Sacrifice (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 2)

by S. M. Spencer

  I thought about telling Mom about the rogue vampire I encountered in the gardens, but I decided that much detail wasn’t really necessary, and it would just frighten her too much. Instead, I told Mom about Mladen and his school, and about Ceylona being born there. I even told her about Ceylona’s older brothers, Ben and Henry, and how well they were doing when I last saw them. Then I told her how the plan had been for me to have my baby as before, then when he, or in this case she, was two weeks old I’d return to Sam. That was how it was meant to happen, and then we were meant to come over for our holiday in California—for the Fourth of July. Then I told her what actually happened.

  ‘So you think she may just be a normal human baby, and you don’t want her growing up surrounded by vampires and dhampirs and God knows what other strange creatures that might be lurking in Sam’s world. I can understand that, certainly. A mother’s instinct to protect is very strong. So strong, in fact, that a mother can do things she might not otherwise do—like fly halfway around the world inside a metal tube propelled by technology that she doesn’t understand.’ Mom smiled as she said this, then stood and walked around behind me. She gave me a massive bear hug, and whispered in my hair, ‘Everything will work out fine—trust me; we’ll come up with a plan.’

  Her sympathy and understanding was too much. Tears started to stream down my face, and I couldn’t stop them. She just hugged me tighter, saying, ‘There, there, it’ll be fine. Don’t worry; we’ll work this out, together.’

  After a few minutes I regained control of myself, and when I sighed, she let go and walked back over to her chair to sit facing me with a look of determination on her face.

  ‘I still can’t believe that you’re accepting this Mom—that you believe me. You don’t think I’m nuts, or delusional or anything?’

  ‘No, I don’t. In fact, I’m sorry that I’ve kept things from you … things that might have made the last year of your life a little easier. Things that maybe I should have told you a long time ago,’ she said, her voice quiet and calm, but laced with a touch of sadness.

  ‘Mom? What do you mean? What things?’

  Now I was really confused. What could she have kept from me that would have anything to do with this situation?

  ‘Did you never stop to wonder why it was that you were so quick to believe Sam? Or why, in fact, he trusted you enough to tell you his deepest darkest secrets? And why, once you had settled on him, you conceived so easily?’

  ‘Uh, no, I mean, why would I question any of it? It just … happened, didn’t it?’

  ‘Yes. I suppose so. Or maybe it was meant to happen. You know; fate, kismet, destiny and all. Or perhaps Sam, on some level, recognised how … special you are.’

  ‘Mom … what are you talking about? I mean, of course he thinks I’m special … he loves me.’

  ‘Can I have another cup of coffee, please? And I’ll just pop my head in to check on Ceylona,’ she said, standing up and walking into the bedroom where Ceylona lay sleeping.

  I stood up, unable to speak—dumbstruck by the direction this conversation seemed to be headed. Mom knew something … and she was about to tell me … but what? I picked up our coffee cups and walked over to the bench and flicked on the jug to boil the water. Then I opened the jar of coffee. This was easy. This was mechanical. Just as well because my brain was in a total fog.

  She was back before I’d even set our fresh cups of coffee down on the table.

  ‘I just wanted to make sure she was still sleeping. She’s such an angel. I’m sure you must be so proud of her. Any wonder you so desperately want to keep her safe.’

  ‘You’re not trying to change the subject are you?’ I asked, as I set the coffee cups on the table and sat back down.

  ‘No, of course not. Now, where was I?’

  ‘You were saying something about fate, and about Sam recognising me as being special. What did you mean by that?’

  ‘Ah, yes. Where to start … where do I begin?’ She rubbed her temples as though she had a headache, then put her hands on the table and looked up to meet my eyes. ‘You see, Lili, your father was a very special man. But you knew that. Everyone that ever met him knew it too. It was tragic, the way he died—unbelievably tragic. He had so much to give, so many years of research ahead of him. And then he was taken from us, so needlessly.’

  She took a deep breath and smiled at me before continuing.

