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Dance by Moonlight
By Kelly D. Cooper
Homestead, South Carolina – Midsummer’s Eve – 1912
She winced as her hands were tied behind her back, her accusations caught in her throat, choking her in fear. Casting her gaze to the circle of people – friends and neighbors – people she had always trusted staring back at her with hungry eyes. . . glowing eyes.
The hooded figure turned, lengths of robe swirling around a thin form, the face, proud and poised turned toward her, and she gasped. “Margaret?!”
Suddenly the poised face morphed to that of a monster and the last thing she knew was the hiss of the crowd and piercing pain of fangs sinking into her jugular.
-oOo-
Homestead, South Carolina - 2012
Spanish moss dripped like dirty lace from the trees surrounding the old homestead. They drove to the back, dust billowing up in their wake and parked. Caroline felt her chest grow heavy and her stomach clench as she looked at her mother, taking note of the dark circles beneath her eyes and the strain around her mouth.
“I could help you, Mom,” said Caroline, tone pleading.
“I know, darling. I know you could but-” her mother paused briefly, “your Aunt Carol and Uncle Wyatt would be so disappointed if you didn’t spend some time with them this summer.”
“They’ll get over it,” she insisted. “C’mon.”
Her mother stopped gathering her purse and turned to her, her face a tapestry of pain and weary acceptance.
“Caro,” her mother said, “I can’t be a good parent to you this summer. We’ve discussed this and I thought we were in agreement. Tell me you understand.”
Sighing, Caroline turned her head to the passenger side window. “Yes, I understand.” She wrenched open the door, letting the oppressive southern heat into the car. Grabbing her purse she stood to watch as her Aunt Carol came bustling toward them.
“You made it!” she exclaimed, smiling, her arms opening to hug Caroline close. Pressing her face into her aunt’s soft neck, Caroline breathed deeply the scent of home as her aunt pulled back and held her by the shoulders. “Just look at you, darlin’” she said. “So grown up.”
Caroline’s mother came around the back of the car, carrying her suitcases. Uncle Wyatt threw his arms around her, dragging her into a tight embrace.
“How you doin’, Sis?” he asked. When her mother pulled back from him, Caroline could see the emotion in her mother’s eyes, reminding her that the divorce was tearing her mother apart.
“Oh, I’ll be fine,” she insisted.
Aunt Carol wrapped her arms around Caroline’s mother and steered her toward the house. Caroline watched them walk before turning to lift one of her suitcases.
Uncle Wyatt took the case from her, shaking his head. “I have this, little bit, you just go on in and visit with your mama a bit before she has to leave. Your Aunt Carol has prepared a feast for you since she figures you haven’t eaten anything good in a long time, what with living up north and all.”
“Ha- ha,” snorted Caroline.
-oOo-
Caroline stood next to her aunt, trying not fidget.
“Caroline is going to be staying with us for most of the summer,” said her aunt. Several of the ladies who had gathered around them nodded, offering her polite smiles. Caroline just looked down at the clear plastic bowl of melting ice cream.
“It is nice to meet you, my dear,” said Margery. “You look like a deer in headlights. I bet you’d like to meet some young people. My Sheridan is over on the other side of the picnic shelter with some of her friends. You should meet her, Caroline. I am sure you girls would have so much in common.” The lady threaded her arm through Caroline’s and tugged her across the lawn.
A tall girl rose gracefully off the hood of a car to meet them. “Mother,” her eyes trained on Caroline, “what are you doing?”
“I wanted to introduce Carol and Wyatt’s niece to you and your friends, Sher. She is here for the summer,” she said.
The dark haired girl smiled and held out her hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you . . . um--” she faltered.
“Caroline,” supplied Caroline, wiping her moist palms on her dress before accepting the hand.
“Would you care to join us?” Sheridan gestured to her friends. At seeing the unsure look on Caroline’s face, she laughed a bit. “I promise we don’t bite, not even if you want us to.”
Caroline chuckled at her own wariness and stepped forward. She stopped and turned to thank Sheridan’s mother but . . . no one was there.
