“Aye.”
“Those things you mentioned you would have done would have been wonderful– if they had worked. But you could have been hurt worse as well. You did fine Julia. You did all you could. You were not a match for Gregory’s strength. Do you understand?”
“Aye, I guess so. It’s just so hard to remember that sometimes.”
“I know Julia. Tell Adam whatever and as much of it as you see fit. I will not betray your confidence.” He paused. “You did pretty well fighting last night.”
I laughed. “Are you insane? I nearly got killed last night.”
“You staked the one assailant, did you not? And a year ago you probably would have just froze, right? Would not have even tried to fight?”
“Probably,” I said after a second.
“You did well compared to where you were before. You’ll get better with time as well. Even we older vampires had a problem ... that’s what happens when you are ambushed. We are not perfect either ... even though we like to think it.”
I laughed and shook my head. “You are so full of it, Samuel.”
“You think so? You do not believe I’m perfect?”
“Samuel, if you do not be quiet I’m going to hit you,” I warned, trying to hide a smile.
I saw a faint smile tug at his lips. “You could try,” he teased.
“I’ll do more than try,” I said and hit him.
“Children,” Samuel sighed and rolled his eyes.
I smiled. “Thank you. I guess we should go back before they send someone out after us.”
Samuel nodded. “Good idea. Later, I’ll be happy to take you and Adam hunting,” he offered quietly.
I nodded and began walking. “Sounds fine to me.” We silently walked back to the house.
Adam, Damien, and Matthew were all sitting at the table when we walked back in. Damien was eating. “There they are. We were beginning to think we would have to send a search party out.”
I turned and walked to Adam as Samuel shook his head.
Adam looked at me. “You were gone a long time. You all right now?”
I walked up behind him and put my arms on his shoulders. “Aye. I’m all right. Thank you for asking.”
He leaned back and smiled up at me. “No problem.”
I looked up at Matthew. “How’s Christy?”
“A little better. She just woke up about ten minutes ago,” Matthew answered, and relief was clear in his voice.
“Good.”
Matthew nodded. He then looked at Samuel. His expression hardened. “Samuel, did you get any sleep?”
Samuel answered, without looking at him. “Nay. I was up with Christy all day.”
“Samuel!” Matthew scolded in an exasperated voice.
Samuel scowled. “Someone had to stay up with her. So I did,” he said and sat down.
Matthew nodded. A long minute later he said, “Just promise me that you’ll feed later.”
“Of course,” he replied in a lazy drawl. Matthew mumbled something in another language.
I stood and then sat down in between Adam and Samuel. “What did you say?” I asked, looking back at Matthew.
“Oh, nothing. I was just practicing my French was all. I haven’t been back to the home country for years. Thought I might have forgotten.”
“You’re from France?” Adam asked, sounding curious.
Matthew nodded. “I’ve been living in England for a long time now, though. I almost consider myself more English than French.”
Samuel got up again. He walked to the doorway of the room Christy and the others were in, said a few words in fluent Latin, waited a moment, and then walked back to us. He stood behind me and lightly put his arm around my shoulders. “Do you want to come with me later, Sunshine? I’m going to have to feed, you should probably feed again, and I need to bring some blood back for Christy.”
“I’ll like that,” I said, uncertainly glancing at Adam. His eyes were narrowed and he was watching Samuel intently.
“Good. I can train you more later as well.”
A faint smile curled his lips. He looked down at me and his eyes became distant as he studied me. I concentrated on him and I was surprised when I was able to tell a little of what he was thinking. I usually couldn’t unless he was directly speaking to me telepathically. I suppose he’s weak from staying up.
As he looked at me, he was marveling at the change in me in the past year or so. I saw an image of how I looked when I first met him. It startled me slightly. I hadn’t realized how awful I really had looked then. I had known I was no beauty, yes, but I didn’t know I looked that bad. Especially not how awful I had looked from somebody else’s eyes.
I had been extremely pale, my hair had been a tangled mess, and I had practically been covered in blood and had been bruised badly. I think the expression in my eyes had been the worst, it had been a heart–wrenching mix of terror, anger, grief, shock, and despair.
I shook my head sharply and jerked back, severing mind contact. It was a shock to see it from one of the other vampires’ eyes.
“My goodness,” I whispered, barely saying the words.
Samuel leaned down and whispered against my ear. “Reading my mind, Sunshine? Well, you should know you look a lot better,” he whispered sending a picture directly into my mind. This time it was me who was marveling at my own change. My hair was neat and fluffy, my skin was flawless and flushed with color from the blood I drink, and my eyes now sparkle with life that is not unlike the life I had when I was younger. I was pretty again.
“I had wondered if I would ever be pretty enough that people would want to see and touch me again,” I whispered truthfully, so only he could hear. I closed my eyes.
“I always thought you were pretty,” Samuel replied, but his voice was nowhere as soft as mine had been. Seemingly to prove his point, he reached up and gently stroked my cheek.
Adam stood up. I heard it rather than saw it. “Samuel!” he snarled.
I sensed Jeffrey and Mary Anne walk in. “Here we go again,” Jeffrey muttered.
