“Will you try?”
Mary hesitated. “I suppose.”
“It would be easier if we had a third vampire to help me pull you off. I may not be strong enough to do it alone.”
Mary looked thoughtful for a moment. Her eyes brightened. “I know just the one. Elizabeth despises the killing. She is new and this would give her real hope. I worry about her. She hates being a vampire. I fear she may try to take her own life, which for us is not easy.”
I could empathize with Elizabeth. “Wonderful! There is no time to waste.”
Mary’s eyes sparkled with hope.
We went straight back to the castle to find Elizabeth. I had seen her around. She, like Sonia, had been turned when she was young — too young. In fact, Elizabeth’s small frame reminded me of Sonia and made me miss Sonia all the more.
Elizabeth did not believe Mary when she told her that I had fed without killing. “It is true. I saw it with my own eyes,” Mary said.
“I can teach you and Mary to do the same.”
Elizabeth only frowned — not daring to believe in such a wonderful possibility.
I went on to explain how the key was to feed regularly at first to help keep the craving and the monster under control. By the time I finished, Elizabeth’s eyes had a light in them that had not been there before.
“It is hard work but it can be done, I promise,” I said.
Elizabeth was still reluctant but agreed to help me teach Mary.
We tried that night and of course we had to pull Mary off the woman she was feeding from. We practiced a couple of times per week. Elizabeth eventually decided that she too would try. Thankfully, we did not kill anyone but after a couple of months, they were growing discouraged.
“Please, don’t give up. It takes time to learn to control the beast inside. You will acquire the ability,” I said.
“How long did it take you?” Elizabeth asked.
“About two months. For Sonia it was a bit longer. It took Elijah years but then again he was doing this on his own.”
I worried that they would give up. Maybe I am doing something wrong. If only Elijah were here to help. He would know what to do.
Thankfully, the following week, Mary succeeded in feeding and we did not have to pull her off. This gave Elizabeth the confidence she needed. It proved that it could be done. She too was eventually able to feed without killing.
Elizabeth threw her arms around me. “I can’t believe it! I did it. I owe you my life, as you have made it worth living again.”
I returned her hug and gently set her down. “I never doubted you. The pleasure is all mine. One thing we can do is find others who are willing to learn to feed as we do.”
“That is it!” Mary’s smile broadened. “Imagine the possibilities.”
Word spread quickly around Alexandru’s castle about what we were capable of doing. There were plenty of willing vampires and we worked with each of them. Some remained skeptical and some were — unfortunately — not interested. I tried not to concern myself with them and concentrated on the vampires who were motivated not to kill. It was time consuming, which was a good thing. It filled the emptiness of losing my family … twice and it gave my life purpose.
Things were going as well as could be expected, as I had little time to dwell on my past. When I did think of Father, the image of him and my mother together once again, standing hand-in-hand, would come to mind. This allowed me to feel joy for my father. He has been reunited with his beloved wife. Life was … good.
Chapter 53 London 1262 A.D
I came to London in the summer and it was not until the next spring of 1262 that someone from Denmark came for me. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed who.
I had hoped Sonia and Aaron would come to visit. If they did not, I would have to visit them someday, perhaps when I was not so busy teaching vampires to feed properly. That was what we called it, feeding properly. I still wanted to avoid Lord Chastellain at all costs. I had even secretly hoped Elijah would visit, though I tried not to think about him and I still worried that the lord himself would come for me one day. I was wrong — none of them came.
One beautiful spring night, Mary, Elizabeth and I had left the castle. Our man-like way of dressing had influenced Elizabeth as well. We looked like three men from a distance; well, perhaps two men and a boy, as Elizabeth was quite small. Elizabeth and I even had our long hair tucked under men’s hats. This was a strong deterrent for male vampires. I enjoyed the lack of attention from them. Most men assumed I was engaged to Elijah, or they were appalled by my masculine appearance. Either way, it worked for me. I was not interested in any of them. Mary and Elizabeth felt the same way.
As we walked an empty street, I noticed a young woman in a fancy gown. She moved confidently toward us. She was graceful — a bit too graceful. A gentle breeze brushed against my face and I was able to catch her scent. This confirmed my suspicion, she was not human. “Do you know her?” I whispered to my companions.
“No,” Mary said.
The strange woman lifted her head and from under her headdress her face came into focus. My jaw dropped. “Mari…” I rubbed my eyes because I was sure they were tricking me.
“Surprise!” Mari’s laugh rang out through the night.
Which was no doubt caused by my wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression. “Mari, what … how?” I tried to say.
She laughed again. Hardly missing a beat, she put her arms around me in a fierce hug.
I was in shock but eventually returned the gesture. When she pulled away, I managed to say, “You look wonderful! How did this … happen?”
She stepped back and eyed me with disproval. “And you look … different.” She struggled to remain polite.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. We obviously had some catching up to do.
“I was on my way to Alexandru’s castle to find you. I have something for you.” She handed me a beautifully sealed parchment. I knew straightaway what it was — a wedding invitation. But whose? I quickly broke the seal unrolled the letter. The pieces fell into place as I read …
Your presence is requested at the wedding of Lord Samuel of Denmark and his bride-to-be, Mari of Ludus.
