Nicholas 02

by Renee Larsen

  Danielle screamed. “I need help!” as Elizabeth’s fingers tore at the clothing covering Danielle’s stomach.

  Elizabeth hissed. “I’ll dig the child from your swollen belly” as she continued shredding Danielle’s clothes.

  Danielle reached around digging her razor sharp nails into Elizabeth’s neck as she struggled to free herself but Elizabeth’s fangs held her in place. Danielle knew if she moved to much her throat would be shredded.

  Elizabeth realized she had finally stripped the clothing away from Danielle’s belly. Gleefully she removed her fangs from Danielle’s neck. With one arm she pushed Danielle to the ground holding her in the dirt by her neck. She pushed the bulky clothes away from Danielle’s stomach and looked to see where she would make the cut to kill both Danielle and Nicholas’s growing seed. Danielle lay in the dirt, her jeans shredded and discarded, her shirts pushed open. Elizabeth screeched in anger as she saw Danielle’s flat stomach. She lifted into the air taking Danielle with her. “You lied she hissed” against Danielle’s ear. Danielle did not respond. “Nicholas never planted his seed the line ends with him.” She growled. Again Danielle did not respond. Danielle dangling from the neck moved her arm quickly bringing her knife across Elizabeth’s wrist severing the hand that held her. She started to drop to the ground and then turned flying at Elizabeth.

  “You are done.” Danielle shouted as she grabbed a handful of Elizabeth’s hair and ran her knife across her throat. Elizabeth’s body fell to the ground but Danielle held the head.

  Danielle flew to Nicholas and Derek. “It’s done. She won’t hurt me again.” She said proudly bring her hand up displaying Elizabeth’s head.

  Nicholas looked at her. “You’re hurt bad baby.” he said taking Elizabeth’s head and pitching it to Merrek.

  Nicholas covered the deeply shredded flesh of her neck with his mouth and slowly brought her to the ground. Derek and Emily sank to the ground next to them. “Nicholas, let me see it” Derek shouted. Silently Nicholas said Dad, it’s really bad.

  Derek looked at Emily, “Get Colin, my blood is strong, his is stronger hurry.” Emily disappeared with Claire at her side, they appeared in the pod. “Colin, hurry, Danielle needs your blood. Claire guard the twins.” Emily yelled as she grabbed Colin’s hand.

  Merrek, gathered forces and held Elizabeth’s head high in the air and shouted “Unless you want to end up like this you’d best leave.” He looked at Gerry. “I’m so sorry Gerry,” he said lowering the head. Nick, Frank and Tony were gathering the heads and pitching them into the fire.

  Gerry went to Merrek. “Let me have her.” he said reaching for Elizabeth’s head. Gerry took the head and floated to the ground. He walked slowly to the fire and stopped. He raised the head and looked into Elizabeth’s dead blue eyes. “You were my baby. I loved you so much. I knew you couldn’t be mine, but I loved you anyway. I hope somehow you find peace.” He kissed Elizabeth’s cheek and threw her head into the fire.

  Colin stood above Danielle. He ran his nail across his wrist. “Nicholas, move,” he said as his blood began to run down his hand. Derek pulled Nicholas away from Danielle’s neck and he too cut his wrist. Colin and Derek stood their blood running into the deep wound in her neck. Colin knelt beside Danielle. “Feed” he said pressing his wrist to her lips. Danielle clutched his wrist and sucked his life giving blood into her.

  Just before dawn Nicholas lifted Danielle into his arms and carried her into the house. The fires were burned out and the family gathered in the great room. Danielle’s throat had been wrapped in gauze to hold it in place. Elizabeth had almost succeeded in decapitating her. “Lay still Danielle,” Colin said as he sat on the floor in front of her. “I need to feed the children.” She said as she started to sit. Colin reached over pushing her down. “You will not move. If you want to heal and see your children grow, you will not move. You’re neck was almost cut through. Do not move. Do I make myself clear?” He said sternly.

