“I don’t think it’s wise to be moving her at all, in fact for the next week, it is not an option.” Pratt’s words were firm, and not up for negotiation.
I knew this but I also knew my dad. He would have the cops called if Doc refused to let me come home, or let him visit me. I could not risk the coven’s privacy again. I had to do what I could to protect them, as they were my family as well now.
“If I have to go home for a few days, I can do it. I can be tough.” I sighed. Dr. Pratt moved closer to me and looked me in the eyes, a frown on his perfect pale face.
“Corrine it’s not about being tough. You can’t push yourself, for anybody for any reason. I understand your father may want you home, but until you are stronger, I will not allow you. If need be I will pay your father a visit and help him to understand why you cannot be home right now. I am sure I can help him to understand me.”
“Yes, Pratt can be very persuasive; he has a way of handling human minds. It’s a gift very few vamps have.” Doc chuckled.
“Ok than.” I smiled. “We will see if we can stall him. I really think I do need a few days before I can get around anyway.”
I spent the next few days three to be exact recovering. It seemed my life had become and endless merry go round of accidents and recovery periods. I was really getting over it. I wanted the drama to end, the stress and all the uncertainty as well. I knew Doc was dealing with Leo as everyone else focused on me.
I could hear him speaking with the elders about threats Leo was making against the Followers. It seemed since the incident in the woods, Leo was totally ticked off at Doc, and he wanted to kill him and any of the Followers he could get to. It was hard to believe that he and Doc were brothers. The two were so drastically different, it was crazy.
I also learned that Todd had angered Leo and the Dark coven as well. It seems Todd was to have kid napped William, not me that night. Todd had defied Leo. He devised his own plan, which Leo later approved of, to use me as bait to lure the Followers to the stone house to rescue me.
Leo knew how much Doc cared about William so he wanted him. Leo wanted to hurt or kill anyone or anything that Doc loved, to get at him. Doc and the coven were now extremely worried about William’s safety. Leo would steal him or kill him now, and take whatever chance he had to do so. Doc had Will and I guarded at all times. We were never to be alone.
Lydia was stressed tremendously, knowing the risks her only child was facing. I could see the strain on her beautiful face as she watched William whenever he was in the room. It hurt me to see her stare at him, as if she was trying to etch every detail of him in her mind in case something happened.
I watched Will myself now, each day. I could see he was weak and tired; he dozed off all the time. I talked to Doc and Pratt, and they too were worried about him. Will would not let them examine him at all, no matter how much they asked. Doc was worried about how much danger Will was in and with him so weak, he was vulnerable to an attack by the Dark coven.
Pratt confided in me that the only way for Will to fully recover, was to consume human blood from a living donor. The amount he would need would kill any human. I knew he would rather die than take a human life. I loved that he was so noble, but I could not watch him get weaker by the day. I knew he was trying hard to hide how bad he felt in front of me.
I could see the strain in his eyes, he was suffering, and he wouldn’t let me help him. Pratt sat Lydia and me down one afternoon a few days later to talk to us about Will. Roth had Will preoccupied with a game on his x-box along with Taylor and Riley. This was a conversation I had been dreading.
Pratt told us it would be a full year before Will would re cover without the human blood. A year was a very long time. It was especially dangerous for Will since he was a target for the Dark coven. It was highly possible they would try to kidnap him, or even kill him, and with him so weak, he could never fight them off.
Pratt also told us he was prone to becoming sick, even from simple human illness. He was also showing more and more traits of becoming human. It would make him more vulnerable to illness and death, the longer he went without human blood.
The fourth morning of my recovery dawned. I woke as the sun was rising, a slice of sunlight shone through the heavy red velvet drapes on to my bed. Will was curled up in the armchair next to the fireplace, which was blazing. It was now early December and the weather was bitterly cold.
I could hear the wind beating the house and it made me shiver. I watched Will sleeping, he looked like an angel. His thick eyelashes fanned out on his perfect cheekbones. He looked like a Greek sculpture motionless and peaceful. I sighed softly, thinking back to our carefree summer.
I guess the cold weather made me think of all the picnics and warm afternoons we spent together. I had to wonder if we would ever get to be that way again. If it was even possible to be, worry free, and just simply happy. I wanted a quiet life, not one like a roller coaster.
The recent discussion we had with Doc, Pratt and some of the other coven members just yesterday rolled around in my head. My dad was getting very hard to deal with now; he was calling Doc five or six times a day. I had called him, each day since my resurfacing (or whatever) but he was desperate to have me come home.
I told him it would be hard, but he wouldn’t stop, he seemed to think I joined a cult or something. I know he was wanting to see if I came home wearing black eye liner and sporting tribal tattoos no doubt. I imagined Sara was putting doubts in his head about Doc and what he was doing with me so far from home.
