Categories > Original > Romance > In A Darkened Room
In A Darkened Room
By Mishi
Chapter three
Truth Be Told?
Note: kusotare – slang for “shithead” in Japanese, and used when you are trying to provoke someone into fighting. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kusotare
The building that housed St. Pat’s soup kitchen had at one time been a three car garage that was affixed to the back of St. Pat’s rectory. In the area where cars once sat, five short rows of tables now stood waiting to be surrounded with those in need of a good meal. Each table was covered with a plastic table cloth, which was yellow with white daisies all over it, and had two tiny flower baskets placed at each end. The chairs were white metal and plastic folding kind. To the end of the building, farthest from the rectory, was the door where everyone entered. The large doors were no longer of use for anything other than to act as walls with windows. Opposite these giant doors stood a line of counters, which was the food line. A large fridge and freezer sat in the corner closest to the rectory, on the back wall, along with a deep double-basin sink in the opposite corner. An industrial size range with two ovens sat in the center of the wall.
Although the night before had been chilly, the day had turned out to be hotter than Maire had expected it to be, and she was finding the red and white long sleeved hoodie to be too warm. Yes, the vertically stripped hoodie was cute with the jeans and white tennies that she wore, but who was there to impress; the downtrodden who were making their way through St. Pat’s Soup kitchen food line? She was sure they could care less how she looked as long as she passed out the peanut butter sandwiches at her station. As the sandwiches left her hands, she tried to smile encouragingly as each person passed her by, despite the temperature of the room.
Mercifully, the line was beginning to thin. Popping herself up on tiptoes, Maire caught Ashley blocking off the entryway doors. ‘It must be a quarter ‘til one,’ she thought. ‘One more hour and I’ll be out of the heat. At least, I hope Lu still has the air on at the Shack. Tomorrow I’m gonna dress lighter and carry a sweater.’
No sooner than the last sandwich passed from Maire’s hand did the call sound. “Okay, all,” Ashley called down the row of workers, “That’s another day done. Let’s clean up.”
Ashley walked over to the tall red headed priest, who had been spooning out chili for the day, “Thanks for standing in for John today, Father Michael. We really would’ve been lost without you.”
The pale freckled faced man replied, “I’m sure you would’ve been fine. But I’ll accept your thanks, and a bowl of chili…if you don’t mind?”
“Go right ahead, Father. You can sit with Maire; she always has lunch before she leaves, anyways.”
He turned to face an embarrassed Maire, “Is that true, Maire? Stealing from the unfortunate now, are we?”
“Michael Patrick O’Fergus, watch that big mouth of yours! I might just have to tell your mother that you’re starting trouble again.”
“Did you hear that, Ashley?” He laughed. “Family, they just can’t take a joke. She thinks because I’m her cousin that I’ll let her talk to me like that.” He nudged Ashley’s arm and gave her a wink, “Well, she’s right, you know.” Ashley joined him in laughter.
“Oh, cut it out and come on. I’ve got stuff to get done before I go to work.” Maire said through her smile as she dipped the chili into a bowl and handed it to him.
“So how did your weekend go?” Fr. Michael asked.
“It was a bit on the slow side. Same as always.”
They chose there seats at the end of the least crowded table, choosing to sit side by side, rather than across from each other.
“So that wasn’t you in the chapel last night?” He looked at her with lifted brows.
“Got ratted out that quickly, huh?” Maire asked jabbing at the chili with her spork.
“What did Iris have to say this time?” Fr. Michael had known who and what to expect the second that Mr. Sanders reported the girl’s strange behavior.
Maire sighed and dipped her peanut butter sandwich into her chili. After taking a healthy bite, taking her time to chew thoroughly, she swallowed and turned to answer, “Some people don’t know how to mind there own business.”
“He couldn’t help it, Maire, you do get loud sometimes. Can’t you see how it could be somewhat disturbing to someone outside of your conversation?” The priest offered before taking a bite of his own food.
“I do,” she said with a nod. “And I do try to be quiet. It’s Iris that gets me all antsy.”
“So what did she have to tell you this time? Did she send you after anyone like Cindy, ‘cause we could use a few more like her around? She has been a God send around the office. I didn’t know that the office computers actually worked until you found her.”
“I’m glad that she’s working out,” she stated flatly.
