Burden Of Blood (8 page)

Luke slowly traced small circles on her back with one finger, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.  She wondered what was going on inside his head.  Biting her lip, she debated over asking him, but thought better of it.  Some things are better left unsaid.  Maybe he sensed her turmoil because he took her face in both of his hands forcing her eyes to his.  The pain was written in his features causing her heart to ache.

“Stop worrying, we have tonight.  We’ll deal with tomorrow later.” He lightly kissed her forehead, then began running his fingers through her hair in a slow rhythm.  She exhaled deeply as she buried her face in his chest, calm overtaking her body and radiating deep into her soul.  Sleep started to weave its spell, taking her under and she didn’t fight it.  She was safe, everything was right in the world at this moment and she hadn’t felt this blissful in a long time.

This isn’t fair.

Chapter 6

The air felt thick in her lungs and the world around her had taken on a dull gray undertone.  Nicole looked around as she tried to cut through the fog that threatened to drag her under to an unknown void.  She was back in the graveyard, only it was different, cold, unwelcoming and well… just down right spooky.  She sat underneath the weeping willow, its drooping limps whipping around in the strong winds as if a storm was just seconds away.

Nicole made her way slowly out from under the swaying tree and back among the scattered headstones.  The sky was filled with dark clouds and the wind was blowing bits of grass, leaves and dirt all around her.  Her hair flew wildly in every direction.  She tugged at her locks trying to pull them away from her eyes as she turned in a circle looking for shelter from the mounting storm.

In the distance she recognized the old woman from before standing beside a large headstone.  The same drab, brown dress was swaying around her in the aggressive winds but she seemed oblivious to the swelling storm.  The woman stared at the headstone in front of her.  The first drops of rain pelted down around them like a rapidly growing drum beat.

Nicole made her way toward her, quickly becoming drenched as the rain picked up in intensity.  Thunder boomed, shaking her to her core and lightening streaked across the sky.  The closer she got to the old lady, the more intense the storm became.  It seemed to be centered around the woman and radiating outward, feeding off her.

When Nicole got within arm’s reach of the woman, she turned to face Nicole, looking as if she had known all along that she wasn’t alone.  The woman’s face made Nicole take a step back, clutching her hand to her chest and searching for an escape route.  It wasn’t the timeless beauty from before staring back at her now.  The lady’s face was dark with deep shadows and her eyes were hollow, endless holes.  Her beautiful long grey hair was flowing around her in the wind with a power all its own.

Nicole stood there unsure of what to do or say.  Her rain soaked clothes combined with unbridled fear caused her body to shake in small jerks as she hugged herself tight.  Slowly the woman’s haunting gaze went from Nicole’s face back to the head stone.  A loud burst of thunder echoed around them, making the ground shake beneath her feet.  The wind began to spin around them until they were standing in the midst of a giant wall of rain.  Panic started to fill Nicole as she realized there was nowhere to run now.

The woman pointed one finger toward the name on the headstone.  “Kerrigan.” She said the name with venom oozing from her words.  “They will be the death of our blood.  Even now hundreds of years later I suffer because of them, doomed to walk this graveyard for all of eternity!” She screeched as if talking to the person buried deep in the ground, when a blinding streak of lightning flashed directly over them.  “Now, they come for my blood that remains.” Her voice turned soft and pleading as she turned her face to the sky.  “Have I not suffered long enough?”

Nicole could see the pain in the woman’s face along with a deep sadness she could feel within herself, like the pain belonged to her too.  Tears started to form in Nicole’s eyes as she watched the woman, wanting to reach out and comfort her somehow but she made herself stand where she was.  “I…I don’t understand.  Can I help you get out of this place?” Nicole stuttered as she tried to put on a brave face.

The woman stared at Nicole for a long time, the darkness slowly fading out of her face revealing the light blue eyes Nicole remembered.  Kindness and tenderness began to replace the anger that was previously radiating off the woman.  The wall around them began to fall away as the storm turned into a light shower.  Glimpses of the sun began to peek through the clouds casting shimmering rays of light off the dancing puddles of water.

“Oh my dear granddaughter, please do not worry yourself about me.  A Kerrigan is pressing his way into your life, dear.  They are determined to put an end to us.  You must be ready to fight this alone, for tonight, more of our blood has been spilt.” Again the darkness began to fill the lady’s face as the wind and rain became heavy and fast.  “You are the only one left now, the last
Keenan; you must be strong
.” She reached a hand toward Nicole, worry and anger evident on her face.

A loud ringing interrupted them as Nicole’s vision turned gray.  She struggled to hang on, there were so many questions to ask, but the ringing kept her from speaking.  Over and over it echoed in her head sending shock waves throughout her body.  She covered her ears with her hands as she tried to focus her eyes back on her grandmother.  It was no use she felt the darkness pulling her as she struggled to breathe.

With a gasp, she sat bolt upright, feeling scared and alone.  After a few seconds, she realized she had been lying in Luke’s arms and was still in her dad’s living room.  Luke was staring at her with a confused expression on his face but the ringing continued even louder than before.  It took her a few seconds more to realize she was hearing the telephone over and over again.  She jumped up from the couch and sprinted into the kitchen to answer it.

“Hello.” She struggled to shake the grogginess from her voice.  She glanced at the clock on the microwave noticing it was just after midnight.  Why would anyone in their right mind be calling at this time of night?

