Deadman's Blood

by T. Lynne Tolles

  “Terribly so, and that is why I didn’t check on her. I thought if I did find her, I wouldn’t be able to stay away again. As it was, it took all my strength to do it the first time. I wasn’t sure if I saw her again that I would be able to let her go.”

  “So what’s the situation now?” Anne asked.

  “In regards to what? Dominic said.

  “Your relationship. I know she is still under treatment, but you said you met with her recently. Were there still fireworks?” Anne asked.

  “Mom…that’s kind of personal and a little awkward,” Josh said.

  “Josh, when have you ever heard your mother back down from a romantic possibility at a ‘Happily Ever After’?” Richard exclaimed.

  “It’s all right. Truthfully, Josh here asked me the same thing so he may be embarrassed that you brought it up, but he must have that same longing Anne has for a ‘Happily Ever After’. I don’t think there’s a happily ever after in our future. There are some extenuating circumstances that make it a little complicated and well, let’s just say, the meeting didn’t go as lovely as I had hoped,” Dominic admitted.

  “That’s too bad, Dominic, but you never know what tomorrow will bring,” Anne assured him.

  “Very true, Anne. Very true indeed. So shall we get you settled in your room? I believe Bernard has deposited your baggage in your room upstairs. They will be in the room across from Melanie’s and next to yours, Josh. If you want to show them where it is, I would be much obliged. After you’ve had some rest and gotten some time in with your son, we’ll join for a lovely dinner Bernard has been planning for us,” Dominic said.

  “Thank you, Dominic. That would be nice,” Richard said, as everyone stood up.

  Anne asked, “Will we get to meet your son, Anton?”

  “I’m not sure, Anne. I suppose, if you felt strongly about it, I could give him a call and see if he had plans,” Dominic suggested.

  “Oh, don’t do that. I just thought it would be nice to meet him, but Josh had said that he might be in New York still,” Anne said.

  “Well, you never can tell, but it never hurts to ask, right?” Dominic said.

  “You’re right. That is what my grandmother always told me,” Anne admitted.

  “And she was absolutely right,” Dominic chuckled. “Now rest up, if you like. It’s a beautiful day if you’d like to go for a walk around the pond.”

  Richard laughed out loud, “You consider THAT a pond? It’s practically a lake.”

  Dominic laughed and patted him on the shoulder as they exited the study. “If you’re a golfer, there’s a putting green on the other side of the rose garden or you can practice your long drives from the grassy patch nearby into the ‘pond.’ Just ask Bernard to get you a set of clubs from the shed.”

  “Thanks, Dominic. I might have to take you up on that,” Richard said, delighted.

  “My pleasure…enjoy,” Dominic said as Melanie and the Brenners headed up the grand staircase towards the huge portrait of Sophia.

  *****

  Dominic was happy to find that Anton was willing to drive home to meet Josh’s parents. In fact, Anton seemed excited about the event. Anton made it back to Connecticut in record time with time to spare. So much so that he was able to join Dominic, Richard, and Josh in a couple of long drives into the pond and a putt or two on the green, while Anne and Melanie had some alone time to converse.

  When Bernard announced dinner, all convened into the large lovely dining room. Bernard had outdone himself once again and the room looked fit for a royal wedding. Flowers bedecked the mantel in massive heads of peonies in shades of pink. The food and the sweet scent of the flowers filled the room with a sensory jubilee.

  Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves as the men seated the ladies and then seated themselves.

  Dominic lifted his freshly poured glass of wine.

  “A toast, if you will. I’m always grateful to have family round this old table. I never really appreciated it when I was younger and it was my wife and my sister Abby that made those occasions true family affairs. But I’ve learned a lot since their passing and I dare say many of those lessons were taught to me by Anton and his cousins, Devon and Blake, whom I raised, when their parents were taken from us. I now appreciate those moments of family gathering more than I ever thought possible.

  “With that in mind, I hope to find, Josh, Melanie, Richard, and Anne, in those times of family gatherings in years to come gracing us with their presence as we, Anton and I, extend our family to include them in ours. To our new friends and family.”

  Anton said, “To our new extended family.”

  They all confirmed by repeating, “To friends and family.”

