Ever After

by Heather McBride

  “You need to get your facts straight Sara, I know where William was all day yesterday!” I snapped. “He sure as hell wasn’t with Amy, or anybody else for that matter!” Sara despite my raging reaction to her bald face lie about Will, only gave me a smile she seemed pleased with my reaction.

  “Well Corrine, I just know William is a very good looking young man, and with you so ill and homebound. Well… I could see him getting bored. I would be careful if I were you, other girls might just have their eye on him with you stuck here at home. I’ve been around for a bit Corrine, I know how men are, and they get bored easily you have to be prepared. I’m only looking out for you, as your step mother.”

  I wanted to scream, Will was so not like every other guy, as Gran had told me before I even met him when she saw him in her vision. Will was my soul mate, unwilling and pretty much unable to love another as he loves me. My friends were always amazed at how he ignored other girls who openly flirted with him, at school and just when we went out. He never even paid any attention he had eyes only for me.

  I felt hot and dizzy suddenly, the room seemed to be spinning. I tried to take a deep breath, but felt an all too familiar pain creeping back into my chest. One word popped in my head as I stood there trying to look normal in front of Sara, (stress). I was to avoid it at all costs; it could send my body into shock or maybe even worse. I had let Sara upset me, and now I could do nothing to stop what I was feeling now.

  Sara narrowed her eyes seeing something was wrong with me. I turned around and held on to the counter top, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to pull it together. I had no idea what was going to happen, I had to keep from looking to weird, or Sara might suspect something. If she thought something was strange about me, it could expose the coven and I would be to blame, because I lost my temper.

  “Corrine, are you alright you look sick?” I kept my back to her, unable to move. The tone in her voice was not one of concern but of triumph, she had set out to upset me obviously, and now she had succeeded.

  “I’m fine. I’m just going to go up to my room for awhile.” I quickly answered her.

  My chest felt like it was on fire. I put one arm around my middle, trying to stop the feeling that my ribs might possibly crack at any moment. I got out of the kitchen and away from Sara’s sight, to the staircase. I got to the third step, and doubled over in mind-blowing pain. I could do nothing but curl into a ball. I laid my head on the third step, still holding my chest with my arms, panting.

  I could feel I was starting to sweat, but yet I felt like I was freezing as my body shook with cold chills. I closed my eyes, not knowing what to do. Gran had gone to the store and I knew Will wouldn’t be back until this afternoon, from classes. I needed Doc or Pratt now, but my cell phone was upstairs, it might as well have been in Siberia, because I couldn’t get to it.

  Gran came in the front door, just as I grabbed the banister and tried to pull myself up. I slid back down; the pain was too much for me. I looked up at her, tears streaming down my cheeks. She dropped her bags and ran to me knelt on the floor.

  “It’s ok child, breathe for me ok? I will get help.” She whipped out her cell phone, and pressed speed dial. Doc was on the line in seconds. I laid my head in her lap as she spoke to him.

  “Doc, it’s Rose you need to come now, Corrine is sick I just found her on the floor in pain.” She paused to listen to Doc’s reply. “OK… yes, I will see you in a minute.”

  “Is he coming?” I gasped, trying to keep from getting my runny nose on Gran’s good coat.

  “Yes, they will both be here shortly, it will be ok honey.” She stroked my hair and tried to help me slow my breathing down, as I was in panic mode.

  “William?” I simply asked, I wanted her to call him, but couldn’t finish the sentence before more gut wrenching pains gripped my stomach.

  “He’s already here.” She smiled as he walked through the front door. His eyes met mine and he ran to me, dropping to the stairs where I lay.

  “Corrine, what happened?” He gently picked me up off the floor and held me in his arms, as I shook. I leaned my head onto his chest, the pain making me weak; each wave seemed to get worse.

  “I found her here, when I got back from the store, she’s been terribly upset by something William,” says Gran.

  “I can just imagine who got her this worked up!” He cast a look of pure hate toward the kitchen. He already knew who made me flip. He was not a seasoned vamp, so he had limited mind reading abilities, but he somehow could always tell what was going on with me. He carried me up to my room, and laid me on my bed. Gran quickly got Libby, who had been taking her late afternoon vamp nap in the room adjoining mine.

  Libby gave me a painkiller, approved by Pratt to be used in an emergency like this. I was shaking so badly, you would have thought it was zero degrees in my room. Will smoothed the hair from my eyes. Gran got a damp washcloth out to put on my head. I had chills but Libby said I was running a very high temperature. I wanted to talk, but I seemingly had no strength left to say a word, my body was drained.

  “What do you think happened?” Gran asked as she adjusted the wet rag on my head.

  “It could be a setback. Pratt and Doc have been worried about her having one. Pratt told me Emma had three before she fully changed,” Will said with as he shook his head.

  “Pratt’s a good man.” Gran said smiling down at me.

  “Yes he is. I just hope he knows what to do for Corrine when he gets here.” He pulled me closer to him. I could feel his heart beating.

