Nevermore, the Complete Series (36 page)

After dinner, it was decided that Paul would sleep on the sectional in the living room and Richard could have the guest room. Hannah kept to herself downstairs while Salem and I retreated to our room. Before entering the house I had changed shape and felt much more comfortable as my ordinary self – if I could even consider it ordinary any more. It appeared that my hair would never be the same again, but I wasn't entirely upset about that. I found that I didn't feel an ounce of sleepiness yet and wondered how long it would take to get used to that once I had fully changed.—if I did fully change as my grandpa had suggested. I could do anything I wanted – within reason – and never lose a wink of time. I was overwhelmed at the fact that I finally had what I wanted. There was no longer the aching desire to become immortal, because I was slowly on my way there. Eternity with Salem was within my grasp!

Once we were both snuggled up on the black satin covers, I lay my head against Salem's chest and sighed heavily. I was afraid of the upcoming days. It wasn't just the idea of facing this new vampire, but also training
myself to use this new form as a weapon – which didn't seem all too difficult – and the fact that sometime soon I would become fully undead. My heart would stop beating. The very idea was difficult to comprehend. How long was it going to take for me to adjust to the lack of the sound? How long would it take Salem to adjust to it? What concerned me more than that was the fact that I would grow a distaste for ordinary food. No matter how much I tried to convince myself, I knew I would never be comfortable killing innocent animals.

“What is on your mind?” Salem's pleasant voice was calm as it interrupted my thoughts and he ran his fingers through my hair. “You seem tense.”

“There is just so much going on,” I laughed dryly, “that's how things have been ever since I met you, though...so I guess I should be used to it by now.”

“I am sorry if I have caused you any stress, Alex. But, as you have said yourself, things would be like this regardless if you had met me or not,” he replied. “Well, maybe not entirely. You may still be fully human right now had I never become involved.”

“That's not what is bothering me at all. It was more to do with hunting this vampire; I have a bad feeling about it for some reason.”

“I am sure you will do fine, and if things get out of hand I will be there in the shadows waiting.”

“Thanks, but I’m still worried for some reason,” I paused and sighed again, “there was also something I wanted to ask, I was just about to before we were interrupted earlier...”

“I remember,” he said and moved to where he could see my face. “You can always confide in me about anything.”

“I know that...it's just that not everything is so easy to talk about,” I frowned and shuffled around nervously on the bed. “It's about something Raziel said.”

He cringed at the mentioning of his Sire's name and then nodded knowingly. “You want to know what I saw when I bit you?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

He smiled and stroked the side of my face, “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to find out on your own, in time.”

I shook my head, “No, Salem...I want to know now. I want to know everything, so I can be prepared for it.”

“You would rather know now, and ruin any potentially pleasant surprises?” he frowned. “The future is something I have often contemplated during my many years on this planet. While it is tempting and almost painful wondering what the future holds for you, in the end I truly believe it is wisest to wait to see the outcome when the time is right. Besides, futures are not set as firmly in stone as the past.”

Another sigh escaped my lips. It didn't seem there would be any persuading him tonight. “What about my past? Were there any glimpses of that?”

“Yes,” he smiled – it was a joyful, affable smile, “I saw portions of your childhood. The bond between you, Karen and Jason is impressive...beyond anything I ever shared with any friends. I witnessed the day Desmond deserted you. I never knew it hurt you so much. You became withdrawn and depressed for a long time. That was difficult to watch,” his expression didn't falter despite the subject matter. “I saw the day we met, our first kiss, your unfortunate kiss with Jason and your reaction, fights between you and Paul. I saw the night you flew away from me, as well as the day you went to the cafe.”

“Wow...” I muttered. “I wish I could see into your mind.”

“There is nothing in there that you are missing out on.”

“It would be interesting to be able to see what your life was like back when you were mortal,” I said thoughtfully.

“Those memories were mostly all stripped from me. As much as it would be wonderful to witness some of them again…I think I am happier without them. I would like to focus more on my present now than my past. The memories of those times are ancient now.”

“No matter how old a memory is, it’s still important. Memories make who we are.”

