I was actually enjoying the dance, was loosening up. Unfortunately, the sun was about to rise. We had been busy the entire night. A heavy drowsiness quickly swept over me. Some of the other vampires silently cursed.
They were moving quickly, but not hurriedly. As they left the room Samuel guided me to the bed. “They sound annoyed, not scared,” I muttered sleepily.
Samuel laughed. “The sun doesn’t kill us, Julia; it just saps our strength and makes us extremely drowsy. It’s just easier to sleep during the day than to try to stay awake through the daylight hours.”
“Oh. Good night, Samuel. Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he whispered back. My eyes closed and darkness engulfed me.
***
Chapter 8
When I awoke the next night the first thing I noticed was that the house seemed completely silent. With my heightened senses I detected one other person in the house and could also tell they were human. I opened my eyes in confusion and found the covers gently draped over me. Samuel’s side of the bed was, of course, empty. My senses hadn’t been wrong; none of the other vampires were in the house. I raised my eyes and looked towards the other side of the room. Damien was sitting at the table eating soup.
“Where is everyone?” I asked, sitting up in bewilderment.
Damien looked up at me. “Oh. Hello, Julia. You’re awake. Um . . . the others went out for some kind of group hunt.”
I pursed my lips unhappily. “And they could not bring me?” I asked angrily.
Damien looked troubled but shook his head. “They said you couldn’t come with – it was just for the older vampires for some reason. I came here to keep you company.”
“How nice,” I said dryly. “How long have they been gone?”
“They left right at sundown. Not that long ago,” Damien replied quietly. He looked down at his food bowl. “Samuel told me you went out and saw Adam last night.”
I got up and stared at him. “Aye. He did not see me or anything. I just wanted to see if he was all right.”
Damien spoke again. “I saw him today. He stopped to talk to me. He said that he could have sworn someone was watching him last night. Adam also told me that sometimes it seemed as if you were still alive, but he also said he knew that wasn’t true because if you had still been alive you would have found a way to get through to him.”
I looked up in sudden anguish. I abruptly began to cry as well. “I cannot ! Oh my goodness, I want to but – no, no, NO!” I cried out.
Damien got up and quickly came to my side. He touched my shoulder. “Go ahead. It is all right to love him,” he said softly.
I shook my head almost in horror. “Nay. Never again,” I snarled fervently.
I must of startled him, he actually took a step back. “You do not mean that, Julia.”
“Aye. I do. It only caused me pain and grief,” I replied crisply. Changing the subject, I asked, “How’s my sister doing?”
“Crystal’s doing well. She is unhappy of course, and she thinks Gregory killed Marie. She also thinks you are dead as well … but she also thinks you have moved on to a better life now,” Damien answered shakily.
“Well, that much is true,” I replied. “Just not the way she hoped.” I sat down at the table. “Where are they?” I asked in agitation.
“Why? You love Samuel?”
I looked at him in disbelief. “Damien! No. I told you, I do not – will not love another person like that again. I will not love at all!” I said vehemently. This time Damien did drop the subject. I began to sew and he went back to eating.
A little later everyone else returned. I got up and glared at them. All of them had some blood on them, but both Matthew and Samuel were soaked in it. “What were you doing?” I asked suspiciously.
They looked at each other. “We went out on a messy hunt,” Matthew finally answered.
“What about me?” I asked angrily. “You left me behind?!”
Samuel met my gaze. “You would not have wanted to be there, Julia. You can go out hunting now alone while we get cleaned up.”
“Are you serious?” I asked incredulously.
“Aye. You’re ready. If you need help all you have to do is scream out to us with your mind.”
“Fine. I’ll go,” I snarled back. I went off and dressed in a loose peasant–like black dress and then returned to the room. “Bye.” I grabbed my cloak, turned, and stomped out.
Anger and confusion kept my mind off of my fears until I reached town. My fears had just begun to return when I noticed a crowd gathering. I moved towards it curiously. I joined the edge of it and realized some of the people were hysterical. I tapped the shoulder of a woman I had never seen before. “What is going on?” I asked loudly so she could hear my question.
The woman turned frightened eyes on me. “That young man – the one who just lost his wife– he was found murdered!”
I frowned. “Who? What is his name? What happened?”
“Gregory Smith. A group of people found him in an alley – his throat was ripped out but there was barely any blood. They are saying vampires did it.”
“Nay. It was that band of thieves!” Someone else shouted.
“Then why was there not any blood?” Another yelled back.
The woman’s words suddenly registered. I rocked backwards in shock. “Are you all right, Miss?”
“Aye,” I replied, smiling grimly. I turned away and disappeared down another street. I laughed out loud. “I cannot believe this.” I think I already knew who did it. No wonder the others had gone without me . . . I figure it is either Samuel or Matthew. Probably Samuel. “The rascals. They really did it. Gosh, do I love them.”
Some of my fear subsided as I realized I had been freed of some of my invisible chains by Gregory’s death. And the other vampires had wanted me to find out – that was why they had sent me out. Of course I don’t know for sure. It was just a good assumption. I shook my head and began to look for a meal. I was hungry now.
