The Soul of a Vampire #3

by Rachel E Rice

  Robbie placed his large hand over Ann’s small one and his smile widened and grew large. I never knew he had such beautiful white teeth and when he smiled I knew then why Ann fell in love with him. His eyes grew warm and lightened and you could see the gentleness in those grey eyes.

  After Robbie looked and saw that Ryan would be sleeping through the trip he said, “We have to watch him. We should monitor him for the sake of all of us here, especially since you don’t want me to do anything. I could save us a lot of trouble in the future if you just let me...”

  “I don’t want it, Robbie,” I said looking at Robbie and Ann who sat across from us.

  “Just how do we do that?” Terry questioned irritated and looking down at Ryan sleeping soundly unaware of the discussions concerning his life and possibly his death. “I was planning on going on my honeymoon.” Terry glanced at Lauren with a sly smile.

  “I didn’t know you went on honeymoons,” Ann said. Terry shook her head and smiled, “you don’t know a lot of things. I guess you wondered how a vampire and a human could have a baby. Now that’s something for you to think about Ann, but don’t hurt your head.” And she took Lauren’s hand and headed in the back with Lauren trailing behind her like a child behind his mother.

  “Well, if I can’t have a honeymoon we should start now don’t you think?” Terry said. And she and Lauren ducked into the sleeping compartment and locked the door.

  Chapter Four-Zoey

  It took hours to get back to Seattle on Sebastian’s jet from New York to Seattle. Finally home. We arrived at eight pm to an unusual cold but familiar rainy day. We stopped talking to each other half way across the US, and only resumed a conversation as we stepped out of the limo.

  “I will check on you tomorrow, Zoey,” Ryan said as if nothing had happened. He had sobered up. He was walking and talking like himself. Like the man I knew him to be—quiet and reserved. A man compelled to do the right thing. A compassionate man.

  When he woke he acted as if nothing had been said or that the others weren’t angry with him. And maybe they weren’t. I just hoped they didn’t take him serious. I didn’t. I thought he became a different man while drinking and I was confident that I wouldn’t see that man again. I didn’t know where the optimism came from, but today I had plenty.

  “Don’t you have a job to get back to?” I questioned.

  “I took time off. I have vacation days that I’ve never used and I need to take. Like five years of them. It seems the captain in our precinct thought it best that I do. Too much talk of werewolves, vampires, and witches for his taste. I guess anyone would be suspicious of someone talking about that day in and day out. He didn’t want to fire me because he knew my father. He just said I was burnt out after years of hunting for that girl. That girl was you,” Ryan said. His eyes softened and he tried to smile but didn’t quite make it.

  Now that was all I needed for a guilt trip, and whether Ryan wanted to put it on me or not, it laid at my feet. I couldn’t have felt worse than I did now.

  “I look forward to seeing you, soon,” I said to make him feel better and to have someone like Ryan around me. Someone who could understand. I guess a mortal that I could talk to.

  “Come as soon as you can. I need someone.” My smile lingered a little as I took a deep breath. He kissed me on the cheek and turned and entered his car.

  I meant what I said to Ryan. I needed someone. Lauren and Terry were the last to depart the airplane and they entered the limo. “We’re going to see that Zoey is ok and then we’re leaving,” Terry said to Robbie.

  “You don’t have to worry about her. She will be just fine. Sebastian left her for us to take care of and we will,” Robbie said as if he was the Alpha in a pack of werewolves. His voice bold and cautious.

  “I’m not questioning your ability, Robbie, but wouldn’t it be better if she came with us?” Lauren asked.

  “Why are you trying to decide what’s good for me?” I said looking around. “I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions. I’m going to stay with Ann and Robbie. Who better to watch over me than Robbie?” I said to all of them. “Besides Ryan is around if anything should occur and I need help or if Robbie needs help.” Robbie raised an eyebrow. “After all Sebastian gave me to him,” I said my voice breaking. The thought of what Sebastian had said rushed through me, and tears pooled. I passed my hand over my eyes trying to wipe away tears which were too noticeable to hide.

