by Renee Larsen
Nicholas nodded. “I have several cans of soup. Like lentil, pea, veggie”
Doc shook his head no and looked at Derek. “Call that beautiful French cook and tell her we need chicken broth.” Derek nodded and called to Claire.
Nicholas stood up and walked to the bedroom door. “Killer, come.” He said and opened the door quietly.
Tanya looked up. “Hi Nicky” she said softly.
He looked at the bed. “Tanya, can you leave us alone for a bit.”
Tanya stood up. “Sure, pay attention to these bags. When they get low call us we’ll need to replace them.”
Nicholas nodded. “Thanks for everything.” Tanya kissed his cheek and walked from the room closing the door.
Nicholas sat in the chair next to the bed. “Oh Danielle, what has that evil bitch done to you. I’m so sorry.” He reached for her hand taking it in his and kissed it. He stared down at the thin bruised body of the woman he loved. He lifted the blanket pulling it away from her. He lifted the tee shirt a bit and gasped. He could count all her ribs. Her skin looked dry and wrinkled. He pulled the covers back over her and glanced at the IV bags. Then as his eyes welled with tears he rested his head against the mattress near her closing his eyes.
Nicholas sat up when the door opened. Derek walked over to him. “Jen has been picked up by her rat bastard daughter.”
Nicholas nodded. “Dad, look what they did to her.”
Derek squeezed his shoulder. “The family will be staying in the theater with you until Danielle can travel. Gerry, Merrek and Claire are on the way everyone else is here. The wolves are patrolling the theater. Do you want Mishka in here with Killer?”
Nicholas shook his head no. “No, keep him close to you and mom. You guys stay in the guest room everyone else can stay where ever.” Derek looked at Danielle shaking his head and turned to leave.
“Dad, tell Tanya or Doc the IV bags need attention. I’ll be out in a little while.”
Nicholas emerged from the bedroom around four in the morning. Emily looked up as he walked into the room. “Mom, I’m going out for a few minutes. I’m going to get Rusty and bring him back here.”
Emily looked at him “Who’s Rusty?”
Nicholas smiled. “You’ll love this… Rusty is Danielle’s cat.”
Emily smiled. “Nicky we have wolves here.”
He shook his head. “Killer was ok with him. Can’t you mind melt with the rest of them and make them get along with him. I think it would help Danielle.”
Emily smiled. “I’ll do what I can. Don’t worry. Take someone with you. Don’t go alone.” Nicholas nodded and disappeared.
Derek sat by the bedside talking to Doc and Tanya as they replaced the IV bags. Danielle whimpered “You promised me…you promised me your daddy would save me”
Derek turned looking down at her. “Dani, you’re safe. They won’t hurt you any more.” She moaned as she turned her head towards the voice.
Her eyes opened momentarily to see Derek sitting by her side. “Nicholas, I knew you’d find me.” She whispered a small smile crossed her lips as she closed her eyes.
Derek turned towards the door hearing hissing. Nicholas walked into the room carrying a cat carrier. “Dad, you better leave for a while until he acclimates himself.”
Derek looked at Nicholas. “What is it?” he asked.
Nicholas chuckled. “It’s Danielle’s cat.”
Derek frowned “You’re gonna let that little cat out in a room with Killer?”
Nicholas nodded. “Ok, stay and watch, but stay clear of him, he doesn’t appear to like vamps.” Nicholas carried the carrier to the bed and set it down. He unlatched the door. “Rusty, go see your mommy,” he said softly. Rusty cautiously came out of his cage. He looked at Nicholas and then saw Danielle. He went to Danielle and curled up against her stomach resting his head between her breasts. Danielle smiled in her sleep and whispered “Rusty.”
Derek smiled. “They have the same kind of bond you and Killer have.” He paused then said “She woke up for a minute a little while ago. She said she knew you’d find her. She thought I was you.” Derek stood up and walked to the door. “Nicky, try and sleep. Doc and Tanya are keeping a close eye on her.”
Nicholas nodded. “I will. Thanks dad, kiss mom goodnight for me ok?” Derek nodded and left the bedroom closing the door.
Nicholas sat in the chair beside the bed. He propped his feet up on the bed and closed his eyes. Killer nudged his leg. “What Killer, I’m tired, go to bed.” Killer jumped on the bed next to Danielle and rested his head on the pillow. He turned his head looking at Nicholas. “Killer, don’t disturb her and leave Rusty alone.” Again he closed his eyes.
Danielle opened her eyes looking at her surroundings. It was quiet. She was in a bed and Rusty was curled up next to her. She reached down stroking his fur. “Honey boy” she said softly. Killer’s tail started wagging wildly, the whole bed shook. “Killer, is that you?” Where’s Nicholas Killer?” Killer jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom door. He took the doorknob in his mouth and opened the door. Nicholas stood by the sink in his sleep pants washing his face. Killer barked, and barked again.
