Nicholas 02

by Renee Larsen

  Danielle kissed his cheek. “Drac, I’d never leave you. I love everything about you.”

  Nicholas frowned. “Danielle, I don’t know of any way to tell you what I have to tell you other than just blurting it out. Please listen with an open mind. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  Danielle looked into his eyes “Nicholas, what’s wrong? What happened last night that you are being so cautious in telling me?”

  Nicholas hugged her against him, “Danielle I’m terrified you’ll leave me if I tell you. It’s nothing you could possibly imagine. It’s so far from the norm. It’s about me, what I am. What we are. (He gestured towards everyone in the room) and now, what you are.”

  Danielle looked into his eyes. “Do you love me?”

  Nicholas nodded. “More than you’ll ever know, more than you could ever imagine.”

  Danielle kissed him again. “Then please; tell me.”

  Nicholas silently said to his parents, be ready to bail me out if I need help. He looked into Danielle’s eyes. “Danielle, do you remember when you were a child and you were rescued from men that had locked you in a closet.”

  Danielle nodded. “Vaguely” she replied.

  Nicholas continued. “You were rescued by my Parents. I was three at the time and somehow you and I communicated telepathically; we use to talk whenever you were afraid; when ever your father beat you or your mother. Danielle, Derek is not my twin brother. Derek is my father. He’s almost two hundred years old. Emily is his wife and my mother.” Nicholas could see the uncertainty and even fear in her eyes. “Danielle, please don’t be frightened.” He said almost desperately.

  Emily stood up and walked over to them. “Danielle, there’s no easy way to say this. Nicholas is trying very hard but he’s terrified. Do you mind if Derek and I help him?” she asked. Danielle shook her head no. Emily smiled gently. “It’s kind of a long story so I’ll give you the short condensed version. Then you can ask anything you’d like and I promise you that we’ll all be honest with you when we answer you. Ready?” Emily asked.

  Danielle looked at Emily. “Ready.”

  “Many years ago in Scotland there was a couple that were very much in love. Their names were Nicholas and Elizabeth. They were to be married. At night Elizabeth would sneak from her parents home to meet Nicholas. They would make love and then he would make sure she got home before her family awoke. The night before they were to be married Elizabeth was rushing to Nicholas but she was taken by a very evil creature named Jacque. Then Nicholas was taken by Jacques warriors. He was dragged to a small clearing in the woods and held fast as he watched Jacque torture, rape and kill Elizabeth by sucking the blood from her. Jacque then turned on Nicholas and sucked the blood from him leaving him to die. One of Jacques followers returned and forced Nicholas to drink his blood turning him into a creature of the night.” Emily paused knowing Danielle wanted to say something.

  “This is a joke right?”

  Emily shook her head no. “Let me finish the story.” She said softly. Danielle nodded and Emily continued to tell her how Nicholas spent more than one hundred and fifty years waiting for his Elizabeth to be reborn. She explained that Nicholas couldn’t bear to be called Nicholas after Elizabeth was murdered and changed his name to Derek Burnes.

  Emily told Danielle of her life before Derek and how they met, how he loved her, protected her and made her feel loved. How his family accepted her. Then Emily told of being taken by Jacque, rescued by Derek and of Derek’s near death experience. Finally she told of how she was pregnant and in order for the child to grow and live that she would have to become what Derek was; a vampire. Derek was near death and Emily drank to have the child he implanted her with grow. She continued her tale about being alone thinking Derek was gone forever as the child grew within her. “Danielle, I was human, I fell madly for Derek and wanted his child so I became. I live a relatively normal life. We don’t feed on people unless we are threatened or they are hurting humans or someone we love. There are those that do. But we don’t. What my poor son has been trying to tell you is that last night you were going to die. You were going to be taken away from him if his father didn’t intervene. Derek and Nicholas changed you last night. You are now a Vampire. We will all teach you what you need to know to survive. You’ll actually grow to enjoy the freedoms it allows you once you’re use to things.”

  Danielle looked into Nicholas’ eyes. “Is this all true?”

  Nicholas nodded.

  Danielle’s eyebrow rose. “So, you really are my Drac?”

  Nicholas nodded.

  “Now I’m a Dracess?”

  Nicholas nodded again.

  “Am I going to have your child?”

  Nicholas shrugged. “I don’t know. We can hope.”

  Danielle looked at Derek, then Emily. “You’re really his parents?”

  They nodded.

  Danielle started to laugh. “You’re all pulling my leg. Vampires can’t eat hamburgers, and drink wine.”

  Derek smiled. “We can, not all of us do, but some us do eat food too. We can all drink whatever we like. Emily’s big concern was hot chocolate,” he said affectionately.

