Chapter 18

Fran had had enough of fighting for one day..maybe even the whole year. She hated getting into skirmishes with vampires. They were so messy to kill; always blowing up and spewing gunk all over the place. Or even better leaving a pile of ashes. Just like them to leave the mess for someone else to clean.

She knew she was being pissy because she'd just given up her beloved amulet. She'd gotten used to the weight of its holy presence. It made her feel like she had real help in protecting Raelyn. She hadn't even looked at the new amulet that rested at her throat. She knew the change was for the best. If Rae was going to rub elbows...or anything else she could manage....with Alex, Dimitri showed Fran that it wasn't exactly a good idea to wear something that could annihilate them all, good vampires along with the bad, when Fran was caught up in a fight.

Giving up her precious amulet that Micah had given her was a matter of a fragile trust building between her and Dimitri. She had a feeling it was going to take both of them to keep Raelyn alive. Fran didn't like vampires, but nursing had taught her to be practical in all things. She took help where she could get it.

“I need for you to trust Alex.” Dimitri warned.. “I need for you to give up that amulet before you burn everyone to a cinder.”

“It would leave all the humans alive. That would include Zayne, and I don't even like him.” She thought sarcastically while she was conversing with Dimitri in a dream. She was not Raelyn. She didn't appreciate Dimitri intruding into her thoughts whenever he pleased.

“Do you really want to take away another man that Raelyn loves?” Dimitri asked softly already knowing the painful answer.

“No.” Fran whispered back. “We can't ever go there again.” She hated when the vampires were right.

“Just try.” Dimitri pleaded with her. “I know this is hard for you. It's hard for us all.”

Fran had never thought about what it must be like for Dimitri...still alive and loving Raelyn but unable to put his arms around the one he gave his earthly life for. Watching her fall in love with another man while he stood by helpless. She didn't know if she could be as brave if it were her. She didn't think Raelyn understood what kind of power it took for Dimitri to create a place for himself, let alone maintain his life force in that place of limbo. And that was not even considering the energy it to to communicate with anyone at will. She didn't know if Raelyn understood that love kept him there in unending torment.

“Don't say a word.” He pleaded. “You can be too damn perceptive sometimes.”

Fran poked her tongue out at him. Screw him if he couldn't take a joke.

Dimitri turned deadly serious at Fran's light attitude. “She would only suffer more if she knew. I have little solace where I am. Letting her be innocent of what this is costing me is one of the only comforts I enjoy. For me Fran. Let her remain ignorant.”

Fran agreed. She didn't like lying to Raelyn. Not telling Rae what was going on was lying in Fran's book, but she couldn't see a way to tell Rae without causing her agonizing suffering. Fran agreed.

“I will try to get along with the vampires.” She said then. “For Raelyn, for myself, and for you.”

“I'm going crazy.” She thought to herself. “I'm feeling sorry for one of the most powerful vampires in the universe, with his body or without it.”

“Thank you.” He said his voice colored with lingering grief before he left her dream.

“No.” She thought seeing him with new eyes. “No one could know what this was costing Dimitri.”

Fran sighed. Back to the matter at hand. Her irrational fear of anything with fangs would get them all killed if she didn't find a way to control it. Like it or not she needed to change her behavior. Giving up her precious amulet had been the first step. She needed to get away from the house while everyone was still discussing Zayne's predicament.

“God! Was that funny!” She thought laughing out loud. “A lawyer is a sex bunny for vampires. Did it get any better than that?”

She jumped into her black Nismo 370Z and just drove not knowing exactly where she was going. Funny though, the car seemed to drive itself....right to Micah's shop. There were questions that were begging to be answered and now was as good as any time to get them. She just couldn't bring herself to return to the mansion and be around vampires again.

When Fran returned to the shop she thought Micah was there alone. The old man he presented to her was uneasy. “How may I be of service my lady?” He said as he bowed deeply to her.

