Microsoft Word - TheStormyLoveLifeofLauraCordelaisSusanCfinal Page 30

  "Apparently you've redeemed yourself and earned better."

  "You can do the same. I thought vampires were doomed, and I was wrong. You have a chance at glory. Are you sure you want to be a vampire instead and watch everyone you've ever loved disappear in seconds? That's what time is in a vampire's eyes. That's how life slips through your fingers. In the end, there is only night, and the night can be so cold and lonely. But if you still want David to change you, we'll come back when it's your time."

  A tear fell down the mambo's face. "You've given me a lot to think about."

  Laura nodded and slipped out of the gown, hanging it carefully on its hangar.

  She put on the blue one again and went through the house to the kitchen door. Night had fallen, and David waited in the garden. He greeted her with white lilacs, and they sat together on the divan.

  "I've just come back from Marchon's, and everything is all set. We're having the wedding at his place tomorrow at midnight."

  "And what about the humans with us?"

  "No one will touch them. He guarantees it."

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  Just as David leaned in for a kiss, screaming cut the night.

  "Someone's in trouble." Laura took to the sky, and David rushed after her. They landed in an alleyway several streets away. David stood behind Laura, vigilantly guarding her back.

  A pale young woman with curly brown hair lay huddled half-hidden by two trash cans and a cluster of boxes. Laura moved them away with a sweep of her hand.

  "Get away," the woman hissed. "I'm a vampire." One hand clutched her heart, where an arrow stuck out. Blood gushed out through her fingers. The other hand gripped a dirty pillowcase.

  Laura knelt down beside her. "Why does a vampire need a pillowcase?"

  The woman whimpered when Laura pulled the case away from her and looked inside. "You're going to finish me off, aren't you? You'll eat me when I'm dead."

  "We're not cannibals," said David.

  "Why were you collecting food?" asked Laura.

  The woman looked at them with terrified eyes and slumped lower.

  "We're taking you to Mama Joe's now." David lifted her into his arms.

  "No." She wept. "My husband. Please, take me to him."

  Before the woman passed out, Laura clearly saw a blue house with white pillars in the Garden District pictured in her mind. "Follow me," she said. "I know where he is."

  The vampires carried the bleeding woman through the air. Water surrounded the house like an island. The first floor was flooded. The only way in was by the second floor balcony. They landed and found the French doors unlocked. The house was devoid of furniture. It was dark and smelled of death. David led the way carrying the wounded vampire.

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  "Stay where you are." A man emerged from the shadows. Sweat plastered his dark hair against his face. "Cami? What have you done to her?" The gun shook in his hand, and his voice broke.

  Laura stepped beside David. "We found her this way. She was shot by a slayer."

  "No!" he wailed.

  "Where can I put her?" David still held her, while the man trembling before them pointed his gun.

  "Um, um," he said, breathing hard, lowering his gun. "Over there." In the dimness of the room, they could barely make out the outline of a mattress in the corner.

  David carefully placed her in the middle.

  She moaned. Her limbs stretched, trying to grasp her way out of pain. "Please."

  The man embraced her, weeping.

  Laura and David sat on the floor nearby. "How long has she been a vampire?"

  Laura asked.

  His tear-stained face looked up at them. "Camille was bitten only a few days ago, before the hurricane hit. She went shopping to buy enough food, so we could wait out the storm. When she didn't come back, I looked for her and found her bleeding in the alley behind the supermarket. I was going to take her to the hospital, but she was able to walk and insisted I bring her home. We've been hiding ever since. Is she going to die?"

  "If the stake went through her heart, she'd be dead already. It must be close to her heart though. To heal, she's going to need a lot of blood."

  Camille's husband sighed. "I figured it would come to this sooner or later. Cami needs my blood?"

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  "We need to see the wound," said Laura.

  The man got out of the way, so they could examine his unconscious wife.

  Camille's face was as white as a china doll. David pried her fingers from the arrow shaft.

  It was so close to her heart that a pull in the wrong direction would free her from her undead condition. "I'm going to pull it out, but she'll need blood."

  "She can have mine," her frightened husband said. "We talked about changing me, but she didn't know how to do it."

  Laura shook her head. "The wound is so severe that the hunger will drive her, and she'd take too much. You'd die."

  "I can't be without her," he replied.

  David said, "Move back."

  Laura took the man's arm and stood with him halfway across the room.

  In one straight pull, David freed Camille from the arrow and threw it on the floor.

  The woman, her eyes turning up, growled viciously. She attacked, plunging her fangs into David's arm. He gasped.

  Camille sucked noisily. In her frenzy, blood dripped down her chin and she tore fresh wounds in his arm. David closed his eyes for several minutes letting her prey on him. Laura watched Camille's color returning to her face, her shriveled hands becoming full with youth.

  Then David groaned. "Stop."

  Camille snarled, unwilling to give him up.

  Laura flew at her, grabbing her by the throat and pushing her apart from David.

  Camille's eyes glowed with the hunger, her fangs gnashed, as Laura pinned her to the mattress.

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  "It's not enough," she screamed, thrashing and struggling, but Laura would not relinquish her hold. An hour passed with both women staring steely-eyed at each other.

