Madeline sat in the sunlight, like she enjoyed doing every day since
she had turned human. She held her four-month-old son, Benjamin, in her
arms. Carl and Madeline had married before he and Van Helsing had to
return to Rome. Van Helsing assured that they wouldn't be gone long, and
Madeline had a feeling that Van Helsing wouldn't be gone any longer than he
had to be. He wanted to be with Anna and their son, Tyrney Velkan Van
Helsing. Anna had realized that she did have maternal instincts, and she
hardly left Tyrney alone for a few minutes. Madeline often found herself
doing the same thing, and she and Anna became good friends.
Mae walked outside and stood beside Madeline in a patch of sunlight. Madeline looked over at Mae. "Would you do me a favor?" Mae didn't even wait to hear what the favor was; she nodded because she would do anything for Madeline. Madeline had set her free of Victoria and the rest of the coven, who pushed her around and verbally abused her. She was grateful to Madeline, as were the rest of the people that knew her. Madeline had a gift to touch the hearts of everyone she knew, and she didn't lose that gift after becoming human. Madeline still liked to help out whenever she could.
"Will you go to London and find my father and make sure he's all right?" Madeline asked with a hint of old sadness in her eyes. "I still worry about him at night, every night."
Mae nodded. "I will find him, and I will make sure he is fine. I will send you a cable when I get to London."
"When will you leave?" Madeline asked as she held Benjamin against her shoulder. His eyes were bright green like Madeline and Adam's eyes. He had blonde hair, like his parents, but it was a curly mess like Madeline's hair. He was a calm baby and rarely cried, which surprised Madeline. She figured most babies cried a lot, but her son didn't. Madeline guessed it was because he was a dhampir, but she wasn't sure if that was why he rarely cried.
Mae took a deep breath of the air around her. "I think I'll leave later today," she said. "I'd like to get there as soon as I can. It is not as far away as America, but it is still very far."
Madeline nodded because she'd been on the journey before. "Yes," she replied as the wind blew her curly hair about. "It is very far."
Mae smiled. "I will use magic to get there soon," she admitted causing a smile to appear on Madeline's face. "You know, the people here honor you." Madeline cocked her head to the side. Mae nodded. "They say you gave them back their leader and give them hope that not all creatures are evil. Maybe their souls can be saved."
Madeline half-laughed. "I am an unusual occurrence. Not many can be saved, save you. My father is borderline, but Victoria was pure evil." Mae nodded at that. "I don't think all evil beings have a good soul that can be saved."
"Your father could be saved."
"A long time ago, he could have been saved." She stared at the clouds for a moment. "I'm not certain he can be saved anymore."
Mae looked over at Madeline. "I never felt evil in your father, and neither did Van Helsing after Victoria was out of the way."
"The fact that other people can manipulate him to do evil is what worries me. I just hope he is all right. It has been five months since he left."
Katalena walked outside, she'd stayed there after all the excitement died down because she finally felt she belonged somewhere. She had a house in Vaseria but came to help Anna and Madeline with Tyrney and Benjamin. Usually, Katalena helped Mae tend to housework more than help caring for the two babies because their mothers barely left them to be cared for. "So, this is where you both have gone off to." Katalena walked over to them and stood beside them. She asked Madeline, "Are you making up for all the years you could never be in sunlight?" Madeline laughed and nodded.
Van Helsing and Carl were riding over the Carpathian Mountains. Van Helsing had been sent on a mission to rid a British town of a banshee. It took longer than expected to track the banshee down, but Van Helsing wasted no time in destroying it after he found it. After that, Van Helsing returned to Rome and requested to return to Transylvania. Cardinal Jinette allowed them to go, even though he was not pleased. He had not been pleased to hear about Tyrney or Benjamin, but he had let that slide as well. He figured that Benjamin would later be some help if they ever had trouble with vampires again. A dhampir's main skill was the ability to track down vampires and destroy them. Jinette pondered at whether Benjamin would join the Holy Order when he was old enough. Jinette also wondered if Anna and Van Helsing planned to teach Tyrney their skills. Jinette realized both boys would make a good addition as Knights of the Holy Order.
