by Tonya Nagle
Laura flipped head over foot, slamming into a mountain wall. She hadn't expected that.
"You ruined a perfectly good vampire. He was deliciously evil before you got hold of him."
"Go ahead and believe that, if it will make you feel better."
Daphne flew wildly at her, screeching with talons out, but this time Laura was ready. She twirled in that last second. The demon crashed into the mountain's face.
Satisfied, Laura moved toward the golden form.
In a flash, the demon rose up through the ground in front of her. "Damn you, you even move like the angelic host. Why don't you go back to God and leave the damned alone?"
"I want my body!"
"No!" The demon roared in Laura's face--her breath, foul with decomposing flesh. "Oh, you self-righteous, foo-foo bitch! You angels are all alike. If someone starts acting even the slightest bit good, you claim it was in them all the time. I know David 336
Hilliard better than that. He can be a good boy when he wants something, but his true self is the monster. The light you see in him will fade in time. Then where will you be, angel?"
Laura replied, "You'll say anything. David's a very strong man."
Regaining her perch on the rock, Daphne posed defiantly. "How strong do you think he'll be without you?"
Laura rushed toward her body. The demon lunged, meeting her halfway. The demon's claw just missed her face. Laura's right jab struck Daphne hard in the mouth.
The force smashed the demon into the ground, making a crater on impact.
Rubbing the blood from her mouth, Daphne mocked, "Now it comes. The wrath of God as delivered by an avenging flutterbye."
"Get out of my way, Daphne."
"No, I won't. We can fight each other forever, for here in the world of balance there are no winners or losers. We are evenly matched. You cannot win." The demon stood stroking her long pointed red tail. "And I don't see any heavenly hosts coming to help you."
"I haven't asked," replied Laura.
"Why not? That would give you an edge in getting your body back." Then Daphne's black demon eyes narrowed. "Unless they threw you out. That's it! You fell from grace, didn't you? You fell from grace choosing a vampire over God."
"No."
Daphne laughed, and her wicked glee echoed in the mountains.
Laura raced toward her body. Daphne's tail swung around knocking her off her feet. With talons aimed for the kill, she attacked. Laura rolled and stood. First a right 337
jab, followed by a left cross disorienting the demon. A right round kick sent her careening into a stand of trees flattening them.
"Ouch. OUCH. OWUCH!" Daphne screamed. "Damn you!" She pulled branches from the wounds in her body. "Did David teach you that?"
"No," replied Laura coolly, "my kickboxing sensei did." She stood hovering with her fists raised to defend herself.
"I hate to admit it, but you're good, too good." Daphne smiled, her eyes glinting with evil delight. She lunged at Laura again, who deftly spun away from the demon's wrath. But the red tail whipped back. Laura leapt out of the way. The demon twirled and jumped. Laura's right hook and left roundhouse kick threw her into a hillside.
Again the demon got up, charging at Laura like a bull. They connected. Left jab, right uppercut, and a left round kick sent Daphne careening into a mountain. She stood, wobbled and fell down again. Her strong ruby red body bled.
Laura stood ready with fists raised for the next attack. She was surprised that she wasn't even tempted by the sight of all that blood.
"You know," the demon said, as she sat on the pile of broken rocks at the mountain's foot, "we have room on the dark side for one more. Why settle for a vampire body? Why settle for less? You could go far with your talent."
"I'm not interested. Now move away from my body."
"Oh, give me a break. You're not really going back because of him. I mean look at you." Giving Laura an appreciative once over, the demon swayed back and forth as if on an invisible swing. "You could have any man. You could stay here and be a goddess.
Consider that for a moment. What woman wouldn't want to be a goddess? Think of the fun you'll have. Besides David's such a ruined, pathetic mess." Daphne snorted with 338
glee. "You, on the other hand, could have anyone. You're strong, confident, and powerful. Feel the power surging through you. All the worlds could be yours."
Laura thought a minute. Her thoughts remained steadfast on a single purpose.
In her mind, she went over the question: What does God need me to do?
The
answer:
What do you need?
Laura smiled. She needed David Hilliard. Though she knew the reason was love, being sent back meant there was more. In her short stay in the higher worlds of God, she learned that there is always more and she meant to remember that. Looking at the demon seated on the ground, licking her wounds, she asked, "If he's ruined, why do you want him?"
"Oh, I don't want him anymore. I want your body. I want to live again. Even life as a vampire is better than this. Can't you see? I have nothing. As a human, I was used and abused. As a vampire, okay, so I used and abused others. As a Kere, I was a slave and for all my devotion to Adam, he repaid me by murdering me. Being a demon, I have nothing, and there is nothing you can give me that will make me let your body go.
"Don't mistake me. I'll torment David for a while. Then I'll dump him. It will be a sweet and justified revenge. The Earth has never seen the horrors I'll call forth. Every vampire will join with me to enslave humanity."
