chapter seventeen
SOMETHING ALTOGETHER NEW
He was near – in the house – I was sure of it. I could still feel the steady rhythm of his heart. This new and unfamiliar connection to Link was bizarre, comforting but bizarre. It was a homing beacon of sorts, a metal detector... a Link detector.
As I exited my room and then descended the stairs, I just knew I was getting closer to him with every step that I took. A quick scan of the main level turned up no one. I closed my eyes and allowed my “Link detector" to take over, turning my head to the left and then to the right.
His signal got stronger.
My thoughts turned to our soundproof, windowless Game Room and I walked down another flight of stairs. I paused just a moment, when I reached the door, resting my hands on the surface in front of me. I could feel him strongest there - he was on the other side of the door. I was sure of it. The realization sent a shiver through my body.
I closed my eyes again and concentrated on Lincoln. He was exerting himself, but just slightly. There was a smile on his face. Not my favorite brilliant smile, that lights up his whole face and immediately brings a smile to my own, but a warm confident smile. He was talking to someone, but I couldn’t tell to whom.
I opened the door.
James, Marcus, Cozmo, and Link turned to stare at me. Each one of them held a different sharp weapon in his hand. The targets on the other side of the room were nearly full of them. Well, that explained the slight exertion.
“You’re awake,” Link beamed at me. “It’s afternoon sleepy girl. You were exhausted.”
“I guess.” I shrugged. “I didn’t think I was that tired.”
James stepped forward, concern filled his face. “Your body needed to recuperate. It was working overtime to replace all the blood that you... um, donated… to Link.”
“Did anybody else sleep? Or am I the only one wasting away Christmas Day?” I shook my head.
“I was up there with you for an hour or two. But it was just getting too bright, with the sun coming through the window and all. So, I came downstairs and started throwing knives. Then these three joined me a little while ago,” Link explained.
“Actually we all got a couple hours of sleep in. It was a long night,” Marcus assured me.
“Where are the girls?” I asked.
“They decided to walk around in the snow. Lizabelle needed to get out. She doesn’t like being inside for too long,” Cozmo answered.
“Do you want to go outside too, now that I’m awake?” I asked Link.
“No. I like it in here. There’s no sunlight. My eyes are still oversensitive for some reason.” Link shrugged.
I looked at his eyes and realized the sunglasses were gone. The bright lights in the room didn’t seem to bother him at all. So, he was oversensitive to sunlight – but not light in general.
“Did you eat?” I worried.
“I made a steak while everyone was still asleep. I’m good. Don’t worry about me.” Link smiled and wrapped his arms around me in a great big bear hug. “Look how good I’m getting.” He pointed to the target directly in front of him.
His aim was improving. He was getting closer to the center than he ever had before.
“Much better,” I praised as I snatched the knife from his hand and sent it toward the target with a deft flick of my wrist.
“Show off,” Link whispered into my hair as the knife hit the bull’s-eye – dead center.
And the competition was on. Cozmo, not one to be outdone, tried to match my throw. He came fairly close too, but I still had him by at least a half an inch. Marcus and James instantly joined in, and we were soon lost in the rivalry... James, and I, continued to closely study Link. I watched the slight nod of James’s head as he made a mental note of all that he observed.
I don’t know how long we remained in the Game Room. I hadn’t bothered to note the time when I roused from my sleep. My internal clock finally registered and I let out a gasp.
“It’s after five,” I stated with wonder. The day had slipped away from me.
“I know,” Link replied and shot another knife toward the target. “My eyes are starting to feel much better now that the sun is going down.”
“Weird,” I whispered, looking around our windowless room.
Link’s head snapped around the second the word had escaped my lips. He smiled – and winked.
The door swung open and Catherine, Eve, and Lizabelle entered.
Catherine spoke first. “Okay, we’ve been home for about an hour now.”
“We gave you extra time to play because Marcus sent me a message saying he was having too much fun to come upstairs,” Eve added.
We all turned to look at Marcus. “Didn’t I mention that?” Marcus shrugged, sounding quite guilty.