“Maire, you know that I believe you see Iris. I’m just letting you know that I heard about it again.”
She poked at the food before her and wondered for a moment if she should share her new mission with him. It wouldn’t be the first time that she had shared a mission with her cousin. Maire had a habit of taking the tough ones to Michael, making him her unofficial sidekick a quarter of the time. She did this, because he had always been more like a brother than a cousin to her; and when it came down to the hard stuff, she valued his opinion. Spending half your childhood in someone’s home could bring that out of you, and she had done just that in his. If there was ever anyone that she considered to be her best friend he was it. And deep down, he was the only man she could honestly say she trusted completely. However, this might truly make him doubt her sanity. He had fought for her in the past, but converting vampires? That was crazy even to her.
She let it turn over in her head as they continued to eat their meal. Maybe she could bring up some of the more normal points and leave the whole vampire thing out. Yeah, that was a plan!
“Michael, Iris did send me out on another mission.”
“Ah, I knew it!” He said wiping his chin with a grin. “Who is it this time?”
She had to roll her eyes at his enthusiasm, “Down boy, it’s not going to be that easy on me this time. This guy has some issues that I’m not use to, and he didn’t want to be picked out of the crowd.” She stopped and poked his arm, “If you get my drift?”
“So he’s not someone who was seeking, huh?” Fr. Michael took in another mouthful of sandwich.
Maire blew on her spoon of soup and said, “He sure didn’t know it if he was!”
“These issues…anything you can share? I might be able to give you some advice.”
Visions of Leslie Nelson from “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” swan in her head. “No, nothing that I’d feel comfortable talking about.”
“Ok, I can understand that. If you need any help though, you know where I am.” With that he turned back to his food.
‘Is that seriously all I know about vampires?’ Maire put on a fake smile and looked down at her chili, ‘I so need to do some research! Great, just great!’
“Oh, have you heard that we might have a new doctor for St Ann’s clinic?” Fr. Michael said, thankfully breaking the frantic chatter running amuck in Maire’s head.
She felt some of the tension slip out of her shoulders, “I hadn’t.”
“Pastor Matthews, from North Hill Community, hooked me up with one of his flock. Matthews says that this young man has been looking for an opportunity to serve the community since he got out of med school and set up his practice, so I’ll be talking to him this afternoon.”
“That’s great, the more doctors that volunteer, the more people we can help at the clinic. If he’s been looking for an opportunity, I’m sure he won’t say no.”
Ashley made her way towards the table. “Father, Cindy says that you have a call waiting for you. She said it was a Dr. Edwards.”
Fr. Michael looked at Maire and said with a smile, “From your lips to God’s ears.”
**
Touya frowned at the screen as it flashed red several times. Taking on a Hell Knight with a chain saw wasn’t the smartest move, but he knew that he was about to die anyway; he was quickly growing bored with the game, which meant he was getting sloppy. Doom 3 wasn’t the toughest game he had in his collection, but it was the most amusing. In reality, or the virtual realm, he just couldn’t get enough of ripping demons a new one! If the day kept up the way it was going, Hexen and Quake would soon be on his agenda as well.
He was wearing one of those white cotton sport shirts that had been affectionately dubbed the “Wife Beater,” and a comfy pair of light gray sweats. He had one bare foot propped up on his printer, which was under the computer desk; and the other on the edge of the chair, with his leg bent and leaning to the side. Letting his hands drop between his legs, without losing the game controller, he turned to glance at the window. A bright glow framed it, letting him know that things were still nice and sunny outside. He sighed and looked to the right hand corner of his computer monitor; the time said 3:39 p.m. Since he was done with Doom for the day, he ditched the controller and closed the program. Then setting back in the seat, stared at the monitor as if it were going to do something on its own.
“Man, this day sucks!” He groaned leaning his head back in the chair. ‘I guess I could try to go back to sleep, but I feel wired. I ate too much and now I’m paying for it! Why does having too much blood have to feel like having twenty shots of Espresso?’
That’s when Touya heard the familiar sound of a virtual door opening, letting him know that someone had just signed on IM. “It’s about time someone got up!” He closed in on the computer screen.
To his further relief, a text box opened with a message from SirThomas1459.
SirThomas1459: Up early today aren’t you? Isn’t it before 4pm your time?