This brought about the decision for me to return home, briefly for a visit right before Christmas. Dad could not be put off any longer and I really felt strong enough to handle the trip and even Sara. It being the holidays explained a lot of why dad was so hell bent on getting me home. My mother had died shortly after Christmas, and it was always a very emotional time for both of us, but especially him.
Will was extremely upset. He was afraid I would get sick while we traveled home, or the Dark coven might try to kidnap me again or worse. I had to admit those things were on my mind too. It was only a short trip home of course but still risky.
Pratt had increased my serum doses to make me stronger, and medically I was cleared to go. I was really excited to see dad again. I worried after I completely transformed it might be hard to see him if at all.
Pratt as we had originally planned wanted to take me back to France to complete my change. It was safer there, he said. He had a laboratory and a full medical staff to assist him. Emma assured me I would love their estate in France. Will had been there many times, with his mother when they were hiding from Vincent over the years.
Chapter 35
Home Again
The snow was letting up as the morning wore on. Emma and Sayann came into my room later bustling about readying me for the trip home. Emma was dressed in a black turtleneck and a long jean skirt; her long auburn hair pulled into a tight bun on top her head. I smiled thinking how she looked like a school librarian I once had, not a vampire.
Sayann looked much like me, in her faded jeans and an old Green Day t –shirt. Her long silky black hair was pulled into a simple ponytail. She could have been any girl in my classes at Harvard, she would fit right in. I was still amazed at how they appeared to be so normal. If I did not know, what they all really were. I would never have guessed just by looking.
“Ready for the trip?” Emma asked cheerfully, as she pulled out a suitcase to help me pack. “Doc wants to leave in an hour, so we need to get going.”
“Oh ok,” I said stretching out slowly, my body was still sore from the long hellish night in the woods. I winced as my neck felt really stiff. I put my hand on the heavily bandaged spot on my neck. I tried to forget about Todd ever biting me, but it was hard sometimes.
“Are you ok?” Sayann asked placing a hand on my arm, concern filled her dark eyes. “I can get Doc to give you something for the pain?”
“No I’m ok, it will go away, the pain med
s make me tired, and I hate that.” I sighed.
Will woke up at the sound of our voices; lately he seemed to sleep more than he was awake. He slowly got up blinking hard. I got a glimpse of the boy he had once been, as he gave me a boyish grin and a wink.
“What’s going on?” He asked his voice husky from sleep.
“Time to go sleepy head. Doc’s asked us to get ready for Corrine to return home.” Sayann smiled.
“Oh, I forgot we were to leave today.” I looked down at my hands to hide the concern in my eyes that I knew Will would see. It was another thing on a list of many that I noticed about him. His once magnificent memory was getting worse by the day.
“I still don’t think this is a very good idea. I think we should go back up to Maine and set the fake clinic up and have your dad come there.”
“No, we haven’t enough time Will.” Emma sighed as she pulled out a shirt for me to wear.
“We haven’t much choice, and her father is not going to wait any longer. This is something we just have to do and get it over with.” Will grumbled as he picked up his knit hat, and shoved it on his head.
“Of course.” Was all he said, as he got up and walked over to me.
Our eyes met and as usual, my mind went blank. I wanted to swim in the deep blue of his eyes; they reminded me of the clear ocean waters I had seen as a little girl. I could lose myself in them, and forget all we had to face in the near future. I knew he could put me in a trance with his vampire abilities but this was not a worry for me.
It was indeed a trance he had me in, but it was one of true and unwavering love and devotion. I could feel it and see it in the way he stared deeply into my eyes, into my very soul. I closed my eyes as he leaned in and kissed me. I heard Sayann sigh as she watched us, but I didn’t care. I was not embarrassed by our affection, and I knew Will wasn’t either.
“I hate to bug you love birds, but Doc said for you guys to be ready to go in an hour.” Roth’s smooth voice broke into our little world. “Another snow storm is moving in, and he wants to get Corrine home before it hits.”
“Roth you have the worst timing!” Will snapped, shooting him an annoyed look.
“Well sorry, but we do have places to go ok” He winked at me, making me laugh. I noticed Sayann watching Roth silently. I had a feeling she was checking him out, maybe those two would work out someday?
Roth looked like a typical college football player, tall, spiky blonde hair, perfect skin. I expected those two to be interested in each other soon. I saw Roth look at Sayann, and she quickly turned away, if she could have blushed, she would have right then I’m sure.
“I’ll be down stairs, waiting. Oh and Will, Doc has some stuff to talk to you about before we leave so come on with me.” He waved Will to follow him. Will kissed me again and followed Roth out of the room.
“Let’s get you dressed then, Corrine.” Emma held up a shirt and jeans. “It’s really cold so we better dress you in layers.”
“Ok,” I shrugged. I felt nervous now, as the time to really leave the safety of the coven house was upon me. I knew I was safe here, but at home, I was not so sure. The many times bad things happened to me, they happened there. I knew the coven would be protecting both Will and I, but I still worried.
