy who both loved and controlled Annalise, and the obstacle in Arthur’s way.
He had expected a grizzled warrior, a boy looking to start a fight from the beginning. But instead he found a teenager, half broken and half crazed with grief.
Arthur had expected to find a jailor, but instead, he found a lover. In the boy’s eyes, he saw his own grief reflected. This would not be a fight, he knew.
“Tony,” he said, and Tony seemed to be fighting the bow that was built into his blood.
“Arthur,” he replied, not addressing him by his title. “You’ve come for Annalise. Have you not stolen her away enough?”
Arthur felt his heart soften.
“I’m sorry for what my brother has done, in bringing her to me the way he did. But I’m not sorry that she was brought to me at all.”
“You imprisoned her and in that imprisonment she grew weak.”
“I can assure you,” Arthur said, evenly, “that Annalise was not unhappy during her time with us. She thrived and laughed. She taught me the meaning of the holiday season. She taught me a lot, and for that I am grateful.”
“She taught you how to live at the expense of her own life!” Tony snapped. “And now you can’t leave her in peace with us? She is not yours to claim, Prince. Not everything belongs to you.”
“No,” Arthur shook his head, feeling ridic
ulous with the giant teddy bear in his arms. “She does not belong to me, but nor to you. She is free to make her own choices, and I’m sorry that freedom was ever taken from her. I’ve come to say goodbye to her, is all. Has life been so cruel to you that you will not allow that?”
Tony bared his teeth, growling. Arthur knew that he could overtake this boy, this vampire not even 200 years old. But now, facing him, he saw the true meaning of Gregory’s words of how to be a good ruler. This boy was just as broken hearted as he was, and grief made people do horrible things. He knew that first hand.
“Please,” Arthur whispered, and heard Dr. Hever shift behind him.
“Tony,” said the doctor, just one word, filled with compassion. And to his surprise, the warrior dropped his stance, the tension releasing from his shoulders. Here was a ruler, a good head of the family, a good king in this household. Dr. Hever only needed speak and Tony’s respect for him won out.
Times had changed, and rulers no longer needed to be tyrants, no longer needed to be almighty. For within compassion, within love, came power.
“She’s down the hall, to the left,” Dr. Hever said, as Tony went to him. “Take as long as you like.”
Arthur had to restrain himself from breaking into a run. He could smell her, the ugly scent of death floating through the house, although he didn’t know whether that meant he was too late.
Carefully, step by step, as if he were walking down a wedding alter, he found the room they meant and pushed open the door.
She was so much thinner than when she left, a scarf wrapped around her head, to hide her lack of hair. Her face was white as a sheet, and she was hooked up to so many wires and machines he was surprised there was even room for her on the bed.
He didn’t question why she wasn’t in a hospital, why more wasn’t being done for her. He had those questions on the tip of his tongue when he entered, but meeting Dr. Hever had changed his mind. This was not a family holding her prisoner, lording over her. They cared just as much as he did, and they were doing all they could for her.
He took a deep breath, wondering if he should wake her. Her chest rose and fell and the monitors beeped. He could hear her heartbeat, steady but weak. Her lips were dry and cracked, and his eyes fell on a pitcher of water by her bed. Slowly entering, he placed the bear on the floor and poured her a cup of water, trying not to let water leak from it. His hands shook as he did it, and only when he was sure they were steady did he turn to her, reaching out with one hand to stroke her cheek gently. She shifted, and her head turned towards him.
A New Start Page 23