Highland Vampire

by Deborah Raleigh

  Realizing there was nothing more he could do, Callum positioned himself on the bottom rung of the staircase that led to the tower ramparts and waited, with a growing sense of dread, for Maev to wake up.

  Maev awoke so suddenly, she thought a noise must have startled her. She sat up, hoping to see Callum, but the room was bathed in darkness. The fire had gone out, giving Maev no clue if it was day or night.

  She felt a draft of cool air, and her skin prickled with gooseflesh. Her mind was still muddled with sleep, her body sore and aching. Maev's stomach rumbled and she turned instinctively toward her mother's pallet, wondering if she could tempt the older woman into eating a hearty meal. But the sight of the empty bed was an ugly, brutal reminder that Brenda was gone.

  Maev's breath caught in her throat, and she let out a little sob. At least her mother had finally found peace, though the emptiness of her passing left Maev with a hollow ache inside. She was now completely alone. Well, except for Callum's ghost.

  Maev laughed out loud at her lunacy. So this was what the rest of her days were going to be like? Depending on the imaginings of her fragile mind for comfort? She closed her eyes and let out a faint, mortified moan. Just thinking about it made Maev's head hurt and her mouth grow dry.

  She reached for her gown and quickly scrambled into the garment. She lit the fire and one of the wall torches, then turned swiftly when she heard the tread of a heavy footstep on the tower stairs. Maev froze, holding her breath.

  Callum!

  He stared at her, his gaze sweeping from her face down her entire body. There was a glint in his eyes that imparted a strange fluttering in her heart. Maev felt herself blush, remembering her wanton behavior last night.

  "Ye're still here," she said. "That means it must be nighttime."

  "No. The dawn broke hours ago," he replied.

  "Then why is it so dark?"

  "I covered the window slits." He made a scornful sound. "The sunlight bothers my eyes."

  "Oh." Maev scowled at his comment, unsure exactly what he meant.

  He had an oddly frozen expression on his face and seemed unusually nervous, as if he'd rather be anywhere else.

  "I have something to tell ye." His mouth contorted into a world-weary grimace of disenchantment and Maev felt the pulse at her neck begin to quicken with fear. "I'm not a ghost, Maev."

  She almost laughed. "Aye, Callum, ye're not a ghost or a goblin or a faerie prince. 'Tis my mind playing tricks on me. I know ye're not truly here with me. I know ye're not real."

  "Not real? Does this feel like air?" He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest.

  He was right. His chest was solid, hard, the bone and muscle unyielding. Queasy chills coursed over Maev as she forced herself to hold his gaze. "I know ye feel real to my touch, but it canna be true," she whispered. "Ye're dead."

  "I was dead. But now I am reborn as a creature of the night, an immortal who must feed on the blood of the living to survive."

  The shock of his words reverberated through her entire being. Maev put her hand on the wall to steady herself and commanded herself to breathe. She blinked her eyes several times, wondering if she had heard him correctly. When she had her emotions contained, she turned and looked directly at Callum, who met her gaze impassively. "How is that possible?"

  "I was attacked in our bridal chamber on our wedding night. These creatures possess strengths far beyond those of mortal men. Though I fought hard, I was overpowered. And once subdued, I was converted."

  "I remember nothing of what happened in our bridal chamber," Maev muttered. Without thinking, she reached out and touched his arm, feeling the solid strength of him. "Who did this horrible tiling to ye? Where did they come from?"

  He took a few steps back from her, and Maev let her hand fall to her side.

  "These creatures roam the world at will. They live nowhere and everywhere." Callum frowned. "Do ye remember the mysterious woman who appeared in the hall on the night of our victory celebration?" he asked.

  "Aye." Maev took a step closer, and Callum turned away from her. His profile looked dark and troubled.

  "She is known among her kind as Anaxandra. She saw me fighting the English and decided she wanted me as her mate. If given the opportunity, I believe she would have attacked me that night, but ye interrupted her before she had the chance."

  Maev's chest tightened in pain. "Is that what ye have become? Her mate?"

