Twice Bitten

by R. G. Emanuelle

  In the shadows of trees and houses, she slowly moved toward her destination, keeping the heels of her boots from hitting the ground fully. Her presence would not be a secret for long, but the longer she could hide herself, the better chance she and Rose would have of succeeding at their mission.

  She positioned herself behind a tree and peeked around. Rose was already there, at their designated spot...the east side of the arch. The plan did not include talking beforehand, but seeing Rose standing there, her chest tightened. If they failed...they couldn't. She needed to stop thinking that way. If they did, however, this would be the last time she'd ever see Rose. She wanted to speak to her, to touch her right now, as if this might be the last time. Because it just might be.

  "Psst. Rose," she called from behind the tree.

  Rose hurried over to the tree. "Oh, my. I almost didn't recognize you in those clothes." She took a step back. "You look like a man." She laughed softly. "And quite a handsome one, I might add."

  "That was the idea, remember?" She snickered as she looked at Rose's legs. "Uh, you don't exactly look like a mademoiselle yourself."

  Rose looked down at herself and giggled. "Isn't it a lark? Never thought I'd wear trousers," she said, running her hands down her thighs. "Mother would just die." Rose laughed and Ursula wanted to just take her away and protect her. But she needed to stay. They both needed to stay.

  "Are you ready?" she asked instead.

  "I think so."

  "You have to be sure. This is too important and if you falter, it could be disastrous."

  Rose's eyes locked onto hers for a moment. "Yes. I'm ready."

  She stroked Rose's hair and ran a thumb over her eyebrow. "I know you're scared. So am I. But this must be done. This is the only way. Do you understand that?"

  Rose nodded. "Oh! I almost forgot." She unbuttoned her jacket, reached in, and pulled out what looked like a lasso.

  "Rope? It won't do us much good," she said, skeptical. "She can break right through it."

  "No, it's not rope. Well, it is, but it's made of hawthorn bark. Bridget gave it to me."

  Now Ursula was really confused. Rose tucked the rope back into her jacket. "She knows. I don't know how, but she knows. She said that it's holy and a vampire can't fight against it. We might be able to restrain her temporarily."

  Zisa nickered softly in the distance and Ursula silently begged her to stay quiet. It was almost time for their meeting with Fiona. "It won't be long before she realizes I'm here. Papa's books said that vampires have a supernatural sense of smell. She'll be able to detect my presence by my scent. I'm hoping that she will be distracted enough by you that she won't sense me right off."

  Rose looked up at her.

  "It will be fine. We will succeed." She let her hand slide down to Rose's face and cupped her cheek. Rose closed her eyes as she leaned down and kissed her softly. "I love you."

  Rose slowly opened her eyes and placed her hand over Ursula's. "I love you, too."

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK never looked as beautiful for Fiona as it did that evening. There weren't that many trees in this park, but the ones that lined its perimeter were so full that in the partial darkness, the lush, healthy leaves looked like black waterfalls suspended in mid-air. The moon boldly shone in between drifting clouds, illuminating the park with a bright glow. It would be the place where she and Rose would commit themselves to one another, where their fates would be sealed.

  Fiona had been fairly patient up until now. For months, she'd been planning, anticipating, and hoping. She would have prayed if she'd thought her prayers would be answered. But tonight, as she waited for Rose to come out of her home and walk to the park, her patience had abandoned her. This was it. Tonight she would finish siring Rose, and within a few hours, she would be a vampire, and Fiona's eternal companion. Everything was going according to plan and if it continued to do so tonight, Rose would enter Fiona's world willingly, even if she didn't realize that she'd been misled. But only a little misled, Fiona tried to convince herself.

  Fiona's feet itched to pace, but she forced herself to stay still, behind a big oak tree, so as not to attract the attention of police officers or nighttime denizens that might happen by. She also had to pay attention to Rose as she walked down the street. She would be all alone and Fiona had to make sure nothing happened to her, a young girl walking by herself at night. Nothing could happen to Rose now. Not after all Fiona had been through to find her.

