other than Taylor.
But Taylor wanted no part of the group.
Turning
away from the hotel, Kirk decided if he were going to manage to
find a victim for Taylor, he’d have to find some poor unsuspecting person in
the park. His mind went back to the
mess he was in.
Melanie was hot and fun to be around, but even she scared him
a little. Camille was a total space
cadet in his opinion, always watching Taylor and seemingly pining away for him,
while he wanted only to be as far away from her as possible.
Sonya…scary.
Her powers were almost as great as Beatriz, yet her patience
was not. He thought he would
witness a serious catfight the night Melanie and he had brought Taylor in.
The look in her eyes was absolutely terrifying.
And ever since then, he could feel those eyes on him. Taylor had elicited
some sort of fierce motherly affection from her that was not to be messed with.
Sighing and shaking his head, he crossed the street and went
into the gates of the park, hoping he wouldn’t have to offer up some dirty old
wino to the young prince. He
chuckled, thinking to himself that whether he wanted it or not, Taylor was
obviously powerful. It might be
nice to see a man in charge finally. Kirk
had felt a blow from Taylor’s mind that night that was as strong as anything a
woman had ever thrown at him. As he
walked past the same tree he and Taylor had climbed, he laughed out loud
wondering how long ‘til the victim became the master.
~~~~~
Camille watched as Taylor finally closed his eyes.
She listened carefully for the voices of the others.
They were back in the other room, discussing Taylor’s future.
Slowly, she made her way over next to him.
His bodily functions had slowed. She
could barely discern his breathing or his heartbeat.
Leaning in closer, she could smell the shampoo in his hair and the
scented soap he’d been washed with. His
dark lashes rested against his cheeks and his lips, though perfectly shaped, had
very little color to them. He was
nowhere near death, still she couldn’t bare to see him suffer from hunger.
She knew he wouldn’t drink from whomever Kirk brought back.
Cautiously, still listening for any sign that they were not alone, she
reached down and kissed his eyebrows, then his nose, and finally, she placed her
own heart shaped lips over his. Pressing
harder, she parted his lips with her own, then ran her tongue along his teeth.
She felt him take in a breath and she began to run her fingers through
his damp hair, then down his throat and his chest.
“Oh Taylor, I love you so much, please drink for me…”
she said to him, knowing at one time he could hear her call.
She suspected he could hear her still, that his stubborn streak just made
him ignore her. Closing her eyes
and concentrating, she felt her teeth come forth and she bit down on her own
tongue, blood quickly filling her mouth. As
the salty elixir entered his mouth, Taylor’s body responded.
The blood his body needed so badly was right there for the taking.
His mouth opened and welcomed the gift, their tongues
mingling with the blood. Swallowing
again and again, he took every drop she offered.
His hands went to her shoulders and up her neck to her face.
His eyes opened to see hers closed as she kissed him.
Realization hit him finally, that he was doing the one thing that Beatriz
had told him was not allowed. He
was drinking the blood of another vampire.
Reluctantly, he closed his mouth, ending the life-giving kiss.
Camille pulled back, looking into his face, praying she wouldn’t see
anger there. But he was just
looking at her. No malice in the
look, just a curiosity. She watched
as his face took on a tiny bit of color. He
licked his lips and brought his hand to his mouth, wiping every guilty drop
away. As the clock on the mantle
struck five, Camille lay down next to his now warm body and placed her head on
his shoulder. Sighing, Taylor put
his arm around her and lay his
cheek against her soft, blonde hair. As
the sun began to lighten the sky, both closed their eyes and drifted away into a
deep sleep.
~~~~~
Sonya felt something. She
wasn’t sure what. She looked over
at Melanie. So far, the girl
hadn’t gotten that glazed look that signaled she was about to succumb to the
daylight. But, she appeared to have
felt nothing out of the ordinary as she listened or spoke with Beatriz.
Standing, she turned to the Lady, “I’d like to check on
Taylor, if that’s alright.” She
said.
“Of course.”
Beatriz said and she waved her hand toward the library.
Silently, Sonya walked toward
the door, listening intently, but hearing nothing.
She stepped up to the doorway and looked inside.
There, Taylor lay in the same spot they’d left him in with Camille
curled up next to him. Walking in,
she sat on the sofa and looked down at the two.
She found it hard to believe that less than an hour before, Taylor had
his hands around the girls throat. Shaking
her head, she closed her eyes, wanting the day to end.
When she opened them again, it was to see Kirk standing in front of her
with a man slung over his shoulder, obviously an early morning jogger.
“Hey, this dude’s pretty heavy.
Can you get him up so we can get this show on the road?”
Kirk asked her.
Sonya looked up at him and
shook her head, “Can I tell you a little secret, Kirk?”
She asked, folding her arms over her chest.
“Uh, sure.”
He said, stepping a little closer.
“There is no way we are going
to get Taylor to do that.
Beatriz does not understand.”
She then looked back toward the two on the floor.
Kirk walked over to the sofa and bent down, depositing the man on the end
opposite where Sonya was sitting. He
then sat down between the two, “Why not?
This guy looks very healthy to me—“
Sonya shook her head,
“That’s not the point.” She
said.
“Well,”
Kirk began again, “he was drinking from a guy when we found him, if
that’s what you’re thinking.”
Sonya raised one eyebrow,
“Yeah. That’s what I hear.
I’d like to hear how that one came about…I had a hard time getting
him to drink from a woman that had a serious thing for him.
He’s just not into this. At
least not yet. I’m sure it’s
hard for you to understand…it’s hard for me.
I just wish I’d never laid eyes on him.”
She said sadly.
“I wish you hadn’t
either.” Kirk whispered to her.
Sonya turned and looked at him.
He had long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and large dark eyes.
He actually had a very kind face. “Sorry
we got you into this mess with us.” She
said. “But, maybe once she lets
him go back to his family, you’ll be free to move on.”
She said.
“Hmph. I’ll believe that
when I see it.” He said,
standing.
He then walked over to the two on the floor.
Stooping down, he shook Taylor’s shoulder, “Hey, dude.
Breakfast is served. Wakey,
wakey.”
He said. Getting
no response, he picked Camille up like she was a toddler and sat her on the
couch next to Sonya, who was smiling.
Waking up a little, Camille
looked over at Sonya. “What’s
going on?” She asked, her voice
sleepy.
