Chapter 18
James and Georgiana looked up as the Bennet sisters joined them. Elizabeth glanced down at Bingley, noting with a thrill of fear how pale his skin was.
"Where is Fitzwilliam?" Georgiana asked.
Elizabeth grimaced slightly and looked at Mary beseechingly. Mary sighed and moved to James' side, her pale eyes watching Bingley warily.
"Mr. Darcy left. He told us to tell you that he is going back to London," Mary explained shortly. "I'm afraid that the news came as a shock to Lizzie."
Elizabeth glared at Mary, looking hastily away before she could meet Georgiana's questioning gaze. James frowned, his hands hovering around the two stakes strapped to his waist.
"Fitzwilliam left?" he repeated doubtfully. "That isn't like him at all."
"Could've fooled me," Elizabeth muttered.
"My brother may not always act like it, but he is a very loyal friend, Elizabeth," Georgiana told her. "He would not leave Bingley's side if there wasn't a very good reason for him to do so."
"According to your brother, his reason was that Bingley was going to become a vampire," Mary said quietly.
James and Georgiana exchanged looks behind Mary's back. Elizabeth frowned.
"What?" she demanded. "Is there something that you're not telling us?"
"There are a lot of things that the Darcys aren't telling us, Mary," Jane said quietly from her place at Bingley's side. She reached out and brushed a few strands of Bingley's red hair away from his face before looking up at the others.
"And what aren't we telling you, Miss Jane?" James asked carefully, his expression guarded.
Jane shrugged and looked back at Bingley.
"I'm sure you and your brother will tell us when you are ready," she replied calmly.
"The vision?" Elizabeth guessed.
Jane nodded, her eyes tightening as Bingley's eyes fluttered. Elizabeth and Georgiana tensed and exchanged worried looks. James move slightly in front of Mary, his hand gripping his stake tightly.
Bingley groaned slightly, his eyes opening for the first time in half an hour. He tensed visibly as his gaze travelled around the small circle of vampire hunters, his eyes softening when he saw Jane.
"Jane," he croaked as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. He blushed suddenly as if he had recollected something. "Uh, I mean, Miss Bennet. I'm so relieved, I thought…. Caroline, she- where is she?"
Jane hesitated and looked over at Mary questioningly. So far, Bingley hadn't shown any signs of vampiric behavior. Did that mean that Caroline's efforts to turn him had failed? But then… how had Bingley survived if he wasn't a vampire?
"Mr. Bingley, do you… remember what happened between you and Caroline?" she asked cautiously.
Bingley frowned, trying to remember.
"Yes," he said slowly. "She attacked me. You had fainted, I think, Miss Bennet, or I think that she would have gone for you. And, Caroline, she-." Bingley's face paled suddenly, his eyes widening with horror. "What-what happened to my sister?"
"I'm afraid that your sister was turned into a vampire," Mary said calmly. "As a matter of fact, Mr. Bingley, judging from the bite marks that were on your throat when we found you, you should be a vampire too."
Bingley stared at her for a few moments, his lips parting in shock.
"A-a vampire?" he gasped. "Are you- is this a joke?"
"I wish," Elizabeth grumbled.
"Mr. Bingley," Georgiana interrupted hastily. "Can you please inform us if you have any cravings for anything in particular… blood, for example?"
Bingley glanced at her, shock giving way to confusion mixed with a tinge of disgust. He opened his mouth to reply, then froze, his gaze flickering back to Jane. Elizabeth glanced at her older sister, the breath flying out of her when she saw the small cut on Jane's wrist. Jane ignored Elizabeth's gaze, her eyes fixed intently on Bingley's expression. Bingley's mouth opened and closed several times, his gaze never leaving the rapidly swelling drop of blood on Jane's pale wrist.
"Oh God," he gasped. "Oh, my God."
"I'm going to take that as a yes," Jane sighed resignedly.
Bingley leapt to his feet and moved quickly away from Jane, his eyes widening with terror.
"Interesting," Mary mused. "It seems that we are witnessing the first ever vampire with a conscience."
James nodded, his hand finally moving away from the stake at his belt.
"I think that I should go and find my cousin," he sighed. He looked over at Mary, his sea-blue eyes cautious. "Will you think about my offer?"
Mary blushed, her eyes flickering towards her sisters warily.
"I- yes," she whispered shyly.
"Yes, you will consider it, or yes you agree to it?" James asked, a sly smile playing across his face.
"Yes, I… agree to it," Mary sighed.
James grinned and clasped her hand briefly, his eyes flickering towards their audience shyly. Then he stood up abruptly and slipped off into the trees, his hands hovering once more at the stakes on his belt.
"Are you coming Georgiana?" he called.
Georgiana Darcy nodded and stood up gracefully. She smiled slightly at Elizabeth and pressed a slip of paper into her hand as she passed.
"Please promise that you will come and visit me at Pemberley, Miss Elizabeth," she pleaded.
Elizabeth hesitated, her thoughts flickering to Georgiana's brother for a moment.
"I- I'll see what I can do, Georgiana," she said finally. "Just give me some time to get things together here."
Georgiana nodded knowingly and walked after her cousin.
"Take care of Mr. Bingley, Miss Jane," she called over her shoulder. "I'm sure he's going to need you by his side a lot more now."
Jane nodded, her cheeks red, and waved as Georgiana's gold hair disappeared into the darkness.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All of the credit belongs to the amazing Jane Austen! Thanks to all of the people who reviewed!