  Peering out from behind the tree, Fiona felt ready to jump out of her skin. Every second that passed felt like an insufferable, endless torment. Soon. Be patient. Yes, she had to continue being patient. If she allowed her excitement to take over, she could lose control and ruin everything.

  A breeze swept by and Fiona inhaled. Rose's scent was in the air. She was near.

  A figure move from behind a tree. It appeared to be a man and he was making his way toward her. As the figure got closer, Rose's scent grew stronger, confusing Fiona. Who was this man and what did he want with her? She wasn't afraid of him...she could take care of him quickly...but she was concerned that Rose would see her bite him. She might be frightened, or disgusted.

  The click-clack of the man's boots got louder. The sound was odd, as if it were a female gait. The man was almost near and she prepared to defend herself. She hadn't bothered to look carefully at the man's face, so when he stopped in front of her, she was stunned to see that the man was actually Rose in a riding outfit, complete with breeches and boots.

  "Why are you wearing men's clothing?"

  Rose did not respond. This was strange behavior for her, but she pushed the thought out of her mind. Nothing was going to stop her now. She smiled radiantly and hugged her.

  "How did it go, dear?" When Rose again did not respond, she pulled back and pushed a lock of Rose's thick hair from her eyes. "Darling, is everything all right?"

  Rose stood silently, a stony expression on her face. Something passed through her eyes, but Fiona couldn't quite make out what it was. Fear? No, it was more like anger.

  The warm summer night was rich with aromas. Grass, clean and wet. Marigolds, heady and slightly pungent. The rivers, alive with aquatic creatures. Rose, sweet and laced with lavender.

  And something else. Something familiar. Or rather, someone.

  "Yes, all went well," Rose said, startling her. She crooked her mouth into what was supposed to be a smile, but she seemed stiff and uncomfortable. "I drew blood from her veins, like you showed me. She was dazed at first, but when she collected herself, she looked at me and told me how much she loves me for saving her. We have spent the entire day together, unable to part company."

  Fiona dropped her hands from Rose's arms as if they'd suddenly caught fire, and almost lost her footing.

  "What? What do you mean?" Her mind raced with confusion. Nothing made sense. "That can't be. You couldn't have..." Fiona stepped backward. "That's impossible."

  As she brought her foot down behind her, her passage was blocked by something. She turned quickly, and discovered Ursula.

  "What's going on?" she demanded, aware that something was terribly wrong.

  "Whatever do you mean?" Rose asked, sarcasm and bitterness infusing her words. "Isn't this what you wanted for me? I ought to thank you for bringing Ursula and me together."

  Fiona stood mute for a moment. Old familiar sensations came over her...the tightening of her stomach, the bristling of hair on her neck, a thick feeling in her head. She remembered these sensations and what they meant. For the first time in a very long time, she felt fear.

  Fiona looked from Rose to Ursula and back again. There was fury burning in Rose's eyes and icicles shooting from Ursula's. They knew.

  In her desperation to make Rose bend to her will, Fiona hadn't seen this happening. She hadn't foreseen the possibility that Rose--or Ursula, for that matter--would figure out her plan and know the truth. That would have meant failure, and Fiona simply couldn't ever entertain
the notion. Any inkling of doubt she'd had, she'd covered up with a cloak of hope and the veil of her dreams.

  "I only wanted to make you happy..."

  "Stop," Rose said.

  Fiona swallowed hard. "Rose, I--I would never hurt you," she stammered. She held her palms out in supplication. "I asked you to do this only because I love you." Discretion was useless at this point. Fiona put both her hands on Rose's elbows and pulled her forward. But before she could do or say anything more, Ursula pulled Fiona away and swung her around. Fiona had almost forgotten she was there.

  "Rose told me everything," Ursula said.

  Confused, irritated, and even feeling a bit betrayed, Fiona turned to face Rose again. "Why did you tell her? How could you?" she asked accusingly.

  "Because you're a liar."

  Fiona recoiled. A slap in the face wouldn't have been as shocking. The acrimony in Rose's voice was something she'd hoped she'd never hear. And she didn't want to hear anymore. She wouldn't have it. After everything she'd gone through, there was no room for failure. If she couldn't have Rose, she could not continue her existence, forever searching for someone she could love.

