Leaving the Light By: Christine Schnell

 

Chapter 40



	Gary had instructed that several people remain behind and just
keep a little activity going.  For some reason this gave me the
idea that we were still being watched.  I volunteered to be one
of the ones to remain behind but Gary insisted I return with
him.  I inquired about the others.  They were as tired as the
rest of us.  Food and other supplies had already been brought
up.  Apparently the vampires thought of this and provided for it
before the hunters even entered.  I had wondered after all why
they didn't mention the lack of any of this stuff.  Certainly,
if people were living in a place they would have such supplies
and no doubt the hunters would look for it.  Those left behind
had all they needed.  They also had the privilege to have no
direct vampire supervision.  There was nothing more I could do
for them.

	More than half of us walked down the stairs and I came the
shock of finding no one at the bottom.  The vampires had left
us.  Of course we couldn't just turn around and walk out of the
building.  They couldn't possibly have left us for dead.  Then
why leave us to get lost in this maze?  The answer was simple
enough.  Gary began walking ahead of us.  He obviously knew the
way back.  Gary winded his way down the corridors one after
another I was pretty sure it was the same route the King had
lead us down.  It wasn't apparent if he knew a shorter route or
not.  I think the intention was if we were to remember our way
out it would be a long enough road that they'd be able to catch
up to us.

	We entered the slave court to applause.  Lacey actually jumped
into Gary's arms and kissed him on the cheek.  "You're alive!" 
Gary let her down and she wrapped her arm over my shoulder
giving me a big hug.  Surprisingly my back didn't hurt from
this.  Things were looking up.

	"I was so worried about you guys."  Lacey said.  "The last time
hunters came the King sent a group out and they were
slaughtered."

	"When was that?"

	Her happiness faded a little.  "Just before they brought me
here."  I could fill in the gaps.  Her dad had called the
hunters to get rid of the vampires and after the hunters were
gone the King took Lacey from her family.

	For the first time I wondered what brought the hunters here
this time?  If it were the sheriff Lacey would be dead by now. 
Then whom?  I put this thought out of my mind.  I would not
start exploring mysteries again.  

	I noticed there were no vampires waiting to greet us here
either.  Obviously they didn't care to thank us for keeping the
hunters from attacking them.  No, they were probably a bit upset
that we were still alive.

	I was a bit overwhelmed by the excitement.  I wanted to move
off to the side but Lacey held me fast.  She led us to a table
that held a large cake.  Paige handed out pieces and I asked
Gary to make sure those we left in the building got some. 
Afterwards, I quietly snuck off to the computer room.

	The computers were dark and powered down.  I brought them back
up and went right back to where I left off.  Somehow it seemed
even more important to keep this list now.  After a little
while, the call of nature urged me out of my sanctuary.  I
skirted the slave court and heard a great deal of happiness
within.  It warmed my heart for me to think that they were happy
for once.

	"Ah man, they took it down again."  I mumbled as I reached for
the bathroom door.

	I didn't realize I said it aloud until Al asked, "What was
that?"

	"Nothing I was just talking to myself."

	"Oh, that's fine as long as you don't answer yourself."

	"I can't because the voices in my head beat me to it."  I
smiled at him and he punched me lightly on the shoulder.    

	He nodded his head back to the slave court.  "Why aren't you
celebrating?" 

	In answer I shrugged.  I looked at where the list used to be. 
While no one had died today as Lacey pointed out it was very
possible they all would have died had it not been for my last
minute thinking.  However, I don't normally do things like that.
 At that time my thoughts came slowly to me.  I would have had
to ponder that situation for a long time before I even
remembered a trivial fact such that my friend had told me about
the role-playing.  So naturally I had to question whether I
really did think that up on my own, or if I had help.  "Can you
ever tell when one of them is in your mind?"   

	He shrugged.  "Sometimes."

	"I don't mean like when one of them is forcing their way in to
get information.  It's more like when they're just reading
things on the surface or giving you suggestions."

	"Do they do that?"

