Author's note: It seems like my reference to another show was too subtle in chapter 4 so I'm leaving the contest open until someone finds the answer. Let's play another round in this chapter. There is a reference to another show in this chapter, not the same as chapter 4, the first person who sends me the answer via PM will get to read chapter 6 before everyone else! A special thank you to: mels_angelbard, FaBber0oZ, hotandcoldwulf, badwolfkaily, crazycat9449, and evoite.
Myka hadn't moved, her gun still pointed at Helena. She couldn't believe her eyes. Helena looked at her intensely, her voice steady as she requested, "Please, lower your weapon and don't move."
Myka was completely powerless to do anything else. She could only watch helplessly as her arm lowered and dropped the gun. Helena smiled at her and went back to her feeding, Myka couldn't help but watch with both horror and fascination. Helena continued drinking for a few minutes and then released her grip on the man's throat. She kept her hold on him as she slowly licked the wound she had inflicted. Her saliva had healing properties, the same as her blood, but less potent. Once the wound was healed, Helena whispered a few words in the man's ear and released him. The man left quietly, stumbling slightly as Helena slowly approached Myka. Her cultured tones softly questioned, "Are you afraid, Darling?"
Myka started to nod, but then stopped and shook her head. Helena drew closer.
"And why not? Did you like what you saw?" She trailed her fingers down Myka's face, along her jaw and down her neck. "Did it make you feel... tight?" She circled Myka, leaning in to sniff her hair, whispering, "Did it make you feel wet?"
Myka closed her eyes, appreciating Helena's fingers despite herself. Helena's fingers were cold but they felt like feathers on her skin. Shaking her head, she whispered, "I know you won't hurt me."
Helena placed a delicate kiss on Myka's neck. "And how do you know?"
Myka reopened her eyes and dared to meet Helena's. "You've had several opportunities to hurt me since we met and you didn't."
Helena smiled. "You are a very clever woman. If I let you go, will you hurt me?"
Myka shook her head again. Helena released her influence on her body but stayed very close and kept her under a calming mood.
Finding herself finally free of Helena's control over her body, Myka demanded, "What are you going to do to me?"
Helena was silent for several seconds before asking, "Is your husband home?"
With a shake of her head, Myka replied, "He's working at the pub tonight."
Helena's smile widened. "Let's go to your house then."
Helena linked their arms and led her to the Martino's house. Once inside, they went to the living room and sat on opposite couches. Myka was a bit nervous but was doing her best not to show it.
"I would assume you have a lot of questions, Darling." Folding her hands primly in her lap, Helena encouraged, "Go ahead… Ask anything you want."
Unable to control the words, Myka blurted, "What are you?"
"I am a vampire." Allowing a few seconds for the words to sink in, Helena then elaborated, "I walk in the night, I sleep during the day and I feed on the blood of humans."
Struggling to maintain her composure as the other woman spoke of things she'd only read of in books, Myka questioned, "Why are you here?"
Helena had a little smile. "To talk with you. To make you understand."
Frowning, Myka demanded, "Why are you in Univille?"
Shrugging, Helena simply replied, "I'm hiding."
Myka sighed. "I think it would be faster if you started from the beginning, Helena."
"Righty-oh then." Settling back against the couch to make herself more comfortable, Helena began, "My parents were turned in 1455 at the beginning of the War of the Roses. They did quite a bit of carnage during the war. I'm afraid I don't know much about who turned them or why. They always remained quiet on the subject. I was born in 1533 during the reign of Henry the VIII. A birth is very rare amongst vampires and my parents were thrilled. I think I can say that I had a normal life… Well, as normal as it can be for a vampire. Then, twenty years ago I found myself with child after I got careless with a mortal. If my own existence is rather special, Christina's was, for a lack of a better term, a miracle. Since she wasn't exactly a vampire or a human she could be awake during the day and even go outside if it was raining. She could eat food, but she required blood as well. She was the most wonderful child, curious about everything and so full of life."
Helena suddenly rose to her feet and started pacing. Thinking about how happy Christina had made her always brought out the worst in her.
"Vampires are predators for humans, so of course we are hunted. There is one man who's been particularly good at killing my people in the last few years. When he learned about Christina's existence, he made it his personal crusade to destroy her. She was an abomination for him, a monster. During the day, Christina would stay with Sophie, her nanny, while my parents and I were sleeping. One night, we woke up and the castle was abnormally quiet. I found Christina's body sprawled outside my bedroom, a wooden stake through her heart and her head cut off. Her little hand was stretched as if she had been trying to reach my room in her despair... trying to reach me. My daughter was murdered mere feet from me and I didn't even wake up. What kind of mother would sleep while her child was being slaughtered, I ask you?"
