by Morgan Rice
Instead, she looked down at herself. All pink. She must have looked ridiculous.
“You look great,” Polly said. “Can we go now?”
Caitlin and Polly hurried out the room, Rose following. Rose was jumping on Polly, as always, and Polly reciprocated, stroking her head. Rose loved Polly, and the feeling was mutual. Caitlin was not surprised. Rose seemed to love anyone who was nice to Caitlin, and to hate anyone that hated her. Rose was always at Caitlin’s side. Always.
As they descended the circular, stone steps, twisting round and around, Caitlin looked out and took in the view of the sweeping blue waters of the Hudson River, lit up in the morning sun. It was beautiful. The cool water breezes struck her, and she felt like a princess in the sky, descending from her chamber. She felt so lucky to be here.
“I bet you don’t even know where you’re going, do you?” Polly said with a smile, shaking her head. “What would you do without me?”
Caitlin linked arms with Polly as they went. “Probably sleep,” Caitlin said wryly.
They entered the thick forest, beginning to bud with April flowers, and Caitlin followed Polly through the trails, weaving left and right, up and down.
“Well, so you know, I don’t have guard duty today,” Polly said. “In fact, there’s nothing I would have loved more than to sleep in. But something told me that you would, too, so I got up early and yanked myself out of bed just to save you on this.”
Caitlin was touched by the gesture. “Thanks, Polly. I owe you one.”
“I know you do,” Polly said with a wink, “and I’ve been thinking about that Lily Pulitzer outfit you have up there. I never see you wear it, and I was wondering, well, if you wanted to do a girl a favor—”
“It’s yours,” Caitlin said, overjoyed. She wanted to get rid of those clothes anyway, which were all the wrong colors for her, and which so reminded her of Edgartown, of her time with Caleb. She was thrilled that Polly liked them.
Polly’s eyes opened wide. “Really? Do you really mean it? I mean, I didn’t mean to pressure you, I was just saying, like, I wasn’t being serious, you don’t really owe me anything—”
“Really. Please,” Caitlin said. “You’d be doing me a favor.”
“Why?” Polly asked, wide-eyed.
Caitlin didn’t feel like explaining.
“Uh…they don’t really fit me.”
It actually fit Caitlin perfectly.
“But we’re the same size,” Polly said, puzzled. Polly was too smart to get anything past her.
Caitlin thought quick. “What I meant was…the material, the fabric…it just isn’t…the type that I like to wear.”
“Great!” Polly exclaimed, thrilled. “Now I owe you. Big time. I’m going to talk to some of our covenmates and see if someone has a nice black outfit for you. I know you love black, and besides, you’re going to need something to wear to the concert tonight.”
“Concert?” Caitlin asked.
“Oh God, don’t you know?” Polly asked. “It’s the springtime concert. We have it every year. Everyone brings a date. It used to be a bit awkward, because before you came, there were 23 of us. But now with you, there are an even 24. One girl for every guy. Everyone’s so excited! It’s going to be an even match this year. And the only two people who don’t already have dates are you and Blake.”
Blake, Caitlin thought. Perfect. Barely here a week and already I’m pressed into an awkward romantic situation.
“OMG, did I tell you?” Polly continued. “Patrick asked me! I’m SO excited!” she said, beaming.
Great, Caitlin thought. That not only got Patrick off of her back, but it also made Polly happy. She was happy she’d deterred Patrick’s advances, and happy that he actually pursued Polly.
The two of them walked arm in arm through the island, into the forest, up and down the winding trails. As they did, Caitlin began to more fully wake, and she started to think about where they were headed.
“Where are we going exactly?” Caitlin asked, starting to get winded from all the hiking and the fast pace. “What is guard duty, again?”
“It’s rotation,” Polly said. “Each of us has to do it, once a week. We stand guard in the morning, while the others are sleeping. In case anyone approaches the island. Human or otherwise. Aiden also uses it as a training exercise. It keeps us on our toes, and makes us get up at times of day we’re not used to. And it forges team spirit. Or something like that. You know, typical Aiden stuff. But I have to say, he does have a point. I bonded with people more on guard duty than I have with anything else.”
