Chapter 4
It had been easy enough for Mick to watch over Bethie. Her mother had been extremely protective the first few years, never allowing the child much freedom until she was nearly 10. He nearly slipped up then because Helen had seen him, lurking around the backyard. Well, he had heard something. Turned out to be a raccoon, which with all his vampire powers, surely he should have realized but still he couldn't help himself. He lingered in the garden, looking up at her window. And Helen had merely glanced out but it was enough. Not that she had done anything rash like trying to make contact but he noticed that Bethie was now allowed more freedom.
She even went on sleepovers and in the summers, had been to camp. Mick grinned at the thought of those sleepovers. He could hear all the giggling, his girl had the best laugh. She was more mature than the others but he was pleased that she could lose herself in laughter and had become popular. Of course she was popular, why wouldn't she be? She was whip smart and had an almost insatiable curiosity about life. He neither knew nor cared if it had come from the kidnapping. She was delightful. He watched her learn to ride a pony in summer camp. There she was with her big smile and her beautiful, shining blonde hair. She had lost teeth that summer, too. Still she was his Bethie!
He had never had children and now, of course, never would but he felt a closeness to this one as if he were a father and he closely protected her, just as promised. Nothing much of a serious nature had ever happened. An occasional broken bone or scrape. He allowed her to take risks, like swinging off the rope into that fast moving river. It was during the day and he had had to stay deep in the forest to avoid being seen but he had heard the boys daring the girls to take the rope. If need had arose, he would have had to figure out a way to save her. Actually thought about getting one of those lazy counselors! But she had a natural athletic ability and handled the whole thing with aplomb.
Not until she had turned 17 did he actively stop following her around. That was when she went to England. It was for the best anyway since he knew she becoming an adult in every sense of the word. Her body had matured that summer and he had seen enough night time activities to know she was exploring her sexuality. So he had let her go. It wasn't easy – especially tough for he felt they had had some kind of a bond – but it was time to let her live her life.
It was time to let her go.
