Henry signed his name with flourish and smiled enigmatically at the fan in front of him, while opening the cover on the next book for the next fan. His publisher arranged for him to be at this convention. It happened once a year and animators from all across the world gathered here. It was the evening of the second day and he had a line up out the door of the small board room for signatures. Blood Price had been doing well, so much so that it was beginning to get recognition in the head of the graphic novel industry, right up there with books like Spawn and some of the other Japanese novelists.
Henry began to recall the last time that he had been at this particular convention and allowed part of his mind to relive the moments of that day as he continued to sign autographs.
~One year earlier~
It was near the end of the line that his hand began to cramp just a little bit. Signing his name so many times was taking its toll even by Vampire standards. He had just finished the last signature when he heard a female voice outside the door.
"I will catch up with you guys in a minute, I want to see if he is still here."
Well one more won't hurt. Henry mused as the young woman popped her head in the door and looked around. She noticed him at the desk putting his things away and smiled shyly. "Ah, Mr. Fitzroy, do you think that I could trouble you for one more signature?" she asked sincerely.
Henry smiled at her and waved her over, "Of course. Who shall I make it out to?"
Her hazel eyes sparkled a little and she pushed a strand of shoulder length chestnut hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Cara Leye. Cara, please" she replied as she watched him write out his name once more. He couldn't hold the wince back though as his hand cramped. "Oh dear! Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yes I am fine thank you, just a small hand cramp," Henry replied shaking it out a little.
"Well it is no wonder with all the signatures that you probably wrote this evening, and me coming in to aggravate it a little more. If you will permit me, give me your hand," she requested firmly.
"I'm sorry?" Henry asked as he blinked at her forwardness.
She laughed lightly, "Mr. Fitzroy, give me your hand, it is the least that I can do."
"Henry, please."
She laughed gently again and captured his hand in both of hers. Her fingers were almost as cool to the touch as his were as she began massaging the muscles in his hand. He stood mute as she carefully and skilfully manipulated the muscles in his hand, fingers and wrist easing the ache that had been building for some time. "Why is it that men in particular never know when to take care of themselves?" she muttered softly under her breath as she continued to work. Snapping her eyes up to his blue ones as he gave a small snort of laughter, "Oh I am sorry. No offence meant, just… well… never mind." She blushed lightly in embarrassment.
"It is perhaps because they have, what they consider too many other important things to do beside a little bit of care," Henry replied with an amused smile.
Cara snorted lightly as she absently began massaging the muscles in his forearm as well, "Relax your arm please. And just how do they think that they are going to continue to do the things that they think are important if they are not well enough to give it their all? I mean seriously, where is the logic in not taking care of yourself so that you don't fall over due to illness or loss of strength just because you didn't take the time to rest?"
"You have a very compelling point Cara," Henry informed her as she absently let go of the hand that she was working on and scooped up the other with no second thought and began to repeat the process of massaging out the muscles there. The ones in his left hand weren't as stiff as the ones in his right had been but it still felt good.
"Why can't all my other guy friends be as understanding as you Henry? They all act like little children sometimes when it comes to their health. If I didn't keep after them sometimes I hazard to think that they would all be run ragged all the time," Cara shook her head, "I am sorry I am not sure why I am telling you all this. You just seem like a really good listener."
Henry tucked the strand of chestnut hair that had escaped once more behind her ear, "Perhaps it is because you needed someone to talk to? Someone outside the situation as it were?"
She smirked at him, "Perhaps. Feel free to return the favour by the way, I am also a very good listener." There was a short little chirp from her jeans pocket and she dug out her cell phone. Flipping it open she frowned at the message.
"Something wrong?" Henry asked gently as she slid her remaining hand from his arm.
She shook her head, "Naw, just one of my friends telling me that they were going back to the room and they would meet me there. Guess that a couple of them got tired of waiting and wanted to go back to watch some of the anime that they picked up today." She looked at the clock on the phone as she winged back a text saying that they would meet them soon. "Oh my! We have been here for over an hour! I am sorry for taking up so much of your time Mr. Fitzroy! I am sure that you have other places to be!"
