Chapter 35
That night, Dayna went down to the river. It was a cool fall eve and the changing leaves fell all about her. She smiled as she dropped to her knees in front of the cool water. She sometimes saw why Lorri loved it so much. She looked down at her reflection in the glistening water. ”There is something troubling you, fair one?” asked a voice, seemingly from the trees themselves. “Oh, yes! I feel like I have made such a mess of things and I think I’m falling in love but I don’t know cuz I never have before, my friends are in danger and I think I’m getting blisters on my but from riding that stupid horse so much!” she said in one breath, not even caring to whom she spoke. The voice laughed. Chilling, but almost like music. “You have to much pain in your life, my lady. Please, let me take it all away.” “Can you do that?” she asked, the tears slowly falling from her eyes. A hand softly pulled the hair away from her neck and caressed her cheek. “I assure you, you can feel no pain after this.”
Lygia walked along the path she had seen her friend go down not five minutes ago. She came baring a love note from Hawkins. Well, she guessed it to be that, anyway. It was from him, to Dayna, and Dayna’s name was written on the folded paper so carefully and perfectly, there was no way it could be anything else. She stopped before she reached the clearing where her friend was. Behind Dayna, likewise kneeling was a man. Not to tall, but from the back looked strong and his black curls hung freely down his back. He was brushing back the hair on her neck. “I promise you, you can feel no pain after this” It looked as if he was kissing her neck, but then Lygia’s eyes focused. There was blood. “Vampire!!!” she screamed, she picked up the first thing that caught her eye, a rather large stick, and ran to attack him. But she stopped, for he stopped and both just staid there, looking into each other’s eyes. Such beauty is rare he seemed to say to her, but his lips did not move. Dayna slowly came out of her daze. “Wha…? What happened? Vampire?” She reached up to her neck, and when she pulled it back, her fingers were covered in her own blood. She stared a moment, then fell back. “Dayna!” Lygia rushed to her friend. She looked up to see the man, er, vampire again, but he was gone. “Do not worry. She will be fine” said a voice softly across the woods like a birds song, but echoed like thunder in her heart. She was comforted by it, no matter how much she knew she should not be. She tried to revive Dayna, but could not. Soon, Hawkins and about three or four other men came running down the path. “I’ll carry her,” offered Hawkins as he hoisted her into the air as if she were nothing. The men left, but Lygia just stood there, looking for him again.
Chapter 36
Striker felt as though he would go mad. It had been over a week since he had last seen Lorri. She was locked up in that castle with her worst enemy saying he was going to marry her. But Lygia had told him not to and had Amy watching him… What Amy doesn’t know, she can’t tell report! So he snuck out under cover of darkness. The guards were basically all asleep on their shifts anyway. He crawled around the courtyards, trying to find her room. But there seemed to be no hope. He scaled the wall once more and looked back to the palace. From this view, he found one widow lit. There sat the woman he sought. He climbed back into the courtyard and up the vines to her room. There she sat, gazing at the fire. She looked happy, but it was not true joy. “My lady? My lady!” he whispered. She rushed to the window to look out. “Who are you and what are you doing hear?” “Lorri, I have come to save you-” “Save me? From what? My love the king? I think not. You better find some other damsel in distress” “I do not make a habit of hiking up walls, just to be pushed away by a girl who is clearly in trouble.” “What would a mercenary know of my troubles?!?” “Then you do remember!” “Remember what? I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about!” she shouted, becoming more frustrated by the second. “But you just called me-“ “You had better leave. The king might have sorts of spies and if you are not careful, they will find you!!” Tears dropped slowly, each precious to Striker. It was all an act. To protect them from being found out! “Oh, Lorri. I’m so sorry. Please. Don’t cry. I have been all around. There are no spies. Forgive me. I did not understand. Meet me at the fountain, in the courtyard.” She did not answer, but her eyes told him the answer.
Five minutes later, she found herself running into the arms of the man that not ten days ago, she was cutting down and making fun of. “Oh, Striker! You have no idea how sorry I am. Not only for acting this way, but for how I’ve treated you! I have been so selfish.” He held her, fearing this was all a dream. “No, You treated me like that because I acted like it. I couldn’t show anyone the real me.” She looked up into his eyes. She was so short compared to him. “But now I see the real side of you.” His kissed her, softly, sweetly. There they stood for a few moments, just holding onto each other. Both finally realized it was pouring rain on them. Striker laughed, for neither moved, then he began to hum. Then he sang
Loo loo loo
I’ll take you dreaming
Through the rainy night
To a place behind the rain drops
Where the stars are bright
You may not find gold or silver
But a richer prize
Waits for you
Behind the rain drops
If you close your eyes
Tonight
Tonight
When all the worlds asleep
We will tip toe home
With a wondrous star
A star you can always keep
And years from now
When you go dreaming
When you’re very old
Though you’re crown be rich with rubies
Diamonds set in gold
None will sine as bright
As the star we’ll find
Tonight
Her tears mixed with the rain that fell over them. “I hate crying” He chuckled. “And why is that?” He asked. “I’m not like my mom. I can’t cry gracefully” He pulled her away and smiled. “Well, I didn’t see your face last time you were crying, but I’m sure you looked just as beautiful as you do now” “The… last… time?” realization was starting to hit her. “It was you at the inn!” He nodded. ”I knew then that I loved you. But I was too afraid. Ha! Me, afraid.” He looked back down on her. “But I was. I was so afraid you wouldn’t love me back” “Oh, Striker! How do you know what love is? I don’t. At least, I think I know, but I don’t know!” He held her tight. “Such a sweet angel does not deserve to be so confused. I do not wish you to answer me tonight. When you know, you will answer… when you are ready”
Chapter 37
“And that’s the last thing I remember” Dayna finished telling the story of how she had run into the vampire. She had been laid on a bed in one of the huts and her neck was covered with a light bandage. Lygia had retuned soon after, finding nothing that could lead her to that strange being. But why did she want to see him again so bad? He had tried to kill Dayna for goodness sake!! But still, the feeling remained. “We know how to deal with there kind,” said the Fox, his arms crossed thoughtfully over his chest. Dayna could not help but smile, having also figured out his identity. “All we need to do is find him. Teal, get together a team. It’s time we did some vampire hunting” Lygia looked up, trying to hid her fear. “I want to go too!” she shouted before thinking. “What?!?” shouted Dayna. “He’ll kill you!” “Well better me than you” she said quickly. “That is, if you don’t think you’ll need me any time soon.” “Go. I hope you catch him. They can be sly.” Said the Fox, disappearing from the hut. Lygia remembered the note and handed it to Dayna. She looked up at her, questioningly. Lygia just nodded, which brought an unsure smile from Dayna as she carefully unfolded the paper.