I managed to find a young woman that wasn’t part of the mob that was forming. I fed off her the way I was taught and then started home. The townspeople were scared now and stories of vampires were already circulating. Although the young woman I fed from would be all right, her discovery by someone else would spark more hysterics. I figured it was best to wait it out at home where I could find out which vampire killed Gregory.
I slipped away unnoticed and returned home. When I walked in, I noticed everyone was still there – including Damien. I hung up the cloak and looked towards the group sitting around the room. “All right. Which one of you did it?”
They all looked up at me with innocent eyes. Innocent? Right. “Do what, Julia?” Matthew asked mildly.
I stepped farther into the room. “Killed Gregory? It is either you or you,” I said pointing at Matthew and Samuel. “And it is probably you,” I said, resting my gaze on Samuel. I smiled.
Neither one spoke but exchanged glances. Finally they shook their heads. I continued speaking, not put off one bit by their denials. “And whichever wonderful rascal it is, I love them,” I finished in sincere gratitude.
Matthew leaned over towards Samuel. “Love? Goodness, this is a big step for her,” he said softly. Samuel nodded and smiled. Still, no one would admit they were the one.
I shook my head and smiled. “Fine. Do not answer. Forget about it,” I said and hugged both male vampires. I sat down on the bed.
“Julia’s showing affection? She must be sick. Are you sure we can’t get sick, Samuel?” Matthew said jokingly. At least I think it was a joke.
Samuel grinned. “Last time I checked we could not. Maybe Julia has started something new.”
Jeffrey looked at them with a grin. “Or maybe you have finally got her to trust you,” he said pretending to be shocked.
“If only that will happen with me,” Robert sighed evilly.
I was about to say something nasty back when Damien spoke up. “I do not think she’s in
terested in finding a lover right now. She told me she was never going to love again. Sorry Robert.”
Robert looked at me. “Is that true?” he asked in shock.
I suddenly felt defensive. “Aye. It is. I’m not going to love someone in that way again. Heaven knows, love has gotten me into enough trouble.” I shared a look with Samuel, sort of challenging.
Samuel didn’t bother to argue with me over it. He just smiled. “Julia, do not worry about it. We finished cleaning out the extra room in back … you can have your own room now.”
I nodded. “Thank you.” Glancing at Matthew I noticed again just how familiar he looked. This time I knew I needed to confront him with what I thought I knew. “Matthew, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?” I added after a second.
Matthew glanced at Samuel and Damien. “All right, Julia. Let’s talk outside,” he said, getting to his feet. I nodded and waited for him to walk out first. He gave Samuel one last look and walked out, I following. Once we were outside, I closed the door and faced him. “What is it, Julia?”
“You look familiar, Matthew. Have I seen you before?” I asked, blurting out the question. Matthew was silent and I continued, “Please, Matthew, tell me.”
“Aye, Julia, we have seen each other before.”
“Where?” I asked, bewildered.
Matthew shifted uncomfortably. “Do you remember the night that your sister stopped you from leaving?”
I narrowed my eyes, staring at him intently. “Aye ….” I recalled that night with a twinge of pain. Crystal had not been alone. A young man had been with her, one with dark brown hair –one of Damien’s friends she had said. Matthew. My mouth fell open in shock. “It was you who was with her.”
He nodded without facing me. “Aye, I was told to stay with her.”
“You sent me back there! How could you?!” I screamed in anger and betrayal. “You deceived me when you bought me here!”
Matthew spun to glare at me. “I couldn’t do anything!” he yelled back. “Do you not think I wanted to? We couldn’t risk that someone had been following you, nor did we have the resources yet to take both you and the child in!”
“You could have helped us then. You could have at least taken Marie with you,” I said brokenly. “Instead you killed her.”
“And don’t you think that Gregory would have been angry when he realized you got the child to safety? He could have killed you for disobeying him. We were trying to arrange things to get both you and your daughter out safely, you still human; and without jeopardizing the lives of your sister and brother–in–law. Perhaps we should have taken your daughter with us,” he said sadly, guiltily. “I wasn’t thinking. I was just following orders; to not interfere yet.”
I shook my head. I could tell by the pain in his eyes that they had meant well, just made some bad decisions or hadn’t known what to do at all. I looked past him towards the garden on the side of the house, remembering how confused I had been that vampires had a vegetable garden. I realized the food they had been growing had to be some of the resources Matthew had been referring to. “Thank you for at least being honest with me. I think I am going to retire early.”
I turned and walked through the house into my new room. It was nice – plain like everything else but nice. I looked around the room. There was a bed against the south wall. It was large enough for two people and had clean pillows and blankets on it. A dresser was put against the west wall. A table and chair completed the furnishings. That was put against the north wall. I smiled in approval. My recent accommodations were closer to Adam’s lifestyle than to the one I was used to but it didn’t matter. I fell asleep quickly.
** *
Chapter 9
A year or so later finds me sitting at the table in the main room with my head bowed. I had spent the time healing from my experiences. I learned to trust my group to the point of being somewhat comfortable around everyone. I watched Adam several times throughout the year but despite Samuel and Mary Anne’s urgings I had never gone to see him nor did I let him see me.
