“I’m fine,” I answered reassuringly. “Adam let me feed from him.”
Samuel nodded, his face pleasantly neutral at the words. He looked behind me at Adam. “That’s good,” Samuel replied.
We all stared at each other for a long uncomfortable silence. I was fervently hoping that they were not going to get into another fight. The constant bickering was getting on my nerves.
“Samuel, I think she’s starting to wake up,” Mary Anne’s voice broke through our intense trance. Samuel and I both looked up, startled. Samuel turned away from us and looked down at Valerie. I walked closer and looked over his shoulder.
Valerie moaned and stirred weakly. I saw the older vampires exchange looks. Samuel leaned forward and stroked the side of her face. “Valerie? Please, Val, wake up,” he pleaded.
Valerie stirred again and her eyes fluttered. I sat down beside Samuel as he took Valerie’s hand. Adam sat down in the chair Mary Anne had been using earlier on my other side.
“Come on Valerie,” I said in encouragement. “You have to get better so if we ever see Richard again, we can all beat him.”
Christy began to laugh at my words. Mary Anne and Matthew joined in after a second. Robert and Jeffrey began snickering. Adam shook his head in amusement, and even Samuel smiled. “Now, Julia, try to be nice,” he said, trying to keep a straight face.
About ready to start laughing myself, I glanced down and saw Valerie’s eyes flutter open. I touched Samuel’s arm to catch his attention. “Samuel, look.”
Samuel turned back towards the bed and his eyes widened. “Valerie?” he asked quietly. Valerie’s eyes swept towards his voice.
“Am I dead?” Valerie asked in a hoarse voice. Everyone cracked up. I was laughing so hard, I nearly fell off the bed. It felt good to laugh, even though I wasn’t sure if we even knew why we were laughing.
“Dead? Only if the rest of us are,” Matthew answered, laughing hysterically.
“Nay, Valerie. You’re still alive . . . or whatever you want to call our existence. I think you’re the first vampire to ever survive a stake to the heart,” Christy said, grinning.
Valerie faintly shook her head. “Second.”
I slowly calmed down. “You are the second vampire to survive a stake?”
Valerie nodded slightly. “Aye. I guess I am.” She groaned. “Of course I may wish I was dead.” Her face tensed in immense pain.
Samuel squeezed her hand. “Do not say that. Who was the other vampire to survive?”
“Someone from a very long time ago. He died long before you were even born, Samuel. I never met him. He was my maker’s maker.”
“That’ll explain why I never heard about it,” Samuel murmured.
Beth leaned into the room. “Samuel, we are headed home. You have a large enough group to worry about without having to worry about us.”
Samuel glanced up. “Be careful Beth.”
She nodded and left. We turned our attention back to Valerie.
“You must be in a lot of pain,” I mumbled.
“Aye. But we’re safe,” Valerie whispered. Her grasp on Samuel’s hand tightened in reflex to the pain. “But I admit this is the . . . worst pain . . . I’ve ever felt,” she said in a clenched voice. “It feels like my chest is literally on fire ... Fie!” she cried out.
Mary Anne looked at Samuel. “There’s got to be something we can do to help with the pain.”
Samuel pursed his lips. “Perhaps,” he said frowning.
“Do herbs and plants have effects on vampires?” I asked.
Samuel nodded. “Certain plants affect us just as they affect humans. It’s just that the effect is not always as severe or prolonged. Why?”
I looked at Adam. I had to tread carefully on this subject so I wouldn’t mess up on the story, my lies. “When Crystal and Damien bought you to the mansion after I was–attacked– didn’t you have things you used to help heal my wounds and ease the pain?”
Adam nodded. “Aye, but it’s been awhile since I practiced any medicine,” he answered looking back at me.
Samuel looked at him. “Will you be able to help her? Or can’t you remember what can be used?”
“I know,” Adam stated.
“What’s wrong? Do you not remember what to do?” I asked.