  Derek and Emily each lifted a child. “Let’s try this formula again. Danielle can’t feed them yet.” Derek said as he ran the bottle nipple along Alexander’s lips. Derek smiled and looked at Emily. “Our little breast man has taken the rubber nipple.” He said looking into the face of his son. “Em, this is so strange, knowing he’s my child.”

  Emily smiled. “It is strange but you must let Nicholas and Danielle raise him.”

  Derek looked into her eyes. “I know. How’s Lexie doing?”

  Emily stood up. “Fine, our little girl is just fine. Let’s go up so Danielle can see they are okay.”

  ***

  Jen waited. The sun was coming up and Elizabeth had not returned, neither had any of her followers. She sat in her wheelchair watching the news on television. She hated being in this cold barren dungeon that Elizabeth called home. She was in the basement of an old abandoned hospital. She looked at her watch; it was almost seven in the morning.

  Jen heard noises coming from one of the upper floors of the building; she listened and heard the footfalls of three or four people descending the stairs. She sighed as relief flooded through her knowing that Elizabeth had returned and would be walking through the door any minute.

  The door opened and Jen turned in the chair to see what shape Elizabeth was in. John walked in first. He was bloody, his clothes all but destroyed. He was covered in deep cuts. Next came Anthony, he was one of Elizabeth’s favorites. He looked far worse than John. Then finally the door creaked open. Elizabeth would be coming in. Jen turned again so she could see the door. Bob entered the room and walked over to Jen. “Where’s Elizabeth?” she asked already knowing the answer.

  Bob knelt in front of the wheelchair and took her hand. “Elizabeth won’t be back. The red haired vamp won the fight but I don’t think she’ll survive. Lizzy hurt her badly. She had her head almost chewed off.” Jen nodded without speaking as the numbness of sudden loss crept over her.

  Anthony now knelt in front of her. “Jen, we’ll take care of you until you’re well. We’ll make sure you get fed, and once you’re well, we’ll go after them again and revenge her death.”

  Jen looked at him frowning as she fought to keep her composure. “Guys can you leave me alone so I can grieve for my daughter, we’ll talk tomorrow evening, I need to think,”

  Anthony took Jens hand. “I’ll bring you something to feed on after I clean up a bit, then we’ll leave you for a day or so.”

  Jen smiled weakly. “Thank you, please go.”

  Jen was finally alone. Tears ran down her cheeks but was it relief that her twisted daughter had been destroyed, or was if grief. She really wasn’t sure what she felt. She called silently to Gerry. They just told me Elizabeth has been defeated, are you okay; is everyone else okay. Gerry I’m sorry this all happened. Jen wheeled herself to the uncomfortable cot she slept on and maneuvered herself onto it. She needed to sleep, she was drained and the sun was high in the sky.

  ***

  Colin looked at the family. “She’s very seriously hurt. You’ll need to care for the twins for the next few days. Nicholas, you’re going to have to keep her quiet until the flesh of her neck knits back together. It has to heal from the inside out and it will take time.”

  Nicholas looked at Colin, “Should we get her some kind of neck brace, something to stop her from moving her neck?”

  Colin shrugged. “It might be a good idea. Doc, what do you think?”

  “When the sun sets someone will have to go to the pharmacy. I’ll write a script for a brace and something to keep her sedated.” Doc replied.

  Emily frowned. “Doc, you can’t drug her, we need her milk. Between Nicholas and I we can pump her breast milk for the children, but if she’s drugged, we can’t use her milk.”

  Doc looked at Emily, “Em, we need to sedate her for a few days so this heals. You feed the twins formula and whatever we can get pumped today. It’s better to give them formula for a few days and breast milk for the next six months then for them to lose their mother.”

/>   Nicholas looked at his daughter then at Doc. “Do what ever you feel is necessary.”

  Derek glanced at Doc. “No sedation, I’ll keep her asleep,” he said casually.