Helena started crying softly. Myka went to her and hugged her tightly. Helena broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. Myka continued to hold her in her arms and slowly caressed the other woman's back to soothe her.
When Helena finally calmed down, Myka gently led her back to the couch.
"I'll go make us some tea."
Helena laughed wryly, offering, "I'd prefer something stronger, Darling."
Nodding in understanding, Myka went to the cupboard and poured them each a brandy. Funny how she always ended up drinking brandy when life was shaking her up. Helena took the glass from her hand and drank it all at once. Myka drank hers more slowly, sipping the liquor as she questioned, "So you can drink alcohol like us?"
Helena nodded. "Yes. I can eat and drink like you do, but it doesn't satisfy me as blood does."
Myka's eyes were full of wonder as she confessed, "I feel like I have so many things to learn from you."
"All in due time, Darling." Meeting Myka's eyes, Helena continued, "But I must warn you, I am dangerous. After... after Christina's death, I went mad. I created a bloodbath throughout Europe for nine years, chasing the one man responsible for my pain, and being chased by him in return. I don't remember much of that time. One night I didn't manage to find shelter on time for the sunrise and I got severely burned. I was already badly injured by my last encounter with the Hunter and my lack of feeding. I burst into a woman's home with flames all over my body. The woman, Leena, was a witch and she knew who and what I was. She nursed me back to health with her magic and cow's blood. She saved my life. I went back to my parents' castle with her, but she left after a while; fearing for her safety because my father didn't take too kindly to having a mortal on the premises. Then he decided to marry me to a man named Walter Sykes. I couldn't bear the thought of being owned by anyone, especially not that awful man. So I ran away and I came to a place where I know he will never find me."
Myka was intrigued. "Why here? Why not a big city, like New York?"
Helena rose and crossed to pour herself another brandy.
"I did live in New York for a while. But I felt it was still too close to England. So I chose to go to San Francisco. This town is only a stop on my journey. I was only going to stay for a few days, but something kept me here."
Myka thought for a moment about what Helena had just told her. "You are the one responsible for the two horrible murders," she said softly.
Helena replaced Myka under the calming influence that she had dropped when she had lost control of her nerves. As the other woman relaxed, Helena replied, "Yes. Regretful incidents on both occasions. I lost control."
Myka's tone was soft, almost monotone as she inquired, "Are you going to surrender to the Sheriff?"
Helena shook her head. "It would get me killed. Are you going to denounce me?"
"No." Fighting the soothing control that was flooding her mind, Myka stated, "I'm sure that if I did, no one would believe me and then you would kill me. When are you leaving for San Francisco?"
Helena sighed. "As soon as you're done with my new clothes."
Myka frowned. "You do realize it's going to take some time? Maybe even months?"
"It's alright, I can wait." Offering a secretive smile, Helena added, "I feel quite safe here."
Myka gave her a small smile. "May I ask you a favor?"
Quirking a delicate eyebrow, Helena returned, "Anything, Darling."
"I know... I know you have to feed on... on us to survive, but..." Shaking her head as she met Helena's eyes, she ordered, "But no more killing."
Helena nodded. "I will be careful. Now, I should probably leave before your husband gets here."
"Wait!" Breaking Helena's control over her body, Myka jumped to her feet, demanding, "Aren't you going to erase my memories? So I'm not a threat to you?"
Helena walked up to her and gently caressed her cheek. "I'm going to do something I rarely do, Myka. I'm going to trust you."
Helena kissed Myka's cheek and left.
Without Helena's calming influence, Myka felt her pulse and her breath quicken as panic started to rise. Had she really been talking to a vampire? A real monster who had killed countless people? And had she mentioned a witch? How was that even possible? Maybe she should go see the sheriff and let justice prevail. But if she did that, Helena would probably kill her. And she had promised she wouldn't do that. But what could she do?
'I'm going to do something I rarely do, Myka. I'm going to trust you.' Helena's last words before she left were clear in Myka's mind. If Helena was going to trust her, maybe she should do the same. She had a walking and talking History book in her life, she should take advantage of it. Maybe she could even use Helena's knowledge to write a new series of stories.
Feeling the need to focus her sudden energy into something and to think, Myka went to the kitchen and took out the flour from the cupboard.
"Baking bread again?" Sam asked when he got home several hours later. "You do a lot of that lately."
Jumping at his voice, Myka whirled around, exclaiming, "Sam! You scared me! And I'm craving for freshly baked bread that's all."
