THE HEALING HEART

by Zelda Clemens

  “Goodnight, lady.” The voice, a quiet hiss in her ear, sent chills through her body. It contrasted with the burning sensation in her neck. But even as she’d begun to accept her life was ending, she was hurled aside, to stagger onto the grass beside the path. The wailing man bent double as he made his erratic way into the darkness, leaving Nicole to wonder what the hell had happened.

  Naturally, she fled, wanting to escape the scene as quickly as possible, but she hadn’t reached the far side of the park before she was attacked a second time. She was too shocked to note the peculiar similarities in the attacks until later, although the second assailant whispered ‘Night, night, little lady,’ instead of ‘Goodnight.’ It was only later, in the relative safety of her apartment, that she was able to puzzle over the details.

  Why had the two men—she was certain it hadn’t been the same man twice—targeted her? And why had they both been driven away? She’d done nothing to fight them off; she’d barely moved a muscle. Some peculiar paralysis had overcome her body, rendering her completely vulnerable to their attack. And why had both men zeroed in on her neck? She rubbed the skin below her ear. It was still hot and tingling, over an hour later.

  Over the next few days, Nicole hadn’t dared venture outside, except to hurry out to work. If it was dark when she headed home, she took a taxi, racing back into her apartment and barricading her door. She was haunted by furtive shadows, peripheral phantasms that hovered nearby, but vanished immediately if she turned to challenge them. The only place she felt truly safe was inside the hospital.

  But even that fragile security was shaken when, on her fourth day in the city, when she was sent to the medical records section in the hospital’s basement. In corridors completely devoid of natural light, and illuminated only by sickly fluorescents that ought to have been replaced a decade earlier, her anxiety quickly returned. She clutched her hundred-decibel personal alarm tightly, wishing the hospital had sent a runner instead.

  “Interesting. I don’t often receive visitors.” A man stepped out of the shadows ahead and studied her. His hands were jammed deep into his white coat, which partly concealed a crumpled shirt and over-sized pants. Nicole’s grip tightened around the alarm. Her thumb stroked the rubber button on its top edge.

  “A silent one, huh?” he continued. “Or does the darkness bother you?”

  “I’m here… here for… for the…” Nicole cursed her nerves. She was supposed to be a professional nurse, not some trembling teenager.

  “The Bartlett X-rays?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “They’re on my desk.” He indicated his office with a sweep of his hand.

  “Oh,” she said. He obviously expected her to step forward, but her feet were frozen in place.

  He smiled. “It’s okay, I’ll bring them out. You’re new here, right?”

  “Mm-hmm,” Nicole said as the man disappeared into his office. Ten seconds later, he reappeared, holding a large envelope. When he offered it to her, she lifted a pale hand and took hold. But when she tried to retrieve it, he didn’t release his grip.

  “There’s no need to fear me, Nicole,” he said softly. “No need at all.” When she raised her gaze to meet his, he smiled gently. “I’m not going to bite you.”

  “You’re not going to bite me,” she repeated softly, without knowing why. Her tension melted away; the trembling faded from her hand.

  “I’m fascinated by you, Nicole. I would love to know more about you.”

  “Love to know more?” she echoed, then frowned. Why was she imitating a parrot? Her eyes widened as the man leaned closer, still gripping his side of the X-ray folder. His scent was warm, earthy with a comforting hint of strawberry. Her body relaxed further, even as tingles of danger filled her mind. Who was this man with the dark, entrancing eyes? Why was he wearing a white coat, but no hospital ID badge?

  She managed to form a single word. “Who?” Who are you? What are you doing here?

  But he brushed her lips with his fingertip. “Hush, Nicole. Everything is fine. You’re in no danger.” She sensed irony in his phrasing; deceit in his words, but still she was unable to move a muscle. He leaned closer. His breath was hot on her neck. His hand stroked her jaw, tilting her head subtly. The memories of her attack flooded back and she tried to scream, but her throat remained silent as his lips brushed against her skin. Again? she cried mutely. Why is it happening again? But the contact was momentary. He eased back with a sudden jerk, then inhaled deeply, as if he was analyzing her scent.

