SALEM
by
Stephanie Batey
Argus Enterprises International
North Carolina***New Jersey
Salem © 2011 All Rights Reserved by Stephanie Batey
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any informational storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
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ISBN: 978-0-6155081-6-0
ISBN: 0-6155081-6-2
Book Cover designed by Dubya
Printed in the United States of America
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my wonderful husband Billy, our four beautiful children, Kristen, Brittany, Trey, and Emily. And our granddaughter Brailey. To my mom, dad, terry, John, and my sister Tanya. And to my Best friend and her family, Sanja, Nathan, Noah, Jessa, Wes. I love you all very much. Thanks for standing by me through all, and thanks for your support.
Chapter 1
The return of Kara
As the smoke cleared, Kara found herself in Salem Village. She was in a house that had been her family since the 1600's. At present, that’s the only place where she felt safe. She had to think, she had to be among friends that she could trust and confide in. Kara swore to seek revenge on the people who caused her pain, who turned her family against her. As the days pass, she could feel the need to seek revenge getting stronger. What was she to do? Was she to go back and kill them all or should she to try to talk herself out of it? Kara needed her friends, so she decided to take a walk to figure her thoughts out. As Kara walked down her road she noticed a strange tree. The tree seemed so familiar. Then it dawned on her why the tree looked as though she should have known what it was. It was the tree in which all her friends and family members were hung in 1692, during the time when the trials took place. During a time when Kara’s feelings went from good to evil. Then Kara decided what she had to do. But she needed her friends to do so. Kara made her first call at that point.
Kathy, hey, it’s your long time friend Kara got a min? I need to talk to you.”
Kathy answered back “O my god. Are you serious? Kara is that really you? How long has it been? 100 years or better hasn’t it? So how have you been dear? How’s the family?”
Kara got quiet then started telling the story of what had been going on. “Kathy, there’s been a lot since we last spoke. I’m in Salem Village, alone for the moment. Why don’t you come for a visit we’ll talk when you get here?”
Of course, Kara,” Kathy replied to her friend. “So are you going to be ok ‘til I get there? It will only take me a minute or two. You should know that.”
As her friend had promised, Kathy was there in only a few minutes.
Kathy, where did you come from this time?” Where else but home in Ireland. I know that you haven’t been here in a long time; you still call this place Salem Village. It hasn’t been called that since the 1700's. So, Kara, what’s going on with you? Tell me why you found me and wanted me instead of anyone else.”
Kathy, you and me, we have to stick together on this. We have a problem. We have a vampire who’s in love with a mortal. The same vampire hid my son Dillon from me for seventy-five years and led me to believe he was dead. Now Dillon wants to marry the vampire Brittany. And her brother Dominique wants to marry a mortal. You know we don’t need to mix our kind. You how that turns out. There are some of them out there. It just goes against what we all believe in.”
Kara, what would you expect me to do? What is it that you think we can do to stop this from happening? Why are you so hell-bent on destroying this particular family? I just have to know the answers to these questions before I help you. I want to know your intentions.”
Kathy, my intentions are true. It’s because they took my son and hid him, now my whole family is brain-washed into thinking that I’m the bad witch here and I’m all alone. I want what is rightfully mine, I want my family back. And we need to get the gang together and settle this. We need to get Lilly, and the girls. We need to get a plan worked out to get my family back and stop these weddings. They are not good for us at all. We are all going to be implicated if this turns out bad. We’re going to be burned or hung, or have many boulders placed on us ‘til we finally give up and die just like in 1692. Do you remember what we saw, what we ran from, what almost happened to us? Do you remember? Things are bad once again. I fought hard to save my family once and I won’t lose them now. I won’t.” Kara seemed to be living in the past still. She didn’t want to wake up and see what was going on now. She won’t see reason either. Kara will die thinking that everyone is out to get her.
Kathy finally gave up trying to understand why Kara feels as she does, and why she wanted to renew a war that has been stopped for over two hundred years. But she gave in to her friend. Kara had a way of getting people to do as she wanted.
Kara, I’ll help you. We will get a hold of Lilly and the rest of the girls; we will take care of you. Kara. We may be real sisters but we are a different type of sisters. We will stick together ‘til the end. You know by past dealings that I can only help you with a mortal, remember? As with the girls.”
I know and that’s who I want your help with. The mortals. I’ve got others coming to help with the vampires.”
Kara and Kathy had a dealing about four hundred years earlier that Kathy came to take the life from Kara. But Kathy soon found out that Kara was immortal and that she couldn’t kill Kara. So every since then they have been the best of friends I guess you could say.
***
Kathy started up her phone calls. She called up Lilly, Belle, Lacy, Adrianna , and Carrie. Those were Kathy’s sisters. Some from Ireland, some from France. Some came from Scotland, and some from Germany. But all came to the aid of their sister’s cry for help. They call themselves sisters, because they are the only ones of their kind.