	"You know they do."  I tried to find the right words but they
weren't really coming.  "It's just I think sometimes they're
controlling my thoughts without me knowing."

	"Kiddo, What you did today, whether they put the idea in your
head or not, was still all you.  You had the knowledge and you
lead those slaves to safety.  Who cares if you got a little push
in the right direction, you walked the path on your own.  That's
what matters."

	I tried to smile, but my mind was elsewhere.  If they could
push me in the right direction, what other roads had they shoved
me down?  I didn't want to bring this up to him.  I know we had
covered the ground before and voicing my concerns was all I
really needed anyway.  

	Whether it was a nudge from a vampire or not I asked Al,
"You've been here a long time, can you help me with something?"

	"What?"

	I looked about me, every now and then someone walked by.  It
was to busy here.  "Come to the computer room.  I want to show
you something."  Once there I shut and locked the door behind
us, just in case.  Then I showed him the list.  "Can you help me
add to this list?"

	I expected Al to be upset with me for doing something that
seemed so flagrantly against the vampires, especially
considering the new circumstances.  However his face lit up. 
"So, it was you.  I thought so.  Not very many people know about
Nikki."

	"It's about time they did Al,  your daughter should be
remembered.  She couldn't have died for nothing."

	His eyes became watery, but not enough for tears to fall. 
"Yes, I appreciate that."  After a moment he said, "I thought
you didn't care."

	I shrugged again,  "She inspires people like Paul and myself."

	"Paul's dead."  

	"I know, and I nearly died.  That doesn't change the fact that
people are starting to wake up and realize there is more to life
then the service to vampires."

	He stared at me for a moment in awe.  "You're not going to try
it again are you?"

	"Hell no!"  I was done with trying to escape and the
consequence of doing so.  

	"Then why encourage them?"

	"Just because I won't fight the vampires doesn't mean that
other's can't."

	"Kiddo."  Al shook his head.  I didn't think he would
disapprove.  "You realize you've already started to fulfill the
prophecy?"

	"What?"  No, this couldn't be.  I suppose from his point of
view I was helping the slaves.  Damn.

	"You know, even if it's not true, You've definitely have made
people happy."

	"Yeah, and I didn't get punished for it."

	"Kind of gives you something to hope for, doesn't it?"

	"Yeah."  I said coming to the sudden realization.  "It does." 
I had found the last ingredient to make me happy (with Al's help
of course); I can still make other's happy.  

	I leaned back with a shiny grin.  Al knew all the right things
to say, especially when he said, "I'll leave the two of you
alone."  I bolted up in my chair to see that Bram had just
entered.

	"Well if it isn't Superwoman, with the ability to leap small
buildings, confuse hunters and save lives.  You wanna go back to
my place for a super night?"

	"Do you have a large collection of those hidden somewhere?"

	"I think it's in my pants, you want to check for me?"

	"I'll pass for now, thanks."

	"Maybe it's in my other pair, back in my room."

	"Would you like to go look for them?"

	His smile grew as did another organ.  "Of course."

	"Good, I'll wait for you here."

	I couldn't keep a straight face and he knew I wasn't serious. 
I saw that evil twinkle in his eye.  "Don't give me that look." 
I had a feeling what he was about to do and I had no time to do
anything about it.  Bram swooped down clasped me around the
knees and swung me over his shoulder.  I cried half laughing and
half pissed, "Bram!"  He said nothing as he walked out of the
room with his prize over his shoulder.  This superwoman was
helpless in his arms.

***

	I twisted a bit of his chest hair around my finger.  My mind
wasn't in the present.  The great thing about having a
telepathic relationship was you never needed to ask "What are
you thinking about."  This was also a curse for my thoughts
affected him and his mood.

	He tried to cheer me up by saying, "What you did was good.  You
protected all those people."

	"I also protected the vampires.  Do you know how easy it could
have been at that point to tell the hunters exactly how to find
all of you?  If I had confessed to the hunters about the
vampires, the others and I still would have died, but not before
doubt entered the hunters minds and they came after you."  This
was the first time I voiced this concern, even to myself.