  “What is it about you?” he asked softly. “Why am I still unable to bear your touch?”

  I wish I knew. Please let me go.

  “Maybe if I ask the right questions, you’ll tell me what I need to know.” His hands cupped her shoulders as he gazed deep into her eyes. She started to fall headlong into those dark, hypnotic orbs, before she caught herself and fought back. He frowned as she struggled mentally against him.

  “You resist me. But how is this possible?”

  Because I refuse to give in to you, you bully! His hands moved onto her cheeks. He tilted her head and leaned closer. His breath warmed her cheeks as he searched her face. Nicole was acutely aware of her exposed neck. He moved closer still, close enough to kiss her if he chose. For a moment, she feared he might try.

  But a deep voice rang out, echoing along the dimly-lit corridor. “Michael! Enough!”

  The man straightened instantly and glared at the speaker. “What business is it of yours?”

  “It is my business because I have already laid claim to this woman.”

  Michael snorted. “You tried to claim her, but she repelled you. I saw you whine and whimper as you fell away.”

  “As did you, if I remember correctly.”

  Michael shrugged. “So neither of us was successful that night. But now you can see I have her in my power, and you are intruding.”

  “Tut, tut.” The other man moved into Nicole’s peripheral vision, wagging a finger. “Our rules are clear. She is not yours, because you have yet to taste her.”

  Oh my God! What the hell? Nicole wailed silently.

  Michael shrugged. “A technicality, Adam. Nothing more.”

  Adam folded his arms. “Then taste her. Claim her as your own—if you can.”

  No, please! Let me go!

  Michael sighed. “You know I cannot.”

  “Then you must allow me to try.”

  “No! She is mine. I claim her blood.”

  What kind of hell is this? I want to go back to Boston! As Nicole struggled against the compulsion inflicted upon her, Adam laid a hand on Michael’s shoulder.

  “You cannot, my brother. Now step aside.”

  “Very well. But I do so not because I have surrendered my claim, but because I respect our rules.”

  “Good boy.”

  “And I’m not your brother.”

  “But you are one of us.”

  “I am one of us…” Michael conceded. “But you will be no more successful than I.” He moved back, and Adam’s face filled Nicole’s helpless vision. She screamed silently as he leaned in to press his mouth to her neck. But the expected burning sensation never arrived. Instead, Adam straightened up, wearing a deep frown.

  “Most intriguing,” he murmured. Once again, Nicole’s chin was seized and her head was turned to face Adam. His dark eyes bored into hers, but she resisted the peculiar lure that lay behind them.

  “We should report this,” Michael said.

  “Do you really think so?”

  “Of course. This is important. A human who can resist us? I’ve lived in this city for… quite some time, and I’ve never seen this happen before.”

  Human? He’s not human?

  “I’ve heard about it, but not from this side of the country.”

  “Oh?”

  “There are tales dating back hundreds of years, about humans living in the Boston area who could resist our kind.”

  Boston? I’m from Boston! But what does ‘our
kind’ mean?

  “Really?”

  “But they were wiped out, eradicated. None survived the turn of the century—or so we thought.”

  “And here’s proof of that error.”

  “But I also heard that the one who succeeds in breaking through the barrier gains immeasurable power.”

  “Immeasurable?”

  “They could become as powerful as the first Master.”

  Michael’s eyebrows rose. “Then we would be free of all compulsion, all servitude to our makers.”

  “Exactly. Is that not a prize worth winning?”

  “Without doubt. But how does one ‘break through’ her defenses?”

  “By charming our way into her life, by gaining her trust and having her lower those same defenses.”

  You’ll never charm your way into my life, you creepy bastards!

