A Special Gift

by Alice Brown

  Marshall barely got a nod in before she caught his lips up into a searing kiss. Oh, so she wants to play a bit. And probably put Mr. Nerd in his place once and for all! He was happy to play along and show Richard, and all the other males in the room, that she belonged to him.

  In a blink of an eye, Stephanie was no longer controlling the kiss. Marshall brought his hand up to the back of her neck and held her still while he devoured her mouth. The low moan that seemed to come from deep down inside her made him smile.

  They broke the kiss off a moment later. As both Marshall and Stephanie turned to watch the dancing, they noticed Richard glaring at them, no longer even pretending to pay attention to Mary. The song ended, and Mary broke off quickly, making a beeline for Stephanie.

  “Hi, Mary,” Stephanie greeted her friend with a smile and a hug as Mary arrived at her side.

  “Hi, Steph. What is with you and Richard Moore?” She peeked at Marshall, snickering. “Or were those ugly glares aimed at you?” she inquired mischievously.

  “They were for me,” Stephanie told her quietly.

  Mary sat in silence for a moment waiting for Stephanie to explain. After it became apparent that Stephanie wasn’t going to open up, Mary prodded further.

  “Look, he just asked me to dance. It’s not like I am falling for him or anything. He is a bit of a nerd,” Mary whispered to Stephanie.

  “You’re not interested in him?” Stephanie questioned, a bit relieved that her friend was not interested in Richard. Although Stephanie thought poorly of him, she would never hurt Mary’s feelings by stating this if Mary had been interested in him.

  “No! Yuk!” Mary stated, not too quietly.

  Stephanie leaned over and gave Mary the rundown of Richard’s attempts to get her attention. “You have to be kidding!” Mary gasped. “Who in the world does he think he is, some God-given gift to women?”

  “Personally, I think a few screws have come loose somewhere along the way.”

  Marshall thought about the situation for a moment. He knew Richard’s parents, and although they tended to flaunt their money, they were basically good vampires. They tended to run in circles Marshall tried to stay away from, human society with money. They had made sure Richard was accepted to Yale, which they considered the “only worthwhile college.” It was easy enough for the half-vamps to blend in either society, so sending the half-vamps to college was generally not a problem. But this kid came back from college a total geek. Marshall wondered if he ran into problems fitting in at school. He couldn’t imagine too many humans liking the kid.

  He sat back silently for a few moments and allowed the girls to chat, before asking Stephanie with a devilish grin if her feet were still too sore to dance. “My feet are fine,” she giggled as she playfully swatted his arm. “And you very well know it.”

  “Well, does that mean I can get you back out on the dance floor?” Marshall asked politely, and then with a conspiratorial grin added, “I would never want to do anything that would bring you pain, love.”

  “If you don’t stop it, I am going to hobble out to that dance floor and then hobble all over it instead of dancing with you,” Stephanie hissed in his ear as she stood beside him. Marshall chuckled. He would love to see that, but would have bet good money she would never embarrass herself by doing something like that.

  Deciding he had pushed her buttons enough, he offered his arm. “Shall we?” Marshall made a point of checking around for Mr. Nerd as they headed to the dance floor. He didn’t spot him anywhere, and hoped that meant he had given up and gone home for the night. He gathered his girl up tightly as a slow song began to play.

  The ball came to an end about one o’clock in the morning. This was always a big event for the entire society; it was only one of two events the society scheduled annually. The second event was jokingly referred to as an “ice cream social” in the summertime, where someone had come up with the brilliant idea of making blood popsicles. The ice cream social was a more laid back, come-as-you-are affair, making the annual charity ball the community’s only formal get-together.

  Marshall escorted Stephanie back up to her house, along with Kevin and Erica, then kissed Stephanie on the cheek and told her goodnight. She quickly headed upstairs to get ready for bed. It was late, so he shook hands with Kevin and bade him and Erica goodnight before leaving to return to his cold, lonely little apartment.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next day, Marshall knocked on the O’Rourke household door shortly before lunch. Kevin was at the office; George and Tim were out spending some time together; Walter was in Charles’s office learning more about their society; Erica had left to run an errand; and Ramona was in school.

