A Single Tear
Regina stared at Lacey lying on the red sofa. Lacey was sleeping soundly after having a fit of tears earlier. Danny was stooped down beside her. He raked his finger across her face. He stroked down her forehead to her chin in a repetitive motion.
Lacey had cried so harshly that she had collapsed into Danny's arms. He carried her back to his attic hideaway where she sobbed until she fell asleep in exhaustion. No words were spoken yet. Danny wasn't sure why she cried. Was she now in fear of him? Or was she facing they could never be now that he was not mortal?
"She loves you more than you will ever know." Regina spoke softly with a hint of inspiration in her voice. "And you love her more than you will ever show."
Danny heard her words and closed his eyes trying to concentrate on his heart beating against his chest loudly. He calmed himself down then spoke softly. "Tell me, Regina. If given the choice, would you choose this life? Even if Tyler could never be yours, would you choose to be mortal over being immortal?"
Regina walked to stare at the moon shining brightly in the sky. "I lost a child."
"What?" Danny glanced back over his shoulder briefly at Regina. "A child?"
"A born child. I concieved my first year of marriage to Tyler. We were both distraught at her death. It almost ruined our marriage. But we pressed through to be together despite our pain." Regina swallowed not being keen on telling her true feelings. Seduction had been her way of life for so many centuries now. It was difficult softening to tell Danny the truth. "However, I did feel the child in my womb. I did see her grow into a little rambunctious girl until her death at age six. Would I choose to live as a human if I had not lost that child? Yes. Would I have given up Tyler for that child? Yes. He would have expected me to. But I lost a child, I didn't want to lose the man I love as well."
"Why didn't Tyler make you his immortal beloved?" Danny stirred quietly as he peered Lacey's face. He admired her beauty within her as well as her obvious outward beauty.
"He didn't want me to choose between a life without children or to have to kill to survive." Regina exhaled before turning to stare at Danny. "Just as you fear making Lacey into a life as you have."
"Why do you want me so much, Regina? You love Tyler so very much. Yet, you chase me like I am the man you want to be with for eternity." Danny asked still looking at Lacey rather than Regina.
Regina laughed slightly. "That is not important. I know that will not come to pass. I will say it has nothing to do with love, Danny."
Danny nodded in agreement. "You are the one that begged Christopher to make you into an immortal. Aren't you? You loved Tyler so much that you begged his younger brother to do what Tyler could not will himself to do to you."
"Knowledge of things doesn't require the knowledge being told." Regina breathed in and out nervously. That story she wasn't willing to share with Tyler. Her reasons for becoming immortal had to do with the love of her husband but more with the love of her child. "Tyler must not know."
"I will never tell." Danny stood up to allow Lacey rest. He reiterated his first question to her. "But why do you beg of me?"
Regina laughed. "Danny Desai, I wish not to crave you. Tyler thinks it is because Christopher is both are maker. However, you know differently. Don't you?"
Danny stared at Regina. "Knowledge of things doesn't require the knowledge being told."
"Touché." Regina laughed haughtily. "I need to find Tyler. His jealousy will be boiling thinking I have seduced you to give in to me."
Danny laughed with a slight wink added. "No one but Lacey can seduce me. Not even her ancestors have the power over me that Lacey has."
"Be careful, Daniel." Regina started to walk away. She took one step down the attic steps. "You may reveal your only weakness."
"Be careful, Regina." Danny retorted. "You may show a soft side of yourself."
Regina chortled as she walked out of the barn. Danny breathed out slowly as he glanced back at Lacey. Her chest rose and fell in a steady pattern of breathing. He wanted so much to make love to her. He wanted that more than to taste her blood. That was a new feeling for him.
He closed his eyes as he thought about Lacey. Was she a descendant of the others as he thought? Or was she more? He was confused as he stared at her. Danny had never felt so drawn to any of the others. When they died, he moved on without a tear shed. He only missed them when he felt immense loneliness. If they were are the same girl reincarnated, why didn't he love her before now?
If something happened to Lacey, Danny would go mad. He'd want to die as well. Danny couldn't fathom spending one day without her. However, he couldn't imagine making her live with burden that he was.
"Is she okay?" Karen stared at Lacey as she stood in the attic door. "I saw that other girl leave. Is she a friend of yours?"
"I guess that is what Regina is to me." Danny sighed as he glanced at Lacey. "She knows what I am."
"Oh." Karen made her way to sit beside of Danny. "Lacey will accept you."
"Mother.." Danny breathed out. "Do you even know what I am?"
"Of course." Karen pushed a lock of Danny's hair behind his ear. "You're my son."
"Mother..." Danny needed her to know the truth. Was he wrong in fooling this kind woman into thinking he was her real son?
"Daniel, I know." Karen caught Danny off guard when she called him by his real name. "I used to tell your father that I wanted you to be called Danny when you were born. He was the one that insisted on Daniel."
"I don't understand." Danny furrowed his eyebrows.
"Oh, Danny." Karen stood up. "There is so much that you don't even know about yourself. But when the time is right, you will."
"Mother, please. Explain what you're talking about." Danny pleaded as Karen walked away from him.
"Not tonight, Danny." Karen smiled at Danny. "Take care of this one. She's who you've been waiting for all your life."
With those words, Karen made her way out of the attic.
Danny sat down on the old trunk that sat in front of his red sofa. He raked his hands through his hair. "You are my weakness, Lacey Porter. But you are also my strength. I want to be better because of you…for you. I yearn to be mortal so that I can hold you in my arms and not hunger for your blood. However, if I make love to you, I'll not be able to stop at that. I will make you my beloved immortal."
Lacey stirred slightly as she rolled to her side. She was exhausted due to the preparations for the dance as well as the reality of Danny being Daniel Vikram Desai coming forth. Danny resisted the urge to hold her in his arms. He wanted to have no inhibitions with this female.
"I love you." Danny whispered into the silence of the attic. The admittance was like a freeing of his soul. "I love you, Lacey Porter."
A single tear rolled down Danny's cheek. It was the first tear since becoming immortal.