  “I hope he knows too.” Gran’s voice was cracking as she was about to cry.

  I hated to see her like this, it seemed every time I turned around something was going wrong with me. I had just thought this week finally I was getting better. Finally, my life might actually be normal soon, and Will and I could just enjoy being together for once, with no drama. It seemed like forever now as we waited for Doc and Pratt, all I could do was try to stay calm and pray they could stop the pain I was feeling now.

  Doc and Pratt came up stairs led by Sara, who had on her “I don’t know what happened to her face”. Pratt looked severely annoyed as he followed behind her. Pratt was an elder vampire; he could read minds and human emotions in seconds, the same as Doc. I knew they could see into Sara’s shallow mind, and see what she had done to me in the kitchen.

  I saw Sara look nervously at Pratt, as he cut her off when she tried to tell them, she had no idea what had happened to me.

  “You will need to excuse myself and Doc, we have to examine Corrine. I would advise you to call her father please, right now if you would.” Pratt’s voice was cold and unfriendly, as he stared Sara directly in the eyes. Will remained and nobody questioned that, Doc would never ask Will to leave me. I opened my eyes as Pratt listened to my heart.

  “Did something upset you Corrine?” Pratt asks as he looks into my eyes, and continued to examine me.

  “Sort of,” I said in a whisper, which was all I could manage to get out. I knew Pratt could see into my mind, what Sara had said, and he knew she had caused me to have this episode.

  “That woman, she knows exactly what she is doing to you!” Pratt hissed as he folded up his stethoscope. Doc looked up from reading my chart, concern filled his face.

  “She wouldn’t,” was all Doc said speaking to Pratt.

  Pratt frowned. “She would and she has upset Corrine on purpose. She is not happy to see Corrine recovering. The woman is typically money hungry as many humans are. Corrine is an obstacle to her, she wants all John’s money when he dies, and due she is much younger than him she will indeed see that fortune someday.”

  I felt sick now, thinking of the conversation Will and I had in Maine. He had been worried Sara was after my inheritance then, and now it seems he was right. I looked at him and gave and apologetic smile. He smiled back and ran his hand gently along my cheek. I had always known she resented me. I just never thought she would want me dead.

  Anytime when dad wou
ld spend time with me, she would have some kind of crisis, and call him away. It seemed to be a contest with her, as if I was trying to damage her relationship with dad, and I really wasn’t. I didn’t like her, no question there, but if she made him happy then I would never try to break them up or anything like that.

  There were very few times I can remember her trying to get close to me. I was very young when they married, only five years old. I was happy at first, to have a “mommy” now who lived in our house. I had crazy delusions of a cookie-baking, story reading step mommy, who would fill the void in my life where my own mother was supposed to be. I had spent years watching other girls with their moms.

  I envied them when in kindergarten they would come to Mom’s day. Gran came of course but I wanted my mom, like the other girls. I had thought when dad married her I would finally get my one. I was sadly mistaken. I was nothing but a pest to Sara, something she had to tolerate living in her perfect home. I learned that pretty quickly even for a little kid. It was easy to figure out when somebody doesn’t want you around.

  “I don’t like it Doc, not at all. I feel Corrine is in danger in this house.” Pratt’s voice cut into the pity party going on inside my head.

  I saw a tender look from Doc as he watched me, damn it I always forgot those two could read my mind. I gave him a weak smile. He was feeling sorry for me. I could tell it in the way he looked at me now. Will had been silent only listening to his elder coven leaders, talking until now.

  “I told you that woman means to harm Corrine, she is not safe here at all.” Will took my hand in his. Pratt got out a double dose of serum, and prepared a syringe to give me the high dose. I closed my eyes as he took my wrist in his hand. I barely felt the needle prick my skin.

  “This, will help Corrine, it’s a minor setback.” He sighed putting the needle away. “This time, anyway. I agree with Will you are not safe here and we must not allow you to become upset again. One more thing like this, and I fear your heart, will not hold up under the strain.”

  Pratt looked at Doc I could tell they were having a “mind” conversation as I called them. Will sat on the edge of my bed and cupped my cold hands in his. I had gone from being on fire to feeling so cold I could barely stand it. Doc and Pratt discussed in their own way, how best to handle this. They would talk to us when they were done.

  They were the elders we respected them and let them handle this situation. Being as old as they were, they had more experience with dealing with humans and would know how to handle Sara and protect me. I was happy they seemed to always know what to do, because I know I didn’t.

  “Has she been around you a lot since you got home?” Doc asked.

  “No not really she stays down stairs or on her end of the house I think.” I tried to think of when she was around but my mind froze up when another pain crept up my spine. I gasped and put my head down. William wrapped his arms around me, and whispered into my ear, that it was going to be ok.

  “Will, we need to get her in a semi up right position, so she can breathe better.” Will and Pratt adjusted the pillows and I did find it easier to breath, and the pain let up some. “Corrine you need to keep in that position. Laying down puts too much pressure on your lungs right now and any pressure on them must be avoided.” Pratt looked at Libby and Will then with more instructions.