“Wow,” she muttered, “your mother is fast.”
Sheridan tugged Caroline towards the group. “My mother is an organizer. Once she had you filed in the right place, she was ready to rejoin the rest of the adults.”
Caroline just stood there facing the small group of teens, some of them studying her in return. Sheridan turned to the little group. “Hey everyone, look,” she stated, “fresh meat!”
The bunch laughed at a joke that Caroline didn’t get but their combined laughter and the heat had her laughing along with them.
-oOo-
As the twilight wore on into early evening, people began to disperse and Caroline found that she was sad to see the event end. The kids that she’d met were very nice and accepting of a new girl. It had been easy to make friends – almost too easy.
Everyone was making plans to relocate to a different place when Sheridan turned to Caroline. “So, you want to go?”
“Go where?” asked Caroline.
“The drive-in,” said Sheridan. “There’s a double feature. I think most everyone is going,” she continued. “You need to check with your aunt?”
“I guess I’d better,” said Caroline. “I’ve never been to a drive-in movie.”
“You’ll love it. We’d better hurry though because it is getting dark and all the good spots will be taken.”
The girls rushed through the crowds and found Uncle Wyatt folding up tables.
“Uncle Wyatt,” gasped Caroline, “would it be okay if I go with Sheridan and some of the others to the drive-in?” Seeing his shocked look, she was instantly serious. “I don’t have to go, but. . . .” she shrugged. “I have never been to a drive-in before.”
Uncle Wyatt’s face split in an amused grin. “Well, far be it for me to stop you from your first drive-in.” He turned to Sheridan. “Will you bring Caroline home afterwards, Miss Sheridan?”
“Of course I will. Thanks, sir.”
-oOo-
When they arrived at the drive-in, Caroline was surprised to see that there was more going on than just people getting ready to watch a movie. There were people throwing balls and kids waiting their turn to jump rope.
“Oh, there is Robby…and Monica,” said Sheridan, watching as a car came slowly toward them and parked neatly next to theirs. Several kids climbed out.
“Guess who’s in town, Sher,” said Monica. “Cam,” she said when Sheridan said nothing.
“So?” Sheridan said, trying to appear nonchalant.
Caro watched the body language curiously. Sensing her curiosity, Sheridan turned to face Caroline, saying, “Cam is just this guy who spends his summers here with his grandparents.”
“Oh,” said Caroline.
“I need some nachos or something,” stated Sheridan. “Come with me to concessions.” Without waiting for an answer she just dragged Caroline away. “Monica is such a bitch to bring up Cam,” spat Sheridan, her voice low and shaking. “She is the reason he wasn’t in touch with me.”
“What happened?” asked Caroline.
“Last summer Cam came down from Charleston. We sort of hit it off and became really close but Monica was jealous because she thought he would go for her. It wasn’t my fault he didn?
??t like her, but she was pissed off about it.” She smiled and then looked away. “Well, he was supposed to meet me for the Midsummer’s Eve Bonfire but he never showed. Funny thing is, neither did Monica. I went to find him, to see if he was okay.” She dared a peek at Caroline. “I mean, wouldn’t you?”
“Sure, I would do the same. I’m sure of it,” returned Caroline soothingly.
“Well, I found him - I found them both. They were in his grandparent’s pool house – together, if you know what I mean.” She looked away but not before Caroline spotted the sheen of tears in her eyes.
Caroline placed her hand on the other girl’s arm, and said, “That’s just awful, Sher. No one deserves that.”
“Now the bastard’s back in town for the summer,” she said heatedly. “I really don’t want to see him – ever again.”
“If he comes around we can just avoid him,” suggested Caroline, staunchly. “We can avoid Monica, too.”
She turned her face toward Caroline again. “Thank you for listening. Even though we have just met, I can tell we’re going to be the best of friends.” Sheridan squeezed Caroline’s hand and smiled sweetly.
Caroline grinned back at her, and said, “Absolutely.”