  Doc stood up looking at the family. “It will be at least six hours before the sun goes down. We need to find something to hold her head still until we can get her in a brace. Any ideas?”

  Derek looked up. “Gauze or some kind of cloth cut into strips, we tie her head to a board so she can’t move,” he said as he held Alexander up to his shoulder patting his back.

  Doc chuckled. “That’s why you’re the leader.”

  Derek looked at Claire. “My French beauty can you see what you can find?”

  Claire smiled. “Most certainly my liege.”

  Claire returned with a cutting board, a padded pillow cover and several long strips of cloth. “Will this do?”

  Doc took the board and slipped the pillow cover over it. He walked over to the couch and held it up to see if it would be an acceptable size. His lips curled in a smile. “This will be perfect. Nicholas, I need your help, Derek, you too.”

  Derek handed Alexander to Emily and Nicholas handed Alexis to Gerry. They walked to the couch where Danielle lay sleeping. Doc looked at Derek, “Put her into a deep sleep. If this works, no sedation, if not she’s going to be drugged,” he said quietly.

  Derek knelt by the couch. He placed his hand over Danielle’s closed eyes. “Sleep soundly, sleep peacefully, you will not awaken until I wake you. Sleep, sleep, sleep.” He whispered near her ear.

  Doc looked at Nicholas. “I need you to lift her a little; you need to keep her head still and level. I’m going to slip the board under her. Once the board is under her, Derek, you need to take several of these strips thread them under the board. We need one by her forehead, one by her chin, and one by her arms. Everyone ready,” Doc asked. Derek and Nicholas nodded.

  ***

  Nicholas yawned. “I need to sleep. Mom, how do we pump her milk?”

  Emily stood up. “Carry her into the bedroom and I’ll be right there. Derek, help him.”

  Nicholas and Derek carried Danielle into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Derek walked over to the cradle. “I’ll take this out. Have your mother bring clothes and diapers for them. We’ll take them to Merrek’s pod so Danielle doesn’t hear them if they cry.” He said as he lifted the cradle and maneuvered it through the doorway. Nicholas walked to the door closing it then back to Danielle. She was filthy and bloody. The door opened and Emily walked in.

  “Mom, she can’t stay like this, she’s filthy.” Nicholas said as he removed her shoes and socks. “We need to clean her up.

  Does she have a large night shirt that we could get around her and the board?” Emily asked.

  Nicholas thought for a minute. “I’ll get what I can find. If they don’t work, we can use one of my short sleeved shirts.” He said walking to the dresser. He pulled open a drawer and took several sleep shirts out. Then he walked back to the bed, “Do you think one these will work?”

  Emily looked up. “The blue one looks the biggest; it stretches doesn’t it,” she replied. Nicholas nodded. Emily started removing what was left of Danielle’s clothes. “Nicky get warm soapy water, wash cloth, and clean towels.”

  After getting Danielle clean and dressed in clean clothes; Emily started to process of pumping the milk from Danielle’s breasts. A half hour later Emily carried out the milk she’d pumped and put it in the refrigerator.

  Gerry looked at Derek. “Jen knows, she was just trying to communicate with me,” he said as he rocked Lexie.

  Derek frowned. “What did she say?”

  Gerry laid Lexie in the cradle beside Alexander. “Elizabeth has been defeated, are you okay; is everyone else okay. Gerry I’m sorry this all happened. Derek she sounded so defeated, so alone.”

  Derek frowned. “Ger, we don’t know where she fits into all this. She did warn us at one point, but we still don’t know.” Derek said as kindly as he could. He knew Gerry was having a hard time with things. The child he loved and parented had just been killed and the woman he loved had been exiled. “Ger, tell her we’re all fine and give her my condolences. I wish this all had never taken place.” Derek said as he walked over to him. “Ger, we’re going to bed over at Merrek’s with the twins. You stay here.” Derek gave Gerry a hug. “If you need to talk, come over, but make sure someone is here with Nicholas and Danielle.”

