Midnight Shadows
Chapter Four: Let’s Learn English In One Easy Step
BY: Tammy

Disclaimer: Anita, Dolph, Jean-Claude, Jason, Asher, Zerbrowski, and any other recognizable characters belong to Laurell K. Hamilton. I’m borrowing them. This was written purely for entertainment and not monetary gain. Cara, Calin, Tanon, the Queen, and Dr. Zimmerman belong to me.

Author’s Note: This story is told from Anita’s and Cara’s view points. They alternate back and forth from chapter to chapter.

Cara’s P.O.V.

I heard voices above my head. I was lying down. Why was I lying down with people talking above me? My face hurt and I felt bruised from head to toe. How did I get hurt? I realized I didn’t understand a word they were saying and everything came back to me in a rush. I opened my eyes and looked up at them.

The man on my right was a giant. He was much taller than 6’ with close cut dark hair and watchful eyes. I didn’t think many things got past him. On my left was a short, dark haired woman with hard eyes. Of the two of them I thought she was the more dangerous. They were both human. I needed to be careful; humans can be dangerous. They were talking to me, but I couldn’t understand them. Somehow, when I set out to find Tanon it never occurred to me that I might not be able to communicate with the people I met.

I reached out with my mind to them. The woman was completely closed to me. Her shields were every bit as good as mine. The man’s mind was as open as a book, though I couldn’t understand a single thing. I lifted my arm and grabbed his closest hand. I sent a pulse of power from my hand into his body and then into his mind. He froze as I instantly learned his language.

“What the hell!” the woman exclaimed, reaching across me and grabbing my hand away from the man. She held on tight and I couldn’t break her hold. I never would have imagined anyone her size being that strong let alone a woman. “Dolph, are you alright?” she said.

I looked at her and her eyes were blazing with anger. I decided then and there that she was not someone who I wanted angry with me.

“I meant no harm,” I said carefully. “I only learned your language. He was not harmed.”

As if on cue the man shook his head and said, “I’m alright Anita. Let her go. She just surprised me. I’ve never felt anything like that.”

So the woman’s name was Anita and the man’s Dolph. What unusual names. I suppose they would find our names unusual too. Anita studied Dolph for a moment and then turned her attention back to me. She still hadn’t let go of my arm. She was adding to my bruises.

“Who are you?” she asked. Her voice was cold, but not as cold as her eyes. “Why can’t you speak English? Where are you from?” The questions came quickly and she never gave me a chance to answer her. I’m guessing she’s wasn’t much on patience.

When she stopped to take a breath I jumped in. “Please let me go. I’m not going to harm anyone. I’ll answer all your questions, but please answer mine as well.”

“Anita, let her go,” Dolph repeated. “We’ll try to answer your questions miss, but you can’t just reach out and invade people’s minds like that.”

Anita let me go reluctantly and her right hand moved under her jacket like she was reaching for something. Dolph gave her a look that I didn’t understand, but her hand came out empty.

I thought it best to start answering their questions. I was in a strange place that I didn’t remember coming to with no idea what was going on. I remembered coming through the gateway in the woods. It was night. I remember walking along a road and eventually entering a city. I had never imagined such a place could exist. There was noise and light and many, many humans. I remember staring around me and then something pushing me to the ground from behind. I never saw what it was.

“My name is Cara. I couldn’t speak English because I’m from another place. Please, where am I?” Maybe if I answered her questions they’d begin answering mine. So far this adventure was not turning out exactly like I had envisioned.

“Another place? Can you be a little more specific than that?” Anita asked me sarcastically.

Dolph gave Anita another look and she glared back at him. “You’re at St. Louis University Hospital. You were found unconscious in the street with a vampire bite on your neck by the police and brought here for treatment. Where are you from?” he asked as he took some sort of pad and writing instrument out of his inner jacket pocket.

I wanted to study the writing materials but decided that this wasn’t the best time. “I’m from a different world. We call it Aradorn. Vampire bite? What is a vampire?” I asked. From their behavior I was guessing it wasn’t something good.

They both looked at me like I had grown a second head. I couldn’t understand why.

“You don’t know what a vampire is?” Anita asked. “Maybe you really are from another world.” She still sounded skeptical.

I was getting pretty upset at that point. “What is a vampire?” I asked again, fear heavy in my voice. I didn’t want to know the answer, but I had to know.

They exchanged another significant look and it made me wonder if they could communicate telepathically. Anita answered me, “A vampire is one of the undead. They feed off blood.”

“The undead? How can something be undead? It’s either is dead or its not.” I couldn’t believe what she was telling me. “And what do you mean feed? Are you saying a vampire drank my blood? How?” I was beginning to get a panicky tone in my voice and I didn’t care. This had to be some kind of nightmare.

“You’ve been bitten on the neck. It’s a safe bet that whoever did it took blood,” Dolph said. “We want to help you. Please tell us what you remember.”

He seemed to be sincere. Anita was watching me intently. Something about her manner bothered me. She was too intense. I took a deep breath. “All right, everything I remember. I passed through the gateway and followed the road I found into the city. I’d never seen such a place or so many humans. I was staring at everything around me. Some people were staring at me too. I remember thinking it was all so alien and strange and wonderful. Then something hit me from behind. I fell to the ground. Someone was holding me tight. I started to struggle with him, but he was so strong. He shook me hard and I think I must have hit my head on the ground. I don’t remember anything else.”

“You never saw your attacker?” Dolph asked. He was making notes on that fascinating writing material.

“No, he was behind me. I tried to turn over, but he wouldn’t let me.”

“How do you know it was a man?” Anita asked me. Her voice was suspicious. I didn’t know if it was at me or not.

“He was so strong, it had to be a man. He held me so tight I couldn’t turn or break his hold.” I was getting more upset the more I talked. I remembered feeling helpless and frightened. I had never felt those emotions so strongly before and I didn’t know how to deal with them. I guess being the strongest Shalandar doesn’t prepare you for everything. When I left home I never imagined there could be beings more powerful than myself. I was learning some painful lessons. The fear must have shown on my face.

“You’re okay now. You’re safe. Why don’t you rest for a few minutes? If you’ll excuse us?”

He made it sound like a question, but I knew it wasn’t. I just nodded. I was frightened and in a strange place. Suddenly I wished I had never left home.

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