  She looked into Rose's eyes, hoping to see a sign of pity, a shred of hope that she could bring this woman into her world without force. If Rose showed the tiniest bit of compassion, Fiona still had a chance to talk to her, to convince her that she could be happy with her.

  But Rose's eyes held only anger and resentment, and as Fiona studied them, the truth hit her with a force that almost knocked the breath out of her. She knew what that look meant. She'd seen it in her own eyes many times, many years ago. Fiona had lost Rose and any hope she'd held of having her. The dream she'd wrapped herself in like a security blanket all those months, the dream of spending eternity with someone who would love her and be by her side for all time, had just slipped from her grasp.

  But it couldn't end like this. The loneliness was unbearable, something she couldn't abide, not like other vampires. She just couldn't do it anymore. She had to have Rose no matter what, even it meant turning her against her will, as much as Fiona had hoped it wouldn't come to that.

  Fiona swung around and slapped Ursula across the face, throwing her back several feet, then she turned and grabbed Rose. With one hand, she unceremoniously pushed Rose's head back, and put her mouth to her neck. Just as the tips of her fangs made contact with Rose's damp skin, she was jerked away. Her fangs grazed Rose's neck, leaving a trace of her taste on Fiona's tongue. Fiona was aware of the salty sweetness, even as she stumbled to the side.

  When she'd recovered, Ursula was standing by Rose's side, though she seemed stunned...perhaps by her own strength.

  Fiona took advantage of this pause, lunged, and grabbed Rose's arm. She yanked it roughly, pushed the sleeve up just above the wrist and clamped down with her teeth. She had just penetrated the skin when Ursula descended on her again, wrapping her arm around Fiona's neck.

  It took no effort for Fiona to throw Ursula off, and she flew backward and landed on her back, a loud grunt escaping her. Ursula's hat flew off and rolled on its rim until it came to a stop in a puddle. Fiona turned her attention back to Rose, who was backing up, new terror mixed with her anger.

  Fiona smiled as placidly as possible. "Rose, you've misunderstood this entire thing." Though it was futile, she gave it one last try. "I did it because I love you and because I wanted to give you a gift. It's not as bad as people make it out to be. In time, you will embrace it. I promise."

  Even as Fiona spoke the words, a sick feeling overcame her. Susanna's words rang in her ears and careened in her brain like a raging river. She could almost hear Susanna's voice, unleashing her delusions onto Fiona. My love, I'm giving you a gift. You will embrace it as I have. You shall see.

  "Please, don't do this to me." She heard her own voice, pleading and desperate, echoing in her ears. It had turned to a pitiful choke, a string of discordant notes.

  It would be a monumental task for humans to destroy a vampire in battle, and although she would defend herself and fight to the death--because that was the way of vampires--Fiona wasn't sure whose death it would be. Even if she got what she wanted, it was clear that she would face the same fate as Susanna--she would be reviled by the woman she loved.

  Ramon had been wrong. She would never find The One who would spend eternity with her. Eternity had now become a dark and desolate punishment that she wouldn't be able to endure. She had not asked for this, and she did not deserve it.

  In these, what Fiona thought might be her last moments of existence, her biggest regret was that there was no afterlife for vampires. If there was, she'd seek out Susanna's soul and destroy her forevermore.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  URSULA HAD HIT the ground with improbable force, as if an elephant had picked her up with its trunk, swung her around, and slammed her down. She landed askew and the bulk of the impact had hit her on her left side. Her line of sight was filled with pinpoints of light flitting around. If she'd had any doubt that Fiona was inhuman, it would have dissipated at that moment.

  It took a few seconds for her to recover from the impact. When she did, she sat up and leaned on her hands behind her. Immediately, a stabbing pain gripped her in her left shoulder blade, and the pinpoints returned. She pulled her left arm in front of her and cradled it. After a moment, her eyesight cleared and she looked at the other two women. Rose was backing up and Fiona was inching toward her, hands out, palms up.

