Chapter Twelve

Haven’t read Chapter One yet? Click here to read it!
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven

Christine awoke just as the sun was coming over the horizon. Remembering her late night conversation with Lord Radek the evening before, she felt conflicted and confused as to what to do now. She knew that Gervis would be arriving soon to help her to escape from the castle. But, if Lord Radek had been telling her the truth last night, that might be exactly the wrong thing to do. Hearing him talk like that made him seem to be a very sympathetic person. It must have been horrible living centuries alone, without a single confidant to share experiences and thoughts with. If she and Sarah truly were trapped in this world, life could be worse than living in a castle. She heard a noise from behind her bedroom wall and the secret door swung open.

Despite her conflicting thoughts, a radiant smile spread across Christine’s face when she saw Gervis peeking into her room. She rushed over and hugged him. Then she held him out at arm’s length to inspect him. He looked slightly pale, but otherwise healthy. He seemed to have recovered from his punishment after his last visit to her.

“Gervis, I don’t know if I can go today.” Christine quickly explained about her late night visit from Lord Radek and the things that he had revealed to her.

Gervis looked thoughtful. “I’ve never heard him to speak so to anyone before. Lord Radek is the lord of this area. He has never chosen to be so open with anyone before. But, I have to tell you, Christine, that things here in Donner aren’t as he made them out to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“If a person gets sick, he charges their family or loved ones a full Geschenk to heal them. If there is no one to pay, he then drains the person – to put them out of their misery, he says. People don’t live as long in Donner as they do in the other settlements, because Lord Radek is so harsh with his pricing and his penalties. The slightest crime is punished by death – even a simple fist fight results in the death of both parties, no matter who is to blame. No, Christine, I think it’s amazing that he opened up to you as he did, but he wasn’t honest with you. He isn’t known for his truthful ways.”

Christine thought for a moment. She wanted to believe in the Lord Radek that she had seen last night. “Maybe he’s just like that because he’s been alone so long. Maybe I could help to change things around here.”

Gervis looked hurt at Christine’s insistence on defending Lord Radek. “Oh, he can be a charmer, all right. But are you willing to risk the life of your sister on the word of someone who has drunk of your blood, and who nearly killed me for merely speaking to you?”

That took Christine aback. She wanted to see the best in everyone, but Gervis was right. Her sister’s life depended on her making the right choices right now.

“Where’s Lord Radek right now? Has he left yet?” she asked, slowly building up the confidence she would need to make the escape attempt.

“He’s here in the castle, but he’s asleep. He spent the night looking for your sister instead of doing that today. This actually works better for us, because he’s less likely to wake from his deep daytime sleep. I wouldn’t have wanted us to encounter him on the outside after escaping, which is what would have happened if he really had been out looking for your sister today.”

That made sense to Christine. She took Gervis’ hand in her own and looked into his warm chocolaty eyes. “Thank you for this, Gervis.” She gave him a brief kiss on the cheek and then smiled as she saw the blush creeping across his face. He was so sweet and childlike in some ways. She wondered how long he had been living in the castle.

Gervis shook his head, almost as if to clear it, then led Christine out the secret door and into a musty old tunnel. The tunnel was shorter than she had expected, and when they emerged, it was into a bedroom even more enormous and extravagant than her own.

“Whose room is this?” she asked in awe.

“Lord Radek’s” Gervis replied shortly, pulling her quickly through the door to the room and out into the hall.

“But I thought you said he was in bed. There was no one in there.”

“He doesn’t sleep there,” Gervis replied tightly. “You need to be quiet. I don’t want anyone to catch us.”

“Oh, but someone has,” came a throaty voice from behind them.

Christine and Gervis both turned quickly and gasped in unison. Lord Radek had been waiting for them in the hall!

“Are you going somewhere Christine? I have been waiting for you to come out of your room and come down for breakfast. You did not have to take that route out of your room – I left your door unlocked when I left last night.”

Christine’s eyes widened. She could have escaped at any time in the night. He had actually trusted her to stay after their talk and now he had caught her trying to escape. She saw his emerald eyes sparkle dangerously as he came closer to her.

“All I wanted was for you to stay. I might even have kept my promise to never feed on you again. I would even have spared Gervis. But now, I must punish you!” Lord Radek’s mouth burrowed into Christine’s neck and this time, instead of pleasure, she felt only terror and the pain of the tear in her skin. She could feel the blood pouring out of the open wound in her neck and into Lord Radek’s mouth. Weakness buckled her legs and, with surprising strength, Radek held her up as he drank. Christine felt her consciousness slipping away, but was forced back into wakefulness by a new wave of terror flowing through her entire body. The terror could not withstand the weakness that began to envelope her and she knew that she was very near death. Even the terror was not enough to keep her tied to this earth. As she felt herself slipping away, she felt something other than terror – a sense of regret and desperation and heard a faint cry from the lips of Lord Radek.

“Damn you Christine! What have you done to me? I did not want this for you. I do not want to let you go. I must have you here with me.”

Christine felt a few drops of moisture touch her lips. Weakly, her tongue touched the moisture and she felt an immediate surge of strength return to her body. Soon, fluid was rushing through her lips and down her throat, and she was drinking it greedily. She was so very thirsty. She felt as if Lord Radek had drained every ounce of moisture from her body and she now had such a deep aching thirst.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she opened her eyes. She was lying on the floor and Lord Radek was kneeling beside her. What stood out to her most of all, however, was the sight of Gervis, staring at her in utter horror.