“I can’t believe it. He came back for you. And he … turned you …” I whispered.
Mari simply beamed and all I could feel was delight for her. I picked her up and spun her around. “Congratulations!” Then I remembered my manners. “Oh, I am sorry. Mari, here are Mary and Elizabeth.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you!” Mari proceeded to kiss each of their cheeks.
“I like her,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Well, she does have a fine name,” Mary admitted. “We will head out and let you two talk.” Mary had to pull Elizabeth away.
After they were gone, I could not contain the many questions racing through my mind. I started with what I could piece together. “Samuel came back for you?”
“I was elated when he returned.”
“How much did he tell you about vampires? Did he give you a choice about becoming like him?”
“A choice of sorts, I suppose. He told me what he was and I did not believe him or even understand what he was saying. He asked me if I wanted to be with him forever, which of course I did. Then he asked if I trusted him. I said I did. The next thing I knew, he was bleeding and I was helpless to get away from him. The last thing I remembered was the taste of blood.”
“That is terrible.” Samuel had not truly given her a choice.
“Aye, it was a nightmare in the beginning. I regretted the decision and hated myself. It took much convincing but we were able to pull Elijah out of his dark ravine. He finally agreed to help us learn to feed without killing. Things have gotten better since then. I would have found you sooner but I am just now coming to terms with everything.”
“I am glad you are here, even though this is not a life I would have wanted for you. I tried to protect you from all this.”
Sh
e nodded. “I know but things are excellent now. I have never been happier and I love the life I have in Denmark.” If her words had not convinced me that she was telling the truth, then her eyes certainly did. They glistened like stars in a clear night’s sky.
I smiled. “It is selfish of me but I am grateful that you will be my friend for many lifetimes.”
Mari gave me another hug. “About the wedding, you will come?”
“I would not miss it for the world.”
“That is wonderful because there is no one else besides you who could possibly be my chief bridesmaid.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Mari’s jubilance was contagious. My spirits had not been this high since before my father’s death.
“It is settled … but you will not dress like that, I hope?” Mari frowned with exaggerated disapproval.
Chapter 54 London 1262 A.D
“Of course I will not dress like a man for your wedding.” I laughed.
Mari looked genuinely relieved. Then her expression turned serious. “What about you?” She hesitated. “Did you come to London alone? Teller is not with you?”
My heart sank at the mention of Teller. “No, I came alone. I have no idea where he is. Did he come back to Ludus?”
“No and his father ran himself ragged looking for him.”
Although I had never cared for Ivan, this news did make me feel terrible for him. I would not wish that on anyone. To have a son disappear without a clue — that was simply tragic. Maybe I should write to him and tell him some partial truth so that he could stop looking and begin to move on.
Mari studied me. “Samuel told me only that Lord Chastellain turned you and that after you learned to control your thirst, you returned home. Although I asked, Elijah would never tell me more. In fact, he does not speak to anyone about you. No one knows what happened the night … you know …”
I did know what she meant — the night Father was killed. I did not want to relive it, all the heartache and pain. I had lost both Father and Teller that night. Then I had to leave my brother. I told her how I could not be with Teller without showing him who I was. “So I did and of course he rejected me, or the creature I had become …”
Mari could not believe that Chastellain tried to kill Teller.
“Lord Chastellain seems so … levelheaded. Surely he would not do something such as that,” Mari said.
I finished my story and Mari said nothing for a time.
“Teller killed your father. I’m so sorry.” She paused. “Well, that explains a great deal, like why you did not come back to Denmark. I will not be able to look at Lord Chastellain in the same way.”
Good, I thought. All this talk of that horrible night was rekindling the coals of hatred in my heart.
Mari’s face brightened. “You should come back to Denmark with me. Sonia and Aaron would be delighted to see you and who knows? Perhaps you and Elijah can … you know.” She did not seem to have the right words.
Now she was playing matchmaker. I glared at her.
“Or not.” She paused. “Just imagine how perfect it would be, two dearest friends marrying two dear friends. I’m sure if you came back, Elijah would forgive you.”
It occurred to me then how young at heart Mari was. Had that extra year of being a vampire hardened me that much? I did not know if I believed in love anymore.
“Forgive me for what? Loving someone else? Rejecting him at least twice? That is pretty unforgivable, don’t you think?”
“Not if you were to choose him.”
‘Choose him’. She made it sound simple. I had not fully admitted this to myself yet, but Teller was out there somewhere and I had not given up on him. I gestured to my clothing. “Can’t you see that I am intentionally not wanting any male attention?”
“Aye, I am sure that is an effective strategy.” She eyed my clothes with raised eyebrows. “A better strategy would be to commit yourself to someone. That also stops potential suitors and you don’t have to dress like that.”
“You should try it,” I teased. “It is wonderful. Breeches give you much more freedom.”
“Freedom to do what?” Her voice sounded appalled.
