After a while, she said in the calmest tone since the cow gored him, “I think the bleeding’s slowed or stopped. The blanket doesn’t feel like the blood’s soaking through. I’d almost swear it’s frozen or dried.”
“Probably is,” Ned answered. “Check it. It should be healed up by now.”
Anne clicked her tongue in disagreement. “That’s impossible, but if the bleeding’s stopped, maybe I can get you to the truck and to the hospital. I’m surprised you haven’t passed out. You’ve lost a lot of blood, Ned. You’re going to need a transfusion, stitches if not surgery, and a lot of rest.”
“All I need is some blood. I’ll be fine.”
Anne planted a swift kiss on his lips. “You will be, once you get some medical attention. I thought you’d go into shock by now, but you’re tough. I’m still worried, though.”
“Don’t be. Take a look at it.”
She nodded and pulled the blanket away with slow caution. Anne gasped with a harsh sound. “Ned!”
He figured it had healed or come close enough that she couldn’t deny it.
“What is it?”
“This’ll sound crazy but it’s barely a scratch now.” She ran her fingers over his flesh and glanced up at him, brow knitted and mouth downturned in a frown. “It looked a lot worse earlier. Now it’s hardly anything. I don’t understand.”
“It was a bad wound,” Ned said with gentle patience. “If I wasn’t a vampire, I would’ve died out here. No matter how hard you tried to save me, even if you got an ambulance or helicopter, I’d have been dead in minutes. I can’t die, honey, or I’d be dead now.”
Anne’s face lost all color and she appeared paler than he had. “I must’ve been mistaken,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “I became upset and thought it was worse than it was, that’s all. I’m glad I was wrong.”
“You weren’t.” Ned held up the blood stained blanket. It had been soaked through. He pointed to the earth where red puddled all around him. He lifted his hands, also stained. “Look at your clothes, Anne. You’re covered in my blood. It couldn’t have come from a little scrape or scratch.”
“I can’t understand.” He’d never seen her eyes this wide or filled with such shock.
“You don’t want to accept the truth.” Ned stood up, a little woozy, a lot dizzy. A fast infusion of blood in short order would fix anything else wrong but the trouble was, he wasn’t likely to come across an easy donor. He couldn’t use Anne because it would be the third bite if he did and he wouldn’t unless she fully grasped what it would mean. “We need to go before a park ranger or someone shows up. No one else should be out here, but you never know and I don’t feel like making explanations.”
She shook her head, as it’d clear her confusion. Anne stared at the bloody ground. “We can’t clean this mess up, though.”
“Leave it. We can dump the clothes and wash at my house, but let’s get out of here before we’re trying to explain something impossible.”
“Can you walk?” she asked and he nodded.
“Sure, I think so. I’m kinda weak but good.”
“I’ll help you.” Anne steadied him with one arm and he leaned on her a little as they made a slow trek back to his truck. His earlier pain had yielded to a slight headache and a powerful weakness. “Can you drive?” she asked when they reached the vehicle.
Ned nodded. “Yeah, it’s not far. Get in.”
After a moment’s hesitation she did and he headed home to face the questions, but despite his physical condition Ned thought for the first time maybe Anne would accept the truth. How could she not in the face of such evidence?
Chapter Sixteen
Anne remained silent on the way back to his place but she kept close. Despite their bloodstained garments, she sat as near Ned as possible. Her left hand rested on his thigh the way it often did but she let it roam, touching his belly, his arms, anywhere she could. He figured it must be an effort to reassure herself he remained whole and well. What she’d seen, his gut ripped wide open, had to have been disturbing and she seemed shell shocked by the ordeal. He made no effort to talk, too aware that she’d need time to process and understand, if she could or would.
The trauma he’d suffered had almost healed, but it’d left him light-headed and with an urgent need for blood. As soon as he parked the truck behind the house, Ned sent Anne inside to change and staggered out to the corrals. He caught Taabe, his stallion, and plunged his fangs into his throat. Rich, hot lifeblood filled his mouth and he resisted an urge to drain the animal. Although he didn’t care for the taste, ranker by far than human, Ned needed it too much to complain. He took more than twice his usual amount while the horse fidgeted. Under usual conditions Taabe didn’t notice if he bit him, but Ned had to hold him steady so he wouldn’t bolt.