	"The King wouldn't ever have allowed-"

	"I know, I'm just wondering why he allowed what he did.  The
King could have turned those hunters away before they even
reached the building.  He didn't did he?  There's only one
reason for that, he wanted us to die." 

	"If that's so, why didn't he stop you from protecting the
slaves?"

	"That was to save face.  If he had any intention of us
protecting the vampires from the hunters, why'd he give us
shotguns?  Shotguns!  Weapons that if we were lucky would keep
us safe for a couple minutes.  I have no doubt with the
technology in this place that there are better weapons.  Why
didn't he give them to us?"

	"If we had such a thing, I personally would have seen to it
that you had one in your hand.  We simply don't need weapons. 
Frankly you're lucky those were usable."

	  "Were they?  I wonder."  

	"I think you're being a little critical here.  If the King
could stop the hunters before they got here, they would have. 
He didn't purposely send you to your deaths that is why he
allowed you your little charade.  IF you had even thought of
telling the hunters about the vampires at the time you would
have been stopped before you could open your mouth.  I sincerely
believe we were all perfectly safe."

	I sat up while he talked, I didn't like what he was saying. 
"Were those people who fought the hunters years ago perfectly
safe too?  Was the weapon I was holding earlier supposed to
protect a man that died that time?"  Then I said what had always
been on my mind, "The King told me not to disappoint him.  Was
the King just trying to prove the prophecy wrong by sending me
to my death?"

	"I wouldn't have let you die."

	"Then where were you when they were bearing down on us?  Or
when I first looked at that gun and was certain I was about to
die?"

	"You are here now aren't you?"

	"Yeah."  I said disgruntledly.

	He pulled me back onto him and traced the lines on my face as
he said, "I - Will - NEVER - Let - You - Die."

	There were a few moments of silence as I let that slip and
became comfortable with him again.  It wasn't as if I didn't
believe him, there were just other forces at work here.  I laid
my head on Bram's belly so that we formed a "T."  I let his
warmth relax me.  I laid on my side so I could look up at him. 
He petted my hair and he reminded me of my father.  I had often
lain like this with him.  Just like my dad I could hear thumping
and gurgling sounds coming from inside Bram's stomach as his
organs went about their business.  I began to choke up a little
as I realized I'd never be able to see my dad again.

	My head slowly rose and lowered as Bram breathed and I relaxed
reliving old memories with my dad.  My dad was probably the only
one in my family who would believe me if I told him about the
vampires.  He would also be the only one who approved of Bram or
for that matter the lifestyle.  

	There was another thing that my dad often did that I think did
a good deal in making me who I am today.  It built my listening
and learning skills so that I could observe and adapt to the
events around me.  I most certainly needed them here.  "Tell me
a story."

	He chuckled, "You're the storyteller."

	So he had been listening.  "I know, I just want to hear one."

	Bram was silent for a short time.  I began to wonder and probed
softly.  I saw flashes of people and animals, but it was a
complete blur as he searched through his own memory where these
images were probably categorized and stored like a filing
system.  Finally I felt cool fog envelop me and heard the
neighing of a horse in the distance.  It seems Bram had found
what he was looking for.  

	The promising tale intrigued me.  But it wasn't right to learn
of it in this way.  It took away the whole mystery, plus I'd
only see contorted visions that were often out of chronological
order.  For a proper storytelling I should be detached from his
mind and recreate the images in my mind based upon his words. 

	I mentally pulled back and waited.

	"Once upon a time in a land far away," I smiled he knew I liked
fairy tales though as he continued I realized I had never heard
this one. 

	"In the high brown grass of a far off land the sun melted the
dew away before it had fully risen.  There lived small animals
that had no conception of anything other than a simple life of
eating, sleeping and occasionally running from a predator.  It
was a carefree life.  Even the herd of horses that moved through
the area and ate the grass down to short stalks were
unthreatening.  This herd was nearly oblivious to the smaller
animals for they were of no use to the herd.

