A.N thank you so much for all your kind well wishes getting there slowly x
Carol arrived back at the cottage having left Daryl with Merle, annoyed more with herself than him. How had she allowed him to do, what he wanted in an alleyway of all places?. Aching again for what he could give her, would he visit her in her dreams tonight?, she damn well hoped so, she wanted him to finish what he started, Take her hard and fast, fuck her through the damn bed, shaking her head she slid the key in the lock. Surprised when the door opened, looking into Anastasia's face, the warmth clear on her features, she had not come to upset her, more to clear the air. Carol nodded to her, as she opened the door wider, moving Sophia's pram though to the kitchen, leaving her to lock the door behind them.
Picking Sophia up in her arms, Carol turned towards Daryl's mum, placing a small biscuit into Sophia's hand, she waited with baited breath wondering why she was here.
"Honey have you a minute?". Anastasia wrung her hands together, feeling nervous which was something she hadn't felt for years. Yet her son's happiness was in this woman's hands, his future, no way was she letting her walk away from her baby boy.
"I guess?" walking into the front room, getting herself comfortable on the large chair Daryl had sat in the night before, she could even smell his scent. Crossing her legs, her body reacting to his aroma, how she wanted to scream in frustration.
"How are you honey. I know this has all been a little weird?" Anastasia stroked Sophia's cheek before sitting opposite them.
"Weird is an understatement, don't you think. I mean come on, ain't every day you find out you're a soul mate to a ….. to a...whatever he damn well is"
"Well at least you find it funny, you have my poor boy chasing his tail, unsure of you, scared you will run" Carol couldn't meet her eyes, she had been thinking about doing that, escaping from this chaos.
"Good" was all Carol could say, after all he had her confused as hell
"Sweetheart, I know how hard this must be for you, all of this. Daryl would never hurt you, ever, he was not brought up that way, but he will do anything he can to keep you close, protect you" Anastasia had to get through to her, let her know how much she meant to her son, to them all.
"Carol, honey. There are people out there who will do anything to take you and Sophia, once they found out you are Daryl's soul mate, they will use you, to get to him. Kill you even, if there is one thing I know about my son, he would die with..."
"For god's sake have you all heard yourselves, I have not long since met you, any of you and now you say that I could die? Why!, What have I done so wrong that I have ended up in this delusional fairy tale you seem to all live in?" She could feel her anger rising.
"Carol, do you know Rick Grimes?" It was time Anastasia pulled out all the stops
"Yes, of course Rick is our local sheriff, ran this town well, until things stared going wrong, Yes I am aware of things not being right in this town, Ed may have kept me hidden in that forsaken house, but I heard the gossip when shopping. I heard that..." Her face paled as she bit her lip
"What about Herschel Greene? Carol"
"The best man there is in this town, he tried to help me awhile back, before Sophia was born, even gave me a roof over my head should I choose. Why are you asking me these things?"
"Carol, do you trust those two men. Do you think they would lie to you?" Anastasia watched as Carol tried to think back over the years of knowing both men.
"No both would never lie to me." She knew without a doubt neither would.
"If I asked them to speak to you, let them explain who Daryl really is, who we are, would that make you see that all this is no delusional fairy tale as you so put it?"
"It would, however seeing as you are putting so much effort into making me believe, I will ask you Anastasia. Who are you? What is Daryl?" Sophia hit Carol's chin with her biscuit letting her know she had enough.
"Why don't I make us a drink, you can let Sophia have some milk, she looks so sleepy" Carol nodded, as she settled Sophia against her, she let the little one feed. Knowing she wouldn't take much before she fell asleep, and she would need changing too, it was going to be a long afternoon.
Grateful for the few moments she had to compose herself, Anastasia opened her mind to her family, confirming she was with Carol and by the time she left, Carol would know all about The Dixon's. Daryl sent a few short comments through, causing his pa to send a few back to him, as well as, threats to beat his ass if he continued, finally the connection cut. Anastasia was on her own, taking the iced tea into Carol, she smiled as the younger woman, settled her daughter in the basket, Daryl had chosen a few weeks back.