  Just as they started to eat, the doorbell rang. A few short minutes later Bernard opened the door to the dining room and announced Dr. Rowe.

  Dominic wiped his mouth and stood at his entry. “Michael. So lovely to see you.”

  “I didn’t realize you had company, Dominic, I…” Dr. Rowe apologized.

  “Don’t be silly. Richard, Anne, this is my dear friend Dr. Michael Rowe. Michael, this is Richard and Anne Brenner, Josh’s parents,” Dominic said.

  At first Dr. Rowe looked confused, but he quickly interpreted that they were Josh’s adopted parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Brenner, how lovely to meet you. Nice to see you again, Anton, Ms. Harper, Josh.” They all nodded their greetings.

  “Join us, Michael.”

  “No, Dominic, that’s all right, I’ll…”

  Anne spoke up, “Don’t be silly. Please join us. It looks like Bernard has made enough food for an army and we’d love to get to know one of Dominic’s dear friends.”

  Dominic added, “Please, Michael. We haven’t dined together in such a long time. Join us.”

  “Fine then. How could I refuse such a lovely invitation?” Dr. Rowe smiled. “So are we celebrating something?”

  “Only our extending family,” Dominic said matter-of-factly.

  “Well, that’s worth celebrating,” Dr. Rowe agreed and raised his newly filled glass as Bernard pulled a place setting seemingly out of mid air. “To friends and family - may our family always be friendly and our friends be part of our family!”

  Everyone laughed and either repeated ‘friends and family’ or ‘here here.’

  “So, Dr. Rowe, I’m sure you could tell us some interesting stories about Dominic here,” Anne said, spying a glance at Dominic who only laughed.

  “Indeed, I could, but not in the presence of such lovely and gentle creatures as you and Ms. Harper,” Dr. Rowe replied.

  “Aren’t you a tease, Dr. Rowe,” Anne answered.

  Dr. Rowe smiled mischievously, and replied, “I’ve been known to be called that from time to time.”

  “I’ll just bet,” Anne said, laughing. “So Josh, dear, I was talking to Melanie earlier and we’d like to have you both come back with us for a day or two to have Melanie meet Grandma Brenner. She’s not been doing well since her stroke, and I just know she’d want to meet Melanie. Plus you know how the Brenners are. They’ll want to have a big welcome BBQ. Do you think you might be able to do that?”

  “I guess, if it’s okay with Lanie…but I warn you, Lanie, you don’t know what you’re getting into when all those hens get a cluckin,’” Josh said.

  “Oh hush up, Josh. Don’t be scaring the only girl you’ve ever brought home to us,” Anne reprimanded.

  Josh looked to Melanie for approval, then when she nodded, he just shrugged his shoulders, “Okay,” he said, unsure that a mob full of Brenners was a good idea.

  “Good. We’ll get you booked on our flight and you can go back with us on Thursday.”

  “Sure, Mom. Whatever,” Josh said, not really paying attention to Melanie and Anne hashing out the details of the arrangement.

  When dinner was done, Richard, Dominic, and Dr. Rowe went out to the patio for a cigar. Somehow, Josh and Anton had gotten into a face off match of basketball in the driveway and the girls insis
ted on helping Bernard with the dishes.

  Anne was hand washing the crystal while Bernard put away the leftovers. “Bernard, this crystal is exquisite. I’ve never seen a pattern like it.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Brenner. Isn’t it beautiful? It’s been in the Larsen family for a very long time.”

  When Anne reached in to the soapy water for her next wine glass she accidentally slipped her finger past a knife blade, cutting it. “Ouch,” she said.

  “What’s wrong?” Melanie asked.

  “Oh, nothing, just cut my finger.”

  “Oh no. Let me see it,” Melanie said and by then Bernard was already at her side with the first aid kit.

  “Oh, I hope you don’t mind bandaging it, Melanie. The sight of blood makes me very woozy,” Anne admitted.

  “No problem,” Melanie said.

  As Anne looked away, Melanie inspected the finger and as she held Anne’s hand, a light emanated from Melanie’s fingers. Melanie and Bernard watched in amazement as the wound closed up and healed in front of their eyes.

