Marcel glanced again at the sad creature slumped against the window, rubbing the rosaries in her hands like they would solve all her problems. After she'd woken up and they had discharged her he'd offered her breakfast to which she'd replied quietly that she just wanted to go home. "I'll drive you." He had said.
"To the Quarter? I want to visit the graves." His heart dropped, not wanting to tell her about the repeated vandalisms on Sean's grave. And I still have to break the news about the supernatural world to her. After he had refused Arienne's request she got quiet and laid against the window. Pulling up outside her house, Marcel sighed.
"C'mon kiddo. There's still a couple things we need to talk about."
Arienne didn't move except to breathe so Marcel got out and blurred to the other side of the car with his supernatural speed, opening the door and catching his sleeping daughter. He tucked her in and was about to leave when he saw the faintest marks on the side of her neck that made his blood boil. A vampire has fed on my child. He brushed his fingers over it gently, lips pressed tight in grim determination now. I can afford a week down here to figure this out. When she wakes up we'll have that talk, too. Maybe she saw her attacker. Then he went downstairs to the kitchen and brewed himself a cup of coffee.
Then he made the phone call he was hoping he wouldn't have to. "Thierry, I need you to take care of things for a bit longer than expected. There's been an incident with Arienne and I need to fix it. Some vampire has put her in the hospital and I'm going to find them."
There was the briefest pause on the other end of the line before his right hand man spoke. "You want me to send some of our guys down to help corner this vamp?"
"Not yet, but start informing our best it might happen and to be ready."
x
Damon was on edge. He hadn't had this dream in forever but here he and Stefan were, crouched in the bushes. Just feet away, Katherine and some other unlucky vampires were being loaded into the back of the prison buggy. "Who's in there?" He glanced to his right to see Arienne and noticed immediately that dream-Stefan wasn't reacting to her presence. "You must care a lot if we're hiding in order to rescue them." She looked at him and sighed. "Don't think I've forgotten that you tried to save me last night. I noticed that. So I'm going to help you here if I can."
"Pfft. You'd try to help anyway, sunshine." Arienne stuck her tongue out at him and he had to stifle an unexpected chuckle. "Katherine is in there." As he said it, he felt a lead weight settle into his stomach. Arienne was all over his thoughts. Arienne, the guilt he had surrounding her, her kind nature even to those who didn't deserve it...
"A girl, huh? I hadn't pegged you for the loyal type. Sorry, it's just-"
Damon waved it off. "I understand." He also didn't say anything about the insinuation Katherine was his girlfriend.
"I'm guessing in real life this didn't go like you wanted." She gave him a warm, sympathetic look that made something stir within. "I'm sorry, Damon." Her eyes held a deeper sadness and he forgot where they were a moment, reminded so of the pain he'd put her through with his bite.
"What happened, sunshine?" She put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
"Let's focus on Katherine. My grief can wait. Perhaps if we save her, this will cease to be a nightmare that visits you." She glanced at his unresponsive brother who was clearly waiting on Damon. "Stefan? Hm. He did say something about having a brother. I guess I'm not surprised it's you. If you two distract the angry mob there, I can get in. Those are probably half-pin barrel hinges, right? Looks like this is the right time period for that. Nothing a little leverage won't pop right off." She looked waiting. "Well? This one is clearly yours."
He stood up slowly and Stefan went with him. "You go that way Stefan. I'll try to get them to split and follow me too. Lead them deep and meet up back here before they can catch up." Damon started yelling then. "There's more over here!" He took off and Stefan waited a moment before approaching the two guards that were left and begging tearfully.
"My sister! Please you have to help! It yanked her right out the window!"
x
Arienne watched Stefan disappearing into the other side of the trees with the two remaining guards and grabbed a branch with a sufficiently flattened end. "Thank the lord oak is sturdy enough for this." She crept up to the back of the wagon and poked the edge under the bottom of the door. "Don't fail me now, science of leverage." Arienne leaned her weight on the branch, grimacing at each metallic creak or groan. After several prolonged, screeching pops the metal gave way and the door came upwards; off its hinges.
Moving fast, Arienne poked her head in. "Katherine?" There were many forms heaped together on the floor, barely moving and groaning in pain. Yet the one that caught her gaze-
"That's her." Damon reappeared beside Arienne and together he and Stefan hauled the woman in the nice dress out of the back and outside. Once they had her on the ground and had removed the muzzle of sorts Arienne gasped, more than a little confused at the face underneath.