“Killer stop, Danielle needs to rest and she can’t with you barking.” Killer grabbed his hand and pulled on him. “What, let go I need to get the soap off my face.” Killer persisted; pulling Nicholas out of the bathroom and towards the bed. Nicholas grabbed a towel on the way out and wiped the soap off his face as he came to a stop at the bedside. Danielle lay sleeping peacefully. Amazingly she looked a little better than she had when he had first seen her after her ordeal. Nicholas looked down at Killer. “And what was all this about nutzy?” he said quietly. Killer nudged him closer to the bed. Nicholas looked at Danielle and Rusty. “Yes killer, Rusty is here. Leave him alone or his claws will nail you good.” He turned to go back into the bathroom.
“Hi,” Danielle said her voice raspy and dry.
Nicholas turned. “Danielle,” he said in almost a whisper.
She smiled weakly. “I knew you’d find me.” Nicholas sat on the edge of the bed taking her hand in his lifting it to his lips. She smiled and drifted back to sleep.
Nicholas stood up and walked into the living room. “Where’s Doc?”
Merrek opened his eyes. “He’s downstairs I’ll get him.” Nicholas turned and went back in the bedroom taking his place in the chair beside the bed.
Doc walked over to Nicholas. “What’s up kid?”
Nicholas looked at him. “I’ll try and move the orange tornado, you need to check her, she spoke a few words and now she’s out again.”
Doc chuckled. “Nicholas, she’s not going to recover overnight. It’s going to take time. She could be like this for a few days. You need to give it time.” Doc checked the IV bags. “I need to add some potassium and hang new bags. Be right back.”
The days dragged. Danielle drifted in and out of consciousness. Nicholas stayed by her side leaving only to feed. Everyday while the others slept he sang softly to her as he massaged lotions and oils into to dry parched skin. Nicholas was beyond tired and finally on the fourth day he lay on the bed next to her. He fell into a deep sleep. Doc, Tanya, Emily and Derek were in and out of the room checking on Danielle; Nicholas heard none of it. He didn’t hear Rusty’s spits and hisses as Derek approached the bed to remove him so Doc could examine Danielle, he didn’t hear Derek yell obscenities when Rusty clawed him. He slept the sleep of the dead.
On the sixth day Emily walked into the bedroom to check on Danielle and to try and wake her sleeping son. He had been asleep for forty-eight hours and she was becoming more concerned with each passing hour. She looked at the bed and saw Danielle stroking Nicholas’ hair.
“Hi, how do you feel?” Emily asked.
Danielle looked up. “What happened, the last thing I remember was a nightmare about being bitten by vampires, being strapped to a cold metal table in a morgue?”
Emily sat next to her. “Don’t think about that.
Are you hungry?”
Danielle nodded. “I am hungry.”
Emily smiled. “I’ll be back in a minute with food. See if you can wake sleeping beauty.” Emily left the room.
Danielle continued stroking Nicholas’ thick wavy hair. “Nicholas, open your baby blues, Nicholas I need you to wake up. I need you to tell me it was all a terrible dream though my body tells me it wasn’t. Nicholas, please wake up.” Danielle watched as a smile touched his lips then he opened his eyes. They lay on their sides facing each other. His cool blue eyes stared into hers. He leaned closer to her kissing her lips gently.
Emily came back in with Chicken broth for Danielle. She put the bowl down and looked at Nicholas. “You finally decided to wake up. Now help me get Danielle into a comfortable sitting position so we can get some food into her.”
Nicholas sat up and gently pulled Danielle against him so Emily could stuff pillows behind her. “Okay Nicky, lay her back and help her eat. I’ll send Doc in to check the IV’s they’re almost empty.” Emily helped Nicholas get Danielle settled and left the room.
Nicholas lifted the bowl of soup. “I’ll help you.” He said as he dipped the spoon into the broth.
Danielle looked into the bowl. “Is that just broth?”
Nicholas nodded. “Come on open up so I can feed you.”
Danielle smiled. “Is there a coffee mug around? It will be easier.”
Nicholas looked at her smiling. “You’re right, I’ll be right back.”
***
Elizabeth carried her mother to her new home and laid her in a bed. She watched her mother carefully brushing her hair from her face. “I’ll bathe you and wash the remnants of your ordeal away.” Elizabeth said softly as she got up and walked into the bathroom. She filled a plastic tub with warm water, gathered towels, wash cloth and soap. She carried it all back into the bedroom and started to remove her mother’s clothes. She didn’t want to hurt her foot so she carefully cut Jens jeans and panties off. She quickly washed her mother and dressed her in a tee shirt. She carefully removed the bandaging and gasped in horror. “Mom, they’ll never hurt you like this again. I’ll make sure of that. I’m going to kill that cocky bastard if it’s the last thing I do.” She said in almost a whisper. She rewrapped Jens foot and sank into a chair.
***
Doc had come in and checked the IV’s adding new bags of antibiotics, potassium, saline and glucose. Doc smiled at Danielle and said “I think another couple of bags and we can remove the IV.
Danielle returned his smile. “Thank you for your help.” Doc squeezed her hand then left the room leaving Nicholas and Danielle alone.
Danielle rested her head against his shoulder. “Nicholas, this wasn’t a bad nightmare was it?”