  Gerry returned Derek’s hug. “Thanks brother. I’m okay.” He said in almost a whisper.

  Emily walked into the room and kissed Gerry’s cheek. “You know where I am if you need me, okay?” she said gently.

  Gerry nodded, “Thanks Em, you guys better go to bed, the twins will be waking you up for food again in a few hours.”

  Danielle awoke from her four day sleep slowly while Derek, Emily, Colin, Doc and Nicholas watched. Doc had examined her throat and decided it had healed enough that she would be able to function at a relatively normal level. Danielle opened her eyes. She immediately saw Nicholas. “Hi, I must have dozed off.” She said her voice a bit raspy.

  Nicholas smiled. “Hi, how do you feel?”

  Danielle smiled. “Hungry, I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.” She said as she glanced towards the cradle. “Drac, where’s the cradle, where are the twins?”

  Nicholas smiled. “They’re fine. The cradle is in the living room and they’re both sleeping.”

  Nicholas looked at Emily. “Can you get her something to eat?”

  Danielle frowned “Why are all of you staring at me? Is there something wrong?”

  Nicholas sat on the side of the bed. “You got hurt really bad by Elizabeth, my father has kept you asleep for the past four days to help you heal.”

  Danielle’s brow creased in thought. “Elizabeth is gone right, I killed her didn’t I?”

  Nicholas smiled. “You sure did. Come on lets sit you up, feed you, and then I’ll take you to Alexis and Alexander.” He helped her sit up and stuffed pillows behind her. Emily brought a glass of blood in handing it to Nicholas. “I’ll help you,” he said holding the glass to her lips.

  Danielle smiled. “Drac I can do it.” She said taking the glass. She drank it down quickly. “Any chance I can have a bit more?”

  Emily smiled and cut a section of the bag she held and refilled Danielle’s glass.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Months passed quickly, it was December and the family was going to have a get together. They bantered back and forth tying to decide where they would meet up and finally it was decided they would all meet at the house in Bar Harbor. Danielle and Nicholas had gone back to the theater apartment after all the repairs had been completed and had settled into a routine. Alexander and Alexis were now eight months old. Both children had thick Black wavy hair. Alexis had vivid sapphire blue eyes and Alexander was the one that caught everyone’s attention; he had one sapphire blue eye and one brilliant emerald green eye, making his appearance striking. They were going to travel in human style and drive to Bar Harbor. They packed up their four wheel drive vehicle and were on the road at sundown.

  Nicholas parked the truck in the driveway and looked at Danielle. “We’re here; this is where my mom and dad met and fell for each other. Once we get inside and settled we’ll go for a walk. It’s truly beautiful here. The years haven’t ruined Bar Harbor. It’s still quaint.”

  Danielle looked in the back seat at the twins. “They’re sound asleep. I can’t wait to see what everyone says about them. It’s been a long time since they’ve seen them.”

  Nicholas tapped the horn and opened the door. Killer jumped over him and out the door followed by Rusty. They ran to the door and sat waiting patiently for it to open.

  Emily opened the door. “Killer how’s my good boy,” she said as she reached down to pet him. “Killer, go get Derek we need help.” She said softly as she headed towards the vehicle.

  Nicholas climbed out and met his mother kissing her on the cheek.
Danielle waved hello as she said “Drac, it’s freezing, we need to get Alex and Lexie inside.”

  Emily stepped closer to the vehicle and opened the back door. She reached in and unfastened the baby restraint and lifted Alexis into her arms. “I’ve got Lexie. Danielle, get Alex and we’ll send Derek out to help with the other stuff.” Danielle lifted Alex into her arms. He opened his eyes momentarily then closed them resting his head on Danielle’s shoulder. Danielle walked carefully in the snow and they were soon inside. “Dani, come straight and then turn to the left.” Emily called.

  Danielle walked into the living room as Gerry and Merrek were leaving to help Nicholas. Gerry stopped. “Danielle, you look great.”