Dhampir Love (Dhampir Secrets)

by Shirlee Lewis

  “When can I see the rest of the house?”

  Jason and I looked at each other.

  “She’s your responsibility. Tony and I leave in the morning.”

  “Where are you going Jess?” Abigail asked.

  “I don’t live here. I live in Oregon.”

  “I won’t see you again?” she asked quietly. “Where is Oregon? Is it close?”

  “I will come back and visit when I can. Oregon is in the United States. There’s an ocean between here and where I live.”

  “Oh!”

  “I’ll teach you about world,” Jason reassured her.

  Abigail peaked back around the corner and walked towards the door. The light shone on her and I gasped. She was beautiful. Her hair was waist length, straight and blond. Her face had the features of a ten year old. She was very thin and my height. Jason was noticing too with a smile across his face. Jason seemed to have the situation under control and Abigail showed she was beginning to trust him. I needed to leave so they would get to know each other better.

  “I’m going to go back to my room. Are you going to be okay now Abigail?”

  “I think I will. You’ll stay right Jason?”

  “Until, I have to go and prepare dinner for Jess and Mrs. Mureaux.”

  I went to the door, opened it enough for me to slip out, and closed it behind me. I made the right choice getting Jason to help Abigail.

  The sun was setting and I hurried down to the first floor kitchen. Jason was getting the meal on the table when I entered the dining room.

  “What do you think of Abigail?”

  “Thank you for recommending me to help her,” he said with a small smile.

  “You’re welcome,” I said smugly.

  Jennifer came into the kitchen and made her a plate. “I’m going to eat in my room this evening.”

  “Is everything alright?” I asked.

  “I had a busy day and I’m very exhausted. Jason, I’ll leave the plate outside the door when I’m done.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Jennifer took off for her room.

  “So, how did it go with Abigail after I left?”

  “She’s a very nice girl. We had a long talk about me and then she told me all about her. Poor thing had a lot going for her if her father wasn’t so strict. Charlotte was wrong turning her. I can’t imagine what she was thinking doing so, but I’ll never know will I.”

  “I know you’ll treat her right, Jason. Did you introduce her to anymore vampire powers?”

  “No, I want to take it slow with her.”

  “That’s understandable,” I stated getting a paper out of my pocket.

  “What’s that?” Jason asked.

  “It’s my cell phone number. Will you call me and let me know how Abigail is doing?”

  Jason smiled, “I sure will.”

  After dinner, I went back to my bedroom. I wanted to go back to the basement and see Abigail, but it was getting close for Tony to be here. Instead I lay on the bed and thought of Jason and Abigail and how they were getting along. Jason turned out to be just as caring and helping and protective as Tony. It must be the nature of Dhampir’s. There was a lot I didn’t know about them, but I had the rest of my life to learn. Then of all the thoughts that crossed my mind, I thought of Jason and Abigail living a long and happy life together. Deep down, I was hoping.

  Before I knew it, I was waking up to Tony whispering in my ear.

  “Sweetie.”

  “Hum.”

  Tony lightly kissed my neck and I rolled toward him.

  “Did you miss me?”

  “I always miss you.”

  The kisses were getting more intense on my neck. I smiled and lightly kissed Tony’s neck. He groaned and so do I. My Tony was home.

  Tony started snoring lightly and I wanted to see Abigail before I left for Oregon. Taking the pillow, I turned it long ways and scooted it up against him. Easing out of bed, I looked to make sure he was still asleep. He was. Putting on my robe I went to the stairs.

  Slowly opening the door to the stairs, I heard moaning and groaning echoing up the stairwell. At the bottom of the stairs, I saw Abigail’s white body with something covering it, but it was moving. The moaning and groaning grew louder and I turned my head away.

  I waited until it was silent and I heard Jason say, “That’s what they were doing upstairs.”

  “I like it,” Abigail giggled. “Can we do it again?”

  It hit me what they were talking about. Abigail heard Tony and me making love and Jason was showing her. Clearing my throat I said, “Hey guys, I came to see Abigail before I leave in a few hours.”

