December Moon (The Raven Saga)

  They took the walk very slowly, having to carry Walter on a makeshift stretcher. Although many hours had passed since their rescue, Walter had remained unconscious. Carmelo and the witches were baffled. It was virtually unknown for a vampire to go into a coma.

  Many hours of walking went by before Lilly recognised the familiar weather-beaten old elm tree that stood guard outside the well-hidden main entrance to the Elders' cave. To some, the tree may have appeared somewhat out of place, but to Lilly it was perfect. It signalled the end of a long and arduous journey. It signalled the arrival to her temporary home... to her family.

  Ben was the first to rush out as the grand old door creaked opened to reveal a host of people awaiting their arrival.

  He ran to his brother with open arms and they hugged each other tightly, before Ben turned his attention to Lilly, the girl that had become like a sister to him in the year they had known each other. Relief covered his face as he saw that everyone else was alive and largely, well. Behind them all stood Crystal, who had tears in her eyes.

  "We are so glad to have you back safely, Lilly, Oliver. We've been worried sick. Poor Gabriel has been beside himself with worry," she said as she hugged them both gently.

  Lilly pulled away from Ben's girlfriend and ran inside, but Gabriel wasn't with the welcoming party. Neither were the rest of her family.

  "Where are they?" she yelled to no-one in particular.

  "In Gabriel's quarters. They are recovering, go gently, my dear Lilly," said Finlay, the Elder with the huge eyes and caricature-like features.

  Lilly immediately rushed towards the rooms which now belonged to Gabriel. As she approached, she slowed herself down and stood in the doorway, looking in on the family she had thought she'd lost.

  Gabriel stood over Rose, who was laying in his bed recovering from the battle. Meredith sat with her sons, all were clearly in shock. Wyatt, Sonya and Jo hovered over them, offering words of comfort.

  Suddenly Jo turned to face her.

  "Lilly! You're all right!" she yelled and propelled herself over to her cousin and hugged her with all her strength, nearly knocking her to the ground.

  "I'm fine, I'm fine," she responded over and over again, "We're all alive... a little beaten up, but okay."

  "Oh Meredith... I'm so very sorry..." she whispered as she let go of Jo and walked into her aunt's arms.

  Meredith was unable to speak for a moment as the tears began to flow once again, but she held Lilly tight, not wanting to let her go.

  "I feel like it's my fault, Meredith. I'm sorry," she whispered.

  "My dear, it's not your fault at all. John was... killed by those evil vampires. They would have killed more of us if they'd had the chance. It's not your fault. Please don't think that."

  Meredith pulled away from Lilly and held her at arms-length, looking into her eyes as she spoke. "Did you get him? Did you kill... Duran?"

  The room was silent as they waited to hear the news.

  Lilly nodded, "He's dead."

  They all sighed at the same time, relieved that the horrendous ordeal was finally over. Knowing that now they could return to their homes in safety.

  "But... someone has been seriously injured" she whispered, dropping her arms from Meredith and slowly moving her feet until she was beside Rose.

  As Gabriel took her in his arms and held her for a moment, she turned to Rose and said, "It's Walter."

  Rose gasped, "Walter? How is that possible?"

  "I don't know how he knew but he came to save us. He fought with Duran for so long and after Duran was killed, he collapsed. He's been unconscious ever since."

  "I must see him..." said Rose as she tried to lift her weak body out of the bed.

  "No, Rose, you are too weak. You must rest," said Gabriel, gently pushing her back down while he simultaneously fluffed her pillow behind her head.

  "Gabriel, that is my husband. I have not seen nor heard from him in over forty years. I have to see him."

  "Rose..." began Lilly but Rose interrupted her, "Lilly, dear. I know what you're going to say. I know that Walter is now a vampire and I know that he looks exactly as he did when he was taken from me. I must see him... even if it's just to say goodbye."

  Jo appeared at her side, "It's okay, guys, I'll carry her," and she pulled back the blankets to reveal Rose's bruise-covered legs, and gently picked her up as if she was as light as a feather.

  "Thank you, Jo. Thank you," said Rose as Jo walked out of the room with the others in tow.

  Walter had been carefully laid on a large bed in a hospital-like room in the lower levels of the caves. Lit by a multitude of candles, the room's walls were covered in soft wall hangings to create a warm and comforting ambience. Unlike normal hospitals which tend to have clinical odours to them, Walter's room smelt of burning candles and incense.

  There were several people already fussing around him, opening his eyes and making notes. Lilly half expected them to be monitoring his blood pressure, heartbeat and checking his pulse but then realised there's not much point on a vampire. One of them did take a sample of his blood though.

  Wyatt located a comfortable chair and put it close to the bed as Jo carefully placed Rose in it. As she sank down into the soft fabric, she took Walter's hand in hers and let out a low sob.

  Everybody looked at each other and decided Rose and Walter needed to be left alone so they quickly exited after Lilly gently placed a light blanket across her legs before giving her a kiss on her forehead.

  There was no door on the room, but a heavy curtain hung across the opening, tied to one side with a piece of soft rope. As Lilly walked out, she unravelled the rope and let the deep red fabric fall to the ground, to give Rose some much needed privacy.

  The group walked away, back up the steps towards the main hall where people were gathering for their evening meal.

  Meredith walked slowly back towards Gabriel's room, declaring herself not able to eat, "Boys, please go and eat something. You need some food. I'll be okay. I just need some time alone," she said as she hugged her three sons tightly and walked away in a daze.