-oOo-
The zombies in the movie burst through the wall, and Caroline screamed, not from the gore but from the hand that landed on her shoulder. Twisting around in her seat, she was surprised to see Sheridan behind her.
“Are you okay, Caro?”
“Sure. I’m fine, just a little jumpy from the movie,” she said.
“Everyone is talking about leaving. This is the dumbest movie ever,” she said rolling her eyes. “Sonny’s parents have a cabin on the river and we could go over there for a while. I mean, your Aunt Carol already knows you’re out with us, I don’t think she would care.”
Caroline peeked around Sheridan to see the others starting to crawl back into trucks and cars.
“Well, I guess that would be okay,” she answered, not wanting her new friend to think she was lame but wary about not telling her aunt where she would be. “Maybe I could just call her. I’m sure she would be fine with it but I hate not letting her know.”
Sheridan chuckled. “If you call your aunt, then we all have to tell our parents and then it will be too late. I mean, it’s not even ten minutes away from here.” The screams of the beleaguered victim in the movie cut the silence, as if playing out the frustration of the other girl.
Caroline laughed. “Alright, let’s go.”
Caroline turned and walked directly into a rather tall guy.
“Sorry – I didn’t see you there,” she said in apology, looking up into the darkest pair of eyes she had ever seen.
“My apologies,” said the gorgeous stranger slowly. “Are you okay?”
Caroline could feel a blush start its humiliating rise from her neck to her face and she took a breath to speak.
“She’s fine,” spat Sheridan coldly, appearing at Caroline’s elbow. “What do you want, Cam?”
Caroline jerked her face to her new friend and then back to the bastard.
“Cam?” she asked faintly.
The tall man trained his eyes back on her. “And you are?”
“She’s not any of your business, Camden Miller. We’re leaving. C’mon, Caro.”
Caroline stared out the window as they drove past. Cam held her gaze until they were out of sight.
-oOo-
The next morning dawned early for Caroline. She sat straight up in bed, clutching the covers to her chest. There was something about last night she should remember but it was gone. There had been a movie, a new friend, a gorgeous guy and a line of tiki torches leading to some rocks that looked out over the river.
There had been glowing eyes surrounding her, the hiss of hunger creating a stillness that was unnatural, a warning, a threat . . . a promise.
She shook the chill away, silently promising never to see another zombie movie again. The smell of bacon and coffee came wafting up the stairs. Caroline breathed deeply and dashed to the shower. Under the warm spray, she noticed all the little aches and pains, and odd stings that seemed to be all over her body. She ran her hand down her side and could feel the funny little raised welts that were in a cluster just beside her breasts. There were also some on the backs of her knees and along her neck. She cursed the mosquitos and made a mental note to grab bug spray.
“Who is this fresh faced little gal?” teased Uncle Wyatt.
“Good morning, Caro,” said her aunt. “Did you have a nice time last night? I am sorry I was asleep when you came in.”
Caroline poured a glass of orange juice before turning back to her aunt and uncle. “You don’t have to wait up on me, Aunt Carol.”
“I was reading the journals of Rosemary Wallace Stinton, so I was really engrossed and not,” she said, “waiting up on you exactly.”
“Rosemary Wallace Stinton?” repeated Caroline. “Why does that name seem familiar to me?”
“You have probably heard your mother mention that name. It is a local legend, the story of the missing kids from all those years ago.”
“Maybe so.”
Uncle Wyatt winked before going to refill his coffee. “So what are your plans for the day, Miss Caroline?”
“Sheridan asked if I could do something tonight but nothing today.”
“I am so glad you hit it off with Sheridan. I must say, I’m surprised but I may have misjudged that little lady,” said Uncle Wyatt.
“I thought I might go to the drugstore and the library. Would that be alright?”
“You can come with me into town. I have some errands to run and can just drop you off,” her aunt suggested.
-oOo-
For such a small town, the library was quite comprehensive. Now, with her books safely stashed in her backpack, she slung it on her shoulder and turned to the exit. Without looking up, she passed a guy who stopped to watch her leave.
