I nodded in acknowledgment that I had been fairly warned and with a shrug, said, “Okay. So, what is it?”
“What ya goin’ through are just side-affects of bein’ Marked.”
I snorted softly. “Robert, please, you say that as if that marking part of their little role playing game is real. With real physiological side affects.”
“Well, isn’t it? Aren’t ya experiencin’ real things?”
“Yes, but–”
“But what? You said yerself; you can’t find a medical explanation for what’s happenin’ to ya, so what else can it be?”
I shook my head dejectedly. “I don’t know . . .”
After a moment of silence he sighed heavily and reluctantly said, “Don’t you see, Miss Emily? You were Marked by a vampire last night. David Blackwell is a real vampire.”
CHAPTER NINE
The Brothers Enter
Again, I snorted, only this time more loudly. “Right. A real vampire. As in, Count Dracula,” I said, trying to control the amount of sarcasm creeping into my voice.
“No. He was a fictional character from a novel. And if you’re referring to Vlad the Impaler, the answer is still no, he’s Romanian and a different sort altogether. You see, Miss Emily, there are many breeds of vampires out there. This bunch here, this Order, they don’t even have fangs. They use strykers and knives to do their blood letting,” he calmly pointed out.
Needless to say, I was speechless. In all fairness he had warned me, but I was still shocked by the absurdity of it all and it took great effort on my part not to laugh out loud. Deciding to humor him for just another moment, I asked, “So, what was with all those fangs I saw at the party, then?”
“Those were all the Willin’s. I’ve heard that they are required to wear them at A Gatherin’ as sort of identification. But I’ve also heard that it tis some sort of ongoing joke Develyn likes to play on them,” he said with a shrug. “I’m inclined to believe the latter.”
Looking at him as if he was truly crazy, I plunked the water bottle down on the table and said, “Well, alrighty then. Uhm, thank you for your time, Robert, but I think I should be going now,” I said, rising to my feet. “So, I’ll, eh, just meet you at the gates.”
Robert didn’t make a move to stand or even stop me as I gathered my purse and gloves, he simply asked me to wait. And against reason and rationale, I did.
“I know ya see his face, what he calls his Cursed face, whenever ya touch your arm in the exact place he drank from ya. And in your dreams, ya see people bein’ attacked by Develyn and then later killed. A cross-handled, silver blade through their hearts. Some poor souls even burstin’ into flames . . .”
His words felt like a sucker punch to my stomach and I dropped back down on the sofa. There was no possible way he could have known what I saw in my dreams and hallucinations. That is, unless, he had, had them too.
“How did you know that,” I demanded numbly.
“I’ve been Marked by David as well. It was a long time ago, but I remember, bits and pieces, along with other flashbacks, if you know what I’m sayin’.”
Although dazed, I nodded that I understood what types of flashbacks he was talking about and asked, “How long ago?”
“Thirty-five years ago.”
I gasped. “Thirty-five years!”
At that moment, my curiosity far outweighed my disbelief and I put his ridiculous explanation aside and asked how it happened.
“Much the same way as it had for you. In the sense that he did it to protect me from that bastard, Develyn,” he said, his voice sounding hard and bitter.
With his coffee cup in hand, he rose to his feet and went to stand before the fire. He stared down into the dancing flames as he continued.
“You see, back in those days they were just parties. They weren’t scheduled on Halloween or officially recognized as Gatherin’s until they came to Chicago in 1973.”
“Wait a minute, why on Halloween? What’s the significance of October 31?”
“None in particular that I’m aware of. Cept tis a day when people tend to be more open and acceptin’ of things they shouldn’t be. Why, there was time when Halloween was feared. Rightfully so, but now it’s celebrated with such abandon . . .
“Anyway, me and my wife, Laura Ann, came to America in early 1969, during the height of the hippie movement. But since being married in those days didn’t exactly fit in with that lifestyle, we pretended not to be. We wore our weddin’ bands on chains around our necks and I referred to her as my old lady and she called me her old man. But that didn’t truly matter to us. We knew we were married and we were faithful and devoted to each other. And while I smoked a lot of marijuana and dropped a little acid, Laura Ann stayed clean. She was a good lass like that . . .” he said, his voice trailing off and his shoulders slumping.
“Anyway, it took us six months to make our way across the country and we arrived in California in the autumn of 1969. We had been livin’ there on the streets in San Francisco for three years, when one night, we bumped into this dude, who knew a dude, who knew of a party. . .”
He took a deep breath and sighed before continuing. “David was there, doing what he had done at every party before, and every Gathering after that night; trying to convince the unknowing to leave before things got out of hand. Well, he had tried with me, but I was so high I didn’t understand what he was warning me, us, against . . . And my Laura Ann, my sweet Laura Ann was–”
“Robert!” a voice called out, making us both whirl around.
David Blackwell stood just inside the parlor entry.
His thick, dark hair was neatly combed straight back from his forehead and this time he was dressed in a very old-fashioned way. He was wearing polished black shoes and black slacks with a white button down shirt under a long, black and silver, paisley-patterned silk dressing gown. It looked like something that Cary Grant would wear in an old black and white movie, but on him, it seemed perfectly fitting.