I need you, my sisters, and so does Kara. We have a bit of a problem and it involves a mortal or two.” Kathy started to get the same sadistic feeling that was eating Kara alive. “Kara it’s solved. The sisters are coming to help us in our fight against the evil ones. So we really need to start to get our army ready. We need to figure out what we need to do in order to get back what is rightfully yours. We can’t bring back the past, but we can give you a future.”
Kara liked what she was hearing from her friend. “I’m so glad you are finally starting to feel as I do. We must get the family back together. When last I saw my family they were all thinking that this would all be over, that all them would have the perfect weddings and live happy lives together. They have nothing in common. They are not one, they are not alike. And to see them all living as if society will accept them as they are is completely unacceptable. No one will accept them. No one ever has accepted us for who we were. So why should that all change now? Man has never been kind, or considerate of anyone but themselves, their own kind and not really of their own kind. So why let mortals live at all? They take and take from all who will allow it, and from those who won’t allow it. So I say let’s take what we want from mortals.”
Kara you must tell me why you feel as you do, I must know. To ease my own mind. When did all this start? When did all the feelings start?”
Then Kara started telling the story. “We lived life secretly, keeping others unaware of who we were until that day in 1641. One of the housekeepers baked a cake that apparently had something in it that one of the children was allergic to. That’s when it all started. There were a couple of kids who were playing and started having what we know now as seizures, but back then the doctors didn’t know what to make of it. So automatically the kids remembered a story that the housekeeper had told them about magic, and fortunes, so they said it was caused by the magic of the house-keeper. So she was named a witch, and they asked those kids if was there anyone else who was practicing this said magic. The kids started telling off names of the not so wealthy people in this town. So as of that night the town’s people got together and decided to make witchcraft a capital crime. From that night on anything that happened outside of the medical situations they knew at that point was considered to be caused because of witchcraft. Many of our people and even some innocent town’s people were placed in prison and even tortured. Some of our people were placed on the ground and the town’s people would place a heavy boulder on them ‘til they confessed. Then when they didn’t confess then another boulder and another until finally they just quit trying to get a confession or the person just died. Eventually that person died anyway, so even if they did confess it was pointless.
Then things got real bad in 1688 for us. We were falsely accused at this time of practicing witchcraft. There were more and more arrests. We were looked at and criticized because we were different than the wealthy people of the town. If you were not over the town you were under it. I escaped arrest with my family February 29,1692. Some of our friends weren’t as lucky as we were to have escaped. Most of the accused were hung at Gallows Hill. The hanging began in May of 1692. My cousin Anita was hung there July 19, 1692. There were children and infants along with adults that were hung for no reason at all. We were and forever will be witches, but when we done no wrong I feel as if it was for the wrong reason. With all the indictments and resignations all this never really ended for our kind until 1702, when the court declared the trials unlawful.
They even changed the name of our town to try to escape the damage they done to us and to our families. But it will forever remain the same to me. That’s what I have against mortals.
That’s why I can’t forgive and forget. When it all ended forty-nine of the fifty-two people who survived the hanging were released from prison. Twenty-four adults, children, and infants were hung. Where’s our justice? Where’s the justice for those twenty-four people? We were never looked at the same after that. Even though law states we were very much equal, people, places, and memories said we were still witches. Their actions still said we should be hung, that we should still die for who we are.
So do I need say anymore about my feelings about why I feel the way I feel?
And now to think that some our kind is marrying some of another kind who is marrying one of them. I can’t have that in my mind for eternity. I can’t seem to understand. I guess I’ll explain to the sisters why I feel as I do so that they understand. I want them to know my story completely. I’m not a bad person who wants death for no reason. So, if you’re ready, I’m ready for them to come in so I can meet them and explain myself and why it is we need them so badly.”
***
And they did. One by one the girls came into the room. Everyone as beautiful as the next one. Looking every bit of 18 years old. Beautiful hair ranging from silver to black. And curious as to why they were here. So as the last one entered the room Kara introduced herself and started telling a story of love, lost, betrayal and family. oh yeah, and of the enemies.
***
Hello, my new dear friends. I’m Kara. Kathy and I asked you here for help. As you all know, I am a witch. You would figure that being who I am I wouldn’t need help from anyone, but no matter who you are at some point and time you’re going to need help from friends. I’m going to tell you a story about me and why I am full of sorrow. I was a happy vampire. I had a wonderful family; we bothered no one we even moved away from here, to a town called West Chester. We were doing great there, ‘til my son Dillon met this girl named Brittany. She was a sweet girl, loved my boy dearly. They had planned a wedding. I was involved with a man there named Dominique. I thought that he was the one for me but I was mistaken. We ended up not working out as I hoped we would, but that led me to my real love. A man named Taylor. Taylor loved me so and we adopted several kids that we call our own including Dillon. who I had before me and Taylor were married. But to Dillon, his dad is Taylor. Anyway, things were great, and one day Dillon went to meet Brittany then the next thing I know Brittany came to the house looking for Dillon. He hadn’t shown up for their date. He never missed seeing Brittany. I assumed that my ex, Dominique, was behind it. You see Brittany was Dominique’s sister. So we assumed that they had actually killed Dillon. So we sent Brittany here to Salem Village. I wanted that family to know what it was like to lose a child. To never see their loved one again, as I had to go through. But after Dominique had found a new love I wanted her dead. It was at that point that we found out that the Drake family had indeed done the same as we did. Dillon was sent to a town in Mississippi. They thought that we had killed Brittany and they sent Dillon off.