“You need to close the shop Micah. I don't think you want anyone overhearing the conversation we're about to have.” Fran whispered.

“I knew you would come.” He said not taking his eyes from her as he bowed.

Micah gestured toward the room. A young teenage couple both with long blue black hair were dressed in white with matching combat boots, kilts, and matching red leather duster jackets were looking at rune stones. “She has a great gift.” He whispered to Fran conspiratorially. “She will bring out his. They are important. Give me a moment.”

Fran nodded and moved over to a row of ancient tomes on water wielding. Fran loved water. She looked at the books with earnest still keeping an eye on Micah. She couldn't see anything other than a doddering old man dressed in a plain pale blue woolen robe talking and laughing with two teenagers with rainbow colored streaks in their hair.

Micah helped the two buy the right stones for their work and gave them a book that explained the stones. He gave them a large amethyst for protection and sent them on their way locking the door behind them.

“Ok” Fran said cautiously. “I want to know why I'm the only one who can really see you.”

“I can't really tell you that since I don't understand it myself.” Micah said sheepishly. I knew from the moment you looked at me that you were seeing more than what other people saw and for some reason that I cannot fathom, I wanted you to see....me.

“Why can't I see you completely now?” Fran asked circling him, frustrated that she was still seeing an old man.

“I'm shielding myself from you as hard as I can.” He answered watching her closely.

“Most humans are afraid of me when they see me for what I really am.” Micah said warily looking at her.

“I'm not afraid of you.” She said stopping her maddening circles and looking him up and down. “And I'm not human.”

“And I heard you were not fond of Vampires.” He whispered closing his eyes. He didn't want to see disapproval in her eyes.

“Afraid. Rrrriiiiight.” Fran sighed uneasily letting him hear her attraction for him in her voice.. “Fear is not exactly the emotion I'm feeling when I 'm around you.”

Fran drew closer to him. She had given up Uriel's Protection for this. For Dimitri...for Micah. She had let Alex put on another amulet without ever really taking a good look at it. Rae's was similar.

“It is exactly the same as my own.” Micah said softly pointing to the stone on her neck.

“Oh.” She whispered.

He picked up hers in his hand. “It is without power. Shall I correct that?” I am the only one who can.”

“Please.” She couldn't control the shiver of delight at Micah being so close. His voice was like warm water flowing over her skin. He was looking younger to her now.

He moved closer to her and drew power from deep within and then sent it into the amulet. She stroked his cheek and then outlined a faint design growing deeper on his face.

“That's distracting.” He said throatily.

“A pattern of scroll work in deep maroon...is...appearing on your face surrounding your eye and making its way across your forehead.” she said not stopping the course of her hand.

“You need to stop.” He ordered though he didn't mean it.

“Why?” she countered still not paying very much attention to what he was saying. She never paid attention to his words since he never said what he really felt.

“Unless you want to end up looking like a feline of some sort, or a vixen you need to let me keep my concentration on what I'm doing.”

“Why is everything....red?” she countered licking her lips as the design seemed to blossom down the side of his neck and onto his chest. His hair was changing colors too. It was turning the color of a fusha; deep purple highlights over a deep red color. In some places his hair lightened to almost pink; in others it was a red so dark it was almost black. Fran could not stop staring at him. She rolled a lock of his hair between her fingertips.

“I...am....attracted......to.....you.” He was trembling now to hold onto the spell he was weaving.

“Have you ever?” She said tracing her finger along his extending canine teeth.

“No. I have never been this...attracted.....to anyone....in my life.” He bit her hand and drew blood letting it roll down her palm. He sucked the warm, pulsating drops of blood from her fingertips groaning with delight as though he hadn't eaten in centuries. She froze. He licked her fingers moving up to the wound he had made until her hand was clean and the wound was closed. His eyes turned blood red with inky black rims. The only thing that remained the same from the first time she had seen him were his eyelashes. They were still blue black. It was the most intimate thing he could have ever done between them. The change was complete. “I wanted you to see....what I am....I mean....even though....”