  All expression was wiped from Callum's face. "I'll not lie to ye. I have been with Anaxandra, but that was a long time ago. It meant nothing. I didna even enjoy the sexual release; 'twas more like a stud servicing a mare."

  Maev winced at his crude analogy, but hearing the truth still stung. The mystery surrounding Callum was now revealed, yet Maev was unsure if she preferred believing he was a ghostly apparition of her mind. This new reality frightened her.

  She looked into his stoic face, his remote eyes, and could almost feel the hatred and frustration boiling inside him. This was not the man she had loved and married. Or was it?

  "Why have ye come to me?" she whispered. "Why do ye not stay among yer kind?"

  His eyes glistened. "I needed ye, Maev. Yer spirit called to me, and even though I knew I should stay away, I couldna."

  She frowned and stared up at him. "And now that ye have found me, what do ye want?"

  For a moment, Maev saw bewilderment in Callum's eyes. "I just want to love ye, lass. Though I worry if I let myself, ye'll be in danger."

  "Danger? From whom?"

  "The immortals." His voice grew hoarse, hesitant. "I couldna bear to bring ye more heartache."

  She stared down at her hands, rubbing her thumb over a smudge of dirt on her palm. "What more can an immortal do to cause me pain? Humans have already turned my life into a living hell."

  "You have no idea what powers the immortals possess." Callum's face contorted into an ironic smirk. "They are wicked, fiendish, evil creatures who do not understand mercy or show compassion under any circumstances."

  Maev shuddered. "And now ye are one of them?"

  "Aye." He glanced at her with new alertness. "Does it disgust ye?"

  Yes. Maev barely managed to hold back her honest answer. Guilt swept over her, followed quickly by pity and despair for him. It was hardly his fault, and yet she could not easily dismiss his revelations, could not easily accept what he had now become.

  "Are ye all right?" Callum asked as he approached her, his hands half-raised as if he feared she might collapse in a heap at his feet.

  His words unlocked Maev from her paralysis. She backed away from him, her mind whirling. "No, I am not all right. Would ye please leave?" she asked, with more anger than she had known she felt. "I need to be alone."

  Callum narrowed his eyes. "I canna leave the tower. 'Tis daytime. The light burns my flesh."

  "God Almighty!" Maev experienced a sharp stab of pain in her midriff. Unconsciously she put her fingers over the spot just beneath her ribs, but the pain did not ease. With a small sigh of distress, she slipped quickly out the door and walked into the gentle flood of sunlight, hardly believing something so comforting and natural could cause Callum harm.

  The surrounding forest was deep and thick, and Maev welcomed the feeling of being encircled in its primeval splendor. She walked swiftly, with no particular direction in mind, needing the fresh air and solitude to digest this news that had left her shaken and speechless.

  Maev knew she had no right to judge Callum harshly for what had happened, yet the mixture of jealousy and anger dominated her feelings. If he had not flirted with the female immortal, this never would have occurred. Would it? Or had Callum's fate been sealed the moment the creature had seen him in battle?

  Keeping her head down as she walked, Maev repeatedly rubbed her temples with her fingers, but the jumbled thoughts and images racing through her mind kept tripping over each other. The air was lightly scented with heather, the sway of the trees seemed to whisper through the stillness, but there were
no answers to be found.

  Wandering more slowly, Maev began to meander through the thick trees, hardly caring if she became lost. She stayed outside for hours, resting only for brief intervals before resuming her journey. Yet by midafternoon she was forced to admit that no matter how far she walked, she could not run from the truth.

  With a scream of frustration, Maev sat down on a flat rock and cradled her head in her hands. She felt a stinging pressure behind her nose and the threat of unwanted tears in her eyes. She did not understand herself. She did not understand the emotion that moved so strongly beneath the mass of hopelessness that filled her being.

  Was it love? Was it possible that deep within her soul she still loved Callum, even though he had become something that terrified her? And most important of all, did she truly wish to be bound in intimacy to such a creature?