“I’m okay Gervis. I’m better now. I’m just really thirsty. Could you get me something to drink?” she gasped.

If possible, Gervis’ look of horror only increased and Christine heard Lord Radek chuckle. “That is exactly what I was thinking. Gervis, do be so kind as to give your lady a drink.”

A new look came over Gervis now. His eyes were full of admiration and worship for Christine. He approached her with a sense of reverence and as he kneeled before her, he turned to Lord Radek and murmured, “but I have no cup to fill for her.”

Lord Radek chuckled his ominous chuckle again. “There is no need for a chalice my boy. You want her, do you not?” Gervis nodded. “Then let her drink from you.”

Gervis pressed his wrist against Christine’s mouth and she was suddenly horrified as the true meaning of Lord Radek’s words became clear to her. Before she could protest, however, the thirst within her became too overwhelming and she found her mouth moving of its own accord and latching itself to Gervis’ wrist. The first burst of human blood between her lips was a shock. It was more delicious than the finest wine she had ever drunk. She couldn’t get enough of it. As she drank, she could feel not only Gervis’ skin touching her lips, but the feeling of deep satisfaction that he had. She could feel that he liked her and wanted to be with her. She could feel that with the slightest effort, she could make him love her.

Slowly, the emotions she was feeling from him were starting to fade. A sense of disappointment grew within her until she realized that he was weakening under her grasp.

“NO!” she shouted, as she realized that she was killing him. As she leapt back from Gervis, he slumped to the floor. She started to go to him, but the closer she got to him, the more her thirst seemed to grow for him.

“Is he still alive?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Lord Radek reached down for Gervis’ wrist, placed a drop of his own blood on the wound and replied, “Yes, but barely. I am surprised that you had the self-control to stop. I did not when I was first sired.”

Slowly, realization was beginning to dawn. Christine looked down at herself. She didn’t look any different than she usually did, but she felt so much stronger, so much more alive. How could this be possible? A few days ago, vampires were just a fairy tale. Now could it be possible that she had become one? How could she ever face Sarah again?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sarah followed Hillard obediently into the castle. They had agreed that Sarah would play the part of a concerned sister and Hillard the part of the rescuer who wanted a reward for his troubles. Hillard had expected more resistance from the castle guards, but they just waved the two of them in, almost as if they had been expected. Hillard hoped that it was more that they were just not expecting trouble. He wasn’t counting on it though.

At the front doors, a kindly looking woman opened the door as they approached. “Well, you must be Lady Christine’s sister,” she said, looking a little disconcerted as she said Christine’s name. “Lord Radek is expecting you.”

This was not what they had been expecting. They had hoped that he would be caught at least a little bit off-guard by their appearance and now it seemed that they were walking into a trap after all. Stoically, they entered the house, were led down a grand hallway and into a large room. Unbeknownst to them, this was the same room in which Christine had first met Lord Radek.

Lord Radek was standing in much the same place as he had when he had first met Christine. This time, however, as the two entered the room, they were surrounded by guards, who quickly removed the pack from Hillard. They didn’t search Sarah, however, which she found a little insulting – almost as if she couldn’t possibly be dangerous – but she was relieved that she still had the small knife, even though she knew she couldn’t hurt Lord Radek with it. She looked up at him defiantly and was struck by the shocking emerald hue of his eyes, so similar to that of Hillard’s beautiful eyes. It was such a rare colouring that she wondered if the two of them were related somehow. Of course, that couldn’t be true – Lord Radek was hundreds of years old and Hillard couldn’t be more than thirty.

“You must be Sarah,” Lord Radek said, his voice echoing in the great room, “I have to say, I am surprised that you do not look more like your sister. She is quite beautiful.”

Sarah felt as if she had been slapped by his words. She knew that she wasn’t as pretty as her sister, but it was ridiculous that this monster felt that he had the right to judge her appearance. “Where is my sister? Is she okay? If you’ve hurt her …” Sarah finished her rant there, not knowing how to threaten someone who so obviously could overpower her with no effort at all.

Lord Radek chuckled. “It seems that you are as feisty as your sister. She is fine. Christine is upstairs in her room. Giselle will take you to her if you like.” The kindly woman stepped into the room and nodded her head. Lord Radek continued, “Hillard and I have some matters that require discussion. Some things, I am afraid, that are long overdue.”

Sarah did not like the sound of that last bit, especially since the guards had taken Hillard’s bag from him, containing the wooden stakes and flint for fire, but she had no choice but to follow Giselle. Her part of this plan was only beginning. Now it was Hillard’s job to keep Lord Radek busy while she and Adalaide got Christine out of the castle.

Sarah paid careful attention as she was lead through the halls of the castle. She wanted to make sure that she could find her way back out again after she was reunited with Christine. They went up one floor and finally stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.

“This is her room. You can go in. I think she’s expecting you,” Giselle said warily and then turned, leaving Sarah standing alone in front of the door. Sarah didn’t know what to do next so she knocked, feeling foolish knocking on a door in a rescue attempt. Something didn’t seem quite right here.

“Come in,” Christine’s voice came through the door. Sarah was so excited to hear her sister’s voice that she rushed into the room without thinking further about her suspicions. Christine was standing in front of the door and the first thing Sarah did was rush over and envelop her in a hug.

“Are you okay? Has he hurt you? We’re going to get you out of here.” Sarah knew she was babbling but she had been so afraid that she would never see Christine again that she couldn’t help it. She held Christine out at arms length and was shocked at what she saw.

Christine’s beautiful blue eyes were now the shocking emerald hue shared by both Radek and Hillard!