I opened my eyes as I felt Samuel step back slightly. I saw everyone was staring at us, Damien in confusion, Matthew in some sort of sardonic amusement, the other two in exasperation.
“What Adam?” Samuel asked quietly.
“Stop it,” Adam warned in quiet anger.
Samuel looked amused. “Stop what?” he inquired, reaching out to touch my hair.
“You know what,” Adam said harshly. He stepped closer. Samuel calmly stepped away from me and smiled. Adam suddenly lunged at him. Samuel stepped aside and grabbed his arm.
“This is interesting,” Matthew murmured. He looked very intrigued by what was occurring. The others didn’t look so enthused. I looked between Samuel and Adam, confused. What the heck were they fighting about now?
Adam tried to jerk free but couldn’t. Even weakened by being awake during the day, Samuel was still much stronger. He spun him around and openhanded him across the chest.
Adam doubled over and swore.
Samuel released him and stepped back. “Adam, do not be so possessive,” he said softly. Adam stood and kicked him. “Silly young vampire,” Samuel murmured grabbing his arm again and twisting it. His movements remained smooth and relaxed.
“Nay! Samuel, stop it!” I yelled standing up. “What’s wrong with you two?”
Matthew clasped his hands behind his head and glanced at me. “Why? Things are just getting interesting. I love it when people jostle for position. They’re just fighting over their positions in the group, especially when it comes to you, Julia.”
I looked at him in angry confusion. “Why?”
Matthew shook his head, exasperated. “Forget it Julia. My, you are the most naïve woman I have ever met.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, irritated.
“Never mind. You obviously don’t understand. Forget it,” Matthew said, shrugging.
“I am not possessive!” Adam snapped, startin
g to roll away.
Samuel let him and stood. “Oh?”
“Would you boys stop it?!” Mary Anne snarled.
Samuel and Adam both scowled at her and turned back to their fight. “Do not touch her, Samuel.”
“Why not? She’s not a piece of property, Adam,” Samuel said, just as quietly. His voice at his last sentence was sarcastic.
For a second, a very brief second, I began to grasp what Matthew was trying to tell me but then my mind refused the idea. Samuel couldn’t be in love with me. It was impossible ... at least to me. No one could be in love with someone who went through such horror without doing more to stop it, especially not one of the older vampires. The only reason Adam still loved me was because he didn’t know about it, and I vowed he never would. Why Samuel picked me for this is beyond my comprehension, even after everything he told me. I still don’t see why he thinks I would be able to overthrow Valentino, even if it is a few centuries from now.
“Adam, just drop it,” I pleaded desperately. “Samuel doesn’t mean any harm.”
“He doesn’t, eh?” Adam said coolly. “He seems to mean harm any chance he gets.”
Samuel snorted. “Oh, of course,” he muttered sarcastically. “Look, Adam, I know you have not seen Julia in a long time and all, but lighten up. She’s been with us for about a year, and we’ve taken care of her. You were not around.”
“No, really? She was married, Samuel,” Adam said in response. “It would have been called adultery.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Samuel said dryly.
“Then what the bloody hell is your problem?”
I looked towards Mary Anne for help. All she did was look back at me and shrug helplessly. She still looked angry, but resigned about something as well.
“You know what my problem is,” Samuel said emotionlessly.
I’m glad Adam does, because I don’t, I thought to myself silently. I have no idea why you like fighting each other.
“Well, Samuel, let me fill you in on a few things here. You just came into her life, oh Great One. I’ve known her for years. She made me a vampire to be with her. She said she loves me. So back off.”
Matthew stifled a laugh. “Oh, Great One? That young one been reading my mind tonight.” He looked towards me and tried to stop laughing.
Samuel began to say something else but I interrupted yet again. “Would you two stop fighting with each other? We’re not going to get anything done if we fight each other!” I shouted angrily.
They glanced at me in surprise. I suppose they had forgotten that I was in the same room. I didn’t want them to fight anymore. I have gone through enough fights with Gregory to last me a lifetime. I didn’t need my “surrogate family” to bicker like this. It tore me apart in ways I can’t even begin to describe and it scared me as well.
“I don’t know what you’re fighting about but stop!” I continued, seeing I still had their attention. “Just stop,” I said shakily.
For a second it seemed they actually would. Samuel even turned away to sit down again when Adam said something. It was so soft I couldn’t catch what it was, but Samuel obviously did. He whipped around and for the first time I saw his body tense with anger. “Don’t tell me what to do,” he said in a low growl.
“Then don’t tell me what to do.”
“Adam, enough already!” I shouted. He just had to say something else when it was obvious Samuel was ready to drop the argument. Men.
I had already been triggered once tonight ... I didn’t need to be triggered again. I didn’t know if there was any way to stop the fight now.
“Don’t be so touchy about this Adam. It won’t do anyone any good to be overly jealous.”
“Well then, Samuel, stop trying to seduce her!”
What did Adam mean? Was Samuel . . . nah. Adam had to be overreacting. After all, we weren’t in the human society anymore, we could be much more open with each other than Adam’s used to.
“The way they’re going, they’ll be at it all night,” Jeffrey muttered.