  Weary and miserable, Maev tucked her legs beneath her and stretched her torso forward into a shaft of sunlight, letting the warmth bathe her face. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her—the drone of bees, the rustle of leaves, the warbling trill of a bird calling to its mate.

  Half-drowsing like a cat, Maev gradually succumbed to a light sleep. When she awoke a few hours later, her senses and emotions felt numb and dulled. But she knew there would be no relief from this melancholy until she spoke with Callum.

  Squaring her shoulders, she began a determined march toward the tower.

  Maev's hand trembled a little as she pushed open the door, but surprisingly the weight from her chest seemed to ease and she suddenly felt a sense of peaceful relief as she entered the room.

  "Ye waited for me," she said as the sight of him sitting before the fire sent a blaze of feeling through her entire body.

  "There was little choice," Callum declared bitterly. "Even though ye stared at me as if ye were face to face with a venomous snake that was poised to strike, I couldna leave until the sun set."

  Maev lowered her head. A growing weight of guilt pressed on her from all sides. Though she had not meant to, she had hurt him. "Ye look and sound and feel the same as ye did when ye walked the earth as a man. Yet ye canna tolerate the warmth of the sun on yer face and must consume the… the blood of the living to survive. What else is different?"

  "I have the strength of twenty men, my face and body will never age, and if I receive a wound of any type, it heals in a few hours or less." Callum set his back to the fire and stared at her. "The more powerful immortals can summon thunderstorms, enslave a human with a single glance, and transform themselves from a human form to animal and then back to human."

  Maev's lashes flew up. "An animal?"

  Callum shrugged. "Bats usually, but some become wolves or even rats."

  "Have ye ever…" Maev's voice trailed off.

  "No. I have no interest in learning these things. I can keep the essence of myself the same as it was in my mortal life, and that is what I shall do. I was told that I can even learn to master my craving for blood, though I shall always need it to survive. But it is not necessary for me to kill each time I feed, and the blood of animals provides me with sufficient nourishment. I dinna and willna attack humans."

  Maev took a deep breath to stop her knees from shaking. He spoke so casually of these things. "Is there no way to reverse this curse? Perhaps a priest can give ye aid?"

  Callum's expression darkened. "I am beyond the help of man or God."

  Maev choked back her pity. "Ye will live forever in this state? There is no way to destroy an immortal?"

  "A stake of wood or silver through the heart, beheading, or direct exposure to sunlight will kill us." Callum ran a hand through his dark mane of hair until it stood on end. "Are ye thinking ye might have need to defend yerself from me?"

  The void that stretched between them had never seemed wider, yet Maev felt the tender love in her heart struggle to narrow it. "I know ye could never harm me, Callum McGinnis, no matter what manner of creature ye have become."

  As she spoke the words, Maev knew they were the truth.

  Her hand reached out blindly, her fingers curled around his. The touch made Callum tense visibly, as if the contact sent a shock through his body. But Maev remained calm. She knew this was a time when they must give each other strength.

  "Oh, Callum," she said softly, drawing herself tightly against him. "I am so sorry for what ye have suffered, my love."

  He pressed his lips to her temple. "I'm sorry for what we both have suffered, what we both have lost."

  "All I ever wanted was to share my life with ye. I wanted to make ye happy and proud, I wanted to be the mother of yer children. I wanted ye to love me as much as I loved ye." Maev took a deep breath. "Tell me, is that still possible?"

  Tenderly he brushed a curl from her cheek. "I'm not certain about the children, but as for the rest, yes, 'tis possible."

  "How? Must I, too, become an immortal?"

  "No. You can remain as ye are." Callum glanced questioningly at her. "I have already found a place for us to live, where we can be private and undisturbed and shut out the world."

  "Is it far from here?"

  "Not too far. 'Tis up in the hills, a true Highland fortress. I canna live permanently more than a hundred miles from the place of my birth unless I bring along at least a pound of the soil. This place can become our sanctuary, yet will allow us to remain in the Highlands."

  "What of those who live there now? Will they not be suspicious of us?"

