by Dawn Gray
"Just a girl, I'm afraid." Michael's voice interrupted them. Both of them turned and looked at Michael and another dark haired man as they walked into the room. "David, welcome home." Michael smiled. David smiled back. "This is my brother, Cristian Kingston. Cris, this is David Tarrot, a good friend of mine."
"Hello." Cristian said and bowed slightly.
"Nice to meet you." David replied, and then looked at Julian, who stood up and smiled.
"So, why is Sage the topic of conversation?" Michael asked. David shook his head.
"I've seen her in dreams, Mike. I just wanted to know why." David sighed. Michael looked at him confused.
"David seems to think that Victor might come back." Julian shrugged. Michael nodded. "And, that it has to do with Sage."
"It's nothing really." David sighed, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Excuse me." He said quickly and left the room. Michael and Julian looked at each other then out the door that David had gone through.
* * * * *
I watched him begin to walk out of the room and I ducked into the corner. David walked by me without a glance back and I watched him walk down the hallway and disappear out onto the patio.
It seemed we had the same problem. He couldn't seem to get away from me and I couldn't seem to forget what he almost did to me last night. I wanted to tell Justin, or Michael, but I kept it to myself. What I really wanted to know was why he had stopped, not that I had really wanted him to continue, but it was a reaction that seemed to spark my curiosity.
I looked at the three men in the room, and then I turned and walked off after David. Justin had met me out in the garden, and then he and Ashley became caught up in a conversation. I had left them to continue and I came to find Michael, and had found David instead.
I cornered him as he walked back from the patio to what seemed to be Julian's office. David leaned against the desk, crossed his legs at the ankles then crossed his arms and bent his head down towards his chest.
"Who exactly did you think you were, last night?" I asked him, leaving the door open only about an inch, as I stood facing him. David looked up at me, but otherwise didn't move. "Answer me."
David jumped when I hollered and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just assumed that you were some mortal put there as a joke by the others because one of them knew I was back."
"Why did you stop?" I questioned.
"I recognized you. Your face, your smell." He smiled.
"I know that. I heard your conversation with Julian, but there must have been something else." I said and crossed my arms. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Depends on the question." He said quietly, looking me over with a straight face.
"Are you a friend or a foe?" I asked. He laughed quietly, and put his hands in the pockets of his pants.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Well, the next time you're in my room, I figure it would be good to know if I needed a stake or not." David smiled at me and stepped closer. This made me back up a bit, but he stopped and looked at me. "What?"
"In my dreams, you were so dark, so evil, it almost frightened me, but when I look at you now, stand close to you; I don't feel it." He reached out and touched my cheek with his fingers. "I feel," he paused and smiled, stroking my cheek lightly, "funny, the only word that I could think of was safe. I feel safe near you."
Suddenly, the door came swinging open and crashed against the wall. Quinn was quickly, between David and me. I had seen his face, the blood red eyes, the snarl, the fangs and the anger.
"Get away from her!" He snarled at David, who looked at him, a bit frightened by the sudden outburst.
"Quinn, please. He wasn't hurting me." I begged.
"You stay away from her, or I'll kill you!" Quinn ordered. This sudden protectiveness from a man I had only just met almost made me laugh, but I saw David looking at me. His eyes seemed to grow dark, but he turned and left the room. Quinn looked at me, his face quite normal. "Stay away from him, Sage. He can't be trusted."
"Don't worry. I don't think he's coming around again after that little show." I smiled and sighed. What was it with men and their protectiveness, and this good and bad thing, was it me or just the house bringing them all out? Quinn walked out of the room, leaving me a quick second to breath before a young woman with auburn hair walked into the room.
She put papers on the desk, then turned and looked at me. She smiled and walked over.
"Are you okay?" She asked me. I nodded. "Are you sure, you look a bit pale?" Again, I nodded. "My name is Lauren, you must be Sage."