“Kirk brought back somebody
for Taylor.” Sonya replied.
“Oh.”
Camille said back.
Then she looked at the man hanging limp on the sofa next to
her. Leaning over, she sniffed him,
and then turned back to Sonya, “He won’t like it.”
She said. Sonya looked back
at her, thinking.
“Probably not.”
She retorted, “But, we gotta do something before he goes comatose on
us.”
A tiny smile graced Camille’s
features and Sonya picked up on it. “Yeah,
we wouldn’t want that.”
Kirk continued to rouse Taylor.
Pulling the boy up into a sitting position, he held his head up, “Yo!
Time to eat!”
He said loudly. Beatriz
and Melanie walked in then and joined them.
“Mmmm, that looks good.” Melanie
said, peering down at the man. “What’d
you do to him?”
Kirk looked up, “Nothin’
really. I just sort of gave him a
tap. He’s not dead is he?”
He asked, panicked.
Beatriz answered, “No.
He’s breathing. I suppose
you couldn’t find that lovely young woman?”
She said, touching her hand to the man’s head.
Kirk put his arm around
Taylor’s chest and stood up, bringing him up with him.
“Hey!
Watch out for that leg you busted!”
Camille spat.
As Taylor’s eyes fluttered open, he shook his head a little
as Kirk dumped him in her lap.
“Here then.
You do it.” He said, and
he backed up to watch. Taylor’s
eyebrows came together and he pulled himself out of her grasp, but then he saw
the man next to him and backed away. He
turned and looked at all of them.
“What?”
He asked, still groggy. Then
he looked back at the man, “Who’s that?”
“That is for you.”
Beatriz stated.
He looked at her from the
corner of his eye, “Uh, thanks but…I don’t think so.”
He then stood up on one leg, holding on to Camille for a moment until he
fully regained his balance.
“Taylor, Mr. Jones informs me that you need to feed in order to be back
in tip top shape. I’m losing my
patience here.” Beatriz sighed.
“What the fuck do I need to
be in ‘tip top shape’ for?”
He asked her.
Kirk smiled and Melanie nudged
him. Sonya rolled her eyes and
Camille looked at Taylor’s pants falling lower on him and the delectable trail
of hair below his navel, disappearing into them.
Beatriz put her hands on her hips and stepped over to him.
“Because, you are what you are and the longer you go without feeding,
the worse it will be when you can no longer control yourself.
I assume you are against killing, am I right?”
“Of course.”
He said back, looking down at her.
“Well, then you will feed
now. Or you will kill later.”
She said. Putting her finger
under his chin, she spoke again, “Kirk will be bringing that little Michelle
girl back here tomorrow…if you are a good boy, and drink from that nice man
right there, it will probably save her life.
If not, I hope her mother doesn’t miss her…”
Taylor looked into Beatriz dark, glittering eyes.
She was most definitely beautiful and he had a lovely view of her
cleavage even though she had tried to hide it, “How about if I drink from
you?” he said, moving toward her.
She smiled, “Ooooh, I wish
you would………I would love to see your blood splattered on every wall in
this room.” She said, running her
finger down his chest and into his navel.
“The elders would make a meal of you in about two seconds
flat.”
“Oh well.” He said, and
he closed his eyes for a moment. Opening
them again, the light from the other room caught in their depths and stayed
there. His teeth gleamed when he
smiled seductively at her.
“Oh God, I could fall in love with you…” she said, smiling back at
him adoringly, then she pushed him backwards, back onto the sofa, landing on the
poor prostrate man with a grunt. “but
not tonight.” She said.
“Do as I say, or that little girl will pay with her life.”
And she turned and left the room, heading for her own bedroom and
slamming the door once she got there.
Kirk stepped over and effortlessly pulled Taylor back up, setting him on
his feet, “You are a trip. When I
go to your funeral, I’m gonna put a bunch of daisies on top of the coffin.
I have a feeling it’s gonna be a closed casket affair.”
Melanie stepped over looking down at the man, “How about if we all just
split him up? We’ll help
you….” She said to Taylor.
“Be my guest.
Just make sure you leave some for him.
It’s his blood after all.”
He said coldly. Then, he sat
down on the floor, leaned back and shut his eyes.
“Taylor.” Sonya said.
“Why don’t you go lay down in your room?”
Without opening his eyes he
muttered, “I don’t have a room.
This is not my home.”
“Unbelievable.”
She said, rolling her eyes again, then looking at the other three.
“I can’t believe I’m trapped here with all of you.
Good night.” She said and
she got up and went towards the door.
“Sonya!”
Kirk exclaimed, “Are we like, supposed to MAKE him feed or
something?”
“If you think you can, you go
right ahead, it’ll save us all a lot of grief from the boss.”
She said disgustedly.
Kirk looked at his partners. Melanie
was leaning down, inspecting the man, who seemed to be waking up very slowly.
She and Camille looked back at one another as both of them moved toward
him. Taylor turned over with his
back to them all, one hand on his knee and the other holding the old brown bear.
Momentarily, he brought it up and placed it under his head and that was
that. He was out.
“Man, it’s getting late, I’m gonna head out.
Want me to get rid of that guy for you?
You probably don’t want him waking up here.”
Melanie looked at him, “Give
me 5 minutes, ok?”
“Is she gonna be mad about
this?” Kirk asked impatiently.
Camille put her hand in the
man’s hair and pulled his head back, exposing a tantalizing vein there.
“She’s gonna be pissed either way.”
Melanie said, then she put her head down and Kirk could tell by the look
on the man’s face that she had pierced his skin with her teeth.
This would be the third time she had fed that day.
Sighing, Kirk walked over to the fireplace and looked up at the portrait
of Beatriz there. Here in New York,
what she said was law. There
weren’t really as many vampires in the city as one would imagine.
Most preferred to be farther away from the elders, yet, no one was so far
as to be totally out of their view. Chicago
had a larger group than New York. And
the really odd ones preferred the dark, old streets of New Orleans.
San Francisco was another enclave of the un-dead.
Kirk grinned thinking of the term. Suddenly,
he felt a hand on his shoulder as Melanie walked up beside him.
“A little sweaty, but, you know….that’s ok.”
She said, delicately dabbing at the corner of her mouth with her pinky.