"She looks so peaceful in there" Carol jumped having almost forgotten the older woman was there, then a thought came to her
"How old are you?. I mean you look too young to be having son's the age of Merle and Daryl" Nodding her thanks at the tea Carol sat down, and waited
"Mortal world, I guess around 24, though Earl thinks younger, but then he always tells me I don't look my age" Smiling at Carol, expecting a small chuckle at least, nothing, shrugging her shoulders she continued.
"It's a Dixon joke, guess you aren't ready for those yet, sorry. Between us we are 500 years old. Earl is a descendant of The Original vampires that dated back well into the 1800's. The Dixon's are The Elders, a unique brand that can pass in daylight and evening. Do not get us mixed up with the soulless creature that you saw today, they are nothing more than murders" her body shaking at the thought or any of them touching or hurting either Carol or Sophia
"May I ask a question?" Carol actually felt nervous asking her, feeling herself stupid to even consider what she wanted to say
"Please do, I am here to answer anything, to put your mind at rest that Daryl is who he says he is. No question is too stupid, but a question not asked is" Her soft words comforted Carol immediately.
"If and I say a big if, this is all true, why does the media not know about you? Why has the public not called for your deaths? Or run like frightened children when you approach?" there she had asked, now she would see what Anastasia had to reply to that
"Oh sweetie, we created this town, when I became pregnant with my eldest boy, Earl found us a safe haven to stay, to live without fear among the human or rather mortal world. We were blessed that Herschel was more like a deputy in this small town. He knew who we were, where we came from, and yet had no reason to fear us. All he asked that we protect the town from harm, or rather the humans in it. He spent hours speaking with Earl, learning all about our kind, locating a source of blood supply that we could tap into, should we require it for healing. Never believe what the movies tell you, we do not and have never needed to feast on others blood, It is not our way, well not normally" Carol didn't miss the way Anastasia hid her face for a moment, as if she was remembering a past from long ago.
"What do you mean not normally?" sipping her drink, she glanced over at Sophia.
"When I met Earl, I was running for my life from the troops that had taken over our village. I felt a sharp pain in my side, knew I had been hit, as I fell into the gutter, my eyes caught sight of this tall man. Think you would say tall, dark and handsome, my heart skipped a beat as he moved to catch me. Looking into his eyes, I could see the fear in them, it was as if he knew I was dying yet didn't want me to go. There was a bond there, a feeling of completion, this wonderful man had found me and I would not last long. No words were said between us when he bent to my neck, his teeth sunk in hard, hurting at first, until a pleasure so wonderful swept through me"
"What you were a human and he turned you?" Carol interrupted shocked more than anything, letting her carry on when she nodded her head
"Yes I was, he drained me of one life, for me to be reborn into another. It was the most wonderful yet scariest feeling I had ever felt at the time. I remember it all being hazy as he lifted me in his arms and carried me away from the darkness that was the town I knew"
Carol couldn't get her head around it, why had she not fought, why had this woman allowed a monster to change her?.
"I can read your thoughts Carol, and If Earl had left me, our beautiful sons would not have been born. My first grandchild would not be due. Oh don't get me wrong, I created hell when I awoke in the large bedroom he had rented in one of the older hotels. To this day I am surprised no one came to break the door down to see if we were killing each other. I hit out in anger at what he had done. I bit, scratched and kicked, eventually he calmed me, so well, that Merle was born nine months to the day When you have tasted a Dixon's passion you will not want anyone else. They are a power to behold, and you are going to feel it too" Anastasia felt warmth run through her body at the memories.
"I already have" Carol mumbled under her breath as goosebumps came across her skin.
"So you know exactly what I am talking about"
"What if I don't want to be his soul mate?, what if I want nothing to do with any of this?" Carol mumbled
"You have no choice, you can fight it all you want and I know you will continue to fight it, but there will come a time when you will accept your fate"
"I won't bow to fate Anastasia, or accept what you all seem to think will happen. If I don't then what?" Anastasia felt for her youngest, he had a tough challenge on his hands, but the result would be so worth it.
"I pray we never find out" Carol wasn't stupid, they knew full well what would happen to Daryl should she deny him completely. No way was she being pressured into something she didn't really want, or so she kept telling herself.