Chapter 27
Standing in the hallway, Maeve thought about her exchange with Barnabas. Hearing absolutely no sounds, she turned around to head for the living room when she almost ran into Willie. "Ah, sorry. Is Barnabas ok, Maeve?" Willie asked, slightly nervous about Barnabas' first reaction when he woke up.
"Oh Willie, yes, he woke up a little while ago and we had a long talk." Sensing his nervousness, she informed him, "He knows you and Alondra had nothing to do with what happened to him."
"That's a relief. I was kinda worried on account of him blamin' Alondra right before he lost consciousness."
"He knows now she was not responsible."
"How?" Willie inquired curiously.
"I told him what happened." Not wanting to go into it further, Maeve changed the subject. "Is Alondra in the living room?"
"Yeah, she's been sorta worried too. She just sits there and won't talk to me right now. I decided to leave her alone with her own thoughts for a while."
"Do you think she would mind if I sat with her?"
"Na, I don't think so. Ya go ahead. I'll be out in a while." Willie watched Maeve go into the living room, and then stood outside the room that Barnabas occupied. He wanted to go inside so bad he started shaking. Fear was the only thing holding him back. Had Barnabas changed? Willie took a deep breath and softly knocked on the door. There was a long pause before he heard a voice telling him to come in. Willie walked in and saw Barnabas sitting on the edge of the bed. He was motionless and impassive. Willie wouldn't have been able to tell if Barnabas was conscious other than he sat up right and his eyes were open. So Willie went over to the bed, sat down near Barnabas and waited.
Barnabas had been sitting quietly in the empty room thinking about his contact with Julia in 1971. Remembering her soft body and scent excited him since it was still fresh in his mind. The image of their caressed bodies and the sexual encounter played out again in his vision. A soft knock on the door interrupted his revelry, but he ignored it and continued to stare. After a few moments, he sensed the restlessness of the presence on the other side of the door. He knew it was Willie so Barnabas eventually replied, "Come in, Willie." The door opened but Barnabas didn't look up, he just stared ahead. The bed slightly bounced. Having Willie there felt comforting and Barnabas was grateful that his friend didn't start asking a load of questions. Taking advantage of the silence, Barnabas continued to reflect on his experience. Barnabas knew he would eventually have to talk to Willie about what happened tonight. He didn't want to frighten the nervous man anymore than he already appeared to be. Turning his head to the side, he looked into Willie's eyes. "What is it Willie?"
"How are ya feelin' Barnabas?" Willie hesitantly asked.
"Fine," Barnabas replied looking straight ahead again. "I know what happened tonight and I know neither you nor your wife betrayed me. You and Alondra have nothing to fear from me. I told you earlier tonight that I'm grateful for everything you've done for me and I will always be beholden to you." He looked at Willie again and saw he was still nervous. "Is there anything else?"
"I, well, Alondra, she . . ." Willie was having trouble expressing his concerns. He didn't know if Barnabas would loose control and he still feared Barnabas' anger. "Alondra is still very upset about learnin' of our relationship and I don't know what to do about it." At one time Barnabas would have killed anyone if they found out about his secret. Having Alondra know it now was still very uncomfortable so he understood why Willie was nervous and upset. Barnabas still didn't know what he was going to do but he knew it was different.
"Willie, I have changed, I'm not the same person I was when you were my . . . 'employee'. Now, Maeve wants to be a part of my life and I'm thinking about making that a reality. Just know that you and Alondra will be safe. Maeve would not let anything happen to you two. She likes you very much."
"Barnabas, Maeve would never hurt ya, would she? I mean, if ya was to try to hurt anyone, she wouldn't kill ya? I don't see that happenin'." Willie shook his head.
"No, I don't think Maeve would intentionally hurt me but she will stop me from hurting others. She demonstrated that to me the other night at the hospital and she is out there with your wife right now comforting her." Barnabas could sense Maeve in the other room. His connection with her was very strong and every time they joined that kinship intensified. He was beginning to understand fully what she meant by "kindred spirits."
"Barnabas, what are ya goin' to do next?" Willie asked nervously. Barnabas was always amazed at how Willie knew what he was thinking. The link they had was very strong even though Willie was no longer under his control. Willie and Julia had been his trusted friends and now he had two more people who knew his secret. He had to either trust them or kill them. Tired of mistrusting people, Barnabas finally came to a conclusion. He stood up and walked to the door, Willie close behind.
In the living room, Maeve had been sitting and listening to Alondra's concerns about Willie's connection with Barnabas. She still feared Barnabas controlled her husband. Now she wondered what Barnabas would do knowing she knew his precious secret. Maeve wanted to take Alondra's fear away by telling her Barnabas would not harm either of them but she knew Barnabas would have to assure Alondra himself. Maeve would stand by in case she was needed in a hurry.