  Ursula struggled to her feet and, in her attempt to balance herself, held her hands out to her side, as if there was something there for her to lean on. With her right hand, she reached to her left side to retrieve the pepperbox revolver and was stopped by a recurrence of pain in her shoulder. This was a problem. Gritting her teeth, she quickly swung her right arm across the front of her torso and yanked the gun out of the waistband of her trousers. She thanked God it hadn't gone off in her pants when she fell. When she got it out, she had to pause to let the pain settle down from excruciating to merely agonizing. Wincing, she positioned herself so that she could take aim. Her left hand wouldn't be of much use, as she could barely lift her arm.

  She was grateful that she'd donned her brother's clothing--she'd have been at a great disadvantage in a skirt and corset, and she surely would've gotten hurt worse when she hit the ground had she not been able to breathe properly.

  She leaned back against a large tree, bracing her heels against the trunk. The wooden grip of the triple-barrel revolver was smooth in her palm. She had often admired the deep brown color it had developed from much use, but it felt heavy and unwieldy in her hand. Unfamiliar, really.

  She brought it up to eye level and steadied herself to take aim. She closed one eye and looked down the barrel with the other.

  "Blast it!" Ursula swore as she attempted to refine her aim. Because of its position at the top of the gun, the hammer was right in her line of vision. Who the hell designed this stupid thing? She cursed herself for choosing this particular weapon. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

  Agitated, she lifted it again to eye level and shifted her vision to accommodate the hammer. "Blast!" she muttered again.

  Fiona had reached Rose and was now gripping her wrist and saying something that Ursula couldn't make out. Rose was yanking her arm in an attempt to be free of Fiona's hold. Ursula had to wait until Fiona moved so she could aim at her heart. Finally, Fiona released Rose's wrist and held out her arms again. Ursula tried to hear what Fiona was saying, but all she could make out was, "Please. Please."

  Ursula wanted to just pull the trigger, but having practiced as a child, she knew that taking the time to aim was essential in hitting your mark. Problem was, single-handed aim was not as precise. She held the gun straight out ahead of her and tried to focus. The flare-ups of pain that kept piercing her shoulder were making focus difficult. And she had to be careful, or she might hit Rose by mistake.

  Her hand began shaking and she lowered the revolver a
moment. Then, she lifted it again and squinted at her target. Blinking away the sweat that dripped onto her eyelashes, she muttered to herself, "Please, God..." The trigger clicked sharply as she squeezed it.

  The force of the shot pushed her farther back into the tree and she gasped in pain. A billow of smoke obscured her view, but the breeze quickly carried it off.

  When it cleared, Ursula saw both Fiona and Rose on the ground. She pushed herself off the tree and ran toward them. She bent over Rose. "Are you all right?"

  Hysteria was about to set in when Rose spoke, "Yes, I'm fine. I was just knocked over."

  "Are you hurt? Are you bleeding?" Ursula frantically looked over her body for signs of a gunshot wound.

  "I don't think so."

  As Ursula helped Rose to her feet, she turned and looked over at Fiona, who was also scrambling to her feet. The bullet had hit her in the shoulder--insufficient to kill her, or even harm her, but just enough to knock her off her feet momentarily.

  Ursula took aim again. This time, without Rose in range, she wouldn't be afraid to shoot. The pepperbox was a self-cocking revolver, so she just lifted it toward Fiona's center and steadied her hand as best she could. Just as she was about to squeeze the trigger, Rose made a noise from behind her. Ursula turned to see what was happening, but before she'd fully turned, Fiona bounded on her. Fiona had moved so quickly that Ursula didn't even have time to brace herself. The pistol flew off to the side.

  The two women hit the trunk of a tree and separated. Ursula righted herself quickly and jumped on top of Fiona, knocking her down. Throwing all her weight on her, her goal was to pin the vampire down long enough to do what she had to do. Fiona could not be physically hurt or deterred for long.

  Her left arm was pressed down on Fiona's right arm, causing extraordinary pain. But she ignored it as much as she could. Now was not the time to be an illustrative member of the so-called weaker sex. Despite the pain and fear, a thrill coursed through her. The circumstances were horrible, but the opportunity to do something that most other people couldn't even fathom was exhilarating. All over, she felt sparks of excitement.