Believing as so many did that her young husband was dead
Mary wept the tears a wife weeps.
It was incredible to her. Three months ago he was a perfectly healthy man and now he was dead.
Something didn't seem right to her. She couldn't explain it and didn't know why, but it just didn't feel right to her.
On top of everything else no one seemed to know where he was buried or when the funeral was. How was that possible? He was a Duke for god's sake. All right so he wasn't heir to the throne, but still he was a noble. That alone should have gotten him a crypt and a funeral.
Even his father was closed mouth about it all. Even her father wouldn't tell her anything.
She had to know. Some how she had to find out.
She decided to sneak away and see if she could fine a clue, anything that would lead her to Henry.
Although it was night and she only had a lantern to see by she thought she saw a woman's figure holding a shovel. She decided to follow her.
After some time the woman stopped and began digging.
Mary watched from a safe distance. She couldn't imagine what this woman was digging up.
She had to cover her mouth as she let out a gasp when she saw what it was. It was Henry. He was there, standing next to the woman, seemingly very much alive.
She watched as the two talked and then kissed. She had to fight back the tears. How could she have been so stupid to not realize he had a mistress?
She could not watch any longer. Sadly she walked away. Her husband must have faked his own death. Men had open affairs all the time. Why did he have to fake his death to be with woman?
There could only be one answer. There was something about her that was different. She was no ordinary woman.
By the time she got home she was determined to find out what was going on.
Months later Mary discovered a world she had never known existed. A world that only existed at night.
There were people, nightwalkers, who lived by night and slept by day.
She had also learned about Henry and that woman. Her name was Christina and she was one of the nightwalkers and so was Henry.
He was no longer human, no longer her Henry. He would never be that sweet wonderful man she had married. He belonged to Christina now. At least she now knew the truth of it all.
She felt there was nothing she could do about it. It was beyond her. All she could do was live out the rest of her life for how ever long that may be.
For years that's what she thought and believed so she moved on with her life. Until one night she met a very charming man who gave her another option. An option she couldn't refuse.
Chapter two
Mary went into her apartment smiling with excitement. At long last it seemed she might have finally found him. It had only taken her 450 years, but this time it looked like it was for real.
She crossed over to the couch and sat down. Next to it on an end table was the phone. All she had to do was make the call. She was so nervous though. How many times had she come so close to finding him only to learn he had moved and had to start the search all over again?
There were even times she had seen him from a distance. She would run after him, but before she could reach him he would take off and she would lose sight of him.
Her hand shook as she picked up the phone. "Dear Lord, please let this be him. Please let him be there. Let me have finally found him," she prayed.
The phone rang and rang. Mary in despair was about to give up when she heard a voice at the other end say "Hello".
It was a man's voice, but she wasn't sure if it was his. She had not heard it in all these centuries.
She cleared her throat and found her voice. "Hello, I am looking for Henry Fitzroy."
She waited in anticipation for the reply.
"I am Henry Fitzroy, who is this?"
Mary gulped, she couldn't believe it, was it true, was it really him. She hardly knew what to say next. She was so used to saying oh I'm sorry and hanging up.
"Henry is that truly you? I have tried for such a long time to find you and now I can't believe it's true."
Henry was about to ask the same question again, but there was something familiar about this voice. Where had he heard it before? He decided to ask her again.
"Who did you say this was?"
"It's me Henry, its Mary, Mary Howard," she exclaimed.
Henry was silent for a long moment. He had no idea what to say. His first thought was it wasn't possible, but he knew better.
"Mary, is this really you, you're alive? Where are you?"
"Yes, yes, Henry it's me I'm alive. I'm in Toronto." She then told him which street her apartment was on.
Henry put the pen down on the drawing board and went over to a chair and sat down. Mary after all these years was talking to him on the phone.
"You are very close to my place only a few blocks away. Mary, I want to see you, will you come over?"
She felt as though she had been holding her breath, but of course knew she hadn't. "Yes," she said rather excitedly. Tell me the address and I will be right over."
Minutes later she was standing in front of his door and knocking it. "Please Lord don't let this be some mean trick, please let this be Henry."
Henry opened the door only to gaze upon her face. She was a little older, now perhaps even older than he. Nonetheless it was Mary. He smiled "Hello, Mary, come in."
He opened the door wider so she could come inside. Mary just stood there for a moment. She hardly knew what to do next. Finally she resisted the temptation to go into his arms and simply walked into his apartment.
She gazed around as she stepped inside. "You have a very nice place here, Henry," she said and turned to face him. "And I see you are drawing. I'm very glad to see you are finally using your talent."
Henry closed the door and moved closer to her. "Thank you, I see you have become a modern woman, even in dress."