Changing his path, he trotted to the double doors and held them open for her. Surprised, she looked up.
“You!”
“Me,” he replied, lifting one eyebrow.
Caroline just stood there, but then said, “Thank you.”
She walked right by him without another glance. She had agreed to meet Aunt Carol on a bench outside the library when she was finished. Setting her backpack down, she unzipped the side pouch and pulled out her newly purchased bug spray. She shook the can and sprayed her arms. Twisting to see the back of her legs, she attempted to aim the can toward her calves and ankles in the back.
“I realize that you consider me the devil or something,” said Cam, descending the library steps to join her, “but – here, allow me.” She turned reluctantly and passed him the can. She winced as the cool spray coated her legs.
“There,” he said.
“Thank you,” she muttered, trying to reach for the can of bug spray.
He held the can up over his head.
“Did I do something to you that I don’t remember?” he asked jokingly. When she remained quiet, the look of amusement changed, replaced by a wary frown. He handed her the bug spray, and studied her eyes.
“Do you need a lift somewhere?” he asked.
“My aunt is coming to get me,” she said, hoping he would go away.
He ducked his head and ran his hand through his hair, allowing it to fall back over his forehead before shooting her another brief glance. “Well, see you around.”
She watched as he walked away. He seemed so normal and nice. Still, Sheridan had told her what happened last summer. Treating anyone the way he had treated Sheridan was not the act of a good person.
She sat, pulled out one of her books from her backpack never realizing that the very person that she was thinking about was watching her, confusion mingled with intrigue clouding his eyes.
-oOo-
One rainy afternoon found Caroline in the guestroom, surrounded by a carpet of old pictures, the ribbon tied journal
s of Rosemary Wallace Stinson, steamer ship tickets and old dolls that spilled out of the cedar chest. Caroline sat, so lost in the treasures that she didn’t hear the footsteps.
“Caroline?” Carol poked her head around the corner to smile at her. “You have company.”
Standing in the doorway was Sheridan, hair pulled up in a loose bun with tiny bits framing her face. All of a sudden her friend seemed as though she was from a different era. Caroline mentally chastised herself for her flights of fancy.
“Sheridan, you should see some of these things. They’re so cool,” Caro said.
Sheridan stepped closer. She picked up one of the handkerchiefs and lifted it to her nose, closing her eyes as she inhaled the scent. “How old is all this?”
Caroline shrugged. “At least a hundred years old.”
“This is really cool,” remarked Sheridan, glancing at the things scattered on the floor. She bent down and lifted up a tiny bisque doll. “Oh wow!” she said, awed.
“These were some dollhouse dolls my Great-Great-Grandmother had when she was little. I saw the dollhouse in the attic.”
Taking up a doll herself, Caroline folded her legs Indian-style. So entranced were they with the little dolls and their things that both girls jumped when Uncle Wyatt stepped into the room.
“You two have been quiet for so long, Carol and I were starting to wonder if you’d taken a nap,” he said.
Both girls laughed. Caroline stood. “Let’s go downstairs and get some tea. You want to?”
“Sure,” said Sheridan, giving the doll one last wistful glance before placing it back in the box.
-oOo-
“It’s the Midsummer’s Eve Bonfire and everyone will be there,” said Sheridan.
“I have never been to something like that,” said Caroline. “What do I wear?”
“Well, it is nicer than an actual bonfire really.” Sheridan continued enthusiastically, “I’m going to shop for a new dress I think.”
“I wonder if anything I have will work,” said Caroline. “I may have to go shopping too.”
“Let’s go this afternoon,” suggested Sheridan. “It’s going to rain, so that is about the best thing we can do.”
“That sounds great!” Caroline jumped up.
-oOo-
Caroline walked into Landsdon’s Shoes. She had seen a pretty pair of sandals that would be perfect with her new dress. She only wished Sheridan had been able to come with her. Poor thing had come down with something unexpectedly, leaving Caroline to shop alone.
