Sitting on the floor cross legged we looked at each other for a long moment, neither one of us wanting to speak first. “What do you think will happen?” I asked finally. I knew he could give me an answer that I wouldn’t like but I wanted to hear it anyway. If death was coming I wanted a chance to see it and face it head on.
“It’s hard to say for sure, but I think you scared them a little bit. That’s either really good or...”
“Or?”
“Or really, really bad.” Gavin laid back on one of the pillows and ran his long slim fingers through his curls.
“Gavin I have to ask you something,” I said. “It might not be the right time to ask it but I may never get another chance.”
He sat up and regarded me intently, “Ask me anything,” he said. “You may die because of my stupidity so I at least owe you that much.”
“I don’t know quite how to put this,” I began. “It’s just that everything I’ve ever read about vampires says we are damned. That we go to hell automatically or something. I mean I know that I probably will because of what I did to that woman, even though I really and truly would give anything to undo it. Are we...”
“Damned?” he finished my thought. “I don’t know Rachel. Nobody knows. It’s possible. I think a lot of this ‘damned’ stuff is just something started by the church. Vampires have existed in nature for thousands of years. I’m not sure how or why but we’re here, and I’m not sure it makes sense that we’d be damned for that.”
He reached out, touched my shoulder and with all the sincerity inside of him he said, “I don’t have the answer. I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok. It’s not your fault.” I lay down on the blanket and stared up at the ceiling. Gavin lay back down as well and put his arm around me. This was going to be the longest day of my life, and perhaps the last.
Chapter Nine
I lay with my back to Gavin for hours not saying a word. We didn’t sleep or talk in what seemed like forever. During the last few days I had so many things I thought about asking him. So much I wanted to say, but now there was nothing. I ran through a list in my mind of all the things I was going to miss. It occurred to me that I had never really begun to live my life. I had never dated or finished school, travelled or even been with a man. So much left undone. My life had been stolen by this ‘gift’ and I felt cheated. A wave of emotion rushed over me and all at once my tears filled the silence.
Gavin reached over and put his arm around me again as all of my sorrow drained out. Time didn’t have any meaning in this dark room. How long we had been here and how long we perhaps had left to live was unknown.
“There’s still hope,” he whispered in my ear lightly stroking my hair as he did. I closed my eyes and turned toward him hugging him close. He embraced me so tightly I thought that if he just didn’t let go we could go on living like this for a century. Once again he took my face in his hands and pressed our foreheads together. This time it felt like there was something he was trying to convey, something he wanted to say but couldn’t find the words. He was about to speak when we heard the key in the door and sat up. The same vampire who had guided us to the room motioned to Gavin to follow him.
“No!” I screamed as he stood to leave me. Gavin simply kissed my hand and let go, and with that they were gone. I fell back onto the floor falling apart as I did. I thought surely that if they were going to let us live they would have taken us both back before the council at the same time. I was certain Gavin was being taken first to be told his fate and perhaps be executed ahead of me.
Remembering my promise to refuse them help if they killed Gavin, I strengthened my resolve. If by some chance they were going to let me live after killing him I would have no part of it. The gates of hell could open up and rain down blood on Cape Breton Island, and so help me I’d stand and watch every one of them die, myself included. I knew Gavin’s absence would leave a gaping hole in me, bigger even then the death of my parents. If they wanted my help or cooperation for any reason, even if they tried to torture me for it, I’d refuse.
Time passed and I began to pace. What was taking so long? Surely it could not take that long to execute one and then come for the other. I wanted this over with. The anger in me was rising like a vicious storm and I felt as though the next person to open that door was going to have their head torn off the moment I got the chance. There was a violence in my soul that both disturbed and thrilled me. They would be judicious to execute me; otherwise I was going to give into this new pleasurable murderous sensation.
I stood in the corner hugging the wall and trying to get control of my emotions when I heard the familiar click of the lock once again.
Finally!
The guard motioned for me to follow him just as he had Gavin, and we walked in silence back to the council room. The enormous door creaked open revealing the members sitting there just as they had the day before, a new table in place of the old one. No Gavin.
“Take your place.” Angus motioned to the floor and I kneeled in front of them.
I lowered my head as Mariah spoke once again. I didn’t meet her gaze this time; I was too busy trying to maintain my hostility. If they were going to tell me that Gavin was dead I wanted to brace myself and try to prevent from lunging at the table. It would have been a futile attempt because they were all so much older and stronger, but a part of me was ready to try it none the less.
“You have to understand,” she began, “that our rules are in place for very good reasons. We need for our kind to remain a secret and if one of us is discovered it is detrimental to us all.”
This is it I thought, my life ends here.
“However,” she added, “under the circumstances we have decided to show you mercy. You have many unique talents but in addition to that you also have an exceptional need for supervision.”
Raising my head I finally met her eyes. “Supervision?” I asked.
“Yes. It has been decided that until we are satisfied you can control yourself and have demonstrated an understanding of this way of life that you must remain here with us in the sanctuary. Your training will be completed here as well. It is possible that we will need your talents soon and we would like to see how you develop.”