He looked over and Camille was pulling back from the man.
She stretched, then got up and lay down on the floor next to Taylor,
draping her arm over his waist and her face against the back of his head.
Taylor was oblivious. “How
old is he?” Kirk asked Melanie,
watching her yawn.
“Seventeen, I think.”
She answered.
“No, I mean, how long since
the change?” he asked her.
“Oh, uh…not very.
But, it feels like years.” She
said, shaking her head and looking over at Taylor and Camille.
“She was drinking from him for quite a while.
Hanson fans are tastier than Hansons though, I think.”
She smiled.
“Don’t you?”
Kirk looked at her as she
yawned again. “Well, I don’t
know. I never tasted a Hanson.”
He said, then he walked over to the couch and picked up the man and put
him over his shoulder. “If I get
a sunburn ‘cause of you—you’re gonna owe me big time.”
He said, and he made his way out the door and headed for the elevator.
Melanie stretched again, and went out the same door and down the hall to
her own room.
~~~~~
It was sometime before noon when Mr. Jones woke up.
Normally, he kept normal hours, his job being more or less
nine to five, but, the past few days, Beatriz had kept him up almost as late as
she and her kind stayed up. And it
was taking its toll on him. Today,
his instructions were to go to the Hanson’s at the hotel they were staying at
and let them know that Beatriz would be paying them a visit.
He was to answer questions they might have and then he was to leave and
Beatriz would go into more detail and decide for certain whether or not she
would be allowing Taylor to return to them.
She had given him a phone number so they would be expecting him.
Sighing, he pulled himself up to get ready for one of the strangest jobs
she’d asked him to do thus far.
~~~~~
Avery had slept late. She
had listened for any little bits and pieces of messages from Taylor as late as
she could. Finally though, she’d
fallen asleep. As strange as it was
to hear his voice in her head, it was somewhat comforting to know he was out
there somewhere and able to contact her. And
he’d said he’d be coming back to them.
That alone had calmed her fears and she hoped that she had been able to
convince her mother that Taylor was alright.
She hated to see her mother upset again.
They’d just gotten him back and now he was gone again.
At least this time they knew he wasn’t dead.
She listened in her head for his voice.
Instead of her brother though, she heard the telephone ring.
~~~~~
“So, who do you think this Beatriz person is?”
Isaac asked Zac. The two
boys were each lying on their beds, staring up at the ceiling.
“Maybe she’s like, the head
vampire. Remember in “Lost
Boys”? If you killed the head
vampire, the other ones would turn back into people?”
Zac asked, looking over at his older brother.
Isaac turned over and faced Zac,
“What, are you planning on killing this lady when she walks in the door?”
He turned back to look again at the ceiling, “Besides, that was the
half vampires. Once they’d drank
blood, it was too late. And you and
I both know, our little brother has already done that.”
“He’s your little
brother. He’s my big brother.”
Zac said sadly.
Isaac sighed, “Sorry.
Anyway, the point is, I don’t think all that crap in movies means
diddly.”
He thought for a moment, “I wonder if there is some kind of
magical thing you can use against them though…. obviously crosses don’t do
squat or Taylor would be in trouble. If
crosses don’t work, then holy water wouldn’t either.
So, that’s out.” He
mused.
“Hmmm,”
Zac replied, “what about a gun? They
bleed, right?” he asked.
He turned to see Isaac staring at him.
“Well! I just want Taylor
back!” he exclaimed.
“I thought he gave you the
creeps.” Isaac said softly.
“He does.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t love him and want him to be around.
I’m really starting to miss him, y’know?”
“Yeah…”
Isaac said. “Hey, what
time did that guy say she was gonna come?”
he asked, leaning up on his elbow.
“Evening.”
Zac replied.
“Hmmm…wonder when that is,
exactly.” Isaac said, looking at
the clock.
“Well, we know it’ll be
after sunset. Hope she has
breakfast before she comes here to see us.”
Zac said, getting goosebumps.
He then sat up and pulled the curtain away from the window.
The sky was turning an orange color and the shadows were becoming very
soft.
~~~~~
Mr. Jones sipped coffee from a beautiful china cup as he looked out the
large window that graced the wall of Beatriz sitting room.
“I see you are still hard at work…”
She said, startling him.
The cup clattered against the
saucer, “Ah, Lady…you scared me.” He
said.
“So sorry.”
She said walking up beside him. She
looked out the window. Snow
flurries were floating about in the cold November air.
“I had the strangest dream.” She
said. “I was in a cemetery and
all around me were skeletons and white rabbits.
What do you make of that?” she
asked looking over at him.
He looked at her for a moment,
taking in her lovely face. Her eyes
were so dark they were black, like her wavy hair and her lips were red.
She’d obviously fed the night before, or the morning.
He didn’t know when exactly. “I
don’t know what to make of it…I’m sure it’s symbolic of something.”
He replied to her query.
“Hmmm, perhaps.”
She turned and sat on the windowsill facing him.
“Did you go to see his parents?”
She asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Yes.
I did.” He answered.
“And?”
She said, impatient to find out what he had seen.
“And they are very nice
people who are very worried about a son they love and miss.
Is that what you wanted to hear?”
He asked, setting the cup down.
She sighed.
“I don’t know what I want to hear.
Maybe that they are glad he is gone.
Maybe I just need to go there and wipe the memory of him away from
them.”
She said. She
turned and pulled her knees up to her chest and looked out the window.
“But, I don’t suppose that is possible.
He and his brothers are everywhere.
He can’t just disappear. He
has fans and media watching his every move.
Already, the rumours are starting again.
Luckily, they believe he is into drugs though, rather than that he is a
vampire being held against his will.” She
turned back to Mr. Jones and smiled at him, “Isn’t that wonderful?”
She said sadly.
“Oh yes, that whole pesky
rock star thing might come in handy after all.”
He said back, feigning excitement.
“Be nice to me.
I’ve had a bad week.” She
pouted.
“Yes, ma’am.”
He said, and he backed away from her.
She raised her head, “I’m
serious. I’m suddenly surrounded
by children. Remember the good old
days when I worried about the occasional territorial issue?
Or an officer of the law sniffing about?
Those were easy things to deal with.”
“Well, at least it’s not boring.”
He said, smiling.
“No, indeed.