After he’d finished, he spat to clear his mouth and leaned against the fence for a moment. As the warmth of what he’d drank coursed through his veins, his strength surged back. The dizziness departed and Ned’s body restored. He stripped off his stained garments and the blanket but he didn’t leave them outside. The blood would draw predators, but he’d burn them later. For now, he carried them into the kitchen and tossed them into a trash bag. A fresh pot of coffee sat on the counter with two cups ready. “Anne?”
“I’m in here.” Her voice floated from the bedroom, uncertain and soft. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’m comin’ in there.”
Naked, he walked into the room and found Anne dressing. Her damp hair and the powerful aroma of shampoo told him she’d showered. Her dirty clothes lay on the floor. He watched as she pulled a long-sleeved blouse over her head and turned toward him. Anne’s gaze riveted to his abdomen, the smooth, unbroken skin. She moved toward him and stopped less than a foot away. Anne stretched out one hand and touched him, rubbed across the area she’d seen damaged. Her expression combined wonder, worry, and confusion. “You’re fine,” she whispered. “You’re not hurt at all. But I saw the wounds where the buffalo gored you. You were bleeding a lot and I think I saw your intestines. I thought you were dying, Ned, but now I can’t even see a mark. I must be overtired or I got carried away or something.”
“You know you didn’t.” If any woman possessed a level head and didn’t rattle easy, it was Anne. “You saw exactly what you think. All the blood came out of me but it’s healed.”
“How?” Anne trembled as she spoke but he didn’t think she shook with cold but fear.
Ned opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace. He wrapped her tight against him. “I don’t know exactly how but it’s been this way since I became a vampire. The night it happened, I tried to kill myself and the same thing occurred. I bled, but the wounds vanished like nothing had happened. You’ve got to believe me, now. I am a vampire, honey, and I’m sorry. I wish I wasn’t, but I wouldn’t be around if I was still human so I’m glad, too.”
“Oh, Ned,” Anne said. Her words came out muffled against his shoulder. “It’s true, then? You’re a vampire?”
“Think back,” he said, as a sick ball of regret settled deep within. “If you do, you’ll realize the evidence was there. Remember the blood drive or the times you thought I wasn’t feeling well or looked too pale? I needed blood, Anne. Like I told you, I’m Pea’hocso, not his great-grandson or whatever.”
Anne took a step backward and looked up, eyes glittering with tears, her expression taut with anguish. Ned waited and watched, almost able to see her brain working to recall. Various emotions fluttered across her features. After what seemed like a very long time, Anne sighed.
“I can see it,” she said, voice devoid of emotion or tone. “I think I might even believe it, but I can’t do this right now. I need time to think it through, to process all this. This isn’t like finding out you’re married or you were in prison once. Those would be big things, yes, but this is huge.”
It’s over. Ned knew it. He’d expected it but he hadn’t thought it would hurt so much. “So what now?” he as
ked, surprised he could ask the question without breaking down.
“I need to go home.” Anne met his gaze without flinching. She cupped his cheek with one hand. “I’ve got to think and I need some space. Ned, I love you, so much, but I have to spend some time alone and decide if I can handle this reality.”
“So you’re leaving.”
She nodded. “Yes, I have to, Ned. And when I know how I feel, I’ll let you know.”
Ned didn’t believe she would. He’d never hear from her again. She would avoid the casino and if they ran into one another by chance, it would be awkward. “All right,” he told her. His chest ached as if someone had driven a spear into his heart. “I’ll be here, when or if you want to find me. I love you, honey.”
