Chapter 2

That night the dreams started again, but this time they were different. She saw herself as a woman in older times by the name of Hana of the Three Rivers. She soon realized this is where she and Thierry had first met. She also soon realized that Thierry was a vampire, although for some reason that did not frighten her. As her dreams continued, she dreamed about her past lives and about her most recent life before this one. She and Thierry had been together then. Thierry had been waiting for her to be born again and then he had started to search for her, but this time she had found him. He was her soulmate, her best friend, someone who would love her always, even when she was stupid. Leigh smiled in her sleep and by morning she knew almost everything Hannah Snow had known about her past lives and the Night World.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

When she woke up on Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. she felt more refreshed then she had in a long time. She got up, got dressed and decided to go outside for a walk. "I'm going for a walk," she told her mom, as she headed outside. As she started to walk along the beach someone approached her silently. Leigh didn't turn as someone tapped her on the shoulder. "Hello Thierry," said Leigh, quietly.
"How'd you know it was me?" asked Thierry, in surprise.
"Because no one can approach me half as quietly as a vampire," said Leigh, she stated the fact simply, but a shocked looked crossed Thierry's face.
"And you're not afraid of me?" asked Thierry, just as quietly, as he came and walked beside her.
"No, because I have a hundred different selves whispering to me that you mean me no harm and that you are my soulmate," said Leigh, simply.
"Yes, I have been looking for you for a long time, but instead of me finding you, you found me," said Thierry, quietly.
He kissed her then and Leigh was surprised, but didn't resist. But as soon as bare skin touched, bare skin, there was like an electrical flash between them, and they were in each other's mind. Leigh could feel how Thierry felt about her and what she saw made her smile. He thought of her like a poet thinks of the moon and the stars in ridiculous hyperbole. Which was completely silly, but if he wanted to think of her that way then Leigh couldn't object. That representation had dimmed in the last life to be replaced by something more realistic. She didn't take time to marvel at the weirdness of it all. She just took advantage of it. Love spilled from her and into Thierry and the more she gave the more he returned. I love you, Leigh, Thierry told her telepathically.
I love you to, more than I've ever loved anybody in my life. Isn't that strange considering we've just met, Leigh said, also telepathically. I feel like I've known you all my life and, in a way, I guess I have. They were kneeling in the sand by then, holding each other.
Thierry seemed to grin in relief in her mind and then said, So you remember our past and you don't hate me for what I did to you?
I could never hate you and I feel for you after what Maya kept doing to you century after century, it's disgusting. I never knew anyone could hate that much. I love you more than life itself and I've been searching for you for a long, long time.
Thierry seemed to mentally shrug and grin at the same time. That's what kept Maya so vibrant after thousands of years. It was the hate she had for you and me both, but I'm glad that she is finally gone, and the hatred went with her.
You must have the patience of a saint to wait for me to be born again, said Leigh.
Thierry grinned at that, remembering Hannah had said almost exactly the same thing. I will admit it hasn't been easy being separated from your soulmate can be pure torture. I loved Hannah more than anything in this world and when she died, I wanted to die to, but I couldn't because of my promise to her just before she died. She made me promise to wait for her to be born again, even if it took two hundred years.
And you fulfilled your promise, said Leigh.
Yes, said Thierry. They stopped talking after that and just enjoyed each other's company as they explored each other's mind. Finally, Leigh broke away, but regretfully and stood up. "I hate to say this, but if I don't get back to the house my mom is going to wonder what happened to me." Thierry nodded sad to see her go, but he would see her again he promised himself. "Why don't we meet at the Hardee's, say in two hours?" suggested Leigh.
"All right," said Thierry. He kissed her again and it was a few minutes before they broke apart. As Leigh walked away, she waved until she was out of sight and as she disappeared Thierry couldn't keep himself from grinning. Leigh had just made him one of the happiest men in the world.
He was definitely a different man that watched as his soulmate Hannah Snow had died on extreme old age, but then again that was to be expected.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

Two hours later, Leigh sat in the Hardee's waiting for Thierry to arrive. She didn't want to admit it, but she missed him. Even though she had only known him a few hours, it seemed like she had known him forever. As she sat that someone approached her, "Hi Leigh, what are you doing here?" asked a voice, as the man who had spoken sat down beside her.
Leigh groaned silently; Ridge Redfern was the last person she wanted to see right now. "Ridge, would you go somewhere? I'm waiting for someone," said Leigh, starting to get annoyed at his constant persistence.
"Who are you waiting for?" asked Ridge.
"That is none of your business now leave; or I will," said Leigh, beginning to get angry.
An angry look crossed Ridge's face and he grabbed her arm, roughly. "Let go of me Ridge," whispered Leigh, savagely. People were starting to turn in their direction wondering what all the commotion was about.
Suddenly a man approached their table and put his hand on Ridge's shoulder, quietly. "I suggest you do as the lady has requested and let her go," said the man, quietly. Even though the man never raised his voice there was a hidden threat behind it. There was a look of pure anger in his eyes, which said he would carry out his threat if Ridge didn't let her go.
"Oh, Thierry I'm so glad to see you," said Leigh, in relief. Ridge let go of her arm slowly and turned the man called Thierry.
"Thierry? Lord of the Night World? So, this is whom you were waiting for Leigh? What does he have that I don't?" asked Ridge, angrily.
"First of all," responded Thierry, just as quietly as if he had been talking through the whole incident, "I have manners and secondly I would never harm a lady. Now I suggest you leave, before I call the police on you for molesting her."
Ridge got out of his chair and looked like he was about to say something but thought better of it. Then he slowly walked out the door, vowing Leigh would be his.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" asked Thierry as he sat down.
"No, I'm fine," said Leigh.
"Why was he bothering you?" asked Thierry, still talking quietly.
"He's been wanting to go out with me for months. I keep turning him down because I think he's a jerk," said Leigh. Thierry nodded and turned his thoughts towards other subjects. He and Leigh talked for hours. Neither one wanted to leave the other. But finally, Leigh glanced at her watch and sighed, "I'm afraid I have to go. My mom is going to be worried about me if I don't get home soon."
Thierry nodded and gently took her arm and escorted her to her car.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

