The light of the small camp in the distance called out to me within the darkness as it illuminated the pitch-black sky. My eyes flickered to the dark shadows around me as I stood idle, my thoughts racing.
Wesley's young-handsome face materialized before me, his icy-blue eyes piercing the night causing my pink lips to turn up in a slight smile. I began to make my way slowly through the darkened brush before me as my mind still whirled feverishly. I could feel the young man's arms around me as I began to retrace my memories of my first day in the alien world I now lived in. I could still hear his words that he softly whispered into my ear as he held me tight against his chest, my tears flowing freely down my pale cheeks.
You're safe now Catherine Lancaster, I shall protect you.
Although his words confused me, I couldn't help feeling a sense of calm. It had been several months since I had last seen the human world and had become an immortal, or as Wesley would call me: a hybrid. I had found that most of the men in the camp would scarcely look at me, let alone talk to me and the eyes that did wander in my direction, would flicker away the moment I noticed.
I didn't find solitude in being alone like I once had as a human. The silence made me nervous, it appeared almost unnatural. It seemed ironic now that I of all people would find such things strange because they didn't seem natural. This world was so unlike the human world that finding similarities here seemed to cause me more comfort.
Wesley brought me comfort, although everything about his appearance screamed unnatural and frightening. From his tall-muscular build and strong-chiseled jaw, to his threatening scowl and menacing glare. His eyes however, so gentle yet mysterious seemed to ease my discomfort with my new life. His understanding of my unspoken feelings brought me solitude, even if it were only brief.
He knew my pain; I could see it in his deep blue eyes even before I had learned the story of his beginning. I remembered the look on his face as his soft words hummed amid the air between us, the look of turmoil dancing in his eyes. I stood looking over the small camp in the valley below me, my eyes glassed over as my thoughts wandered back to the night I learned of his demise.
"I know that look." A deep brooding voice spoke behind me as I turned from the small-crackling fire pitted before me. Wesley's eyes were soft as I looked at him in surprise.
"However do you mean?" I asked politely as he handed me a hot mug of steaming ham broth.
"Careful, it's hot." He cautioned as he sat down gently on a rotted tree stump across from me. I looked down at the steaming cup.
"Thank you." I whispered smiling at him as he sipped his drink greedily.
"You can talk to me, Catherine." He replied, his eyes glistening in the firelight as he looked back at me. "I'm a good listener." His southern-accented voice seemed to pour over me like warm honey, inviting me to speak.
"I miss him." I replied, looking down at the full mug in my pale hand. I could feel my silent heart quivering within my chest as I spoke. "I miss him so much." I watched as a single drop of blood fell to the dirt below me, my vision beginning to blur.
I felt the hot mug slide from my fingers, landing noiselessly to the ground at my feet. I covered my face with my hands, knowing I shouldn't let myself loose control but deciding I didn't give a damn. I felt his hand on my arm, his body heat radiating through my white-lace button-up shirt sleeve causing me to look up. His face was soft and desirably handsome in the glow of the firelight as he wiped my wet cheek with his other hand.
"I know how you feel Catherine," He replied softly, his eyes intense as he watched me. "It wasn't that long ago I went through my change." I looked at him in surprise, wondering where his words would take us. "Most say it's better to forget," He went on look at the cracking fire before us as he patted my arm and leaned closer still. "But I beg to differ."
I watched him intently as he took my soft hand, his eyes beginning to close. I sat motionless as a slow, yet gentle electrical current began to flow from his fingers into mine. I looked down in surprise as his once faded memories began to dance before me.
The sun was low in the sky as she walked quickly towards him, her hunter green skirts billowing behind her in the wild wind. Wesley smiled warmly as her golden locks tumbled from where they had been pulled loosely at the nape of her neck. She looked at him with intense blue eyes as she pulled him close, her arms beginning to tremble as she began to speak.
"We must leave this place Wesley." She whispered loudly into his ear, her arms tight around his waist.
"I cannot." He whispered back, sliding his fingers through her feathery-soft strands of hair.
"It's not safe." She whined, closing her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. "The Union Army is so close I can almost smell them." A soft frown began to form on her lips as she turned from him to look beyond the thick-green Virginian landscape.
"Emeline," Wesley murmured as his eyes found hers. "Stop this madness. I cannot leave. I cannot be a deserter." His words came out harshly, causing her to step back and her arms to drop. Her now wide eyes pleaded silently as she bit her lip sullenly. "This is our home." He waved his hand in the air as he looked around at the misty-blue mountains that surrounded them. "We have to protect what's ours."