  There was no need to weep anymore. I wasn’t a child who found herself away from home and no one to look to but Sebastian. I am a woman who’s having another life to care for. I can’t feel sorry for myself and my circumstances, I thought.

  When we arrived at Robbie’s home, I walked into the house, stood in the foyer and looked around. Terry and Lauren looked at me with a grim expressions. “What?” I said and walked passed them to go up the stairs.

  “I know you’re not going to not talk to us about this. We are going to be god parents aren’t we?” Terry said. I spun around and looked at them with my mouth opened and shook my head. I think I hadn’t laughed in a while. Maybe they were having a joke at my expense. But from the look on Lauren’s face showed he was serious. He didn’t smile much unless it was to Terry so I couldn’t read him. But Terry wavered from one thing to another.

  If she wasn’t being grouchy, she was being snarky and insulting.

  “You can’t be serious,” I said. “I don’t think this is the time to discuss this, Terry.”

  “We’ll never have any children at least you can let Lauren and I be god parents,” Terry said.

  “Do we have to talk about this now? I’d like to be alone in my misery. Do you mind?” I said as my voice fell to a whine. I continued walking and when I reached the top of the stairs, standing together holding hands were Lauren and Terry.

  “How did you do that?” I said walking around them.

  “This isn’t right. You can’t dismiss us like that.” I continued walking and pretending not to hear them and headed for my bedroom. I wanted some time to cry and feel sorry for myself.

  “I know what you want to do, but I’m not going to let you. You want to sulk. You think life isn’t fair well remember how I was before Sebastian and Lauren saved me from that monster Aare,” Terry said.

  She may have been right for a change, but I wouldn’t admit it or sit down to listen. I wanted out and I didn’t want two vampires who have hundreds of years to straighten out their shit to tell me what to do and how I should feel. I didn’t have all the time in the world and there was no way I was going to listen to how wonderful it must be to be mortal. To walk around in light and darkness.

  I felt all fucked up and I had a right to sulk, cry, and moan if I wanted to. I just wanted to be left alone to be whatever way I felt.

  Standing in front of the bedroom door, I turned and said, “I’m going to bed and if you and Lauren follow me in here, there is no way I’ll make you two god parents. I’ll consider Ann and Robbie first.”

  They disappeared when they heard Robbie and Ann walking up the stairs. When I opened the door to the room it felt empty even though it was filled with furniture. For the first time I became cold. I walked to the fireplace to turn on the fire. It was one of those fake fireplaces that didn’t use real wood.

  As I leaned over I saw something scamper under my bed. I walked near it and raised the bed skirts and looking at me were two eyes. I jumped back. It was some sort of animal and I moved backward.

  Then I heard a knock, “Zoey, are you ok?” It was Robbie.

  “Come in, Robbie,” My voice quivered.

  “What’s wrong, Zoey?”

  “Somethings in here,” I said sitting in the corner with my hands wrapped around my knees. I wasn’t a coward but too much had happen for me not to be weary. I didn’t think about myself I was afraid for my baby.

  Robbie walked close and gave me his hand and pulled me from the floor.

  “It’s nothing. That’s just that little shifter cat. I
hope he didn’t startle you. I brought him in to watch over you, and the house while we were gone.”

  “You should have said something. I thought it was Samantha.” The shifter came out and strutted over to the corner of the room and sat and curled up near the fire.

  “See he’s harmless. That witch is afraid of shifters like that.” I didn’t ask him what he meant but I would find out later. Robbie walked over to him and looked down at him. “He must be cold and shy. He doesn’t know how to shift yet. I’m teaching him. Soon he will be old enough and he will make a good guard.”

  I sat on the bed and the shifter stood and glanced at me with his grey eyes and then hopped on the bed and curled up on one of my pillows.