	"However the herd did have worries.  They knew of a danger the
other animals did not.  They knew of man.  Don't you hate it
when man always turns out to be evil?"

	"Just tell the story Bram!"  I slapped him lightly on the chest.

	He continued.  "While the herd grazed in the serenity of the
warm sun and sweet grass the sound of hooves cleaving the ground
came over the horizon.  The disturbance in the air was like a
great thundercloud spiting out its electricity clapping down at
the ground over and over.

	"The herd, while normally unaccustomed to strangers, did not
fear them for most in this area were harmless.  Perhaps some
great wildebeest or fast gazelles migrated here.  The herd had
no idea what was coming, but they did not suspect it to be more
horses.  At the first sign of this the stallion took up position
at the head of the herd.  His broad chest puffed out as he stood
ready to take on any challenge to his authority if it came.  

	"The dust cloud surrounding the new comers cleared a little as
they approached.  The stallion squinted into it.  He neighed
loudly and stomped his feet in warning to the herd.  So it would
be a fight after all.  He had first noticed there were dogs
leading the horses, then he saw that the horses were not just
horses for they had a large bulk on their backs.  Men!

	"The alpha mare came up beside him and looked for herself.  She
was no fool, whinnied and started to gallop as fast as she could
manage.  The herd never second guessed her and followed.  All
save for the stallion.

	"He stood bravely against the approaching danger.  He felt he
would stall the men by letting them chase him instead of the
herd.  When he felt the leading edge of the dust against his
breast he decided it was time to shepherd the chase.  He ran in
the opposite direction of the herd.  The dog's breath on his
hocks told him it was working.  He glanced back and found it was
only two black figures on palominos that followed.

	"Afraid to lose his heard he made a wide circle back.  He put
on a burst of speed to try to catch up with them.

	"He heard the call of the men behind him as the tall grass
whipped his legs.  The pounding of the other horses' hooves were
too close.  He bowed his head and concentrated harder on
running.  The dogs ran alongside him and started jumping and
nearly brushed him with their teeth.  Their spit clotted his
coat.

	"He saw his herd not too far away now.  They had pulled away
from the other men and were making good progress.  If he could
only go a little bit faster he could join them.

	"A new dog ran along side him now and managed to bite his
flank.  He roared and drew up on his hind quarters trying to
throw the dog off.  He bucked repeatedly and tried to make
headway.  Finally the dog fell.  It wasn't until he felt the
sand shifting beneath his feet that he realized he was running
straight into a ditch.  

	"The other side was too steep and so he turned to face his
enemy.  The dogs barked, yipped and snapped at him.  One of the
men jumped from his horse onto the stallion.  The stallion
fought bravely bucking this way and that and kicking at the
dogs.  It was no use, by now the men had given up on the herd
and had gathered around him.  He was out numbered.  Still he
didn't stop fighting until he became too tired to lift his
hooves to them.  They tied a rope around his neck and pulled him
along side.  He tugged and tried to bite at the rope to no avail.

	"He was taken a long way walking for days and hardly given time
to stop and graze.  At times the men fed him grains he unlike
any he knew but found them good.  Finally he found himself in a
strange place with many men and structures that kept the wind,
sun, and rain at bay.  He was given straw to eat and other
treats.  At times the men hit him when he would not do what the
men wanted.  Eventually though, he found that doing the tricks
and wearing the bridal lead to more good grains and an easier
life.  

	"He got to know the new herd for there were many horses here. 
He even found a mate or two and had several colts.  They tied
him with the other horses at times and made to run, but he did
not mind this.  He liked to run and he could run faster than
most.

	"There wasn't much room to run, nor was there long grass to
munch on.  Longing for these he would occasionally kick at the
walls that confined him.  This never got him very far and only
managed to hurt his hooves.  Strangely the human did not yell at
him or hit him but wrapped his hoof and made it heal.

