by P. Mattern
“You can USE that anger energy Charley,” Fress added, ”Turn it into fierce LOVE. Draw on it to preserve and protect those you love-your family and friends. THAT, as Lux would say, is the ‘awesome path.’ ”
Mitzi took both Charley’s hands in hers. ”Your temper”, she said, in a somewhat bemused tone, ”That didn’t come from your Dad’s side - he was a thinker and a peacemaker, the one that always stayed calm in a crisis and thought things through logically. I was always the hothead - it’s a trait that comes from the Pommeville side - my side. We go from zero to wanting to choke someone in less than 60 seconds. I don’t expect you to be perfect, Charley - but I do expect you to be wise.”
“I hear you.” Charley grumbled realizing that in spite of his baser emotions he was going to heed the two women that meant the most to him in his life.
Just then more of the vamps returned from Faquier Hall. Much hugging and hovering over Mitzi ensued as the relieved group welcomed her back into the fold.
Shortly thereafter, Cass appeared in the haze between two trees. As he came closer, several of the group stopped talking and celebrating and stared - not at Cass, but at the man that he appeared to be carrying on his back.
Slowly the laughter, hubbub, and conversation subsided as an ashen faced Cass unloaded a motionless Byron onto a mossy bank of grass under a tree. An ugly slash of a scar that was in the process of trying to repair itself had taken off the eyebrow and most of the eyelid over Byrons left eye. Blood from several lacerations ran down the sides of his face.
But it was not these injuries that had shocked the group into silence.
Byron’s torso seemed to end approximately 12 inches below the end of his ribcage. Ropes of glistening exposed intestines hung down for several inches below that, draped against a sinewy exposed hip joint on one side and a chunk of exposed thigh muscle and charred bone on the other side.
Broken with grief, Cass knelt beside his friend, his head bowed low, sobbing uncontrollably.
Byron looked up at Cass critically with his good eye. ”Stop making ugly faces at me bro’ - it hurts when I laugh.” Byron started to chuckle but his attempt at humor was cut short by a wince. ”You look like a constipated bulldog when you weep, Cass.” He finished, managing a short chuckle before he gasped as another wave of pain hit him.
Fressenda knelt down and slipped one of her hands under Byron’s head to cushion it. Byron looked up and his agonized eyes met her own.
“Fress… it hurts.” He said plaintively.
“Shhhhhhhhh” Fress answered in the softest, most gentle voice imaginable. From her downcast eyes tears ran in a steady stream, running down the sides of her neck and soaking the bosom of her war tunic. She continued in the same, sing - song, gentle voice.
“Byron I’m going to put you to sleep now. You need to go somewhere where they have the technology to fix you - we just don’t know how to do it here. When we can, and as soon as we can - we will retrieve you and bring you back with us. You know we will.”
“But I wanted to be here for Charley…” Byron protested, but his sentence was cut short by a paroxysm of coughing and another gasp of pain.
“You saved Mitzi man,” Charley told him, kneeling so that Byron could see his face. ”You saved her. You are the hero in this venture. We will wait for you. We can wait for as long as it takes, you know we can.” Charley grasped Byron’s hand, squeezed it and added, ”That’s a promise.”
Reaching over, Fress pressed a hand to Byron’s forehead and he relaxed into unconsciousness.
“There” she said, her tears still streaming. ”There now. Sleep Byron Chance, and dream beautiful dreams Goodbye for now – à bientȏt.”
Fress looked up into the circle of friends surrounding Byron, Charley and herself and found the faces of Celeste and Ariel. ”I’ll wrap him as best I can to conserve his fluids. Can you get him to the Wetware Reconstruction Center?”
“Of course” Celeste responded, unshed tears brimming in her eyes.
“Oh Byron little brother. I will miss you, Ariel said sadly. To Fress, who was busy arranging what was left of Byron’s mangled body into the cushioned, makeshift body sling she’d fashioned out of her cloak, she asked ”Will they really be able to bring him back? Will he still be Byron? Will they create an amalgamate out of him?”
“Don’t worry.” Fress said. She was all nursing professional now, back in control of her emotions.
“I know the Directors. It will take some time but they will grow a new Byron - piece by missing piece.”
“WOW”, Charley said, speaking again, ”I didn’t know that they could even DO that. So the bottom line is – we don’t have to be too sad - just patient.”
With great care, as if handling a fragile newborn, Fress placed the packaged Byron in Celeste’s capable and strong arms. Instantly she and Ariel vanished into the starry night sky.
* * *
Chapter 31: Denouement
En masse, the vampires returned to Fort Hunt, everyone reconnoitering at Mitzi’s house. Mitzi was elated to be home and ran upstairs to jump on her familiar gargantuan four - poster bed. Several of her friends joined her in bouncing on it for stress relief for several minutes.
As difficult as it was to recover from all the drama and excitement, eventually there came a point at which the energy level of the group began to reach a denouement. On the pretext of picking up some groceries, Mitzi and one of the twins volunteered to run the errand since the fridge was bare.
