He stood and halted the others. “Let’s try all together now.”
“How?” Robert asked quietly.
Samuel turned towards the road and narrowed his eyes. “We can give everyone around here a taste.”
I turned and stood beside him. Adam came up on my right and put his hand on my shoulder. Mary Anne stood on Samuel’s other side. The other five stood somewhere behind us. Just by willing it, an incredible blast of power tore throughout the entire area. I could still sense its echoes even after we stopped. It didn’t go unnoticed by the other vampires in and around the London area. For the first time ever I heard other vampires telepathically besides my group.
< Looks like Samuel got himself a full ka-tet.> Someone else said dryly. < Do you think that will stop us, Samuel?>
“We’re here, Samuel. Your power was strong enough to wake the dead,” a female voice said wryly. Five other vampires jumped over the fence and began talking to Christy and Matthew.
“Beth, darling.” Samuel said, enfolding her into a light hug.
“Greetings, Samuel. Look who we found along the way here,” Beth said laughing. A teasing smile tugged at her lips. Her dark blue eyes sparkled with anticipation of his reaction.
Samuel was already turning when someone else said, “Hello, Samuel.”
We all looked up at the female vampire leaning against the fence. She reminded me of the vampire Samuel had told me about, the one who taught him. She had hair the color of midnight. She came forward, smiling. Samuel grabbed her and wrapped her into a tight embrace. “Valerie, what the hell are you doing here?! You were around Paris last I heard,” he demanded, burying his face in her hair.
So, it is her, I thought silently. Samuel’s teacher. Valerie.
“It’s a bloody reunion,” Matthew muttered, shaking his head. Robert, Jeffrey, Sharon, and Adam all looked at each other and shrugged in confusion.
I stared at Samuel and Valerie. An unexpected stab of jealousy flashed through me as Valerie answered Samuel’s question in a tongue I never heard of before.
Samuel lifted his head and murmured something in the same language, then reverted back to my native English. “I’m happy to see you care so deeply, Valerie.”
Valerie smiled. “I heard you needed help here, Sammy. So I came to England.” She shrugged. “I figured we could catch up on old times.”
Samuel rolled his eyes. “Please don’t call me Sammy, Val.”
I coughed pointedly. He still called me Sunshine. It was amusing and just that he had a nickname he disliked as well. To my annoyance, neither vampire turned to look at me. Valerie smiled sweetly. “Aye, dear.”
Samuel stared at her for a moment. His eyes softened in a way I’ve rarely seen. “I was just thinking of you the other night, cara,” he said. He suddenly leaned down and kissed her lightly. “It’s been far too long. I have missed you,” he whispered.
I looked away, angry at myself. Why on earth did it bother me to see Samuel so happy because of the presence of another woman, even his teacher? I loved Adam, knew it by the way my heart seemed to flutter when he was around, the connection we seemed to share. So why was I so bitter seeing the joy on Samuel’s face upon seeing Valerie? Perhaps it is because they seemed to have such a close relationship, despite what was obviously a long separation, and I was resentful of it because I still have yet to establish such a close relationship with the one I loved. The closest I have come is with Samuel, then with Damien. Intimacy, even at the most basic level, has been frightening to me and at the same time desired.
I shook my head and turned towards Adam. “Let’s go inside and leave them be,” I said quietly. I kept my voice light.
Adam nodded and we turned towards the house. Samuel spoke. “Why don’t we all go in? Introductions can be made then.”
“Aye, that would be wonderful,” Valerie answered, as her gaze swept over the rest of us.
I sighed. There went my hope of going back into the house unnoticed by the reminiscers. Everyone followed us inside and sat down. I did not fail to notice Samuel sat beside Valerie at the table.
Samuel spoke again quietly. “Valerie, you already know Mary Anne and Matthew.” He was obviously saying it for the benefit of us younger vampires.
Mary Anne nodded. “It’s good to see you Valerie.”
Valerie nodded at her in return as Samuel continued. “This is Richard, the sole survivor of Jack’s coven. Beth, do you want to introduce your group first?”