  ‘Your father was much older than you’d have thought he was. Indeed, Debra, or Debs rather, is much older than you’d guess. Tell me; how old would you say she is?’

  ‘Well, I know she’s Dad’s older sister … and he was older than you … so, oh, I don’t know, fifty-five? Maybe even a bit older. But she doesn’t look it … she looks as young as you do.’

  ‘That’s polite of you, Lili, but I daresay she probably looks younger than me, though I’ve not set eyes on her for nearly ten years now. But in actual fact, she will be eighty at her next birthday. Your father, if he was alive today, would be seventy-eight right now.’

  ‘Debs … eighty? How can that be?’ As I looked at Mom I could feel a frown burrowing deeply into my forehead.

  ‘Now, don’t you start getting all narrow-minded on me, Lili McIntyre. Trust me; Debs will be eighty this year. I kid you not.’

  I had to admit I’d always thought there was something a bit, shall I say different, about Debs. But what was it? Had she found the fountain of youth? Then again, Mom said Dad would be seventy-eight if he was still alive. So, it was something they both shared, Debs and Dad.

  ‘Okay—I’m listening. What are you talking about? And what does it have to do with me?’

  ‘It has a lot to do with you, in actual fact. The reason that I believe you—the reason that I already knew about dhampirs and vampires before you mentioned them today—is because of who your father was and, therefore, who you are too.’

  ‘Who I am? You’re really starting to scare me, Mom. What are you talking about?’

  She sighed again, and pressed her lips together, and frowned. Her frown reminded me of Sam. This was NOT a time to start thinking about Sam. Focus, Lili, focus.

  ‘Mom? What do you mean, who I am?’ I asked again.

  ‘Well, let’s just say you have more in common with Sam than you’d thought.’

  ‘More in common … you’re driving me nuts. What are you talking about?’

  She shook her head, started to say something, then closed her mouth and shook her head again. She seemed to be having great difficulty finding the right words.

  ‘Mom? Please.’

  ‘Okay, look … I’ll tell you what your father told me. It was a long time ago, mind you, and I may not have the dates right, but in general it goes like this.’

  ~ Chapter Twenty-three ~

  When Mom finally stopped talking, I simply sat there in a daze. I couldn’t have known this. Not on any level. I’d never heard of any of these people before. We’d only met Aunt Debs when Dad died. And we hadn’t done anything like a family tree or studied our family history. No, I’d never heard of any of these people and yet, as Mom told me the story, it felt like I had always known it—all of it.

  ‘So, you’re telling me my great-grandfather was a dhampir?’

  ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.’

  ‘And that’s why Debs looks so young.’

  ‘Yes. And it’s part of the reason that I was so shocked when your father died. I mean, I just hadn’t contemplated life without him.’

  ‘So you knew all this … all along?’ I asked, not with any anger or fear. I felt sort of numb if anything.

  ‘Yes, he told me everything when I got pregnant with you. He wanted me to know what the possibilities were. There was a chance I might have a much shorter pregnancy than usual, and that my child might grow very quickly. He told me that he was in his late fifties, even though he only looked to be in his twenties. He told me everything, so that if I wanted to, I could end the pregnancy. Of course I wouldn’t hear of
it. I wanted his child more than anything in the world.’

  ‘And yet, you never thought to mention any of this to me … all this time?’

  ‘I didn’t see any point. I carried you for the normal time, or near enough to. And you didn’t grow particularly quickly, so I saw no need to mention anything.’

  We just sat there for a few more minutes—neither of us speaking. The conversation had gone completely the opposite of what I’d expected. I was expecting to have to defend my story. I thought she’d be telling me that I was a fool to believe any of this, and that Ceylona was just a normal little girl. Or that she’d accuse me of having taken some hallucinogenic drugs to have made up such a story. I thought she’d think I was an idiot to even suggest that she might believe it. But no, it was quite the opposite. Here was my mother, telling me things that she already knew; about my father, and my aunt Debs, and about me.