Too exhausted to be any more creative they drove 5 minutes to the nearest hotel to debrief privately. “Costume party.” Mitzi’s companion told the clerk by way of explanation as the clerk eyed his silk shirt, tunic, boots and breeches and Mitzi’s torn white gown and slippers.
They were barely inside the room before they melded together in a ferocious embrace. There was no talking for a few minutes as their lips engaged searchingly, hungrily, possessively.
Then Mitzi began to cry, as her lover knew she would.
Her sobs were a nonverbal, heart - wrenching confession that wordlessly articulated everything she had been through. They told him everything - how sorry she was that she had been touched and turned, how sorry she was that she hadn’t been able to prevent it. How her hope of rescue had given her the courage to survive.
How she hated her body for having been desecrated by Adrastos.
For long minutes he cradled her gently in his arms as she wept, smoothing her tousled hair, whispering to her until her sobs gradually subsided and he felt that she’d gotten most of it out. Then he gently tilted her tearstained face upward towards him. Looking into her eyes he told her what was in his heart.
“You have NOTHING,” he began, his own voice almost breaking in a half - sob, To be sorry for. I blame MYSELF for everything you went through to survive. And Vivi I’m HAPPY for the sacrifices you made - because if you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be here. I could never face eternity without you. Can you ever forgive me for not keeping you from harm, because I know I can never forgive myself. And even though he took your body, Vivi my love, you never GAVE him any part of yourself - and never would have. I know, and I will always know, that you left your heart with me. You have done nothing more than what was needed.
“We have all kinds of time. We will heal.” He finished firmly.
Having said that he set out to prove to her that his love was true, enduring, and that he still worshipped every inch of her, inside and out.
And succeeded quite nicely in doing so.
* * *
In the aftermath, as Mitzi finally relaxed meltingly into her lovers arms, he cleared his throat.
“Um, my dearest Love, can we talk about Buttercup? I understand why you had me go back and get her - and it’s fine for her to live with us - but isn’t she in the ‘exotic pet’ category? Are you sure that we can take care of her?”
Mitzi smiled up at him. It was a smile he was happy to see-sunny and not the least bit self – conscious - the smile of a carefre
e child / woman who has gotten everything she wanted. ”Thank you for rescuing her. I have no idea what could have happened to her if you hadn’t and she is SO devoted.”
“Fine, Love, but fill me in on the practicalities now. What does she eat?”
“Human food with high iron content,” Mitzi replied. “And grass.”
“GRASS?” her lover repeated, sounding surprised, ”She also lactates?”
“Yes”, Mitzi answered, ”She’s a permanently lactating virgin. Genetically engineered to provide milk AND good quality blood - AND it’s your favorite type.”
Her lover cleared his throat.
“I don’t know any discreet way to ask this - does she reproduce?” He wondered.
Mitzi looked a little sad.
“She can’t, the poor thing. She has no lower body sexual features at all. None whatsoever. She showed me once. She looks like a plastic fashion doll down there - no opening. Try to remember that she was cloned, not born. She has the minimally requisite features. Although she also told me some of the wetnurse clones do have sexual differentiation. But they are – as clones are - all sterile. They are made for service.”
Her companion chortled. ”So if we want our pure blood diet nutrition she’s available to provide that, and if I want cream on my cornflakes…”
Mitzi reached up to give him a hard smack.
“Then I’ll have her use a breast pump and you can retrieve it from the fridge! We have to respect her personhood!”
Her companion feigned a pout. ”I kind of liked envisioning it the kinky way.”
“I’ll show you kinky,” Mitzi answered in a sultry voice, diving under the covers
* * *
Chapter 32: The Wedding
It wasn’t the usual wedding march. But, then again, it wasn’t the usual wedding.
As Celeste waited, beaming, under a huge elaborate white wicker indoor gazebo with four thick posts at the corners to represent the chuppah as a symbol of the home that Celeste and Ariel would build together in marriage, Ariel began to come up the aisle. The top of the gazebo was open to the round centrally located skylight in the ballroom through which the peerless blue sky could be seen. Every inch of the gazebo was covered with white roses and blue hydrangea, Ariel, wearing a white shimmering satin designer dress in a sophisticated pattern that was every bit as elegant and tasteful as Celeste’s pastel designer tux, was walked down a long dark blue satin runner towards the front of the ballroom of Fort Hunts solitary 5 star hotel. Her escort was Lux, who felt honored to be included as Ariel’s official’ big brother’. Thousands of tiny twinkling lights draped in tulle glowed from the ceiling and the wall, softening the room and providing a tented effect,
The music they were moving to was a compromise - both women had absolutely hated the idea of including the traditional Wedding March, but couldn’t agree on a likely substitute. When Lux had volunteered to write an original piece that he entitled ”This Moment in Forever,” both women had been thrilled with the music, which though semi - classical with a cello movement on the bottom and violins, also included bell like tinkling chiming tones that provided a counterpoint to the heavy bottom movement and sounded magical.