LuminouslyImpaired: I had a nasty run in with a demon and ate too much last night. Woke up to nightmares, and now I have the jitters and can’t sleep. It’s been a shitty day for me. How’s things in the UK?
SirThomas1459: Being that it’s not 9 p.m. yet, I haven’t done much of anything. Let’s see… After sleeping like a baby, I woke up in the arms of a beautiful woman. Ah, and I’ve had a quickie with said beautiful woman. I’ll say it’s been lovely here so far!
LuminouslyImpaired: Asshole! Nice to hear you’re having such a wonderful flippin’ day! How’s Matilda? I’m assuming that she is the beautiful woman, or is she going to kick your ass?
SirThomas1459: Mattie is just fine, and she would be the beauty that I speak of. And, yes, said arse would be kicked from here to the bloody ocean!
LuminouslyImpaired: LOL
SirThomas1459: So tell me about the big nasty that got the better of you. Had to be mightily on the nasty side to get the better of you.
LuminouslyImpaired: I made a stupid mistake, and the damned thing nearly took my head off. I don’t really remember much of it. Things got strange after it threw me into a wall.
Touya hit the return key and looked back at the window. Suddenly, he had rather been outside than at the computer chatting with his friend of over 200 years. They had nearly died together more than once, and Touya saw Thomas as a kindred spirit of sorts. There had been many times that he and Matilda had nursed a physically, and spiritually, wounded Touya back to health. Why did he have to keep thinking about the night before? Why couldn’t he just forget this Maire Shannon O’Fergus and move on?
“If I’m so worth saving, why was her first instinct to call me a demon?” His eyes fluttered shut then open again as he let out a quick, “Humph,” and turned back to the waiting massage.
SirThomas1459: Well…! Hey, do I get the story or not?
LuminouslyImpaired: Yeah, you get the story. I met a woman.
SirThomas1459: …! About time!!
LuminouslyImpaired: Get your mind out of the gutter and bear with me.
SirThomas1459: :(
LuminouslyImpaired: I’m fighting this demon that is ridiculously strong, because some idiot invited him in to be a permanent guest; and I get my head smashed into a flipping wall. From the blood that I washed out of my hair after the fact, I’d say he broke my skull open. I’m lucky to be alive at all. There would have been no way I could’ve found shelter on my own. I don’t see how I woke up so fast, to be honest. But I woke up to this red head kneeling over me. I didn’t even have a scratch on me by time I got home. I just had the blood and the messed up clothes to tell the tale.
SirThomas1459: We don’t heal completely in such a short time. We have to feed like mad to heal major damage; and no amount of blood is going to completely heal a head wound if it is that bad. It would have damaged the brain. You don’t just walk way from a cracked skull, even if you are a vampire. Are you sure you had a cracked skull?
LuminouslyImpaired: These wounds were bad, and I was already bleeding where the damn thing had slashed me before. I’m telling you there was too much blood. I don’t see how I woke up with all the blood loss, let alone survived the damage to the head. And I had the strength to fly after! I wouldn’t have made it home unnoticed if I hadn’t flown. I was a mess. It had to be something she did.
Touya pushed back from the keyboard out of frustration and slapped his hands on his thighs. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs and shook his head. He shouldn’t have typed that last line. It was true, but impossible. “Bing!” His computer chimed, letting him know that Thomas was waiting. He looked up, and placed his hands on his cheeks; letting them drift together until they met at his mouth.
SirThomas1459: What?! So are you saying this woman healed you somehow?
Taking a deep breath, he returned his hands to the keyboard.
LuminouslyImpaired: There was this strange energy that seemed to float next to her.
Touya hit enter and though about it. He hadn’t been able to describe it until now, but the energy floated on its own. He felt like he had just had some sort of break through, but didn’t understand why he should be so happy about it. After all, he still had to deal with the fact that this woman had some sort of power he didn’t understand.
LuminouslyImpaired: Have you ever heard of anything that was human and had that sort of power?
SirThomas1459: You’re certain she was human?
LuminouslyImpaired: Positive.
SirThomas1459: There are other types of immortal beings you know. Are you sure she wasn’t one of those?
LuminouslyImpaired: I’m old enough to know the difference.
