Forgotten Blood

by S S Bazinet

  He looked at Arel, hoping his rescuer was in better shape. He frowned when he saw Arel’s pale face and sleepy eyes. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m fine,” Arel mumbled.

  “Maybe you should try and get some sleep.”

  Arel’s golden eyes opened wide. “Are you crazy, Will? That’s the last thing I want to do.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If I let my guard down for a second, who knows what will happen.”

  “Aren’t you being overly dramatic? We have our shields in place.”

  “I guess,” Arel groaned.

  “Don’t you trust our shields?”

  “I don’t trust myself. I know you don’t believe that angelic blood helped you when you met Col, but I’ve experienced some of its side effects. I know what can happen if I’m not careful and use it the wrong way.”

  William thought about Arel’s gut, a powerful receptacle for destructive energy. From the stories he’d heard, Arel had experienced a number of occasions when he accidentally attracted vast amounts of potent negativity. When it collected in his gut, and he was on a self-defeating rampage, it became a terrible fuel that nearly incinerated him. William didn’t understand the mechanism involved, only that Arel could be a potential ticking bomb.

  William thought about his fellow passengers with a rising concern. Arel’s hands were clasped so tight his knuckles were white. What if he blew his top and took the entire plane with him? William pulled in his leg and sat up in his seat. “Arel, you and I are falling into the same trap. We’re both doubting ourselves.”

  Arel looked up. “You too?”

  “Look, with everything going on with Col, we need to pool our resources.”

  “Michael suggested the same thing. He said we’ll have more success if we work together.”

  “He has a point.”

  Arel slowly opened one of his fists. “Do you ever think about joining forces as brothers?”

  “Oh please, not that again.”

  Arel immediately closed his hand and dropped his gaze. “You’re right. I know you find that kind of bond detestable.”

  “And there’s a good reason for that attitude. My hand got horribly infected after your bright idea to be brothers, remember?”

  “Yes, in fact Col pointed out how much you suffered because of my selfish mistakes.”

  When Arel mentioned Col, William knew he was failing Arel. The guy needed a boost of confidence, not more bouts of William’s anger. He had to find a way to be more conciliatory. “I’m sorry too. I don’t know why I can’t get past certain events.”

  “You’re probably still tired after what you went through.”

  William let out a bitter laugh. “Col will be thrilled to find out how little it takes to destroy us.”

  “No, that’s not going to happen,” Arel argued. “I promised you I’d take care of Col, and no matter what, I intend to keep my promise.”

  Rolphe had been sitting quietly, but he turned to Arel with an earnest look. “Whatever it takes, I’ll do everything I can to help you, Arel.”

  Arel nodded back. “Thank you, Rolphe, I appreciate your support.”

  William’s jaw tightened at the exchange. Arel’s quiet acknowledgement of Rolphe’s offer added momentum to his rising agitation. Arel and Rolphe were joining forces. William should have been joining in too, but he felt resentful and distant. A moment later, he thought he heard Col’s laughter. But how could that be? The three of them had their shields up.

  William silently chastised himself. He’d recognized Arel’s weakness and pointed it out. Now he had to do the same thing with himself. Something kept him apart from others, even his closest friend, Arel. There was always an invisible wall between them. If he thought about taking it down, he couldn’t breathe. He needed that wall.

  Seventeen

  COL DEMONSTRATED HIS ability to create chaos without any outward signs. He sat on the park bench, looking like he was deep in meditation. He wouldn’t allow anything to distract his attention. No sunny sky, no passerby, no question put to him could pull him from his trance state. When it came to the art of practicing his intention, nothing could short-circuit his concentration. He’d perfected his ability to remain fixed and inflexible.

  He was making plans to go after Arel with everything in his arsenal. After what Arel had done to him, he had to show the would-be ‘savior’ who was in charge. He smiled with satisfaction.

  It was almost too easy to trip Arel up when he was returning from his astral trip. The guy was a total sucker when it came to guilt. A little suggestion was all it took to have Arel crashing back into his body and looking like a rag doll with all its stuffing torn out.