“I swear, darling, I knew nothing of it,” James crossed the room to wrap his arms around her. “But we were having fun.” He smiled.
“Lizzy, my girl,” Cozmo murmured as he slid to her side.
It was odd, looking around the room. I was so used to the three of us – James, Catherine and I. But now there were four seemingly perfectly matched couples. I had found my counterpart, and Cozmo possibly had as well. It felt good – and it almost made me forget my worries about the changes that were taking place within Link - and within me.
“Someone’s on the property,” Catherine interrupted my train of thought.
“Yes,” James agreed, “a Dark One – a male.”
“Do you know him?” Eve asked. Her brow furrowed with worry.
“What’s a Dark One again?” Link sighed, shaking his head.
“A Vamp,” Cozmo offered, as Lizabelle positioned herself directly behind her newfound mate’s back.
She began to tremble.
“A Vampire is... is... is coming in here,” Link stammered.
“It’s a familiar scent,” James noted.
“Yes,” said Catherine.
“I agree.” I inhaled deeply through my nose, absorbing the scent, trying to identify its owner. It came to me clearly then. “It’s Lulach.” I smiled. “He’s a friend, Link, don’t worry.”
I bounded up the stairs to open the front door. He had been patiently waiting outside, to be sensed and invited in.
“Lulach, welcome to our new home,” I gestured for him to enter.
“Charity my dear, you look as lovely as ever.” He nodded his head in greeting. He spoke with a slight trace of an ancient Scottish accent – somewhat similar to Catherine’s.
Lulach is a striking being. He stands over six feet tall. He has deep rust colored hair that just barely grazes his shoulder blades. His eyes are a piercing green color and his skin is quite pale – even more so than James’s, Catherine’s, or mine. I think he began his Vampire life in the dead of winter, when his flesh hadn’t known the warmth of the sun in months. Time had simply erased any traces of color that had remained from his human days. He probably looked, to the human world, like a man in his early thirties. But he had hinted once that he was close to three hundred.
The Dark One glided into the room, his movements so smooth that he seemed to almost drift along the surface of the floor without touching it - which he actually does. As with the Witches, Vampires are not able to fly.
My Link detector got an immediate rise in action as soon as Lulach entered the house. I reached behind me, to grab onto his hand. After a moment I could sense his pulse slowing just a little. I leaned back into his chest. “It’ll be okay,” I whispered.
“James, Catherine, it has been a long time.” Lulach tilted his head for another brief nod. He ended most of his sentences this way.
“About twenty years... if memory serves. You have a new driver, I see,” James remarked.
“Seumas passed on a few years ago. That is his grandson Christopher. They are a loyal family,” he said.
As James moved to close the door to the house, I peered through the severely darkened windows of the sleek
black limo that was now parked in our driveway. In the front seat, keeping his eyes diverted from the house, sat Christopher. This twenty-something mortal man, who belonged to the family that had faithfully been in the employ of Lulach for many generations, appeared to be the soul of discretion. He was obviously well aware that the occupants of this house would never want to be identified.
“These Witches are your friends?” the Vampire questioned.
“Yes. May we introduce Marcus, Eve, and Cozmo. The shy one behind him is Lizabelle,” Catherine told him.
“She is a Shape-Shifter,” Lulach stated matter-of-factly. “What can you shift into my dear?”
“Eagle and fox,” Lizabelle answered quietly, peering around Cozmo’s shoulder, maintaining her distance.
“And who is your fascinating companion?” he asked as he settled his gaze on Link.
“I’m Lincoln Knight.” Link started to extend his hand and then quickly returned it to his side, sensing that Lulach wasn’t one for shaking hands.
“Your heart rate is elevated. Don’t fret Mr. Knight. There is no thirst in this ancient body... at the moment.” The corners of his mouth twitched slightly – Lulach’s version of a smile.
Link gave a small sigh. “Good to know,” he replied.
“I’m afraid I have come out of necessity, this isn’t a social call. I have been keeping a secret from you my dear,” Lulach gazed at me. “I never deemed it necessary to tell. But last night I was made aware of something that prompts me to now divulge some truths that you have been kept unaware of.”