"I am so angry," Alondra said holding Barnabas' cane and studying it very carefully. "I could thrash him with his own cane." She looked at Maeve cautiously. Just then Alondra turned around and saw Barnabas and Willie walking into the living room from the hallway. Before she could think rationally, Alondra lunged towards Barnabas with his own cane. She smacked him across the face with it.
"Alondra, NO!" Willie screamed, frozen where he stood, unable to move after seeing his wife's sudden attack.
Barnabas felt the pain shoot through his head as his face was forced to one side. Thoughts of attacking her were immediately erased from his head when she swung a second time. He grabbed the cane and pulled it from her grip. Alondra started pounding Barnabas' chest with her fists as he held his cane to his side. She cried and struck him for several minutes. Willie started to walk closer to his wife but Barnabas shook his head to leave her alone. The intensity of her fury shot into Barnabas' chest which eventual became numb. He felt the blood-lust pounding in his heart with every thrust of her fist. As Alondra became tired, Willie rushed to her side and helped her over to the couch. Unaware that Maeve had left the room, Barnabas saw her return with a glass in her hand. Handing him the glass of blood, Maeve stepped back to watch him. He looked down at the red liquid and wondered if it was the same as before. If he drank this would he die, be sent back to the past or be nourished. Barnabas looked into Maeve's eyes and saw only love and understanding. Sipping the liquid, he tasted her sweet warm blood that smoothly glided down his throat. Drinking more of it made his veins pulsate then his body warmed to a normal temperature.
"Barnabas, I'm sorry," Willie said breaking the silence. Only the cries of Alondra could be heard. "She's real upset and needs time." Alondra looked up at her husband and then at Barnabas. She was not sure what would happen now.
"I understand Willie. As I told you before and now I want Alondra to know, I am indebted to you for all your loyal service and your continued willingness to befriend me even now." Addressing Alondra, Barnabas looked into her eyes and said, "My dear, I hope some day you will forgive me for the pain I have caused your husband." He needed to know if she could keep his secret. As he started to walk towards the couch, Maeve stepped forward and held Barnabas' arm.
"Alondra," Maeve said, "I love Barnabas and want to spend the rest of my life with him. He has not given me an answer yet so I don't know what will become of our relationship." Maeve's admission shocked Alondra and Willie. "I would like to know what you plan to do about the knowledge that has been bestowed upon you." Alondra looked at Maeve with awe. Holding her husband's hands for support, she glanced into Barnabas' penetrating eyes and saw his concern.
"I love my husband and I will protect him anyway I can. If that means killing a vampire who tries to threaten him, I will." She thought for a second and then continued. "No one would believe me if I revealed Barnabas' secret. So I will keep his secret as Willie has kept it." She looked at Willie and touched his face. Then she looked at Barnabas and said, "I will never forget but maybe in time I will be able to forgive you. If Willie can do it, I will try too."
"Thank you," Barnabas replied and bowed his head. Then he smiled at Alondra, who returned a small smile. Turning his attention to Maeve, Barnabas asked her, "You want to spend the rest of your live with me, knowing what I am. Why?" At this point, he thought it was wise to share this with Willie and Alondra because the whole encounter had created a strong bond between them even if Willie and Alondra were not aware of it yet.
"First I love you and second I find it quite fitting. I know your situation better than anyone and we compliment each other. We are both," she hesitated for a moment looking at Willie and Alondra then understood why Barnabas wanted to discuss it. Continuing, she said, "almost immortal beings and will not outlive each other. I can help you, Barnabas, find out why you became a vampire after the curse was lifted long ago." Maeve went to Barnabas and gave him a hug. Then they kissed. Looking at Willie and Alondra, Maeve said, "We will leave now. Thank you for an entertaining evening!" They all laughed. Willie stood up and shook Barnabas' hand then gave Maeve a friendly hug good-bye. Alondra walked over to Maeve and hugged her warmly.
"Thank you," Alondra whispered to Maeve. "You will have a difficult job ahead of you and I wish you good fortune." Then Alondra walked up to Barnabas and stared into his eyes. She felt only warm affection from him and she smiled. She extended her hand and he shook it. At one time, Alondra admired Barnabas. Knowing the truth about him, she was not sure how she felt anymore. He was still the same person except for her knowledge of his past. With their hands together, Alondra drew closer to Barnabas and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You take care of yourself and pay attention to Maeve. She really does love you!" Letting go of Barnabas' hand, Alondra walked back to Willie.
After getting their belongings, Barnabas and Maeve left Willie's home and drove back to the hotel. Barnabas was wondering what would happen now when Maeve gave him a clue. "Barnabas, we have a great deal of work to do. Your dark shadows don't have to be lived in loneliness and despair. We can shine the golden light on those shadows and find the truths that await the both of us."