Beth nodded. “This is Carolyn, Pamela, Kevin, Josh, and Tim,” she said introducing her group. I barely paid attention. “Samuel, you can finish up.”
“All right,” Samuel answered. “This is Christy, Matthew’s beloved. That is Jeffrey over there, and this is Robert and Sharon.” He smiled and finished, “And this is my new fledgling Julia and her lover, Adam.”
Valerie raised her blue–grey eyes to study me intently. I met her gaze head–on. Our eyes locked for a moment and then she smiled. She looked at Samuel. “The girl has much inner strength, untapped power. She’ll make a strong vampire. You chose well, Samuel.”
Samuel nodded at her words. “Thank you.” He glanced at me and smiled. He then turned back to Valerie. “I think we all should get to bed. It’s getting close to dawn.”
“Where are we all going to sleep, Samuel? This house isn’t large, you know,” Jeffrey asked.
“You will sleep in your room with Richard, Tim, and Josh. Julia can stay in her room with Adam, and the rest of Beth’s group will have bedrolls in the women’s room,” he answered. Everyone got up, including Valerie. Samuel reached up and caught her arm. “You can stay with me, Valerie. That room will be crowded enough as it is.”
I narrowed my eyes at his words. Finally, I shook my head and retreated to my own room. Adam followed me inside. Scowling, I got ready for bed. Adam watched me as he prepared for sleep as well. He looked amused.
“I guess Samuel and Valerie know each other pretty well,” he commented.
I nodded. “Valerie is his teacher. He was a part of her group at one time.”
“They look very close.” Adam smiled. “Time for some sleep. Oh and Julia, thank you.”
“Thank you for what?”
“For making me a vampire. For coming back to me. It always felt like you were still alive.”
I smiled. “I know.”
“It was you who followed me those nights, wasn’t it?”
I nodded. “I had wanted to check on you.”
“Why didn’t you come to me then?” Adam asked gently.
“Because I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t comfortable with my new existence yet and I was afraid you wouldn’t remember me. Or worse yet, that you would reject me.”
“I never forgot about you, Julia. I had spent most of this year waiting for a miracle. Waiting for you to suddenly appear; even though plans were being made for Ruth’s and my wedding. I never loved Ruth.”
“I had always sheltered a secret hope that you would be found before my wedding night. But the hope faded as the months went by and I resigned myself to the knowledge that I was going to be married and was never going to see you again.” He smiled. “And then you mysteriously appeared in my bedroom. I knew at that moment, that even with no hope of seeing you, I never stopped loving you.”
I brushed a tear from my eye. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Julia.”
I hugged him and lay down. “Good night,” I said. I lay awake for a while, thinking of Adam’s words and of Valerie. I finally fell asleep.
***
Chapter 13
I awoke just as the sun was setting. It was kind of early to be up but I was too agitated to even try to go back to sleep. I got up and listened. I heard nothing as Adam also woke.
/> “What is bothering you, Julia?”
I began to pace in great anxiety. “She spent the day in his room. Samuel let her share his bed. They were alone together all day,” I muttered. I didn’t know why this bothered me so much, but it did.
“Julia?”
I continued, at first not noticing Adam had said my name. “He had never shared his bed with a woman . . .well, except for me. But I was only in there because of the nightmares,” I murmured. “Valerie spent the whole day in there.”
“Julia,” Adam said again, holding his head in his hands.
“I mean, what can they possibly be doing all this time? I wonder if they used to be lovers?” I mused quietly, without thinking. “She just suddenly shows up here and Samuel acts as if Valerie is the only person in the world.”
I paused thoughtfully. Was that what was bothering me about them together? Was I jealous of the attention Valerie was receiving? Because Samuel was focused entirely on her?
Adam shook his head as Matthew spoke from the open doorway. I hadn’t even known he was standing there, let alone that the door was open. “This is interesting. Just wait until Samuel hears this.”