"Nice to meet you." I said finally finding my voice. "Is Quinn always like that?"
"Oh, so that was the roaring that I heard. No wonder David left in such a hurry." Lauren smiled. "He's been like that a lot."
"Ashley told me that you were mortal. Why are you not one of them?" I asked then paused. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all." Lauren replied. "I'm supposed to meet Ashley down at the boat dock for a ride, would you like to come. The more men that show up, the worse this place gets. So far, it seems to be testosterone central."
"I'd like that." I nodded.
"Good, I'll gossip on the way." Lauren said and the two of us walked out of the room. I spotted David as he stood on the steps of the garden to the right of the house. It was a large oval garden. Lauren smiled at me, took my hand and the two of us walked away from the house, far to the left where the boat dock was.
I closed my eyes as we walked on and Lauren looked at me, I could feel her eyes on me even though I couldn't really see her. I opened my eyes, turned, and looked at her as she smiled.
"What is it? You're shaking." She whispered. I shrugged and shook my head, then sighed.
"It was a dream that I had last night. It just seems so strange to me. The man in it was dark, but he seemed so familiar." I replied and shook my head again, trying to lose the feelings of danger.
"Tell me about this man."
I inhaled and tried to stop shaking, then turned and looked at her. "He was tall and fair skinned; his hair was black and curly, but not like a perm, only just like waves. He moved like a vampire, very graceful, and he spoke with his mind, most of the dream. He told me that he was the face of death, that he was going to be the one to get rid of Michael, Cristian and Justin, and then he asked me how old I was."
"What did you tell him?"
"I asked him why it mattered since I wasn't going to live to see it anyway." I exhaled loudly and shrugged. "The most important thing was that he said he was like a brother to the others, to the three boys. Do you think I should be concerned, I mean, should I tell them?"
"I've learned a lot in the past few years, Sage." Lauren smiled. "Some of it has been to never underestimate the power of a dream or vampires."
"So, you never told me why Quinn was like that earlier." I asked. She and I began to walk again and Lauren looked at the ring on her finger.
"I first met Quinn when Ashley's son disappeared. She came here to find Julian and I followed her. I guess he's like that because of David playing a part in Jack's disappearance. He and Ashley were involved; Quinn, I mean, and he seemed to start changing then.
"He began to care about something else besides himself. Ashley killed Victor and her husband, then took her son back and David saved her life, but Quinn just never really wanted to trust David anymore. David has been away since Victor died, I guess he wanted to make sure everything cooled down. Ashley doesn't blame him, and since she's not mad, the others won't hold it against him."
"So, what's with you and Quinn?" I laughed. "If you don't mind me asking?"
“Not at all." She shrugged. "Quinn and I are engaged to be married, though we're not quite sure when the date is."
"Are you going to become one of them?"
"I'm not sure; Quinn has offered it to me, but, the one downfall of being a vampire is that you can't bear children, and it's one of the things that I truly want to do. I want a child of my own." Lauren smiled and looked
up as we reached the boat. "Well, enough about the boys. In fact, let's forget them all together, and get on with this day."
I smiled at Lauren and Ashley as we climbed aboard and then looked out at the oceans and listened to the sound of the wind.
* * * * *
Michael smiled at Julian as he stepped out onto the patio and watched Jack play with Quinn. Julian turned and watched Michael step up to the wall. He shook his head and turned, then leaned against the wall.
"Would you like to have our little talk now, about Sage?" Julian asked. Michael turned and smiled then nodded, but he didn't say anything else. "I guess I should ask the questions, huh?" Julian laughed, pulled his shoulder-length black hair back and put it into a ponytail, using some sort of fancy tying. "Now, let's begin with this question. How on Earth did you slip her by me?"
"Easy." Michael said. "I never told you about her and when I did it was too late for you to meet her."
"Was it because I would know?" Julian asked. Michael nodded. "Did that frighten you?"
"Yes." He said plainly.
