Chapter Six
1801
The fall night air was cool as Lorena stepped out from her carriage. She could see her breath in the air. She subconsciously wrapped her Shaw tighter around herself. Ian helped her out of the carriage and the horses kicked their front hooves impatiently. Ian barked orders to the driver as Lorena gathered up her skirts and stepped onto the street. Siree and Adam`s carriage was already parked along the street and Siree emerged from the Tailor`s store and gathered Lorena in a hug.
"I'm so excited for you to see my wedding gown!" She gushed after the said the proper greetings.
Lorena smiled at her friend.
"I am sure it is gorgeous on you. I can't believe you are going to be Mrs. Watson in just a few days!"
Siree beamed at her.
"I know! It's all so very exciting! I feel kind of bad though because you and Ian only got married a few months ago..."
Lorena shrugged it off and continued to smile at her best friend,
"It's not a problem. I am happy you two are finally getting married. Is Adam here?"
Siree nodded.
"I know the groom isn't supposed to see the bride in her wedding gown until the wedding because it is bad luck but the wedding is in a few days so I figured it couldn't do any harm."
Lorena laughed and shook her head. Ian walked up beside them, his shirt tails flapping in the wind, and wrapped his arms around Lorena`s waist. Siree looked at them and her grin grew mischievous.
"Have you two thought about children yet?"
Lorena felt herself turn bright crimson. Ian laughed.
"Yes, Lorena and I have talked about it and we are actually going to try tonight. Right now we are here to see your wedding gown so shall we?"
Siree could hardly contain her excitement.
"Oh, congratulations! I am so happy for you two! Lorena, you are going to make a great mother!"
Lorena smiled at her friend as they walked through the doors of the small shop.
The night was even darker when they finally left through the doors of the shop. Lorena looked up at the full moon and breathed in the crisp air.
"How about we all walk home?" Lorena suggested and Siree nodded her agreement.
Slowly, the group left the lights of the shops behind and walked into the darkness beyond with only the light of the moon to guide them. The streets were deserted and silent. A lone man walked on the other side of the road walking in the opposite direction. His black cloak pulled around his face to keep out the harsh wind. They paid little attention to the man as they laughed, joked, and talked about Siree and Adam`s upcoming wedding. Lorena`s body went tense and she remained alert and taunt The others picked up on her sudden change of mood. The man crossed onto their side of the road and walked towards them.
"Relax, Lori. Maybe he is just lost." Ian tried to comfort her but as the man slowly closed the space between them her body wanted to run in whatever direction the man was not.
"Hey sir! Are you lost?" Adam called out to the man. There was no response but the man only picked up his speed, closing the space between them even faster. Ian and Adam blocked the girls with their bodies. The man was only a few feet away now. Slowly, the man drew back his hood, revealing ebony black eyes and a pair of fangs.
"Run girls. Run!" Ian and Adam urged.
Siree looked uncertainly at Adam before taking off down the road they had come from, nearly tripping on her many skirts. The man smiled, seeming to enjoy watching Siree flee in terror Lorena remained where she was, unable to move out of fear. Ian gave her a hard shove after Siree.
"Go Lorena. Run!" He screamed and Lorena fled after Siree, looking over her shoulder as the man viciously attacked Ian and Adam. They tried to fight back, but it was in vain. The man was far stronger than they were. Lorena silenced a scream that threatened to rise in her throat as the men lay unconscious on the ground. In front of her, Siree was flung backwards, landing beside the men in a crumpled heap. Lorena urged her feet to move faster, but it was of no use. The man grabbed her by the neck and flung her back to lay beside Ian`s unconscious form. She felt the darkness threatening to claim her, but she willed herself to stay awake. She lay still, not wanting their attacker to know she was still conscious. The man lifted Adam up, effortlessly, and sung his fangs deep into Adam`s neck. The man didn't seem to take blood from Adam. Lorena tried to crawl to Ian`s side but a heavy foot stopped her.
"Now my dear, it wouldn't have hurt as bad if you would have just would have lost consciousness like your friends here. You made a big mistake, Lorena."
Lorena was surprised that the man knew her name but didn't say anything as she continued to struggle under the man. The man pressed down harder and made movement impossible. She felt a sharp pain on her arm and looked over to see the man injecting her with something.
"Who are you?" Lorena asked trying to keep the fear and pain from her voice.
The man smiled at her before answering.
"I am Athien, your Creator, your Maker, and you're Lord."
The man bent down and slid his fangs into her neck. Lorena couldn't keep the darkness at bay any longer and she lost consciousness.
Present Day
Micheal gently shook her again. Lorena only struggled under him, whimpering as if in pain.
"Lorena? You are alright, I am right here. Lorena?"
Lorena`s eyes burst open and she shot out of the bed, with her fangs bared and in a fighting stance.
"It was a dream my Love. Tis alright. You are safe."
Lorena nodded and stood up as her fangs retracted. She reached for the locket that always hung around her neck and clung to it.
"It was a dream." She repeated to herself. "Only a dream."
" I am sorry that your memories come to you in sleep. It must make it difficult to sleep knowing what is waiting for you once you close your eyes."
Lorena nodded again.
"Yea, it does."
At the kitchen table, Lorena kept moving the gold locket hanging from the gold chain around her neck between her fingers. Micheal tried not to say anything, he knew it may be a touchy subject but he couldn't stop himself.
"What is the significance of the locket?" He asked, nodding towards it.
Lorena took a deep breath before answering.
"Ian Mason gave it to me as an anniversary present."
Micheal was puzzled.
"I thought your last name was Williams?"
Lorena nodded.
"It is. I broke our marriage off not long after we came to this Realm as vampires. When Athien attacked us, I was happy I was going to die. My father abused me for a long time. He killed my mother when I was six years old in a drunken rage and a few years after he began to abuse me because I reminded him so much of my mother and the guilt was too much for him to bear. His solution was to beat me so I could feel the pain he was in. My father refused every suitor of mine that came to the door. Ian came every day for eight years and would sit on the porch every day. When I was twenty one years old, which at that time was pretty old and most men moved on to marry younger women, Ian was still waited and my father agreed to have us wed. I was delighted and thought it would be an end to the daily beatings, but it wasn't. The day we were attacked I was happy to die because it was the only way I could be rid of my father, the beatings and all of the emotional problems it gave me. Instead, I became stuck with it for all eternity. The locket helps me keep a hold of all the good memories I have too. That way, if I ever feel overwhelmed by all the bad, I have it to help me. It reminds me of who I am, where I come from, my past and the things I have overcome."
She opened the gold locket and inside was inscribed "Lori and Ian". She smiled at him.
"You have also helped me believe again in the good of men, and in love."
Micheal returned her smile.