by Yirak, Laura
Nicholas wanted to stop her but knew better.
The door burst open and an unexpected Balara looked up with newborn in hand. There was nothing to be seen, but she could hear movement, she knew something was in the room with her and before she knew it, she was pinned to the ground, with the newborn being ripped from her grips. She screamed, which woke up the other babies, who also joined in her cries, the noise level had dramatically increased making everything frenzied and chaotic.
Nicholas did only what he could to take care of the blonde vampire without killing her and that was to feed. He sunk his fangs in deep to her neck and drank and drank. Alesta moved about the room, but his focus remained on the vampire’s blood which he took till she went limp. She was stunningly beautiful whoever she was, he looked at her soft white skin, delicate face, her light blue dress, and laid her down, her blue eyes, closed.
“She’s out. Too easy. I don‘t like this,” Nicholas warned though Alesta ignored him.
“There’s so many of them. How do we get them out?” Alesta was frantic.
The clothes ripped from Nicholas’s body as he transformed himself into the massive dark grey bat, with massive wingspan, sharp claws and a face that was close to his own but greyly hued.
“You do the same and wrap them up in your wings and I will carry you all out of here. Quick as I do not know who else will follow, we have to expect someone will catch what we‘ve been up to.”
With no hesitation Alesta became like Nicholas, a naked female version of him and with her hands quickly placed the crying newborns into her massive grey wingspan all wrapped and secure, but unhappy. Nicholas grabbed Alesta by her ribs and lifted her up and took the quickest way out of the building which was crashing through the glass window ahead of him.
“Did you have to do that, the babies? They could have been cut.” Alesta wasn’t happy.
“You didn’t leave me with much of a choice; we just had to get the hell out. Now where?” he said. “So heavy.”
His wings flapped hard and he took a dive towards the ground.
Alesta cried out, “Nicholas!”
“I’m going, I’m going.” It was a near miss as he almost hit some trees, but then made his way up and up. “This is definitely noticeable. Where to?”
“Um…..um…..I hadn’t thought this far.” Alesta said. “Christ!”
“Well think! Think! We can’t take them home!”
“Um, the hospital. Mercy! Take us there.”
“Jesus,” Nicholas said. “Show up at the front just us bats.”
“AHHHH! This is not the time for joking. I don’t know, just get us there quickly, I don’t know how much longer I can hold on to them all, they’re wriggly little things.”
He swept quickly through the buildings, out the city, past the raging river Clyde and to Mercy on the horizon, with just the red blip of light at its top to signal the helicopters. He landed with a thump on the roof. The journey complete though not smooth.
“Here we are again…..Alesta’s delivery service,” Nicholas said.
Alesta spoke to the moaning newborns trying to calm them down a little, but it was doing no good.
“Definitely not what I was expecting,” she said again. “We’ve got to get them inside some how.”
“Let’s do this the easy way,” Nicholas said and pulled the fire alarm at the top of the exit stairwell to the roof. The alarm screamed and a red light flashed inside the little alarm box.
“Shit! That’s not what I had in mind,” Alesta cried out.
“There! The fire department will come to check the fire and find our gift. Come on we’ve got to put them down before they arrive.”
Sirens wailed already in the distance.
“I’m sorry wee babies.” Alesta looked at them all before allowing Nicholas to help her put them down. They cried. “I know it’s cold, soon you’ll be safe inside, safe with your real mummies.”
They hid and waited for the firemen to reach the roof looking for a fire, but instead discovering something much more innocent, a large pile of newborns.
Alesta and Nicholas retreated off to the Manor to safety, Alesta feeling somewhat satisfied with their delivery.
The secret underground, was peaceful compared to the racket that had just taken place. After washing off, Nicholas took a turn-in early to bed and Alesta found herself fussing about in her large dressing room trying to fathom what had just happened and why. She put on her black night gown and stood in front of her large mirror brushing her hair.
“I need to go back,” she whispered.
“No actually, no need to.” An old familiar voice responded.
She turned to see a man standing, dressed all in black, dark hair dark, dark eyes.
“William?” She stumbled back in utter shock trying to regain her balance.
Was she seeing things, she was after all very tired?
“No actually, I go by Lachlan now.”
Alesta began to stutter shaking her head, “W…..W…..What?”
“Those were my children you took, my bride that you nearly sucked the life out of…..My life that you have interfered with! Again!”
She had no words; it was William, that man she had killed so long ago, her old husband.
“I’ve left you alone all this time, but you couldn’t do the same for me.”
“I…..I…..I…..”
“Thought I was dead?”
“You…..”
“My brother couldn’t go through with it, snuck me out all damaged and burned, almost to a crisp. He never was strong enough, couldn‘t complete his revenge. It wasn’t too late though, it’s never too late. My brother…..fell for you as well. You left me too early, never saw it through, couldn‘t see it through. Guilt I imagine.”
“All this time?”
“I took the chance at a fresh start, a new me. Believe me I have watched you, almost killed you, especially once I recovered. Then I heard of the Ro incident, funny really. I helped him escape all those years ago. He always was way more loyal to me. My lawyer Allister has been filling me in on the Manor’s gossip. I heard you had a little incident with a Priest, quite entertaining. That and he‘s your little pet. Too bad Allister is leaving.”