For seventy-five years both families thought that their loved one was dead, in truth they were sent away.”
Lilly was the first of the banshees to speak up, “If you found out your son is indeed alive what’s the problem?”
Then it was Lacy’s turn. “Is it revenge you are after?”
Adrianna, Carrie and Belle all had the same question but only one asked.
It was Belle who asked the question, “If you were so happy with your life and then you were sad over the loss of your son, why run away when he returned if you missed him badly? What else is going on here? It seems so much more than what’s being told to us. We’re not doubting you but we really want to help and we need to know all the facts, Kara.”
Kara had only one reply. “Yes, well, the rest of the story is they turned my whole family against me, the vampires did. Now all I have are my friends and my house here. I lost everything I worked so hard for. I had a good life, and a family. I wanted nothing more than to have a long happy life together, but here I stand alone and fighting for survival once again. All this could have been prevented if not for the carelessness of the Drake family hiding my son. Then that girl came. All I want for you to do is kill Allyson Storm. I’ll handle the rest of them my way. But I want any human that is planning on attending this wedding to be killed, but in such a way that they know it’s me right away.”
***
The Banshee’s couldn’t determine exactly what was the purpose behind killing any human involved in the wedding, if the one she was after was Alley. But they asked no questions since agreeing on helping Kara with this whole deal. So the only thing left was to plan the massacre.
Kara’s dearest friend Kathy wanted to know a few things first. “Kara, why so much hate? I’m with you always and forever. I know you have good intentions but you should really do something about the hate. So tell me what it is that you plan on doing? What are the plans? We can’t exactly go in there unknowingly of the plans. You have thought about this a lot so let’s hear it . What do we do first? Who do we go after first?”
Once again Kara got her way about everything. She had a good way of doing that. As all the friends got together and started hatching out a plan to completely ruin the wedding of the two loving couples that had planned the happiest day of their lives. Why anyone would want to ruin that is well beyond anyone. As the plan became clearer and clearer the women all became more and more excited about it. It was almost as if the banshee’s and Kara had thought that this was a great idea after all. It was as if they were getting ready for a party all of their own. A death party.
Kathy had a little something to say to her friend “Kara, now how are you feeling? Are you better since you have our help? I’ll always be here for you my friend, ‘til the end.”
I’m much better now. You just don’t know how bad I want to be with my family again for good. They are my everything. And just the idea that I may be with my family again soon makes me want to cry tears of joy. You just don’t know how bad it pains me to be away from them all. It’s almost as if I would rather be dead then live without them in my life. And it looks as if the girls as happy as I am.” Kara told her friend.
The girls all love excitement. In fact they want to spy in on the family and see how many humans are planning on being at the wedding so they can figure out how and in what order they are going to carry out this plan. See, Kara, we are considered also as the ones who warn people that death is about to come for someone close to them if not themselves. But a few of us are the ones who just take a life without warning. We are who we are. All of us.” Kathy knew what she was doing by saying what she had said.
Lilly was the first to speak about all this “Kara, we have been talking and we think that the best thing to do is to take the humans out one by one. What do you think? They made you suffer for so many years so why not make them suffer for a little while? Or we could seal their fate all at once. We want you to take time to think about it, and let us know what you think is the better decision to choose. Oh yeah. come and celebrate with us. We’re all now as one, in a battle about to start against the real evil out there. We’re here for you Kara, we’re all friends now just remember that.”
Chapter 2
The reunion and engagement
The first thing Dominique did after Kara vanished in the cloud of smoke was run up to Alley. He hugged her and kissed her as if he had not seen her in years. Then he realized that they were still in the Burke house. Dominique’s whole family was there as well. Dominique got real defensive over Alley. He saw Taylor and the rest of the witches he hissed and showed his teeth in defensive mode. Alley had never seen this part of Dom before. His instincts said he had to protect Alley. He almost lost her once; he wasn’t about to let that happen again.
Caleb spoke up first, “Dominique, they are not the enemy. They are not Kara. Taylor helped Alley and our family, they’ve done no wrong. They didn’t kidnap Alley; they were just as much a victim as we all were. They want to help us, Son.”
Dominique wasn’t hearing any of that though at this point. All he could think of is his love was almost killed. It took the voice of Katrina, his mother, to settle him down.