“You ok there?” Sayann saw my tense face.
“Sure, just nervous I guess.” I frowned.
“Don’t be, Doc has this all under control, you will be safe and so will William. The coven is ready to protect you both.” She gave me a warm smile.
“Yes Corrine, let Doc, and Pratt take care of all that; you focus on yourself for now ok dear?” Emma patted my knee.
“Ok,” I smiled. “I will try.” It was hard to be convincing but I had to try.
I knew they were all trying hard to make me feel safe and I owed them that. I knew in a short time I would be home, and have to face dad and Sara once again. I was not worry about dad, he would be happy to see me. I really couldn’t wait to see him, it had not been that long but the past week had been stressful to say the least and many times, I never thought I would see him again.
I was dressed and ready to go now, it was a long and painful process Emma, and Sayann helped me get my jeans and a sweater on. I was stronger, but after being in bed so long my legs were a bit shaky.
“How are you ladies doing this morning?” Pratt’s voice made me look up as Emma sat me down in the chair next to the fireplace.
“Very well dear, Corrine’s is ready to go.” Emma smiled lovingly at him.
“Very good, we are about ready to go down stairs as well. Doc is finishing up some phone calls and then he will be ready to go. I have the car waiting in the garage, it is warming up.” He looked out the window and shook his head. “The weather is going to turn again. We need to leave soon, so we can get Corrine home before the heavy snow comes in.”
“Oh we will be ready.” Sayann smiled as she folded up some of my clothes and put them in my suitcase.
“Doc and I do need to speak with all of you shortly, before we leave though.” The change in his voice was drastic.
The issue we needed to talk about could not be good, whatever it was. I could see his eyes get darker, as he said it. This was just great another stupid complication, just what we needed. I was really starting to think I was jinxed or something.
“Doc will help me to explain it, as it concerns his brother Leo and the Dark coven. I feel you all need to understand what we have to do right now.” I sat silently with the others now waiting for Doc to get here. Will, Roth, Taylor, and Riley came in a few minutes later. Will sat next to me and took my hand.
“Doc and I spoke with the other coven members earlier this morning, not all of them are involved per say, but as Followers they are at risk.”
“Risk?’ Roth blurted out; Taylor elbowed him in the ribs.
“Let then tell us when Doc gets here man, hang on ok!” Taylor scolded.
“Fine.” Roth was ticked off at Taylor now.
“Easy you two, Doc’s on his way up here now.” Pratt sighed as he sat down by the window.
He seemed tired, if that were possible since he was a vamp. I knew he and Doc had been under immense pressure, it had to be wearing on them somewhat. The tension was thick in the air, as nobody said a word. I knew Leo had to have been making threats or something, it would only make sense after Sayann and I escaped and Roth killed Todd.
Doc came in, a very tense smile on his face. That told me all I needed to know. This news he had, the “thing” we had to discuss was not good at all.
“Ok… glad we got you all together here. Corrine, how are you this morning?” He asked.
“Doing really well Doc.” I faked a smile. I felt Will squeeze my hand gently.
“Wonderful, I am happy to hear that.” He looked at all of us then at Pratt. “Well, best to get on with it then I suppose.”
“Yes, let’s get this done, the weathers going to get worse shortly Doc.” Pratt frowned, again looking outside.
“I have been in contact with Leo and the Dark coven elders. It seems they are not willing to allow for peace between the covens. I tried my best to talk some sense into Leo, but as usual he is violent and irrational.”
“What is he saying?” Will’s strained voice cut in. He was holding my hand tighter now, and I wiggled it free. He quickly apologized to me, and looked back to Doc.
“He’s hell bent on revenge, the past events have complied, and he has been building up his hatred for me and my coven. Vincent’s death, at my hand, Todd’s death at Roth’s hand and the fact Corrine and one of his own Sayann, escaped him as set him off.” He sighed.
“Leo has wanted to hurt me and make my life a living hell ever since I refused to join his coven long ago. I have tried to avoid him and his coven for years. The whole issue with Vincent, really set things off. I regret the day I turned him He promised to abide by the Followers code, but as we here all know he did not.” He took a deep breath, before he went on.
“I believe the reason he became Leo’s favorite was because he was linked to me. Leo always felt he might have some hold on me if he had Vincent in his coven. The fact he wants William back with the Dark coven worry’s me greatly.”
“Why does he want William back so badly, if you don’t mind me asking Doc?” Sayann innocently asked. I knew she did not know all the details of the complicated relationship Vincent had with William.
“Well, it’s simple. William is the last blood link to Vincent that Leo has. Leo as I said he viewed Vincent has his favorite and possible successor, so now he wants the closest thing to him that he can get, and that is William. It seems Vincent was being groomed by Leo to be the next head elder, when Leo moved on to Europe.”
Ever After Page 35
