The Vampires of Soldiers Cove: One Crow Sorrow

by Jessica MacIntyre

  “Let’s give it a few minutes,” I said. Sitting and looking at this once beautiful lady who had now been reduced to a comatose skeleton I knew this was a death I’d never have. I’d never die of an illness. Whatever way my life would end at some point would be relatively quick by human standards. “Well, I guess that’s enough time,” I said. Ten minutes had passed, just enough for the morphine to really be hitting her system, but still I hesitated.

  “What is it?” Gavin asked.

  “She’s the last family I have.”

  “No, she’s not.” I always covered my face with my hair when I didn’t want people to see the emotion I was showing. Gavin seemed to instinctually know this and brushed it away. “I’m your family now. And so are Holly and Daniel, my parents, the entire clan, Rachel.”

  “I know,” I said, but deep down both of us knew I was crossing a bridge here that I was forever burning behind me. It usually took a lifetime for a vampire to lose their entire human family. I was losing mine in six months. I took her arm and brought my mouth to her wrist. I loosened my jaw and clenched it up again. It was taking a lot of effort for my fangs to run out. Normally before feeding they emerged like a shot, but this was different. I was killing a part of me that I wasn’t ready to let go of.

  Gavin took her frail, cold hand from me and placed it back down on the quilt. “Go sit on the couch,” he said.

  “I can’t ask you to do this.”

  “You didn’t. I’m offering,” he kissed my cheek. “Go sit on the couch, I’ll be out in a few minutes.” Gavin squeezed my hand. I didn’t want to ask him to bear this burden for me but he smiled warmly, assuring me he could handle it. With that I kissed Aunt Sarah good bye, told her that I loved her more than she ever knew or could know, and walked out of the room leaving the last of my blood connection to mankind behind forever.

  Dropping down into the soft couch I ran my hands over the crocheted afghan that had been draped over it ever since I can remember and told myself I wasn’t going to get upset. I wasn’t going to cry. A few minutes later the soft click of the bedroom door opening let me know it was over.

  I sat very still and just looked out the window. Gavin sat next to me taking hold of my hand, for a long time saying nothing.

  “It’s ok,” I said forcing a smile. “She never wanted to be sick like that, and now she’s not.” He squeezed.

  After a time we made the appropriate phone calls. The undertaker in St. Peter’s happened to be a vampire too so there’d be no looking into why Aunt Sarah had died so suddenly when she should have had a few weeks left. It would be covered up as it should.

  When we finally got home I was looking forward to willing myself to sleep that night. I just wanted to escape for a little while, but the message light on the phone was blinking. Gavin let it play out loud. A cheerful Holly was giving us a reminder about dinner. I had totally forgotten.

  “I’m sure she’ll understand if you’re not up to it,” Gavin said.

  I decided I had to suck it up. I had been way too emotional my entire life and I was determined to change that starting now. It would make things easier in the long run I thought. “No, I’ll go. It’ll be good to see everyone.”

  “As long as you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure,” I said forcing a smile. I headed into the shower alone and let a straight stream of hot water pour over me. My decision to be less emotional was short lived.

  Chapter Four

  Holly turned out to be quite a good cook for someone who ate so infrequently. She piled an enormous amount of food onto Alexander’s plate, and mine as well, because I was the youngest. I ate to be polite.

  “There’s lots left over if anybody wants seconds,” she said “Honey, did you say you wanted some dessert?” Daniel simply shook his head, ‘no’. There was an obvious tension in the air between them as they interacted that evening, barely making eye contact. We all felt the strain and were doing our best to dance around it. Alexander, the only one who didn’t notice, ate with a gusto I both remembered and envied. Once you’ve had blood, food holds very little interest, and having to eat is more nuisance than enjoyment. By and large this was one bunch that wouldn’t be having seconds. Her parents hardly touched their plates, and Gavin, who sat in subdued silence most of the night, didn’t seem to be himself anyway.

  After much coaxing for all of us to eat more Holly finally gave up and started clearing the plates. As she did a knife fell from her hands and clanged onto the floor. Her mother bent down and handed it back to her.

  “Falls to the floor, comes to the door,” she said.

  “Oh Ma, do you still say that?” It was funny to hear Holly accuse her mother of being old fashioned seeing as how they were both so ancient.

  “It’ll be a man,” her father said. “Better watch out Daniel. He might be more handsome than you.”

  “That’s impossible,” Daniel said trying to feign sincerity. Everyone laughed and for a moment it seemed that the heaviness in the air had lifted.

  I felt a strange presence just then about half a second before anyone else realized he was in the room. A very handsome man of about thirty with a very pale completion, cropped black hair and remarkable brown eyes was standing in the kitchen with us.

  “Room for one more?” he said. The plates Holly had been clearing fell from her hands and the sound of breaking glass filled the room.