Adam shook his head. “I think I remember. It’s just that I do not know if we have everything around here that we would need.”
“What do you need?” Christy asked.
“You’ll need to get some warm cloths ready as well as a pot of warm water. Some of the herbs are made into a tea,” Adam answered at last. He stood. “And I’ll find the herbs we need.”
Christy nodded. “Aye. Come on,” she said to the other four. They left the room.
“What herbs are you looking for?” Samuel asked quietly.
“Comfrey, Chamomile, and Lobelia.”
“Could I come with and help you look?” Samuel asked quietly. I stared at him in surprise. Adam also looked vaguely surprised.
“If you want,” Adam finally answered. Samuel murmured something to Valerie and followed Adam out, leaving me in the room alone with Valerie. I walked to a table in the room and lit a couple of candles. The room lit up with light.
I looked at Valerie and sat down. “They’ll kill each other before they get any of it,” I said, shaking my head. “They never seem to be able to do anything while together.”
Valerie smiled, then grimaced. “Samuel is quite fond of you, Julia,” she said in a whisper.
I looked down at my hands. “He’s quite fond of you as well, Valerie.”
“Glad to know I made such an impression on one of the only fledglings I helped.”
“Valerie?” I asked softly.
“Aye, Julia?” she asked, turning her blue gray eyes on me.
I met her gaze and saw pain in every rigid muscle in her face. I decided to try and distract her from the pain. Sometimes talking can help someone cope with their pain. It was a strategy I often used after one of the more severe beatings, if my sister or someone I trusted was there.
“Samuel told me how he met you. How did he recover from what happened?”
Valerie was silent for a minute. “Samuel told me how he met you as well.”
It was my turn to stare at her silently. Samuel told Valerie? Why in the world would he tell her, when I wanted no one else to know?
“Oh really? Did he tell you everything?” I asked after a moment.
“Mostly. I had asked him how he met you. I was curious because I noticed sadness hidden in your eyes. I had wanted to make sure he hadn’t taken you by force … though I never thought Samuel would do that ….”
“If you did not think he would do it, then why doubt him?”
She shrugged. “Vampires who are forced to become vampires often get that same look in their eyes because they miss their human lives. I never thought–” Valerie’s voice trailed off.
I finished the thought for her. “You never thought that the sadness was because of my human life and that Samuel finding me was the best thing that had happened to me?”
Valerie nodded. “But once I found out I understood. And I shan’t say a word to anyone, Julia.”
I raised my head to stare at her. “Thank you. So how did Samuel recover from seeing his family murdered by vampires? And how the hell did he learn to live with being one himself? I do not understand how he did it. Pray tell me, Valerie how he did it.”
Valerie thought for a minute. The candles flickered, throwing her face into shadow for a few moments.
“It was not easy,” she admitted softly. “He had not wanted to give in to the blood thirst … wanted to starve himself. He did not give in until I reassured him that he did not have to kill unless he wanted to. When we first met, he actually wanted to die. He did not want to live as a vampire ... as the very thing that had killed his family. He barely spoke for weeks … at the time I had never made a vampire. I had never wanted to train one or deal with the responsibi
lities of having a fledgling.”
Valerie’s fingers dug into the mattress for a second and then relaxed. Once the spasm of pain was over, she continued talking. “That all changed when I met Samuel.”
I glanced towards the door and then back at her. “Why did you change your mind?”
“I found out how he became a vampire. The night I had met him, the look in his eyes was hopeless. He had even told me to kill him then. I knew he wouldn’t have survived on his own. He did not have the knowledge and maybe even more importantly, the will to survive at the time. Besides, even if he had survived on his own, he would have been an outcast. Other vampires would have mistaken him for being insane. Only the insane ones live alone, because they often attack anything. Or anyone.”
“So I took Samuel in and taught him all I could in hopes that with patience and understanding, his spirit would revive – that he would say more than five words a night. Slowly, excruciatingly slowly it seemed; he got better. He began to talk more and to take interest in us and other things around him again.”