	"The stallion grew to like the weight of the man on his back. 
He understood where the man wanted to go with the slightest
shift of his body.  He held his head high as he trotted past
other horses for he felt he could do anything better than they. 
He also felt this man was the best of the bunch and did not mind
that they shared time alone on the path.  He was especially
happy when the man found ripe apples for him.

	"Several years had passed and this once free roaming horse
could not imagine a life other than that he had now.  He was the
pride of the new herd.  He had fathered many strong horses and
kept his man happy.  That was why when several men came late at
night he did not run in fright or hardly stir.  He understood
that these were strangers, but did not know them from any other
man that his man had brought here.  One of these strangers
opened the moving wall before him and put a bridle on him.  He
had no quarrel with this.  It was normally a prelude to being
allowed to run.

	"He let the stranger lead him out of the shelter and saw the
rest of the herd being lead likewise.  This was different he
thought.  The men normally took one or two of them out at a time
not all unless they were let into the pasture for a while, but
then they went unbridled. 

	"He felt his muscles tense and he whinnied.  Some of the other
herd answered back.  They did not understand what was happening
either.  He saw another herd just outside the large obstacle he
and his man often jumped over.  It was open now and the
strangers were leading them straight for it.  

	"This was not right.  Where was his man?  Where was the alpha
mare to tell them what to do?  This herd had none but the man
often acted the part.  The stallion was unsure what to do. 
Should he go with these strangers?  No.  Not unless his man told
him to.

	"He dug his hooves into the soft dirt and refused to move any
further until he saw his man.  He looked around.  All the faces
were unrecognizable to him.  He wanted his man.  He called out
as loud as he could and started to stomp his feet.

	"The rest of the herd, also unsure what to do about the
strangers, followed his lead.  They began neighing as loud as
they could and pulling on the leads.  The strangers started
yelling at them and some even hit a horse or two.  The stallion
did not like this and pulled as hard as he could rearing onto
his hind quarters and turned back towards the shelter.  

	"Small fires started coming his way and they made the dark turn
into day.  He had seen this before and knew that man could
control it so he was unafraid.  When he noticed one of the
moving fires lit the face of his man his heart filled with
bravery and followed his man who was now facing off with the
strangers.  

	"The strangers took their long metal against his man and the
stallion knew this was bad.  He had seen the long metal hurt
several men and even horses.  He would not allow his man to be
hurt and moved between the stranger and his man.  

	"His man started yelling at him.  Normally the stallion would
shrink back from this and let his man have what he wanted, but
these strangers were not good.  He knew what he had to do.  He
had to relieve the stranger of the long metal and to that end he
stood up on his hind legs and kicked at the stranger and the
long metal.  Unable to stay in that position long he fell back
to standing position but found the ground below his hoof was not
dirt.  He backed up quickly and saw the bloodied mass of the
stranger.  He felt the fear from the other strangers.  He moved
towards them.  He would protect his man and his herd from the
long metals if he had to.

	"The rest of the herd for their part were gaining strength from
him.  They had started to run off at the first sight of danger
from the strangers but now they gathered behind the stallion. 
His man and the others stood ready but the strangers saw they
had no chance and ran off leaving their hurt man behind.

	"Once they were gone the men talked amongst themselves and the
stallion went to the stranger he had hurt.  He nudged the
stranger but the stranger didn't move.  The stallion hadn't seen
death much in his life, but he believed he saw it now.  It made
him sad to find that he could so easily kill a man.  He did not
know they were so fragile.  All this time he could have killed
his man and returned to his herd.  

	"It didn't take him long to know that would have been wrong and
that even had he killed his man others would take his place.  He
would not wish his man to die anyway.  He had grown to like him.
 It was his man now who put a gentle hand on his mane and petted
it.  The stallion put his chin over the man's shoulder and
pulled the man to him.  He had seen men do this before and now
it felt right.  

	"The brave stallion would go on to live out his days with the
man and did not regret one moment of it.  Sometimes he would
long for the open fields, for his old herd and for a life he
could never have running free.  Then his man would give him a
sweet, put on the bridal and they would run together and see
many wonderful places.  In the end, he was happy."