  With everything quiet, Stephanie opened the door, but stepped outside instead of letting Marshall in. “It’s so pretty out here, I thought we could sit on the porch.”

  Marshall led the way over to the large swing and waited for her to sit down so he could join her. He pulled her to him, relaxing when she placed her head on his shoulder. They swayed in silence for about five minutes.

  Suddenly Stephanie bolted upright, her hands coming up to cover her face. “Oh no,” she moaned.

  “Stephanie, baby, what is it?” Marshall inquired anxiously.

  “It’s Mary, she’s in trouble, Marshall, I can hear her. Oh no, I think, oh, my God, Richard is trying to hurt her.” She stopped there, and Marshall watched her face go blank and expressionless. He knew she had projected out of her body. Damn her! She should have at least told him where she was going, or given a bit more information before just heading out on her own. He would have to discuss this behavior with her later. Right now he had to get her body into Erica’s office and call for some help, fast. He reached into his pocket to grab his earpiece, activating and putting it on while carrying Stephanie’s body into the office.

  “Charles, I need some help over in Erica’s office, now,” Marshall barked over the earpiece, hoping he hadn’t just pissed the elderly vamp off.

  Ten seconds later the office door opened and Charles, Mr. Atkins, and Walter all came running into the room.

  “What is going on?” Charles asked as he began hooking up the computer equipment so he could monitor everything.

  “Stephanie said that Mary was in trouble and that Richard is trying to hurt her. How soon before we know where she is?” Marshall inquired.

  “I should be able to get a lock on her in just a minute. Is she is underground or above?” Charles asked.

  “I don’t know,” Marshall replied a bit irritably. Charles cocked his eyebrow at him for a quick second, but then went right back to pinpointing the coordinates Stephanie had sent back to her body.

  Kevin broke in on the earpiece, “Gentlemen, do we have trouble brewing?”

  “Stephanie just projected herself out to go find Mary, who may be in trouble with Richard,” Marshall said, bringing his boss up to date with the situation.

  “Are we talking about Stephanie’s friend, Mary, and Richard Moore?” Kevin asked in confirmation.

  “Yes, we are.”

  “Do we have a lock on location yet, Dad?” Kevin asked.

  “Yes, just got it. It looks like they are above ground, in a wooded patch near the creek, east side,” Charles reported.

  “I’m going,” Marshall stated in a tone that brooked no argument.

  “Mind if I tag along?” Walter inquired.

  Kevin cut in with, “Marshall, I’ll meet you there. Take Walter along with you in case you need backup. Not that you should with that idiot Moore.”

  Marshall took off out the front door with Walter right behind him. He was happy that he had ridden his Harley today. It would make getting to their destination a bit quicker. Five minutes later they were close enough that they had to leave the bike and go the rest on foot. Twenty seconds of tree jumping later, and both men arrived at the scene.

  The two men walked silently up behind Richard, only allowing the two girls to see them. Stephanie had taken t
he form of herself, and her arguing with Richard was what kept him from noticing the men approaching. Mary lay on the ground, and Stephanie was making a bold statement in placing herself between Richard and Mary. She was letting him know he would need to get through her first, before he got a chance to touch Mary. As the two men inched closer, Marshall noted Stephanie was fast losing all patience and getting more irate with Richard by the minute.

  “There was never a “you and me” Richard! You have some screws loose upstairs, somewhere! I have never even given you the slightest hint that I was interested in you, because I am NOT!! But to go and attack my best friend in order to get even with me, what, did you think that by you attacking her I would suddenly fall head over heels in love with you? Are you a complete MORON? But, I’ll tell you what, since you want me so bad, I am going to give you the chance to have me, right here and right now.”

  Marshall shifted his attention from Richard upon hearing Stephanie offer herself to him. He really wasn’t worried about her giving herself to someone else; no, she had something up her sleeve, and he knew it. It was what she had up her sleeve that had him concerned. Walter glanced over at Marshall with a concerned look; the Texas Ranger knew he and Stephanie were engaged, but Marshall just held his hand out in a gesture to wait this one out. Marshall was too curious as to what Stephanie had up her sleeve.