My heart began to pound at the sight of him. Not just from the fear and amazement of knowing what he really was, but from surprised embarrassment that I found him incredibly attractive.
Closing the robe and tying the sash about his waist, he said, “I think it best, if I were to finish this story and,” he paused, his eyes meeting mine and holding, “answer any other questions Miss Perkins may have.”
“Aye, if you prefer,” I heard Robert reply.
“I do. And I think perhaps you should retire for the evening. I’ll be sure to call you only if absolutely necessary.”
Tearing my eyes from David’s I looked at Robert and noticed that he not only looked tired, but also very upset. His brow was furrowed and his mustache drooped. And as he came toward me, I saw his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
Swallowing the lump that had risen in my throat, I offered him a sympathetic smile and was about to shake his hand and say goodbye, when an overly loud voice boomed throughout the room.
“Well, well! If it isn’t Miss Perkins!”
This time everyone’s attention turned to Develyn, who was boldly charging into the room.
At first, I was struck by the incredible physical resemblance between the two brothers. But quickly remembering Develyn was nothing like David, my already pounding heartbeat, doubled its rhythm from pure fear of the man advancing on me.
Again, Develyn was dressed opposite of David. He had on a pair of black casual shoes, dark jeans, and a black sweater with a gray and green argyle pattern across the chest.
All in all, Develyn looked and smelled, his cologne was very strong, like a typical guy dressed to go out for a night on the town. And although he was a little paler than most and the long ponytail looked a bit out of date, he was so good-looking, I doubted it would turn women off.
“I honestly didn’t expect to see you again. However, now that I have,” he said, giving me a wolfish smile and a thorough once over, “I must say, it does my old heart good.”
Even though
I was still bundled up in my coat and scarf, I felt naked under his perusal and I shrank back into the sofa. I couldn’t believe he was acting as if what had happened the night before hadn’t happened at all!
And as he bowed to me, he had the nerve to ask, “To what do we owe the honor of your visit?”
“Since she is under my protection, what she’s doing here is no concern of yours,” David muttered coldly from where he still stood at the entryway.
“Easy, dear brother,” Develyn murmured as continued to study me. “I’m just curious. She’s only been Marked and should have forgotten me, you, everything, by now.”
“Well, obviously, she hasn’t. And has come to me seeking answers.”
Instantly, Develyn’s smile shrank and his eye-brows rose as if he was suddenly bored with me and the whole situation. “So, it’s to be another question and answer session of the recently inflicted then? How very dull of you, brother. Responsible, but very dull indeed,” he said dryly, as he kept me pinned with his dark eyes. “But that is the way of it, you see. My brother is the responsibly dull one. The Saintly one,” he added, and after another moment of scrutiny, his grin widened and with a nod, he said, “Until I have the pleasure of seeing you again, Emily.”
Oh, I couldn’t believe the nerve of him! I wanted to smack him across his smug face and make a snappy comeback about how unlikely that would be, but honestly, I was so scared I couldn’t move or speak.
Not that it mattered anyway, Develyn was just maliciously toying with me and in the next instant he turned his focus to David and Robert and said, “Bro, check you later. Robbie, don’t wait up.”
And with that, he strode from the room whistling an upbeat and unfamiliar tune, leaving me shaken and the guys scowling with such intensity, I couldn’t tell which one hated him more at that moment.
After Develyn left, Robert approached me. He set his coffee cup down on the table and taking my hand in both of his, he leaned down and whispered, “I hope ya really know what ya doin’, Miss Emily, ‘cause once ya hear the answers to those questions of yours, there’s no goin’ back.”
I’ll admit, his warning gave me pause, but I was already past the point of no return and I assured him that I was ready. And he, without further comment, gave my hand a gentle squeeze and straightened, saying, “Well, if I don’t see ya again before ya leave, have a safe trip back home and good luck to ya.”
I gave him a smile and thanked him and as he left quietly, David entered the room, slowly, as if not to startle me.
“Although you are right to fear Develyn, Miss Perkins, rest easy now. He won’t return until dawn.”
“Return? You mean, he lives here with you,” I demanded, well aware of how accusatory I sounded.
“It’s complicated, but yes, he does,” he said, and then quickly added, “I’m sure you’ve heard that old saying, ‘Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.’ Well, let’s just say, that is the primary reason why I allow Develyn to stay here.”
I knew I had no choice but to accept his explanation, but it was hard for me to comprehend how a person could live in the same house as a person they despised. A person they considered an enemy! That enemy being their very own brother!
Not knowing what to say or how to respond to that, I shrugged helplessly and he dipped his chin as if to let me know he understood my confusion and said, “Would you mind terribly if I turn the lamps off? This much light hurts my eyes.”
I could tell by the way he was wincing, that he was uncomfortable, so I agreed and watched him as he moved gracefully about the room and turned each one off.
The weakening light coming through the windows cast the entire room in a pale gray sheen except for a small circle of warm light that radiated from the crackling fireplace.
Taking a seat on the sofa across from me, David crossed his left leg over the right, rested his left arm along the sofa arm and laid the other casually across his lap.