“I know,” she breathed. She stood up on tiptoe to kiss his mouth, a slow, lingering kiss he treasured and then, before he could say anything else or hold her one more time, Anne turned and walked out. Ned listened as she paused in the kitchen to grab her purse, heard the jingle of her car keys as she opened the back door. He didn’t move until he heard her car start and then stepped to the window. He watched her drive away and when the vehicle wasn’t visible any longer, he went into the kitchen. With routine movements, he poured coffee into one of the waiting cups. He carried both mugs to the table and sipped the brew. It tasted bitter on his tongue now but he thought it must be emotion, not flavor.
He drank all of it and then he lifted the empty cup. With one swift move, he dashed it against the wall where it shattered into shards. That’s my heart, destroyed and broken. Without pausing to pick up the pieces Ned dressed and headed for Lawton. He needed blood and now.
In town he cruised around until he found an out of the way flea market. He sauntered inside, his face a mask to hide his emotions. Ned walked down the narrow aisles until he found a lone woman who lingered at one of the unmanned booths. She raked her fingers through some old costume jewelry and when she lifted a string of bright beads toward the light, he slipped behind her. Her perfume filled his nose, something stronger and thicker than the light scents Anne favored. He inhaled the essence of her shampoo, caught the smell of her lipstick.
Aware she wasn’t alone, she began to turn around, but Ned caught her in his arms. He bent forward and kissed her vulnerable throat, her skin burning hot beneath his cold lips. He guessed she must be in her early twenties, young enough to consider a chance encounter exciting instead of threatening. She giggled and worked her way against his body. He didn’t hesitate. Ned bit down hard into her jugular and drank deep. He wasn’t considerate the way he’d been for decades, but rough, even brutal. He took more than his usual self-imposed quota and then gazed into the woman’s blue eyes. He cringed. Her eye color reminded him of the woman who made him a vampire. “Thanks,” he said in a harsh voice. “You made my day.”
“Wait,” she said. “What’s your name? Kiss me again – I liked it and I like you.”
He shook his head. “You’ll have one hell of a hickey, but it’s all you’ll get from me.”
His eyes locked on hers and he used all his willpower to make her forget as much of the encounter as he could. Then he stalked away, as swiftly as he’d come, and went outside to the truck. Although he wasn’t due at work for hours, Ned headed for the casino. He couldn’t bear to go home and face the empty rooms, the bits and pieces of Anne left behind. If he didn’t go somewhere, he’d track her down and it would be a mistake. He couldn’t gamble where he worked so he sat in the bar. Ned made little conversation and drank nothing, but black coffee.
Gary joined him just before shift, took one glance at Ned and shook his head. “What happened? You break up with Anne?”
Ned shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know, but I sure as hell don’t want to talk about it.”
His friend hesitated for a moment and then nodded. “Okay, man, I get it. I went fishing while I was off and caught a couple of bass….” Ned didn’t bother to listen to the rest of the story but he pretended interest. Then he dealt cards the rest of the night and filled in for another dealer half the day. After work he went home and sat, staring at the four walls. He didn’t bother to eat or drink. When time came for work, he went and so he passed a week’s worth of time, one shift after another.
He thought of Anne often, but after a few moments of reverie, he blocked the memories, unable to bear the pain. If he could’ve died, he would have because the pain couldn’t begin to equal what he felt within. Although Ned had spent more than ten lonely decades and should have been accustomed to an empty existence, lonely nights and long days, he loathed each minute, hated the hours, and cursed his so-called life. He refused to yield to temptation and drive past her apartment or the college. One day, he gathered up the things she’d left behind, a hair brush, a pair of socks, a blouse she’d forgotten, a paperback book, and a lipstick and put them in a box. Ned shoved it into the back of his closet, out of sight, but never out of mind.
Once or twice he dared to hope she might come to the casino but she didn’t. His co-workers talked about his return to near silence and the ones who called him friend, including Gary, worried. Ned fielded their concerned inquiries but gave them nothing, no explanation or reason. His tarnished soul, a vampire’s secondhand one, drained away all hope, all happiness and his battered old body, occupant to an immortal, troubled him with new aches and pains which he ignored.