That night Leigh tried to sit in the den and watch TV. Her mom was not home, and Leigh tried to get herself to relax. The only problem was that she missed Thierry too much. She had tried to keep her mind off of him for hours, but it was difficult to think about anything else, considering she had just found her soulmate. She thought about the way his short, white-blond hair, hung over his forehead, his dark loving eyes and his lips, how they felt against her own. Leigh got up opened the door and walked outside. She sighed, only to sense someone was watching her. She searched the darkness quickly then relaxed as Thierry walked into view. He was wearing a T-shirt, jeans, a leather jacket and boots. The boots were self-lacing, and the jacket dried itself when it was wet, plus shrunk or enlarged to fit the person it was on.
"Thierry I was just thinking about you," said Leigh, as she hugged him. It was amazing at how close they had become in such a short time.
"I know, I could sense your disquiet as I walked up," said Thierry, as he hugged her back and kissed her on the lips.
"I just missed you that's all. I've tried not to think about you for hours, but found it nearly impossible," said Leigh, honestly.
"That's the way it is with soulmates. I've missed you to and that is why I'm here now," said Thierry.
Leigh kissed him and for a while no more words were said as they sat in the porch swing.
"Something is bothering you," said Thierry, as they finally broke apart.
"Yes," said Leigh, slowly. It amazed her how Thierry could be so perceptive when it came to how she was feeling.
"Well, what is it?" asked Thierry, in a concerned tone.
"It's just that this guy Ridge is bothering me," said Leigh.
"You mean the guy that almost hurt you," said Thierry, with anger in his tone about how that guy treated a lady. "Did you know Ridge was a vampire?—From one of the strongest and oldest families actually."
"Oh?—that could make him ten times as dangerous, couldn't it?" said Leigh then paused before she continued. "You know, I've brushed him off dozens of times in the last few months, but he just doesn't give up. He worries me sometimes."
"Do you think he could do something stupid?" asked Thierry, worriedly.
"I don't know, I just don't know," said Leigh thoughtfully. "He's the most popular guy in school. It is a real honor to get asked out by him at least in the other girls; opinions, but I think he is arrogant, childish when he doesn't get his way and downright abusive at times."
"That can be a dangerous combination if you don't know how to control it. Especially in a vampire," said Thierry, even more worried than he had been before. Leigh nodded, but then Thierry spoke again, but quietly. "I want you to be careful when you go back to that school Monday. Avoid him if you can and if you can't then be careful what you say to him." Leigh nodded and for a while no more words were said.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

The next day, Leigh went to church with her mother, but she could not concentrate on the sermon. All she could think about was Thierry. Her mother looked at her worriedly, wondering why her daughter was so fidgety of late, but she said nothing as she continued to listen to the service. After church Leigh got in the car and stared out the window as her mother drove. Now days, cars flew through the air instead of actually rolling on the ground.
"What is wrong with you? You've seemed so restless the last couple of days," said her mother, glancing at her worriedly.
"It's just this guy at school whose been bothering me," said Leigh, but that was only part of the problem the other was Thierry, but she didn't mention him. "His name is Ridge Redfern and he's a real jerk. He's been hounding me for months to go out with him. I've always turned him down and yet he never gives up."
"Have you tried talking to him?" asked her mother.
"Yes, I have repeatedly, and it doesn't seem to get through that thick skull of his, that I'm not interested in him," said Leigh. "I've done everything except beat it into that skull of his and send the guy smoke signals."
"Well, I don't know what to tell you," said her mother.
Leigh sighed and continued to stare out the window, thinking of Thierry.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