My sweet Dominique, my son. Calm down, Alley is fine. She’s ok, just look. Take Alley home, Son, Taylor and his family helped us. Don’t make an enemy out of a friend.”
It was at that point that Dominique had settled down. He picked up his love and in a flash he was gone. Both Katrina and Caleb told Taylor that they were sorry for their son’s reaction and thanked them for all their help and they were off also. Not as fast as Dominique but not far behind him. Brittany stayed behind, after all it was the first time she had seen Dillon in seventy-five years. It was time to catch up.
Dillon, how….? I thought you were dead, so I left here. Without you I have no reason to be here. Kara helped me to leave without any problems; she told me it was best. She told me that my family had killed you. I didn’t want to go back there with the ones who took you away from me.”
Dillon spoke to Brittany “ I was told the same thing by your family, I went to Biloxi, Mississippi.. Funny, isn’t it; a witch on the beach? Where were you, Brittany? Where did Kara send you?”
Salem, Dillon, she sent me to Salem. Well, it was a place called Danver. She said she had a home there that belonged to her family from back as far as the 1600's.”
Everyone had the same expression on their faces, almost like a deer in the headlights kinda look.
What’s wrong? As soon as I said Salem everyone got that same expression on their faces.”
Taylor spoke up, “Brittany, who were you around? And you say you were in Danver?”
Forgive me for being so rude but, why does all this matter? Is there something I should know?”
Brittany, the town Kara took you to is really Salem Village. She lived there her whole life, until the time they were ran out because of the hangings, and all that stuff we went through in the late 1600's. There are a lot of bad memories there. I’m really surprised that she sent you there.
Not very far from where you were staying was where our family and friends were imprisoned and some hung. It’s not somewhere that I would want to send anyone. I’m betting that’s where Kara may have returned to. She’s going through a lot right now. It doesn’t excuse her for what she has done, but I bet she went back home. The one place she may actually feel safe now. And someplace where she’s not around any of us for the moment.”
Taylor knew if Kara went back to Salem Village it would be nothing but trouble ahead. But he was going to be ready for it. A part of him wanted Kara to just come to her senses and let it all go and come home to her family. But he knew it wouldn’t be that way. There’s trouble ahead brewing.
Taylor tried to change the subject and get everyone’s mind on something else. “Enough about all this sad upsetting stuff, what about the wedding? I can’t believe that my son is getting married. And he couldn’t have picked a better bride. So when is the big day?”
Dillon answered his father’s question. “We’re kinda hoping to have a double wedding, Dad. Both families unite as one, to show the dawn of a new era. Where we all stick together and look out for one another.”
Brittany didn’t know what to expect so her reply was, “I’ll talk to my brother and Alley to see what they say about that idea.”
Let’s go see what they have to say so we know what to tell the families.”
As they all left to go to the Drake mansion they had high hopes. Then they arrived there to meet with the Drakes.
Brittany was the first to speak up. “I know I have been gone for a long time and I’m so happy to be back home with my family and friends. I’m even happier to see Dillon is alive and well and here. I’m glad I got to see Alley. I haven’t gotten to meet you officially yet, but we have time for that. Dominique, about you and Alley getting married? Why don’t we make it a double wedding?”
Alley had a surprised look on her face. She knew that they would someday get married but where is all this coming from? What does everyone else know that she doesn’t?
Dominique said, “Well, thank you everyone, and especially you, Brittany, but I hadn’t officially gotten the chance to ask Alley to be my wife yet. But I guess now is as good a time as any. Alley, will you give me honor of being my wife? Now and forever?”
With tears in her eyes she gave him his answer. “There’s nothing in this world that would make me happier than to be your wife for the rest of my life. I have dreamed of this day since the first day I saw you. My answer is defiantly yes.”
Then Brittany spoke up. “Oh my god, sister-in-law, we’re going to get our double wedding! Is that ok with you? We can go dress shopping together, we’ll get our hair done together. Oh and were defiantly going to have to get together on the music. And I can’t wait ‘til that one magical dance we dance as husband and wife, when we’re looking into each other’s eyes with so much love.
I want us to look at one another like there’s no one else in the room except for us. That one day when you feel more beautiful than you ever did in your entire life. So how about it? I have dreamed of this day since I was a human child.”
Alley looked at Brittany and said the only thing she could think of, “I’d love to. As long as I marry Dom that’s all I really need. So, yes, I’d love to share that day with you. I think it would be perfect. Among family, friends, being married right beside my sister-in-law. Funny, isn’t it? That even a vampire woman thinks like a human woman? Romance has always been my biggest thing. It was always the little things that mattered the most to me. The things like sitting beside me as we watch a movie, say I love you for no reason at all except that’s how you feel. Hold my hand and kiss me right out of the blue. Even on my ugly days let me know that I’m the one you’re in love with still. And twelve years from now still feel the same and still want me forever. I want to grow old with him—well me grow old with him still young and beautiful—and mine.”