  For all her vampire strength, Camille was weak while her wound healed. Laura released her, throwing herself backward, finally standing beside David.

  Camille writhed in pain on the bloodstained mattress. Her husband stepped forward, but David put a hand on his shoulder.

  "Not yet."

  Camille sat up and then crouched over in agony, groaning. "Richard, I don't know what's happening to me."

  "The Hunger is not satisfied," warned Laura. "Before the night is through, you're going to need to feed again."

  Camille collapsed into tears. "Every night when I awake I hope it's all been a nightmare. I hate the monster I've become. I wish I could have my life back."

  Laura's hand fell on the unicorn's horn, which was protectively sheathed in its leather holder that hung around her neck. She removed it from the sheath. "There is one way, but you must truly want to be human again more than anything."

  "I don't understand," said Richard.

  "The unicorn's horn can return a vampire who has been pure of heart, who truly desires to be human again, to the mortal life."

  Camille shakily stood up on the mattress. "Is this true?"

  "The unicorn's horn does work, but it is very risky. Before you can live, you must die in this life, and you must make certain promises."

  "She has to die?" Richard panicked. "No, darling, don't do it."

  "I'll get to be human again? Really?" Camille asked.

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  Laura gulped. "I won't guarantee anything. I've seen it work. That's all I can say."

  "I want to try."

  "No! Don't do this. We'll find another way."

  "There isn't another way. Don't you see," she cried, gazing at her husband. "If I stay a vampire, sooner or later I'll kill you. Please, if there's any chance I can have my life back, I need to take it."

  Richard stood silent with David next to him.

  Keep a hold on him in case anything happens, thought Laura.

  I will, Da
vid agreed.

  Laura began. "This is the ritual. It's not a vampire ritual but belonged to the unicorn who once owned this horn."

  "How did you get the horn?" Richard interrupted.

  "The unicorn tried to kill me, and I took his horn away from him."

  "Richard, don't ask questions. I want to get this over as quickly as possible.

  Please," she said to Laura. "Please, continue."

  "As I said this is a unicorn ritual. First, kneel, Supplicant."

  Camille knelt before Laura, who stood above her with the horn raised in one hand.

  "You will have to be braver than you've ever been before, Camille."

  She nodded.

  "Then we begin. With life, comes joy and pain, do you accept it?"

  "Yes," Camille replied.

  "Then extend your right palm."

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  A trembling hand was thrust forward, and Laura touched the unicorn's horn against Camille's palm.

  Camille screamed and fell over. David held Richard back.

  "No, my love, it will be all right," Camille said in a raspy, agony-filled voice. After a few minutes, she was on her knees again. "I am ready."

  "Do you denounce the life of blood?"

  "That's an easy question. Yes," she replied.

  "Then extend your left palm."

  Camille peered up at her, as she slowly extended her left hand.

  Again Laura touched the horn to the vampire's hand.

  "Aaarg," cried Camille. She crumbled into a ball on the floor weeping, holding her hands against her sides. Then Camille grew very quiet. Her eyes closed. Laura remembered how she had almost fallen unconscious from the torment. She waited.

  After a long silence, Camille got on her knees again and looked directly at Laura.

  "I'm ready to continue."

  "The final question is the hardest. When you answer it, I will stab your heart with the unicorn's horn. As a vampire, you will die. But when the sun rises, you will awaken into the mortal life. Your life will be yours again."

  "Please, Camille. Don't do this! What if it doesn't work?"

  "Then I've died trying. Richard, I don't want to live one more day as a vampire.

  If I can't be with you, let me go." She looked up at Laura. "Please, just do it."

  Laura raised the horn higher and then turned away. She turned back to look into Camille's trusting eyes. "Please, close your eyes." Laura couldn't bear the absolute faith she saw there.

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  Camille closed her eyes.

  "Remember. You chose the mortal life, and you must answer now. Do you promise to deny vampires and all form of dark creature, refusing to acknowledge them if your paths should cross, and denying them sanctuary or comfort of any kind?"

  Camille opened her eyes. "Even you?"

  "Even me," said Laura.

  "But you're helping me."

  "It doesn't matter. You must stay away from all vampires. If you are bitten again, you'll turn to ashes."

  Camille looked down and nodded. She closed her eyes.

  "You have to say it."

  "Yes, I will deny all of them, even you."

  Richard screamed, "No," and David held him fast. Laura in one swift movement plunged the unicorn's horn into the vampire's heart and pulled it out again. Camille fell to the floor and died.

  Laura wept as she wiped the horn as best she could and returned it to its sheath.

  Richard tenderly held his wife's body. He pressed her face to his and cried.

  David took Laura's hand. "We're out of time. I feel the sun coming up."

  "We cannot be here, when she awakens," said Laura. "Where can we hide?"

  "Come." Richard rose from his wife's side and led them up a stair to the rickety third floor. Laura didn't like it. Already light seeped through the cracks in the walls.

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  "Here's a closet. It should be dark enough in here. When Camille wakes up, I'm taking her away. I've a rowboat hidden around the back. If you stay in there until night, she'll never know you're still here."