"Why?" Julian asked confused.
"Because, if you saw what she was, then you would insist on protecting her and she didn't need anyone else’s protection but mine." Michael sighed. "I don't mean to offend you, Julian, but she was the closest I would ever come to being a father. I've always wanted children, but obviously, couldn't have them and Sage was my way of doing just that."
"Michael how did you get involved in this whole thing to begin with?" Julian questioned. "I mean didn't you think of the affects it would have on this child?"
"She was going to die without even being born. I couldn't let her do that." Michael sighed. "Yvette was in a bad situation and I felt that this was the only way. I explained to her and Doug the risks involved with our blood tie, but they just didn't want to hear it, they just wanted that little girl and I don't blame them.
"The blood interlace was simple, as simple as it could have been. They hooked an I.V. up to me then after I gave my blood; he put the needle into the womb and let nature take its course. Sage rejected it at first, and I thought that they were going to lose her for sure, but she came back and the bleeding stopped. She had healed and everything was going fine.
"The doctor destroyed everything, and he helped us by doing and ultrasound every day. She grew, gained weight, length and strength and decided to make us wait six weeks before making a grand entrance during a thunderstorm. Her first cries were ear-piercing; letting her presence be known, and at each cry the lights flickered and threatened to go off, but she was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. She showed no outward signs of vampirism, like the glowing eyes or the vampire teeth, but you could feel her power. Of course, her parents were, hereditarily, from a line of natural healers. They had special gifts, themselves, but they never talked about them, or used them. I think they chose to ignore them, but I don't understand why they wouldn't have saved themselves."
"Maybe that was the choice they had made; to provide Sage with a different future then they had seen." Julian shrugged, and Michael nodded slightly, but looked down. "Do you think that they saw Justin?"
"Sage said she was never told about his coming." Michael shrugged and looked at the sky. "She hears voices; they tell her about the future, but, they seem to let her see only the dangerous things like they're protecting her."
"So, they never saw Justin as a danger. I would assume that it was a good thing then." Julian replied.
"I never thought of it that way." Michael smiled, and then he paused. "Why would they tell her about Cristian, then?" Why would they even warn her about him if they didn't think Justin was dangerous?"
"Probably because he was going to be a problem by keeping them apart. Cristian became the danger." Julian suggested. Michael agreed. "Things happen for a reason, Michael; we all know that by now."
"Yes, I know. The prophecies, who could forget, but I have a hard time thinking that this is one of Larado's little dreamed up schemes. It seems too complex for him."
"Oh, but nothing was ever really that complex for that man. Just a bit, how should I say, confusing?" Julian laughed.
"Could you look it up?" Michael asked. Julian gave him a confused look. "The prophecy? To see if there even is one on our little family?"
"There aren’t any signs though; I wouldn't even know where to start." Julian shrugged.
"What about David. How do you think he fits into this?" Michael said and crossed his arms. "Do you think he has good intentions, this time?"
"I don't think he's going to kidnap her, if that's what you mean." Julian replied.
"So, why is he home?"
"He said he had this dream and he was afraid that Victor would be coming back."
"That makes me feel really safe." Michael replied sarcastically.
"I told him that he's not coming back that he was dead, but then he also told me that he came back home to get away from Sage, from the image of her face in his head." Julian sighed. "I've never seen him look more confused about what to do."
"This is all very strange." Michael sighed and turned just as a young man stepped out onto the patio. He was dressed in a work uniform. "What is it, Walter?"
"Excuse the interruption, but the guard house is on the phone. It seems we have a few more visitors." The young man replied.
"More?" Julian smiled. "Who could it be, I wonder."
"Maybe it's Victor's ghost." Michael smiled. Julian looked at him as if he were nuts then back at Walter. "Did they say who they were?"
"Two young women looking for Ms. Owens." He replied.