I glanced uneasily from James to Catherine.
“They know nothing of it my dear.” Lulach nodded. “You were in quite a predicament last night. Which concluded with a sizeable quantity of your blood being passed to Mr. Knight it seems,” he continued.
“How do you know that?” I asked, incredulously.
“That is why I am here... to enlighten you. Let’s sit.”
We moved to the living room. Lulach stood by the fireplace. Link and I sat down. I waited.
“Do you remember when you met me, for the first time?” Lulach asked.
“I was about twenty-three, I guess. It was a few years after I came to live with James and Catherine,” I looked to them for confirmation.
“That sounds about right,” Catherine said.
“That is the first time I visited you at their home. However, there was another time. Do you still have no earlier memory of our acquaintance?” Lulach pressed.
“How could I have met you before I met them?” I shook my head, suddenly confused.
“It appears as though you never regained memory of the accident - the one that killed your parents. That is the night that I first laid eyes on you,” Lulach said with his small nod.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” I shook my head again.
“I was on my way to visit with James and Catherine that night, traveling through the trees. It was a night to be out in nature, thick with mist. The condition was perfect for a Dark One passing through the streets alone, but not so perfect for a mortal family to be out driving.
“I came upon your parent’s car, sometime after it had rolled down an embankment. On impulse, I stopped to investigate. I found your parents first. They were gone, bled out, of no use to me. Excuse me. That was a bit cold wasn’t it? But to be open and truthful, at the time, if I had been able to, I would have taken whatever blood was available.
“You had been thrown from the vehicle. I found you quite injured, but still alive. You had several broken bones, bruises, and a deep cut to your head. It was bleeding. Without swift medical attention, you would have died. You smelled delicious, and I have to admit... I immediately wanted to drain you. I bit into your neck my dear, and started to drink. You tasted as exquisite as I knew you would. But something stopped me. I stared into your lovely face and found myself compelled to try to heal you instead.
“I bit into my wrist and put it to your lips. Vampire blood is quite healing, as you know, much more so than Immortal blood. I would either heal you, or turn you, depending on how much your supply had already been depleted. I truly wasn’t sure what would happen. But I was willing to take the gamble.” Lulach paused, with a nod.
“I drank from you?” I whispered, with a shake of my head.
“Yes, my dear. I realized, as you were drinking my blood, that yours – though delicious – had a tinge of the supernatural. It was then that it struck me, you were an Immortal One. My blood had quickened the process, but you would have healed yourself eventually,” Lulach paused again. “You received a large portion of my blood, my dear girl.”
“Am I connected to you? Do you feel my heart beat? Do you hear my pulse race, the blood flow through my body?” I demanded.
“Why, yes, my dear, your pulse is quickening as we speak. I can hear you from miles away, across continents. My blood still flows in you. If it had been a mortal that I’d healed, the Vampire blood would have found its way out of the mortal body. The effect would have worn off. But the opposite happened, somehow my blood found a way to combine with your blood. I always know where you are... how you are.
“It was that connection that made me aware of your deep distress last night. I sensed the danger and made arrangements to come to you. Soon after departure, I became aware of another presence. It was faint, but it was there. You had shared your blood, and in turn had shared mine,” Lulach nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before? Why don’t I remember?” I wanted answers.
“At the time of the accident, you didn’t seem to be aware of your situation. I stayed with you all night, and found shelter during the day. When I came back the next evening you were still sleeping. Your body was working hard to recover from all of your injuries. Your blood and my blood labored together, to repair internal damage, and slowly you regained consciousness. But you wouldn’t remain awake for long, and you seemed frightened of me each time you woke.
“I didn’t want to scare you, my dear, but most importantly, you had no bloodlust when you woke. So instead of keeping you with me, I found a way to leave clues to your whereabouts. I picked up a few parts from the car and left them on the highway. And soon you were discovered, so I continued on,” he told me.
“You showed up at our home soon after that,” James said. “I remember a conversation about human frailty and Immortal strength. You said you had met another Immortal, but you never gave me any details.”