I whirled towards him realizing what my rambling would have sounded like to another person. “Matthew nay!” I yelled as he suddenly bolted from the doorway and down the hall. “Matthew, that’s not what I meant! Stop!” I screamed as I ran after him.
Matthew stopped just outside of the main room. “Samuel!”
“Matthew, Dare ye not! You do not understand!”
“What?” Samuel yelled from the other side of the room. He sounded irritated.
Matthew stepped inside as I ran into view of the room. Valerie and Samuel were wrestling on the bed. Samuel flipped Valerie over and straddled on top of her. “I have you now, my darling,” he said in amusement. He leaned down, then realized Matthew was in the bedroom. He sat up. “Matthew, can I have any privacy around here?!”
“Samuel, Julia’s jealous of Valerie!” Matthew shouted gleefully.
I froze for a moment in disbelief, then raced towards him. “I swear, I’m going kill you, Matthew!” I shrieked and dove at him. I knocked into him and we fell to the floor, my hands encircling his throat. I began to choke him. In my anger, I even forgot Samuel and Valerie were in the same room.
Samuel stood up. “Julia, do not kill Matthew. That’s enough, both of you,” he said quietly.
I heard his voice and abruptly stood again. Without a word, I spun and started back towards my room. Matthew began laughing and coughing behind me. I glanced back and saw Samuel look at Valerie. She shook her head, not bothering to sit up. “Children,” she said. Samuel nodded agreement.
As soon as I reached my room, I opened the door, which Adam had obviously closed. “Adam, leave. I need to get dressed.” He looked up at me dumbfounded. “Leave now!” I repeated.
Adam got up from the bed and left the room. I walked in and slammed the door shut. I also locked it. I heard Adam’s voice outside of the door.
“Samuel, what on earth did you do to her now?”
“I did not do anything. I’ve been in my room the entire time,” Samuel snapped. “Ask Matthew who’s hysterical on the floor. I’m not sure what’s going on.”
“Matthew?” Adam demanded. “What say you?”
“Julia is jealous of Valerie. She’s in love with Samuel,” Matthew choked out.
“You all definitely know how to wake up the entire household. What the bloody hell is going on?!” Mary Anne yelled.
I heard Adam step away from the door and the voices dropped to a murmur. I walked over to the bed and lay down. I stared at the wall and struggled to figure out why I was jealous. Adam was the man I loved; I knew that because of how my heart ached when I thought of losing him, how I felt when he joined me. Even the rest of the group said we were we were soul mates. So why did it pain me to see Samuel so happy? I came up with no answers, curled up in a ball and drifted into a half–sleep.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I gradually became aware that someone had managed to picklock the lock and was stepping into the room. I heard the door shut and re–lock. “Julia?”
It was Samuel’s voice. I tensed but didn’t move. I didn’t want to see anyone, especially him. Let him think I’m still asleep, I thought silently and kept my eyes tightly shut. “Julia?” Samuel tried again. He stepped closer and sat beside me on the bed. He reached out and smoothed back my hair. I stiffened like a board and rolled away, giving up my idea of feigning sleep.
“Do not touch me. Go away,” I said harshly.
“Julia, are you all right?” Samuel asked, sounding concerned.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you angry about what Matthew said?” I heard him shift closer to me.
I rolled off the bed and walked to where a glass of water sat on the table. I picked it up and sipped the water. I didn’t immediately answer the question.
“Are you angry?” Samuel asked again, sitting up.
“Nay, I am not angry about what Matthew said,” I snapped. The glass in my hand shattered as I crushed it. Sharp pain raced through my hand and arm. I dropped what pieces were still in my hand and lifted my arm to stare at it. I swore and turned away to wash it off.
Samuel sprung off the bed and strode over to me. “You’re hurt. Let me look at that, Julia.”
I bought my hand in and cradled it close to my body. Blood streamed down my hand and my arm. Shards of glass were embedded in my palm and fingers. “Damn,” I mumbled in pain and didn’t answer him.