She stood idle, her sapphire eyes intense as she watched his handsomely human face. He smiled casually, his eyes sparkling as she slipped her small-calloused hands in his large ones. He pulled her into his embrace as she smiled up at him, her eyes bright yet still somewhat fearful.
"You are mine." She whispered as the wind blew by them, causing her hair to dance about her face. "My husband. And I must protect you." Wesley stood mesmerized by her angelic face as she spoke, her arms still tight in his.
"You are a dear, Em." He whispered into her ear, relishing in her sweet scent radiating from her hair. "But if we are to keep what's ours, we mustn't back down." She pulled back looking up at his serious face, her eyes sad.
"I shall make arrangements to go south with my brother and his wife then." She mused, trying to smile.
"Yes, that would be best." Wesley replied looking towards the large plantation-style brick house that sat in the distance, enthralled by the large confederate grouping of soldiers moving about his families' property aimlessly waiting for any sudden change from the union army.
"It shall be best for our child too." She whispered clutching her belly with both hands softly. Wesley slipped his dark gray uniform cap back on as he looked back down at his wife's smiling face, a look of surprise on his sun-weathered face.
"Our child?" He asked, looking down at her hands covering her abdomen.
"I'm supposing it's a boy." Emeline laughed as he placed his large hand over her small one.
"A son?" He replied softly looking back at her shinning eyes, a smile playing on his lips.
"Yes Wesley." She answered as she slipped her hand from his and brushed his cheek.
"Oh Emeline." He cried, pulling her up into his strong arms as he laughed delightfully. He kissed her intensely as he held her tight against his muscular form, feeling her arms snake around his neck.
"I love you Wesley McGraw." She murmured into his ear as he spun her around in the early-summer air.
The vision began to fade almost instantly the moment the small blonde-haired beauty spoke, bringing me suddenly back to reality. I sat huddled close to Wesley, his large hands squeezing mine tightly as he began to open his delicate eye-lids to look at me. He released my hands instantaneously as he leaned back, brushing his hands through his dirty-blonde hair that fell to his shoulders in waves.
"When did you die?" I whispered, turning my body to face him.
"It was 1861." He replied, looking down at his hands that rested in his lap. "The war had only begun a few months earlier."
"The Civil War." I whispered as he looked at me with fiery eyes.
"Yes." He answered, watching me intently as he spoke. "The beast that changed me found me dying on the battlefield only a few miles from my home in Western Virginia." His eyes began to smolder as he continued to speak. "I was only twenty-five."
"So young." I replied, looking down at the sputtering fire.
"Not for that day and age." He murmured softly, following my gaze. "Emeline was young. She was not yet nineteen."
"What happened to her?" I asked, looking up at his shadowed face.
"She lived." He replied looking back at me. "For a time anyway." He looked away from me then, trying to keep his emotions at bay.
"What happened to her?" I asked, pushing closer to him as I slipped my hand in his.
"I had to see her." He whispered, looking down at me as dark tears began to slide down his pale cheeks. "I couldn't resist." I watched him intently as his memories came back in a flash. I sat idle, waiting for the electrical current to come and sweep me into his forgotten world but nothing came.
"Wesley what happened?" I asked as I slid closer still, my hand tight around his. "What happened to Emeline?"
"Me." He replied sorrowfully, slipping his hand from mine as he pushed away to stand before the blazing fire. "I'm what happened to her."
I sat frozen in horror as my thoughts began to race wildly causing frightening, yet vibrant visions to dance wildly before me.
"You killed her?" I said, just barely above a whisper as I watched him turn slowly to face me. His eyes sullen as they found mine.
"I'm a monster." He whispered hoarsely, looking down at his open hands.
"No more a monster than I." I replied as he looked back up at me, his face full of confusion. "I killed Edward."
"He still lives." Wesley replied, his face still ashen.
"Immortality isn't living." I replied wretchedly, turning from his forlorn face. "He would still be human if it weren't for me."
"No Catherine." He replied softly, touching my shoulder gently. "He would be in a box, six feet under." I turned to face him, seeing honesty written all over his face. "It's in our nature to kill. I fear the human world because of this."
"You never go back?" I asked as my eyes found his.
"Only the once." He replied, looking down. "When I went to see Emeline."
"I fear it too Wesley." I whispered as he looked back at me.
"Let's make a packed then." He said as he rested his hand on my shoulder. "Let's never go back."
"To protect them?" I asked as I closed my eyes.
"Always." He answered gently.
"Always." I whispered opening my eyes and smiling up at him as I took his hand in mine.