Mae left later in the day, like she had said. Anna had given her a Transylvanian steed, which Anna said there was nothing faster than Transylvania horses. Mae realized that Anna had been correct as she made it to the Carpathian Mountains before the sun had even set. She saw Van Helsing and Carl at the bottom of the mountains, and she rode over to them. "Where are you going?" Van Helsing asked her.
"No hello?" Mae asked jokingly.
"Not when you're in such a hurry." Van Helsing told her.
Mae said, "I'm going to check on Adam. Madeline asked me to." She got only silence from the two men. So, Mae changed the subject. "You are planning to surprise Anna and Madeline," she stated.
"Yes, is there something we should know?"
Mae shook her head at Van Helsing. "No, they don't leave often. Their attention is always on Tyrney and Benjamin. But, I must hurry off. It was good to see you before I was off." Mae replied waving.
"Goodbye, Mae." Van Helsing and Carl replied.
"Mae!" Van Helsing called before she got too far.
Mae stopped her horse again. "Yes," she answered.
"When you find Adam, let us know about him. He was in a rough condition the last time we saw him."
Mae told him, "I promised to send Madeline a cable when I got to London. I fear that she believes his soul is tainted."
"I don't know how after the emotion he showed the night he left." Carl said surprised by Madeline's reaction.
"I just know she doesn't have much faith in him anymore. But, I have a feeling there's more there under the vampire than anyone sees. I saw his face before he left. There was a pain that a soul of evil could not have shown." Mae replied having her horse move at a slow walk.
"Mae, Anna and I haven't had our wedding. The whole village wants her to have a big wedding. Will you be back in time for that?" Van Helsing asked. He and Anna hadn't had a chance to marry before he left for Rome because the villagers wanted to attend. So, they agreed to hold a large wedding so all the villagers would be happy that they were at their leader's wedding. But, Van Helsing didn't know why Mae would leave so soon to the wedding.
"Anna spoke with me about this. I will do my best to return. If I cannot make it in time, I promise to use my magic and surprise you both on that night." Mae replied.
Van Helsing nodded. "I will let you attend your affairs," he told her.
"Thank you, Van Helsing. You and Carl take care." Mae told them, and she received nods from both men. Then she continued on.
Adam had let his workers off a whole week, like he did every month, and he was savoring the silence of his home. He'd sat and listened to the silence since he'd come home. The pain he felt without Madeline had eased a great deal, but it was still there everyday. Adam just got used to the hollow pain and lived on. Anita helped him realized that his soul was too mixed up between good and evil for him to die and have his soul judged. So, he finally went out and fed again. He was starting to become something like himself again, and he wasn't sure if he should enjoy that.
Adam had his fireplace on and was watching the fire when he heard a knock on his door. He stared at the door. 'Who would it be,' he wondered. 'My workers are enjoying their week off for this month. Would it be them if something terrible has happened? What if Anita is hurt?' Adam rose off of the velvet couch and rushed over to the door. He opened to door to find a woman in a hooded cloak. "Yes," he asked.
The woman pulled back her hood. Adam's eyes widened. "Mae," he asked. She nodded. Adam ushered her in and shut the door. "Why are you here? Is Madeline all right?"
Mae felt sorry for Adam. The first thing he wanted to know about was related to Madeline, but Madeline was just worried that he had turned evil. 'Madeline is wrong,' she thought. 'Adam is not evil.' She replied, "Madeline is very well, but she wanted me to come check on you."
Adam eyes were hopeful. "I have not sent her any cables since I left. I feared she would not care how I was."
"She's just worried about you. There is still a little pain from when you left." Mae replied.
Adam felt a closeness to Mae that he had only felt with Lucy. He was calm around Mae, and he was rarely calm. "I think about her a lot," he admitted. "She was my little girl."
Mae saw the pain in his eyes was worse than the pain that had been in Madeline's eyes. She walked over to him and took his hands in her own. Adam didn't pull his hands away became Mae's touch was warm and caring. He hadn't let anyone care for him since he had cried on Anita's shoulder. He looked down into Mae's bright eyes. "How is her baby?"