Standing up with Celeste were Charley Rabbit, Cass, Orry and Demetri, Celeste’s cousin, all in tuxes. Fress was Ariels Maid – of - Honor, and Mitzi, Merilee, and two other Vampiresses from out of town were bridesmaids. Their dresses were simply and elegantly cut and were silk in the palest shades of cerulean imaginable.
Those seated on the long upholstered benches that formed two rows with a break in the center for the wedding procession – males on one side and females on the other in semi - recognition of Jewish tradition - were in human form but actually an eclectic mixture of humans, vampires, dwarves and were folk. Some had traveled from exotic places and wore anachronistic clothing. Some were in modern attire.
There were even children – Mitzi thought they must be children, in attendance. Some resembled the average developing human. Two or three seemed to be elegantly attired humans less than 3 feet tall. The rarified atmosphere in the hall was one of radiant happiness. Ariel, on Lux’s arm, seemed like an art deco goddess she was wearing a short traditional veil, and carried a bouquet of asters and calla lilies, with tiny lighted sprays in the shape of stars. When she reached the end of the runner and took her place beside Celeste the two women gazed into each other’s eyes adoringly. Lux’s nose reddened and he shed a few tears as he acknowledged that he was giving Ariel’s hand in marriage.
Yaya performed the blended traditional Christian / Jewish Orthodox wedding ceremony flawlessly. It was the first time any of the group had seen him since Mitzi’s rescue. By the time the glasses were smashed and everyone shouted “Mazel Tov!” They wasn’t a dry eye in the hall, the magnificence of the two vampires making the eternal promise was inspirational enough to become the catalyst for several other couples to become engaged that evening.
Because it was a blended ceremony the 7 blessings were recited and Celeste and Ariel also exchanged vows they had written for eachother. It was a joyous moment. Ariel spoke first.
“Celeste, you once saved my life - literally. But that is not the reason I stand here today. I am here because all the love, kindness, wisdom, companionship - all the mirth, joy, excitement and adventure that I have ever hoped for in a marriage partner is embodied in one person… You. You have been all the important people who somehow never showed up in my life - a mother and father, a wonderful teacher, and a loyal and accepting friend. Now you are my life, and I will love you, worship you and appreciate you forever.”
As if there were ANY dry eyes in the hall after Ariels, sweet but self - conscious recital, Celeste spoke then.
“Ariel” - I love saying and singing your name, and if I could only have the ability to say one word for the rest of eternity I would choose your name, YOUR name my darling, because it represents to me all that is best and blessed about your sweet spirit.
“ You say I am strong, but I draw my strength from your fragile body. You tell me I am wise - but I draw my wisdom and calm from your example. From the first moment we touched every wound I ever received was healed. This moment in our forever seals us, inseparable, to each other. And I love you.”
For the first dance the band played Bryan Adam’s “Everything I do” song from the 90’s movie “Robin Hood.” Then everyone joined the couple in the dancing area of the hall for all of Celeste and Ariel’s favorite music from the previous two centuries.
In another quadrant of the huge hall a buffet meal was being served and tables draped with white linen, pearls and flowers were set up The dining choices for Celeste’s and Ariel’s guests included pheasant, duck, Virginia ham, a steamship round of roast beef and many accompanying side dishes. Along one side of the hall near the buffet was an open bar catering to every taste, giant unmarked Crystal decanters of blood were displayed in the open, a gourmet variety that even included similar blood types with rare antigens.
Rather than have a reception line Celeste and Ariel mingled with their guests as a couple, welcoming those who had come from far away as well as the local crowd.
Charley Rabbit had never felt so proud to be a vampire. As he had gotten dressed for the wedding that morning, Fress had joined him in the mirror and remarked, “I LOVE a vampire in a tux!! Too sexy Charley Rabbit!”
Putting his arms around her and watching as his mirror image did the same, Charley remarked, ”One piece of folklore that I am relieved to have debunked is the ‘vampires have no reflection’ piece. It would be ridiculous not to be able to check your reflection - to make sure you’re ‘stylin’ and profilin’ as they say. I wonder how that one got started?”
“I have NO idea - except if that referred to ‘fourth bittens’ - which apparently existed at one time and did NOT reflect, but now are currently thought to be extinct. The other thing is interbreeding between humans and vampires. Dhampirs can mate with vampires or humans. Female dhampirs are not sterile - even
Dhampirs that are 1/32 Dhampir and the other 31/32 vampire can reproduce. So there’s a theory that we ALL - or at least those that are not ‘ancient’ - have some human blood in us. Maybe the human portion makes us show up in mirrors and on film.”
The mention of Dhampirs made Charley remember his dear friend that could not be present.
“Byron.” he said simply and sadly.
“Byron,” Fress agreed. ”He’ll be back Charley, don’t be sad. I know you feel like he’s the brother you never had.”
Charley had lifted Fress high into the air and kissed her on the way down.
“This is the happiest I have ever been!” he had yelled.