  “Intriguing. We must become her suitors and seduce her?”

  “Yes, but without using any of our supernatural gifts, brother.”

  Michael frowned. “I’m not your—”

  “We face a challenge, brother. The first of us to seduce our way past her gifts wins the prize, and gains power.”

  Michael stroked his chin. “But we would be pitted against each other.”

  “Very true.”

  “Would co-operation not serve us better?”

  Adam frowned. “What do you suggest?”

  “That whomever succeeds in their seduction persuades the lady to lie with the other before the night ends.”

  “You believe such a prize can be shared?”

  “You are so certain it cannot?”

  Adam frowned. “It is moot. I shall succeed where you cannot.”

  “And you are so certain of victory that you would risk losing everything to me?”

  “I…”

  “We ought to agree on this, brother. Else we might tear out each other’s throats, or harm this unique lady as we fight over her.”

  Adam considered the proposal, even as Nicole struggled in vain to remove herself from the ghastly theater. The two men were calmly discussing her future as if she had no say in the matter. If she ever managed to free herself, she’d take the threat of her forcible seduction straight to the police.

  “I agree, brother,” Adam said at last. “If only to reduce the risk of harm to this human.” He stroked the helpless Nicole’s cheek.

  “And we say nothing of this to our fellows?”

  “Agreed. To speak of our plans would bring down a horde of desperate feeders. No, this lady we keep to ourselves.”

  Over my dead body!

  “Nothing happens until sundown, agreed?” Michael said.

  “Of course not, you simple-minded fool! Why would either of us risk incineration?”

  “Then we ought to combine our power and remove all traces of our pact from her mind.”

  “You are so certain we cannot erase her memory alone?” Adam turned Nicole’s head and locked his dark eyes upon hers.

  “She is extremely resistant to compulsion, brother. I fear only a Master could—”

  “No!” Adam snapped fiercely. “No Master shall hear of this. We must attempt it together, or not at all.”

  “Together, then.” Michael stepped up behind the shorter Adam and locked his gaze on Nicole, willing her to forget everything she had heard about Masters, her attacks, the planned seduction and all traces of the meeting in the hospital basement. She stared back at the pair, memorizing their grim faces, determined to remember every word they had said.

  *****

  “Did you have trouble finding it?” Eddie asked. Nicole blinked at her supervisor, staring as if she’d woken from a dream.

  “Finding what?” she asked.

  “The Bartlett X-rays, Nicole.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “The ones in your hand.”

  “Uh…” She stared numbly at the folder she was clutching. When Eddie held out his hand, she passed him the folder, wondering why she had no memory of having retrieved it from… Where had she been?

  “You need to get more sleep, or quit the booze. Or is it drugs?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “None of the above,” Nicole replied. “But sleep sounds tempting.” As far as she remembered, she’d slept soundly, although the memories of her attack in the park had briefly nudged at her mind.

  “Well, whatever’s addling you, snap out of it!” Eddie stalked away, shaking his head, leaving Nicole to wonder what was wrong with her. She wasn’t tired, but her disjointed memory, lack of co-ordination and feeling of remoteness from her surroundings made her wonder if she ought to book a check-up.

  “Maybe a strong cup of coffee would help,” she said to herself.

  “Excellent idea,” Eddie said from right behind her. He pressed coins into her hand. “And one for me while you’re at it, please?”

  ~

  The coffee restored her energy and sure-footedness, but not her memory. The harder she tried to remember her trip to the basement, the more elusive her entire shift became. It was as if her attempts to remember were damaging other memories. Minor details, such as which patients she’d treated that day, started to slip away.

  And when Nicole realized she was unable to recall the journey to work, she gave up, in case she accidentally forgot where she lived, or which city she was in.

  “Maybe I’m blocking something out,” she murmured. “Maybe I need to retrace my steps and trigger a memory.”

  “Maybe you should stop talking to yourself,” Eddie suggested as he passed by.