Mae smiled. 'He actually cares,' she thought. "Benjamin." Mae told him. "He is a healthy baby, but he is a dhampir." Adam's eye twitched at that, and Mae figured he was afraid that Benjamin would hunt him down one day. "But he has blonde curly hair and vivid green eyes like Madeline." Mae saw the light from the fireplace catch in Adam's eyes. His smile was gentle, and Mae could have mistaken him to be human.
Mae had hid her feelings for Adam while she stayed at the Valerious manor, but they were coming out then. She had strong sexual feelings for Adam, and she leaned up to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Her conscience cheered when Adam didn't pull away from her but put his hands on her jawbone. He kissed her deeply, and Mae savored the kiss. She'd had her feelings built up for months, and she was finally able to let her feelings out.
Adam didn't know what caused Mae to kiss him, but he didn't let go of her. He'd been deprived of the kind of companionship that Mae was offering for years. He slid his hands through her hair, and he felt her unfastening his shirt. Mae held the kiss with Adam as he led her back towards his couch. Mae encouraged his behavior, mostly because she'd wanted to be with Adam since she first saw him.
Mae felt her back come in contact with the soft cushions on the couch, but she was occupied by Adam's kiss. He'd bit down on her lip with his fangs and caused blood to flow. He pulled back, afraid that he'd hurt Mae, but he saw that she was smiling at him seductively. There were few times Adam could admit he didn't care for blood, and this was one of those moments. His sexual desire was stronger than his blood lust. He leaned down against Mae's body and kissed her gently then hard.
The next morning, Mae had Adam's shirt on, fastened up halfway, so most of the skin on her stomach and chest showed. Adam sat in his dress pants staring over at Mae. He realized there was something between the two of them. It wasn't just a one-night fling, like it had been with Victoria-- even if for a brief while Adam thought he loved Victoria. He'd realized that he had just lusted over Victoria, and there was some flame that Adam felt for Mae.
"I told Madeline I'd send a cable when I got here." Mae said to Adam as she sat on the plush carpet. Adam leaned over and pulled a machine that could send cables to people out from under the couch. He set it up on the coffee table in front of Mae.
Mae began typing on the machine, and Adam started kissing her neck. She told him, "I also told her I'd say how you were. What should I say?"
Adam stopped kissing Mae's neck and whispered in her ear. "How about I'm doing much better in your company? That way, we have not lied and have not told Madeline things that she may not wish to know." Mae nodded because Adam was right. She wasn't sure how Madeline would react to hearing about the night she'd shared with Adam. So, she wrote what Adam had told her.
Mae walked outside and stood beside Madeline in a patch of sunlight. Madeline looked over at Mae. "Would you do me a favor?" Mae didn't even wait to hear what the favor was; she nodded because she would do anything for Madeline. Madeline had set her free of Victoria and the rest of the coven, who pushed her around and verbally abused her. She was grateful to Madeline, as were the rest of the people that knew her. Madeline had a gift to touch the hearts of everyone she knew, and she didn't lose that gift after becoming human. Madeline still liked to help out whenever she could.
"Will you go to London and find my father and make sure he's all right?" Madeline asked with a hint of old sadness in her eyes. "I still worry about him at night, every night."
Mae nodded. "I will find him, and I will make sure he is fine. I will send you a cable when I get to London."
"When will you leave?" Madeline asked as she held Benjamin against her shoulder. His eyes were bright green like Madeline and Adam's eyes. He had blonde hair, like his parents, but it was a curly mess like Madeline's hair. He was a calm baby and rarely cried, which surprised Madeline. She figured most babies cried a lot, but her son didn't. Madeline guessed it was because he was a dhampir, but she wasn't sure if that was why he rarely cried.
Mae took a deep breath of the air around her. "I think I'll leave later today," she said. "I'd like to get there as soon as I can. It is not as far away as America, but it is still very far."
Madeline nodded because she'd been on the journey before. "Yes," she replied as the wind blew her curly hair about. "It is very far."
Mae smiled. "I will use magic to get there soon," she admitted causing a smile to appear on Madeline's face. "You know, the people here honor you." Madeline cocked her head to the side. Mae nodded. "They say you gave them back their leader and give them hope that not all creatures are evil. Maybe their souls can be saved."
Madeline half-laughed. "I am an unusual occurrence. Not many can be saved, save you. My father is borderline, but Victoria was pure evil." Mae nodded at that. "I don't think all evil beings have a good soul that can be saved."