Everyone had tears in their eyes by the time Alley was finished talking, but they could tell how much she really loved Dominique and all her thoughts figured out and knew exactly what she wanted.
Wow I never realized anyone felt that way anymore, I thought that was only in movies or fairytales.” Brittany said.
As all the girls were trying to decide on the details of the wedding the guys all decided it was time to duck out quietly. All of them.
***
Taylor and Caleb had the same thought at the same time and said in unison, “This is not a place for men right now at this time, it’s dangerous grounds.”
As the men tried to sneak out quickly of the house a single voice was heard, it was Alley “Dom, don’t stay gone too long. We have plenty to do, and we need to continue where we left off. We got plenty of time to plan this wedding thing that’s actually being planned right now without me.” Alley smiled and kissed her love then turned and went back into the house.
***
Dom had plenty of time to catch up with his family and his friends. There was one particular friend that he wanted to see and invite to his wedding.
Dad,” Dom said, “is Tristan coming to the wedding? We need to call him. I want Alley to meet him. He’s going to play a big role in whether this really happens with me and Alley and our future together. And his dad, Isaac?
Oh and what about his mother Ruby? The whole family will be here, won’t they?” Tristan is a good friend of the family. Tristan is what is known as a Dhampir. He’s one-half human and one-half vampire. So see they do exist. Tristan is 150 years old. I want Alley to hear his and his dad’s story. I think she’ll realize what we’re all about then, and what she has to look forward to.” Dom seemed to think that if Alley knew everything there is to know about him that she may change her mind. He wanted her to know everything up front that way there will be no regrets later.
Caleb told his son “I already made the phone call; they are on the way here now. Son, don’t worry about Alley. She loves you no matter what you are. She understands it all. She was almost killed and was willing to die for you. There’s nothing you can tell her that will change her mind about you.”
Dom’s voice quivered when he spoke of her feelings for Alley. “Since I can remember, I never loved like this before. I can remember being in the war in 1777 and not have loved before. But when I first saw Alley, and she looked me in the eyes, she lifted my feet off the ground. I could tell I was falling for her. I would watch her from a distance and wanted to protect her from everything. She opened my eyes and for the first time made me believe. I get lost in her eyes, her smile, her touch. I never knew what forever could mean ‘til she came along. Her smell, I can’t live without. Just feels like it follows me. I never seen this before, she changed everything that I believed in. No matter how the weather is outside when she’s around the sky is always blue. She showed me a love like you only read about. She’s like my own little piece of heaven. And it drives me crazy.
I can still tell you the first time I saw her, she looked so scared and unknowing of what she was doing. But when she looked up at me and our eyes met, I saw forever. I was the cold one since I could remember. I never wanted to feel these feeling that I feel for her. And the thing that scared me is that she won’t be here forever like me. And I can’t die with her when she’s old. How do I live with that?”
Caleb gave his son the first father-son talk of love at that moment. “Dominique, love is a funny thing, it’s not promised to everyone. In fact, it’s not promised to anyone. But a few of us have the luck of experiencing it. We are the lucky ones. So what do you do when you’re blessed with the gift of love? You embrace it and enjoy it while you have it. Not everyone will have that chance. And it just so happened that the one who you fell in love with and who loves you back is not like you, but even two vampires are not alike. That’s what makes us unique: opposite attracts. So she will grow old, and yes, someday she will die. But it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Think about that, Son.”
With tears streaming down his face Taylor said, “Ok, maybe we should’ve stayed with the women, because that’s what were acting like,” with a laugh that he shared with everyone. He looked at both Dominique and his own son Dillon and said, “Just take it one day at a time, boys. Love like never before and never again and enjoy life to the fullest. You have the one thing everyone in this universe wants. So take it and show it off. Love only really happens once in a lifetime, and for some of us a lifetime is forever and there’s no room for regrets.”
These dads would seem so old and wise but look so young. But they have been around for many years so they know what they are talking about.
Well, boys we need to head to airport and pick up a few friends,” Caleb said. “I said I called and informed Tristan and his family of the wedding, I just didn’t say when I did. They are waiting on us at the airport.”
As the reached the airport, Dom’s oldest and dearest friend waiting on him. “I can’t believe it, Dominique Drake is getting married. Mr. ‘I’m never getting married, that just causes more trouble than I want to deal with’. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Tristan had to pick on his best friend.
Then it was Dom’s turn. “Oh yeah, Tristan, you’re just jealous that you can’t find anyone to have you. Ha ha ha. I can’t wait ‘til you get to meet Alley. You’re going to absolutely love her. Trust me if I do I know you will, if I do anyone will.
“I want her to meet you and your family, to show that vampire and human can have a long, loving life together. And have a child. Even if it’s as ugly as you. Where is your mother? I haven’t seen Ruby in a long time.”