“I suppose you are right,” he replied, then held my face in his hands. With a playful smirk, he swept his cool lips across mine and I returned the gesture. My heart raced – a feeling that would soon be forgotten – as he kissed me harder. The temptation was difficult to ignore as our kisses grew more passionate. I was unfamiliar with such intimacy, but I relished every second of it: the feel of his smooth lips as they traced across my cheek, down my neck and along my collarbone, the tender caress of his soft hands against my skin.

I felt an undeniable craving I had never experienced before – I wanted him in ways that I hadn’t even contemplated until this point. His kisses suddenly ceased and he stared at me apologetically. “You cannot believe how long I have waited for a moment like this, Alex…” he whispered soothingly, “however, I have made a promise to myself that I fully intend to keep.”

My eyes curiously examined his face, noting the subtle hint of bashfulness in his expression. “What promise?”

“While it may be ordinary for people these days to commit such acts without a ring identifying each other as partners, I am more accustomed to the idea of marriage before…intercourse,” he lowered his eyes for a moment. “I hope this does not affect your views of me.”

I couldn’t help but smile at his remark. “I think I can handle it,” I replied. “It’s not like I’m in any rush.”

“I want you to understand that it is not because I do not want to, of course,” he replied sheepishly.

“I know,” I said with another smile and kissed him lightly. All I could think
of now was the prospect of potentially marrying Salem someday – is that what he had been hinting at? Would I eventually become Mrs. Young? My heart fluttered at the idea. Salem ran his fingers gently through my hair and began humming a quiet, unfamiliar tune as I lay my head against his chest. The sound was relaxing and I let my eyelids fall shut, but knew that sleep would not come.

The sun peeked in through the black curtains of the bedroom window, barely visible through the canopy over the bed. Most mornings, I would rush to the restroom to relieve myself but today I found no need for it. Instead, I remained curled up beside Salem who smiled warmly at me.  I wish I had felt comfortable enough to smile at that moment, but my thoughts were occupied with worries again. My body was adapting more and more to becoming a complete vampire and a huge part of me was terrified. Would I feel further pain upon the full transition, or would it be a smooth, hardly noticeable change? There was no one to ask, as no one knew the answer – I just had to wait and find out, and that made it harder than knowing what awaited me in the future. Maybe Salem knew the outcome through visions of my future, but he wasn’t sharing.

A knock sounded on the bedroom door and Salem hastily climbed off of the bed and went to the door to find Hannah peeking in at us. She had a wild grin on her face that made me curious if she somehow knew what Salem and I had talked about last night.

“Have a good night?” she smirked, scrunching her nose up a little in disgust as well.

“That is really none of your business, Hannah,” Salem replied, “what do you want?”

“The humans are awake and want you two to come downstairs. They want Alex to start getting used to her new abilities as soon as possible, to hunt our little friend out in the woods, I suppose.”

“We will be down in a moment,” he said and shut the door as his half-sister walked down the hall.

I got out of bed, changed into a clean pair of clothes and draped my arms around Salem. “I love you,” I whispered as his arms wound around my waist.

“I love you too,” he replied sweetly and kissed the top of my head, “more than you could ever know.”

One brief kiss was shared before we reluctantly released each other and went downstairs. Paul and my grandfather were sitting at the dining room table again, both of them spooning cereal into their mouths. I was still unaccustomed to seeing food present in the house without Salem summoning it in mid-air by request, but it was still too early for Richard to discover that part of Salem. I wasn't sure how he would react to it, although judging from the life he led and the knowledge he had of vampires, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

“So what is the plan today?” Salem asked as we entered the kitchen.

“Paul and I both feel that Alex needs to dedicate as much time as possible to learning how to kill a vampire in her new form – which shouldn't be too hard judging by those claws I saw,” Richard said after swallowing a mouthful of cereal.

“What I’m curious about is her caw...” my dad added, putting his spoon down and staring thoughtfully in my direction. “That was awfully useful, hope you didn’t lose it.”

“I don’t see any reason why she wouldn't still possess the ability. She is, after all, still a raven,” Salem replied, “It might be difficult for her to figure out how to use it again, however.”

I shrugged my shoulders, “I'll figure it out somehow.”

“I hope so,” Paul frowned. “Your aunt called about an hour ago saying there have been some bizarre stories spreading through the office. Lots of unsolved murders all over the country, people are saying it's almost a repeat of the 'Denver Slayings' only more brutal.” I cringed at the memories as he spoke. “There’ve also been sightings of a strange woman hanging around in the cemetery, darting off into the woods when spotted, and most disturbingly – around my trailer park.”

