Lucien awoke to sunlight, with Ariel sleeping in his arms. The deep blue eyes widened as he saw all the blood on the torn, tangled sheets. He was afraid the Vampire had broken out of the cage and attacked her. Lucien had convinced himself he’d see irreparable hate and fear in her eyes when she woke and looked at him.
A smile formed on her lips before she yawned and her gray-blue eyes met his. She sensed his trepidation and looked down at the mess that was once their bed. “Sorry. I guess we got a little over excited last night. God, Sarah’s going to scream when she sees these.” Ariel picked up a streamer of red sheet. “I’m not sure they’re salvageable.”
Lucien whispered, “Ariel, did I… did it…” he couldn’t finish.
“You never should have locked him up, Lucien. I could feel his despair and humiliation. By the time I got to him, he was almost convinced I’d despise him.”
“You came for him? I knew I was losing myself after you fell asleep. I don’t remember anything after Nathan locked me up. He didn’t hurt you?”
“Of course he did. We both know he has to. For the most part, he was in a very playful, relieved mood.” She thought for a moment. “Do you know how fast he is? It was incredible.”
Lucien’s confusion was calming as he realized she was all right. “I know in the old country, before I learned how to control him, I’d wake up someplace different than when I’d gone to sleep. Once, in the space of a single night, I woke in a different country. That was unexpected,” he chuckled. “I was a little suspicious he could fly.”
Ariel thought about it. “I don’t think so. We made it to the house in about three seconds. He can also communicate with the Vampires in the Clansmen. I suggested to Nathan he study it and see what distance it covers.”
“Nathan saw you with me?” Lucien was going to ask why his friend didn’t stop her when he felt her stiffen. “Ariel, what’s wrong?”
“I think that’s how he did it,” she mused.
“How who did what, little one?”
“Edmond. I think that’s how he found you. You said once, Vampires tend to seek their own kind. I thought you meant people like you. It’s not. It’s the Vampire beast that searches. I don’t think they can hide from each other. Lucien, there might be others that find us. They might be just as deranged as Edmond was.”
Lucien weighed her words and saw the logic in them. The Clansmen needed to discuss this and decide what to do if another found its way to the valley. It wouldn’t be safe or fair for the settlers or the Indians.
EPILOGUE
The Clansmen mulled over the uneasy thought that another beast could find them. Ultimately, they decided to wait and hope they weren’t discovered. Other than Edmond, they’d remained undetected for centuries.
Lucien’s sadness was clear when he informed his friends what had happened to Turning Leaves when she’d left the tribe with Robby. Ariel wasn’t alone in her tears as she thought of the young Indian woman. By the time he told them about the clearing and the tortured bodies of the beautiful blonde Vampire mates, several of the Clansmen’s eyes were filled. No one understood what had persuaded them to have turned into the abusive couple that had joined Robby in the torturous games.
They discussed what to do about Patrick’s settlement. Nathan didn’t want the responsibility. He was intrigued with Ariel’s ideas about the mysterious Vampire that lived within them, and wanted to spend time researching answers. Damon offered to head the Clan and Nicholas decided to join him.
Lucien rode with them across the grasslands. He told the settlers the two Vampires and their mates would now take care of them. Lucien asked them not to mention Turning Leaves’ abuse at the Spring Celebration. The villagers readily agreed, still feeling guilty they hadn’t done more to stop it.
The Clans had already made the decision to join together for the harvests every ten years on opposite sides of the mountain. Now that the opportunity presented itself, they were excited at the thought of a capture every ten years.
Lucien returned Turning Leaves’ body to the tribe for burial. His only consolation about the beast his brother had become, was the obvious care that had been taken with the placement of her body on the carpet of needles on the forest floor. The smile on her face suggested she died in peace, clutching a raven feather in her hand.
Lucien hoped it was Edmond who had surfaced for that short while to comfort her during the creature’s killing frenzy. When Whispering Wheat and Yellow Hawk questioned why she wasn’t being buried near Robby, Lucien lied and said she’d drawn in the dirt that she wanted her journey to end at home, with her people. In his heart, he knew it was the truth.
Damon and Nicholas cried in anguish as they helped Lucien bury Patrick and Constance in the clearing they died in. It was a pretty, shaded spot. Lucien often sat on the log speaking to his old friend when he visited the settlement.
Edmond’s body was buried in the shade at the base of the tree he’d tied Ariel to. Mason melted down the manacles and inscribed them as a plate for a grave marker. The beast’s corrupt heart was buried on the other side of the grassland in the sun.