  ‘And so … you thought he would outlive you?’ I finally said.

  ‘Yes, of course. I always thought it would be me getting old, and having to say goodbye to him while he was still young and vibrant. Things did not go as I’d hoped, or planned, or expected.’ Her face was sad now, obviously remembering the shock of Dad’s death.

  I still found it hard to believe, not that I should have I suppose. I mean, if I could believe it about Sam and Tom and Crystal and Michael, well, why couldn’t I believe it about my own family? I had vampire contagion coursing through my own veins, before I’d ever met Sam. Was this what attracted me to him in the first place? And him to me?

  ‘So, what do you think it all means then?’ I asked her.

  ‘I don’t know. I really don’t.’ She was nearly laughing, not hysterically, but perhaps at the irony of the whole situation. ‘But whatever it means, I’m here with you. I’ll help in any way I can. I’m not afraid of any of these people, and if anyone tries to hurt my granddaughter, well, heaven help them.’

  This was a side of my mother I’d not seen before. She’d always been strong, of course. She was always there for me, and Raye, when we were growing up. After all, she raised us on her own after Dad died, and never had any help from anyone. She had no brothers or sisters, and her parents were quite elderly and lived frugal lives in a small town in Iowa. They never had any means to assist their daughter even if they’d wanted to. So Mom had been alone, and had never once complained, or at least not that I knew of. She was made of tough stuff. But this, well, this was something else. My mother embraced the challenge of this vampire world without even blinking an eye.

  ‘I suppose you understand why I had to lie to you then. It wasn’t that I wanted to; it’s just that … well, I never expected you to believe me. And yet here we are, talking about it like it’s just an everyday thing. Like as if I’d told you Sam was of European decent, or South American, or African. But he’s not any of those, is he? He’s a vampire … and you believe me!’

  ‘Yes, he’s a vampire. And you, my dear, are the granddaughter of a dhampir. You carry vampire contagion in your blood, and because of that, you may live much longer than a normal human.’

  That stopped me dead in my tracks, so to speak. It hadn’t occurred to me, until she said it. If Debs looks as good as she does at nearly eighty, could this mean that I too might look young for a very long time? I barely dared to hope. And yet, could it be?

  ‘I’ll go check on Ceylona, if you’ll make me another cup of coffee. I’ve been told to stay awake until at least nine or ten tonight, so a bit more caffeine might help me achieve that.’

  Mom was only gone for a few minutes, and when she returned she sat right back where she’d been, except now she had this look on her face that suggested she had a plan.

  ‘Have you thought of something? What are you thinking?’

  ‘Well, if you’re so determined to keep Ceylona safe, why don’t you bring her to California, and stay with me for a while? We can keep a close eye on her, and if she starts to exhibit signs that suggest she isn’t just a normal little girl, then you can bring her back to this Mladen of yours.’

  ‘Ah, well, we’re right back where we started, Mom. I don’t have my passport, and I don’t have any ID for Ceylona.’

  ‘Look, I think you’re being a little melodramatic when it comes to Sam. If he is so wonderful, and I have little doubt that he is or else you’d never have married him, then let him help you. I’m sure if you go to him, and explain why you ran, tell him that you were afraid for Ceylona, he’ll help you. And as for Ceylona’s ID, lots of women have home births. There are no doubt papers you can file to get Ceylona a birth certificate, and then a passport. I’ll stay here with Ceylona; you go to Sam. Talk to him.’

  She was right, of course. I’d thought as much as soon as I’d arrived in Queensland, but I’d needed someone to talk to; someone to bounce ideas off; someone to help me see clearly. Thank God she came when she did.

  I couldn’t see any point in wasting time. I’d book a flight, go see Sam, and beg for his forgiveness. Surely, he’d understand why I panicked. I’d miss Ceylona of course, but it would just be for a few days. If Sam didn’t react well, I’d come back here straight away. And if he did, then maybe Mom could come down, and bring Ceylona with her? Or Sam and I could come back here for a while? She was right, there had to be a solution.