It’s far from boring with this little group in town.
So, what do I need to be prepared for this evening?”
She asked.
“Hmmm, well, speaking of children…” He began.
~~~~~
At 6:40, Diana made sure all the children had eaten dinner and were
sitting in the area that served as a living room in the suite.
“Peter Pan” was in the VCR and Jessica and Avery had been
put to work addressing the families’ Christmas cards.
Though it was a little early, it was the only thing she could think of,
having purchased them at a Museum at one of the stops on the tour.
Isaac and Zac had been sent out to bring ice cream back for desert.
They’d been underfoot all day and she felt they needed to get out.
Walker sat in the dining area, reading the newspaper and watching the
clock. When the knock came, they
both jumped. As Walker got up to
answer it, Diana told the children once again that it was quiet time, that an
important person was visiting and they were to be on their best behavior.
Avery and Jessica looked at each other, knowing something was going down.
Diana stood by the table, not
wanting to be too close to the woman she knew was some sort of vampire royalty,
or leader or whatever.
And she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear whatever the woman
was coming to tell them. Though
Avery had tried to assure them Taylor wasn’t dead, she couldn’t help but be
afraid that was what the woman would tell them.
They knew already he’d been injured.
What if he’d not survived whatever had happened?
All sorts of visions were running through her mind, but they all stopped
when her husband opened the door. There
before her was a woman, very tall and looking like she’d come off the pages of
Vogue magazine. She wore a black
suit and her hair was pulled up in a bun at the back of her head.
Her large, almond shaped eyes were mesmerizing and her skin flawless.
Like Taylor’s. “Please,
come in.”
Walker said and he backed up, allowing her to enter.
Jessica and Avery both looked up and their mouths fell open.
“This is my wife, Diana, and I’m Walker.
We’re Taylor’s parents.” He
said, reaching his hand out to shake hers.
“I’m honoured.”
She said, as she took his hand in her own, “I am Beatriz Lopez de Alba.
Please, call me Beatriz.”
“Um, shall we sit?”
Walker asked. Diana just
watched the woman as she and Walker approached her.
“Yes, that would be
wonderful, thank you.” She said,
putting her small bag down on the table.
“Where’s my son?”
Diana blurted out.
“Di—“ Walker put his hand
on her arm.
Beatriz dark eyes met Diana’s
icy ones. “He is safe in my home
right now.” She said.
Ignoring her husband, she
stepped closer to the woman. “What
have you people done to him now? It
wasn’t enough to kill him once—have you done it again?”
She demanded.
The only sound heard in the
room came from the television as Peter convinced Wendy and her brothers that
they could fly with a burst of song. Beatriz
bowed her head a little, knowing she deserved the comment.
“No, I assure you he is anything but dead.”
She said quietly. She turned
her head to see the four children watching from the living room.
Zoe got up from her spot in front of the television and got up
on the couch between her sisters as Mackenzie just stared at the three grown
ups.
“Guys,” Walker said,
“everything’s ok. Mommy’s
just a little bit upset.”
“When’s Tay comin’ home?” Mackenzie
asked, his eyes glassy.
“That’s what we’re gonna
find out, alright?” Walker said
in a calm voice. He didn’t want
things to get crazy, and he knew Diana could easily lose it after what she’d
been through the last few days and weeks.
“Hey, look! They’re
going to NeverNever Land, that’s my favorite part!
You guys watch it for me so you can tell me what happens, ok?”
He said brightly.
Mackenzie nodded, “Ok, Daddy.
But let me know when you find out, ok?”
“Sure thing, buddy.”
He smiled at the little boy. Just
then, the door opened and Zac and Isaac walked in.
Eyeing Beatriz, they went into the kitchen and opened the freezer,
placing four tubs of ice cream in the top.
Zac threw away the bags as Isaac took his coat off and threw it on the
back of one of the chairs. Then he
stood back and crossed his arms and was soon joined by Zac who took a similar
stance. It was an unusual sensation
to her, but Beatriz almost felt frightened.
Even though she had had nothing to do with Taylor’s being taken into
the fold, she knew his family were holding her somewhat responsible.
And, she couldn’t really find fault with their logic.
“You must be Isaac and Zachary.”
She said, standing. “You
need to be a part of this discussion. This
involves you as well as Taylor.” She
said, hoping to ease some of the tension in the room.
Isaac and Zac looked at each other, then to their parents.
Walker nodded and they both sat down.
He then turned to Diana.
“Come on, Di.
We need to talk with this lady and find out what’s going on.”
Walker pleaded. She looked
at him, then sighed and sat down across from Beatriz as she did the same.
“I know this is hard for you. Whether
you believe it or not, I’m not happy about the situation either.”
Beatriz stated.
“You must realize, this is very out of the ordinary.
Your son was a victim of love, it seems.
Humans are not taken forcefully and turned into vampires.
It is against our laws. Please,
accept my apologies for all of this. And
I know it will never make up for what you are going through. But I’m hoping to
help here, that’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
She said.
“Well, what happened that he
didn’t come home the other night?” Zac
asked.
Beatriz sighed. This one was
straight to the point. “Zac,
Taylor is no longer human. You
realize that, right?” She asked,
looking into his brown eyes.
He returned her look, though it
made him uncomfortable, “Yeah. So?”
He asked.
“Your brother has powers now
that he needs to be able to use and most importantly, to control. Physically,
he is superior to anyone of your race now.
But, until he understands that, he is a danger to himself and to you and
your family.” She said.
Diana leaned back in her chair,
not believing what she was hearing. “You’re
not telling us anything we don’t know. Is
he sick? Is he hurt?
Why hasn’t he called us?” She
asked.
“He took a bad fall.
His leg was broken.” Beatriz
explained.
“Broken?”
Walker asked, now getting as upset as Diana.
“Has he been to the hospital? I
mean…how bad is it?”
“He’s been seen by my personal physician.
I’m sure you can understand, our kind do not go to hospitals.
That would be impossible. It’s
been set, it’s healing. He’s
fine. But, that’s not
important—“
“Not important?!”
Isaac exclaimed.
Beatriz stood up, knowing she
was getting nowhere fast.
“The reason Taylor is not here is because it isn’t
allowed. He is a vampire now—“
as she spoke, she saw all four of them about to attack her.