	I sniffled.  Bram wiped my tear away and said, "It's just a
story."

	"Don't you know any happy stories?"

	"Yes."  He kissed my forehead.  "We will live happily ever
after."

***

	A few days later it started out to be so tranquil.  I lay in my
cot in quite a good mood since I had returned from the gym and
found my list not only had stayed put, but had a few extra names
on it.  I felt I was really making a difference, even if it was
a small one and semi-anonymously.    

	The dimmed florescent lights gave the room a peaceful
atmosphere.  This was the only time of day that they didn't hurt
my eyes and the constant low murmuring didn't put a person on
edge.  It could almost put one at peace with the world.  

	Since I knew things always happened when I relaxation came to
me I was not at all surprised when the interruption came.  The
murmuring started from one end of the room to the other and the
most I got out of it was "The Queen."  Quite a few people got up
and bolted towards the exit.  Some just turned over and tried to
go back to sleep.  Curious as to why she would grace us with her
presence, I was with the rest who stood to watch her approach. 
The way they were acting, I nearly expected a cry like that for
the Queen of England "Long Live the Queen."  In that case I
would not be joining them.

	Her entrance was nothing below fitting the elegance and majesty
she projected.  I nearly felt compelled to bend one knee or at
least curtsy.  I didn't nor did any of the others.  She swept
into the room.  The heavy red robe flowed around her.  There was
not a hair out of place and while almost gaudy her makeup
accented her full lips and attractive large eyes.  She held
herself loftily while she sneered at those who dared to look in
her direction.  She had stopped at the door and looked
disgustedly at her surroundings.  "Where are your manners?  Why
aren't you bringing me my libations?  Why is my path not
cleared?"  She obviously didn't show up unnanounced that often. 
She became impatient with them when they didn't act after a
second and snapped, "Move!"

	People scrambled now and I really didn't have a wish to see
anymore of the show so like some others I tried to slide back to
my cot unseen.  "Where is Allison?"  I heard her ask, when she
received no answer she bellowed "Allison!"  Then apparently her
progress became impeded.  "Get these tables from my path!"  The
screech of the metal legs on concrete hurt my ears but no more
than her yelling again, "Allison!"

	My morbid curiosity got the better of me.  I knew of no slave
named Allison and when she was silent for a few moments I turned
to see if this mysterious person had appeared.

	My stomach did flip flops when she glared directly at me and
shrilled, "How dare you ignore me.  Come here now."  I looked
behind me and saw no other female.  Was she speaking to me? 
"You're making me wait Allison."  Someone pushed me forward and
I stumbled to her.  She looked at me with repulsion.  Did she
expect me to kneel or something?  I started to bend my knee when
she chirped.  "Allison, I would like you-"

	"Antoniette."  I corrected her without thinking about the
repercussions.

	"Are you interrupting me?"  The Queen was sober, a little too
much so.  

	"Um, no, I-"

	She then interrupted me.  "Fine, Allison, I have a job for you.
 You must absolutely shut that damn thing off?"

	"Um... Shut what off?"

	"Must I explain everything to you?"

	I shrugged.

	"That beast!"  I was still clueless.  Having delivered her
message she started to walk away from me.

	"I don't understand, what beast?"  

	She stopped turned to me with one of the deadliest stares I've
ever seen, stomped her foot and said.  "Do it now!"

	She turned on her heel and left me standing there swaying in
her wake.  I searched the faces of those around me.  None seemed
to know anymore than I.  I tried contacting Bram only I felt
nothing beyond myself.  Strange as I was able to just last
night.  Gerald  came up beside me with an elegant goblet filled
with wine.  He stared at the door then at me.  "Um... wine?"

***

	Having logically come to the conclusion that the only "beast"
that could be turned off was the dog I had created for the King,
I went to see what was wrong with it.  

	Of course only luck would have it that the dog was in the first
place I looked, the throne room.  The King was no where in
sight.  He had abandoned my mechanical creation to wallow in a
loneliness it couldn't feel.  He, for I just assumed the dog was
male though he had no reproductive parts, lay at the foot of the
throne apparently asleep.  Rather he was in an energy save mode.
 As soon as my padded shoes thumped in the empty hall he awoke
as if he just spotted a hairy wounded raccoon.