So they were going to let me live, for now anyway it sounded like. How long, I wondered, until they would be satisfied. If vampires really did live for centuries I could be hold up here for a very long time.
“And Gavin?” I asked. She tilted her head toward the door as it creaked open. Gavin was standing there all dressed in black. The light from a window just outside of the door illuminated him slightly and I could see his blue eyes bright and blazing with his immense smile. In that instant I was so happy to see him that I wanted to bolt for the door and wrap myself around him.
He held out his hand to me. “We better get started,” he said, “time is wasting.” Gavin took my hand and led me down a long corridor. “Let me show you your room.”
“If it’s anything like the one I just spent twenty four hours in I don’t think I’m going to like it.”
“Oh no, much better. You’ll be more comfortable here,” he smiled. After climbing an enormous set of stairs we reached another large door at the end of the hallway and he pushed it open. “Here we are.” Inside was a large bed in an ornately decorated room, complete with a dining area and sitting room. I was taken aback. The word sanctuary made me think of something that resembled a convent. This room could not have been more the opposite. It was more like a suite in an opulent hotel that I only saw pictures of in magazines because I could never afford to go there.
“It’s huge.”
“Yes, and all for you.”
“Gavin, what happened back there? I was sure they had killed you and were coming for me next.”
“It seems the situation with Samuel might be coming down on us more quickly than we’d anticipated.” We sat down on the bed together. Suddenly it was all I could do to keep my mind on the business at hand. I closed my
eyes and tried to focus on what he was saying. But he picked up on my unease. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I felt the tears stinging my eyes. “I really thought I was never going to see you again.”
He opened his arms to me and we held each other for a long moment. I was like a child clinging to a parent after a long garish nightmare.
“I’m sorry,” I said when I’d regained my composure. “I don’t know what’s happening with me.”
“It’s the blood bond. The threat of that loss can evoke some powerful emotions. I feel it too, it’s normal for you to feel this way.” He squeezed my hand and then let go changing the subject. “There have been a string of murders from New York to Maine. We suspect Samuel and whoever he has with him are behind it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because the victims were all killed the same way. They were found murdered in their beds, blood completely drained. After that the bodies disappeared. The police think they have a serial killer on the loose, but he is sending a message to Angus. He told him when he left that he would come back to the sanctuary, torture and drain him.”
“But he doesn’t have a vial does he?” I said. “How can he get in here without it?”
“He can’t, but that is what he’s planning to do. How, we don’t know. That’s where you come in. Oh and speaking of vials here is yours.” He pulled it from his pocket and gently fastened it around my neck once again. “Of course you know this gives you the ability to leave the sanctuary, but if you leave it without being under my supervision they will kill us both. There will be no second chances, do you understand that?”
“I understand.” I had no intention of doing anything that would put either Gavin or I in danger. I just wanted to get whatever was coming over with.
“Good. We need to get started right away. Come over here.” He motioned to a large black chaise lounge. I lay down on it and he pulled up a chair sitting directly behind me.
“You need to learn control. Up until now everything you’ve been hearing is a mess. Your human mind couldn’t sort it out, but now your vampire mind should be able to exert greater control.”
He ran his fingers through my long black hair and pulled my head back. “Relax,” he said stroking me. “Clear your mind.” He put his hands on my temples and pressed his head to mine, “Just listen.” I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself. His touch felt so good. I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself so that he wouldn’t pick up on the tension I was feeling. “It’s ok,” he whispered softly to me. “Listen with your mind, not your ears.”
Peace came over me after a few more moments and then I heard what sounded like a faint whisper off in the distance. Like the wind coming through the trees in a lush and vast forest.
Rachel… it whispered, Rachel…hear me.
“What do you hear?” he asked.
“I hear someone calling to me. It’s distant but it’s there.”
He pulled his head away from mine and my mind was once again in silence, as if someone had hung up their end of the telephone. “That was me calling to you,” he said. “You heard my thoughts. And I’m going to teach you to hear them from across the room, and then across the hall, and then from one end of the cove to the other and even further.” I was doubtful that would ever happen since it ended so suddenly when we stopped touching, but I didn’t want to let him know that.
“Let’s go again,” he said drumming up more enthusiasm than I felt.
“Whatever you say.”
Chapter Ten
Over the next few days we practiced without stopping and after forty eight hours of being confined to the room I was starting to feel burnt out. My skills were improving however and I was beginning to hear people other than Gavin. Soon it was like turning the dial on a radio station. Not only could I hear people’s thoughts but I could flip a sort of switch and hear their verbal communications as well.
Angus came to check on our progress and was impressed with what he found. He noticed my fatigue nonetheless and insisted we take a break to have some human food with him. The burning in my stomach made me quick to agree. We accompanied him to the dining hall, where after not having eaten in two days, I ate quite a bit. Angus and Gavin seemed to need less and assured me that my need for human food would decrease over time and at some point I might not have to consume it for weeks or months.