“Thankfully.”
“He recovered slowly, Julia. Just as you are,” Valerie finished. After a moment she asked, “Aren’t they back yet?!”
I listened for a second. “Not yet,” I answered. “I wonder if I should send someone after them.” I frowned slightly. I looked back at Valerie uncertainly.
“Go ahead, Julia. You can send someone.”
I nodded and walked out the door. Glancing towards the kitchen, I asked, “Mary Anne?” There was a silence and then I saw Mary Anne enter the hallway. She looked at me with worried eyes. “Is Valerie all right?”
Slowly I nodded. “Valerie is still in pain but she’s not who I’m concerned about. Has Adam and Samuel returned?”
“Nay,” Mary Anne answered cautiously.
I sighed. “They’ve taken too long. I fear they are in ... another ... disagreement.”
Anger suddenly filled her face. “Oh, Lord! I cannot believe this! They decide to have their male foolishness at the worst of times!” She spun away and started back towards the kitchen. “Jeffrey, go find Samuel and Adam!”
I turned and returned to my position at Valerie’s side. I didn’t bother to close the bedroom door. Her eyes had closed and her face was tense with pain. Her breathing had again grown shallow and labored.
“Valerie?” I asked, suddenly frightened. Seeing her and Samuel in so much pain the last day or so had awakened unpleasant sensations, like ghosts of injuries past. I remembered feeling so much pain that I could have sworn every bone in my body had broken. I shuddered at the suddenly vivid memories.
Valerie’s hand jerked, pulling me out of my thoughts. She suddenly spoke but her voice was barely a whisper. “So much pain . . .can’t you do something, please ….” she pleaded.
I felt helpless; I didn’t know what I could do. I had no knowledge of medicine or even wound treatment. I never really had to take care of anyone; usually it was someone attending to my injuries.
“It’s coming, Valerie,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.
Her eyes fluttered open again, but they were glazed over with pain. She only moaned in response and her eyes slipped shut. I stood and began pacing in helpless frustration. “Damnit, Samuel, what are you doing out there?” I hissed.
There was a light knock on the open door. I turned towards the door and saw Jeffrey.
“Julia? Can I see you out of the room for a minute?” he asked, sounding unusually timid.
I looked towards Valerie and then back at him. I nodded and followed him out, shutting the door behind me. “What is it, Jeffrey?”
“They are about a block or so down on the verge of a fight. They did not even acknowledge my presence.”
Anger flashed through me. I was right. Damn, I hate being right, especially when it comes to those two. However, I still couldn’t believe it. Adam and Samuel fighting, when Valerie’s in here suffering?
“I do not believe this,” I muttered, heading for the front door. “Watch Valerie and make her as comfortable as possible.”
I then ran out the front door, once again thankful I wasn’t wearing a dress. Jeffrey was staring after me as I slammed the door shut behind me.
This time I let the link of the ka-tet guide me to the other two; not bothering to listen and look for them, but followed their presences as I felt them through the telepathy. I moved swiftly, filled with angered urgency. I heard them long before I saw them. Insults were flying like wildfire.
I drew closer and saw Adam kneeling down beside some pulled up plants. Samuel was leaning against a tree, looking tired as he spoke. “That is not Comfrey, clothead.”
“Aye it is, Samuel. I would think I would know; I’ve probably practiced more medicine than you have. Besides, I had used it about two years ago to help Julia … Me thinks I can still remember what it looks like. Speaking of Julia …I cannot believe you took advantage of her like that!”
“She could have said no,” Samuel snapped irritably.
“Why did you do it, Samuel? Why did you kiss her?” Adam demanded, his voice nearly a snarl. “Are you such a foul brute?”
I paused on the hill overlooking them, uncertainly. I did not move closer in sudden fear that they would turn their wrath on me instead. They would either resort to fighting yet again or they would finally make some kind of peace. Either way, the spell would be broken if my presence was noticed. I decided to wait just a little longer before interrupting.