“Bonded?” Caitlin asked, suddenly worried. “What do you mean? I thought it was a solo thing? I thought we each stood guard alone?”
Polly laughed lightly, shaking her head. “My, you do have a lot to learn. No, not at all. There are two of us in every rotation. Paired up. We stand together, watch each other’s backs.”
Caitlin thought. “So, if you don’t have guard duty today, that means I’m paired up with someone else? Like, someone is going to be waiting for me?”
“And he’ll probably be pissed,” Polly added. “You’re already 10 minutes late. The one rule we have is to never be late.”
“He?” Caitlin asked. Her heart dropped. She prayed that she would not be stuck alone on guard duty with the one person she did not want to see.
“Blake,” Polly said, confirming Caitlin’s worst fears. “You’re the lucky winner,” she added sarcastically.
Caitlin’s heart sank. Blake. He was the only one of the bunch that could send a shiver of terror up her spine. Not because she was afraid of him. No. She was afraid of what she felt for him. After she caught a glimpse of him yesterday, at lunch, it had been gnawing at the back of her mind. And the more it gnawed at her, the harder it was becoming to focus on Caleb. On the one hand, she wanted to forget about Caleb. But a part of her just could not let him go, despite his betrayal. So, with a supreme effort, she had finally forced Blake out of her mind the day before.
And now, this. Alone. Together. Just the two of them. On guard duty, for who knew how many hours. It was like a cruel joke. Why him, of all people? And why didn’t anyone else seem to like him?
“Why do you say I’m the lucky winner?” Caitlin asked.
“Well, if you haven’t noticed, he’s not exactly sociable,” Polly said. “You saw him. He keeps apart. Doesn’t like to talk.”
“But why?” Caitlin asked, as they rounded another bend through the thick forest trail. “Why is he like that?”
Polly shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t even think about it. I don’t like to think about unhappy people. It brings me down.”
They rounded a small hilltop, and there, in the distance, sat a crumbling stone ruin, about twenty feet high, the remnant of a fortification from the castle, half-submerged in the river. It was separated from the island, out in the river about ten feet.
And there, standing on top of it, glaring down at them, stood Blake. He held a spear in one hand and, standing the way he was, his back to the river and the open sky, he looked like he was the last warrior left on earth.
“All yours,” Polly said, and with a quick kiss on the cheek, she was off.
Caitlin felt a flutter in her chest, afraid to be left alone.
“Wait!” Caitlin called out.
Polly turned, but continued hiking, further and further away.
Caitlin didn’t know what to say. She just wanted an excuse to keep her from leaving her alone. “How long… how long does this last?”
Polly chuckled, seeing Caitlin’s nervousness. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be back for lunch!” she said. “Come on Rose!” she added.
But Rose stayed there, tempted, but refusing to leave Caitlin’s side.
Polly chuckled again, and with a few quick bounds, disappeared into the forest.
Caitlin turned and looked at the fortification. Blake had turned his back on her, so at least she wouldn’t have to deal with his glare, or his watching her
approach.
She walked tentatively down to the sandy beach, Rose at her side, and stood at the water’s edge. She looked up at the round, stone fort. It rose about 15 feet above the water, and there was a good ten feet of river between her and it. She wondered how she was supposed to get there. She knew that, with her vampire power, she could just take a running leap and clear it. But she didn’t really feel up to it that early in the morning. And she didn’t want to leave Rose high and dry.
She examined the water and saw, submerged beneath its surface, a wooden walkway leading to the fort. But water covered it for at least a foot or two; it looked like she’d have to wade in up to her thighs to walk it.
She put a toe in. The early morning water was cold.
“Hello?” Caitlin called out.
He stood there, his back still to her.