  Playing with Peggy’s mind had been fun too and even easier to carry out. Talk about a rag doll, Peggy was reduced to a sniveling wretch in record time. Seeing her squirm in agony as she experienced the torment of the life they’d all shared was very gratifying. The damnable angel, Carey, had intervened and cut his session short, but that was only a temporary setback. Besides, it got Arel and William on the plane, didn’t it? Got them stressed out to the max.

  Still, Col’s next campaign would be a tedious one, taking infinite patience. Once Arel was back in Chicago, it would begin. Col would keep pinging away, moment after moment, waiting for an opening. If Arel dropped his shields for the briefest instant, it would be enough to give Col the opportunity to insert another clever lie. “The dummy is so addicted to his emotions, he’ll crumble again. After a few of those experiences, he’ll be in no shape for my final assault.”

  Eighteen

  ELISE PACED BACK and forth from the couch to the front window. Every time she looked out, checking for a taxi in the driveway, she was disappointed.

  Arel had called from the airport and given her an approximate time of arrival, but she couldn’t concentrate on time tables. She missed her husband in a way she hadn’t expected. When she thought about being in his arms again, the happiness that followed was almost too much. Her stomach was all about butterflies and even a hint of queasiness. Freddie was excited too. She smiled as she confided in him. “Mommy has to calm down and stop acting like a moony school girl.”

  Freddie stared up at her, gave the air a couple of licks, and went back to his own concerns. The little, white puff of fur was in constant motion, running to the front door and barking every few minutes. Between the two of them, the energy in the house was at a level ten.

  Carey came in from the kitchen. “Are you sure I can’t fix you something? Or maybe a cup of tea would be soothing.”

  Elise smiled. “You are the sweetest, Carey. But I don’t want anything but my Arel. And of course, Annabel and William will be here too.”

  “And you’ll get to meet Rolphe.”

  “I forgot about him. Rolphe, what an interesting name.” Elise had been curious and looked up its meaning. A rough translation was “wolf”. “Heavens Carey, I hope he’s not as intimidating as he looks in his pictures.”

  Carey laughed. “Rolphe is great. He has an artist’s soul. You’re going to get along just fine.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind giving him your room?”

  “Not at all, I’m staying at Peggy and Tim’s house, remember? They both thought it was a good idea in case Peggy gets upset again.”

  “Upset? From what Carol said, Peggy was more than upset.”

  “That’s true,” Carey said as he started for the door. “Please tell Arel and the gang I’ll see them later.”

  After Carey let himself out, Elise went over to the sofa and forced herself to sit down. She didn’t want Arel to see her so flustered. She was starting to breathe a little slower when Freddie jumped up on the couch and barked even louder. Elise reached out to pet him, but he didn’t give her a chance. He leapt off the sofa and ran to the door again. A moment later, the door opened.

  * * * * *

  Annabel was relieved when the taxi pulled up in Arel’s driveway. The trip from the airport had
been a trying one. Rolphe rode up front, and Annabel was in the back seat, between Arel and William. Maybe that’s why she felt so edgy. The two men were like a couple of Tesla coils. Neither said a word, but their energies were intense. She was surprised she didn’t see arcs of electricity passing back and forth in front of her.

  But they didn’t have any energy to spare. They were both running on empty. Both had nearly died at the hands of Col. Since then, all of their life force was centered around protection and foiling him. Neither one seemed capable of giving themselves permission to rest. When Annabel suggested anything, they simply tuned her out. She was so frustrated that she decided to stop trying to help either of them. It would be a waste of her time.

  When they arrived at their destination, and everyone got out of the taxi, Annabel quickly headed for the front door to Arel’s house. She’d missed Elise, a woman who could be a lot of fun. Just the thought of being with someone who loved to dance to loud music and eat chocolate ice cream in the middle of the night was comforting.