  “Ian!” Gavin jumped up and hugged him so hard that it almost knocked the man to the floor. I hadn’t witnessed Gavin smile this wide since seeing the young woman’s picture the night before. All at once the burden of that event seemed to be forgotten and he was totally wrapped up in the joy of seeing this man, whoever he was. His parents were smiling too; Holly and Daniel however, were not. Daniel had retrieved the broom and dustpan from a closet and was busy cleaning up the plates, but Holly just stood there, frozen.

  “Rachel,” Gavin said taking Ian around to my side of the table, “this is my brother Ian.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said extending my hand and forcing my biggest smile. I could tell Holly was uncomfortable and I didn’t want to let her know that I had noticed.

  “Well brother, nice to see you’ve done well for yourself. We were all worried about you for a while.” He shook my hand. Both his parents greeted him warmly and then he slowly made his way to his sister and brother-in-law. “It’s nice to see you Holly,” he kissed her on the cheek.

  “It’s good to see you too Ian,” she sounded sincere so I concluded that perhaps it was just the shock of seeing him without warning that made her react so strangely. Ian and Daniel simply shook hands without any verbal pleasantries, a polite silent understanding passing between them with a simple nod.

  “And this is Alexander,” Gavin said bringing him to the other side of the table where the lone human was sitting. Ian froze for a moment looking around at the other vampires for some explanation.

  “It’s ok,” his mother said, “this is your brother. We’ve offered him a turning. The ceremony is in three weeks.”

  A smile spread across Ian’s lips as he slowly extended his hand to the young man. Alexander nervously reached out to greet the new vampire. “Well in that case,” Ian said, “It’s good to meet you kid. I look forward to your ceremony. I’ve not seen a proper turning in about a century. Welcome.”

  They shook hands, Ian clasping him on the shoulder as he did so, and Alexander relaxed. “Thank you,” he said.

  Gavin was still beaming. He obviously loved and looked up to his brother very much so why hadn’t he mentioned him in the time we’d been together? “Sit down,” he said. Ian took a seat directly across from us. Like a good host Holly offered him some human food, but he said he’d eaten only a week ago and so he declined. “It’s been twenty-five years you arsehole,” Gavin said. “Why haven’t you gotten in touch?”

  Twenty-five years? I thought. That is a large chunk of time for anyone to go without speaking to their family, even for vampires.

  “I
know, I’m sorry,” he said. “I was enjoying the jungle so much that I just kind of lost track of the decades. You know, there are tribes in the wilds of Africa who’ve never seen another human. No ties with the modern world at all. They live totally off the land. No pollution or fast food. My god you should taste the blood, it’s so pure.”

  Ian regaled us with stories of his travels. Gavin’s parents asked questions but Gavin was simply fascinated. He was hanging on Ian’s every word. Holly and Daniel listened politely, and it seemed that the tension between them was growing. The more Ian talked, the more they looked like they both wanted to jump out of their skin.

  Alexander sat in captive silence not knowing what to say, and even if he had known he was too frightened to interject. I could hear his thoughts clearly and he was mentally shaking his head over the bizarre nature of the whole situation. I knew how he felt.

  “Are you going to stay in the sanctuary?” Gavin asked when the evening was drawing to a close.

  “It’s late, and I don’t want to bother anyone. If I know Angus he’s probably in his reading chair for the night. I’ll just go stalking, see what’s in these woods. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Soldiers Cove at night.” Just then he yawned.

  “When is the last time you slept?” Gavin asked.

  Ian rubbed his face, running his hand down his chin and elongated neck. “It’s been awhile,” he said.

  “You’ll spend the night with us then. Right Rachel?”

  “Of course,” I said.

  Ian looked uncomfortable all of a sudden. “I don’t know, I don’t want to put anyone out. I’ll be ok in the woods, honestly.”

  “Oh come off it,” Gavin said, “don’t be like that. We have a bed, you’re coming back to the house with us.”

  Ian yawned again. “I think that would be wise,” his mother said. “You look like you’re about to fall over.”

  Finally he relented. “Alright, just for tonight.”

  We arrived home and I put the guest room together for him with new sheets on the bed and fresh towels. It felt strange after years of living alone to suddenly not only have a husband but a house guest and a dog. It was getting crowded.

  Ian came into the guest room just as I was finishing up. “I hope I haven’t put you out Rach.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I said. “You’re family.”

  “I suppose we are,” he said giving me a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “Has Gavin ever said anything about me?”

  “I can’t say that he has.”

  Ian lowered his head in a sudden wave of remorse, his eyes reddening slightly. “Gavin and I were really close before I left. I always regretted leaving him. He needed me. I heard about all the things he went through, but by then, what was done was done. It makes me happy that he’s found a good woman though,” he smiled. “I can tell by the way he talks about you that you make him very happy.”

  “Well, he makes me happy,” I said.

  “Then that’s really all one can ask in life isn’t it?”