“Oh no. Has anyone in the park been hurt, or worse?” I asked.

“Not that I know of.”

“That's good at least.”

“I've been keeping watch around town while I’m out hunting, and I haven't seen her since the last time I told you. She almost seems to be looking for something – or someone,” Hannah said, “she’s acting really weird for a vampire. Most of us try to stay away from places where there would be lots of people at once, like the trailer park.”

“That is weird,” I mumbled, my worries about this vampire only growing stronger. There was something off about the whole situation. “Looks like I need to get ready as soon as possible,” I looked from Salem to Hannah, then back again. “I need to try the caw, but I...I need someone to use it on.”

“I’ll be your victim,” Hannah volunteered, “It’s only fair, after what I did to you.”

I couldn’t tell if the smile on her face was from wanting to help or from some sort of satisfaction in the memory of our fight—either way I wasn't about to disagree with her. “Well, I guess we should get to it, then,” I sighed and headed out the back door.

The lake was sparkling under the influence of the sun's bright beams. It was a marvelous sight, but I had little time to enjoy it. I wasn't prepared for this at all. In my original raven form it was easy to figure out – open my mouth, make a noise, and the vampire crumbled to their feet at the piercing sound.

Hannah followed me out to the field where we had once sat on a blanket together. It seemed like so long ago now, and indeed much had happened since. I tried to ignore the contempt I felt toward her as I recalled all this recent history. She stood a few feet away from me, standing perfectly still. I had to admit that she was beautiful; Salem wasn't the only exception. The way her hair shimmered as the sunlight swept across it, it looked like strands of thin gold sprouting from her scalp and laying delicately across her shoulders.

My eyes lowered temporarily as I focused on transforming. The familiar rush of vibrant feathers surrounded me and spun through the air as a gush of wind blew passed
us. I could feel the weight of the wings on my back, the growth of my nails, and I couldn't help but smirk as Hannah recoiled some at my appearance. I wondered how different I looked in the day time.

“Just talking isn’t going to work anymore,” I said, somewhat to myself.

“Apparently not,” Hannah answered, bracing herself for the impact of the sound I was potentially going to make...assuming I ever figured it out. “Try making a cawing sound?” she suggested with a quiet giggle.

I did as she suggested, but that failed terribly. Hannah found some sort of delight in my failure and started laughing a little harder. I hoped now that I could figure this out soon, if for nothing else than to shut her up.

Inhaling deeply, I shut my eyes and pictured myself as an actual raven. Some things had been so much easier that way, but in a sense I was more comfortable in this form – I felt it would give me some advantages that the raven couldn’t. I attempted screaming, but it did nothing but burn my throat. Then I thought over other alternatives, regardless how silly they seemed: whistling, yelling, imagining myself cawing, and then I shrieked as loud as my voice could manage. My lips curved into a wide smile as Hannah hunched over with her hands over her ears at the sound.

“I did it!” I exclaimed, jumping up and down. I felt like a complete fool, but I was proud of my accomplishment. Hannah stood up squinting from the after effects of the sound.

“Good. Now do it again,” she insisted. “Practice makes perfect, right?”

“Right, of course,” I nodded and let loose another shrill shriek that sent her tumbling over. Again and again we tried until she couldn't tolerate the sound any longer. Somehow it didn't affect my throat at all, unlike when I had simply yelled and screamed.

“Looks like you got that down pretty well. Now let’s see you use those new nails of yours on me.”

“What?!
No!” I gasped. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

“Oh come on Alex, we both know I deserve it. We need to know everything you are capable of, and what better way than by testing it on a vampire, right?”

I shook my head. “Couldn't I just go out hunting and find some random vampire to kill?”

“Right, that’s a good idea,” she rolled her eyes. “And what if it doesn’t work or you can’t do it at all? Stop being a baby and just do it.”

“Fine,” I sighed in defeat and stared down at the long, sharp nails protruding from my fingertips.

“It might hurt for a little while, but you know I’ll heal quickly,” she said reassuringly. “I won't fight back this time, just to see what kind of damage you can do – then we'll have a real test.”