“Let me finish!” she
said, holding her hands up and shooting each of them a look.
“When hunger strikes him, he needs to feed.
When the sun comes up, he must be someplace dark.
And he must sleep when it’s time.
But, most importantly, a vampire can never let humans know what
they are.”
She turned and looked into the other room where all four
children were staring at her. She
looked at Diana, “I cannot tell you how important that is.
If the elders believe he is putting the rest of us in
jeopardy in the least, his life will be forfeit.
And anyone else as well.” She
watched as what she was saying sunk in to all of them.
Walker looked over at the boys as Diana wiped her eyes on the sleeve of
her blouse.
“Are you trying to tell us
he’s never coming home?” Diana
asked. Her voice came out in a
whisper.
Beatriz sat down again and
leaned forward, “I’m telling you how things are supposed to be.
Vampires either don’t have families, or they have families they just
want to get away from. This…”
and she gestured toward all of them and the children on the sofa, “never
happens.
My mother and father sacrificed me to a vampire that
threatened our village. Sonya’s
children and grandchildren are all dead of old age.
Melanie was a runaway and Camille suffered from an unhappy home life as
well. That is the story of the
vampire. Not this.”
She placed her hand on her forehead and took a deep breath.
Looking up into Walker’s worried eyes, she spoke again, “If this
doesn’t work, we will all pay with our lives.
And if you decide not to do this, I won’t tell Taylor any different.
I will tell him it was my decision.”
All four of them waited as she prepared to tell them her plan.
~~~~~
Outside the hotel, the girls had gathered again.
Excitement was running high, not only because Isaac and Zac had made an
appearance, but because one of them had gotten to see the now elusive Taylor.
At one time, he had been the one most likely to mingle with the fans,
but, he’d been mysteriously missing from the usual gatherings for weeks now.
Michelle’s story had been believed because it had fit.
They all knew something was terribly wrong.
After what they’d all witnessed via the internet and then seeing him on
TRL, looking beautiful and awful all at the same time, they’d all formed
opinions of what was really happening with him.
So, when Kirk had spotted her, he’d had to wait until she crossed the
street to get her coat from her friend’s car to approach her.
“Michelle?” he said,
walking up to her.
“Oh, hi!”
she said excitedly, “How’s Taylor doing now?
Is he any better? I was sort
of worried about him after I left.”
“Well, I guess he’s a little better physically.
He’s just kinda down still, though.
You wouldn’t like to go see him again, would you?
He seemed like he was doing a little better after you all hung out and we
were just thinking, y’know, maybe it might help again.”
He said, putting his arm around her shoulder.
“Oh, sure!
Just let me tell my friends—” she said, but he cut her off.
“Actually, they really
don’t want anybody to know where he’s at.
You understand, don’t you?”
He gave her a little smile.
“Oh, yeah, ok.
I understand. You know,”
she said, getting her coat and shutting the car door again, “I was trying to
tell them where I went the other night, and I just couldn’t remember where
exactly the place was.” She
pulled her long hair out of her jacket and then looked up at him, “You promise
you’re not just kidnapping me? My
friends were sort of scared when I just disappeared the other night.”
She said, smiling.
He smiled back, “Well, if you
consider me taking you to see Taylor kidnapping, then, yeah, I’m kidnapping
you.” He said laughing.
~~~~~
Beatriz watched as Avery, Jessica, Zoe and Mackenzie all joined them at
the table. “What’s
happening?” Avery asked.
“Miss Beatriz is telling us
about Taylor. Why don’t you guys
go in your room, and Ike and Zac will bring you some ice cream.
I promise, we’ll tell you everything as soon as we know it.
Ok?” Walker said to them.
Zoe walked around the table and stood very close to Beatriz.
She smiled at the little girl, thinking she looked very similar to her
big brother. The same bright eyes
and inquisitive expression. “Zo,
you go on now, ok?” Her father
said to her, then he kissed the top of her head and patted her on her butt, made
fat by the pull up she was wearing. As
the children all walked out, Jessica looked back at the beautiful woman, hoping
somehow, she’d bring her brother back home for good.
“If Taylor will cooperate
with me, and so far he hasn’t,”
she said, raising her eyebrow, “I want him to come back and
resume his career and to be with you. But,
I have to tell you, I have doubts about it.
Sometimes, vampires and humans come to tragic endings.
I can’t guarantee he won’t come in your bedroom and attack you or one
of your children. Is that a risk
you want to take?”
“So, you can do that?
You can let him come back?” Zac
asked.
“Yes, but it would have to be
on my terms. Your people would have
to be replaced with my people. At
least, your bodyguards and anyone else who works very closely with Taylor.
When I saw him on the television the other day, it was obvious to me what
he was. That kind of thing can
never happen again. Luckily, the
elders don’t seem to have been informed and I will do what I can to make sure
they never find out. He has to be
able to control his mind and his body. He
has to feed more often, so he doesn’t get in those situations where he can’t
stop the change that comes over him. And
you may have to make him do these things. He’s
very stubborn.” She said, shaking
her head.
“Yes, he is.”
Diana said, finally smiling. She
then pushed her hair out of her face and settled back in her chair.
“You don’t really think he would kill one of us, do you?”
She asked her.
“He actually appears to avoid
that at all costs. But, those who
own exotic pets never believe their beloved animal would turn on them, but it
happens. He’s no different.”
Beatriz stated, shrugging her shoulders.
“That’s why I want others of his kind to be with him, they can help
him.
They will be under strict orders from me as to their
behavior.”
~~~~~
Taylor had been sent back to his room upon waking that evening.
The door was locked once more. He
turned on every light and looked in every nook and corner of the room, but found
nothing of interest. His leg,
broken only days before had done a great deal of healing during that day.
Once he’d drunk Camille’s blood, his body had sped up the process
greatly. He was still hungry, but
it was bearable. He was tired
of looking at antique vases and floral arrangements and had found the windows
really were absolutely escape proof and so, he finally decided to try and get
out using the door. The handle was
secure, obviously locked from the outside and it appeared to be made of some
horribly solid wood. The hinges
however were another story. They
were in immaculate shape and so, with no old paint or rust to tighten them, he
was able to pry the pins out using the key to his front door in Tulsa.