Alesta moved further back and pressed herself up against the very large mirror. She didn’t know how to feel, total shock.
“I remember our very last kiss right in this spot,” he gave her a warm smile.
This was a living nightmare.
She tried to push past his word games as he always so enjoyed, “Why’d you take them?”
He took a step closer, “The babies?”
“Your children? They’re not your children. They’re human.”
“Ah yes, your poor pathetic humans. You love your humans don’t you? More than you ever did me. Have surrounded yourself with them, a nurse, a little, what do you call it? Bed and breakfast, sham of a hotel. My Manor!!!! It’s my family name you’ve been hiding under.”
“They don’t belong to you. They’re just babies.”
“They did belong to me, the untouched, unblessed, unbaptized, filled with original sin, would have made the most perfect and pure vampires.”
“Disgusting.” Alesta shook her head and closed her eyes.
“No, no, ingenious, look at your pathetic Ro. Had no control over his environmentally caused emotional abuse served to him by humans, couldn’t do as he was told. Not my vampires, raised as a vampire from birth, they could have it all and more.”
“You’re sick.”
“No. I’m a father, was a father till you intervened. Now I will have to start all over.”
“You killed Ro.”
“Yes, useless mess of a vampire.”
Time stood still, the two just stared at each other, it didn’t feel real, but it was. Alesta knew William could pull it all off. The man was a whimsical bastard, with a smile that burned in her memories through the ages.
They circled around the room facing each other, th
eir familiar dance, till one of them made a move. He came crashing towards her, shattering the big mirror behind her. The two of them lay on a heap on the floor with shards of mirror stuck in different places, blood oozing out. They both picked up pieces of long sharp bits of mirror and began slashing at each other, rolling around the floor and smashing into this and that. Clothing came flying off shelves, racks came crashing down, the two of them looked like mince meat, flesh hanging here and there. The two separated as quickly as they had come together and stood facing each other. He was smiling still, sick and twisted.
“This is how it should have ended before. One on one. It was a wonder you even escaped me the first time. Not this time however.” William came at her again.
This time he was quicker than she and he stabbed her in the heart with a shard of glass. Alesta fell to the ground, grasping at the place he had nailed her, coughing up spurts of blood.
“There, there now. It’s time to go. This is how it was always meant to be. You never really embraced your true vampire.” William drew Alesta up in his arms and rocked her like a child. “I loved you. I still do. My one and only Alesta.”
Everything became as night, she could feel herself slipping away, little by little, floating there in the room, weightless, all sound became muffled, nonexistent, even her breathing, her heartbeat began to slow, a constant low buzz. She was ready to make peace with God if he would just let her.
“I don’t think so,” boomed a voice from the dark.
She couldn’t see anything, just a blur of figures, no sound, and then there was just black emptiness.
It was a beautiful Wednesday morning and Judy hummed away in the kitchen making breakfast for the only two guests, a young woman, just passing through and Allister.
“Good morning,” Patrick said. “Ready for your fitting today?”
“For the ball? Oh I can’t wait. Cara will be here soon.”
“My tux arrived. Never worn a tux.”
“You’ll be so handsome in it. Alesta will certainly turn her head.”
“What?” Patrick said.
“Oh you think I havny noticed. You two!” Judy smiled and added some milk to the tea she was making for him. “There you are now.” She passed it to him.
“Alesta, I haven’t seen her in days. Work called for her again, she’s going to be sacked if she doesn’t show up. They’re only being forgiving because of what happened to her with the baby abduction and all. That and the babies were returned by some unknown. The hospital has been getting big press.”
“Oh yeah. I read about it in the paper. They’re doing DNA testing on the newborns to try and figure out who belongs to who. The poor wee things. I canny believe any of it. They‘re so tiny. The poor wee things.” Judy flipped some toast on and got out some butter.
“She’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” Judy said.
“I just don’t know,” Patrick said.
“Well why don’t you go over there and just see her.”
“I think I will,” Patrick said.
The days had been a bit too slow for him not knowing what Alesta was up to.
“Hello?” Cara came through the swinging kitchen doors.
“Oh Cara! You’re here. Come in, come in!” Judy was so excited.
“Cara this is Patrick. Patrick this is Cara my daughter.”
“Nice to finally meet you. Thank you for your help the other day.” Short blonde haired Cara, gave Patrick a confused look. “You know, with Sister Ellen.”
“Oh yeah,” Cara said. “You’re welcome.”
“I’m sorry to leave you both, but I’m going to take breakfast up to our guests. Maybe I’ll see you’s later,” Patrick said.
“Right, right!” Judy said, “I’m distracted, just excited.”
“I know, you visit and relax and I’ll take care of things till you get your fitting done. Don‘t give the woman too much hassle!” Patrick chuckled and placed the hot plates on a tray and whisked them away.
“Mum! I’m so excited; I’ve never done anything like this before.” Cara gave Judy a hug and she accepted like a mother always loves to.
“Oh, I know. I canny wait; the seamstress will be here any minute.”