  Everyone watched as Stephanie took two steps toward Richard while batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. “Well, you want me, come and get me, I’m all yours.”

  Richard moved toward her and then those beautiful eyes with the long eyelashes suddenly took on the look of fire. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Richard, since you want me so bad, you get to have all of me!” As she stated this, everyone watched as her hair coiled up into ringlets and turned into live snakes around her head. She was portraying Medusa. Marshall just barely contained his laughter. He would have loved to have been in front of Richard instead of behind in order to see the young man’s face. As it was, Richard was pointing at her head and stammering about the snakes.

  “What, you don’t like this part of me? You wanted me; they won’t hurt you, come on over here so we can get to know one another better,” Stephanie taunted in a sugary-sweet voice. Richard stupidly took a step closer, and everyone held their breath as one of the ‘hair snakes’ arched upward, then struck forward while hissing at Richard.

  “Uh-oh, I don’t think my friends like you too much, Richard,” Stephanie stated in her sing-song voice.

  Richard quickly decided he was in way over his head. He turned to run away, mumbling to himself about the crazy woman with snake hair, just barely missed plowing into Marshall and Walter, and slammed right into Kevin, only a few feet away.

  “Going somewhere, Moore?” Kevin asked evenly as he grabbed him by the back of the neck and dragged him back toward the women.

  “No, no, don’t make me go back. That woman is a witch! Your daughter is a witch!” he screamed at Kevin.

  “You know, I usually don’t blow my temper too often, Richard, but you have this one coming!” And with that, Kevin punched him in the nose.

  “Ow! Owww! I think you broke my nose,” Richard screamed as blood poured out of his nose.

  Marshall took Richard from Kevin and handcuffed him around a nearby tree. Kevin immediately went over to Stephanie and Mary; Mary was still lying on the ground, and Stephanie was hovering over her.

  “Stephanie, is Mary okay?” Kevin inquired before he had reached them. “Dad, stay put for a minute, please,” Stephanie replied to her father.

  “What’s going on, Stephanie?” Kevin asked.

  “I need to find something to cover her.” Kevin began to worry at the tone in his daughter’s voice.

  “What the hell did he do to her?” boomed Kevin, as he ignored his daughter’s request and went directly up to the two girls.

  “He attacked her, Dad. Her clothing is all torn. Her parents are out of town, and he stopped by to ask her to go for a walk with him. Then he brought her out here to attack her because of me,” Stephanie stated in a voice laced with pain.

  This was her friend, and as far as Stephanie was concerned, Mary was attacked because of her, so it was entirely her fault. If she hadn’t had problems with Richard, he would have never attacked Mary. Or so she wanted to believe.

  Kevin immediately took off his VCTF uniform shirt and placed it over Mary. He then knelt down beside his daughter to check on injuries.

  “How bad are you hurt, sweetie?” he asked in a compassionate voice. Hey, he was a father too. He could just imagine being on the receiving end of a phone call stating his daughter had just been attacked. God help the son of a bitch.

  Now that she was covered, Walter and Marshall walked toward the group on the ground. Mary had a bloody nose and one of her eyes was swollen, but thankfully she was a half-vamp, which would help the healing process.

  “I am a little beat up, but I’ll be okay,” Mary replied to Kevin.

  Kevin picked up Mary’s hand. In a very soft, compassionate voice, he asked her, “Mary, I know this is embarrassing. But I have to know exactly how bad he hurt you. Did he force himself on you?”

  Stephanie interrupted then, “No, Dad, he didn’t get the chance. He had all intentions, until I showed up and threw his butt up against that tree you have him chained to.”

  “Dad, she needs to see Dr. Carlson and then can she stay with us until her parents come home?”

  “Mary, you won’t be able to see me once we start moving you. I am in my astral projected form and will be disappearing in just a few moments. But you know my dad, and you know Marshall. They are going to take good care of you. And even though you can’t see me, I will be right beside you.” To prove her point, Stephanie disappeared, and then showed up as a beautiful angel standing on the other side of Mary.

