Part 24
With
Kevin out of the room, Alex ran his fingers along Samantha’s cheek. “She knew
what would happen to her but she never questioned me.”
”She loves you. Let me help you get cleaned up.”
Without looking away, Alex said, “Her tears….they healed me.”
“What do you mean?” Howard was standing beside him now cleaning the blood from his face.
“After the fight, she came to me and held me in her lap. Her tears fell on my cuts….it didn’t sting,” winced Alex as Howard washed a cut on his side. “Her tears healed my cuts.”
Howard looked down at Samantha. “It must be her powers….or her love.”
There was a timid knock and one of the local wenches entered cautiously. Alex’s reputation with the women was well known, especially his ability to please, but he was also feared because of his temper. To enter Howard’s chambers was unheard of too adding to her hesitation.
Seeing the wench, Alex was suddenly ashamed. “Not here!” and he started to get up.
“Don’t leave, Alex,” Howard insisted.
“I….I
can’t do this here….not with Samantha here.”
”She’ll understand, Alex. She’s never judged you and this isn’t for pleasure.”
“You know what will happen…what has to happen. I can’t do it in her presence. She’s so pure, so good, and this is so evil.”
“She’ll understand,” insisted Howard. “You’re wasting time. Samantha needs us…she needs you.”
Alex looked from Samantha to the wench who was oblivious to what was going to happen. Howard was right and it wasn’t like he was going to do any more than feed. It was just the thought of knowing the end results and how much Samantha didn’t like that part of what they were.
“Get Nickolas to come back and clean up,” instructed Alex as he took the girl’s hand and led her away from the bed. The least he could do was do this away from her so she wouldn’t see when she woke.
Howard took his place beside Samantha once more. The longer she was unconscious, the more worried he became. He took her hand in his, stroking the soft skin and as the wench’s scream echoed through the house, he whispered, “Not much longer, my love, and Alex will come to you.”
A hand on his shoulder alerted Howard and he looked up to see Alex standing beside him.
Standing, Howard wiped a trace of blood from Alex’s chin as he said, “I’ll take care of the body.”
Alex lay beside Samantha gathering her in his arms. Placing a tender kiss on her lips, he whispered, “I’m coming to you, beautiful lady.”
Closing his eyes, Alex crossed the plane into her dreams and found himself surrounded by gray, swirling fog. He looked around to get his bearings as he called out, “Samantha.”
Her voice was everywhere around him, distant and scared, “Alex…help me.”
“Where are you, beautiful?”
“Please, Alex,” she pleaded tearfully.
From somewhere behind him, Alex heard Howard’s voice, “Let your heart lead you, Alex.”
“I don’t know how to, Howard.”
“Trust your love for her.”
Alex closed his eyes and focused his energy on what his heart was feeling. When he opened them again, she stood before him and he held out his hand to her. “Take my hand, Samantha.”
“I can’t, Alex.”
“Trust him,” came Howard’s voice. “It’s your love that brought him to you.”
“I’m too tired, Howard. I can’t do it.”
Alex held out both hands this time and she struggled to place hers in them.
“That’s it, my love,” smiled Alex as he pulled her to him. Holding her body tight, he brushed her cheek and kissed her. “You know what you must do.”
Slowly she began and the warmth of his body wrapped around her. As the fog disappeared, birds began to sing around them and the small creatures of the gardens scurried between their feet. Life was restored.
Pulling back, she looked into his eyes and he said, “It’s time to wake, my love.”