“Even though we cannot do anything about this.....she finished...”

“Yes even though we can do nothing....”He said raggedly. She could hear the regret in every word he used.

She kissed him then. Fully. Completely. Letting him know how she felt. Opening herself up to his perusal. Letting him see how beautiful she thought he was. Letting him see the extent of her majick power. He gasped into her mouth...

“You should never....” He whispered...

“I wanted you to know....I am...like you....not vampir...not elven...something else...”She broke their embrace and walked away from him.

“Please....” He reached for her not ready to be separated from her again.

“ I have my answer.” She smiled sadly. “The rest is up to you. It will always be up to you.” And then she left him there wanting her. Needing her. She left him with the taste of her desire still on his lips and her passion for him still aching in his loins.”

He heard the hollow sound of the shop bell ring as she left.

He flung his body into his desk chair. He smiled bitterly. “My life just got unbearably complicated.” He whispered to no one.

It would be a while before he could go back into the council's presence. Two days at least. He had to loose all semblance of color and become once again the bland creature they knew him to be. It was as they feared. He couldn't resist her anything. He had known her only a few hours and already she came first in his thoughts. He knew her heart as surely as he knew his own; although he couldn't say how. He didn't understand their deep connection at all.

But the council would never trust her enough to keep their secrets. They would interpret her initial fear of them as an ignorance not to be tolerated, an evil to be wiped out. They just couldn't know....about her...about how he felt. He was forbidden this. It had never troubled him before....but now....he could change the course of history given enough time....but he would never be allowed to love. His solitary nature was one of the reasons he was turned. They would see this change for what it was...betrayal. If they read it in his thoughts..in his body language..he knew he would have to be very careful now...if they found out...they'd horribly torture them both...and then leave him alive to finish the council's work. He was their tool. Valuable only in that respect. Nothing more...and nothing less. They would fight for what they had spent a thousand years cultivating. They were powerful. They would win.

Fran threw her purse into the Z and angrily sat down in the driver's seat.

“You're in love with a vampire!” She heard Dimitri's excited voice.

“Dimitri.” She warned.

“YOU of ALL PEOPLE are in love with one of us!” Dimitri was outwardly laughing now.

“He's not...” Fran started.

“Oh no, Fran. Lie to anyone else but me. And don't lie to yourself of course. Don't ever let there be a lie between us.”

“OK he is, but not fully.” She pouted

Oh, he is one of us.” Dimitri chuckled. “You have no idea just who it is that's in love with you!”

“It doesn't matter Dimi..We....won't ever...He can't..” Fran couldn't finish. There was something in her eye.

“I know little sister. For now, we are the same you and I. Would you like me to haunt him for you?” Dimitri said in a serious voice.

“Oh God Dimitri! Don't make me laugh!” Fran cried as she heard Dimitri making ghost noises...as though that would scare Micah. “Can you stay...for a while...if I help Dimitri?”

“You can do that?” He questioned.

“Between the two of us, I think we can manage.” She answered him. “You know you've always been able to stay if you have help.”

“I didn't want anyone to know how powerful I am.” He said honestly.

“I won't tell if you don't leave me.” She promised.

“Deal.”

She told Dimitri her fears. She showed him her heart where Micah was concerned. He was surprisingly easy to talk to.

“You're pretty easy to talk to for...”

“A dead guy?” He finished for her.

“No, for a vampire.” she finished laughing at his sound of exasperation.

He talked to her from his own heart then, finding that because she was someone outside his circle of pain, she held a perspective and an insight about he and Rae and Alex that he hadn't thought of before. Fran laughed and cried and talked with Dimitri, her new big brother the vampire, as she drove all night long, only returning home when they were all talked out and the sun was rising. She still didn't trust all vampires. But she trusted Dimitri...for now..and that was enough.

Author's Note

*This is my first time writing for others to read, so please feel free to comment and/or critique. All feedback welcomed!*