SirThomas1459: I was just making sure. I know you are sharp enough to know the difference. You were out of it from the beating, so I was just checking up on it. Tell me more about your mystery woman.
LuminouslyImpaired: She thought I was a demon when I came too. I had to set her right on that. I was more concerned with getting food than chatting with her, really.
SirThomas1459: Fuck off! I know damn good and well that it pissed you off to be called a demon. You’re playing it off now, so you are bothered by it. What happened that has you up in the middle of the day, Touya?
As usual, Thomas crass manner was enough to make Touya truly think about the night before. What stood out was the sincerity in the young woman’s voice. She truly believed he could be saved. His pride had suddenly turned on itself. He couldn’t hope, so he doubted.
LuminouslyImpaired: She said she was on a mission to save my soul, but I know she’s nuts. She kept talking to someone that wasn’t there. I don’t know how to explain it, but there was this energy. It held me back when I tried to leave that alley. Tell me that I’ve lost my mind. Tell me that I’m losing sleep over some psycho, and I’ve learned some vampire power up that’s been over looked until now.
Touya sat up straight in the chair as he watched the screen. The room was dead quiet, even the street below was still for the moment. Time seemed to slowly creep by as he waited for his friend to reply.
SirThomas1459: Nothing short of a miracle, mate. I don’t know what else could have done it. No human has that sort of power. No vampire has that sort of power. Not this side of 500 years, have I witnessed anything like it. You know that as well as I do. As for saving your soul…? She has to be bananas. She doesn’t understand what we are.
There is was, and he was defeated. What did he expect? He knew what the answer would be. The world could now go on the way it was; all the rules in place, and Touya knowing where he stood in the middle of it.
LuminouslyImpaired: I know. You’re right. I just don’t see how she did it. I would blow it off if not for that.
SirThomas1459: Alright, Touya, we have been down this road before. I would give anything to believe that all good vampires go to heaven. Don’t kill, don’t fornicate, don’t feed off the innocent; but it doesn’t happen that way. We are what we are, and we can’t change that. I know who you were before you were made. I was just like you. I loved the Gospel. I took care of my family, and died to keep them safe. If I could have changed it for myself, I would have. I would change it for you, and for Mattie, if there was a way to change it. Don’t tear yourself up over this. You do it too often as it is.
LuminouslyImpaired: You didn’t see her. She honestly meant it. She believed it. I woke up dreaming about the night he killed me. About my brother calling me a devil. I had one of my victims call me a devil last night. I nearly tore his throat out. It took all I had to hold the rage in. I gorged myself on three men. It was so bad that I had to call 911 for them.
SirThomas1459: See, this is exactly what I am talking about. You can’t keep this up. Next you’ll want to stop eating. You have to quit this love hate thing with your Nature. It’s not like we can live on animal blood like on telly. You either embrace the Nature and feed off humans, or you starve to death. It is that simple. And I have seen you enjoy the Nature. It doesn’t make you a sinner, it makes you a vampire. Which the last time I checked, you just happened to be.
LuminouslyImpaired: So what do I do about the woman? I don’t know if she knows anything about me or not. I don’t know if it was coincidence that she found me in that alley.
SirThomas1459: She knows what you are? Make her a lover.
LuminouslyImpaired: Damn it, Thomas!
SirThomas1459: Sorry to step all over your high born morals, but I had to say it. That was not a joke. Someone who has the power to heal a vampire of those sorts of injuries should not be taken lightly. I sure wouldn’t make her an enemy. She already knows what you are; why not make her a lover? It’s not like you have to worry about her finding out your deep dark secret. She can act as a donor for blood. It’s not like she’s a cow, is she?
LuminouslyImpaired: NO, she’s not ugly! I just don’t take these things as lightly as you do.
SirThomas1459: Who takes them lightly? As you’ll recall, I forever bonded myself to my last mortal lover. Mattie has never had to question my fidelity.
LuminouslyImpaired: I don’t see how she puts up with you. Fine, I’ll see if I can find her again. She said her name was Mara Shannon O’Fergus.
SirThomas1459: Ahh, an Irish lass! In that case, I think you’re spelling her name wrong. You might want to spell it, Maire, Mr. Wonderful. All those fancy languages you know and you can’t get one Celtic name right. Bloody git!
LuminouslyImpaired: Kusotare!