  Claire looked at Danielle. “Danielle, think of it this way. You will always look twenty-five. I’m almost as old as Derek. He turned me when I was left for dead by Jacques crew of heathens. Merrek and I have been together for more than one hundred and fifty years. We can go where we want, when we want. We’re all wealthy thanks to Derek and his business sense.”

  Danielle looked at Nicholas. “They’re telling the truth aren’t they?”

  Nicholas nodded.

  “Show me your teeth.”

  Nicholas hugged her. “Honey, I’m not hungry or threatened.”

  Danielle frowned. “Somebody show me. Please.”

  Derek walked over to her. “Danielle, look at me.”

  Danielle turned to face him. Slowly he curled his lips into a smile exposing the tips of his fangs.

  Danielle looked at him closely. “Show me all of them”

  Derek smiled exposing his fangs.

  “Oh God, this isn’t a joke. You’re all vampires?” Danielle looked at Nicholas and again he nodded.

  Nicholas stroked her back gently. “Danielle we’re going to go upstate so we can educate you on survival. We need to dress and then we’ll go.”

  Danielle looked at him. “What about Killer and Rusty who’s going to take care of them?”

  Nicholas smiled. “We’ll be back in a few hours. Trust me okay? I promise you it will be ok. I promise you we’ll be happy.”

  Danielle stood up still holding Nicholas’ hand. “Come with me.” She said pulling him towards the bedroom.

  After closing the bedroom door Danielle went into his arms. “Drac, I’m afraid.” She whispered.

  Nicholas kissed the top of her head. “Danielle, I promise you I’ll be by your side. My family, now your family, will stand by your side. We’ll help you. Come on change your clothes, casual, just jeans and a sweater. You’ll love my parent’s house upstate.”

  Danielle looked around the room and then back at him. “Drac, how come I’ve never seen you bite anyone?”

  Nicholas lifted her chin and kissed her. “Danielle, you’ve been with me pretty constantly. We have ways of feeding without biting. We can eat food and enjoy it, but we still need to feed to get nourishment. We’ll explain it all to you upstate. Get dressed please. You’re going to need to feed soon.”

  Danielle hugged him and then pushed away from him. “Okay, but please, don’t leave me alone okay?”

  Nicholas smiled. “Okay.”

  Danielle and Nicholas emerged from the bedroom dressed and ready. The family stood up. Derek smiled. “Are you ready for your first adventure as a Vampire? This is my favorite part.” Derek reached for her hand. “Take my hand Danielle, don’t be afraid.” Danielle took Derek’s hand then reached for Nicholas. He took her hand in his smiling at her. Then they were flying through the air,
swirling past the city, over the country side.

  Nicholas watched her carefully. “You okay Dani?”

  Danielle looked into his eyes. “Nicholas this is amazing!” she said as they started to descend. They landed in the pasture amongst the cattle.

  Derek looked at Danielle. “What do you hear?”

  Danielle listened. She was keenly aware of her surrounding “I hear beating hearts I think and some kind of whooshing sound.” Her stomach twisted in hunger.

  Danielle looked at Nicholas “Suddenly, I’m very hungry.” She felt something funny in her mouth and realized that it was her teeth extending. She looked at Nicholas and then Derek. “I’m hungry, my stomach is knotting, I have teeth, now what? Someone please show me this hurts.”

  Nicholas led her to a cow. Watch me” He pet the cow and talked to her gently as he felt for her pulse. When he found the pulse he sank his fangs into her neck and fed. When he’d had his fill he licked at the wound healing it. “Now, come, I’ll help you.” He led her to a cow. “Run your hand along her neck, when you feel the pulse that’s where you want to sink your fangs. Then suck. Pay attention to the cow. When you feel her heart beat change stop, lick the wound, and it will heal. If you’re still hungry we’ll bring you another cow.”

  Danielle looked at him “Will I hurt her?” she asked. Nicholas shook his head and said “No, but tell her you won’t hurt her. You can think it and she’ll hear it.”

  Danielle walked closer to the cow. She was in pain. Her stomach felt like it had twisted into a knot. She ran her hand along the cow’s neck and then looked at Nicholas. “Go ahead, I’m right here. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

  Danielle sank her fangs into the cow’s neck amazed at how easily her teeth punctured the vein. As the blood flowed into her the knots in her stomach eased. She felt her body growing stronger. She stopped before Nicholas said to. She copied what he had done and licked at the cow neck. She watched intently as the two distinct puncture marks disappeared.

  Emily walked over to her. “You did very well Danielle. You’re part of our family now. Let’s go inside and we’ll talk.

  Danielle smiled at Emily. “Can we do that flying thing again? Just a little, that was amazing.”

  Derek chuckled. “Danielle, where would you like to go? Nicholas and I will take you.”