Leveling his dark eyes on me, he began to speak. His manner was very proper and measured, but his tone was gentle and soothing.
“Please understand I intend on honoring my promise to answer any questions you may have, Miss Perkins. However, I think you should be made fully aware of the consequences of your decision. On the one hand, if you leave now, the side affects that are presently troubling you will soon cease, I assure you. You could, in just a matter of hours, forget everything that has happened thus far and your life would return to normal.”
Although I’m sure he meant for that statement to be reassuring, it wasn’t. The thought of returning to my dull and uneventful life, suddenly left me feeling very discontented and I realized Cara had been right. My play-it-safe attitude had effectively kept me from really living. Pitifully, my whole world consisted of my job, my parents, and Sir Galahad, who, by all rights, should have been a poor substitute for my ex, but ended up being a better companion by far.
“However, the more information I share with you, the more firmly it will take root in your consciousness and you’ll likely remember it all. Every unpleasant aspect of this story. Are you certain you wish to proceed,” he asked, his eyes hooded by a drawn brow.
I’ll admit, now that both he and Robert had warned me, I wavered a bit. I wondered if I should I go home and let it all just fade away. Let David fade from my memory. Or should I take that step, the one that guaranteed that I would never forget him. Deciding to take the bad with the good, I nodded and bravely said, “Yes, I’m sure.”
He was silent for a moment, as if he was waging a war of his conscience, and then with a nod, he said, “Very well, Miss Perkins. Ask whatever you wish to know the truth about.”
“Something terrible had happened to Laura Ann, didn’t it?” I demanded, bravely meeting his eyes.
His lips pressed into a grim line and he nodded solemnly. “Yes. However, before I tell you about her, I feel compelled to explain all that proceeded that night.”
Feeling a twinge of unease in my stomach, I took a deep breath, and said, “All right. Let’s start at the beginning, then.”
CHAPTER TEN
His Beginning
With a nod he began to speak, “As I’m sure you have already deduced, it was Develyn who turned me into . . .” he paused and turned his face toward the fire before he finished saying, “what you saw before you last evening.”
“Yes, I thought as much,” I murmured, “but what about the very beginning; back when you were still . . . human?”
He stiffened and faced me. “I am not some unconscionable, soulless creature, Miss Perkins,” he said, his tone clipped and short. “My humanity is the very reason why I lament what I once was and despise what I have become.”
Again, I flushed with embarrassment, but this time at having insulted him. Panicked, I leaned forward, wringing my hands and cried, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know. My only frame of reference is horror books and movies. And in them, they all refer to your kind as immortal creatures or the Undead–”
He raised his hand to stop my rambling and graciously smiled. The kind of smile that didn’t reveal any teeth, and said, “Please, no need to apologize. I understand. This all must be overwhelming for you. Would you care for something to drink other than water? Something strong, to steel your nerves.”
I relaxed a little. “No, thanks. I don’t drink alcohol.”
“I can appreciate that, but what I am about to tell you is, well . . . Are you certain?”
“Yes, really. I’d rather just begin,” I blurted out honestly.
“As you wish,” he said with a nod and as he began to speak, my cell phone rang.
Practically jumping out of my skin, I snatched my purse from the table and began riffling through it. Completely flustered, I stammered. “S, sorry, I, I have to get this. I’ll be just a second.”
David didn’t look surprised or irritated by the interruption. He merely smiled and nodded again.
Turning sideways on the sofa and my face even further away, I whispered into it, �
�Hello. Hey Benny. Yeah, five o’clock exactly. Right on time. Uhm, yeah, I got it. Just where I thought I left it. Yeah, no big deal. Thanks for calling. Yeah, Okay. Bye.”
However, by the time I finished my phone call, David looked anything but unconcerned. His brow was furrowed and his sculpted lips slightly pursed as he studied me.
“I told a friend I had forgotten my wallet here at your house and had to come back and get it. You know, that I couldn’t go a day without my driver’s license, hospital ID or debit card.”
His long fingers began to drum the sofa arm and with a dip of his chin, he said, “Very clever of you. Keeping your friend apprised of your last known whereabouts. Very clever indeed. And since you are a woman of obvious intelligence, Miss Perkins, I’m sure it is not necessary for me to warn you against repeating anything I’m about to tell you, to this Benny person. Or anyone else for that matter,” he said, his words laced with a subtle warning.
With a nervous chuckle, I said, “No. You don’t need to worry about that. I won’t say a word to anyone. Promise.”
His chin dipped again. “Glad to hear it. For believe me when I tell you, unless a person has been touched by Vampirism in some fashion themselves, they will not understand or believe you. You will be ridiculed and ostracized by friends and coworkers. Perhaps even labeled mad by your family.”
I chuckled again. “Trust me, my mom is the last person I would ever tell about any of this.”
My response seemed to appease him for the moment and the drumming stopped.
By this time I had grown overly warm. I wasn’t sure if it was from the heat of the fire or tension and unease from being around him, but I stood and removed my coat and threw it over the sofa back. As I unwrapped the scarf from around my neck, I was very aware of his eyes on me, watching my every moment as if I was performing a private strip tease.
Shannon Bailey - [Blackwell 01] Page 5