  “I suppose it is,” I said. As nice as Ian was and as much as I would have liked to be awake I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was physically and mentally exhausted. “I’m happy you’re here, Ian. I can see how happy Gavin is just having you around. I hope you can stay for a while.”

  “I plan to,” he said.

  “Good. Well if you’ll excuse me I have to go to bed. I’m still kind of getting my bearings with this whole not sleeping every night thing.”

  “Understandable. And Gavin told me about your Aunt. I’m sorry for your loss,” he said. “I didn’t know her, but I did know your mother.”

  “Thank you. We’ll definitely have to talk then; I’d like to hear everything you remember.”

  “Of course.”

  “Good night,” I said sliding past him and out into the hallway. Ian shut his door.

  Gavin was already in bed still beaming over being reunited with his brother. “What do you think of Ian?” I could tell he wanted me to love him as much as he did.

  “He seems like a great guy. It really means a lot for you to have him here doesn’t it?”

  “Oh yeah,” he said. “When I was first turned Ian was there trying to guide me. I never listened, but he never judged me either. One of the only people who didn’t. Not that I didn’t deserve to be judged, but you know, some people are just on your side no matter what, and Ian is one of them. He’s loyal like that.”

  “Why did he leave? And how come you never talked to him or mentioned him?”

  “This one time, after I went on a….rampage,” Gavin said, his voice choking on the word, heavy with the memory. “I came back and he had left. He had some kind of falling out with Holly.”

  “Yeah she didn’t seem as enthused to see him as you were.”

  “She’s not. Not yet anyway. I have a feeling everything is gonna be ok though. They’ll make it right. They always do.” Gavin was smiling again at the prospect of having his brother around.

  “It’s good to see you smiling again,” I said stifling a yawn. “I was a little worried after last night and all.”

  “I shouldn’t have done that, I don’t know what came over me.”

  “You’re a decent person that’s what came over you. Of course you feel bad about that woman, but you shouldn’t judge yourself either. I think we both know the kill is instinctual sometimes.” Gavin became thoughtful for a moment, the memory of his encounter with the young woman dancing behind his eyes.

  “Yes it certainly is,” he said. “Anyway, you need sleep. I can see you’re drained.” He turned the light off and put his arm around me pulling me close. “Everything is just fine now, no more worries.”

  “Good,” I said. “Are you sleeping too?”

  “No,” he said, pulling my body up close against his. “I just want to be close to you. I want you right here with me.” Gavin tightened his arm around my waist and nestled his head into back of my neck, giving a deep sigh of contentment. “I don’t like it when we’re apart. It feels like…”

  “Feels like what?”

  “Feels like I’m less, like I’m constricted somehow. When you aren’t with me it’s like I have to go find you or I’ll crawl out of my skin. I need you so much. I know people say that when they’re in love, but I mean it. I feel like I literally need you to keep living. If anything were to happen…”

  “It’s the blood bond,” I said. Holly and I had talked at length about blood bonds, and how sometimes one would feel it more intensely than the other. Gavin seemed to be having a very bad case of it with me. “It’ll pass.”

  “God, Rachel. If you weren’t here I couldn’t go on.” I turned to face him and cradled my face in my hands. “Promise me you’ll always be careful.”

  “I promise,” I said, “everything’s fine honey. Why don’t you try and get some sleep too. It might help ease your mind. This thinking will work itself out, Holly said so.” With that he nodded and kissed me, and we both closed our eyes.

  We were safe and secure in our little house, and so we let ourselves be pulled under into the darkness of our dreams.

  Chapter Five

  I woke the next morning to the sound of Gavin and Ian laughing over coffee. Stumbling bleary eyed into the kitchen I plunked myself down at the table with them.

  “Good morning,” Gavin said leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. “I hope we didn’t wake you up.”

  “No. I gotta start making phone calls anyway.”

  A look of sober realization came over Gavin’s face. “Oh geez I forgot. I’m sorry honey. Do you need any help?”

  Aunt Sarah had mostly pre planned her funeral so there wasn’t much to do, but enough to keep me busy for the day. I had to call and let everyone know, and also email the obituary to the newspaper in Sydney, which I had not yet written. “I can handle it,” I said.

  “I was going to steal your husband for a few hours today if that’s ok,” Ian said. “We used to go running on the trails and I thought
maybe we could do that for old time’s sake.”

  “I can’t,” Gavin said, putting his arm around me. “I have to stay here with Rachel, just in case...” I could tell he didn’t know how to finish that sentence. “Rachel might need me,” he said, his voice trailing off as he reached up, protectively stroking my hair.

  I caught his hand in mid stroke and gave him my best reassuring smile. “I think it might do you some good. You should go.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I had made up my mind that I wasn’t going to let him. I needed to think, and he needed to work to get over the rough patch he was experiencing with the blood bond.

  “You two go ahead. I have to write the obituary anyway. Might take a while.” Gavin looked back and forth between the two of us, not wanting to disappoint either one. “I insist,” I said.