  "I don't know about this," Laura said.

  "It'll be fine." Richard pushed them into the closet and shut the door. Laura heard a click like a lock, then something being shoved against the door. "And if she doesn't wake, I'll kill you." His footsteps moved further and further away.

  Tiny slivers of morning invaded their hiding place. With his strength fading, David shoved against the door, but it didn't budge. Using their two coats and an old blanket they found in the back of the closet, they made a tent to keep out the light and huddled beneath it.

  Laura kissed David. "I'm sorry I've gotten you into this mess with me."

  "No, you're not. You'll always be helping someone in trouble, and we'll always be in a mess." Then he saw her sad face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He kissed her. "I wasn't being kind."

  She tenderly stroked the right side of his face. "I don't know why I heard Camille crying. I've never heard anything like that before."

  He shifted his weight and leaned her against him. "I have. The night you fell from the bridge, I heard you ask God for help. I shouldn't have." He kissed her head. "I think you were sent back for a purpose, my darling, and I don't care what the purpose is.

  I'm just grateful you're back."

  She giggled. "Even if we're in a closet?"

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  He laughed softly, caressing her. "Even if." He nuzzled her neck. God, you feel so good in my arms. "Besides we can get out of anything together. Do you see me worrying?"

  "No. I never see you worry. It's very close in here like a coffin." She started to shiver.

  He caressed her hair soothingly and pulled her more tightly against him. When he brushed his fangs against her neck, she calmed down, her body relaxing against his.

  "How are you doing? She took quite a bite out of you." Laura examined his wounded arm. It was healing but slowly. His shirtsleeve was stiff with blood.

  "I'm going to be okay." He rested his chin on Laura's shoulder and inhaled the flower fragrance of her hair. She smelled of lilacs. "I'm very lucky you were able to pull her off me. If she had bitten her husband, she would have killed him."

  "Well, I hope she makes it." Laura sighed. "Because if she doesn't, he might kill us."

  "When did you say the transformation takes place?"

  "It should be happening now."

  They hugged each other listening but didn't hear anything. David again tried to shove the door with no effect. He sighed. "I hate being trapped. I was stupid for walking in here."

  "So was I."

  "Do you think she's dead?"

  Laura didn't know. Her heart fluttered in panic. He rubbed her back, his hand stroking slowly up and down, until calm overtook her and she closed her eyes. Slowly in 357

  her mind, she reached beyond their closet and went downstairs and into the rooms looking for Camille and Richard.

  "They're gone." She kneaded David's back gently.

  "How do you know that? I can't sense anything at all."

  "I could see the rooms below. They're empty. There's no sign of them anywhere."

  "Great. He's locked us in and abandoned us." David exhaled in aggravation.

  Laura caressed the side of her husband's face. "They had to. It's part of the promise Camille made."

  "You're right." David moved her slightly, and they managed to sit on the floor. In order to fit comfortably, he sat cross-legged, and she sat in his lap. Then she leaned forward into his hug. "I can get us out of here as soon as it’s dark. Don't worry."

  Laura gazed into his eyes. "Do I look worried?" She did.

  David chuckled. "Ah, my darling, when night falls, my strength will explode these walls freeing us."

  Laura closed her eyes and leaned her head against him. If she knew anything about David, she knew he was as good as his word. He caressed her as she fell asleep.

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  Chapter 31

  Whispers came from the adjoinin
g banquet room in Marchon's house. The vampires of New Orleans stood here at the midnight hour decked out in their finery.

  Some wore antique costumes complete with black capes. Others wore top hats and tails.

  Mama Joe's robes of metallic red and blue swayed with reflected candlelight, as she wheeled right up to where Marchon stood. Her many amulets and bracelets jingled as she moved. The girls all wearing pink stood by the first table. David walked in from the kitchen. He wore one of Marchon's black velvet suits and looked very handsome.

  The long-sleeved French cuffs bothered him. Laura could tell. He kept tucking them in.

  Facing the crowd, the mambo announced, "We are here tonight for a joyous occasion, so you vamps be warned not to touch the humans in this room."

  "Or what?" asked a young man dressed in Goth fashion.

  "Or I'll shrink up some part of your body you love, and it will fall off."

  The crowd gasped, and the Goth looked more pale than normal. Laura raised her hand to her mouth to hide her laugh. She'd gotten used to Mama Joe and had forgotten how much the vampires feared her. Though she thought the warning funny, she knew Mama Joe could do it.

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  The mambo turned to the fiddler, and he played Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz. She gestured to Donovan and Laura, and they began their slow walk down the aisle. The candlelight against the rich mahogany paneled walls created a sense of warmth. Laura shook a little, and Donovan patted her hand.

  When they reached the front of the room, Donovan kissed Laura on the cheek and placed her hand in David's. Then he stood beside the girls.

  "Tonight two immortals have come forward to proclaim their love and commitment to each other. This is more than being a companion. This is a marriage, a joining of two souls who've been to hell and back and know what it means to love."

  Turning to David and Laura, she said, "It is time to make your promises. Make only those you can keep."