  "Suspicious? Why, because I can turn myself into a bat?" Callum's smile was narrow and swift.

  Maev joined him in a small chuckle, her cheeks tinted pink with amusement. "'Tis hardly a joking matter," she admonished.

  Callum's expression dutifully grew solemn. "Those who inhabit these rugged mountains are a different breed. A few are outlaws and brigands, but most are decent folk who have lost their homes through a dispute with a clan member or overlord and seek only peace and refuge. They keep to themselves, and dinna show much interest in the business of others."

  "Like us," Maev said, then she laughed, realizing that she and Callum were not at all like any other couple. Yet somehow it did not seem to matter, as long as they were together.

  "I've brought horses for us to ride and two extra to carry yer belongings. We can leave the moment the sun begins to set." He cast her a smile that was tense and tight. "Will ye come with me, lass? Will ye share my fete and at long last be my wife?"

  "Aye." Maev loosened a shaken sigh. "I have no reason to stay and no regrets at leaving my tower prison. It will take but an hour for me to be ready."

  The journey took most of the night. At first it was frightening riding in the dark through an unfamiliar place, but Callum confidently led the way and Maev's nerves eased. With the high mountains looming on the right, they crossed a dozen or more streams until they reached a small, narrow loch shaped like a tree limb. Reed beds lined the shore, and as they came around the bend, Maev spotted a trio of fishermen's huts.

  Rugged hillsides rose up like fists on every side of the lock, and the heady scent of heather permeated the air. They followed the shoreline for many miles, then slipped through a small, narrow cavern and emerged on the other side.

  In the distance a fox yipped and was answered by another, but Maev paid it no heed. Her eyes were fixed toward the stone structure that was perched on the edge of the hill. It resembled a small fortress, with a wooden stockade wall and battlements protecting it.

  Though built on a much smaller scale than the castle that housed the McGinnis Clan, it appeared to have everything necessary to be self-sufficient, including a gristmill, a forge, and even a brew-house. Maev was surprised to see that the yard within the walls boasted an impressive vegetable garden on one side and stock pens filled with a few sheep and cattle on the other.

  A dry moat mined with sharpened sticks encircled the defenses, with an open drawbridge crossing the man-made ravine that defended it. It was eerie and ominous, yet obviously effective, for the one element lacki
ng in this impressive establishment was people.

  Strangely, the property did not have an air of abandonment. All the buildings seemed in good repair, rising off stone foundations with neatly whitewashed wooden walls and thatched roofs. The animals bleated noisily and rustled in their pens, cutting through the stillness of the night.

  For a moment it felt odd to be in such a large place without anyone else around, but years of living with only her mother for company had taught Maev to appreciate the silence. Once the horses were fed and stabled, Maev and Callum entered the manor house. Inside the keep, Callum led the way to the master tower, climbing the stone steps to the first two rooms.

  "These are to be our chambers," he announced. "I hope ye are pleased with the furnishings."

  Maev stepped forward and her feet sank into the lush carpet that covered a large section of the floor. She gazed in wonderment at the luxurious appointments of the room. There were rich tapestries covering the walls, cushioned furnishings, several string lutes hanging near the tapestries, and a game table with elegantly carved chess figures of ivory set out on the board.

  After the years of living in her stark, tower prison, Maev wondered if she would ever become accustomed to such spacious luxury. Callum lit several of the large wall torches, and Maev went through the archway into the second chamber.

  She stopped instantly, her eyes riveted to the enormous bed that took up an entire wall. It was wide enough for six people and set so high off the floor there were wooden steps beside it. Green velvet curtains hung from the corner posts, and there were rings attached so that the curtains could be drawn about the bed to envelop those inside in total privacy.

  Maev realized it would also provide protection from drafts. And keep out even the tiniest hint of sunlight.

  "Where did ye get all these beautiful things?" Maev asked with awe as Callum set down her baggage.

  He bent toward her and murmured into her ear, "There are few benefits of my situation, but this is one of them. We will never want for material comforts in the human world."