  “I also don’t want her getting cold either, she must be kept warm it is critical. She is losing her ability to maintain a core body temperature due to the venom in her system. Her heart still needs a body temperature above at least 75, or she will have heart failure. Libby I want her temp tracked from now on, and extra blankets brought in.”

  “Yes Dr.Pratt, I will keep track of all her readings and put them in her chart for you. I would suggest a heating blanket perhaps, to help keep her warm?” Libby smiled, her curly hair pulled into a nurse like bun. I had to guess she had been barely twenty when she had become a vamp, she looked about as old as Will and I.

  “William, I want you to stay with Corrine, at all times now, it’s not safe here with that lunatic step mother of hers lurking around this house. Pratt and I will get the arrangements for us to leave for France in order in the next two days. I want her out of this house as soon as we can manage to do it without raising too much suspicion.”

  Doc began to put his black wool over coat back on even though cold did not bother him as a vampire of course. It had started to snow again, and the wind was howling outside. Pratt grabbed his coat as well preparing to leave. Plans had to be made, and I knew Doc and Pratt would waste no time making them.

  “Yes William, Doc, and I agree that Sara may try something with Corrine being weak again. I do not want her alone in this house with that woman.” Pratt frowned and shook his head.

  “No problem, I’m here pretty much all the time anyway. I will call my professors and tell them I have a family emergency and will be out of class for awhile as well.” Will smiled lovingly at me.

  Doc and Pratt excused themselves and headed back to the coven house. Doc told us he was calling a meeting with the other elders tonight to get the plans set for our departure to France as soon as possible. Pratt wanted no more setbacks, he was worried my heart would not survive another one, and getting me to France to complete the change was the best thing to do now.

  Doc also had Roth and Taylor watching Sara. They would know her every move and she would not be allowed near me or anything I ate under any circumstances. Doc gave me extra pain medication so I could sleep that night. I curled into Will’s arms and went to sleep as Doc and Pratt headed to Gran’s room to fill her in before they left. Gran always knew what was going on, at all times. I liked that, she and Doc were good friends and he wanted to ease her mind about me and not have her worry.

  Libby settled in and was reading when dad got home. Gran had called him and he left the office early to see about me. I was really glad he ran into Doc and Pratt on their way out. They gave him a good story so he wouldn’t ask too many questions. We couldn’t have him thinking I was getting sicker now, as I was to be going to France to study for the last semester of my junior year.

  If he thought I was sick, again he would make it hard for me to go. I knew Doc and Pratt would smooth over the details and have him agreeable to my upcoming trip out of the country. I knew tomorrow Will would be with me all day, and things would be much better. I could hope they would be much better, anyway.

  Chapter 16

  Momentary quiet

  It had been a quiet day, thankfully after yesterday’s drama. Will was with me all day except for when he had to hide in my bathroom when dad came in for his routine morning visit before he went to work. Sara had left early that morning, she was going shopping in New York with friends of hers from college, Gran had told us. I was so glad she was gone for the day and Will wouldn’t have to hide.

  Doc and Pratt stopped by about ten that morning, and Pratt gave me another double dose of serum and a quick check up. Emma and Lydia had come with them, to visit me. Lydia brought me some flowers and Emma had made me some cookies, she said she had to make a double batch since Roth and Riley ate the first one. I laughed at that, those two ate anything and everything; they had definitely not lost their taste for human foods.

  It was now late evening, and we had all ate supper, made lovingly by Gran. Roasted turkey, peas, mashed potatoes, and peach pie for dessert. I had missed the meals she made; they always reminded me of when I was little. Gran loved to cook and took every chance she could to do so.

  Sara had thrown fits when she used her precious designer kitchen, so Gran had her own made in the east end of the house. It was actually, where the kitchen was at the turn of the century and perfect for her to use. Dad had it updated of course and put in all the things Gran wanted to make it efficient for her to use.

  I had eaten so much I felt like popping, Gran knew that was my favorite meal. Will ate a ton too; he ate quite a bit more human food now, than he did before Vincent’s attack.

  I sti
ll worried he was not recovering, as he slept more than I did at night. Pratt and Doc promised me he was going to be fine very soon and not to worry about it. I curled up to watch TV as Will slept on the couch, and Libby had gone off to her room already after getting me all settled for the night. Things were quiet, and I wasn’t complaining about that at all.

  I didn’t think much as I heard voices downstairs. I expected Gran’s book club had just got done with their meeting. It was Tuesday night and that was their regular meeting night. I was going to sit in, as I loved to read, but was feeling kind of tired so I decided to go to bed early. Libby gave me my last serum dose for the day and all was quiet. I had felt pretty good all day, just really tired. Pratt said as long as I stayed warm, and had my serum doses on schedule I would be feeling as good as I had been before the “Sara” incident.