"What has happened?" he asked.
Without preamble I began to tell him what had been going on. I knew I was talking too fast, but my speech matched my heartbeat. I was desperate to find a way to help Dracula save not only his face, but his life.
When I was finished Mathias said, "So, I see the vampire's love is returned."
During our last conversation he had informed me that I was not in any danger from Dracula because he was in love with me.
"Yes," I answered.
"And does he know you love him?"
"I haven't said, but he knows I'm willing to die to protect him."
"Well," he sighed. "If you would face death, then my suggestion may not sound so bad."
"What do you suggest?" I asked.
"Let me warn you, my child, that what I am about to share with you does not come without a price."
"What's the price?"
"First, let me tell you the solution. Then you can decide if it is worthy of the cost."
I knew before he spoke that I would do whatever was required, but still I listened quietly.
"You recall the method used to heal the werewolf?" he asked.
Mathias was referring to when I had healed Bade last summer. I had used my abilities to channel his desire. I literally pulled Bade's desire from him and used it to heal his body.
"Yes, I remember."
"This will require more than desire. Lust is all well and good, but what you are attempting to correct is permanent. Whatever heals it must be equally as final."
"Final?"
"You must use your love," he said softly.
"My love? I don't understand."
"If you chose to do this, you will find a way. You must use all of your passion, and his as well. Everything that you feel for him, everything that you have ever felt must be put into your touch. You must give all and take nothing for yourself."
I was quiet for several minutes before asking, "But what about Marco? I love him."
"That is the price. You must decide if it is something you are willing to pay."
"And his life?" I asked about Dracula.
"His life is quite literally in your hands, my dear. If it is something you cherish, keep it safe."
"Why must there always be a price?" I cried as I broke contact.
Mathias had asked the one thing I wasn't sure I could give up. When I swung my feet over the bed I knocked his journal to the floor. There is a hidden compartment on the back and it fell open, spilling its contents. I replaced the lock of Mathias's vibrant red hair and picked up the necklace. The necklace had a large pink stone encased in silver. The stone was rose quartz, and I had never found out its use. As I went to replace it I looked at the last page.
"Use the necklace," it said.
More words continued to appear as if written with an invisible hand.
"Wear it when you make love to him, and it will aid in the healing."
I was afraid that was going to be part of the price and Mathias' words had confirmed my fears. Sex with Dracula was wonderful, but Marco would never forgive me. And I would never cheat on him. I replaced the necklace and cried myself to sleep.
* * * *
Early the next morning I felt Marco's arms around me.
"Red," he whispered. "Are you alright?"
When I started to cry he asked, "Baby, what's wrong? Whatever it is you can tell me."
After I calmed down a little I told him what Mathias had said. I love Marco, and I had promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't lie to him. I didn't leave anything out. When I was finished Marco was very quiet. I was afraid of what he was going to say or do, but he spoke very softly, "Mathias said his life was in your hands. What did he mean?"
"I don't know." I sniffed again, wiping tears. "But I'm not going to cheat on you. I can't do that to you."
"But you can't leave him like that," he said reasonably.
His voice was very soft, and the compassion he showed was killing me. I expected jealousy, rage, or even violence. But this heartfelt concern was doing me in.
"What if you don't do it, and he dies?" he whispered.
I hadn't thought of that. Just the suggestion made my heart stop. For a moment I felt so alone and I knew that losing Dracula would feel even worse than I could imagine. I leapt from the bed and was sick as soon as I reached the bathroom. My nerves always got the better of my stomach.
?
Chapter Eight
Marco handed me a damp washcloth as he knelt beside me.
"If he dies because of your moral standards, is that something you could live with?" He paused before adding, "Because I can't live with knowing I kept you from saving him."
"Marco, what are you saying?" I asked shakily.
"But I can't give you my blessing either," he said helplessly.
He was scaring me.
"Marco, don't leave me," I pleaded.
"I'm not going anywhere," he soothed. "You do what you have to do, and I'll try to find a way to live with it. Because I can't live with being the cause of his death."
"And I can't live with being the cause of yours," I thought as I looked at his face.
"I would never deliberately do anything to hurt you, Marco, you know that," I said as he hugged me to him.
"I know, Red. You do enough by accident."
Just when I was about to start crying again he said, "I will still be around. It may take me some time, but I'll be around. I knew this might happen when I first saw him." He sighed. "When I saw the way you looked at him … you can't decide who you love, Red. And I can't bring myself to hate him for wanting the same thing I do."
"I was so happy." I cried, pressing my face against his stomach. "I love you, Marco, I swear I do. But I can't abandon him," I wailed. "I can't leave him if there's a chance that I could save him. I wish to God I could just walk away, but I can't."
"Then don't," he said. "If anyone understands you, Red, it's me. Remember when I turned you down and you ended up spending the night with Dracula?"
How could I forget? It was the first time the beast had overtaken me and I wasn't in the middle of a fight. I had lost control completely. The beast is only calmed by food, violence, or sex. I had just found out Alfred signed on to be my murderer as well as my partner, and I went nuts. Marco had to leave to save some members of the pack. People were dying and he still came running to my rescue, but he couldn't stay. He sent me home to eat something, but what I craved was waiting in my bedroom. That was the first and only time I had been with Dracula, but I wanted it to be Marco.
"It was my fault," he said softly. "If I hadn't turned you down, you never would have gone to him. But if I had stayed with you, people would have died. People I care about. That was something I couldn't live with, and you and I seem to be living together just fine."
It was then I realized how fortunate I was to have a man like Marco in my life. But I couldn't stop myself from asking, "What if this is something you can't live with?"
"I'll try."
After we had both showered he said, "When you find out more about these vamps you tell me, and if he needs the pack's help, you let me know."
"I will."
