Talking

Henry watched from the window as Vicki stood on the porch facing the cemetery and hesitated a moment before joining her. He played with her hair as he asked, "Why are you fascinated with the cemetery?"

Startled by his touch, Vicki turned so fast to face him that they both fell into the swing, causing it to move. Henry's quick reaction stopped its movement as they landed side by side. He gave it a little push and started it up again with them sitting together.

Vicki hissed, "Don't sneak up on me! " Then rested her forehead on his adding, "I'm not fascinated with the place, I saw something."

Henry looked at her in disbelief saying, "Are you trying to scare me?"

Laughing she kicked with her heels and made the swing go faster saying, "Honest, I did see something."

Laughing with her, Henry planted his feet firmly and the swing stopped as he said, "You're sure?"

They looked at each other, and laughed harder as she said, "I'm sure." She stopped laughing as she saw the light again and asked, "Where's Elemental?"

Henry looked toward the flicker, "It went with your mother after the wedding and hasn't come back." Pointing to the cemetery he said, "That's not it."

"I know, but I miss Elemental."

Henry said "So do I." And added, "Let's go eat."

"I thought we were eating separately these days."

Henry shook his head and said, "Not any more."

With a quick kiss on his cheek Vicki said, "No arguments from me, vampire."

They gave the swing another push and at the highest point of the arc, they jumped off, landing on their feet at the same time and ducking as the swing tried to knock them over.

Walking home after dinner, Henry nuzzled her neck and said, "Not another step until we love."

"Here? Now?"

"Yes! Here and now." He pulled her into the shadows while licking her ear while whispering all the things he wanted, "I've a huge libido and you're it release." His talented hands unhooked her bra, pulled her slacks down and had her fully aroused as he said, "Come to me wife."

Henry held out his hand to help her up as she said, "Next time I get to pick the time and place."

"Work's for me, I've always enjoyed variety." He gave her another kiss before adding, "We need to hurry if we're going to check out the flickering before dawn."

As they went through the gate that opened from their back yard to the cemetery, Vicki commented, "I wonder why there's a gate here?"

Henry answered, "I'm not sure, but there's some papers about the house in the library."

The cemetery was quiet late at night after the summer insects had settled down and before the morning birds started their song. They held hands as they walked from section to section trying to pinpoint the area where the light was seen but weren't able to come to an agreement before dawn. The first bird woke up as they made their way to the gate that led to the back garden and home.

She stopped walking and Henry said, "We could stand here for a few more minutes and listen to the birds."

"I'd like that. The nights are beautiful, but sometimes I miss the sun."

As the birds added their songs one by one, the sky turned lighter. He gave her hand a tug and said, "We better go in. Believe me, being caught by the sun is no fun."

A small bright light buzzed by Vicki's cheek, then circled Henry's head before darting towards the house.

Henry pointed to the light heading for the house and said, "Elemental's back."

Vicki sat in Henry's den reading the old diary about their house as Henry sat frowning at his computer. Both started speaking at the same time and Henry gestured for Vicki to go first.

"It says here; the house was built in 1889 by a widower named Jonas Williams. His wife and child died of a fever and he wanted to be close to them. He lived here until he died in 1909 and finally joined his wife and son in the plot he visited daily for 20 years. The house was inherited by a cousin that owned it until 1929 when it was sold to a young couple. That couple had two children and lived here quite happily until 1950. No one wanted the big old relic so the Augustus Association bought it as an investment. It's been maintained by them since then and rented to very carefully screened individuals. There's more here about how each person living in the house was drawn to the cemetery at one time or another over the years. No one was ever sure why, because nothing unusual was ever seen or felt either in the house or there. The gate I was asking about has been there since the original owner."

Henry listened to Vicki then said, "Not quite a ghost story, but I bet with a little work, I could make a graphic novel out of it."

"Have any vampires lived here?"

"Not that I know of. A friend of mine showed me the house and the Augustus Association bought it on my behalf. Not all the people Augustus Association works with are vampires. At the time of the purchase I had no interest in living here so it was rented out. I've always insisted on it being well maintained because I love this style of architecture."

"How's your work coming?"

Henry frowned at the computer again, "It's not." He powered down and called out, "Elemental?"

There was a buzzing sound and then a sparkle on the top of Vicki's head and Henry said, "There you are, we've missed you. What do you know of Vicki's latest mystery?"

Elemental related that Vicki would see the cause first, then buzzed once more around their heads and winked out. Henry stood and said to Vicki, "That wasn't much help. Let's go up stairs early, I want some quality time with you before dawn." Nodding in agreement, she led the way to their room.

Vicki got up as the sun set and was dressed before Henry could react. She leaned down to give him his nightly greeting of love and affection before saying, "I'm heading for the cemetery. Join me when you can."

Henry envied her ability to wake up and move within seconds of the setting sun and cautioned, "Don't do anything more than look until I get there."