It felt wrong attacking Hannah when she was standing defenseless before me, letting me lash out at her fragile pale skin. She winced with each swipe of my nails, but not a single scream escaped her tightly sealed lips. She was stronger than any vampire I had ever attacked before, but it was no surprise. Having been raised and trained by Raziel, there was no doubt in my mind that she was capable of terrible things – even worse than what she put me through.

“Stop,” she finally said through clenched teeth. I pulled back, retracting my bloodied talons and eying the wounds I had inflicted. Her arms were covered in long, thick gashes and a few scratches marked her cheeks and neck, with some notably larger ones along her abdomen. As I stared, transfixed at the gory mess I had made, the cuts slowly began to stitch themselves together as if nothing had ever happened. Hannah's eyes were clamped shut tightly as she concentrated on her regeneration.

“I’m sorry. Was it too much?” I asked hoarsely.

She shook her head slowly. All evidence that she had ever been injured at all had vanished, aside from the blood staining her clothing. Before I was even given a second's thought, her eyes were open—bright red and menacing—and she had tackled me to the ground.

My instincts kicked in instantly. I shoved Hannah off of me, kicking her hard in the side but it barely fazed her. It felt strange not being a bird, but I adjusted to it quickly, relearning the proper fighting techniques Paul had taught me during my weeks of extensive training. As she prepared to pounce, I let loose a loud shrill that caused her to falter. With the use of my brilliant ebony wings, I hovered above the grassy field and soared toward Hannah. My claws were extracted and piercing her skin within seconds. It was difficult to stop myself; some part of me hungered to attack, ached to kill.

I shook my head and pulled back, retracted my claws and stared in disbelief at the crumpled body lying before me.

“H-Hannah?” I gasped, kneeling beside her and turning her over to look at me. To my surprise, she was smiling.

Her wounds once more began to fade and she sat up. “You’ll make a good vampire yet,” she laughed, then grimaced at the torn fragments of her blood-stained lavender blouse.

I smiled apologetically at her clothing and helped her up from the ground. “So it is normal to have the sudden urge to rip your throat out?” I asked, feeling somewhat disgusted with myself.

“It isn't exactly normal to feel that way toward one of your own, but I think your Waldron instincts are mingling with your vampiric ones,” she explained, “which isn't really a bad thing, it could make you an even better hunter...and I can’t even believe I am okay with this.”

“It must be a real struggle for you, huh?” I asked quietly as I shifted back into my human form. “Salem means a lot to you, though. I can see it in your eyes. You don't want to betray his trust, otherwise you would probably be out there killing people at this very second – and my father and grandfather would be such easy victims to you right now.”

She shrugged her shoulders and glanced back at the lake. “It hasn’t been easy, but I’m doing okay. The smell of your relatives' blood is almost too much sometimes though, which is why I try to stay out of the house as much as possible...just in case.”

I thought for a moment, reflecting on the way Salem smelled in comparison to Hannah – her scent wasn't quite as foul as it used to be. The smell of burning wood was still quite strong, and I wondered if it had anything to do with her near death experience in the burning house. That was so long ago, though.

“You went back to the house, didn't you?” I asked as I studied her scent some more. There was a subtle hint of artificial vanilla still clinging onto her even though it had been days since she last applied the body spray.

“What are you talking about? I’ve been right here with you this entire time…”

“No. I mean…back to the house you were raised in. You went back after the fire, didn’t you?”

“Oh…yes…I did,” she confirmed, “lots of times actually. The remains are long gone now, of course. I spent plenty of days there when I was still young and mortal, though,” she sighed and looked toward the Victorian. “Their bodies were still there...just bones amongst the piles of ash and burnt wood. We gave them a proper burial, Daniel and I. He took mother’s death even worse than I did.”

“His love for your mother was strong,” I commented, “that is the one thing I admired about him.”

She smiled at me, “It’s nothing in comparison to the way Salem feels about you. I don't hate it as much as I did at first…now that you are technically one of us. It still stuns me that he could fall in love with a human to begin with though. I guess him being the way he is...it isn't as impossible as I make it sound.”

“If it weren't for Raz – Daniel – he never would have known about me...”

“Well, maybe it was all meant to be this way, and the two of you were destined to meet,” she laughed.

“Twin souls,” I whispered quietly to myself and smiled as we set off for the house.