  “See he understands that he’s here to protect you. Don’t be afraid.” Robbie left me with my shifter and I took a shower. I almost forgot that he was part human and still locked inside that fur, when I came sauntering out of the bathroom and rushed back to retrieve a robe.

  He never opened his eyes. “Some protector,” I thought and I climbed in bed beside him and pulled up the covers.

  Chapter Five-Sebastian

  All I wanted was for Zoey to be safe. If it meant my dying at Samantha’s hands, then so be it. If it meant I would give her to a mortal like Ryan, then I was willing to let her go. If it meant I would never see my child, then I had to face that inevitable conclusion. I would do it for love and I hoped Zoey could see it that way, but I doubt it. I saw it in her sad eyes that I had abandon her once again especially when she needed me the most.

  But she had always needed me and I needed what she brought to me—her warmth and humanity. Her spirited nature. I needed all that to make me whole again, but then I would never be in that sense—whole, as long as I didn’t have her.

  I did as Samantha wished. I took her hand and led her into the great room with all the unsuspecting mortals, and when it came time to make the announcement, and give her an engagement ring, I did as I was told.

  That ring was my mother’s and it was meant for Zoey. Not Samantha. And here it is on that witch’s finger.

  I married her that night as she desired. But before I could read my vows to Samantha, someone stepped out from the crowd and stood in front of the pedestal where we declared that we would love each other forever and ever. Both of us dressed in black. Both of us knowing the truth, that given half the chance, we would see each other dead.

  Hearing the woman’s voice, we turned from the vampire minister to look at this woman who looked a lot like Samantha.

  “So here you are once more Francesca. Oh I forgot, you go by Samantha. You have finally found someone to marry you after ruining everyone’s life including mine.”

  “I told you not to marry that man. It has been so many years and you still haven’t forgotten his name. I hardly remember him.”

  “His name was Liam,” her voice broke when she called his name. The pain of remembering him showed on her flawless skin accentuated by her long black hair flowing against the pale ivory gown she wore.

  “Yes. Liam. How could I forget? He was one of my suitors. That’s what they used to call them. Now I don’t know what they would call him because it has been too long since I’ve had one. I have my husband to thank for that.” And she held my hand like I was her prized dog. “I haven’t wanted any man but Sebastian since I met him. Liam was just someone to have a fling with. Just someone who would fuck me when I felt the need.”

  No one raised an eyebrow. It was just light entertainment and Samantha welcome it. But it was more to Becky. The hurt showed on her face as she stared at us.

  “I was in love with Liam you used your charm and you used your power of change and illusion on him. He thought it was me.”

  “Do you think that each time he fucked me that he was thinking of you? I don’t think so. Don’t bother me further with this. You have found others so don’t pretend that I did you such great harm.”

  “It took years, but I have finally found you,” Becky said with a clear voice. “No longer can you hide behind Aare to do your dirty deeds. Now I see you have found his brother to fortify your evil ways. But he doesn’t love you. Look at him. You will never get anyone to love you,” she said.

  Samantha turned quickly to look in my eyes. My eyes were dead and cold as my body. I had nothing, nothing to make me happy as I had been with Zoey.

  All my future held was death and destruction. I couldn’t go back to animal blood. It had to be human blood because I needed to remain strong to fight off attacks from Aare and Samantha, especially since I knew they would unite to kill me given half the chance.

  There would be no way they would stop hunting Zoey.

  Both Aare and Samantha had their own agendas. I knew Samantha would see her dead and Aare wanted her as his plaything and sexual slave. The promise I made was only to let Zoey leave and give her time to hide away.

  “Becky, dear sister, I’m happy you could make the wedding. Although you were never invited,” Samantha said smiling. “If you don’t mind, we would like to get on with the ceremony. As you can see my fiancé doesn’t have much time. He will need to sleep as well as the rest of my party. Then we can talk.”

  “I would prefer to talk now. We may never get a chance to speak again,” Becky said with an air of dominance about her. She may have been the only one who could control Samantha. She apparently knew her better than anyone, even me.

