*** Galway was a sorry excuse for a town. For the respectable citizens
who desired a quiet, decent life, it suited the purpose. But for feeding,
and for fun, it was sorely lacking. Claire was crying, forever crying, in
the corner. Darla and Gwain were fighting.again. Situated in an old shanty
in the woods the three shared, it was impossible not to get on each other's
nerves. Gwain pounded his fist on the table.
"Let's go Darla! Let's leave, we can go anywhere we wish. I hear London's great this time of year."
Darla reclined on the bed lazily. "No, not yet. Not till I have him! and the time is not yet right!" She glanced over at Claire who was huddled in the corner. "And if she doesn't SHUT UP! I will stake her myself!" The threat was backed up by an angry snarl.
Claire hugged herself tighter and tried to stop the sobbing.
"Leave her alone! I'm her sire and she will stay with me."
Darla bared her fangs angrily. "Then I go."
At that Gwain backed down a bit. "No, No, I'm sorry to get so upset. But I feel Claire would do much better if we got her out of this town."
He laid down on the bed beside Darla. "Besides, it's so dull here. You can find another human in London." He began running his hand through Darla's hair gently. "Wouldn't that be fun?"
Darla seemed to consider it. "But you have Claire, and I want Liam."
Gwain sighed impatiently. But when neither said another word for a few minutes, Claire looked up from her own bed. Then quickly back down again. She didn't need.or want.to see That! Darla laughed lightly, and Claire hurled herself off her bed and out the door. Gwain started to go after her but Darla put a coy hand on his arm.
"She'll be back, where else could she go? Let's make use of this alone time."***
"Those two were impossible to live with" Claire sniffled.
"All I wanted was to be with you. I thought of finding you myself and changing you but...but I couldn't wish the undead life on anybody. I was miserable, and alone, and .a captive."
*** "Claire!" It was Gwain again. "Claire, look what Darla has brought us."
Inside the cabin was an elderly woman alive and petrified. Her fear filled the cabin with a smell that was at once disgusting and delectable. Unwilling, Claire began to salivate. The thundering heart called to her.
"NO!!" she screamed, snapping herself out of her blood lust. "No. I won't..I can't."
Darla frowned. "Claire you haven't fed at all this week. Come join us for a meal."
But Claire just headed for the door. She reached for the latch but Gwain was suddenly blocking her path. One word was all he needed to say. His tone and visage leaving no room for argument and no desire to know what defying him would mean. "Stay."***
Angel shivered involuntarily. "So I stayed." Claire said. "And I fed. And I found that I liked it eventually. Grew to like it, to need it. But the disgust stayed, the loathing. Even after Darla took off with you, especially after Darla took off with you. But it was too late. Gwain had me, and always managed to find me. But now, now I have something he wants very much. And he won't let me go till he gets it back."
"What's that?" Angel asked.
Claire leaned in close and in a conspiratorial tone whispered "His secret."
"Let's go Darla! Let's leave, we can go anywhere we wish. I hear London's great this time of year."
Darla reclined on the bed lazily. "No, not yet. Not till I have him! and the time is not yet right!" She glanced over at Claire who was huddled in the corner. "And if she doesn't SHUT UP! I will stake her myself!" The threat was backed up by an angry snarl.
Claire hugged herself tighter and tried to stop the sobbing.
"Leave her alone! I'm her sire and she will stay with me."
Darla bared her fangs angrily. "Then I go."
At that Gwain backed down a bit. "No, No, I'm sorry to get so upset. But I feel Claire would do much better if we got her out of this town."
He laid down on the bed beside Darla. "Besides, it's so dull here. You can find another human in London." He began running his hand through Darla's hair gently. "Wouldn't that be fun?"
Darla seemed to consider it. "But you have Claire, and I want Liam."
Gwain sighed impatiently. But when neither said another word for a few minutes, Claire looked up from her own bed. Then quickly back down again. She didn't need.or want.to see That! Darla laughed lightly, and Claire hurled herself off her bed and out the door. Gwain started to go after her but Darla put a coy hand on his arm.
"She'll be back, where else could she go? Let's make use of this alone time."***
"Those two were impossible to live with" Claire sniffled.
"All I wanted was to be with you. I thought of finding you myself and changing you but...but I couldn't wish the undead life on anybody. I was miserable, and alone, and .a captive."
*** "Claire!" It was Gwain again. "Claire, look what Darla has brought us."
Inside the cabin was an elderly woman alive and petrified. Her fear filled the cabin with a smell that was at once disgusting and delectable. Unwilling, Claire began to salivate. The thundering heart called to her.
"NO!!" she screamed, snapping herself out of her blood lust. "No. I won't..I can't."
Darla frowned. "Claire you haven't fed at all this week. Come join us for a meal."
But Claire just headed for the door. She reached for the latch but Gwain was suddenly blocking her path. One word was all he needed to say. His tone and visage leaving no room for argument and no desire to know what defying him would mean. "Stay."***
Angel shivered involuntarily. "So I stayed." Claire said. "And I fed. And I found that I liked it eventually. Grew to like it, to need it. But the disgust stayed, the loathing. Even after Darla took off with you, especially after Darla took off with you. But it was too late. Gwain had me, and always managed to find me. But now, now I have something he wants very much. And he won't let me go till he gets it back."
"What's that?" Angel asked.
Claire leaned in close and in a conspiratorial tone whispered "His secret."