I heard him behind me. “Get out of here. I have no need of your help. You were not supposed to be in here, anyway,” I snarled in anger. “Get out!”
“Nay.”
“I thought I told you to get out!” I said incredulously, looking for a pail of water to stick my hand in. Once I located it, I shoved my hand in, hissing at the pain.
“I’m not leaving. Julia, let me look at that hand,” Samuel said from behind me.
I grabbed the pail and threw it at him left–handed. I looked back and saw him hit the pail away. It clattered to the floor.
“What do you not understand, Sammy?” I said, spitting out the name Valerie called him. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“On the contrary,” Samuel answered, striding the rest of the way to me. He grabbed my wrist and bought my hand to him. He stared at it for a moment and shook his head. “Jesu, Julia, why did you have to do this?”
I tried to jerk my hand back. “Because you will not leave me alone!”
“Julia, do not struggle. I need to pull all the glass out.”
“I do not want you touching me!” I yelled, trying to jerk back again.
Samuel raised his eyes to study my face. I resolutely looked away. “Julia. . .” he said softly.
“I can do it myself. Go back to Valerie. Leave me alone! Can’t I have any privacy around here!”
Samuel shook his head. “You have been in here for over an hour alone.” He paused then said, “I’m not going to hurt you.” He examined my hand.
I continued to stare in the other direction. “What do you want, Samuel?”
“I want to take care of your hand. And I want to talk to you.”
I looked at him grimly. “I do not want to talk,” I said pronouncing each word distinctly. Inside, I felt confused and betrayed. I still didn’t understand why Valerie bothered me so much. Matthew’s actions hurt me. I felt betrayed by him.
“Then at least let me take care of that hand,” Samuel said with a sigh. “You do not want it to heal with the shards still inside.”
“Fine. The sooner I can get you out of here, the happier I shall be,” I answered sharply. Samuel guided back to the bed and sat me down. A moment later, he started pulling out glass.
I gasped sharply once and then anger kept me silent the rest of the procedure. He picked up a cloth from the nearby dresser and bandaged my hand. He looked up and stared at me. “Better?’
; “Aye. You can go now,” I told him and gestured towards the door.
For the first time disbelief filled Samuel’s face. “Julia, calm down. I’m not the enemy here.”
I stared at him coldly. “Really?”
“Julia, Matthew never should have said it that way. He was being childish.”
I stood up, eyes flashing. “You are all too meddlesome for your own good,” I retorted.
Samuel continued to sit and shrugged. “What can I say? He was being meddlesome. I would have preferred to hear it from you.”
I looked away. “Then you have a long time to wait, Samuel,” I answered stubbornly.
“We’ll see,” Samuel murmured. He stood and said, “I know you’re jealous of Valerie. I also know you have been wondering what we did.”
“What are you trying to say, Samuel?!”
“Nothing happened,” he answered and paused. “I think you are jealous of her because you’re attracted to me, Julia. That’s all right. You are young and you never had the chance to actually notice and court any man you liked before getting married.”
I scowled. “You can be quiet and go away now. I’m confused enough. I do not know what I’m feeling,” I said angrily.
Samuel sighed. “When will you understand that this is normal?”
“This is not normal!” I said, throwing my words back at him. “I am not supposed to feel like this! I should not be feeling jealous of Valerie! I do not love you, Samuel. I’m a grown woman; I have even been married once!”
“Julia, look at me.”
“No.”
Samuel put his hand on my shoulder and effortlessly turned me to face him. He forced me to make eye contact. “I never said anything about love. Despite what you think Julia, in some ways, you really are not an adult yet. You are nineteen by human standards, barely an adult at best. A child as a vampire.”
“I was married by fifteen. I know what–”
“You know what? How would you know what love is? Did you have suitors calling? I doubt it since you were married at the very beginning of your courtship years. You never had the freedom to court men of your choice. Actually you never had the freedom to court any man. You are experimenting with this newfound freedom. It is normal to notice other men. It actually means you’re recovering from your experiences. Do not be ashamed of it.”
Lost Soul Page 19