“May I help you?”
Spinning to face the owner of the voice, Caroline gasped, her hand flying to her chest. Cam stood there smiling down at her.
“You! You work here?”
He grinned. “I do.”
Caroline looked down at the bag in her hands, knowing that Sheridan would be upset that she was talking to Cam, but she needed shoes.
“Hey,” he said, attempting to catch her eye. “I know that you’re uncomfortable around me. I’m not sure why, but I would like to clear up whatever it is.”
“It’s Sheridan,” said Caroline, jerking her face up to his. “It’s upsetting to her that you are here again this summer, what with all the stuff that happened —” Her voice trailed off when she saw the confusion on his face.
“What does Sheridan say happened?”
“Why don’t you tell me,” Caroline said sarcastically.
“Humor me, Caroline,” he said.
“She said that you two were friends and that you blew her off at the Midsummer’s Eve Bonfire to be with Monica.”
Her explanation was greeted with silence and Caroline looked up to see Cam staring at her. “That explains a lot.”
“Does it?” Caroline asked.
“There are some things about last summer that remained confusing to me but. . .” he paused, “this point is clear. Sheridan and I never dated. I had been interested in Monica but she was dating Tanner. I never touched Monica.”
Caroline just stared up into his face for a minute and then she turned away.
“You don’t believe me?” he queried incredulously. He spun her around to face him again. “Sheridan lied to you, Caro.”
Caroline could see the earnestness in his eyes and oddly believed him. Why had Sheridan made up such a lie? She made a mental note to find out the next time she saw her friend.
-oOo-
“What the hell are you doing here, Sheridan?” questioned Margery as she clenched her teeth around the tiny straight pins.
“I thought you said it was safe to be out this afternoon,” Sheridan said accusingly. “I thought you said it was going to rain all afternoon. I almost fried out there, you bitch.”
Her mother rounded on her. “You have one job. Just one thing you have to do, be her friend and prepare her for the bonfire.” The older woman reached out to rip the bag from Sheridan’s hands. “Been spending my money again, Sher?”
“You said I should, Margery. You said to take her shopping for a dress, so I did. I couldn’t very well take her shopping without shopping for myself,” she said. “I’m supposed to be a teenager.”
“Did she find a dress?”
Sheridan took back her bag, “Yes, it’s white. Mine’s red.”
“You’ve always had a delightful sense of humor, my dear. Red is so appropriate,” Margery stated, smiling serenely.
-oOo-
The day of the bonfire, in the soft morning glow, Caroline crept silently through the house, careful not to alert her aunt and uncle. She was still disturbed by the idea that Sheridan had lied to her about Cam but she hadn’t had the opportunity to talk with her about it. There were also the wispy bits of a dream that clung to her curls, compelling her to try again to pry open the black velvet jewelry box and discover its treasures.
Pushing open the door to the spare room, Caroline walked quickly to the trunk, lifted the lid and peered inside. There were the boxes of pictures and the little bisque dolls with yellowed postcards and letters tied up with ribbon and the faded black velvet box that seemed to be stuck closed. Caroline lifted the pretty box from the trunk. Then, as if guided by another hand, Caroline flipped the box over, and ran her fingers across the bottom. At the edge of an indentation, she pressed and the top sprung away from the box.
There were delicate filigree and pearl earrings and a small stack of photos. In the first of the pictures there sat a stern faced man with dark hair and piercing black eyes. The next picture was a little boy wearing a sailor suit. The last picture was a matron with her hair pinned up on her head, wearing a high collared dress. Next to her sat a young woman, not much older than Caroline. The girl had startling eyes, dark and fringed with dark lashes. The amazing thing was that the girl from all those years ago bore an uncanny resemblance to Sheridan. If Caroline hadn’t known that it was impossible, she would have said it actually was Sheridan.
Standing abruptly, several pictures falling from her lap to the floor, Caroline tried to shake the feeling that there was something horribly wrong but she couldn’t fathom what it could be. Gooseflesh rose on her arms and she turned on a gasp to see Uncle Wyatt standing in the doorway.