Sighing, he put the keys back in his backpack, wondering if he’d ever
need them again. As quietly as
possible, he pulled the door toward him, then by shifting it sideways, the lock
was rendered useless. He carefully
leaned it against the wall and peeked out into the hallway.
The place was silent. It
seemed everyone had gone out to feed or do whatever it was they did in the
evenings, leaving him alone in the place. His
bare feet made no sound and he stepped out and turned, pulling the door back
into place. Turning, he headed down
towards the large room in the middle of the apartment.
The floor was cold and slick and he pulled the shirt he was wearing
closed and buttoned the middle two buttons, wishing there were a fire in the
fireplace. Looking around, he saw a
large cabinet against the wall. He
crossed his fingers hoping for a television or a stereo, anything to ease his
boredom. His luck held out when he
opened the doors and found a very nice looking, big screen TV.
“Yes!” he said to
himself. Pushing the power button,
he was delighted when it came to life. He
walked back and flopped down on the couch, propping his leg up on the arm and
putting his hands behind his head. The
bliss he experienced seeing television again was short lived however.
Soon, he tired of all the commercials and wondered why in the world
Beatriz did not seem to have cable. He
pulled himself up, wincing a little at the pain in his leg, but still amazed
that he was able to walk around with no real problem.
Once again, he checked out the room to find nothing but expensive looking
art and furniture. He sighed again
and decided to go back to the library. There,
his eyes lit on the piano he’d seen. He
walked over to it and began to play. It
was tuned to perfection and the sound was sweet to his ears.
~~~~~
Kirk and Michelle walked out of the elevator and into the large
apartment. Hearing the sound of the
piano, they both stepped into the room where the sound was coming from to see
Taylor, his eyes closed playing a beautiful, soft melody.
Kirk watched as Michelle put her hands together and brought them up to
her face, her eyes glassy. He shook
his head and smiled, admiring the music and the effect it had on the young girl.
Silently, he turned and left the room, but settled in the larger one on
the couch, wondering where everyone had gone.
His mind wandered, and he listened to the girl and Taylor as they
reacquainted themselves with each other. Soon,
the elevator doors opened again and Camille and Melanie both came in.
“Do you live here now?” Melanie
asked, giving him a look.
“Ouch, how soon they
forget…” Kirk replied.
She looked at him, then shook her head, sitting down on the couch next to
him.
“Well, it just seems like
you’ve gotten very chummy with Beatriz here lately.”
She said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
“What do you mean lately?”
He said back, “While you all are off gallivanting around the country,
chasing fricking rock stars, some of us are here doing all the shit jobs.
And frankly, this is another shit job.”
He said, crossing his arms and glaring back at her.
“It didn’t bother you when you needed my help, now did it?
God! I’d love to have seen
you bring the little prince back here all by yourself.”
He laughed.
Camille was mildly amused at
the two squabbling on the couch, but she really just wanted to go be with
Taylor. As she turned toward the
hallway, she heard soft laughter come from the library, “Who’s in there?”
She asked Kirk.
“Your boy’s got a little
honey pie in there.” He grinned.
Her eyebrows came together and he watched as the small girl stalked
toward the room. He turned to
Melanie, “Oh, this could be good.” He
said, twisting on the couch to get a better view.
Michelle sat on the piano bench next to Taylor.
She was amazed at how much better he looked.
His skin was not nearly so pale and his eyes were brighter
and not so sad. He had played her a
lively rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb and had even guided her hands to play
along. Tonight, his hands were
warm, like her own. Suddenly, his
head shot up and she saw a girl standing in the doorway, staring at them.
Taylor and the girl looked at each other and their eyes locked onto each
other. If she weren’t so young,
Michelle would have assumed she had to be a girlfriend.
Finally, the girl walked in and right up to the piano, “Who’s
this?” She asked.
“This is Michelle.”
He replied, then, “And Michelle, this is Camille.
She’s a very good friend of mine.”
Michelle held her hand out and Camille shook it.
“Well, Michelle, it’s so nice to meet you.”
She said, looking at her with incredibly blue eyes.
Bluer than Taylor’s. His
were an icy colour where this girl’s were almost a violet.
“Same here.
I guess you get to hear Taylor play all the time, huh?
This is a fantastic place.” Michelle
said brightly.
Camille looked around the room, “Yeah, I guess.”
She said, “So, how did you meet Taylor?”
She asked the girl.
“Oh, well, Kirk brought me up
here to meet him yesterday.
And now, here I am, back again!”
She said.
Camille looked at her again and Taylor watched her eyes begin to change.
“Excuse us for a minute, Michelle.”
He said and he got up and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the room.
Once they were in the big room, she jerked away from him.
“You better feed and get it
over with, Taylor!” She spat.
“What I do or don’t do is
no concern of yours.” He said
coldly. “So, you just stay away
from me and her.” He then
turned to head back into the room.
“Fine.
When you’re done fucking around, I’ll just have a little snack.”
She said.
Kirk’s eyes got wide when he
watched Taylor fly back in front of her and put his finger in her face, “You
do and you’ll be sorry.”
He said looking down on her menacingly.
Melanie bristled and Kirk felt her stiffen.
“Why?
What are you gonna do, attack me again?”
she spat.
Kirk leaned back, waiting for
the show to begin, as Taylor stepped closer to her.
“If you hurt her, I will make your life miserable.
Just like you did mine.” He
said, so quietly, Kirk had to strain to hear it.
He then turned back toward the library.
“Well, don’t even think
about fucking her!” Camille spat,
“Not that you could anyway, now that you and your dick are both
dead.” Kirk’s eyes widened.
Taylor was back standing in front of her in a flash and his eyes shot
daggers at her and his fist was drawn back as if he would hit her.
Immediately, Melanie jumped up, but before she could get there, Taylor
was going through the door of the library and it slammed loudly behind him.
Camille’s hands had gone up to her head and she staggered, nearly
falling as Melanie caught her. Kirk
stood up then went over and picked the girl up and walking back, he laid her on
the sofa.
Melanie sat down beside her and pushed her hair out of her
face. “Camille, what happened?”
Kirk was just looking at the door.
“I don’t know…” she
said, and she brought both hands up to her head and closed her eyes, her
eyebrows coming together.
“Did he hit you?!”
Melanie asked.
“He never touched her.”
Kirk said. He looked back at
the girl; “He did the same thing to her that Beatriz did to him.”