“Run, fly, fight, things vampires do…”
“Elijah says I should learn to defend myself. He says that this world is different and more dangerous than the human world. Samuel does not force the issue, so I don’t know what I think about learning to fight. I have not gotten used to the idea. I’m still trying to master the ability to fly.”
“Elijah is right, you know. We in the North have enemies.”
“I know — Ram-whatever. If you come back with me, you can teach me to fight.”
She was obviously trying to tempt me into returning to Denmark. “Honestly, I abhor Lord Chastellain. The thought of seeing him again makes me ill.”
“You will have to see him at my wedding — the one you promised to attend.”
“This is my home, Mari.” My voice was stern.
“Very well, come back with me to help me prepare for the wedding. I need you there.”
I frowned. “There are plenty of servants in the Chastellain Court to help you.”
“But they are not my dearest friend from childhood,” Mari sang.
Her large brown eyes plead her case. How could I refuse that? “Very well but only until the wedding. Stay with us for the day and we will leave for Copenhagen at dusk tomorrow. That way I can let everyone know where I will be.”
With a squeal, she gave a quick jump of excitement.
“Just until the wedding!” I reminded her.
“I know. I know.”
We spent the rest of the night flying. I took her to my favorite overlook, which was far from the city.
Having Mari back in my life and all this talk of home had me thinking. “Have you ever felt …” I was unsure how to say it. “I don’t know, different when you encountered a certain person?”
She pressed her lips together in concentration. She had no idea what I was trying to say. Neither did I.
“After I was turned, when Teller and I would touch, it was like a shock went through me. It was a pleasant sensation — like an intense tingling,” I tried to explain. “It felt … wonderful, too wonderful, actually… ” I trailed off. “I have never had such a sensation with anyone else. And there was a brief moment when I may have felt his physical pain.”
Mari was thoughtful for a moment. “That is strange.”
“Aye — strange,” I said.
“I always knew, even when we were young, that you two had some connection. It was like you were meant to be together.”
My stomach turned. I knew Mari was right. Teller and I were destined to be together. I should have found him right away. There was no telling where he was. For the first time in almost a year, I allowed myself to admit that I longed for him. Surely he would find me.
Chapter 55 London 1262 A.D
At dawn, we returned to Lord Alexandru’s castle. I introduced Mari to the lord. She had a wedding invitation for him as well, which he gladly received. I packed a couple of things and reluctantly put a gown on at Mari’s behest.
When I told Mary and Elizabeth that we would be leaving for Denmark at dusk, Mary rolled over in her bed, turning her back to us, saying nothing. I looked at Elizabeth for an explanation of this odd behavior. She shrugged indicating that she did not know what was wrong with Mary.
“Mary, I will be back in three months’ time, after Mari’s wedding.”
“I don’t care,” she said.
I shook my head at Elizabeth and only received another unknowing shrug.
“I promise to return and … I know, why don’t you two come with us?”
“Go away,” Mary said.
“What is wrong with you, Mary?”
“Nothing, I’m perfectly well.”
“I can see that,” I said with sarcasm. I did not know why this upset me but it did. I hooked my arm in Mari’s and we were gone.
As we drew closer to Denmark, my trepidation grew. I dreaded having to be cordial to Chastellain and … how would Elijah receive me? There was no predicting his reaction to my return. I did not know if it was better for him to remain angry with me or not. It would be for the best if he left me alone. Or would it be better if he forgave me? At least then we could be friends again. I missed his friendship but it was never as simple as friendship on his end. What if he still wants more and I cannot give it to him. I tried to concentrate on how wonderful it would be to see Sonia and Aaron.
When we arrived, Mari led me straight to the Great Hall.
“No, not now. I don’t want to see Lord Chastellain — not yet,” I pled with Mari.
“Come; he needs to know you are here and Samuel will most likely be in the Great Hall at this time.” She gave me a reassuring smile.
I took a deep breath. Very well, control your temper. Do this for Mari, I told myself. Mari opened the grand doors and virtually dragged me into the hall. I spotted the lord at once. Instantly, my heart beat faster and my cheeks warmed with anger. I stopped Mari as we walked.
“I cannot do this,” I whispered.
Samuel’s voice proclaimed with great pride that his lady had returned.
This distracted Mari and I slipped out of her grip. I turned to leave. Unfortunately, Lord Chastellain was blocking my exit. He took my hand before I could pull away.
“My dear lady, it is about time you returned to the Court.” The lord’s sarcastic smirk caused my shoulders to tense. He gently kissed my hand.
I glared at him. “It is only temporary, My Lord, until the wedding. Then I will return to England.”
“We shall see about that. Meanwhile, welcome home.”
His over-confidence made my blood boil. Aye, we shall see, I thought. I bowed slightly. Sidestepping him I exited the hall. I had to get away from him in order to stop myself from slapping his face. Attacking the leader of the High Court of Elders would be a foolish thing to do. The more he tried to control me, the more defiant I became. I was determined that he would not keep me here.
Of Lords and Commoners: Book 1 (Lords and Commoners Series) Page 23