Tristan got quiet and then he said “ Dom, Mom would be real proud of you and what you made of your life. I’m sure she’d loved Alley, and she would not have missed this wedding for anything, but Mom died a month ago. She chose to die as a human instead of living for eternity as a vampire. She said that she had everything she could ever want in her life and she wanted to go this way. She loved twice in her life. Once when she was in love with my dad ‘til his death and the second is when she had me.”
Dominique wanted to cry and a few tears fell from his eyes as he said, “I had no idea that Ruby was gone. She was like a second mother to me, and she’s the one who I thought of when I realized that I was in love with Alley. She and your dad had such a happy life that was full of love. She will be greatly missed.”
Thank you Dominique” Tristan replied. “She always thought the world of you also. And Mother would be utterly ecstatic that you chose a human to be your wife. Speaking of wife, where is the bride-to-be? I can’t wait to tell her what a mistake she is making by marrying you. You said her name was Alley?”
Well, Allyson Storm, actually. But we all call her Alley.” Dominique said. “She’s absolutely great. I can’t wait for you to meet her. She made me see so many things that I normally hadn’t seen before. So are you ready to go meet the love of my life?””
All the guys left the airport heading back to the mansion.
***
As they got to the house, the girls were all sitting outside. They had to take a break from all the wedding planning they had been doing all morning long. Alley was the first to notice Dom and the guys coming up the drive way. “Look! They return. That’s surprising. I figured we wouldn’t see them again until the actual wedding day. Whenever that may be.”
All the girls just had a good laugh at that though. Then the guys all got out of the truck and there was a new face Ally didn’t recognize. So she asked Dom. “Hey, baby, who’s your friend? Anyone I need to know about? Anyone who may try to kill me later on? Ha ha ha.”
Dom just looked at Alley and laughed and then looked at Tristan and said, “See what I told you?” and then looked at Alley and said, “My dear love, this is my oldest and dearest friend Tristan. He has a story to tell you. About himself.”
Hello, Alley, I’ve heard so much about you already. Dominique wants me to tell you about me and my family. My mother Ruby was a human who lived a long life that full of life. I’m her only child. My father Isaac is a vampire. I’m what they call a Dhampir. I’m one-half of both of them. I was everything to my parents. My mom passed away a month ago. I’m one hundred and fifty years old now. I’ll live to be two hundred and fifty before I have to make a decision. That decision is to either die a human at that time, or live forever as a vampire. My parents met back in 1942, during the attack at Pearl Harbor. My mother was a navy nurse there. My father was in the army. He was injured or so they thought by a gunshot and she nursed him back to health. He just wouldn’t leave her alone ‘til she agreed to go out with him. And she kept her promise too. They were inseparable from that moment on. She was a little hesitant when he first told her of what he really was. And it took a little convincing that he was telling the truth. But she stood by him, she loved him that much. They only heard of rumors of being able to have children, but it didn’t matter they say if they could not, but Dad said deep down inside my mother always longed to have a child. My mother was seventeen when she married my father. She was sixty-two years old when she had me.
Even though she was the oldest mother at that time, she was seventeen again at heart. She had a baby, a wonderful husband, and everything that she ever wanted out of life. She never missed a doctor’s appointment or dentist appointment. I was home-schooled, because there was no way to explain the way I was ageing. I age one year to a human’s seven years. In human lifespan, I only have ‘til I am 31. But then can live forever if I choose to be a vampire.”
Alley seemed to be understanding what it was that Tristan was telling her, but Dominique wanted to make sure that she really understood. There may be a time in her life when Alley is faced with the reality that there is never going to be a baby and if there is a chance of it then it could be deadly. For both Alley and the baby or just Alley.
Alley had her own set of questions for Tristan though. “Tristan, why didn’t your mother have kids before she was sixty-two? How was it for her? How long did her pregnancy last? Did you look like a normal baby? Did the doctor detect anything? I have to know all that’s at stake here. What I may be looking at. There’s nothing you can say that will change anything. I still love Dominique and I still want to marry him and live the rest of my life with him. But there’s a few questions I need answers to.
I want to know what my child may face if I have a child someday. My love for Dom is more than anyone could imagine. He’s my heart and my soul.”
Tristan told her everything. “Well, the pregnancy lasted eight months. I looked like a normal baby, except that I had pale skin. Not bad enough that there was any concern by the doctors but it wasn’t as normal as the other babies. There was no way of telling whether I was going to be more like the human as my mother was, or more like the vampire as my father was. Until I started walking and talking when I was only three months old. Then they knew that something wasn’t right about me or what I was exactly. I ate food and drank milk and all the stuff that a human would eat and drink, yet parts of me wanted and craved the blood that ran in my veins. So my parents did as they thought was best for me, so I was home-schooled by the both of them.