I couldn’t take it anymore. My nerves were already on edge and the last comments by Adam and Samuel sent me right over it. “Damn you both, I cannot take this anymore!” I ran for the door. I opened it and ran outside.
Dimly, I heard Adam yell, “Now look what you did, Samuel!” I heard him start after me. “Julia! You cannot go out alone –”
I heard Samuel follow him out and then the other four followed. There were a few yells and a couple of thuds. Mary Anne’s voice rang out clearly out of the noise. “No! You are not going after her! Leave her alone, both of you!”
I didn’t bother to look back. I fled into town and took refuge in one of the Inns. I sat down at a table at the edge of the room and buried my face into my hands.
A minute or so later I became aware of two very familiar voices ... ones I hadn’t heard for almost two years.
“Crystal, you must snap out of this depression. It isn’t good for you.”
It was my brother and sister. I remained very still and listened.
“How am I supposed to feel, Peter? Damien is away – attending to a sick friend, I lost my mother, sister, and my niece all within three years,” Crystal answered, her voice filled with despair.
Peter sighed. “Juliana was a whore and deserved anything and everything that happened to her.”
More anger flashed through me but I carefully restrained myself from getting up. I was sorely tempted to go over and give my brother the shock of his life.
“Julia was not a whore and she did not deserve anything that had happened to her! She did not deserve being treated the way Gregory treated her and you know it!” She swore at him. “I hate you, Peter, and I need to be going.” I peered through my fingers and saw them a few rows away getting up, still arguing. They were facing away from me. I leaned back into the shadows until they left, just in case they glanced my way.
After they were gone, I raised my hand and flagged down one of the Innkeepers. The man gave me an odd look, seeing I was a woman, and alone. “May I help you?” he asked after a second.
“Aye. I want the tallest glass of wine you have,” I said, ignoring the look. I didn’t know if vampires could get drunk but it was worth a try.
“Red or white?”
“I do not care. Just give me some wine,” I snapped, staring straight into his eyes. I put a little power into the stare, just enough for him to stop asking questions.
He hurried off with a frown and returned with a tall glass of white wine. I took the glass from him and finished it in several gulps. I never had the chance to use alcohol to drown my sorrows. Gregory had never really let me drink much. I suppose if I had been able to I would have been a drunkard as a human. I then ordered another glass.
Four glasses of wine later, I was indeed drunk. Who would have thought vampires could get drunk? I stood up, threw several coins down – I couldn’t remember having any money with me – then left.
I walked a few blocks down and entered another Inn. I sat down and ordered red wine instead. I was half done with my first glass when a strange man sat down across from me. He had longish black hair and dark eyes. It took a few minutes for me to realize he was also a vampire. I let out a long exasperated sigh. “If you want to kill me, at least wait until I’m finished with my wine.” My voice sounded slightly slurred.
The vampire smiled. “Congratulations. You’re the first vampire to ever get drunk. Why would I want to kill you?” His voice was amused.
“Let me see. Everyone seems to have it in for me lately. I was nearly killed last night, and today my housemates are all fighting like lunatics.”
He gave me an odd look. “Really? Who are you and what’s so special about you that everyone wants to kill you?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’m just a special girl. No, actually the question is who are you and what the hell do you want? I came out here to be alone,” I said, finishing my glass. I promptly ordered another.
“Girl, you do
not need anymore.”
“Aye, I do. And don’t call me ‘girl.’ Now answer my damn question before I get up and leave.”
He sighed. “The name’s Richard and I am out here looking for Samuel.” He looked at me closely. “I don’t suppose you know who that is.”
I began to laugh. “Samuel?” I laughed even harder. “Oh, yes, I know who he is. I just left his company. Why do you want to see him?”
“What’s so funny?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. What do you want Richard? I think he’s busy right now.”
Richard frowned. “Who are you?”
I grinned. “I’m Julia, Samuel’s fledgling. Everyone tries to kill me, kind of funny really, they thinking I’m a threat and all.”
Richard nodded, but said nothing.
“So, Richard, what are you here for? You probably don’t want to see Samuel right now. He was kind of in a middle of a fight when I left.”
“Oh. Well, at least you still have all your Resistance members.”
“You’re Resistance? Hmm, you are the first Resistance member I’ve met outside of my little group. What’s going on? I feel so privileged.”
Richard’s expression seemed to darken but he waited to speak until after I received my wine. As soon as the waiter left and I began to drink, he spoke again. “I came here looking for your maker because we’re in trouble.”
“Explain,” I said simply and continued to sip my wine.
Richard sighed and dropped his gaze. “About two days ago, some of Valentino’s followers attacked and killed my entire group. I was out hunting at the time.” His voice was soft and I heard the unmistakable trace of guilt in his voice. I was far too familiar with the emotion.
“I’m sorry. What do you mean ‘we need help’ then? You’re the only one left,” I said confused.
“I mean the entire Resistance. Yesterday, on my way here to London, I got word from another group that they were attacked and three of their seven members were killed.”
“Damn,” I muttered, thinking how lucky we were last night. “So why do you want to see Samuel?”
Lost Soul Page 15