"Did you expect me to look as I did 450 years ago," she asked and chuckled.
Henry shook his head, "No that wasn't exactly what I meant." He decided to take a different tact. "You look good Mary." He moved even closer to her.
"You are a," he stopped he didn't want to be rude, but had to know for sure.
She looked into his eyes, "I am what you are." She couldn't resist it any longer; she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.
He wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug. It been a very long time since the last time they hugged. It actually felt very nice and very welcome.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Henry didn't move he didn't want to let go of Mary so soon.
Vicki stood outside of Henry's door and knocked again. She couldn't imagine why it was taking him such a long time to answer the door. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door.
Chapter Three
Henry parted from Mary to answer the door. He could tell from the smell it was Vicki. With Mary's arrival he had forgotten she was coming over.
He opened the door and greeted Vicki with a smile.
"Hi, come on in."
He stepped to one side and waved her in.
She walked into the loft and began crossing the floor only to stop when she saw Mary there.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company."
Henry closed the door and came to stand beside Mary.
"This is Mary." He looked over at her. "I…" he looked back at Vicki, "Wasn't' expecting her."
Mary smiled, "I'm his wife."
"His," she stared at Henry then at Mary, then back at Henry, "Wife?"
Henry glanced at Mary, "Actually I'm not certain we are still married." He looked back at Vicki. "I was supposed to have died after all."
Mary smiled, "But then so was I."
"It is until death us do part," Henry reminded her.
"Wait a minute," Vicki pointed at Mary, "You're one too, you're a vampire?"
Mary looked over at Henry and grinned," She catches on fast."
Henry went over to Vicki. "In life she was my wife," he began explaining. "But then I died. So we would no longer be married."
"Yes except you were resurrected, so no longer dead," Vicki said.
"Yes, but not alive either."
Mary interrupted their conversation. "Neither dead nor alive, the walking dead or night walkers, vampires. So dear Henry are we or are we not? I say since neither of us died…. And well stayed that way, we are."
"Well dear Henry, what do you say," Vicki asked.
Henry walked over to Mary and placed his hands on her lower shoulders. "I'm sorry, Mary, but we are no longer married. We did die, thus the end of our contract to each other."
Mary looked at him with sad eyes. "Is that what it was, a contract?" She pushed his hand off her and walked over to the window and looked out. She slowly turned around and faced him. "I loved you, you were, are my husband. This was not a contract," she blurted out.
"I'm sorry, Mary, bad choice of words."
He went over to her. "You are right, it was not a contract, we were husband and wife, but that was over 450 years ago." He slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we are no longer married."
Mary shook her head. "I don't see it that way, 450 years does not erase that fact."
Vicki who had been standing there listening to this finally spoke up. "Okay, you both died, but you both came back as vampires. So no longer dead. But still you died even if it was for a short time, so for there you would no longer be married."
Henry had turned around so he was facing Vicki. "Exactly my point."
"Okay, so we are no longer married," Mary, admitted. She then smiled, "But it's just a matter of time then. We were married once we can be married again."
Henry turned so he was standing side ways so he could look back and forth at each woman by the turn of his head. His arms were folded in front of him.
"No, Mary, it's not that easy. It's been a long time centuries have gone by. We aren't the same people we were back then."
Mary frowned, "I still…
"Maybe I should leave," Vicki suggested.
Henry went over to Vicki, "No, don't go."
Mary watched in dismay. It was very apparent Henry had feelings for this woman, this human.
She let out a deep sigh and slowly went over to Henry and Vicki.
"No, Vicki, you don't have to leave, I'll leave."
She went to the door, stopped and turned around. "Henry, I have always loved you. I still do, but I understand we aren't' those people any more. I just ask you don't push me away. You don't force me out of your life.
Henry went over to her. "Mary I don't want to force you out of my life. I just don't want you to have any high expectations about us."
Mary smiled demurely, "As long as I can still be a part of your life. That's all I ask."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I'll let you get back to Vicki. We can have another visit another time."
With that she left.
Henry went back over to Vicki. I'm sorry about that."
Vicki shook her head. "No, no, it's okay." She paused for a moment. "So your past has caught up with you." It was more of a statement than a question.
Henry frowned, "Apparently it has."
Vicki had a puzzled look on here face. Are you unhappy about that?"
Vicki had a puzzled look on her face. "Are you unhappy about that?
Henry shook his head, and then sighed. "I'm not sure."
"Oh well at least there's no ambiguity about how you feel."
Henry smiled, "No not at all." He motioned towards the couch. "Shall we."
They went over to the couch and sat down.
"Okay tell me about this case you are on."