“Hello?” she called out more firmly, annoyed. How rude. He should have turned, should have acknowledged her, should’ve called out and greeted her with a warm smile. Instead, he just kept his back turned.
“You’re late,” he answered flatly, his back still to her.
“Well, I’m here now,” Caitlin said, “and I need to know how to get up there. It looks like the walkway is all covered over in water.”
“It is,” he answered. “Tide came in. You should’ve got here sooner. That’s what happens when you’re late.”
Caitlin felt her face turned red with annoyance. Clearly, this was not someone who let things go.
Caitlin had no choice. She rolled up her pants up above her knee, and waded into the freezing water. She grimaced as she went, the icy water feeling like a thousand small needles.
Rose, ever the trooper, waded in beside her, swimming in the water.
As Caitlin continued, the water went deeper and deeper, creeping above her knee, then to her upper thigh—just high enough to get her pants wet. Great.
She finally made it. She reached over and grabbed Rose and lifted her out of the water and over the stone railing. Then she reached up herself, grabbed hold of a peg, and pulled herself up and over the railing in a single bound.
She was now standing in the small, circular, stone parapet, Blake standing on the opposite side, his back still to her.
Rose shook herself roughly, the water going everywhere, and even splashing Blake. Caitlin saw him flinch, to her great delight. Served him right.
Sprayed with water from the freezing Hudson River, Blake finally had no choice but to turn and acknowledge her. He looked annoyed.
“No dogs,” he said.
“Rose is not a dog,” Caitlin snapped back coldly. “She’s a wolf. Her name is Rose, in case you’re wondering. And she stays with me,” Caitlin concluded, defiant. She stared Blake down.
Their eyes locked, as they stared at each other from opposite sides of the circle. Caitlin could see his jaw clenched, could see that he was caught off guard, didn’t quite know how to respond.
Finally, defeated, he turned his back again, and went back to staring out at the water.
Caitlin reveled in her minor victory. She unrolled her wet pants slowly, squeezing out the water as best she could. She hoped the morning sun would dry them out.
This stone fort wasn’t very big—maybe ten feet wide, and there was really nowhere for her to go. She didn’t even really see the point of this guard duty. How often, she wondered, did a human or vampire ever really try to attack, or even visit, this remote island? The whole thing seemed pointless, and boring. Worst of all, she would be stuck with Blake for the next several hours.
She couldn’t believe that he didn’t even try to make conversation. Well, if he wouldn’t, she would have to take the high road; someone had to be civil.
“I’m Caitlin, by the way,” she said, giving him one last chance.
“I know,” he said, his back still to her.
Now she was pissed. That was it—his last chance. How dare he have the temerity to just keep standing there like that, to not even turn around?
“OK,” she snapped. “Fine. Have it your way.”
She walked as far as she could to the other side, and stood there, looking out the other direction. It was actually a relief. All of the romantic illusions she’d had based on the day before, based on her brief glimpse of him, were starting to drift away. He wasn’t, as she had imagined, some great guy. He was just a jerk. It made it easier for her not to like him. Which is exactly what she needed right now.
But something about him still troubled her. She couldn’t quite let it go. Why was he so cut off? What had happened to this boy? The mystery of it gnawed away at her.
As time passed and she stood there, looking out, she started to wonder if maybe it was just that he didn’t like her. Could that be it? If so, she wondered, what was it about her that he didn’t like? Was it the way she looked? How she was dressed? Because she’d been late? She didn’t really see why that was such a huge deal.
No, she concluded, it must be something else. She had never encountered anyone in her life who seemed to dislike her so much on a first meeting. It bothered her. She had to know why.
“So,” she finally said, turning and shattering the silence, “why do you hate me?”
He still kept his back turned, but this time she noticed an ever-so-slight turning of his neck in her direction.
“I don’t hate you,” he answered, after some time.
“Oh, I see,” she said. “You just hate everyone?”
That got to him. Finally, he turned and faced her. He was scowling.
“I don’t hate anyone,” he said.