  “Uh…” Melanie started and looked at Bernard for some help, only to find him shrugging his shoulders. Melanie grabbed a band-aid and wrapped it tight around where the wound was just a second ago and said, “All done.”

  “Wow. You should be a nurse. It doesn’t even hurt,” Anne admitted.

  “Ah well, it wasn’t that bad of a cut. I’ll bet when you take the band-aid off in a day or two, you won’t even be able to tell you cut yourself,” Melanie said.

  “Thank you, Dear. I think I’ll go check on the boys,” Anne said.

  “I’ll meet up with you in a minute,” Melanie said.

  As Anne walked off to join the men, Melanie turned to Bernard. “What the heck just happened?”

  “I haven’t a clue,” Bernard chuckled.

  “You did see what I saw, right?!” she asked.

  “Well, if you are referring to healing Mrs. Brenner’s finger right before our eyes, then yes, I saw what you saw,” Bernard said.

  “Do you suppose with all the new powers we’ve all been exhibiting, that this is mine?” Melanie asked.

  “I would venture to guess that would be a good assumption,” Bernard said.

  “Maybe that’s why those horrid deep cuts that Josh received from Dimitri’s gang of vampires all but healed without the tiniest scarring. Dr. Rowe felt sure he’d be scarred, but there is nothing to show for the gruesome assault whatsoever.”

  “I’d say that would be a good guess. I think with all the injuries this family incurs your new gift will come in awful handy even in a house full of vampires.” Bernard laughed quietly.

  Melanie whipped her finger up to her lips and said “Shhhhhh,” but she started laughing so hard she couldn’t control herself and she more or less gave Bernard a bit of a shower, and they both laughed even harder.

  “I just hope she doesn’t take the band-aid off too soon,” Melanie said.

  “The way she talked about blood, I don’t think there are any worries about that,” said Bernard.

  “Do you need anymore help?” she asked.

  “No…no…go check on the boys with Mrs. Brenner,” Bernard said, so Melanie turned and made her way to the back porch.

  Chapter Twelve

  Finally settled back in California, Rowan and Sally attended to cleaning up inside of the burned out bookstore. Dean had gutted most of the damaged interior before they had left for Connecticut, but now that Dean had all of the drywall replaced, the carpenters were due to come in the following day to lay carpet. Sally and Rowan had to get the floor as clean as possible of debris and dust for the carpet to adhere.

  Blake hadn’t been feeling well that morning before he had been talked into helping Dean. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but he felt awfully nauseous, and for a vampire who never really experienced being sick, he couldn’t explain the odd feeling, so he kept it to himself.

  “What’s up with you, bat boy?” Dean teased.

  “Nothing. Why?” Blake said.

  “Well, first off you aren’t bantering to my ribbing and you are as slow as a snail today,” Dean said.

  “Gee, thanks, Dean…you’re such a pal,” Blake said.

  “I know. But seriously…what’s up with you?” Dean asked.

  “Nothing, I just don’t feel 100%,” Blake admitted.

  “Like what?” Dean prodded.

  “Dizzy, kind of sick to my stomach,” Blake said as he held the large, double-paned window in place while Dean shimmed it and put a couple of bracing nails in to hold it in place until he could get it plumbed.

  “You mean dizzy like a girl?” Dean joked as he pointed to the far top corner of the window which was to be interpreted as ‘push up on that corner just a bit.’

  Blake climbed the ladder and with the base of his palm pushed up on the corner until Dean signaled to hold it there while he tapped in several nails. Blake felt horribly light headed and stumbled a bit when he came down the ladder.

  “Just one more window, you big sissy,” Dean ribbed.

  “Yeah,” Blake said unsteadily as he raised the last large window into place.

  “Okay…up and to the right…hold it…just a tiny more to the right…yep, that’s it. Hold it there,” Dean said as he tapped in several nails on the right side then made his way to the left side and up the ladder again. “A little bit down on this side.”

  Blake’s head filled with a swirling gray fog and the dizziness grew overwhelming. “Dean?”