SirThomas1459: :)
By Mishi
Chapter three
Truth Be Told?
Note: kusotare – slang for “shithead” in Japanese, and used when you are trying to provoke someone into fighting. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kusotare
The building that housed St. Pat’s soup kitchen had at one time been a three car garage that was affixed to the back of St. Pat’s rectory. In the area where cars once sat, five short rows of tables now stood waiting to be surrounded with those in need of a good meal. Each table was covered with a plastic table cloth, which was yellow with white daisies all over it, and had two tiny flower baskets placed at each end. The chairs were white metal and plastic folding kind. To the end of the building, farthest from the rectory, was the door where everyone entered. The large doors were no longer of use for anything other than to act as walls with windows. Opposite these giant doors stood a line of counters, which was the food line. A large fridge and freezer sat in the corner closest to the rectory, on the back wall, along with a deep double-basin sink in the opposite corner. An industrial size range with two ovens sat in the center of the wall.
Although the night before had been chilly, the day had turned out to be hotter than Maire had expected it to be, and she was finding the red and white long sleeved hoodie to be too warm. Yes, the vertically stripped hoodie was cute with the jeans and white tennies that she wore, but who was there to impress; the downtrodden who were making their way through St. Pat’s Soup kitchen food line? She was sure they could care less how she looked as long as she passed out the peanut butter sandwiches at her station. As the sandwiches left her hands, she tried to smile encouragingly as each person passed her by, despite the temperature of the room.
Mercifully, the line was beginning to thin. Popping herself up on tiptoes, Maire caught Ashley blocking off the entryway doors. ‘It must be a quarter ‘til one,’ she thought. ‘One more hour and I’ll be out of the heat. At least, I hope Lu still has the air on at the Shack. Tomorrow I’m gonna dress lighter and carry a sweater.’
No sooner than the last sandwich passed from Maire’s hand did the call sound. “Okay, all,” Ashley called down the row of workers, “That’s another day done. Let’s clean up.”
Ashley walked over to the tall red headed priest, who had been spooning out chili for the day, “Thanks for standing in for John today, Father Michael. We really would’ve been lost without you.”
The pale freckled faced man replied, “I’m sure you would’ve been fine. But I’ll accept your thanks, and a bowl of chili…if you don’t mind?”
“Go right ahead, Father. You can sit with Maire; she always has lunch before she leaves, anyways.”
He turned to face an embarrassed Maire, “Is that true, Maire? Stealing from the unfortunate now, are we?”
“Michael Patrick O’Fergus, watch that big mouth of yours! I might just have to tell your mother that you’re starting trouble again.”
“Did you hear that, Ashley?” He laughed. “Family, they just can’t take a joke. She thinks because I’m her cousin that I’ll let her talk to me like that.” He nudged Ashley’s arm and gave her a wink, “Well, she’s right, you know.” Ashley joined him in laughter.
“Oh, cut it out and come on. I’ve got stuff to get done before I go to work.” Maire said through her smile as she dipped the chili into a bowl and handed it to him.
“So how did your weekend go?” Fr. Michael asked.
“It was a bit on the slow side. Same as always.”
They chose there seats at the end of the least crowded table, choosing to sit side by side, rather than across from each other.
“So that wasn’t you in the chapel last night?” He looked at her with lifted brows.
“Got ratted out that quickly, huh?” Maire asked jabbing at the chili with her spork.
“What did Iris have to say this time?” Fr. Michael had known who and what to expect the second that Mr. Sanders reported the girl’s strange behavior.
Maire sighed and dipped her peanut butter sandwich into her chili. After taking a healthy bite, taking her time to chew thoroughly, she swallowed and turned to answer, “Some people don’t know how to mind there own business.”
“He couldn’t help it, Maire, you do get loud sometimes. Can’t you see how it could be somewhat disturbing to someone outside of your conversation?” The priest offered before taking a bite of his own food.
“I do,” she said with a nod. “And I do try to be quiet. It’s Iris that gets me all antsy.”
“So what did she have to tell you this time? Did she send you after anyone like Cindy, ‘cause we could use a few more like her around? She has been a God send around the office. I didn’t know that the office computers actually worked until you found her.”
“I’m glad that she’s working out,” she stated flatly.