Over the next few weeks Leigh avoided Ridge like the plague and she and Thierry spent a great deal of time together, when she wasn't studying for finals. But every time she went somewhere with or without someone, she felt eyes watching her and she wondered if it wasn't just her imagination, but finally, she realized it wasn't. She suspected Thierry felt it to but said nothing for fear of upsetting her. She also suspected it was Ridge following her, waiting for her to be alone, but she never was. She always left the house with her mother or Thierry or Cat.
But finally on the day right after graduation from high school Leigh was headed home alone, when she noticed a car in her rearview mirror. "Oh no, it's Ridge," Leigh muttered to herself. She recognized his red and white striped sports car. Leigh silently speeded up trying to outrun him, but Ridge's car was a suped up sports hover car, while hers was not. She didn't have a prayer of outrunning him.
Thierry, she called out in her mind, I'm in trouble.
There was no reply at first and Leigh was afraid that the distance was too great for telepathy to work. Where are you? Finally came, the reply. Unknown to Leigh, Thierry had been following her just to keep an eye on her, for he had sensed the eyes watching her.
I'm about 5 miles from where I live, on the north road, Leigh said. Ridge is chasing me in a red and white suped up sports car. I can't outrun him, and I have a feeling he's trying to run me down.
I'll be there as soon as I can, try to lose him or at least keep your distance from him, Thierry said as he drove his rented car down the road where she was. Thierry finally broke the connection, just as Leigh felt a jolt and she knew no more as her car crashed into the side of the deserted rode. "No," Thierry screamed, as he felt her lose consciousness, through their connection. Thierry barely managed to keep control of his rented car as he felt Leigh crash in his mind. He drove his rented car as fast as he could to the scene of the accident.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~

Two minutes later Thierry arrived at the scene of the accident to find her car a wreck at the side of the road and no sign of the other car. Thierry tried to open the door, but it was stuck, so finally using his vampire strength he ripped the door off its hinges. He climbed inside and gently picked Leigh up and carried her out of the car. He checked her injuries and groaned at what he found. Internal; bleeding, a broken leg, at least three cracked ribs and a fractured neck. Even with today's medical technology she was not going to make it unless he got her to a hospital and soon. The only problem was they were at least 20 miles away from the nearest hospital. Leigh woke up suddenly and groaned. Her head hurt, one of her legs was broken, she couldn't move her neck, and it felt as though her ribs were on fire. How badly am I hurt?" Leigh asked hoarsely as she saw Thierry staring down at her worriedly.
Thierry sighed before he responded, knowing it was no use to keep the truth from her. "You're very badly hurt Leigh and there is nothing I can do for you. The nearest hospital is at least 20 miles away."
"Am I dying?" asked Leigh, strangely calm about it.
"Yes," responded Thierry, sadly, "The only way I can see out of it is to turn you into a vampire, but I don't want to do that."
"Do it," whispered Leigh, almost losing consciousness.
"Are you sure?" asked Thierry. "Once we start this there is no turning back and vampires don't come back once they are killed," said Thierry, making sure she understood the consequences of her actions.
"Look it is the only way, it's the only I am going to live, and I don't ever want to leave you alone again. I love you more than anything, more than I have loved anybody, even my parents. Do it so we can be together," said Leigh, coughing up blood as she finished saying what she had to say.
A silent tear rolled down Thierry's cheek and he moved them both away from the wreck that was Leigh's car, then leaned down and gently kissed her neck. Leigh felt the moment his control broke, and she just relaxed and did not resist. Do not be afraid, Thierry told her telepathically. I will not hurt you. What I am doing is taking some of your blood and then I will give you some of mine, but if I take too much or give you too much the consequences could be disastrous. The connection, Leigh noticed somewhat groggily, seemed even stronger as Thierry drank her blood. I wonder why that is? Leigh did not respond, but she was still strangely calm. She trusted Thierry more then she had ever trusted anybody in her life, and she knew he would do his best not to harm her. Silently she sent him a message that she loved and trusted him, and he responded in kind. Thierry drank her blood savoring its taste but finally 10 minutes later he broke away.
He ran a fingernail across his wrist slowly, until he drew blood. He lifted Leigh's head, and she took a drink slowly. She noticed it tasted sweet. What she was getting was the power of life, a blood so ancient that it had been around since the beginning of time. She was becoming something that had existed for thousands of years. She could feel the blood racing through her system overriding everything. She felt strangely drowsy, clear and calm, but she wasn't hurting anymore.
Thierry gently lifted her and carried her to his car, leaving the burning wreck of her car far behind. A few minutes later, Thierry arrived at the hotel, and he gently took her out of his car and carried her inside. He put her on the bed and gently covered her with a sheet. He kissed her forehead then sat down beside her, not even changing his bloodstained clothes. He just hoped he had given her enough—he thought he had. They would have to do it again in a few hours and finish what they had begun. Her birthmark had; began to fade as the vampire blood took over, soon it would be gone entirely. Thierry stroked her fading birthmark gently.
A few hours later Thierry gently bit her neck again and took some more of her blood. Leigh did not wake up doing it all. Then he very gently retracted his teeth and gently shook Leigh, she looked up groggily. "Here you need to drink some more," said Thierry. He had already slit his wrist again and blood ran down it. He lifted Leigh's head gently and she drank again slowly savoring its taste. Thierry laid her back down on the bed and she was asleep again instantly. Finally, he moved away from the bed and called the sheriff, telling him about the accident. The sheriff knew about vampires, so Thierry asked him to come right over.

~~~Thierry and Leigh~~~