“I- I. . . I didn’t mean . . .” she said, her voice tremulous, “what are you doing here?”
“I live here, little one,” he said, his voice gruff from sleep. “Normally I am the only one awake this early. Couldn’t you sleep?”
“Well,” she said, clasping her hands tightly together, “I just woke up. I don’t know why.”
Uncle Wyatt looked around. Caroline picked up every photograph and stacked them before she saw the slippered feet of her uncle enter her line of vision. She looked up and he smiled down at her, holding out his hand. She took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
“Look all you want, darlin’. I am going to start the coffee for your aunt. It’s the smell that wakes her up each morning or so she says.”
Caroline watched him walk away and she instantly beg
an to put things to right in the room, arranging things just exactly except that in the right hand pocket of her housecoat there rested a picture of a girl who was the spitting image of Sheridan.
-oOo-
As Uncle Wyatt pulled up to the entry of the old wooded lot, Caroline could see that this was no ordinary bonfire. Caroline looked down at her white dress and sandals, pleased that she had taken pains to look nice.
“Have a nice time, darlin’,” said Uncle Wyatt softly. “If you decide you want to come home before Sheridan is ready to leave, just call me.”
Leaning over to kiss his cheek, she said softly, “I will.” Opening the truck door, she turned back and smiled at him, excitement shining in her eyes, “Love you.”
“I love you, too,” said her uncle.
-oOo-
Sheridan was nowhere to be seen, Caroline realized as she joined handful of her friends nearby. Overhead, the sky was a lustrous black that reminded her of the jewelry box with its hidden treasures. The glow from the tiki torches lit their way as they walked around a bend. She was wondering again where Sheridan could be when she was suddenly aware of a presence just at her right side.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Caro,” said Sheridan. “Where have you been?”
Turning, she took in her friend whose red dress glowed with a richness that seemed like liquid shadows.
“I’ve been looking for you,” she returned, smiling. “Your dress is gorgeous, Sher. It looks better in the dark than it did in the light.”
Sheridan laughed, threading her arm through Caroline’s and steering her back to the bar area. “Didn’t you know?” she teased. “Everything looks better in the dark. I like your dress too. You seem so pristine in white.”
Caroline laughed. “Didn’t you know? Everyone looks pristine in white.”
“No, they don’t,” came a voice from just behind her.
“Cam,” she said, wondering how this would go with Sheridan there. She had not confronted Sheridan yet and didn’t want to do it now. Cam smiled down into her eyes, and then he turned decidedly cooler eyes to greet Sheridan.
“Ladies,” he said.
“Come on, Caro,” said Sheridan. “I’m thirsty.”
Sheridan looked up at Cam’s face and he lifted his eyebrows before saying, “I’m thirsty, too. Shall we, ladies?”
-oOo-
Caroline could not remember when the evening became blurry but she just couldn’t seem to focus. Somewhere in the crowd of people, she had lost track of Cam, but Sheridan was still standing beside her and they were standing in a larger circle of people with whom she had met that summer. With everyone talking and the fuzzy feeling around her head, Caro was wondering if she should call Uncle Wyatt to come pick her up.
Sheridan’s mother stepped out from the trees dressed in a red lined black robe. Several kids laughed and some started to whisper. There was a trancelike look on several faces of the people standing there and Caroline began to wonder if anyone else had noticed. When she turned her head quickly to see what Sheridan thought, she could feel her equilibrium tilt a bit. Suddenly there were hands there to hold her upright, a voice in her ear, “I’ve got you, Caroline.”
Then the woman in the robes, Sheridan’s mother, came to stand before her.
“Is this the sacrifice?” Her voice seemed to come from far away and Caroline couldn’t shake the feeling that this was wrong, very wrong.
Suddenly, the faces of those who had become friends during the summer seemed strange, harsh, the shadows creating hooked noses and cruel, hungry eyes.