Vicki shouted as her feet pounded on the stairs, "I won't."

Vicki saw Maddy at the bottom of the stairs holding out messages and mail. She waved it off saying, "Unless it's really important – throw it on the table, Henry or I will get to it later." Vicki stopped her forward dash and added, "Hope you had a good day." And kept on moving.

Maddy heard Henry's slower movement upstairs and waited for him to come down before heading to the back of the house and her own room for the evening. He paused at the top of the stairs and asked, "Anything important happen today?"

Maddy shook her head saying, "Nothing that can't wait until later. I had lunch with Mike. It seems he wants to be close to both of you without seeing either one of you."

Henry raised a regal eyebrow and asked, "How do you feel about that?"

Maddy smiled, "Mike's beginning to take an interest in me, and I like that. We have a lot to share including our love of vampires."

"Mike's a good man, but don't tell him I said that. I'm going to go catch up with Vicki. Don't wait up for us."

Maddy laughed, "I never do."

Vicki wandered around the headstones looking for the flickering light she had seen other nights. There it was, in the corner of her eye. She stopped and thought, "Was it only two years ago that all my peripheral vision was gone?" She shrugged and looked forward seeing a young girl sitting on a headstone swinging her feet back and forth. The little girl scowled as she said, "It's taken you ever so long to find me. I've been trying to catch your attention."

"You've been making the light? Why? Shouldn't you be in bed at this time of night?"

"I'm where I belong."

"You should be at home with your father and mother not playing in a cemetery after dark."

The little girl stood up and smoothed down her dress, "For a grown up your not very bright."

Vicki snarled, "Listen brat, I don't have time to waste talking to smart mouthed kids. Go home. I'm looking for something."

The girl kicked her foot at the grave marker and it passed through. It was then that Vicki noticed the girl was dressed like a china doll with long brown curls, satin bows, white stockings and velvet dress. Vicki gave herself a mental head slap as she said, "You're a ghost. You're dead."

The girl stuck out her tongue and said, , "So are you." She pointed behind Vicki and added, "And so is he."

Vicki took a deep breath ready to scold the girl when she heard Henry's voice say, "Well hell. She's right, you know?"

Vicki turned to see Henry checking out the names carved in stone. He looked at Vicki and the girl and said, "Which one's yours?"

She stood prim and proper pointing to a smallish stone with an angel. Henry read aloud, "Allison MacPhearson, born 1952 died 1962. I see you were ten."

Allison corrected, "Almost ten. How old were you?"

Henry smiled, "Just seventeen."

They both looked at Vicki who crossed her arms saying, "I'm not telling."

Henry looked at his stubborn wife and thought better of saying anything more about age and asked Allison, "Why are you still here?"

"I'm waiting for Kitty."

Vicki asked, "Who's Kitty?"

Allison lifted a trembling chin and said, "My cat. She got out and I ran after her. The bad car hit me before I could find her. I've been waiting ever since for her to come home."

Henry spoke softly, "What about the light? Didn't it come for you?"

Allison sat back down at the stone, "It comes all the time, but I'm not leaving until Kitty comes."

Henry looked to Vicki for ideas, she shrugged and mouthed I know squat about kids. Henry saw Elemental, winked at Vicki and looked up. Vicki followed his eyes, saw the flicker and said, "Kitty has already gone ahead. She's waiting for you on the other side. She's been waiting a long time."

Allison looked hopefully into Vicki's eyes, "Truly?"

Vicki nodded yes as Henry held out his hand and Elemental landed in his palm. Henry held out his hand saying, "Allison, this little light will take you to your Kitty and I'm sure you'll find your parents waiting for you too. It's past time for you to go home."

Allison held out her hand and Elemental left Henry to settle on the small white palm as she said, "It won't hurt me, will it? And you promise Kitty, mommy and daddy will be there?"

"It won't hurt and I can promise the light will give you peace."

"If it's so good to go to the light, why don't both of you go? You're both dead."

Vicki turned away and Henry knelt down saying, "We're a different kind of dead. The light's not ready to take us."

Allison looked around and said, "It's pretty here and quiet, but I do miss Kitty." She looked down at Elemental, "Okay, show me where to go."

Elemental started to move from Allison's hand but before it had traveled an inch, a greater, purer, whiter light surrounded Allison and she faded from view. They could her her glad cry, "Kitty, you've come back."

Henry and Vicki heard a voice on the air say, "Thank you for helping our child."

Vicki stood with her arms at her sides and tears falling unnoticed on her cheeks, "I don't think of myself as dead and I don't think of you that way. What are we? Dead or alive?"

Henry pulled her close and rested his cheek against hers as he whispered, "We're vampire, trying to do the best we can to survive. As to dead or alive, it depends on the definition. We hurt, we bleed, we hunger, we feed, we can make others of our kind and we most certainly love. I would say by definition we are alive."