  “Jess, you came back to see me,” Abigail said beside me.

  I turned to look at her but she was completely white. Jason was hurrying with her dress to help her put it on.

  “I’m sorry Jess,” Jason said with chagrin.

  “It’s okay Jason. You didn’t know I was coming down. Please don’t be embarrassed. It’s only natural.”

  “She heard you and Tony. She wanted to know…..”

  Jason was fixing to explain to me what they were doing and I didn’t need to know. I stopped him immediately. “It’s okay Jason. You don’t have to explain. You’re helping Abigail,” I reminded him. “I just came to say goodbye to Abigail.”

  “Jess, you will come back and see me?” Abigail asked.

  “I’ll come every chance I get. You be good and listen to Jason. Why, I bet the next time I see you, you won’t be in the basement.”

  “Thank you for finding me and getting me out of that room.”

  “You’re welcome. My curiosity always prevails,” I said, and then laughed. “Jason, I left a few of my clothes in the bedroom dresser for Abigail.”

  “Thank you Jess,” Abigail said, and then hugged me.

  Now I was in shock. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back. Abigail had the biggest smile on her face.

  “Goodbye Jess,” Abigail said releasing her hug. “I will never forget you.”

  “Don’t you dare and, I promise, I won’t forget you. Goodbye Abigail.”

  Abigail went to Jason and I went back to my bedroom. Now I knew Abigail was going to be happy and safe with Jason.

  Before the sun came up, Tony and I were on our way to Oregon. I thought about mentioning Abigail to Tony, but changed my mind. Instead, I slept until we had to change planes in New York. Tony woke me as the plane was descending into New York.

  “Jess, you were talking about someone named Abigail.”

  “I was.”

  “In your sleep and who is Abigail?”

  Of all the times I talked in my sleep, which was never, why did now have to be the first time. I had already deceived Tony once which was enough to bother me, so I decided to tell him about Abigail.

  “I found her in the basement.”

  I waited for Tony to say something; anything, but he just stared at me and waited for me to continue.

  “Yesterday when I ran to the elevator, I went straight to the basement. The barred door had someone behind it and I wanted to see who it was.”

  “Abigail?”

  “Yes, Abigail. She’s so sweet. You wouldn’t believe how she ended up down there.”

  “Try me.” Tony said sharply.

  “Do you know anything about it?” I asked.

  “No I don’t, but now I’m beginning to see why all the questions about the basement intrigued you.”

  “Tony, please don’t be upset with me. I feel bad enough lying to you yesterday.”

  “You should. We have no secrets between us and now I am hearing.”

  “You wouldn’t have let me go back to the basement and.”

  “You’re right. I wouldn’t. Now continue with the story,” he said.

  “Four years ago, Charlotte took her to that room, turned her into a vampire and left her there. I heard her whisper ‘hush, they’re here’ and I wanted to see who it was behind the door, but it was boarded up. I
found her in that room. We talked and I discovered she didn’t know anything about what she was. She thought she was nineteen years old and human, but she’s only fifteen. I told her I knew someone that would help her because we were leaving today.

  “I talked Jason into….”

  “You didn’t,” he said.

  “Wait, let me finish. I talked Jason into coming down there with me hoping he would help her. I introduced them and they hit it right off with each other. After you fell asleep last night, I went to say goodbye to Abigail. Jason was there with her and I knew she was going to be okay. I even left her some of my clothes.

  That’s about it.”

  Tony closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat. He didn’t say a word.

  “Are you upset with me?” I asked.

  Tony wouldn’t open his eyes to look at me. I turned to look out the window thinking I was wrong for going down in the basement in the first place. The ghosts are what brought me to finding Abigail. If it hadn’t been for Jennifer wanting the wall down, I would still be in the good graces of Tony. Closing my eyes I prayed he would forgive me and see that I was helping her. I was not going to feel guilty for helping Abigail and having Jason take care of her. It was the best thing I could have ever done for anyone.