“I have prepared her for you, Mistress.” Caroline turned her head slowly to see Sheridan’s face. She seemed to be in a trance as well and her fingers were gripping her arms tightly.
The feeling of two fingers caressing her neck, stroking the fluttering pulse had her looking back into the eyes of a monster. Sheridan’s mother looked just the same but the gleam of something evil seemed to seep into her sluggish mind. Someone was screaming in her mind, screaming for her to run. The woman whose cold fingers pressed against her pulse smiled and revealed her elongated fangs.
This had to be a dream. Vampires weren’t real.
Sheridan lifted Caroline’s hand, sniffing delicately at her wrist, a humming sound coming from her throat. “So sweet is the blood of virgins.”
A hiss rose up from the gathered crowd and from where she stood; their eyes were glowing in the darkness. Hungry eyes.
Suddenly the crowd parted and several pairs of eyes watched as two men stepped into the circle. Caroline tried to focus on the men but was sure she was seeing things because she thought one of them was Uncle Wyatt.
“Caroline? I thought you might want to be coming home now, darlin’.”
It was Uncle Wyatt and Caroline started to feel less strange, and pulled away from the tight grip on her arm. She seemed to be able to see more clearly. The man beside Uncle Wyatt moved then, walking toward her and she could see that it was Cam. He came to stand just beside Margery. Without looking at the woman to his right, he extended his hand toward her and said, “Shall we?”
Caroline placed her hand in his. “Yes.”
“You could stay with us. The party is still going on,” said Sheridan. “I would bring you home when it is over.”
“You lied to me, Sheridan,” she said. “Why?”
Sheridan looked down, muttering something beneath her breath. When she lifted her eyes, there was something dreamy in hers. She started talking in a sing song voice, her appearance slowly changing as she spoke.
“I loved my little bisque doll. Mama was so sick. She wouldn’t stop coughing,” she let her voice drop to a whisper. “Margaret said she could make Mama get better and then she would live forever.”
A trickle of blood spilled from her eye, falling down her cheek.
“Hush up, Sheridan,” hissed Margery.
Caroline felt more coherent by the moment, the effects of the trance or poison wearing off. She could see that Sheridan seemed to have some lines around her eyes now but her manner seemed to grow younger.
“Mama’s blood was everywhere. She tried to run and Margery had to bite her to make her stay. Make her stay, make her stay . . . she bit her to make her stay.”
Caroline shivered and stepped toward Cam. He pulled her to him and pushed her behind him.
“Margery could bite you and make you stay.” The suggestion came from the voice of a child, the voice of a child who should have been dead long ago. The silence of the gathered people was heightened by the rush of the wind that came slicing through the trees.
“Biting will not make them stay, will it?” said Cam quietly, almost ominously.
Caroline could not see his face but when Cam spoke both Margery and Sheridan seemed to back off. Caroline glanced around at the others who were gathered, suddenly aware that she had been in a significant amount of danger. She became aware of the presence of her Uncle Wyatt.
“Time to go. Aunt Carol will be wondering where we are,” said Uncle Wyatt. For the first time Caroline noticed the leather belt that Uncle Wyatt wore low on his hips. In it, there were several wooden stakes and a pouch with a flap. Her eyes met his and he jerked his head, indicating that she should walk in front of him. As she stepped around Uncle Wyatt and stood in the flickering shadows cast by a low burning tiki torch, he said, “Walk Caroline to the truck, Camden. I’ll be right there.”
“But sir…” Cam started forward and Caroline saw that he had a banner of sorts slung over his shoulder and crossing his torso that had several wooden stakes and pouches.
“We’re staying, Uncle Wyatt,” Caroline interrupted. The eerie glow of the eyes of the surrounding people, seemed closer all of a sudden.
“Caroline,” said Uncle Wyatt, “it is you they are after. Start walking toward the truck in front of Camden, little one. Just walk.”
Understanding the reason he was asking her to go, Caroline turned and began walking down the path. Cam walked just beh
ind her, his footsteps overshadowed by the sound of other footsteps, many footsteps. Evidently Uncle Wyatt had some experience with this sort of thing and Caroline wondered if she was going to wake up from this very strange dream soon.