"In the meantime, Red, try not to worry. Things have a way of working themselves out. Even this."
As stupid as it may seem, I felt better after his reassurance. Marco's voice has a way of making the world go away when I need it to, even if it's just for a little while.
* * * *
Friday night was Ms. Wilson's tea party. I had known her my whole life, and she would be very disappointed if I didn't attend. Not just because she would miss me, but because I was bringing Dracula. As it turns out, they had known each other a long time ago. Ms. Wilson had been in love with a vampire, and Dracula had saved her from being lynched along with her lover. She was willing to die for Eric, but Dracula wouldn't allow it. After a while, she understood and thanked him for saving her. Now, she was holding the tea party at night in order for him to be able to attend. The plan was originally to have the party two days after my birthday, but it had been postponed by the weather. A week later wasn't terribly off schedule.
I wore a black dress that I suppose could have passed for a sundress, if there was any sun. The weather was warm enough that I could go sleeveless, even at night. I had let my short hair grow to the point of being shaggy. It hung in layers down the back of my neck and naturally flipped out a bit on the ends. My hair seemed even redder against the black. I was just putting the final touches on my makeup when I heard a knock at my balcony window.
I opened the French doors and let Dracula in. My heart fluttered when I looked at him, and I avoided looking directly into his eyes. Not because he could hypnotize me, but because I was afraid of what he might see there. Eyes really are the windows of the soul, and I wasn't ready to bare mine.
He was wearing black slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt. The top few buttons were left open to reveal his throat and part of his chest. The shirt was blood red and it suited him perfectly. He smelled of expensive cologne, and I noticed as he stepped behind me in the mirror that he was once again wearing a half mask to cover the right side of his face.
Dracula put his hand on my waist as he leaned into me and took a deep breath.
"You smell like vanilla," he said.
His voice brushed across my skin almost like a cat and I shivered.
"It's my soap."
"Are you ready?" he asked softly.
"No," I thought. I wasn't ready. Not to risk hurting Marco or to accidentally kill Dracula if I didn't take that chance.
He put his hand underneath my chin and made me look at him. The kindness I found in his eyes was nearly too much for me.
"Whatever it is," he said softly, "I will help if I can."
"You can't," I said, turning around before I started to cry.
If I told Dracula why I was upset, he would never let me go through with what I had in mind. He would never risk my happiness, even for his own life. But I would give my happiness if that's what it took to save him.
Without another word, I took him by the hand and led him outside. The night was cooler than I had expected, but still comfortable. I welcomed the breeze as we got in his car. Dracula drove a sleek black car with silver accents. It was a classic model and positively reeked of expensive taste.
After he got behind the wheel I asked, "Why did you come to the window when you drove to the front door?"
"Melodrama," he said with a smile. "Besides, I was hoping you could appreciate the fact that Don Juan has finally reached your window."
As his meaning sunk in I began to laugh, and it felt good. The rose that grew on my balcony was a climbing Don Juan, and I had been waiting years for it to grow tall enough to reach my window. Plus The Phantom (in the original French novel published in 1910 by Gaston Leroux) wrote an opera about Don Juan. How appropriate that Dracula should come to my balcony, just as the famous Don Juan had visited his lovers.
"You look good in a smile," he teased. "You should wear it more often."
When we arrived at Ms. Wilson's house people were already flocking toward the back yard. She has a huge antebellum style house on the opposite end of town. As we approached the front door where she was busy greeting other guests she stopped in mid sentence to stare at Dracula. I must admit, even with half his face covered, he was quite the sight.
"Betty," he purred as he pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "How have you been?"
"Oh," she said, fanning herself profusely. "I'm just fine, just fine. I'm so glad you could come," she said, beaming at us both.
We followed the rest of the crowd through the house. Small white tables were sprinkled about the large back yard with matching wicker chairs and white tablecloths. There was a lovely tea set on each table, all with different expensive looking patterns and a small bouquet of fresh wildflowers. It was pretty much like her usual spring tea party set up, except for the rows and rows of lanterns strung through the large oak trees. There were also white candles lit on each table.
Dracula and I found a nice spot underneath the same tree where Richard and I had sat with Elijah last year. Ms. Wilson stood up to give her usual welcome speech, and while he watched her, I took the opportunity to get a good look at him. His left side was turned to me, and underneath the glow of the lanterns circles were visible underneath his eyes. His skin seemed paler than usual, and I was afraid. Dracula had never had the ghastly parlor of death, no matter what the legends say, but he did tonight. He was still heartbreakingly gorgeous, but having seen him at his best, I noticed the difference.
"His life is in your hands," Mathias had said. His voice kept playing over and over again in my mind. "Not without a price," I kept hearing. I looked down at my hands. Life or death, why couldn't it be as simple as left or right? But why was he dying? Holy water burns wouldn't kill him. As I sat there wracking my brain for answers Kat, Judas, and Elijah all stopped by to say hello. Dracula spoke, but I could barely manage a smile.
When it was time to go, after a lengthy conversation with Ms. Wilson he led me to the car and said, "Tell me what is wrong with you, or we are not leaving this spot."
When I didn't immediately respond he crossed his arms over his chest and said, "I have all night."
If I lied he would know it, but I couldn't tell him the truth. I took several deep breaths before saying, "I've reconsidered."
"Reconsidered what?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.
"Remember when you told me that you and Marco had made a deal? You said that you had agreed not to touch me as long as I was his, but if I went to you willingly, he wouldn't seek revenge."
"Yes," he said quietly, "I remember."
"Well, what if I've reconsidered?"
"I am sorry, my angel, but I do not follow."
"I've given it a lot of thought, and I love Marco," I nearly choked, but made myself say, "But, I can't live without you either."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if I decide to spend the night with you sometime, I hope the offer still stands."