Henry captured one of her hands in his. "It is alright Cara. I rather enjoyed our chat, and the impromptu massage." He smiled briefly at her. "I would have rather been here talking with you than being mobbed by fan-girls. And I told you to please call me Henry."
Cara giggled, "They are in abundance this year aren't they? But I should really be going. They are going to wonder where I have gotten off to, and someone has to keep an eye on them tonight."
Henry and Cara both gathered their things and began heading out the door. "Why do they need someone to keep an eye on them tonight?" He asked curious at this genuine woman before him.
"Why to keep them from all drinking themselves silly of course," she replied matter-of-factly. She snickered as Henry's eyebrows threatened to disappear into his hairline. She filled him in on the fact that the second evening of the Con that everyone gathered in one of the rooms to watch Anime all night and drink. The bathtub had been filled with ice that afternoon and the drinks had been placed in it to chill. "I don't drink that often and usually more often than not look after those that do. I don't mind, seeing them drunk off their butts is hilarious as it is. I make sure that they get to sleep at a decent hour and that no one is sick and then take great delight in the morning in hangovers and tales of how stupid they were the night before."
Cara and Henry passed the ballroom holding the Anime characters dance where loud J-Pop music was pumping out of large speakers in the 4 corners of the room. They paused a few times here and there when fans would spot Henry and ask for autographs. Cara would wait patiently for him to finish and then they would continue on.
"Seems to me that you are always on call," Henry mused as they headed down the promenade to the bank of elevators. "When do you get time to care for you?"
Cara laughed lightly, "Taking care of my friends and seeing them well is good enough. I have done it since high school so it comes naturally to me. There are times when I can catch a few stolen moments of forgetfulness and believe that all is right with the world that I live in. Those have been coming few and far between as of late, but for my friends it is a sacrifice that I am willing to make."
As they entered the empty elevator car, Cara pushed the button for the 10th floor and looked pointedly at Henry as her hand hovered over the buttons. "I will walk you to your door if you don't mind," he replied to which she smiled and nodded. Once the doors closed he looked at her as she leaned against the back of the elevator. "If you don't mind my asking, what do you mean stolen moments of forgetfulness?" Cara looked into Henry's inquiring eyes and smirked with a quirk of an eyebrow. Realization dawned swiftly on the Vampire author and he laughed lightly in response. "OH… that kind."
Cara smirked, "Yeah… that kind. Though I haven't been able to get many of those lately. College was great for it. One of my friends and I had an arrangement of sorts. Haven't been able to find anyone else that I felt comfortable enough to do that with that they aren't gonna read more into it."
Henry nodded sagely as the elevator dinged and they exited the elevator. They made their way down the hall and stopped just outside the door that Cara was sharing with some of her friends. They could hear an Anime playing and laughter echoing through the door. "Thank you Henry," Cara said sincerely then her tone turned glib, "Keep an eye on those cramps will you? What would your fans do if you couldn't draw any more?"
Henry's deep laugh sent warmth through her. "Including me in the people you keep an eye on Cara?" he lightly admonished.
Cara pulled out a small notebook from her back pocket. She scribbled her name, cell number and email address on it before tearing out the page and pressing it into his hand. "Looks like it Henry," she smiled and her eyes sparkled in mischief, "Sorry but you are stuck with me watchin' out for you. Call me some time. I promise not to mob you like some obsessed fan-girl. Unless you want me to, of course."
"Of course," Henry grinned and slid the page into his jacket pocket. He bid her good night and headed back to the elevators to head to his floor.
He found himself a few hours later pondering about the woman he had met and the sheer baffling feeling that over came him when thinking about his chat with the woman. There were still a few hours until dawn and he needed some air to think. He decided to head up the stairs to the roof for some clear night air and was surprised to find that the door to the roof had already been opened. There was a loose brick wedged between the jam and the door to keep it from closing again. The sensor for the fire alarm was bypassed with some wire and a magnet, stepping out onto the flat gravel roof he extended his senses and brushed against a familiar presence. The gasp of the woman was all the more surprising as no one should have been able to feel the touch of his vampiric senses.
"Who's there?" a new familiar voice called out from his left near the edge of the building.