“Wyatt!” The scream had all three of them turning back around to see that they were being followed by at least seven people.
“Do you really want to take us on?” asked Uncle Wyatt, his voice low, deadly.
Sheridan rushed forward, her hands like claws ready to attack Uncle Wyatt, an unearthly cry heralding her approach. Wyatt moved so quickly that he was a blur and in the next instance had Sheridan by the neck, a stake in his hand as though ready to thrust it into her chest. Margery was there in an instant, her fangs bared as though ready to attack.
“Release her!” she shrieked. “We will keep to the pact if you do not harm Sheridan.”
Uncle Wyatt seemed to come to his senses and spoke through clenched teeth.
“I will honor the pact if you will, Margaret. Keep your little blood bitch away from my family.”
Margery stepped forward and took Sheridan from him, the teenager hissing and twisting in the hands of her maker.
Caroline stood between Uncle Wyatt and Cam, watching the coven of vampires walk away, eventually fading into the shadows once more.
-oOo-
As they walked down the now deserted path that led to the truck, Cam reached down and took Caroline’s hand. Uncle Wyatt took them both back to the farm and asked if they would like to sit and watch the storm roll in. Cam sat next to Caroline on the porch swing, resting his arm along the back of the swing. When she smiled up at him, he leaned down to kiss her.
“What was that all about back there?” asked Caroline, when he pulled back from her.
“You just disappeared with Sheridan. When I looked for you, there were several people telling that you had left, so I went over to your Uncle Wyatt’s house.” He brushed her hair back from her face, eyes serious as he spoke. “I had no desire to be at the bonfire unless you were there. You were the only reason I went at all.” He leaned in to kiss her again, his tongue skimming the line of her lips. “Not only had your uncle not come back to get you but he seemed really worried that I couldn’t find you. Then he just said something about needing an apprentice and grabbed my arm to drag me with him into that shed out behind the barn. Talk about amazing, that room is filled with some pretty weird stuff but I didn’t get a chance to look too hard because he was moving around gathering things and shoving them into that leather holder.” Her eyes followed the movement of Cam’s head as he nodded in the direction of the things he had removed. “I had always heard the rumors about vampires and protectors but like most of the people around here, I was pretty skeptical. He explained all this stuff very briefly on the way back to the bonfire. I could see that he was afraid for you and I started to feel frantic too.”
“That all seems like something out of a crazy nightmare, doesn’t it?” she said. “Do you think I was a target all summer, from the start?”
“I don’t know about that. I do know I could go on kissing you forever,” he said as he ghosted his lips over hers. “You are so delicious. My addiction,” he said, his lips touching hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring her body flush with his and he groaned, turning his head to take the kiss deeper. When he pulled back, his eyes darted up to the doorway.
At that moment, her aunt and uncle entered the screen porch carrying trays of snacks and drinks. Aunt Carol dismissed the way Cam’s eyes seemed to glow for a moment.
-oOo-
Standing in the drive next to her mother’s car, Caroline looked into Cam’s eyes. She felt a piercing sense of loneliness at the thought of leaving him. A buzzing sound filled her ear followed by the sting of a mosquito on her neck. Caroline could feel a trickle of blood down her skin and pulled a tissue from her bag but Cam stopped her.
“No, baby,” he said. “Allow me.”
He pressed his lips to her neck, and his tongue lapped at her blood.
“You must have sweet blood, Caroline,” said Aunt Carol. “Mosquitos and teenaged boys can’t get enough.”
“I’ve been told it is an addiction,” said Caroline with a smile.
Kelly D. Cooper is the mother of two little southern beauties. She lives with her family in South Carolina where she spends her time weaving tales of romance, suspense and mystery. "Dance by Moonlight" is her first story, but she hopes to put more out soon.
Learn more about Kelly at: kellydcooper.wordpress.com
Visit her on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/southerneccentrickellydcooper
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