  “Why are you going with this, Becky?” Samantha questioned.

  “Let her speak,” I said to Samantha. She raised her head and nodded for her to go ahead.

  “Sebastian Vesper. Did you know that she will try to kill the woman you love the minute you leave her? And you will want to leave her. There’s no one as evil and malicious as Samantha. But then you know that. I’m not telling you something you haven’t experienced. I came to give you a present, Sebastian Vesper. I’m the only one who truly knows Samantha and how to counteract her spells and poisons. If you need me, you can find me at the far end of the world.”

  I didn’t know what she meant and when I asked she glanced at me and disappeared into a cloud of white smoke. I stood looking at Samantha and for the first time I could see on her face her age, and how much she had been worried by what her sister had said to me. Then I realized that indeed there was a weakness I could capitalize on. But what was it?

  Samantha turned to me and said, “She’s just pretending she can neutralize my spells. She never could. She’s too old now to even try. She likes to show up at my parties and cause confusion. If she could, she would have saved her husband from me years ago. But she couldn’t. She’s just a spoiled sport.”

  The ceremony resumed. It was a vampire ceremony with blood being drawn from humans like a bucket dropped into a deep well. The crowds were joyous and the celebrations lasted long into the morning. Samantha had made arrangements in her cellar for all the newly formed vampires and their sponsors. All except me. Because I didn’t trust her, I bade her goodbye and traveled back to the hotel and slept.

  I discovered later from one of the guest that Aare had sent word out to all who had been in attendance that my father and mother died suddenly and therefore I would take the throne and now I had a queen.

  The strange part was that Aare would make the announcement that he had crowned me king of the Vesper empire, when I knew all he ever wanted was to see me dead, preferably with a stake or fire, and to claim the throne for himself.

  It was an unholy marriage and it would be the same kind of death for both of us.

  Chapter Six-Zoey

  The moment I woke, I was out of the bed, depressed, but feeling better than before. On my way to breakfast, I saw a figure of a man standing at the door. My heart shuddered. Could it be Sebastian?

  Of course not you fool that’s not his style. He would come through the window or however he gets around, but if he wanted me he would have been in my bed last night, but he’s somewhere with that witch and no doubt making strange love to her, I imagined becaus
e of my limitless jealousy when it came to Sebastian.

  This person standing at the door looked indecisive. He didn’t know whether to ring the doorbell or walk away. I saw him turn away then back again and extend his finger for the bell, and then pull it away twice and just stand and look at the door.

  I started to call Robbie and remembered he hunts early. I thought I shouldn’t alarm Ann because she is nervous since meeting Samantha and not knowing what she would do to all of us.

  But it wasn’t a woman and I inhaled. What did that person want and what was he doing here? It couldn’t be for Robbie because no one knew where he and Ann were living. They had gone into hiding because of me. I knew now I had to leave Robbie and Ann’s place and find a place of my own.

  I didn’t think they liked the idea of people finding their hideaway. If it was a person, maybe that wasn’t too bad, but one of those beings or immortals who tracked me, now that would be disastrous for all of us. Especially Robbie and Ann. After all this compound was to be a place to raise their family in peace.

  I needed to leave Robbie and Ann in peace. With me around there would be no peace. We had brought witches and vampires to their doorsteps and I didn’t think Robbie appreciated that much. I know he didn’t care much for Terry. Lauren was a quiet kind of vampire who was happy as long as Terry was happy and showed him affection. I guess some vampires needed attention too.

  Standing a while trying to decide what to do, I continued my walk down the stairs to have breakfast in Ann’s large kitchen where Ann would be and she would know where Robbie had gone to. Then the bell rang. As I got closer I saw through the bedeviled glass. It was Ryan. He decided to talk to me after what I had done to him, and after his drunken rant about vampires and werewolves. I thought he would be the last person to show up at Robbie’s door.

  I walked quickly to the door and opened it.