My parents couldn’t explain why I was the way I was. We always moved and lived far enough in the country that no one ever messed with us. No one ever realized exactly what was going on. My mother always wanted what was best for me. She kept me sheltered and loved me beyond questions and had dreams for me beyond her doubts. My mother never thought that she would ever have a child with my father. But she stayed there by his side and loved him anyways. Then out of the blue there she was, sixty-two years old and pregnant. Then the doctors thought that it would be too much of a problem for her to have a baby at her age. But she wanted to tough it out. She refused to believe that anything bad was going to happen to her or the baby she wanted and loved so deeply and desperately. When she didn’t get pregnant all those years with my father she just thought that it wasn’t supposed to be. Every time I was around her I craved the blood I smelled, yet she still stood by her baby boy. My mother didn’t want to turn into a vampire, because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to resist herself at feeding time, she wanted to do everything as a human. She wanted to experience everything as it should be. But remember, Alley, everyone is different.
It may not be as easy as you think, people has lost their lives trying to give birth to one of my kind. I eat food like the human in me should, but I crave blood like the vampire in me does.”
Then Alley had to ask more questions “Tristan, if you had a child with a human would it be more human than a vampire or the other way around?” “Alley, no matter what, if I have a child the child will be just as much a vampire as I am. Once you are part vampire or one hundred percent vampire, you never go back. Only forward. Vampires have very powerful genes, we only get stronger. We never know how it’s going to turn out. But the funny thing is you never lose who you are.”
Then it was Alley’s turn to talk. “Now I know how your mother felt, I know I’d give anything to have a child with Dom, but if we never do or if it happens later in life, I’ll understand. I love Dom regardless.”
That pretty well ended their conversation. Dom wanted to know Alley’s reaction; he was able to read most of her thoughts but not all of them. So he asked Tristan when Tristan came back. Tristan’s reply was simple. “She understands everything and to be quite honest with you, Dominique, she loves you more than life itself. You should go to her. She reminds me so much of my mom.” Tristan just walked off after that comment.
It seemed that it may have made him upset thinking of his mother.
***
Tristan walked in the house as Dominique walked over to Alley. Dom looked at Alley and said to her, “Why do you want to waste your time on me Alley? You were almost killed, and now to find out that we may never be able to have children. Yet you choose to stay and love me. Why don’t you want a normal life?”
Alley looked so upset to think Dominique felt as he did, so with all the anger yet love she felt for him she let her emotions fly. “What are you saying? Are you saying that you don’t love me? Have you changed your mind about us? How dare you stand there and say those things to me, and you sit here and talk about a normal life, there’s no such thing, Dominique. How dare you.” Alleys eyes were full of tears at this point.
Dominique didn’t expect that from her, he had to recover himself quickly. “Alley, no. you took what I said all wrong, all I was trying to say is I know what you want and…..”
Alley stopped him there in his sentence. “How do you know what I want, Dominique? If you could really read my mind you’d know exactly what I want, it’s you, it’s always been you. Yes, I use to dream of having children, but if that means not being with you then I refuse anyway.
You’re the only thing I am sure of. If it’s in the cards for us to have children then we will but if not then at least we can have a long life together happily. That is if you stop trying to run me off. Every since I met you, you’re all I wanted nothing less than you will do. You’re so selfish, Dominique Drake. You don’t deserve my love or my heart. And to be honest with you right now, if I could take it back I would. But I can’t take back the love; it just doesn’t happen like that.” Alley stormed off.
Dominique knew where she was going. She was going to the creek, so he followed her. “Alley, stop.” No, Dominique, you stop, I need time to think. I don’t need you following me right now.”
Dominique tried to do as she asked, then he stopped to read her thoughts. Then he turned to face the path Alley was walking.
I know what you are thinking, Allyson Storm. You want me to follow you, you want me to stop you, turn you around and tell you what kind of ass I’m being. And you want me to rub your face like this,” as he said that he gently caressed her face in his hands. “And you want me to kiss your lips like this,” he pulled her ever so close and kissed her lips as if he would never get the chance again. “Then, Alley, you want to feel how I really feel. How I love you so much and how I want nothing more than to have a long happy life with you. Well, I do want that, but I want you to be sure. I don’t want you look at your life in twenty years from now and think of how big of a mistake you made. All I want is for you to be happy, my love. And if someone else could make you happy then that’s what I want for you, no matter how much it would kill me inside.”
Alley’s reply was simple “Don’t ever say for me to find someone else. You are the only one I want now and forever. Dominique don’t ever try to push me away. Just love me for as long as we have together.”
It was at that moment they both knew what was going to happen. Dominique grabbed Alley and threw his arms around her and hugged her as if there would never be another chance to do so. Then as with the hug, he kissed her the same. There was so much passion with the hug and kiss that it was scary. They both knew that they loved each other so dearly. They didn’t want o give up yet on this passion that they were feeling so they decided to walk the bank of the creek for a few moments before they turned to head back to the house.
Everyone at the house had heard the argument and was wondering what had happened. Will there be a double wedding? Or will Alley head back to the house just to leave. The relationship of these two people was very important to all mankind. Mortal or immortal. Everyone’s fate revolved around these two kids and they didn’t even realize it yet.