	The dog wobbled my way energetically.  I knelt down as he
leaped for me.  "Hi Sabertooth, how you doing buddy?"  I
scratched his neck not really realizing how stupid that was
since he couldn't feel, but the synthetic coat was soft and I
liked petting it.  A quick inspection of the robodog showed no
unexpected problems.  I wondered why the Queen wanted him shut
off.  

	"Sabertooth?  Is that you're name boy?"  What an odd name,
after all he didn't even have teeth.  Maybe if you squinted your
eyes he kind of looked like a Sabertooth tiger?  "Now how do you
suppose I know it?"  I looked around for the King figuring he
had put it in my head.  I stood and walked towards the throne. 
I wasn't going to take Sabertooth without the King's permission. 

	Had the King been there I would have died of shock.  Now what? 
Sabertooth leaned into my leg pushing against me for attention. 
"Where's your master gone off to then?"  He perked up as if he
had spotted prey scanned the area then ran off towards the door.
 He wasn't very fast so I kept up easily and followed him
through the halls.  A couple curious glances from slaves my way
made me wonder exactly what I was doing.  Was Sabertooth leading
me away or to his master?  

	We took only a few turns around some corners.  Somehow he
managed to find stairs that I never knew existed and I watched
as he had trouble ascending them.  I helped the poor dog get his
balance several times.  Finally we hit the landing and he was
off again.  There were no doors, there were a couple corridors
that lead off in other directions but mainly there was just the
one hall that led to a door.  Sabertooth sat before it and was
pawing at it.  The sound system I installed emulated a whining
dog.  He kept this up until the door opened.

	The King didn't even look at the dog, despite that Sabertooth
pranced inside and attempted to leap onto a chair over and over.
 I couldn't see if he was successful for I lowered my gaze from
the King and instinctively fell to my knees.  It was not like
being in the presence of the Queen.  While she was demanding, I
had seen the inebriated side of her and thus sympathized with
her more.  On the other hand I believed the King did not have a
soft side.

	"You have no business here."

	"Your majesty, I would like to fix Sabertooth, with your
permission."

	"He does not need repair."

	"His motor functions-"

	"Where do your loyalties lie?  With the Queen or with me?"

	That took me aback a bit, I hadn't even been thinking about
her.  Of course there was only one answer.  "You."

	"Then you may do your repairs in a month."

	"Yes your maj-" the door shut before I could finish.  "I'll
just let myself out then?"  

***

	A month passed.  The Queen bugged me about it the first week
and had all but forgotten the order by the end of that month.  I
think she had become preoccupied with something else.  I had
asked Bram why he thought she had ordered me to rid the King of
his prize.  Bram never said straight out but implied that there
was animosity between the King and Queen.  At that time she had
attempted to reconcile only the King would rather devote his
affection to the dog.  Thus I inferred that the King didn't want
to see the Queen and thus was stalling me from taking Sabertooth
from him.  Bram would offer no reason why there was animosity
between them in the first place.

	I chose to ignore the issue until the end of the month so that
I could avoid upsetting anyone.  Actually, it was very easy. 
Bram kept my mind off anything but him

	I sat in Bram's arms.  He kissed the palm of my hand softly. 
"Do you really believe this prophecy thing?"

	"Yes."

	"Do you believe what the slaves say?"

	He kissed the inside of my elbow.  "Yes."

	"Do you believe the sun will go nova tomorrow?"

	His lips pressed against my biceps as he murmured "Yes."

	"That's what I thought."  Bram worked his way up to my shoulder
and I took this opportunity to lock eyes with him.  "I'm
serious.  After what happened with the hunters...  I'm scared. 
What if it is all true?"

	"Then I'll be right here with you."  He kissed the nape of my
neck.

	I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate.  He was so damn
distracting.  "I don't want it to be true."