“Oh I just don’t know what I’m going to pick and colors and fabric and all that.” Cara’s looked like an innocent child who was about to get some ice cream.
“Well it’s an evening thing. I think we should go with darker colors.”
“Yes. I had thought about that as well, you know, I like light colors, but I could only do that if it were summer.”
Judy looked up, “Did you hear the door. She’s here.”
The two of them bustled out the kitchen as if there was a fire nipping at their heels.
“Hello there, I’m Judy, you must be Ira?”
“Yes, I’m here for the fitting.”
“Oh come in come in.”
Ira was a short, dark haired woman; hair tied back and small rectangular rimmed glasses on the edge of her nose. She looked just as Judy had imagined and Judy couldn’t stop smiling.
“Oh can I get you anything?”
“No thank you.” Ira held a couple large black leather tote bag, with some odd fabrics poking out the top. “Just show me to where you’d like to be fitted and we can all get started.
“This way then.” Judy led them all up to her bedroom where Ira took a seat by the window.
“Who’d like to go first?” Ira asked as she scattered out swatches of fabrics on Judy‘s small doily covered table.
“You go mum.” Cara took a seat on the bed.
Judy was not going to argue and took a seat in front of Ira.
“Now, with your hair color, I would suggest maybe a dark silver, very, very in season right now.” Ira held up the silk fabric she had in mind.
Judy took a look at it, felt it and said, “Well what about black, or brown.”
Ira took showed her those colors and Judy looked over the three of them, “What do you think Cara?”
“Silver sounds brilliant, Mum.”
“Well I think I’ll do the silver.”
“Now for style. We could do something tighter fitting, showing off your curves, as I do see you still have them.” Judy giggled as Ira took a look at her, “Or tight at the top, coming out at the bottom?” Ira showed Judy some sample pictures and she mulled over them a bit.
“I just need to look a minute, I’m not sure, Cara, why don’t you pick your color aye?”
“Sure Mum.” Cara took a seat in front of Ira and Judy walked around the room holding the sample magazine in hand. “Red for me, dark red.”
“Yes, red with your bright blonde hair would be a crowd pleaser, would bring out your lips and cheeks. I have several shades of wine if you want to look at these.”
The daughter and mother settled on their colors and styles, Judy requested a hat to go with her silver dress picking something not so tight with layered fabrics and Cara picked a sleek, well-fitted gown, emphasizing her hips and legs while giving the upper half a little help. Then Ira pulled out the long measuring tape and gathered her numbers for the glorious gowns to be.
“I should have these to you a couple days before the event. Then we can make sure of the fit.”
“Oh thank you, so much. This was so easy.” Judy was already too excited to wait so long.
“Thanks.” Ira packed up her gear. “Call me if you have any second thoughts about colors or anything like that, here’s my card.”
“Oh it’s all fine,” Cara said. “Just lovely.”
“So lovely.” Judy showed her out and Cara and she spent some time together gossiping before Cara went home.
The dungeons looked undisturbed as Patrick showed himself down the hall towards Alesta’s chamber. Night had already fallen and he was somehow hoping to see her even though he was entirely uninvited.
There was no forgetting that last door, the night he had been bitten still remained in his memory as if it had just happened, the bite, th
ose feelings of the unknown, desire. He shook the thoughts and just opened the chamber door. Nicholas stood over Alesta’s golden coffin, the smart look gone, just a vacant sadness in his eyes.
“You‘re finally here?” Nicholas said returning his gaze to the coffin.
“What is it? What’s happened?” Patrick felt ill.
“She’s in a very, very deep sleep. I have tried everything. She won’t come out of it. She took a hit to her heart. I don’t know if she can recover though she is still with us now. I can‘t imagine how I let this happen. It‘s all my fault. I wasn‘t there in time, wasn‘t quick enough. I knew there were more, should have been more careful on our return home.”
Patrick wanted to puke feeling as though someone had just gutted him.
Nicholas continued in somber tones, “It all happened Saturday. Alesta found the babies and we rescued them, dropped them off at Mercy….”
Patrick swallowed hard, closing his eyes while holding his belly.
“She was caught unexpectedly by an old foe. He stabbed her, here. I was too late. He‘s dead now. I just murdered the vampire in all my anger, ripped him apart. I couldn‘t stop, lost control.”
Patrick put a hand over his face managing to choke out a few words, “Can I see her?”
Nicholas obliged and opened the heavy golden casket lid, she lay still, looking as white as white could be. Patrick leaned over her and placed his hand upon her cheek and lightly stroked her cold skin. She looked so beautiful still.
“Oh Alesta,” he whispered. “Alesta.” His words faded and his tears fell.
Death was near; he could feel it there beside her, close.
“I have given her blood, my blood, others blood, nothing seems to get her going. I have infused and infused.”
Patrick looked up, heavy headed to see blood bags over on the table which he hadn’t even noticed when he had come in. All he wanted to see was Alesta. All he could think about was her.
“Try mine.” Patrick offered up his arm. “I want to help her.”
Nicholas took a look at his strong arm, the young healthy blood pumping through him, “It’s unlikely it will work.”