  “You might be right,” she replied. “But I’m scared, Eddie. Why would I lose a chunk of my day for no good reason?”

  Eddie sighed and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I wish I could help. Really, I do. I’d love to send you home for some rest, but we’re busier than normal today.”

  “Thanks, Eddie. I appreciate the thought.” She straightened up. “I’ll stop feeling sorry for myself and try to be of some use to you.”

  “That’s the spirit. Keeping busy might distract you, stop you worrying so much.”

  “It’s worth a try. Now, where are my glasses?”

  “On the top of your head, Nicole.”

  She sighed. “Thanks Eddie. I can’t read a thing without them.”

  ~

  The end of Nicole’s shift came and went, and still she kept herself busy. She was aware that she was unofficially working late, but to stop would be to invite back her earlier worries.

  Inevitably, though, Eddie sought her out and told her to go home. He lifted the stack of paperwork from her reluctant hands and nudged her toward the changing room with a bump of his hip against hers.

  “I don’t want to,” she protested. “Can’t you put me down for a double shift?”

  “You need to go home and rest, Nicole. Or are you planning to rent a room here?”

  “It doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. Could I?”

  “No, no, and while I’m on the subject, no.”

  “You’re mean.” She pouted and turned away.

  “Maybe there’s a spare room in the basement,” Eddie suggested. “I could ask for you.” He knew Nicole disliked the cool, damp atmosphere beneath the building.

  Nicole frowned. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time to leave.” A cold chill swept through her body at the thought of venturing downstairs. “I really ought to go home now.” Despite her words, her feet remained rooted to the spot.

  “Would it help if I drove you back?”

  Nicole brightened. “Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

  “I don’t mind. Besides, it’d save you the price of a taxi.”

  “Thank you, Eddie. I really appreciate it.”

  “Go get your coat. I’ll see you out front.”

  ~

  The day had cooled considerably, chilling Nicole’s legs as she stepped outside. It was already dark, and thick clouds obscured the stars and moon. She fastened her coat as she waited for Eddie to hand over to the next supervisor on shift. It would
be nice to spend the ten-minute drive with someone she knew, rather than an anonymous cab driver. She no longer felt comfortable in the dark, and she was reluctant to venture outdoors after sunset.

  “Chilly evening,” a man said. Nicole jumped. She hadn’t seen anyone moving nearby.

  “I guess.” She glanced at the tall man, who wore a long jacket over a crumpled shirt and over-sized pants. The wind teased Nicole’s nose with a warm, earthy smell that hinted at strawberries.

  “Not a night for a lady to be out alone, I would imagine.” He leaned across to catch her eye.

  “No, probably not.” She met his gaze, and noted his gentle smile. The earlier chill fled from her skin. Her fear melted away.

  “Do you have someone who might take you safely home?”

  “I do…” She glanced toward the hospital entrance.

  “But he’s late? He’s left you to stand in the night, all alone?”

  “I’m sure he won’t take long.”

  “Of course not.” The man glanced past Nicole, then leaned back against the wall. He seemed to be in no hurry. But instead of worrying about his presence, Nicole was strangely comforted by him. No one would trouble her while he stood close beside, with his shoulder almost touching hers.

  She frowned. When had he moved so close? A few moments ago, he’d been six feet away from her. She gave a mental shrug. Did it matter? He meant her no harm, she was sure.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Nicole.”

  “Thanks,” she replied automatically, without wondering how he knew her name. Most people in the hospital knew each other, and her name and face appeared on several staff boards. A small part of her wondered why she wasn’t offended by his presumptuous remark, nor the arm which slipped around her shoulders. The air had assumed a dream-like quality, as if she’d been drinking. His earthy scent filled her nose, and his dark eyes gazed deep into hers. All coolness vanished from the night. She leaned into him as he pulled her close, tipping back her head to smile at him. Her head spun as if she’d recently been drinking.