I looked up briefly when Samuel sat down next to me. “Hello Samuel,” I said.
“What are you thinking about Julia?”
I shook my head. “Nothing really,” I lied.
“You’re thinking about Adam again, are you not? Do you know that he’s getting married to Ruth Galloway in two days?”
“Damien told me last night.”
“You still love him, don’t you? You keep denying that you love him, but you do.”
I angrily got up from the table and pulled my strawberry blonde hair away from my face. I hated to admit it after vowing to myself that I would never fall in love with anyone again. “I never stopped loving him, Samuel,” I finally admitted. “But now he is being married to Ruth and I’m a vampire!”
Samuel looked at me calmly. “So? Go and see Adam, Julia. If he can accept you as a vampire, then you two can be together.”
I turned to look at him, my heart suddenly filling with longing. “Do you really think so?”
He nodded. “Aye. You should go see him.”
My gaze drifted to the far wall. “Maybe,” I answered, withdrawing again. I turned and went into my room. I eventually got to sleep after hours of pondering. I had no idea what I was going to do.
The next night I woke and stared up at my ceiling, struggling with the idea on whether or not to go see Adam. I knew this was my last chance to talk to him before he was married. I realized that I really did want to try– it was my last chance. I rose and dressed in a simple black dress. I don’t think he’s ever seen me in anything plain before. When I was human our daily lives were very different– mine was sort of exotic; his very plaintive. I shook my head and walked into the main room. Samuel and Matthew were in the room talking. I looked towards them and then put on the cloak I had claimed for my own. “Come with me, Samuel. I want to go talk to Adam.”
Neither one of them or the others had ever admitted to killing Gregory but to me it no longer mattered. “I’ll be damned,” Samuel whispered. “You will go see him?”
“Aye, if you will come with me.”
“Certainly,” he answered, rising to his feet. I looked at Matthew.
“You can come too,” I invited softly on impulse.
“My pleasure. Thank you.”
I smiled. “No, thank you. For being so patient with me.” I turned and walked towards the door.
“Do not worry about it,” they answered in unison. We left the house and walked into town to Adam’s house.
I looked up at it for a moment, noting a few candles lit. I sighed and walked in. Samuel and Matthew waited outside. I silently mounted the stairs and walked through his house to the bedroom.
Adam was lying on the bed, a whiskey bottle in hand. I could see his dark brown eyes clearly even in the dim light. When I saw his expression and the bottle, I knew instantly that he had been thinking about my “death.”
“Hello, Adam,” I said softly, moving into the light.
I startled him so much that he dropped the whiskey bottle and it landed on the floor shattering. “I’ve definitely drank too much.” He sighed. “Evening Julia. How has it been in heaven?”
“I am not dead. Not exactly.” I stepped closer.
Adam jumped backwards, suddenly realizing somehow that he wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating. “What? How are ye here? How fare thee??” he gasped in bewilderment and anger.
I paused, suddenly doubting myself for my intention to come here. “This was a bad idea. Why did I come? I should not have,” I abolished myself and turned for the door.
“Julia, wait! I do not understand! How are you here? You are supposed to be dead!”
I winced, unsure of how to proceed. “Goodness, Samuel never told me how to say this –”
“Whom?! Are you married again? What is going on?”
“No one you would know yet. I left Gregory and now he is dead. I am not married anymore,” I said quietly, my back still turne
d.
“What?”
“I left him,” I repeated coldly.
“Thou cannot – yet somehow you did. What do you want from me?”
I looked back at him and felt my heart fracture in pain. “I heard you were to be married soon. I only wanted to see you before you were married. I’ll take my leave.”
“Julia, stay.” Adam suddenly said, rising to his feet.
I looked at him. “I should go. Everyone thinks I am dead and dawn will be here in a few hours.” Adam stared, puzzled. “Look, Adam, I do not have all night.”
Adam seemed to be struggling to say something. After another second he said, “Julia . . . I still love you.”
I glanced back. “What?” I repeated stupidly.
“You heard me,” he said.
“You do? I thought you had forgotten about me.”
Adam shook his head. “I could never forget about you, Juliana.” I smiled slightly and then realized I had also shown a glimpse of my fangs. I silently cursed my stupidity. Adam paled considerably before me. “What was that?”
“Oh … just my teeth.”
Adam shook his head. “No one has teeth like that.” He fixed his eyes on me.
“Well, they are now. I am different, Adam.”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked harshly, a hint of fear entering his voice.
“I’m a vampire,” I admitted.
Adam reeled backwards in fear and shock. I knew his mind was filled with every single vampire tale he had heard – nothing good. I watched as he grabbed a crucifix.
“This really was not a good idea,” I muttered backing away. I silently damned Samuel for giving me the idea in the first place. I wasn’t really afraid of the crucifix – I was afraid he would go for a wooden stake next. “I should not have let myself be talked into this – I –I just wanted to let you know that I was all right. I did not think you would understand – Sharon told me the same thing . . . I’ll leave you alone all right?”
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