Samuel shifted positions and seemed to carefully consider the question. “I wished to see what happened,” he answered thoughtfully. “A few days ago, Julia had mentioned that she felt uncomfortable around men during intimate moments. That includes both you and me. I do not know much about her human life,” he said lying, “But I do know that she had been attacked at least three times.”
He paused. “I also do not know anything about her assailant, whether it was the same one or three different ones. I do not know if she knows. Did she ever tell you how I found her?” he asked calmly.
“Only that you rescued her from ‘a dangerous situation’– her direct answer,” Adam answered curtly.
Oh Lord, what is he doing? I thought as Samuel nodded. Did my wishes mean nothing to him? I told Samuel I didn’t want Adam to know.
I never want Adam to know I had given birth to Gregory’s child, nor do I want him to know about the beatings I had gone through from my husband. Adam knew Gregory and I had never gotten along and that’s enough. I want to spare him from knowing about what I went through, because he would probably be angry that I had lied to him about it, even though the reason I had lied was fear for his life, as well as my own. And in the last year, my child’s. And I didn’t want Adam to see me any differently, I thought to myself fiercely. Selfish reasons? They probably were but it was my choice.
I almost began to move towards them when Samuel’s answer stopped me. I had always wondered how he had found me in time. I never had the courage to ask.
“Damien had fetched me. He was headed for her mansion for a visit. When he got close to the home, he heard some strange noise, something that sounded like a scream. He’s human, you know, with a wife, and did not want to take foolish chances. He knew I was out hunting nearby. He sought me out.”
I could hear frank truthfulness in his voice and knew Adam could as well.
“He was concerned, afraid his sister–in–law was in trouble.” Samuel fixed Adam with a defiant stare. “I promised him I would go by the house to make sure everything was all right. When I got to the mansion all I heard was a few moans and then soft crying from the back of the house. I circled the place until I found the exact room Julia was in. She had been locked in, bruised and bloody. I helped her out, but she had been weak … and unable to really tell me what happened.”
Samuel paused again. “All she told me was that she could not trust anyone in that house and someone would hurt her if she returned. She neglected to say who,” Samuel said, slipping in a
slight lie. “I took her back with me. She learned to trust me. She went back for you. She came to me a few days ago and told me she was frightened to be intimate with anyone, especially you. I pondered for a while and came up with an idea. I thought that maybe I could help her; if she could learn to be intimate with me, someone she trusts and knows better at the moment that she may get over her fear,” he finished coldly. “That was what was going on when you so rudely barged in.”
Adam sat back and was silent for a moment. Samuel’s words seemed to have shaken him. I don’t think the possibility had ever crossed his mind, that the ‘situation’ I had told him about had actually left me hurt. I wonder if he suspects it was my husband. I know some things over the years were just too hard to explain away with my lies.
“At least let her decide those things, Samuel. Do not force it on her.”
Samuel sighed. “She did not resist me, Adam. And no, I did not use any powers on her to force her to comply,” he said in anger, anticipating the question. “We cannot hypnotize other vampires.”
“Then why did she react the way she did to you?”
Samuel was silent yet again. When he spoke next it was obvious he had chosen his answer with care. “For one thing, you walked in at the worst possible moment … not that I figured out how you got in anyway. Instead of waiting, you violently separated us and proceeded after me with malicious intent, although I do understand your anger. Obviously, she recalled unhappy memories. With all that happened right afterwards, I have yet to have a chance to speak to her about it. When things have calmed down a bit, I shall.”
When Adam answered, it was so soft I couldn’t hear. Shifting uneasily, I realized had to do something. Valerie had suffered enough pain because of their quarrel. I circled the area to get closer to Samuel, figuring that since my plea was about Valerie, he would respond better and faster than Adam. I suppose they actually forgot why they had come out here. I moved up behind Samuel as if I had come from the actual road which I had not.
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