  We boarded our plane for the five hour trip to Oregon. Tony didn’t speak to me for the rest of the plane ride. He lay back on the seat with his eyes closed.

  The plane landed in Portland and it was a two hour ride home. Tony put our suitcases in the trunk, got into the driver’s side and drove home, quietly.

  One thing about Tony and me, we never argued or raised our voices to each other. When one of us was mad or upset we sat in silence until our thoughts were clear enough to talk out the problem.

  “The silence is killing me Tony,” I finally said.

  He looked over at me and then back to the road. Okay, at least he looked at me, I thought.

  Tony turned the corner onto our street and Mildred was coming out of the house. I waved at her, but she just glared at me. Mildred hadn’t changed while we were gone.

  At the house, Tony took our suitcases to the bedroom and then went to the kitchen. He grabbed a fresh flask and sat at the kitchen table. My cell phone rang as I was taking it out of my pocket.

  “Hello,” I said into the receiver.

  “Hello Jess, its Jason.”

  “Hi Jason, how is Abigail?” I looked at Tony and he was looking down at the table.

  Since he knew about Abigail and Jason, I didn’t keep my side of the conversation quiet.

  “Abigail is doing great. I have her upstairs and she loves all the clothes you left for her. I tried the human blood, but she doesn’t like it. Any suggestions on how I can introduce her to it slowly?”

  “Well, I don’t know. Let me think,” I said.

  I walked to the bedroom thinking of a way to do this. I thought of Tony, but he wasn’t speaking to me at the moment. When I turned around to go back to the living room, Tony was standing in the doorway of the bedroom. He held out his hand and motioned for me to give him the phone.

  “Jason, Tony would like to talk to you.”

  “He knows?”

  “Yes he knows. Talk to him, he would be the one to help with this.”

  Jason paused for a brief moment and then said, “Okay, I’ll talk to him.”

  I handed Tony the phone and sat down on the bed. Tony headed down the hall. I got up and went to the doorway and looked down the hall. Tony was headed to the kitchen. He was defiantly upset with me.

  I stood beside the doorway of the kitchen so I could hear Tony’s side of the conversation.

  “What is she used to drinking?” I heard Tony ask. “I see. Well, the best thing to do then is too get some rat blood and mix it with human blood. Slowly decrease the rat blood until she is used to human blood.”

  I smiled when I heard Tony’s advice to Jason.

  “Oh, I would say in a week decrease the rat blood by a fourth.” Tony paused.

  “If you need any more suggestions, call and I’ll be happy to help. Goodbye Jason.” Tony hung up the phone.

  I appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. Tony was laying my phone down on the table when I sat down across from him. He got up and went into the living room.

  Leaving my phone where Tony laid it, I went to the living room and stood by Tony’s chair. He turned on the television and looked up at me.

  “Are you still upset with me?” I asked.

  “Do you have any idea how close you came to being a vampire today?” he asked.

  “No—tell me.”

  “This girl.”

  “Abigail,” I said, interrupting him.

  “This girl,” he stressed. “Doesn’t have a clue what she is.”

  “She does now,” I whispered.

  “Jess, please let me tell you about this, okay.”

  “Okay.” I sat on the arm of his chair and faced him.

  He started from the beginning. “This girl doesn’t have a clue what she is and she could have very easily turned you.”

  She didn’t, I thought.

  “She’s not exactly a fresh made vampire and I guess the rat’s blood saved you, but my point is, she could have been wild from being alone and attacked you. For me, not knowing where you were if this would have happened, would have caused a horrible mess. I would have killed her.”

  I gasped when he said that. “I’m sorry,” I told him looking down at the floor.

  “I have to tell my father about her now.”

  “Why? Jason will take care of her. He promised me he would.”

  “Think of my mother. She’s human Jess.”

  Thinking about Jennifer, I knew Tony had to tell Victor about Abigail. “Wouldn’t Jason keep Abigail away from Jennifer?” I asked.