“Discretion is of utmost importance, is it not? The visit you remember, Charity, is when I came back a few years later to check up on you. I was pleasantly surprised to find you sharing a home with my friends. But you still had no memory of the event, and I didn’t see the need to force it.” Lulach nodded.
“Well that explains the two visits so close together. I’m pretty sure that it was the one and only time you didn’t allow fifteen to twenty years to lapse between visits,” Catherine remarked.
“I was following my connection to Charity and ended up at your home. It was a lovely discovery,” Lulach’s mouth twitched into a small smile.
“I feel that connection to you Link. I’ve been going crazy since I woke up from my sleep. I can hear you... I can feel you... I can almost see you... even when you are not in the same room as me,” I gasped and turned back to Lulach. “But I never changed from your blood. I don’t have Vampire strength. I’m not swift, definitely not agile. My eyes do not burn from the sunlight. Link is going through all sorts of changes today. I didn’t change at all?”
“That is not entirely true. I agree with the lack of agility, you break too many bones, and the your strength and speed are quite averager. However, your hearing is sharper and more precise than either James or Catherine. I have put it to several tests throughout the years. Vampires can command their body’s pace of healing. That is how we are able to allow others to drink from us. You too have that ability. I think you have more within you, Charity. You just need to channel the power that is locked wit
hin my blood and bring it out,” Lulach explained.
“Vampire’s eyes burn in the sunlight,” Link exhaled. A light bulb had gone off in his head. “My eyes...”
“...have been extremely sensitive to sunlight all day,” I finished his sentence.
“I’m fast. I’m strong. My vision, my aim, my hearing... have all heightened. I’m not becoming like you. I’m becoming like him.” Link shuddered.
“You are not a Dark One, young man. I could tell in an instant that you had traits, but you are not entirely one of us. When I gave Charity my blood it fused with hers. So, what you received is something that is entirely unique. There is no other blood like it in this world.” Lulach nodded.
“I’m a hybrid car - part gas powered, part electric.” Link smirked.
“May I?” Lulach spoke, and then was at Link’s side as if he had been there all along. The quickness of the movement was startling. Without waiting for permission, Lulach raised Link’s hand, pierced his palm with one fingernail, then licked the blood away, and the wound shut. “There are three elements to your blood, young man. The taste of mortal is faint. You had lost the majority of your blood I assume. Charity’s Immortal blood is in you, I remember that intoxicating flavor so well. Since my blood is fused with Charity’s, Vampire blood is also present.”
“I’m a tri-bred then,” Link sighed.
Cozmo, who had been silently listening - along with Marcus, Eve, and Lizabelle - gave a snort. “A tri-bred,” he repeated.
That brought back the twitch of a smile to Lulach’s lips. “Observe him well, James. He is the only one of his kind... that I know of. Be aware of your body’s needs Mr. Knight. Although Charity’s body never desired blood, yours may. Don’t deny it what it wants, or it may lead to involuntary actions that you will later regret.”
Lizabelle gave a visible shudder to that last statement.
“I wish I had known some of this earlier. I wish I could remember that night. I guess I need to thank you for staying with me and for making sure that I was found,” I told him.
“I should not have waited so long to tell you the truth. But would the knowledge have changed anything? Would you still have shared your blood with this man?” Lulach asked.
“I would have done... I will do... anything to save him. He was dying, right before my eyes. But now I have changed him in so many ways.” I covered my face with my hands, ashamed.
“Charity, don’t. I accept the changes, whatever they may be, as long as they keep me with you. I love you.” Link tugged at my hands, lowered them from my face, and pushed back my hair.
“But you had no choice. I did this to you,” I worried.
“I had a choice. I chose to be with you, even after I found out what you were. I choose you.” Link’s voice was calm and steady. There was no hint of regret. But that could still come. He might wake up one day in the desperate throes of bloodlust and lament my actions. As if reading my thought, though I know he couldn’t, Link cradled my face in his hands. “Charity, you are everything to me. I will never grieve the loss of a purely mortal life,” he whispered, and brushed my lips with his own.
“I love you,” I breathed.