He didn’t care anymore about anything but blood. Ned took it nightly, choosing a victim from among the casino guests. He never picked the same once twice and now, for the first time in over a century, he no longer cared if someone noticed anything odd. He’d taken what he required and not worry about anything else. Ned took whoever might be handy, sometimes a man, often a woman. Twice he took a woman’s blood and then her body, entering her with quick, sharp thrusts that failed to relieve his desire for Anne. Titillating strangers was risky, but it no longer mattered to Ned.
Almost two weeks after Anne walked out of his house, Ned’s nights off fell on Saturday and Sunday. He failed to take any blood after his shift ended early Friday morning, but went home anyway. He brooded and did nothing. On Saturday morning, he climbed on his stallion and went for a long, punishing ride. By the time he came back past noon, he lacked energy and if there’d been anyone around to see him, Ned knew he’d look ghost pale and turd terrible. His need for blood increased but he lacked energy to drive into town. Although he could make do with pony blood, he rejected the idea. Ned never had liked the way it tasted. So he put up the horse, fed all the ponies and watered them, then headed for the house. Maybe he’d sleep if he could shut down his mind or fix a steak or sandwich. He couldn’t remember when he’d last eaten anything or wanted food.
Once inside, Ned collapsed onto the sofa. He’d avoided his big bed since Anne’s departure. It held too many memories. He didn’t bother to remove his boots and he drifted into an uneasy sleep. Although he seldom dreamed, the sound of a drum entered his consciousness, a steady pounding. Something about it was wrong, though. It lacked the depth or power of a tribal drum. This noise was more insistent, without the right rhythm. Ned ignored it but the sound continued. Somewhere in his somnolent state he realized it sounded like knocking and he roused. The knocking kept on, louder and fierce. Then a voice he knew very well spoke his name, “Ned, it’s me!”
He scrambled up and opened the door. Anne stood there, hair a riot of curls, face paler than he remembered, and stared at him. Her smile, the one he loved, was absent. He didn’t speak, couldn’t coax any words from his mouth.
“May I come in?” she asked. He stepped back and let her enter. Anne came to a halt inside the front door. “Is it a bad time?”
“No, it’s all right.” He wanted to touch her. More than that, Ned longed to take her to bed and make love to her. His loins ached and his heart twinged. But he stood back, apart.
“I missed you,” she told him. “I almost came over a dozen times. I even thought about going to the casino to find you.”
Hope flic
kered but he doused it. “But you didn’t.”
“No.” Anne crossed the few feet separating them. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me, Ned.”
With blood levels low, headache underway, body punk and spirits weak, he figured it must be hallucination. If so, it was sweet, better than any fever dream he’d ever known and an improvement over spirit quest visions. “I do, Anne. You’re the one who took off. I figured you wouldn’t come back.”
The lavender perfume she wore wafted into his consciousness as she stood within inches of his chest. “I’m here. And I thought about it all and little else. I couldn’t think during my classes and I’ve been distracted. I did a little research, too. And I believe you.”
Relief seared through him with the destructive speed of a forest fire. She spoke the words he’d wanted to hear and Ned opened his arms for an embrace. Anne held up one hand.
“I want to talk, first. I’ve got a lot of questions. Then I need you to hold me tight and never let go.”
Anne pulled a small notebook from her purse and opened it. Ned sank down on the couch he’d just vacated and she took a seat across the room. Figures, he thought, a college professor would have questions and organize them. She cleared her throat. “First, I want to know if you have fangs.” Without speaking, Ned peeled back his upper lip and revealed them. Unlike the teeth of fictional vampires he’d seen portrayed, his were compact, small but wicked sharp. He thought Anne turned paler when he showed her, but she gave him a nod. “Next, I want to know why you can go out in the daylight without turning to dust or whatever. And why you don’t sleep in a coffin.”
For the first time in days, a smile stretched over Ned’s lips. “I don’t know, honey,” he replied. “I know that’s the vampire lore, but it’s not true. I wondered, too, a long time ago. Sunlight doesn’t hurt or kill me, but it can make me look pretty pale, even sick. I know you noticed.”
The Comanche Vampire Page 20