"Is that-" Shouting and twigs snapping made Arienne draw her gaze up to where a man with a rifle was lining up a shot on Damon. She glanced to where he and his brother were both trying to rouse the sleeping lady and made a split second decision. It's just a nightmare. Arienne leapt up and threw herself between the rifleman and Damon. "Look out!" The shot rang like a thunderclap and then there was an impact below Arienne's right shoulder. The pain spread out like a flower blooming and Arienne grunted, the wind knocked clean out of her. Then she crumpled, down to a knee. I have to stay up. If I can't stand back up, they'll still be able to get Stefan at this angle-
There was another crack to split the night and Stefan went down like a bag of rocks. Arienne screamed, angry at this entire odd situation and the murder of someone she knew fictional or not. All the stress from learning Sean's fate fell over her and she pushed herself to her feet fully. Panting and angry like a cornered beast, Arienne grabbed the destroyed door that had fallen and with a great deal of difficulty hefted it up to cover her, Damon, and the woman he said was Katherine. "I can't do this forever, Damon. They'll go around soon." Damon grabbed the branch she'd used to pop the door off and jammed it in the dirt to prop it up. Then he grabbed her and began dragging her directly back into the woods. Arienne's world was starting to spin and she could feel the blood loss setting in as her head become light and her limbs heavy.
"You'll be fine." Damon said, teeth grit.
"But Katherine...Stefan..." Arienne coughed and it tasted a little like copper.
"Katherine is a problem for another day and Stefan isn't real. Not here. Now hush, snack." Damon was beginning to tire, she could see that.
"Damon, I'm bleeding a clear trail for them to follow. You have to leave me behind." Arienne tried to be logical. "You don't owe me anything."
"Yes I do!" He snapped, still whispering loudly. "I owe you a bunch of things. An apology. Thanks because I haven't been hungry since I attacked you..."
He trailed off and Arienne decided a joke was in order. "That's only two things, Damon. Just drop me. I'm technically not any more real than Stefan. As for the attack, Damon...I've already forgiven that. Living your life with grudges and regrets is no way to live it."
He groaned with the effort of hauling her. "Damon." She continued. "You're a vampire aren't you? I've been struggling with denial but the fangs are such a give away." She shook her head and nearly floated away when the world turned around. "When we wake up I want you to join me for breakfast. I have some things I want to talk to you about." Then Arienne was staring up at her vaguely white ceiling, breathing hard with the stress of her sudden demise. Take a moment. She granted herself a small concession, just focusing on breathing and knowing each part of herself. Then get up and start brewing the tea. Even if he doesn't show up, it'll help you feel better.
Arienne did a quick shower and got into her pajamas, soft cotton shorts and a matching top with polka dots. Feeling better now that she was clean and comfortable, Arienne headed downstairs. Midway down she glanced into her kitchen as she smelled...Excitement over took her and she bounded the rest of the way, bursting into the kitchen with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Father Kieran? I smelled your soup. Why havent you been answering my-" Marcel turned to face her from where he stood at the stove. She glanced to the right where her island table was currently hosting a stranger.
He waved and took an awkward sip from one of her coffee mugs. "Sup. My name is Josh. I've been working with your dad." He looks young. And tired. What happened to this man?
Arienne wrinkled her brow in thought, still processing disappoint that Kieran wasn't here. "But you're pretty close to my age, aren't you? Dad doesn't work with minors."
Marcel put a bowl of soup on the island bar and guided Arienne to her stool. "Nice try kiddo, but Josh is actually twenty." When she was seated he took the stool next to her. She began to spoon the soup in, enjoying the taste of home as the warm aroma wafted up her nose. "We still need to talk about something."
"Actually dad before you say anything..." Arienne fixed him with a serious look. "No matter what reasons you had, not telling me about Sean for two whole months was really fucked up and I'm not happy with you because of that. You denied me the proper grieving space I could've had with everyone who got to experience the funerals together. Now I get to do it alone."
His face fell a little, but Arienne wasn't done. "I've never lied to you about anything. When I finally recovered I was going to call you and tell you what happened to me. But I got worse and was hospitalized first." Arienne pursed her lips. "I was attacked by a guy with sharp teeth. Although, I'm guessing you aren't too surprised because you and your friend move just like he does." She slowly put her spoon down. "You're the same as he is. The question is what do I call you?" Marcel was trying to speak, but she kept going. "Camazotz? Chupacabra? Vrykolakas?"
"Ari, a moment please." Marcel kept gently trying to interject.
"Vampire?" She continued, her eyes welling up with tears. "A man who keeps the truth from his loving daughter?" Arienne was shaking now. "You let me come down here on a study program alone, not knowing the kinds of things that could be happening all around me. And you hid the deaths of people close to me. I just...I'm not asking you to leave town, but I need some time to myself for now. I don't want to angry. I still love you, dad. Please." She hugged him. "Give me some space to breathe and come back with some ideas to make me feel safer for when you have to leave."
"Ari...alright." He tightened his grip. "I'll give you some space tonight. Come on Josh. I'll still need your help." Marcel stopped at the door. "Don't invite anyone in, kiddo." Then the pair walked out to her father's car, got in and drove away without another word. Battling the pang of guilt that arose in her, Arienne began to boil some water in a kettle on the stove. She was expecting company, after all. Time to whip out the good stuff. It isn't everyday you discover a secret world parallel to your own. Pulling out a note pad and pencil while she waited for the water to boil, Arienne began to write down her questions for Damon.