“Maire, you know that I believe you see Iris. I’m just letting you know that I heard about it again.”
She poked at the food before her and wondered for a moment if she should share her new mission with him. It wouldn’t be the first time that she had shared a mission with her cousin. Maire had a habit of taking the tough ones to Michael, making him her unofficial sidekick a quarter of the time. She did this, because he had always been more like a brother than a cousin to her; and when it came down to the hard stuff, she valued his opinion. Spending half your childhood in someone’s home could bring that out of you, and she had done just that in his. If there was ever anyone that she considered to be her best friend he was it. And deep down, he was the only man she could honestly say she trusted completely. However, this might truly make him doubt her sanity. He had fought for her in the past, but converting vampires? That was crazy even to her.
She let it turn over in her head as they continued to eat their meal. Maybe she could bring up some of the more normal points and leave the whole vampire thing out. Yeah, that was a plan!
“Michael, Iris did send me out on another mission.”
“Ah, I knew it!” He said wiping his chin with a grin. “Who is it this time?”
She had to roll her eyes at his enthusiasm, “Down boy, it’s not going to be that easy on me this time. This guy has some issues that I’m not use to, and he didn’t want to be picked out of the crowd.” She stopped and poked his arm, “If you get my drift?”
“So he’s not someone who was seeking, huh?” Fr. Michael took in another mouthful of sandwich.
Maire blew on her spoon of soup and said, “He sure didn’t know it if he was!”
“These issues…anything you can share? I might be able to give you some advice.”
Visions of Leslie Nelson from “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” swan in her head. “No, nothing that I’d feel comfortable talking about.”
“Ok, I can understand that. If you need any help though, you know where I am.” With that he turned back to his food.
‘Is that seriously all I know about vampires?’ Maire put on a fake smile and looked down at her chili, ‘I so need to do some research! Great, just great!’
“Oh, have you heard that we might have a new doctor for St Ann’s clinic?” Fr. Michael said, thankfully breaking the frantic chatter running amuck in Maire’s head.
She felt some of the tension slip out of her shoulders, “I hadn’t.”
“Pastor Matthews, from North Hill Community, hooked me up with one of his flock. Matthews says that this young man has been looking for an opportunity to serve the community since he got out of med school and set up his practice, so I’ll be talking to him this afternoon.”
“That’s great, the more doctors that volunteer, the more people we can help at the clinic. If he’s been looking for an opportunity, I’m sure he won’t say no.”
Ashley made her way towards the table. “Father, Cindy says that you have a call waiting for you. She said it was a Dr. Edwards.”
Fr. Michael looked at Maire and said with a smile, “From your lips to God’s ears.”
**
Touya frowned at the screen as it flashed red several times. Taking on a Hell Knight with a chain saw wasn’t the smartest move, but he knew that he was about to die anyway; he was quickly growing bored with the game, which meant he was getting sloppy. Doom 3 wasn’t the toughest game he had in his collection, but it was the most amusing. In reality, or the virtual realm, he just couldn’t get enough of ripping demons a new one! If the day kept up the way it was going, Hexen and Quake would soon be on his agenda as well.
He was wearing one of those white cotton sport shirts that had been affectionately dubbed the “Wife Beater,” and a comfy pair of light gray sweats. He had one bare foot propped up on his printer, which was under the computer desk; and the other on the edge of the chair, with his leg bent and leaning to the side. Letting his hands drop between his legs, without losing the game controller, he turned to glance at the window. A bright glow framed it, letting him know that things were still nice and sunny outside. He sighed and looked to the right hand corner of his computer monitor; the time said 3:39 p.m. Since he was done with Doom for the day, he ditched the controller and closed the program. Then setting back in the seat, stared at the monitor as if it were going to do something on its own.
“Man, this day sucks!” He groaned leaning his head back in the chair. ‘I guess I could try to go back to sleep, but I feel wired. I ate too much and now I’m paying for it! Why does having too much blood have to feel like having twenty shots of Espresso?’
That’s when Touya heard the familiar sound of a virtual door opening, letting him know that someone had just signed on IM. “It’s about time someone got up!” He closed in on the computer screen.
To his further relief, a text box opened with a message from SirThomas1459.
SirThomas1459: Up early today aren’t you? Isn’t it before 4pm your time?