“God, I hope Beatriz knows
what she’s doing.” Melanie
said.
~~~~~
Taylor walked back in and leaned up against the door.
Michelle watched him. “Um…girlfriend
troubles?” she asked.
He opened his eyes, “She is so
not my girlfriend.
I don’t have a girlfriend.”
He said, walking over to her, “Don’t you read Teen Scene?”
He said, smiling.
“Not for a few years now.”
She smiled back as he sat down on the bench next to her, “Not since
Hanson isn’t on the cover anymore.” She joked.
He looked into her eyes, “Well then, I guess you are never gonna read
Teen Scene again.”
She laughed, “No, but
considering the road you’re on, maybe I can pick up a copy of People, or who
knows? Maybe Newsweek.”
“Very funny.
I’d settle for Rolling Stone, though.”
He reached over and pulled a hair from her lip where it had stuck to her
shiny lip gloss. He then reached
over and put his hand on her cheek.
Covering his hand with her own, she sighed.
As he leaned in closer to her, she watched him close his eyes.
She couldn’t believe she was actually here, about to be kissed by
Taylor Hanson. An hour ago, she was
standing out in the cold, hoping to get a tiny glimpse of him and now, she was
about to go to first base with him.
She wondered as she closed her own eyes, just how far he was
planning on going. He stood up and
took her hand in his, pulling her towards the couch.
He lay down on it and propped his leg up, then pulled her
down on top of him. Reaching up, he
pushed her hair out of her face. He
could feel her trembling. “Are
you scared?” He asked.
“I don’t think so…” she
answered, “I don’t know, should I be?”
“No.”
He answered softly, and then he reached up and kissed her again.
He reveled in the warmth of her skin and the smell of her and the beating
of her heart. He ran his hands down
her sides to her waist and then under her sweater and back up again.
Second base was definitely coming up fast.
Relief washed over him as he felt his body reacting.
Between his legs, a familiar warmth was gathering where her body was
pressed against his.
~~~~~
Kirk crossed his legs as he stretched out on the couch.
Melanie and Camille had gone back to the room they shared.
Melanie would say mean things about Taylor and Camille would defend him
as they made their way slowly down the hallway.
Kirk shook his head thinking he’d never understand women.
He then listened to the sound of Michelle’s voice drifting from beyond
the door. It was a sort of a
breathy, moany kind of thing. Taylor
was obviously doing a good job, whatever it was he was doing.
“Oh…god…Taylor…” she was saying.
He looked over at the fire he’d built in the fireplace.
The room was definitely getting warmer.
~~~~~
Second base was very enjoyable to both Taylor and Michelle.
She couldn’t believe she was letting this boy she hardly
knew touch her in the ways he was doing. Soon,
her sweater was on the floor and her jeans were unzipped.
As his hands were making her feel things she’d never felt before, his
mouth was humming and singing some song she’d never heard before.
He was using all his skills to make her want him to touch her.
And it was a skill.
One none of the other guys she’d been with had.
As he gently pushed her pants down over her hips, he pulled back from her
a bit, “Are you sure you want this? We
can stop right now.” He said,
searching her face for a sign of what she was feeling.
She looked up at him. In all
her fantasies, he’d be sweating and breathless by now and his eyes would be
incredibly blue. Instead, his eyes
were a steely gray and he did have a certain glow about him, but she was pretty
sure it was because of the soft light coming from the expensive Tiffany lamps
that were scattered around the room.
She answered him with a kiss that deepened quickly.
Again, he began to hum and she could feel his throat next to
her own as he kissed her ear and she could feel the vibrations from the sound
coming out of him. His hand moved
down and soon, her pants had joined her sweater and her panties were pushed
aside by his fingers. She could
feel him and she knew he had left second base behind and third was in sight.
He continued his song, but as he moved away from her ear, it became
harder to hear. When she felt his
lips on her, she laid her head back on the couch.
His fingers and his mouth were working together to make her warm and wet.
He brought his face back up to hers and he kissed her, running his tongue
along her lips. He ran his finger down her jaw and to her chin.
She could smell her own scent, but it didn’t gross her out like she
thought it would.
He kicked his pants off and straddled her.
As he pressed himself against her, she gasped and he stopped.
“Are you alright?” he
asked.
“Yeah.”
She answered and she put her hand behind his head and pulled him down for
another kiss. Slowly, he entered
her and both of them became wrapped in their own thoughts.
Michelle never believed she’d ever actually meet the boy, whose face
was on her wall, let alone touch him and let him touch her in a way no other boy
had. And for Taylor, she was more
than just home base, she was home. And
home was what he needed more than anything right now.
~~~~~
Kirk listened still. Now it
wasn’t Michelle’s voice he was hearing, it was Taylor’s.
Suddenly, he decided he needed to check on the girls and he got up off
the sofa and made his way down the hall.
~~~~~
“Oh…. Michelle…. that was just…incredible.”
Taylor whispered to her. He
looked at her face. Her cheeks were
flushed and her lips were red. If
it weren’t for the tears in her eyes, he would have believed she had enjoyed
the experience as much as he had. “What’s
wrong? Did I hurt you?”
He said, concerned.
“Taylor, I’m not gonna tell you it didn’t hurt…it did.
But, it felt…good too. I
guess I don’t have to tell you, that was my first time.”
She said quietly. Then
she pulled away from his arms and reached down for her panties.
As she slipped first one foot in and then the other, she stood up and
Taylor watched as she pulled them up her legs.
She wasn’t model-thin, but she wasn’t fat either.
She was soft and curvy.
“You were my first too.” He
said, sitting up on his elbow.
Michelle pulled her sweater
over her head and looked over at him, “Taylor, you don’t have to say that.
I’m ok with it.”
“I know I don’t have to say
it. But, it’s true.”
He said back softly, and then he put his hand in her hair and pulled her
closer to him. They both lay back
down and she smiled, but the tears still fell from the corners of her eyes and
into her hair and her ears. He
reached up and wiped the wetness away thinking she was his first and she would
be his last. There was no way he
was ever going to fuck one of those cold bitches he thought as he lay his head
down on her shoulder, burying his face in her wavy, clean smelling hair.
They both lay there thinking until the clock struck nine.