	He stopped now and held my hands.  "No matter what happens.  No
matter what you become.  In your heart you will always be
Antoniette Aloise.  And I will always love you."

	I kissed his palm.  "I love you so much."  Then I kissed the
inside of his elbow.  I was working my way to his biceps when he
caught my face in his hands and landed a kiss on my lips.  He
licked his lips and looked at me with a longing.  It made my
heart pound.  His loving smile turned into a ghastly
sharptoothed grin.  He started to bend down and I knew he was
about to bite me.  The way he looked at me alarmed me and I
started to push back on him.  

	I saw a face, vague around the edges, one that seemed familiar.
 It was a young female her hair was tied back in a tight bun
that made her face taught just like the rest of her body.  Her
most astounding feature was her white skin, deathly white.  She
fell to the ground and I thought she might break into a million
pieces.  She didn't, but she didn't move either.  She was dead.

	Bram jumped off me.  He sat on the other end of the couch and
shoved his face in his hands.  I scooted over to him and put my
arms around him.  The image obviously was more shocking to him
since it was one of his own memories.  "Hey, it's okay."  I took
his hands from his face and kissed them.

	"No it's not.  Toni, I killed her."

	"I know.  I killed Mackenzie  I did it to save my life and so
did you."

	"No."

	"Bram.  Do you love me?"

	He blinked away the water in his eyes.  "Yes."

	"Then listen to me when I tell you; it's okay.  I don't hold it
against you anymore."

	"What if I can't stop?"

	"You just did."  I squeezed his hands.  "I told you once, I
trust you.  I still do."  I kissed him softly.  He of course was
hungry for more and slid his silky tongue in my mouth.  I had a
feeling of safety while we engaged in the kiss.  His mind moved
away from blood and to something more animalistic.  

	He slipped my shirt off and undid my bra.  I struggled to
untuck his shirt.  "Uh, uh."  He stopped my hands.  "Lie down."

	Trusting him fully I did so.  He rolled me onto my stomach and
soon his warm hands covered with gel were sliding over my scars.
 They no longer hurt and the sensation was more than pleasant as
he kneaded my muscles.  I relaxed and thought how wonderful it
would be if this was all there was to my life.  No worries
existed here.  No one trying to kill me, no one I had to kill. 
No blood, just loving hands. 

	While I had all this on my mind, he only had one thing on his. 
He was relaxing me so much I could easily see it.  He tried
pushing me out of his mind though.  Like the story he didn't
want me to spoil what was to come.  Still, a split second before
they came, I saw his kisses.  It hardly diminished the effect.

	I could see him leaning down and kissing the first lash I
received.  Then his soft lips touched my back just below my
shoulder blades.  When his wet lips left that spot I could feel
the cool air on it.  I shivered in enjoyment.

	His warm body pressed onto mine as he went lower down my back
kissing the scars one by one.  I counted the kisses and the
caressing fingers that slid over the bumps in my skin.  

	The tingles spread in waves as he moved on to the fifth and
sixth wound.  I pressed my face into the pillow to keep from
screaming in delight.  His mind was blank to me now.  No, there
was no wall between us.  My mind focused on my own delectation.

	His seventh kiss nearly did me in.  It touched on a
particularly ticklish part of my lower back.  I squirmed but the
weight of his body kept me in place.

	Tears started streaming from my eyes and he kissed me for the
eighth time.  I could hardly breath and nearly called for him to
stop except I couldn't.  Well okay, I just plain didn't want him
to stop.

	NINE!  His tongue traced a scar straight up my spine.  I could
no longer feel my fingers and toes, all the nerve synapses I had
in my body had concentrated in the one spot on my now wet back.

	TEN!  My world shattered!  There was nothing but lights in my
eye and a burning sensation all over.  A wave of pure,
unadulterated bliss washed over me, so intense that I nearly
blacked out.  Bram wouldn't let me.  He stopped and rolled me
back over so that his lips were so close and his warm breath
gave me new life.  

	We then made wonderful, passionate love.