Clear Skies returned to the tribe as a hero. Fierce Bear grew hoarse, bellowing his warrior son’s vicious battle against the creature, adding the Indians’ flare for embellishment, of course. By the time the story reached the chief, the ferocious war between the two men lasted a full day and night.
Clear Skies was honored to receive an eagle feather from the ailing man himself. The old man chuckled when Clear Skies confided the fight lasted less than five minutes. “My growling son-in-law tells a good story,” the old man smiled. “I’m glad I stayed here long enough to hear a proud warrior tale.” The old man began his new journey, dying in his sleep that night. Wind Seeker became chief.
By Spring Celebration, Misting Waters was pregnant and became a constant companion to Gentle Wave as they discussed their hopes and dreams for their new babies.
Ariel left the Clan’s campsite with a wide brimmed hat and kerchief around her neck. She made sure her sleeves tucked into the cuffs of her gloves. As long as she was covered, she could now go into the sunlight for brief periods of time.
She wanted to meet Gentle Wave. Constance’s prediction that Mike would join the tribe and be happy entered her thoughts as she approached a teepee and saw a pretty girl sitting in Clear Skies’ lap. His strong arms were wrapped around her and his hands rested on her rounded belly.
“Gentle Wave, you’re beautiful,” Ariel said.
Gentle Wave bowed her head and blushed. “You used to scare me,” she admitted.
Ariel was alarmed. “I scared you?”
“I used to be jealous of all your colors. I used to think Clear Skies wouldn’t look at me because I only have the colors of the Indian.” Gentle Wave nervously faced her ghost.
Ariel reached out her gloved hand and lifted the young woman’s head. “Gentle Wave, don’t you realize how extraordinary you are?”
“I tell her every day, Ariel,” Clear Skies confirmed and kissed his princess on the cheek.
“You aren’t mad because I was jealous?” Gentle Wave looked up hopefully.
Ariel looked into the warm chocolate eyes. “I can’t imagine why you ever would have been. My journey with Clear Skies ended before we reached the valley.” Ariel nodded toward her large belly. “When is your baby due?”
Clear Skies glanced over Ariel’s shoulder and rolled his eyes. “Here we go again.”
Ariel turned and looked behind her, then up. Clear Skies’ scowling father-in-law stood behind her.
“It’s babies, Protector. My son, the warrior, Clear Skies, has seeded Gentle Wave with two babies,” he bellowed proudly.
Ariel leaned forward and whispered to Clear Skies, “Is he hard of hearing?”
Clear Skies laughed. “No, but I expect to be in a few years after being around him.” There was obvious affection in his voice for the frightening man.
She put her hand on the arm resting on Gentle Wave. “Y
ou look happy, warrior. I’m glad,” Ariel said softly.
“I have no ghosts, Ariel.” The bright blue eyes of the boy she knew on the flatlands smiled at her without the edge of impossible to meet expectations shadowing them. “I am more at peace than I ever thought possible.”
“That’s all any of us can hope for, I guess.” Ariel wished them well and rose, feeling the lethargy of the sun. She wandered off to find Lucien.
Doug and Allen strolled down the street and saw their former friend as he sat with Gentle Wave. “That’s fucked up. The bad boy gets the happily ever after?” Allen complained.
“I’m happy with you, Doc,” Doug said.
“Yeah, well I’m happy with you, too, news hound.”
Allen and Doug had moved to Damon’s new settlement so they’d have a doctor. They were anxiously awaiting the harvest in eight years when they’d hopefully each receive a woman. As much as they enjoyed each other’s company, Doug still hated being the bitch.
Zippo intercepted them as they headed back toward their camp and whispered excitedly, “Dude’s, I grabbed some wicked shit from Hannah’s garden for us.” The aged hippie sniffed the air. “Munchies are covered, man,” he smiled in his drug haze. The three men walked into the grasses after discovering over the past year that Zippo was right. Hannah’s magic herb was one of the most important things in the settlement.
On the last evening of the celebration, Ariel and Lucien were drawn to the prairie at sunset. All the mates were slowly adjusting and could tolerate a brief world of sunlit colors when the sun was just below the horizon.
Nicholas rested his arm on Christal’s shoulder. Damon pulled Paula close and her arm wrapped around his waist. Nathan had his arm around Teri, absently stroking one huge breast. Justin and Shawna stood with their heads tilted against each other. Lucien and Ariel joined them as they looked over the mauve colored peaceful valley that would be the undiscovered home of the Vampires and remnant Indian tribe, forever.
THE END
Dark Journey [Ariel's Desire 2] Page 22