"Your father could be saved."
"A long time ago, he could have been saved." She stared at the clouds for a moment. "I'm not certain he can be saved anymore."
Mae looked over at Madeline. "I never felt evil in your father, and neither did Van Helsing after Victoria was out of the way."
"The fact that other people can manipulate him to do evil is what worries me. I just hope he is all right. It has been five months since he left."
Katalena walked outside, she'd stayed there after all the excitement died down because she finally felt she belonged somewhere. She had a house in Vaseria but came to help Anna and Madeline with Tyrney and Benjamin. Usually, Katalena helped Mae tend to housework more than help caring for the two babies because their mothers barely left them to be cared for. "So, this is where you both have gone off to." Katalena walked over to them and stood beside them. She asked Madeline, "Are you making up for all the years you could never be in sunlight?" Madeline laughed and nodded.
Van Helsing and Carl were riding over the Carpathian Mountains. Van Helsing had been sent on a mission to rid a British town of a banshee. It took longer than expected to track the banshee down, but Van Helsing wasted no time in destroying it after he found it. After that, Van Helsing returned to Rome and requested to return to Transylvania. Cardinal Jinette allowed them to go, even though he was not pleased. He had not been pleased to hear about Tyrney or Benjamin, but he had let that slide as well. He figured that Benjamin would later be some help if they ever had trouble with vampires again. A dhampir's main skill was the ability to track down vampires and destroy them. Jinette pondered at whether Benjamin would join the Holy Order when he was old enough. Jinette also wondered if Anna and Van Helsing planned to teach Tyrney their skills. Jinette realized both boys would make a good addition as Knights of the Holy Order.
Mae left later in the day, like she had said. Anna had given her a Transylvanian steed, which Anna said there was nothing faster than Transylvania horses. Mae realized that Anna had been correct as she made it to the Carpathian Mountains before the sun had even set. She saw Van Helsing and Carl at the bottom of the mountains, and she rode over to them. "Where are you going?" Van Helsing asked her.
"No hello?" Mae asked jokingly.
"Not when you're in such a hurry." Van Helsing told her.
Mae said, "I'm going to check on Adam. Madeline asked me to." She got only silence from the two men. So, Mae changed the subject. "You are planning to surprise Anna and Madeline," she stated.
"Yes, is there something we should know?"
Mae shook her head at Van Helsing. "No, they don't leave often. Their attention is always on Tyrney and Benjamin. But, I must hurry off. It was good to see you before I was off." Mae replied waving.
"Goodbye, Mae." Van Helsing and Carl replied.
"Mae!" Van Helsing called before she got too far.
Mae stopped her horse again. "Yes," she answered.
"When you find Adam, let us know about him. He was in a rough condition the last time we saw him."
Mae told him, "I promised to send Madeline a cable when I got to London. I fear that she believes his soul is tainted."
"I don't know how after the emotion he showed the night he left." Carl said surprised by Madeline's reaction.
"I just know she doesn't have much faith in him anymore. But, I have a feeling there's more there under the vampire than anyone sees. I saw his face before he left. There was a pain that a soul of evil could not have shown." Mae replied having her horse move at a slow walk.
"Mae, Anna and I haven't had our wedding. The whole village wants her to have a big wedding. Will you be back in time for that?" Van Helsing asked. He and Anna hadn't had a chance to marry before he left for Rome because the villagers wanted to attend. So, they agreed to hold a large wedding so all the villagers would be happy that they were at their leader's wedding. But, Van Helsing didn't know why Mae would leave so soon to the wedding.
"Anna spoke with me about this. I will do my best to return. If I cannot make it in time, I promise to use my magic and surprise you both on that night." Mae replied.
Van Helsing nodded. "I will let you attend your affairs," he told her.
"Thank you, Van Helsing. You and Carl take care." Mae told them, and she received nods from both men. Then she continued on.
Adam had let his workers off a whole week, like he did every month, and he was savoring the silence of his home. He'd sat and listened to the silence since he'd come home. The pain he felt without Madeline had eased a great deal, but it was still there everyday. Adam just got used to the hollow pain and lived on. Anita helped him realized that his soul was too mixed up between good and evil for him to die and have his soul judged. So, he finally went out and fed again. He was starting to become something like himself again, and he wasn't sure if he should enjoy that.