LuminouslyImpaired: I had a nasty run in with a demon and ate too much last night. Woke up to nightmares, and now I have the jitters and can’t sleep. It’s been a shitty day for me. How’s things in the UK?
SirThomas1459: Being that it’s not 9 p.m. yet, I haven’t done much of anything. Let’s see… After sleeping like a baby, I woke up in the arms of a beautiful woman. Ah, and I’ve had a quickie with said beautiful woman. I’ll say it’s been lovely here so far!
LuminouslyImpaired: Asshole! Nice to hear you’re having such a wonderful flippin’ day! How’s Matilda? I’m assuming that she is the beautiful woman, or is she going to kick your ass?
SirThomas1459: Mattie is just fine, and she would be the beauty that I speak of. And, yes, said arse would be kicked from here to the bloody ocean!
LuminouslyImpaired: LOL
SirThomas1459: So tell me about the big nasty that got the better of you. Had to be mightily on the nasty side to get the better of you.
LuminouslyImpaired: I made a stupid mistake, and the damned thing nearly took my head off. I don’t really remember much of it. Things got strange after it threw me into a wall.
Touya hit the return key and looked back at the window. Suddenly, he had rather been outside than at the computer chatting with his friend of over 200 years. They had nearly died together more than once, and Touya saw Thomas as a kindred spirit of sorts. There had been many times that he and Matilda had nursed a physically, and spiritually, wounded Touya back to health. Why did he have to keep thinking about the night before? Why couldn’t he just forget this Maire Shannon O’Fergus and move on?
“If I’m so worth saving, why was her first instinct to call me a demon?” His eyes fluttered shut then open again as he let out a quick, “Humph,” and turned back to the waiting massage.
SirThomas1459: Well…! Hey, do I get the story or not?
LuminouslyImpaired: Yeah, you get the story. I met a woman.
SirThomas1459: …! About time!!
LuminouslyImpaired: Get your mind out of the gutter and bear with me.
SirThomas1459: :(
LuminouslyImpaired: I’m fighting this demon that is ridiculously strong, because some idiot invited him in to be a permanent guest; and I get my head smashed into a flipping wall. From the blood that I washed out of my hair after the fact, I’d say he broke my skull open. I’m lucky to be alive at all. There would have been no way I could’ve found shelter on my own. I don’t see how I woke up so fast, to be honest. But I woke up to this red head kneeling over me. I didn’t even have a scratch on me by time I got home. I just had the blood and the messed up clothes to tell the tale.
SirThomas1459: We don’t heal completely in such a short time. We have to feed like mad to heal major damage; and no amount of blood is going to completely heal a head wound if it is that bad. It would have damaged the brain. You don’t just walk way from a cracked skull, even if you are a vampire. Are you sure you had a cracked skull?
LuminouslyImpaired: These wounds were bad, and I was already bleeding where the damn thing had slashed me before. I’m telling you there was too much blood. I don’t see how I woke up with all the blood loss, let alone survived the damage to the head. And I had the strength to fly after! I wouldn’t have made it home unnoticed if I hadn’t flown. I was a mess. It had to be something she did.
Touya pushed back from the keyboard out of frustration and slapped his hands on his thighs. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs and shook his head. He shouldn’t have typed that last line. It was true, but impossible. “Bing!” His computer chimed, letting him know that Thomas was waiting. He looked up, and placed his hands on his cheeks; letting them drift together until they met at his mouth.
SirThomas1459: What?! So are you saying this woman healed you somehow?
Taking a deep breath, he returned his hands to the keyboard.
LuminouslyImpaired: There was this strange energy that seemed to float next to her.
Touya hit enter and though about it. He hadn’t been able to describe it until now, but the energy floated on its own. He felt like he had just had some sort of break through, but didn’t understand why he should be so happy about it. After all, he still had to deal with the fact that this woman had some sort of power he didn’t understand.
LuminouslyImpaired: Have you ever heard of anything that was human and had that sort of power?
SirThomas1459: You’re certain she was human?
LuminouslyImpaired: Positive.
SirThomas1459: There are other types of immortal beings you know. Are you sure she wasn’t one of those?
LuminouslyImpaired: I’m old enough to know the difference.
SirThomas1459: I was just making sure. I know you are sharp enough to know the difference. You were out of it from the beating, so I was just checking up on it. Tell me more about your mystery woman.