The thought of a vampire eating this type of food was still something I was trying to get used to. In folklore you almost never hear of a vampire sitting down to a chicken dinner. Certainly I did not feel human anymore, but I didn’t feel entirely like a vampire either. I was walking the line between two worlds. One familiar and one, up until about a week ago, I didn’t even know existed. Vampires had proven to be very real and I mused about what else could be out there that I had yet to discover.
Angus and Gavin were in the throes of deep conversation when my curiosity got the better of me. “Are we the only ones?” I asked. The two men stopped their conversation and exchanged a look. They obviously had information they were considering whether or not to share.
Angus took a deep breath. “No,” he said finally, “there are others.”
“Where?” I asked. “What I mean is can we call on others to help us? You said not just Soldiers Cove but the whole island is in danger. If it is wouldn’t they want to help us?”
“No,” Gavin said. “Other clans don’t get involved in family business.”
“Family business?” I asked.
“Yes,” Angus said lowering his eyes. “Samuel is my brother.” So that was it. I had been drawn into one big family feud. First Gavin and James, now Angus and Samuel. “Samuel wanted a different way of life than I was willing to permit here,” he said meeting my gaze once more.
“Different way of life?”
“Yes, Rachel, there are places in the world where vampires hunt openly. Two hundred years ago Samuel wanted to make this one of those places. He became obsessed. We all saw his infatuation with this idea getting out of hand, but he was my brother and…well…by the time I really opened my eyes to what he was becoming it was too late. I should have staked him when I had the chance.”
Rubbing his hands together he turned his eyes to a nearby window and peered out as if looking at a scene from the past. “We may all suffer for my inability to do that now I’m afraid,” he said.
“Do the others know about Samuel? About how dangerous he is and what he’s planning to do to the island once he gets here?”
“It’s not their concern,” Gavin said.
“Well if he’s going to disrupt their way of life too and possibly kill off their clans shouldn’t they have the right to know? They might be able to help us. Where are the others located?”
“Oh there are small clans in each of the little communities on the island. They vary in numbers but the biggest one in Cape Breton is actually in St.Peters,” Gavin said.
“St.Peters? Why?” I was shocked. St.Peters was a small village about fifteen minutes away. It didn’t seem likely that the biggest vampire clan would be there considering we had Sydney just over an hour away. Sydney was a small city but it would seem to make more sense for vampires to blend in amongst a bigger population I thought. Plus most of the people in town were pretty conservative. If I were to look for vampires, St.Peters would be the last place I’d go looking.
“Simple,” Gavin said, “Tourists.”
“Tourists?” I was confused.
“Yes. It’s off the beaten path enough so that the rest of the world leaves them in relative peace, but just popular enough that there’s always a fresh supply of new blood, especially in summer.”
“But I’ve never heard of any tourists going missing from here as they were passing through.”
“Oh they don’t kill them,” Gavin said, “mostly.” He saw the look of confusion on my face. I couldn’t imagine having that insane blood thirst, getting my teeth into a human and ever letting go until they w
ere drained thoroughly and completely of every last drop. “Most of them are hundreds of years old and they have excellent control. One day you will too. You can feed without killing if you have a few people at your disposal at one time. That’s where the tourists come in.”
“I see,” I said. I really didn’t. “So you don’t think they’d help us if we told them about Samuel?” I said getting back to the topic at hand.
Gavin leaned toward me, and placing his hand over mine gave it a gentile but firm squeeze indicating that the subject was not open for debate.
“It would be wrong to ask,” he said. I could tell they were growing tired of my questions. All of these rules, so ironclad and so well known that you never had to think about them, and then explaining it to the newbie. I ate the rest of my dinner in silence as the men resumed their conversation, but all I could think about were the others. There was strength in numbers and who knows how many Samuel was coming with. Why would they not at least want to talk to the clan in St.Peters? It didn’t make sense to me, but maybe it was the remains of my supposedly imperfect French Acadian human mind talking.
“Well if you’ll excuse us we should resume our work,” Gavin said to Angus. We stood and Gavin gave Angus a deep and respectful nod. I followed suit. We made it about halfway back to my room when a jolt of sound hit me.
Fucking piece of garbage!
The words came at me like a freight train. I was hearing the male voice again. I stopped and leaned up against the wall. All the control I had learned over the last two days disappeared in an instant. I cried out in shock, placing my hands over my ears.
Gavin spun me to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s the man I always hear,” I said. “I’m hearing him now and I didn’t even try to hear anyone. God I’m so sick of his voice.” Panicking I gulped at the air trying hard to shove down the tears that were fighting to make their way to the surface.
“Take a deep breath Rachel. Really tune in on him instead of trying to tune him out like you normally do. See if you can find out who he is.” I clenched my fists so hard that my nails soon imbedded themselves into my palms. Then forcing myself I took long deep breaths and let the voice speak to me. His thoughts were so angry and vile that it felt like I was being screamed at from just a few inches away.
The Vampires of Soldiers Cove Page 5