  Danielle looked at Derek. “Where can we go?” she asked.

  Derek smiled. “Where ever you want.” He replied.

  “Can we go to…the tropics?”

  Derek looked at the Family. “Merrek, can you and Claire go get Rusty and Killer and bring them to the Island? I think Danielle will want to stay a day or so.” Merrek nodded and he and Claire disappeared.

  Nicholas and Derek each took one of her hands and they disappeared. They landed a few minutes later on a tropical island. Danielle looked at the family and smiled happily. “I’m going to like this!” she said looking at the water breaking on the beach and the lush tropical foliage that surrounded them. “Drac, this is amazing!” She wrapped her arms around his waist. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet kissing her.

  Nicholas set her down taking her hand. “This is where I was born.”

  Derek chucked. “Incoming” he said as the rest of the family landed.

  Mishka and Snow nudged Nicholas. “Danielle, I’d like you to meet Killer’s parents.” He pointed to the large black wolf. “This is Mishka and the white wolf is Snow.”

  Danielle looked at Mishka and then Snow. Danielle reached down and pet Mishka; as she reached out to Snow the large white wolf growled. Danielle pulled her hand back.

  Nicholas looked at Snow. “Young lady, this is my wife. Be nice.” Snow looked from Nicholas to Danielle and nudged Danielle’s leg.

  Killer came running down the beach with Rusty on his back. He ran to Danielle and sat in front of her. “Hi Killer; Handsome, Did you hitch a ride on Killers back?” she asked as she squatted down next to Killer petting him. Rusty looked at her and hissed. “Rusty why are you hissing at me?” Rusty hissed again.

  Danielle looked at Nicholas. “Why is he hissing at me?”

  Nicholas frowned. “Danielle, maybe he’ll improve in time. But cats don’t normally like Vamps. I’ll see if Killer can help. I’ll talk to him later.”

  Danielle looked at Nicholas as they walked along the beach. It was an hour or so before dawn when Danielle stopped. “We didn’t have a wedding night, did we?”

  Nicholas pulled her against him. “We will...Today. Let’s go inside and join the others. It will be daylight soon and we have to be inside.” He took her hand and they walked to the main house. When they went inside the family sat in the living room and the wolves were curled up in the corner near the fireplace.

  “Did you have a nice walk?” Emily asked.

  Danielle smiled. “It’s beautiful here. I’ve never been to anyplace other than Boston and New York. The water even looks blue at night.”

  Emily nodded. “I love it here. We come here pretty frequently to escape the cold.”

  Nicholas looked at his wolf, Killer try to communicate with Rusty get him to stop hissing at Danielle. Let him know we won’t hurt him. He seems to really like you, get him to like us. Killer groaned then looked at Nicholas showing him all his teeth.

  Danielle looked at the wolves all sleeping together. There were two more that she hadn’t seen before and Rusty was curled up with them. “That cat has never been around any other animal and look at him. Curled up amongst wolves and loving it.”

  Nicholas yawned. “We’re going upstairs. We’ll see you later.” Nicholas took Danielle’s hand and gave a short whistle to Killer. As Nicholas led Danielle upstairs Killer got up stretched and followed them. He stopped looking at Rusty giving a low bark. Rusty got up and ran after him following him up the stairs.

  Derek laughed watching the wolf and cat, “Can you believe this, look at that cat following the most unsocial wolf in the world. It seems our little Killer has a friend.”

  Emily laughed. “The odd couple. Derek, tell Nicholas to take Danielle to our room for the day. It’s the best room in the house and they deserve a nice wedding day.”

  Derek was quiet for a minute and smiled.

  Emily hit his arm playfully. “Oh quirky one were you ease dropping?”

  Derek nodded. “They don’t need the view. They’re very involved and quite content with things right now and my son has given me ideas and I plan on having a wedding day with my wife.” Derek smiled taking Emily’s hand. “Good day you guys, see you in the evening.”

  The next few days were spent teaching Danielle the basics. She learned quickly and seemed happy as long as she and Nicholas were together. She and Nicholas spoke silently often. If something frightened her she turned to him for comfort and advice and he gave her guidance.

  Chapter Seven

  They returned to upstate New York and Nicholas, Danielle, Killer and Rusty went to Nicholas’ log cabin in the woods on the family property.

  When they were inside and the fire was ablaze Nicholas smiled and pulled her into his arms. “Alone at last” he said running his hand up her back under her sweater.

  Danielle wrapped her arms around him. “Alone in a secluded cabin in the woods, a fire cracking in the fireplace and Drac is going to make love to me on that rug in front of the fire.” She said giggling.

  Nicholas looked at her “Is he now?” he asked.

  Danielle smiled. “I hope so. At your parents house we had to be quiet, here we can do anything we want.”