Laura leapt at the demon, but Daphne grabbed her by the throat. Within seconds, the creature screamed and let go. Shrieking, she tenderly held her claw. Laura didn't understand what had just happened. Then Daphne kicked her into the sky. It only took Laura an instant to return.
"Damn it. I forgot the rule," complained the demon.
"What rule?"
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"No prolonged contact."
Laura flew closer but just out of the demon's range. Daphne tried to whack her with her tail, but the exercise proved fruitless.
"I'm not going to let you use my body like that."
"And I'm not going to let you return to change everything."
Laura frowned. "I'm not going to change everything. I just want to go back to David."
"But in that act you will start a ripple effect of change throughout the vampire empire. I can't allow your angel goodness to leak into that world." Daphne was adamant in her position.
"So," said Laura, narrowing her eyes, "where are the minions to give you the edge? Haven't you asked for their help?"
Daphne stared off, obviously disappointed. "They apparently think it should be no trouble for me to deal with one half-trained angel."
How long can this go on? thought Laura. And how long have I been away?
What if I can't get my body away from Daphne? Oh, David! Floating gently down, she walked up just outside the demon's striking range.
"You might as well flitter off. I'm not giving you back your body."
"You know you don't have to be a demon here. You could ask for mercy." Laura sidestepped a whack from Daphne's tail.
"From you?" she laughed, incredulous with the concept.
"No, not from me."
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"No, I don't think so. It's not my style. I don't go around begging God for anything. I'm not like your pitiful David begging God for you. I have no idea why I was ever interested in him in the first place. He's so weak. Yech!"
"David won't give up on me, and neither will I." Laura cried deep within herself.
Tears fell down her radiant face. She wouldn't give up, because if she did, she'd be deserting David. He had waited for her in the torment of the Keres. She would do the same for him.
With tornado fury, Laura threw herself at the golden form. Daphne crashed into her. Blood splattered. Screams ripped the air. Over and over and over, Laura punched, kicked, bit, whatever it took. This was her life, and
she would win it back. Crumbled at the foot of the mountain, Laura pushed herself up. Only a few feet away, the demon rose to match. Laura's arm bled, but she didn't notice. In one leap, she soared straight up then plummeted toward the form. She embraced the sweet wind and it danced around her, the closer and closer she came. Boom! The sky went dark. A whip of red tore her from the air.
Laura fell. Every part of her burned. Bleeding hands pulled her along the ground and threw her off a cliff. In that second, she remembered. Brother Wind, sing to me.
Fear flew out of her. Serenity filled her.
She vanished and appeared in front of her glowing golden form.
"No," screamed Daphne. Grabbing Laura by the hair, she pounded her head into the ground.
Laura spun faster and faster. The world around her blurred and hummed.
Daphne flew out of control, out of sight. Collapsing on the ground, Laura wept. In the desperation of this hour, she spoke to his heart. I'm sorry, David. I have let you down.
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When she looked up, David stood before her, holding a bouquet of white lilacs.
You could never let me down.
You're the only one I would come back for. She kissed him. The wonder of everything she'd experienced flowed into him in that kiss, a kiss that neither wanted to end, as the two embraced.
Daphne appeared. Rushing behind Laura, she pounced, talons extended. How lovely it would be to slice an angel's throat. A shield of light slammed the demon down.
At first, Laura didn't know how that happened, but then she realized. David's love had been her edge.
She caressed his face. Let's go back now.
***
David woke up in Mama Joe's room and flew off the bed. He raced to the room, where Laura's body was still tied by the binding tape.
"What is it?" asked Mama Joe. "She stopped screaming and screeching a few minutes ago. What's happened?"
"Quickly, we must get the tape off."
"Scissors," commanded Mama Joe, and Eunice ran off. She returned seconds later with several pairs and they went to work carefully but quickly cutting the red tape off Laura. They were almost done when her pale blue eyes opened again.
"Hello," said Laura.
"Hello." David took off the last piece of tape.
Laura chuckled. "Okay, why was my body taped up? Was that Daphne's idea?"
Mama Joe explained, "We were trying to prevent her from running off with your body."
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"Thank you." She sat up and got out of bed. "Papa!" She went to Donovan and hugged him.
"Wait," said Mama Joe, separating the two. "First, who are you?"
Laura smiled. "I am Laura Cordelais. My mother was Juliette Cordelais. My father is Donovan Dupre." Walking back over to David, she said, "And my husband is David Hilliard." Her fingers tenderly traced the line of his jaw that was always hard set whenever he was determined to do something. He looked that way now, but the hardness in his face gave way to her caress. "Actually, I'm Laura Hilliard."