“Oh, that’s obvious,” Caitlin said.
He must’ve realized she had a point, because he softened his anger lines. But he still looked annoyed.
“Just because I don’t want to get embroiled in a conversation with you,” he said, “doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”
“Embroiled?” she asked. “I wasn’t exactly looking to enter into a meaningful dialogue. Just simple courtesy. Like, ‘Hello, nice to meet you. My name is blank. How are you this morning? I’m fine, thank you’….That’s enough for me.”
“My name is Blake,” he answered quickly. “Happy now?”
She had finally gotten to him, finally provoked a response and annoyed him back, and she smiled inwardly. Good. He deserved it. This arrogant boy needed to be thrown off guard a bit.
But as she looked at him, she could suddenly see that he was just a troubled soul, and her anger began to lift. She could see that, behind his brave facade, he was actually very fragile. Vulnerable. This boy had some serious walls, there was no doubt about that. She wasn’t sure what had happened to him, but she recognized a guarded person when she saw one. It reminded her of her brother, Sam. But even more intense.
“Blake,” she echoed, as if she hadn’t already known, and nodded back.
“Anything else?” he asked.
Now it was her chance to turn her back. She did it quickly, before he could turn his back on hers. It felt good. At least she’d had the last word.
“No,” she said, her back to him. “That’s enough.”
She could feel him staring at her back, probably twice as angry to be provoked into conversation only to have her cut it short and turn her back on him. She smiled.
She heard his shuffling of feet, and realized he’d turned his back, too.
They both stood like that for minutes, the thick silence hanging over them like a cloud.
Minutes turned into hours, as the sun rose high in the sky and Caitlin looked out at the Hudson. She looked at the sandy shores, and thought again of Caleb. Of the Aquinnah cliffs. Of their beautiful night together. She remembered the horses, the pounding of the waves, the sandy shore, the rocks, the cave….She suddenly missed Caleb so badly, it actually hurt. It had not been that long ago. How could so much have changed so fast?
She felt the surreal, superhuman power coursing through her veins and looked down at her own body, gleaming in the sun, more muscular and toned than it
had ever been when she was human. Indeed, much had changed. But the strangest part of it was, she felt so comfortable in her new skin. She felt natural being a full-blooded vampire, felt like this was always who she was meant to be. Her entire life, she had felt so confused as to what her identity was, as to who she really was, as to where she belonged. Now, she felt, she finally knew. She was a vampire. This was where she belonged. Here, on this island, with this coven, with all of her new friends. If Caleb couldn’t be a part of her new life, at least she felt confident in who she was now.
Caitlin stared out at the beautiful Hudson for hour after hour, watching the sun rise high in the sky. The silence had become so pervasive, that after a while she had completely forgotten that anyone else was on the fort with her. She loved the isolation of this place, the views, being completely immersed in nature. And she loved having Rose at her side. If this was all guard duty entailed, she’d gladly sign up for it every day.
The cool air blowing off the river cleared her head, and allowed her to clear her mind. She felt it was washing over her, cleansing her, allowing her to let go of her past, to let go of everything.
Just when Caitlin felt her first hunger pang, started to wonder when lunch might come, she suddenly heard a loud screeching overhead.
She leaned back, covered her eyes from the sun, and scanned the skies. It didn’t sound like the usual bird.
Blake must have heard it, too, because he also leaned back and scanned the skies. As they both watched, a huge falcon circled over them, again and again, coming in lower and lower. To Caitlin’s surprise, it finally dove right at them, setting down on the stone wall. It stared right at her and screeched, defiant.
Caitlin was taken aback. It was such a large, beautiful and primal bird.
“What is it?” Caitlin asked.
“A falcon,” Blake said.
Caitlin stared.
“It’s a vampire thing,” he added. “We use them as couriers.”
“Couriers?” Caitlin asked.
Blake set down his spear, took two steps forward, and pointed at the Falcon’s neck.
Caitlin looked down and saw the small metal box, clamped to its claw.