  Then I remembered Claire. She was coming to see me in Queensland. I wondered if she’d booked her flights yet. I worked out what the time difference would be and decided it would only be around ten o’clock—not too late for a text.

  A few minutes later the phone rang, and it was Claire. I walked out onto the little balcony, and slid the door shut behind me.

  ‘Hi, Lili, I got your text. And no, I haven’t booked a flight yet. Dad rang Mum, and now she knows I’m coming over and has insisted I come to her first, before I go anywhere else. So, to cut a long story short, I’m not sure when I’m going to get to Queensland. Does it matter? Are you okay?’

  ‘Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m actually going to Melbourne for a few days myself, to talk to Sam about a few things. So, I just wanted to know when you were arriving. Maybe I’ll see you in Melbourne then, if I’m still there.’

  ‘Oh … well, okay then. I’ll ring you when I get there. You know, I’m dying to hear what brought on this separation. Are you sure you can’t tell me, now?’

  ‘It’ll be better to tell you when I see you, Claire. Really. It’s too much to discuss over the phone. But I’m fine. It’ll be fine. I just need to speak to Sam. But then I’ll probably come back up here in a few days.’

  ‘Okay, it’s getting so confusing, isn’t it? But never mind … I’ll talk to you soon.’

  That was easy. Now there was nothing stopping me from just picking up the phone and telling Sam that I was coming down to talk to him. No, there was nothing stopping me at all, except for my shaking hands, and thumping heart, and sweating palms.

  ~ Chapter Twenty-four ~

  I stood there, leaning over the balcony railing, wondering if I would be able to see the beach if I leaned out as far as I could. But what I was really doing was procrastinating. I put my phone down on the little table, and rubbed my hands down my jeans trying to dry the sweat from my palms. The breeze that I usually found so refreshing just wasn’t doing it for me today. I figured I must be having some sort of anxiety attack or something. My God, this was my husband that I was going to ring. I wasn’t back in the seventh grade, ringing some boy I had a crush on. Pull yourself together, McIntyre. Build a bridge, get over it. I’d laughed the first time I heard that one. Yeah, get over it. You did something stupid. You ran from the man that you swore eternal love to. Yep, big mistake. But, get over it. Fix it. Make amends. Beg for forgiveness, already. Just ring the bloody number.

  I sat down and picked up the phone. Then I put it back down on the table, and stared at it, willing it to ring. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if he rang me? Or should I ring Crystal? I could ring her, and ask about Sam—whether he seemed okay, or whether he was furious with
me. But then there was the risk that I mightn’t want to hear what she had to say. No, that wouldn’t do.

  I picked up the phone again, and opened the contacts list. I pressed his name, but I stopped short of pressing the call button. Not just yet. I needed to regain some sort of control. I needed to slow my breathing so that I could get the words out.

  I sat like this for several minutes before I decided that I shouldn’t ring at all. It would be too easy for either of us to say the wrong thing, or to think the other had said the wrong thing. No, I needed to see him, be near him, touch him, and look him in the eyes. I needed to surprise him, to catch him off guard so that I could see his true feelings when he first laid eyes on me. And I desperately needed to feel his arms around me.

  I would just go. I’d take a taxi from the airport and surprise him at the house when he came in after work. I had my keys. I could simply let myself in and be sitting there when he walked in. Wasn’t that a much better approach? Besides, it bought me time; time to think about how to explain everything.

  I picked up the phone and walked back into the apartment. There was a phone book in the kitchen. I rang the airline and got on the first available flight.

  ~~***~~

  Unlike the Gold Coast, there was no doubt about it being winter in Melbourne. The sun was hidden behind a thick layer of dull grey cloud as the plane descended toward the runway. The pilot warned us to prepare ourselves for a slightly different climate to the one we’d left behind on the Gold Coast. The temperature was not expected to get above the low teens all day.

  As I got off the plane, I shivered from the cold. Or maybe it was because I knew there was no going back now.