  There was another reason for hurrying ahead of the men. Annabel wanted to be there for Elise when she saw Arel. The man was putting on a brave front, but his physical appearance told a different story. He’d lost all color in his face, his shoulders were hunched, and Annabel knew he was so tired, he might keel over at any minute. Annabel had to be there if Elise got upset.

  She hurried up the front steps. She was so eager to get inside the house, she opened the front door without knocking. She was immediately greeted by little Freddie. Annabel couldn’t imagine a friendlier pup. During the time she’d stayed with Elise, she’d formed a wonderful bond with the little dog. She picked him up and held him close. When she did, his innocent, loving energy was like a soothing balm on her raw nerves.

  “Annabel,” Elise called out as she hurried over from the living room. “It’s so wonderful to see you again!”

  Soon Elise was hugging her at the same time that Freddie was trying to give her doggie kisses.

  After a moment, Elise let her go with expectant eyes that made Annabel smile broadly.

  “Don’t worry, Elise, your sweetie will be here in a moment. He’s helping with the luggage and tipping the driver.” She hesitated. “Michael had to take a separate cab,” she lied. “He’ll be here in a little while.”

  Elise laughed. “You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve missed Arel. But I guess that’s normal. We haven’t been married for that long.”

  Annabel blushed. “I’ve been married for longer than you have, but William still makes my heart flutter.” It was true, but what Annabel didn’t tell Elise is that some of that heart fluttering was the result of extreme anxiety over William’s safety.

  A moment later, there was a very light knock on the door. Elise stepped forward to open it, looked up and let out a small gasp.

  Annabel smiled to herself. She knew what Elise was thinking. Rolphe could make two of Arel. He filled the doorway with his six-foot-five, powerfully-built body. When he spoke, his voice was deep and resonant. However, his tone was almost conciliatory.

  “Hello, you must be Elise,” he said. “We’ve spoken to each other on the phone.”

  Elise seemed to quickly recover. She held the door open wider and smiled. “Yes, of course we have. Welcome, Rolphe, please come in.”

  Rolphe picked up two pieces of luggage and stepped forward. “These belong to Annabel and William. Where would you like me to put them?”

  Elise turned to Annabel. “Will you show Rolphe to the downstairs quarters? That’s where you and William will be staying.”

  “Of course,” Annabel said as she tried to hold on to Freddie. He seemed to consider himself the real door greeter and was trying to free himself from Annabel’s grasp.

  Rolphe put down the bags and carefully stroked Freddie’s head. “And this must be your little friend,” he said with a broad smile.

  By the third stroke, Freddie relaxed completely in Annabel’s arms. The only part of the pup that moved was his tongue. He was licking the air in Rolphe’s direction.

  “My goodness, Rolphe, you have a way with dogs,” Elise said. “I’m so impressed.”

  Rolphe backed up and let out a heavy sigh as he picked up the luggage. “Thank you. I have a great fondness for animals.”

  Annabel hesitated, wondering if she should wait for Arel to come inside, but Elise seemed eager to get everyone settled. She turned and obediently did as Elise wanted. “This way, Rolphe.”

  Before she started down the stairs, she heard Elise let out another gasp. It was followed by a cry of disbelief. Annabel knew the reason for Elise’s distress. She looked around and saw Arel. He was standing in the foyer. William was behind him.

  Elise’s voice rose in panic. “Arel? Sweetheart! What happened to you? Why didn’t you tell me you were so ill? And look at William! He’s white as chalk. You’re both barely standing upright.”

  Arel’s quick reply couldn’t begin to match Elise’s volume. “We’re fine. Just a little jet lag.”

  As if for emphasis, William repeated the statement. “Yes, jet lag.”

  “Jet lag?” Elise shrieked. “That’s ridiculous! The two of you look like you’ve been horse-whipped!”

  Arel took her hands. “We need to talk. I think it’s time for me to explain some things.”