***
They kissed. When they came up for air, they were alone in the room. David locked the door. Then he pulled her gently onto the bed, his fingers caressing her long blonde hair and soft pale skin. He kissed her neck tenderly, passing over the place where he had bitten her. She sighed in his arms and greeted his every touch with a tender touch of her own to encourage him.
He gazed down at her. "Why did you come back? You were an angel. I saw your wings like a starburst behind you. Why would you trade your wings for fangs?"
"I need you."
"You need a vampire?"
"No. I need David Hilliard." She gazed deeply into his brown eyes. "Besides you promised me an eternity of love. Remember?" She unbuttoned his shirt, when she came to the last buttonhole there was no button.
David laughed. "I remember." His fingers played with her mouth, caressing her fangs. Moving downward, he reached behind her to unzip her dress. She undid his belt 343
and the zipper on his jeans. He caressed her entire body, as he slipped that dress off.
She moaned with longing.
Laura loved how the corners of his mouth turned up when he smiled. Her fingers softly traced his lips. His hands on her hips made her quiver with excitement.
"I want to feel your abundance fill me."
He whispered, "Is that what we're calling it now?"
She giggled and kissed him. Hearing his thoughts was definitely an advantage.
This time she would make him all breathless and pant for her. Sliding her hands down his body, she tenderly caressed him making her way past his abs. He moaned, his eyes growing darker before closing. Her every touch created a ripple effect throughout his body. She caressed his shaft. Her soft, wet kisses drove him wild.
David's eyes blazed with fire. So close to the edge, he could bear it no longer. His fingers tangled in her hair, pulling her back to his lips. His mouth possessed hers. His hands took control, and he rolled her over landing on top.
His lips worked their way down her body, leaving her to moan in delight as he kissed her breasts and quivering stomach.
He plunged into her. Laura gasped, wrapping her arms and legs around him, moving with his every move. It was almost more than she could endure. He reclaimed her mouth, his tongue stroking her fangs. Waves of pleasure rolled through her becoming greater with each stride.
David gasped before he collapsed on top of her. The look of bliss shone on her face. They stayed entwined. Hours passed playfully and passionately with touching and unspoken teasing. They could have gone on like that for days, except for the polite knock on the door.
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"Children, come join us," requested Mama Joe.
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Chapter 30
Laura and David entered the dining room to cheers and applause. A feast was spread across the table.
"Please, tell us about the afterlife. Everything you remember." Eager for the information, Mama Joe took in every word.
David poured blood into his glass.
"So," said Donovan, between bites of his fish. "What are you doing next?"
"I promised Laura that we would finish our wedding."
Eunice enthused, "We get to plan a wedding!"
***
The blood wouldn't come out of the dress. Laura sighed, as the girls tried to wring the water out of the wedding dress that leaked more and more blood.
"I could wear this blue dress and my mother's robe."
"Child, I think we can do better than that. Eunice, go into the attic and bring down the inventory."
"What's the inventory?"
"Oh, when the people were fleeing the city, I had the girls go out and collect necessities that were left behind. Eunice views lovely clothes as necessities. She found 346
some dresses that were in boxes on a high shelf and was able to rescue them. The next day the store was covered by the water."
After several minutes, Eunice entered the room with several white boxes. Laura opened each one, ohhing and ahhing each time she saw a new wedding dress. "Well, time's a wasting. Try them on."
The perfect dress was white lace that scooped at the neck. Its tapered down sleeves ended in a large ruffle. It was cinched at the waist and fluttered delicately to the floor. It was not quite a bell shape but more fluid. Mama Joe smiled and nodded her approval. Laura was shaking this time, as she put her mother's purple robe over the dress. Although still a little damp, it was clean, and it made her feel close to her mother.
"Mama Joe, you once asked me how it felt to be a vampire and I didn't tell you the entire truth. I need to now."
The mambo gazed at her. "What do you mean?"
"Truth changes, and I didn't know that until now. Do you know I can feel the night coming on like a shadow creeping toward me? Blood rushes through me like a wild elixir but when I'm hungry it burns. When I was in Florida with Brilla, I starved myself, and my body burned so badly I thought I'd go insane. Being undead is the waking horror an
d after a while you learn to live in your dreams because you have nothing else."
"Then why did you choose to be a vampire?"
"I didn't. I chose love and in my case the vampire body just happens to be a part that I'm willing to accept."
"Why are you telling me this?"
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"You asked David to do something for you in return for helping him find me. He said you would tell him when he was needed. You wouldn't want him to change you to a vampire when your time comes, would you?"
"You didn't fall out of heaven, Child, now did you? You were sent," she laughed.
Then Mama Joe grew solemn, her eyes welling with tears. "I'm afraid a beautiful shimmering world won't be waiting for me at the end. I have a lot of things I regret, things I'd rather not be accounting for."
A serene light spread across Laura's face. "You know I tried to commit suicide."