"It must be Bobbie and Taryn." Michael smiled then looked at Walter. "Tell them to let them through. I'll meet them at the door. Michael turned and looked at Julian. "I have to find Cristian. Taryn, from what I understand, is his girlfriend."
Maybe we could discuss my brother's obsession with marrying Lauren." Julian laughed. Michael nodded and walked away.
* * * * *
I looked up as the three of us walked in the door. Ashley went directly to Julian, who she kissed then disappeared to find her little boy. Lauren walked over and talked to Quinn, who looked angry and was staring out the window, but who I saw standing there talking to Michael and Cristian made me stop and just stare.
Taryn looked over at me and smiled, and then she walked over and hugged me. I smiled at her then looked at Bobbie, who walked over and hugged me too. The two of them seemed to start to ask all sorts of questions, but I couldn't help but feel that someone was missing, until he walked into the room. Justin stopped in the doorway, looked over at me and smiled, his hands casually in the pockets of his pants, and then he walked over towards Michael and Cristian.
"Sage, do you want to talk about something?" Bobbie whispered in my ear. I looked at her, fumbled over the words for a second, then nodded, quickly, and the three of us left the room.
I stood looking at my fingers as I leaned on the wall, next to the windows in my bedroom, then I looked up at Bobbie and Taryn and sighed.
"So, what's going on here?" Bobbie asked.
I shrugged then shook my head. "I'm a bit confused."
"About?" Taryn asked.
"Michael, Justin, Julian, Lauren, Ashley, David, you name them, I'm confused." I said and then smiled. "Really, I think I'm just worried about everything that's going on. Like Michael, he doesn't know who is threatening us and there's no way for him to find out. He seems like he's in a daze most of the time. I know he has a lot on his mind, but it just worries me.
"Then, there's Justin, who's so concerned with trying to make Cristian, who's still insisting that he's dangerous, see that he's not anymore. Justin seems further away now than when I left him to come down here, further than he has been in the last nine months."
"I'm sure it's just that they haven't been together in so long that they all felt awkward." Taryn smiled. "So, what about the others that you mentioned."
"Well, Julian looks at me like I'm something that's never
been seen before. He acts as if he wants to study me, poked and prodded until he figures out why I'm who I am. Lauren is nice, I mean she's very friendly and wants to help, but I don't know, there's something else about her. I don't think she realizes it though." I looked at Bobbie and Taryn and sighed.
"You're getting feelings from her?" Bobbie asked. I nodded, that was exactly it! It was what I couldn't put my finger on.
"Don't you think you should tell her?" Taryn questioned.
"No, I don't think that's my place. Everyone has to discover his or her own inner secrets. Lauren has to learn hers on her own." I replied. "But, I can say that she's linked to those boys, just as much as I'm linked to Michael."
"So, who's Ashley?"
"Michael's fledgling, Julian's "girlfriend"." I smiled. "She helps me understand my link to Michael by telling me about her link to him. I'm afraid, though, that there's something else around our link than there is between the two of them. Like, why my powers are stronger, how I can feel things about people, and the voices that I hear." I sighed. "This is all very strange." I ran my hand through my hair and closed my eyes. I walked over to the chair and sat down then I looked out at the moon. "Then there's my last problem."
"David?" Bobbie asked. I nodded and sighed. Taryn looked at me oddly. "What about him?"
"There's a connection between us." I said softly.
"What?" Taryn asked. "What about Justin?"
"What about him?" I asked then saw it on her face. "No, you've got it wrong, it's not a sexual connection, or a physical connection, but it's something else. I can't quite place it either, but, from what Lauren told me about him, he should make me uneasy, and I should feel the danger from him, but I don't."
"What do you feel?" Bobbie whispered. I looked at her, thought about it a moment and then shook my head.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" She asked. "Like as in zip?"
"Like nothing, good or bad. He just feels normal to me." I stopped and shook my head. "Maybe it's because of the others, being around vampires so long. I just don't feel anything odd from him. There was one thing though."