“God, I really have to go. My
friends are gonna be worried.” She
said and reluctantly, Taylor released his hold on her.
She reached down for her jeans and he sat up, looking around for his.
He got up and found his shirt lying on the back of the couch, but his
jeans were a few feet away. By the
time he had them on, Michelle was putting on her shoes and had her purse on her
shoulder. Walking over to her, he
put his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead.
Looking up at him, she smiled. “Guess
I should get rid of that silly poster of you now, huh?”
She said.
“Why?” he asked, “Now,
when you talk to me, you’ll have a better idea of what I might say.
Now that you know me. Besides,
when my eyes follow you around the room, you can remember tonight.
‘Cause I’m gonna remember it.”
“Oh God, can I keep you?” She
said laughing.
He sighed, “I wish you could.” Then,
he put his fingers to his lips as he opened the door.
The room beyond was empty.
He took her hand and pulled her silently out the door and around the
corner to where the elevator was. He
started to push the button, but then he thought better of it.
They passed that up and checked the doors until they came across a
stairway. As quietly as they could,
they went down seven floors, then Taylor decided it would be alright to take the
elevator. Once inside, Michelle
whispered, “Why are we sneaking around?”
He pushed the two on the panel
and turned to her, “Oh.
I don’t think they want me to leave.
They think I’m too sick.”
He answered.
“Well, you seem just fine to
me.” She said, grinning.
“Thanks.”
He blushed. The door slid
open and they stepped out into another hall like the ones above them.
At one end was a window. “C’mon.”
he said and they went down the hall and stood before it.
Looking down, he knew it was only one story, but still, it just looked
far.
He opened the window and poked his head out.
“What are you doing?” She
hissed.
“I need to get you out of
here.” He said.
He stuck one leg out the window as she tried to hold him back.
“Taylor, it’s too far,
you’re gonna kill yourself.” She
pleaded.
He looked back at her and
snorted, “No such luck.”
He muttered, then he pulled the other leg out.
“Michelle, really, it’s not as far as it looks.”
He said, hoping he could make it alright.
He knew there could be some sort of guards or something in the lobby and
he wanted to get Michelle back to her friends and on her way home.
Tonight. Not only was
Beatriz insisting that he make a meal of the girl, but now, Camille had it in
for her as well. He stood up and
braced himself for the landing. Stepping
off, he had a similar sensation to jumping off the high dive at the public pool
in his old neighborhood. When his
feet hit the brick alleyway below him, it did give him a dose of pain in the leg
that had been broken, but it was bearable.
Now, looking up, he saw her stick her head out, her long hair blowing in
the breeze, and he said, “See? I
made it. Now you.”
And he held his arms open for her, looking up expectantly.
Michelle carefully pulled one
leg over the sill. Her knees were
shaking. “Taylor?!”
she called, “Are you sure?” He
nodded and continued to hold his arms out.
“Oh god, please…” she
prayed, pulling the other leg out. She
closed her eyes and readied herself to splat on the ground and kill both she and
Taylor.
“Amen.” She
said and she stepped off the ledge. She
felt the wind envelope her as she went down, but as she prepared herself for
pain, it never came. She suddenly
found herself wrapped tightly in Taylor’s arms.
“Now, that wasn’t so bad,
was it?” He asked, sitting her
down. She thought she might throw
up, but instead, she hit him on the shoulder.
“I am NEVER going out with
you again.” She said.
As they began to walk, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
When they stepped out into the street, they walked quickly past the doors
of the building.
“Where are your friends?”
he asked.
“Last I saw them, they were in front of the hotel.”
She said.
“Oh God,”
he slapped his forehead, “I can’t go there.”
He stopped and turned her around to face him.
“Well, just take me to the
car. That’s where we’ve been
sleeping.” She said, noticing he
was barefoot. “Taylor!!”
she exclaimed, “Where’s your shoes?!”
He ignored her question,
shocked at what she’d just said, “You slept in the CAR!?
Why did you do that?!”
“Well, we didn’t have much
money, just enough to eat, really.” She
said.
He sighed, “Why are girls so crazy?”
He muttered, more to himself than to her.
“Where’s the car?” He
asked.
“It’s across the street and
down a little from the hotel.”
She answered. He
pulled her by the hand now and they crossed the street.
“Michelle,” he said as they
walked, “I don’t want you coming here ever again.
I don’t want you going anywhere with Kirk or anyone else, alright?
Only your friends, and I want you to go home.
Tonight.” He said, looking
over at her. She held her arms
around her trying to keep the cold away.
“Ok.”
She said reluctantly. “Taylor,
did you really tell them you wanted to meet me?”
She asked.
He put his arm around her shoulder, wishing he’d brought his jacket for
her. “Yeah, I did.”
He lied.
Her face lit up, “How
come?” She asked.
They came to the row of cars
and he slowed down. “Which one is
it?” He asked.
“Oh.
Um, it’s the yellow bug, right there.”
She said pointing to the old car.
“How many of you are
there?” He asked, flabbergasted.
“Just three.
It’s not so bad.” She
smiled. Walking up to the car, they
stopped and he put his hands on either side of her as she leaned up against it.
“Now then, why did I want to
meet you?” He asked.
She nodded, looking at his hair blowing in the wind and thinking he was
just perfect, barefoot or not. “Because,
I thought you were beautiful. And
you looked like a nice person. And
I was right.”
He said, leaning in to place one last kiss on her mouth.
“Here,” he said, reaching into his pocket, “take this.”
And he placed a wad of bills in her hand.
“Taylor, I can’t—“
He cut her off, placing his finger over her lips.
“Yes you can.
I need to know you’re gonna get home safe.”
He said, looking into her eyes. Once
again, it felt to her like he was staring at her soul.
“Alright.”
She said, “Taylor, I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m gonna miss you,
too.” He said, and he touched her
cheek, then he backed up. He reached around his neck and took off one of the
necklaces he was wearing, a small wooden cross on a leather cord, and then he
placed it over her head, “Now, get in the car, and lock the doors.
And when your friends get here, you guys go home, promise?”
“I promise.”
She said, clutching the smooth feeling pendant, and she opened the door
and got in the car and watched him walk back the way he’d come.
The wind blew his blonde hair and his shirt, but he didn’t seem cold
like she was. Smiling, she laid her
head back on the seat and closed her eyes