"Cara?" he questioned and turned to see the young woman he met earlier standing there on the roof, a light weight cloak with hood draped about her shoulders to keep the evening chill off.
"Henry?!" her tone was incredulous, "What are you doing up here?"
Henry smirked and let the door close gently against the brick before moving over to her, the light from the surrounding city gave enough of a glow that she could make out his pale form in the light moving toward her.
"I came up for some air and some inspiration for my next book. What are ~you~ doing up here?"
Cara sighed and turned to look back out at the city lights, "Came up for some air too."
Henry moved over to her and stood close, he could feel the prickling on his skin as she seemed acutely aware of just how close he was standing. Her senses unconsciously brushed against his and they both shivered at the feeling. He took a really long look at the woman standing before him. It was as if the weight of the world had settled around her shoulders. "Tell me something," he asked softly, "how do those stolen moments help you? I mean the problems are still there what you come back from it."
She shook her head and gave him a half smile, "I don't know exactly. It is kinda like playing with a puzzle that has too many pieces upside down and won't fit right because you can't see what they look like. Those moments, it is like the pieces get turned right side up in my head and then they just fall into place. Not like it is gonna happen for me for a while though," she shrugged, "Just one of those things."
"Give me your hand," Henry said softly.
"I'm sorry what?"
Henry smirked at her softly and used her same words, "It is the least I can do if you let me." She smiled and placed his hand in her outstretched one. He drew her close and wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled the hair just behind her ear. She sighed and rested against her sensing that she could trust him. He kissed lightly down her neck and let his senses caress hers in soothing waves as he brought his lips to her neck. Gasping lightly at the initial pain she let out a breathy moan as he drank from her and sent feelings of warmth and bliss into her body. After a few moments he eased up and laved the wounding in her neck until they healed.
"Well that explains a lot," she just breathed. Henry quirked an eyebrow and she elaborated. "I… think I understand Henry. What you are. No, don't," Cara pulled him closer by the arms wrapped around her middle as he attempted to pull away. "It is ok. I understand. And I won't tell. Your secret is safe with me."
"How did you know?" He murmured into her hair.
"A feeling I guess. It is just one of those things that I know but don't know at the same time. A couple of those puzzle pieces turned over as it were. Whenever a friend is in pain I feel it. When they are happy so am I. It is just how I am. You confirmed it just now," she turned to him and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "You are looking better too. You were far too pale earlier." Henry's eyes widened in shock as she noticed. She laughed a little, "Told you, you are stuck with me watching out for you now."
"Seems like it," Henry smiled gently at her and hugged her close for a few moments before whispering to her, "It is almost Dawn."
She nodded and slid gently from his grasp. They walked in companionable silence back down to her floor which she had rigged the same way as the roof and they came to stop outside her door. "Remember to call me?" she asked lightly.
Henry pulled out a sharpie and took her hand. He jotted down his cell on her palm. "Only if you promise to call me when you need some one to talk to?"
She nodded and pulled him close for another hug. "I am glad I met you Henry Fitzroy."
"And I you Cara Leye," Henry took her hand, kissed her knuckles and bowed to her regally. "Until next time."
"Yes, until next time," she smiled and slipped into the room filled with her friends quietly and closed the door.
~back to the present~
"How are your hands this time Henry?" a warm familiar voice slid over his hearing and he smiled at the woman it belonged to as the last fan for the evening left the author and his friend to themselves in the board room. They had become fast friends simply talking from time to time and bouncing ideas off one another over the past year.
"They are doing fine Cara thank you," he smiled and stood with grace as she came over to envelop him in a warm hug.
"Good to know, and the rest of you?"
Henry laughed at her. She was fussing over him just like always but he knew it was just her way. "I am well. Been working some, enjoying life in others, yourself?"
"I am doing just fine Henry thanks. Come on let's go grab a snack for me at the restaurant and we can catch up," she smiled warmly and handed him his jacket.
"After you m'Lady," he bowed and she laughed. Snaking her arm through the crook in his elbow, the two wandered out of the room and out into the convention as completely at ease with one another as they had been when they first met that year ago.