  “No, Blake, down a bit, didn’t you hear me?” Dean looked down at Blake just in time to see his eyes roll back in his head and he started to convulse on his way towards the floor. Dean made two more quick whacks to secure the window so it wouldn’t fall on both of them and yelled, “Blake, Blake! Sally, Rowan…something’s wrong with Blake!”

  By the time the girls were by Blake’s side, he had bloody foam coming from his mouth and his eyes were open but rolled back. His whole body convulsed.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Rowan screamed.

  “I don’t know! He said he felt a little dizzy and had a stomach ache,” Dean said.

  Sally said, “You better call the doctor; this doesn’t look good. It looks like he’s having some kind of seizure. Dean, stick something inside his mouth so he doesn’t swallow his tongue.”

  “I’m not sticking my fingers in his mouth. He could fang me…” Dean said.

  “Fang you, Dean? Are you twelve? Hand me that shim, Dean,” Sally said.

  “You can’t put wood in his mouth, he’s a vampire. No wood!” Rowan exclaimed.

  “Crap. You’re right. Um….” Sally looked around frantically, “There, how about that small putty knife. Stick the metal part in his mouth.”

  Dean grabbed the putty knife out of a nearby tool box and started to put it in Blake’s mouth. “Its kind of sharp on the edges,” he said.

  “You got a better idea? I’m all ears,” Sally said curtly.

  Dean did as Sally directed and Sally started to call the doctor.

  “We can’t call the doctor, he’s a vampire,” Rowan said as she tried to steady Blake.

  “Geez…I thought werewolves were a pain,” Sally said.

  “Hey….it’s not my fault…..” Dean started.

  Rowan interrupted, “I’ll call Dominic. Maybe he knows of a doctor out here.” She pulled out Blake’s cell phone from his shirt pocket.

  As she dialed, Sally said, “Good thinking, Rowan.”

  “Dominic,” Rowan said as the tears started to come and panic really started to take over, “It’s Rowan…something’s wrong with Blake. He’s…he’s….”

  Sally grabbed the phone from Rowan, realizing she was losing it, and said, “Dominic…It’s Sally. We’re at the bookstore in town and Blake is having convulsions. He has foaming blood coming from his mouth, and his eyes are completely rolled back in his head. I don’t suppose we can call an ambulance and take him to the hospital? Do you have any friendly vampire doctors in Californ
ia?”

  “Yes. Dear Sally, Yes. But he’s in San Francisco, but I’m sure he has ties all over the valley. Keep calm, keep him comfortable and out of harm’s way, and stay on the line,” Dominic said.

  “Right,” Sally said.

  She looked at Dean and said, “Clear away any wood or tools he can hurt himself with and look after Rowan.”

  “Gotcha,” Dean said obediently. He cleared a wide berth around Blake and tried to calm down Rowan who was hyperventilating.

  “Sally? I spoke with Dr. Andrews. I told him where you were and he has dispatched an ambulance. They’ll get him stable on the way to San Francisco where Dr. Andrews can take care of him. Tell Rowan I am on my way and will be there as fast as I can, and thank you for being such a good friend. Please tell the paramedics to take Rowan with them. Maybe they can give her something in the ambulance.

  “Sure thing, Dominic. We will see you when you get here.”

  *****

  On the east coast before the call came, Richard, Josh, Anne, Melanie, Anton, and Dominic convened in the dining room for a jovial breakfast.

  Anton had won the basketball battle and Josh was insisting on a rematch. It also turned out that while Anne and Melanie were in the kitchen, Dr. Rowe revealed a sordid college prank Dominic forged along with several others that went comically wrong and Richard was filling in Josh and Anton, while Dominic shook his head and rolled his eyes.

  For their last day in Connecticut, they were discussing what to do for the day. Anton was making some suggestions when the phone rang in the background. “What if we take them to long island? Or Martha ’s Vineyard - Is there anything you’d especially like to see while you’re on the east coast?” Anton said excitedly.

  “No. Not really. We’re just thrilled we got see Josh, meet Melanie and all of you,” Richard said.

  Bernard came in the room and made his way quickly to Dominic, and Dominic politely excused himself and followed Bernard out of the room. Josh and Anton read some distress on Dominic’s face as he quickly exited and wondered what was up. He rarely ever took phone calls during meals.