LuminouslyImpaired: She thought I was a demon when I came too. I had to set her right on that. I was more concerned with getting food than chatting with her, really.
SirThomas1459: Fuck off! I know damn good and well that it pissed you off to be called a demon. You’re playing it off now, so you are bothered by it. What happened that has you up in the middle of the day, Touya?
As usual, Thomas crass manner was enough to make Touya truly think about the night before. What stood out was the sincerity in the young woman’s voice. She truly believed he could be saved. His pride had suddenly turned on itself. He couldn’t hope, so he doubted.
LuminouslyImpaired: She said she was on a mission to save my soul, but I know she’s nuts. She kept talking to someone that wasn’t there. I don’t know how to explain it, but there was this energy. It held me back when I tried to leave that alley. Tell me that I’ve lost my mind. Tell me that I’m losing sleep over some psycho, and I’ve learned some vampire power up that’s been over looked until now.
Touya sat up straight in the chair as he watched the screen. The room was dead quiet, even the street below was still for the moment. Time seemed to slowly creep by as he waited for his friend to reply.
SirThomas1459: Nothing short of a miracle, mate. I don’t know what else could have done it. No human has that sort of power. No vampire has that sort of power. Not this side of 500 years, have I witnessed anything like it. You know that as well as I do. As for saving your soul…? She has to be bananas. She doesn’t understand what we are.
There is was, and he was defeated. What did he expect? He knew what the answer would be. The world could now go on the way it was; all the rules in place, and Touya knowing where he stood in the middle of it.
LuminouslyImpaired: I know. You’re right. I just don’t see how she did it. I would blow it off if not for that.
SirThomas1459: Alright, Touya, we have been down this road before. I would give anything to believe that all good vampires go to heaven. Don’t kill, don’t fornicate, don’t feed off the innocent; but it doesn’t happen that way. We are what we are, and we can’t change that. I know who you were before you were made. I was just like you. I loved the Gospel. I took care of my family, and died to keep them safe. If I could have changed it for myself, I would have. I would change it for you, and for Mattie, if there was a way to change it. Don’t tear yourself up over this. You do it too often as it is.
LuminouslyImpaired: You didn’t see her. She honestly meant it. She believed it. I woke up dreaming about the night he killed me. About my brother calling me a devil. I had one of my victims call me a devil last night. I nearly tore his throat out. It took all I had to hold the rage in. I gorged myself on three men. It was so bad that I had to call 911 for them.
SirThomas1459: See, this is exactly what I am talking about. You can’t keep this up. Next you’ll want to stop eating. You have to quit this love hate thing with your Nature. It’s not like we can live on animal blood like on telly. You either embrace the Nature and feed off humans, or you starve to death. It is that simple. And I have seen you enjoy the Nature. It doesn’t make you a sinner, it makes you a vampire. Which the last time I checked, you just happened to be.
LuminouslyImpaired: So what do I do about the woman? I don’t know if she knows anything about me or not. I don’t know if it was coincidence that she found me in that alley.
SirThomas1459: She knows what you are? Make her a lover.
LuminouslyImpaired: Damn it, Thomas!
SirThomas1459: Sorry to step all over your high born morals, but I had to say it. That was not a joke. Someone who has the power to heal a vampire of those sorts of injuries should not be taken lightly. I sure wouldn’t make her an enemy. She already knows what you are; why not make her a lover? It’s not like you have to worry about her finding out your deep dark secret. She can act as a donor for blood. It’s not like she’s a cow, is she?
LuminouslyImpaired: NO, she’s not ugly! I just don’t take these things as lightly as you do.
SirThomas1459: Who takes them lightly? As you’ll recall, I forever bonded myself to my last mortal lover. Mattie has never had to question my fidelity.
LuminouslyImpaired: I don’t see how she puts up with you. Fine, I’ll see if I can find her again. She said her name was Mara Shannon O’Fergus.
SirThomas1459: Ahh, an Irish lass! In that case, I think you’re spelling her name wrong. You might want to spell it, Maire, Mr. Wonderful. All those fancy languages you know and you can’t get one Celtic name right. Bloody git!
LuminouslyImpaired: Kusotare!
SirThomas1459: :)
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