  “Pretty cool, hey?” she asked her friend.

  “Cool doesn’t even describe it, Stephanie. When I am feeling better, I want you to show me everything you can do.”

  From across the way where they had Richard tied to a tree, he shrieked, “You are a witch! I knew it!”

  Kevin looked over to where Richard was tied up and then glanced at Marshall. “Please shut him up, or I am going to kill the son of a bitch for calling my daughter a witch.”

  Marshall pulled out his pistol and loaded a bullet laced with a tranquilizer for vampires and shot him in the back. He slumped down on the tree three seconds later and never made another sound. From experience, they knew he would be out for about thirty to forty-five minutes.

  “Okay, so let’s make a plan here. Mary, would you be okay if Marshall carries you back to his bike? Then he will bring you straight over to my house. Charles is rounding up Erica now, so she should be there when you arrive. And Stephanie will be with you the entire way. Once we have you at my house, we are going down to Dr. Carlson for a short visit, just to have him check you over. How does that sound to everyone?” The last sentence had been addressed for all to hear.

  “What are we doing with him?” Stephanie inquired as she jutted her chin over Richard’s way.

  “I’m taking Dickhead with me. Walter can ride with me also, help me keep an eye on him.”

  Mary agreed she would be fine as long as Stephanie promised to stay with her. Kevin and Walter left with an unconscious Richard a few minutes later.

  Marshall kneeled down on one side of Mary, so he didn’t have to hover over her. Stephanie knew he was trying to appear less intimidating. “Mary, if you would like, I could carry you. It would be a lot faster than walking,” he suggested.

  “Stephanie will be right there with you the whole time.” After what had happened to her, he didn’t know if she would trust him or not. After all, he was a male, and she had just been attacked by one, and nearly raped.

  She looked over to him and sighed. “If you don’t mind, Marshall, I think I’ll take you up on your offer. I don’t think I have enough energy to make the hike out of here.” She tried to give him a
smile, but it came out more of a grimace. Marshall wondered if today’s incident would make this boy-crazy girl change her ways.

  Stephanie changed back to her normal form as Marshall began tree jumping, holding on to Mary the entire time. In no time at all they were at his bike, and he carefully placed Mary on the back of it and grabbed his helmet. Stephanie came up beside Mary and stated, “I am going back to my invisible form, but I will be flying right next to you.” Stephanie picked up Mary’s hand and held it in her own. “I promise you, I will not leave you.”

  Mary smiled over to her. “You are going to have to show me how you do those cool tricks when I am feeling better. I can’t believe you haven’t told me before now.”

  Marshall cranked up the bike, seemingly in a hurry to get back to the house. “Just hold on to me, Mary. I’ll have you at Stephanie’s house in about five minutes.”

  They reached Stephanie’s house, and before Marshall had time to turn off the engine and remove his helmet, Stephanie and Erica were coming out the door, each with a blanket under her arm.

  “Mary, we had no idea your parents were out of town. You should have said something. You know you could have stayed with us,” Erica scolded Mary gently she hugged the girl.

  Stephanie had come around the other side and started to wrap Mary in the blanket, but Mary’s legs buckled as she attempted to climb off the bike. Marshall was there to catch her before she fell.

  Everyone hurried inside, heading straight for the elevator, which would take them underground. The ride down in the elevator was silent, but once everyone was off, Marshall took off at vampire speed toward the hospital. Dr. Carlson was standing outside; obviously, Charles or Kevin had called and alerted him.

  As they arrived at the door, Dr. Carlson smiled kindly as he looked at Mary. “Mary, I’m Dr. Carlson. I don’t know if you remember me or not; I haven’t seen you since you were a toddler. Marshall, why don’t you drop her off in the exam room and then you can wait in the waiting room. I’ll send out word shortly.” Thirty minutes later Stephanie and Mary emerged from the exam room. Erica was happy to see Mary walking on her own, wearing clothes that one of the kind nurses had rounded up for her.