  “How long do you think that will last once Jason gets her used to human blood? My mother wouldn’t be safe then. Abigail would be trying to get to her when the opportunity allowed.”

  “I was hoping Jason would introduce her to Victor and Jennifer when he taught her how to be like us. Then Victor would take her under his wing and help her with what she is and everything would be alright,” I said.

  “Jess, I know you mean well. But this is something that needs the attention of my father. He will know what to do.”

  “Okay, tell Victor. I want you to know, Jason and Abigail already made love and Jason will do everything he can to protect her.”

  “What?” Tony hissed under his breath.

  “I think they have fallen for each other.”

  “How do you know this?” he asked.

  “I saw them, last night when I went to say goodbye to her. Abigail is so happy with Jason and vice versa. Just do me a favor when you talk to Victor.”

  “What?” he said sharply.

  I looked him square in the eyes and said, “Tell him it’s my fault this happened and to go easy on them.”

  “You can’t be serious,” he said between clinched teeth.

  “I am dead serious. I found her and introduced them. Please, ask him to help them to be together and Jennifer will have no worries. Please?” I begged.

  Tony got up and stormed into the kitchen. Grabbing the phone he headed out to the garage. I grabbed my phone off the table and hit redial and called Jason.

  “Hello,” Jason answered on the first ring.

  “It’s Jess. I have some bad news. Tony is telling Victor about Abigail as we speak. He’s afraid she will hurt Jennifer.”

  “Jess, how did he find out?”

  “I talked in my sleep on the plane ride home.”

  “Well, what do you suggest I do?”

  “Find Victor and tell him. Maybe you can talk to him before Tony. Tell him it’s my fault and don’t leave anything out. Call me when you can.”

  I hung up the phone because I heard the back door open. “Father wasn’t available. I’ll try again later,” he said putting the phone back on the cradle. I’m taki
ng a shower and then to bed.”

  Tony headed to the bedroom and I followed him. “I’m very sorry,” I said.

  Tony got in the shower and I sat on the bed. The phone started ringing. I ran to get it.

  “Hello.”

  “Victor.”

  “I’ll get Tony.”

  “You’re the one I’d like to speak too.”

  Now I was going to get the wrath of Victor.

  “I met Abigail just a little while ago. I heard a strange voice coming from the third floor. I went to investigate and that’s when I saw her.”

  I started trembling, so I sat at the table.

  “She told me about you finding her and saving her from the basement. She told me what Charlotte did. She’s one sweet girl, I have to say.”

  I took the phone from my ear and looked at it unbelieving. Putting it back to my ear I heard Victor continue, “I’ll help Jason with Abigail. Jenn was surprised at first, but Abigail took right up with her. Jenn is treating her like the long lost daughter she never had.”

  “Victor,” I interrupted him. “Tony is furious with me for finding her. He thinks she will hurt Jennifer…”

  “Don’t you worry, I’ll talk to Tony. Could you put him on?”

  “Hang on just a minute. I’ll get him.”

  I went to the bedroom to find Tony lying down.

  “It’s your father and he would like to talk to you,” I said.

  I handed Tony the phone, smiled and went to the kitchen to make myself a pot of coffee.

  The secret was no longer a secret. I smiled to myself.

  My coffee was done. I poured a cup and sat at the table with my back to the doorway. Tony was still on the phone with Victor. I wondered how Tony was going to react to Victor knowing about Abigail. I smiled again. It was going to be interesting. Tired from the plane ride, and coffee wasn’t helping to relax me—because I drank so much—I decided to take a hot bubble bath.

  Slipping down into the hot bubbly water, I closed my eyes. The wedding was three months away and I wanted to make my wedding dress. Nothing for the rakes at the department store would do, although I had looked on the internet at several dresses. The design I had in mind of my dress was none other than my own. I thought long and hard about how I wanted it to look and I couldn’t wait to get started. One problem, Tony needed to be away from the house. He wasn’t going to see it until the wedding.