  Annabel exchanged glances with Rolphe. She knew they were both thinking the same thing. Arel had never informed Elise about the part of his life that dealt with angels, astral trips, vampire viruses, or a demonic spirit named Col.

  Rolphe shook his head. “I think Arel has a lot he’s been hiding. I hope Elise has an understanding heart.”

  Annabel cuddled Freddie. “If Arel tells her about what’s really going on, it’s her mind that I’m worried about.”

  * * * * *

  When Arel arrived home, he was relieved. He didn’t have to see Peggy right away. Carey advised that she needed time to rest and recuperate. Arel felt like he needed the same things. But as weary and worn as he felt, he couldn’t rest. After his appalling behavior and neglect, he had to let Elise know how much he loved her. After that, he felt obligated to fulfill his pact with himself. He’d sit her down and tell her everything.

  Elise stood waiting for him when he let himself into the house. He tried to smile, but his attempt to appear his normal self obviously wasn’t working. Elise’s reaction went from a quick intake of air, to a little cry, to a loud crescendo of panic. Her raised voice, full of questions about his state of health, filled the foyer.

  Arel didn’t know how to answer her and mumbled something idiotic about jet lag. Elise didn’t buy it for a minute. After she grilled him with a couple of more questions and he evaded them, she glanced at Annabel for a saner explanation. It was a woman to woman look that asked, “What is wrong with our two men?”

  Annabel responded with a shrug, a frown and a shake of her head. Arel knew enough to interpret what she was communicating. Annabel was helpless to deal with what was happening.

  Annabel’s failure seemed to give Elise permission to make more inquiries. “Arel, do you and William need a doctor? I can take you both to an ER.”

  Arel took her hands. “No, but I think it’s time for me to explain some things.”

  Elise’s eyes widened, and she pulled away. “What things?”

  Arel stalled, wondering about their future. He had to tell Elise the truth about why he was in the condition he was in. He had to tell her everything. He didn’t want their marriage to be based on deception.

  Elise repeated her question. “What do you want to tell me, sweetie?”

  William didn’t wait around for Arel to reply. He looked at Elise and made a convenient excuse. “Elise, you’re right. I’m tired. If you don’t mind, I better get settled. Are Annabel and I staying downstairs?”

  Elise nodded and went over to him. She put a motherly hand on his cheek. “It’s so good to see you again, William. I only wish it was under better circumstances.”

  Wil
liam almost smiled. “That’s very kind. Now you better take care of Arel. He does appear to be a bit worse for wear.”

  Arel steadied himself for the moment of truth. He only wished he was in better shape. The confession he was facing could wreck his marriage. After all that had happened with Col, he didn’t know if he could take another blow.

  * * * * *

  Elise sat in the master bedroom with her hands clasped in her lap. Her eyes barely blinked as she stared at her beautiful husband, Arel. He sat in a matching slipper chair next to her. He’d just told her the most incredible tale.

  His story started a very long time ago when he thought he was a vampire. As soon as he made the statement, he paused and told her she mustn’t get upset about that part of the story. Even though he’d fed on the blood of rats, he was never really a vampire, he only had a bizarre virus.

  But Arel didn’t stop there. He went on to say William and Rolphe had both thought of themselves as vampires too. Again, Arel assured her that it wasn’t a cause for concern. All three of them were now cured. They had all been healed with angelic blood.

  Arel even smiled when he went on with his story. He told her Michael was the incarnate angel who rescued him when he was very depressed. Michael was also the angel who shared his blood with him. Oh, and Carey was also an angel. So was Annabel, but she’d given up her wings to marry William.

  Elise remained very quiet as Arel went on with more details. It seemed he, William and Rolphe were now trying to deal with a deceased person by the name of Col. Arel explained that Col was a ghost of sorts and that he had attacked Peggy by invading her mind.

  By the time Arel was finished, he looked even more worn than before if that was possible. Elise knew she wasn’t fairing very well herself. Either she was having a terrible nightmare, or her wonderful life with an amazing man was coming to an end.