“Hey Nicole, this is Wallace.  Wake your dad up for me ‘cause I’ve got some rubbing in to do.” Excitement was thick in his voice.  Wallace was her dad’s longtime friend and fellow fishing enthusiast.  She had always thought of him as her uncle because he was around so often when she was growing up.

“Um…I thought Dad was with you tonight.” A knot formed in her stomach as her mind began to race.  “He left here around six saying he was going fishing and would be back around two.  Are you saying he’s not with you?” panic started to fill her voice.

“James said he was going to go tonight but he never showed up.  I just figured he decided to stay at home with you.” He paused for a second then added, “Are you sure he didn’t decide to go bowling with Paul or something like that?  He might’ve slipped back in while you were sleeping.”

Nicole dropped the phone on the counter and ran toward her father’s bedroom.  Thoughts were spinning franticly inside her head. 
He would’ve woken me up if he came in, I know he would have.  Maybe he saw Luke and me together on the couch and decided not to wake us.  Yes, that’s it; he snuck past us and went on to bed I’m sure of it. 
She let a bit of the panic go when she came to that conclusion, hoping it was true as she got closer to her dad’s room.

Luke had been standing silently in the kitchen doorway listening to her side of the phone conversation.  He stepped aside to let her pass, then followed her down the hall.  Nicole opened the door to her dad’s room without bothering to knock.  She turned on the light only to find the bed empty and not a sign that James had come home or changed out of his fishing clothes to go out again.  Luke watched Nicole as a range of emotions played out over her face.  Her knuckles were turning white from her death grip on the doorknob.  Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared into the empty room.  He reached for her as she swayed on her feet, thinking she may collapse at any second, but she pushed him away.

She would not be weak, even with tears blurring her vision and her heart breaking into pieces, the words of the old woman echoed in her head. 
You are the only one left now, the last
Keenan, you must be strong
.

*****

The following day was chaotic for Nicole.  The police department had tried to convince her to wait until the next day to start searching for James.  They had given her the same line of bull shit she had given others time and time again about waiting a full twenty four hours, but she knew in her heart her dad was in trouble.  The dream about the graveyard didn’t feel like a dream anymore and she had no trouble believing what the old woman…well her grandmother, had told her.  “
Blood had been spilt”
was the phrase that she tried to focus on.  Nicole was hoping she wasn’t the “
last one”
just yet.  Maybe she still had time.

Kat had arrived the next morning soon after Nicole called her.  Kat was a blubbering mess and not much help but it felt good to have a friend there to lean on if she needed it.  Kat kept trying to reassure her everything was going to be okay but Nicole felt like she was wasting time waiting for James to just come home.  Luke had not left her side since the phone call but she couldn’t deal with the thoughts of the intimate night they had shared crushing down on her so she kept a safe, platonic distance from him.  It didn’t seem to matter to him.  He wasn’t saying much and kept staring off into space, lost in his own thoughts.

Nicole stood in the living room, gazing out the window and down the long gravel drive.  To the people in the room, she was sure it looked like she was waiting for her dad’s old truck to drive up but in reality, she was working out a strategy. 
I’m fed up with this fucking waiting!  It’s time for action. 
She walked out the front door.  Luke and Kat gave each other a knowing look, then followed.

“Nicole wait!  What if he comes home while you’re gone?” Kat said in a panicked voice as she gently grabbed Nicole by the arm stopping her mid stride.  Tears were filling Kat’s eyes again.  “I think you should stay here and wait a little while longer, honey.”

“Wait?!  Kat that’s all I’ve been doing for about six hours now!” She threw her hands up in the air as she paced back and forth in the dirt driveway.  “These could be his last hours and if I wait any longer he could be dead!  Do you hear me Kat?  D- E- A- D.” She paused, taking in a deep breath as she rubbed her temples with her index fingers.  She faced Luke who was still standing on the porch, watching intently.  “Tell her Luke, tell her how important the first forty eight hours are and that we have already wasted six hours!” She pleaded with her eyes for him to take her side.

“I’m sorry, but I think Kat’s right.  What if you’re gone when he comes back? He will be worried to death about you, especially after someone tried to kill you only a few weeks ago.” He shifted uncomfortably under her glare, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets then leaning up against the porch railing.

“You are talking like he’s coming back on his own!  If he was, he would already be home!” To Nicole this conversation was pointless to continue, so she turned away from them and started walking. 
They don’t know what I know so they will just have to get the hell over it.  I’m doing this right now and I’ll be damned if anyone is going to stop me!

“I’m going to drive the route he would have taken to the lake, there has to be a trail.” She spoke to herself as she walked around her dad’s house to the small garage he had built years ago.  Nicole opened the rickety roll-up door causing a small swirl of dust to roll around her feet.  “He couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air and I’m going to find him.” With determination fueling her, she stepped inside the dark garage leaving Luke and Kat standing outside in the bright morning light.  In a few seconds, a loud roaring shook the ground all around them.  Head lights shone brightly in the dark building like a panther waiting to pounce from its cave.  With a chest-rumbling growl, a shiny, black 1968 Chevelle SS pulled to a stop in front of them.  Every part of the car was gleaming in the sun, the chrome, polished to a mirror finish, the interior, black leather and the car screamed to be turned loose with each lope of the motor.