Lulach departed very soon after that. He blamed his abrupt exodus on a newly acquired lead on a murderer, in Cortez. He wasn’t sure how long the offender would remain in the city, and he wanted to capture him while his trail was still warm. He promised to come back as soon as the deed was done.
That’s how it has been with Lulach for as long as I’ve known him. He gets a lead on a vicious murderer from somewhere, and hunts that person down. He said the hunt was best part. The blood of the wicked, that is the only blood he permitted himself anymore. Before he left, he told me that I was the last drink of innocent blood he had taken. Taken being the key word. He still allowed himself the innocent, but willing, donor. There are many people who will gladly bare their neck for a Dark One, especially one as striking as Lulach.
How we managed to regain composure, sit down to a Christmas dinner, and then continue with the opening of presents, still amazes me. But we did it, and it was a wonderful night.
Catherine loved the yards of antique material that I had acquired for her. And, James was equally pleased with the books. I always keep presents stashed away for the Witches. This year I gave each of them a tiny MP3 player that I had pre-loaded with tons of their favorite music – a different color, and a different selection of songs for each. Catherine had thoughtfully wrapped a gorgeous dress, and had presented it to Lizabelle – who accepted the gift with a sincere smile.
That is my favorite part of Christmas... watching the smile appear. To me, the joy is in the giving.
At Twelve-oh-one, I know this because I looked at the clock, Link and I went back up to my room. It had been a long two days. Perhaps, the longest in my life. I was exhausted and simply wanted to sleep in my favorite place – wrapped in Link’s loving arms.
“There is still one more present to open,” Link announced as he flashed that brilliant smile. There was a touch of devilishness behind it this time. It was a knowing smile, a secretive one.
“It’s after midnight. It’s not Christmas anymore,” I reminded him.
“Ah, but I’ve been told the night belongs to the day it follows. So technically... still Christmas. Open,” he commanded and placed a large square red-foil wrapped present, with gold and silver ribbon adorning the paper, on my lap.
“It’s so pretty.” I smiled. “I almost don’t want to open it.”
“Please do,” he whispered.
I pulled at the ribbon, loosening the bow, and then slipping it off. Next, I tore at the red foil wrapping, discarding it to the floor. Then, I closed my eyes, and lifted off the lid.
I paused there for a moment, eyes closed, a smile on my face.
“Well, aren’t you gonna look?” Link quietly asked.
I glanced down and spied that inside the box, nestled in a cloud of white cotton, was a shiny silver throwing star - Link’s Charity – was engraved around the center circle.
“See, you are not the only one that can give a weapon as a present.” He smiled. “Lift it up, see how it fits in your hand,” he coaxed.
I reached into the box and carefully lifted out my present. It was then that I noticed a thin, transparent string – like fishing line – was tied to one point of the star. As I lifted the star up higher, a shiny bauble was suspended in the air. A white gold ring with three glittering diamonds hung from the star. The center stone was slightly larger, with a smaller one on each side of it.
“Marry me, Charity. You are my past, my present, and my future – forever.” Link had slid down to the floor in front of me, perched on one knee. It was a true old-fashioned proposal.
I sat motionless, one hand raised high in the air, holding the star so that the ring was suspended in front of my eyes. I just stared at it.
“Well?” Link smiled as the tears streamed down my face.
“Are you sure, Link? You really haven’t known me that long. It’s only been a couple of months,” I questioned him, unable to believe this was happening to me.
“You’re it, baby, the one I’ve been waiting for.”
“Yes, Lincoln, my love, I will marry you,” I beamed through the tears.
Link eased the star out of my hands and snapped the fishing line as if it were a gossamer thread. He slid the ring onto the third finger of my left hand.
“God, I love you,” I murmured, and his lips were immediately on mine.
“That’s my line.” He smiled as he scooped me up, to cradle me in his arms. His lips never left mine and he continued to kiss me in a way that sent an electrifying shock through my body. He held me close, much longer than any mortal man could. It was as if I was made of air.
“You are so strong now,” I murmured against his lips, not wanting to break away.
After another minute, when I truly needed the air, Link pulled back. “I’ve got powers,” he breathed.
; “Awesome powers,” I agreed.
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