Sam placed himself behind his wife, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck.
"I have a craving for you..."
Myka rubbed her cheek against Sam's.
"I know, but I have to finish this if I want it raised when I get up." Smiling at him over her shoulder, she added, "It shouldn't be very long."
Sam let his hands go down to Myka's stomach. "I'd rather work on raising this."
"Oh I think it will rise on its own..."
Sam paused for a moment while Myka kept kneading the dough. "Do you mean... Are you... You are, aren't you!"
Nodding, Myka replied, "I'm not sure, yet. But I think so, yeah."
Sam made Myka turn around and hugged her tightly. Myka hugged him back as much as she could with her hands still filled with dough.
Nuzzling her neck, Sam murmured, "I love you Myka."
Myka didn't reply and let Sam kiss her. As Sam left to go to bed, Myka kept kneading the dough angrily, silently wondering why she had just lied to her husband about the thing he wanted the most. She went to bed half an hour later without having found an answer.
Over the next month, Myka and Helena's friendship became stronger. Helena would visit almost every night and they would talk for hours while Myka was sewing. Myka had been to Featherhead to order Helena's corsets and undergarments. She had almost fought with Miss Chelsea who had insisted that Helena had to come to get her measurements taken. Myka had stayed firm and threatened to have the clothes made elsewhere if Miss Chelsea didn't want to work with the measurements she had taken. The threat of the loss of such a large order worked, and everything went smoothly after that.
Myka had finished Amanda's dress and was almost done with Helena's first. She still hadn't figured out what to do about the lie she had told Sam, but she knew she still had some time in front of her.
Helena loved having a friend to whom she could confide in. She felt freer than she had in years. But she wanted more from the young American and didn't hesitate to flirt with her, sometimes even outrageously. Myka wasn't exactly responsive but she didn't condone it either.
One night during a fitting, Myka ended up exactly in the same position that had embarrassed her a few weeks back but this time she stayed on task and didn't blush. She even went so far as touching Helena's upper thigh to adjust the garter belt.
Helena helped her on her feet and looked at her. Myka held her gaze and bit on her bottom lip. Helena replaced a loose lock of hair behind Myka's ear then trailed her finger along her jaw and lifted Myka's chin slightly.
"You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen."
She closed her eyes and delicately placed her lips on Myka's. Myka didn't hesitate and kissed her back. It was soft, softer than she had imagined, but it was so good.
When they separated, Helena opened her eyes to see that Myka had tears in hers.
Tears choked her as she whispered, "I can't Helena. This is wrong."
Helena felt tears forming in her eyes and falling on her cheeks. "You've been taught this is wrong, but it's natural."
"Love is love, but a vow is a promise, Helena." Swiping angrily at the tears on her cheeks, Myka clarified, "It's wrong because I'm married, not because you're a woman."
Helena took Myka's left hand in hers. "And if you weren't?"
"Then I would give you everything that I am, but I am married." Shaking her head, she offered, "I'm sorry Helena."
Helena let go of Myka's hand and dried her own tears. "It is I who is sorry Myka. I should probably go; I have to feed before dawn."
Helena quickly went to change while Myka was cleaning up and trying to stay calm. Helena left without a word or a backward glance.
Myka burst into tears and crashed to the ground, certain that she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. She wondered how things could have become so complicated in her life and how she was going to fix it. Exhaustion made her surrender to sleep, curled in on herself on the floor.
She was awaked a few hours later by loud banging on the front door. A bit disoriented, she got up and went to answer. Pete was standing on the other side looking very serious.
Forcing a smile onto her face and fake cheeriness into her voice, she said, "Pete! Good morning! Come in!"
Pete followed her inside and closed the door behind him.
Leading the man towards the kitchen, she questioned, "Did you come to see if I had a new story for you? I think I might. It's the story of two couples, John and River Smith and Rory and Amy Williams, and they..." Seeing the seriousness on his face, she froze, demanding, "What? What's wrong?"
Pete silently took her hand, leading her the rest of the way into the kitchen. Pointing to a chair, he suggested, "I think you'll need to sit down before you hear what I have to say."
Myka obeyed, panic rising in her chest. Pete sat next to her and took her hands in his. Emotion clogged his throat as he attempted to speak, and he shook his head as the words refused to come forth.
Worry and frustration warred within her, and smacking her hand on the table, Myka demanded, "What is it Pete? What's happened?"
Remorse filled the man's face as he stated, "Myka... they... they found another body this morning. A... dismembered body. And… And it's Sam."