Nicholas kissed the top of her head. “No…it was real.” He said quietly.
Danielle turned her head looking up at him. “How did you find me?” she asked.
Nicholas shook his head. “Danielle, I didn’t find you. I tried. You were deposited in the alley by the back door. Danielle, I’m so sorry that bitch touched you. I tried everything I could to find you.”
Danielle closed her eyes. “Nicholas, I heard you singing in my head. You’re voice comforted me like it did when I was a small child.”
Nicholas wrapped his arms around her as she leaned against him. “I’m glad you heard me sing to you. I didn’t know what else to do to try and calm your fears, to let you know I was trying.”
Danielle sighed. “I’m sorry I left you that day. I was home, it was getting dark. I picked up the phone to call you and the next thing I know I was tied to a table. I remember pain; I remember feeling ice cold water, like from a hose.” She trembled in his arms.
“Danielle, don’t. Don’t rehash this. Not now. Not until your well.” Nicholas said gently. Danielle nodded and fell silent.
Nicholas kissed the top of her head. “Do you want to watch television or a movie?”
Danielle shook her head. “I want to stay just the way we are. I don’t want to move and I want you to stay with me.”
Nicholas leaned his head against hers, “I will.”
***
Nicholas awoke smelling blood. He sat up looking at Danielle as she slept beside him with Rusty and Killer curled up next to her. He called to father silently. Dad, blood, I smell blood. It’s strong, different. Where is it coming from?”
Derek frowned he had no idea where the blood was. The only living things in the theater were Danielle and her hissing clawing cat. Son, check Danielle. She and that orange beast are the only ones it could come from.
Derek looked at Emily. “Em did you hear him?”
Emily nodded and stood up. “I’ll be right back.” She walked to the bedroom door Nicky I’m coming in she said silently. She opened the door and walked to the bed smelling the air. She lifted the blankets and looked at Danielle then looked at Nicholas. She’s started her period. I’ll get someone to go to the corner and get what she needs. Keep your fangs in check. Emily walked into the bathroom and returned with a towel and placed it between Danielle’s legs. Sorry son, you’ll have to replant your garden when she’s well, she said as she left the room.
***
Danielle awoke alone. Nicholas was not in the room. She sat up looking around the room. Killer was asleep on the floor by the fireplace and Rusty was curled up asleep by his feet. Who’d have thought that big goofy dog and Rusty would become close enough to sleep together she thought smiling. She felt the familiar warm wet feeling between her legs. “Oh shit” she mumbled and moved to the edge of the bed. She set her feet on the floor and stood up grasping the IV pole and started walking slowly towards the bathroom. She was almost at the bathroom when she fell to the floor bringing the IV pole down on top of her. No one rushed in; no one came to help her. She was tied to a cold metal table. Her hands tied over her head, she couldn’t move, she couldn’t breathe. She was terrified and then she saw the crazed blonde woman with the long teeth. She was laughing as she said Nicky will be crazed by despair when he finds your dead, disheveled body sucked dry of all its blood. The blonde woman’s teeth were close to Danielle’s face as she said, “Today you’ll die, today I’ll shred your throat and suck the blood from you. Danielle’s terror built. Danielle felt the bile backing up into her throat, her stomach turning. She felt her stomach knot and twist. She felt the vomit creeping up her throat. She was vomiting again and again. She heard her own distant screams as this blonde woman’s teeth tore into her neck.
Nicholas ran into the bedroom to find Danielle on the floor the IV pole on top of her. There was vomit all over her and the floor and she was curled in the fetal position screaming. He ran to her side and scooped her into his arms holding her against him. “Danielle, you’re safe. She can’t get to you. She can’t hurt you.” He said rocking her in his arms. Derek, Emily, Merrek and Claire followed him into the bedroom. They watched as Nicholas comforted her. Mom, find clean clothes for her give me about ten minutes and send Doc in. Nicholas stood up and carried her into the bathroom pulling the IV tree with them. Once inside he kicked the door closed. He turned on the shower and stepped in, with Danielle in his arms. He sat on the shower floor with her on his lap. He ran his fingernail down the back of the tee shirt splitting it. He looked down at her as he removed the tee shirt. Her body was still bruised and very thin. He reached up grabbing the soap and wash cloth and quickly washed her removing the vomit. He stood up lifting her and then set her on her feet supporting her with his arm. He ran his nail along the sides of the boxer shorts she wore and they dropped to the floor. He finished washing her body and then washed the vomit from her hair. He turned off the water and wrapped her in a towel. She hadn’t said one word. There was no recognition in eyes; she stared at him blankly.
Nicholas lifted her and got out of the shower setting her down on the chair in the bathroom as he called silently, Mom, the clothes. Emily opened the bathroom door and handed him the clothes. Nicholas dressed her placing a pad in the short
s to catch the blood. Once she was dressed he opened the door. “Can someone take her to the bed and get doc. I need to get changed.”
Derek walked into the bathroom. “I’ll take her and then bring you dry clothes.” Derek lifted Danielle and carried her to the bed laying her against the pillows. He took the dry clothes from Emily and brought them into the bathroom.