Adam had his fireplace on and was watching the fire when he heard a knock on his door. He stared at the door. 'Who would it be,' he wondered. 'My workers are enjoying their week off for this month. Would it be them if something terrible has happened? What if Anita is hurt?' Adam rose off of the velvet couch and rushed over to the door. He opened to door to find a woman in a hooded cloak. "Yes," he asked.
The woman pulled back her hood. Adam's eyes widened. "Mae," he asked. She nodded. Adam ushered her in and shut the door. "Why are you here? Is Madeline all right?"
Mae felt sorry for Adam. The first thing he wanted to know about was related to Madeline, but Madeline was just worried that he had turned evil. 'Madeline is wrong,' she thought. 'Adam is not evil.' She replied, "Madeline is very well, but she wanted me to come check on you."
Adam eyes were hopeful. "I have not sent her any cables since I left. I feared she would not care how I was."
"She's just worried about you. There is still a little pain from when you left." Mae replied.
Adam felt a closeness to Mae that he had only felt with Lucy. He was calm around Mae, and he was rarely calm. "I think about her a lot," he admitted. "She was my little girl."
Mae saw the pain in his eyes was worse than the pain that had been in Madeline's eyes. She walked over to him and took his hands in her own. Adam didn't pull his hands away became Mae's touch was warm and caring. He hadn't let anyone care for him since he had cried on Anita's shoulder. He looked down into Mae's bright eyes. "How is her baby?"
Mae smiled. 'He actually cares,' she thought. "Benjamin." Mae told him. "He is a healthy baby, but he is a dhampir." Adam's eye twitched at that, and Mae figured he was afraid that Benjamin would hunt him down one day. "But he has blonde curly hair and vivid green eyes like Madeline." Mae saw the light from the fireplace catch in Adam's eyes. His smile was gentle, and Mae could have mistaken him to be human.
Mae had hid her feelings for Adam while she stayed at the Valerious manor, but they were coming out then. She had strong sexual feelings for Adam, and she leaned up to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Her conscience cheered when Adam didn't pull away from her but put his hands on her jawbone. He kissed her deeply, and Mae savored the kiss. She'd had her feelings built up for months, and she was finally able to let her feelings out.
Adam didn't know what caused Mae to kiss him, but he didn't let go of her. He'd been deprived of the kind of companionship that Mae was offering for years. He slid his hands through her hair, and he felt her unfastening his shirt. Mae held the kiss with Adam as he led her back towards his couch. Mae encouraged his behavior, mostly because she'd wanted to be with Adam since she first saw him.
Mae felt her back come in contact with the soft cushions on the couch, but she was occupied by Adam's kiss. He'd bit down on her lip with his fangs and caused blood to flow. He pulled back, afraid that he'd hurt Mae, but he saw that she was smiling at him seductively. There were few times Adam could admit he didn't care for blood, and this was one of those moments. His sexual desire was stronger than his blood lust. He leaned down against Mae's body and kissed her gently then hard.
The next morning, Mae had Adam's shirt on, fastened up halfway, so most of the skin on her stomach and chest showed. Adam sat in his dress pants staring over at Mae. He realized there was something between the two of them. It wasn't just a one-night fling, like it had been with Victoria-- even if for a brief while Adam thought he loved Victoria. He'd realized that he had just lusted over Victoria, and there was some flame that Adam felt for Mae.
"I told Madeline I'd send a cable when I got here." Mae said to Adam as she sat on the plush carpet. Adam leaned over and pulled a machine that could send cables to people out from under the couch. He set it up on the coffee table in front of Mae.
Mae began typing on the machine, and Adam started kissing her neck. She told him, "I also told her I'd say how you were. What should I say?"
Adam stopped kissing Mae's neck and whispered in her ear. "How about I'm doing much better in your company? That way, we have not lied and have not told Madeline things that she may not wish to know." Mae nodded because Adam was right. She wasn't sure how Madeline would react to hearing about the night she'd shared with Adam. So, she wrote what Adam had told her.