Katrina was the first to see them returning back to the property. “Thank god, it seems as if they seemed to have worked their differences out. But I can’t seem to understand what had happened to the two of them. I guess it’s time for mom to ask questions. Dominique, do you have a minute for your mother? We need to talk, Son.”
Caleb said, “I’m guessing that was my question to ask my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, isn’t it?”
”Yes, Caleb, it is,” Katrina replied to her husband with a smile.
Alley,” Caleb said, “can you come and have a talk with me?”
Alley and Dominique did as they were asked and went their separate ways with Katrina and Caleb.
***
Caleb was the first to speak up. “Alley we couldn’t help but over hear the arguments and wanted to know exactly what had happened? What made you so mad? Or was it that your feelings were hurt? I want you to know and feel as if you can trust me with anything you want to talk to me about.”
So with her eyes filling with tears Alley proceeded to tell Caleb what had happened to have made her so upset. “Just the things that your son has a habit of doing, he had the nerve to ask me if I was sure this life is what I wanted. And if I was sure I didn’t want someone normal that I know that I can have children with. It’s not about having children, it’s about loving someone. You take the good with the bad. If we have children someday then that’s great, and if not then at least we will have each other. I only have one life to live.
“I will someday grow old. In fact I grow older every day, and someday I will die. I die a little more every day now. I may live only two more hours, or one hundred years, Caleb. No matter how short or how long I got to live I want to be happy and share every minute with him that I have left on this Earth. He just wants to be stubborn. He makes me so mad and makes me feel as if he does not love me as much I love him. And that he doesn’t want the same as I do. Or is he having second thoughts about us and our live together altogether. I just wanted so bad to choke him today.”
Caleb had a grin on his face and said to Alley, “That’s just love, and I know that deep down inside you feel that way at times, but if love was perfect it wouldn’t be special or fun. Let me be the first to tell you that Dom loves you just as much as you love him. I wish you could have heard how he was talking about you earlier.
Dominique fears the things the things he can’t give you, like a child. Every woman of our kind longs to be able have a child. But most never got the chance to have the gift. Most of the family got turned due to a life or death situation. That’s the only way our clan is allowed to change anyone. But when he thought that he was going to lose you he didn’t want to live any longer. Then when he found you, and you were ok and you agreed to marry him, he was happier than I had ever seen him in all his existence. Dominique has never brought any woman home to meet his family before. He has never been involved with anyone before and defiantly never has had sex before. All these feelings are new to Dom. He is dealing with this one day at a time. One feeling at a time.”
Alley replied, “ I feel like I’m addicted to a real bad thing in him. He draws me in and I never want to leave. I’ve loved him from the first time I laid eyes on him. So why do me this way? Is he trying to upset me? He’s doing a great job at it if so.”
Caleb tried to defend his son “Alley, he’s not trying to upset you by any means. But let me be the first to tell you how he feels. He let all of us know. We all felt bad about not feeling that way about our wives or girlfriends, and then we had to be men. He’s afraid that you’re going to eventually turn against him for not being able to have a normal human life. He didn’t want you later on in life to think that you made a mistake. We knew before you came that you loved him, and that he loved you as well.”
Alley was trying to make sense of all this so she asked, “Why do this to the one you love though? He drives me crazy with all this stuff, Caleb.”
Caleb smiled and said to her, “That’s love, Alley. Love will drive you crazy, and push you to the limits and back again. Then without notice will turn your world upside down and back around. At times you’re going to say ‘why even bother’, and then say ‘I’m glad I did’. Just wait and see, Alley.”
***
The longer they walked and talked, the more the anger seemed to have left Alley. Caleb knew what he was doing. But for Dominique and Katrina it was a different story. It was just beginning.
Katrina had to find out what was going on with her son. Not only for the sake as every kind of mankind, but for her son. “Dominique, Son, what is going on? What happened? I thought you were so sure of yourself and your relationship with Allyson.”
Dominique started with the answers, “Mom, I love Alley more than life itself. I just wanted her to be for sure of what it was that she wanted. I didn’t want her to have any regrets later on in life and blame me for not being able to completely have the life she always dreamed of. I wanted her to know that it’s not like being married to a human. We may not have children, or even have all the things that humans have in common. I wanted her to know everything before we went any further with this relationship.”
Dom,” Katrina said. “You have to have faith in what the two of you have together. I mean really it, Dominique; she knew what you were when she got to know you. And yet she stayed, and loved you anyway.
She wanted you and only you. She understood you and what you were. She almost died for you. And yet she stayed and loved you. So what do you think she wants? She only wants you and the life you promised her.”
Dominique seemed as if he was starting to understand what his mother was saying. “Mom, I know that. But what I don’t understand is why? I mean I don’t even know if can give her children, the one thing that all women want, no matter who they are. I don’t want her to feel as if she has missed out on anything because of me and who I am.”