  Doing as they were told, they turned sadly, and walked along with Lilly, Tabitha, Jo, Sonya and Wyatt until they reached the humongous wooden table that was filled with plates of food and large jugs of liquid refreshments.

  As everyone found a seat, at the head of the table stood Carmelo. He waited patiently for the whispers to quieten down before he began to speak to the crowd of people, Elders, other residents of the vast underground caves, visitors and friends.

  "This evening should be one of celebration and happiness, with the destruction of one of the world's more prolific and evil vampires, Olivier Duran, but the night is sadly tainted by the death of our dear friends and family members: John Black - devoted husband to Meredith, father to Cormac, Shayne and Bailey, uncle to Lilly and Jo, son to long deceased parents and great friend to us all. He goes now to the afterlife to be joined once again to his loving mother and father. We will miss him; Edmond Chevalier who fought like the true knight of his namesake. Edmond became a vampire in his native France during World War I, he was a close friend of Ursula and of us all here. He too goes to the afterlife to join the family that passed away many years ago. We will miss him; Agnes Herringthorpe, a witch we became very fond of over the past few years since she moved from her native England. Her close friends in the north have been notified of her passing and they tell us she was orphaned as a baby. So she too, goes forth to the afterlife to the parents she was never able to meet. We will miss her. And finally, Filipe Branco, white by name, white witch by nature. His elderly Portuguese parents still live across the Atlantic Ocean in the small town of Sintra, and have been notified of his passing. His ashes will be sent to them following his cremation. Filipe was a humorous fellow and he too will be sadly missed. John, Edmond, Agnes and Filipe, we toast you this evening, for you gave your lives for us and we are eternally grateful. You will always be in our hearts and in our memories. John, Edmond
, Agnes and Filipe," he repeated along with everybody else in the great hall as chairs shuffled backwards as they all stood and raised their glasses to their lost friends and comrades, while also shedding a few tears.

  As Carmelo sat down, so too did everybody else and soon the hall was filled with the sounds of voices, clinking glasses and knives and forks scraping against plates.

  To December's side sat Lilly, while the other side sat Kyran - who had made a beeline for her. He sat atop a specially made dining chair, not unlike a toddler's seat, to enable him to sit at the same height as everyone else.

  December immediately decided that she liked this little man. He had helped save Lilly's life, after all.

  "Sooo, Millicent Roberts, eh?" he asked as he stabbed a piece of beef with his fork and quickly popped it into his small mouth, a small piece breaking off and embedding itself in his beard.

  December giggled and nodded, "I guess so," she replied as she sipped a glass of cool ginger beer.

  "A mighty fine witch, Millicent Roberts. Ah've read aboot her in mah special history boooks," he said as he lifted one eyebrow and twinkled his eyes.

  "All I know about her is the fact that she could perform the same protection spell as me, was able to orb like me and she could speak to so-called lost souls."

  Kyran nodded enthusiastically as the red wine he supped out of his chalice spilled over and trickled down his chin, dripping on to the piece of beef in his beard.

  December refrained from taking her napkin and wiping his chin like she would have done a small child, as she listened to him speak, in his strange accent, about Millicent.

  "Millicent came to be boorn in Arundel, England, in de year 1211. Her moother was well aware of de special abilities she ad and she tried to hide em from the peeple of Arundel but it wasn' easy. Witches were bein burned or drowned or worse. Millicent was pud away in de loonie bin several times but she ahlways orbed out!" he laughed as he finally put his knife and fork down and wiped his face with a napkin.

  December noticed the piece of beef that had been stuck to his beard finally dropped to the ground. A tiny miniature Irish Wolfhound which sat at the base of his chair was quick to lap it up.

  "It was said dat whenever she orbed out, she was found in a nearby field, under a big oak tree chadding to someone invisible," he shook his head and continued, "Her moder would ask, who arh ye talking to, Milly? And Millicent would say, 'it's a lost soul, mama.'" he laughed again, rubbing his full round belly.

  "Do you know who these lost souls were?"

  Kyran shrugged his shoulders, "Some say it were de dead risen from de graves, some say it were jus ghosts, others say it were de souls of folk alf alive, alf dead, trapped," he shrugged his shoulders again, "why do ye ask, December?"

  "Well," she replied, unsure whether she should share it with him or not, "Erm..."

  "Out wiv it," he said waiting.

  "Lately, whenever I've practised magic, I've heard a voice."

  He looked intrigued and so she continued, "A man's voice. He talks to me. He knows who I am because he's used my name before."

  "Ave yer ever tried talking to im when yer not doin magic?" he asked, his eyes opening wide.

  Shaking her head, December hadn't even thought to try it.

  "Well y'ought t' try it. Find oot who this fella is? Mebbe e needs yer elp?"

  Nodding, December said she would.

  Lilly, who had been leaning slightly in their direction and listening to the conversation, waited for Kyran to lower his seat to the ground using a specially made crank handle and walk away from the table, before turning to speak to December.

  "That is one weird little guy," she whispered as they giggled.

  "Look, I was listening to your conversation and it took me back to something that happened in the cave. When I was stuck in there with Walter, I could have sworn I heard someone speak to me. It was a man's voice, just as you've described."

  December was intrigued, "What did he say to you?"

  "He told me to stay awake, not to fall asleep. He said I needed to be strong for the family. I wonder if it was the same man? Actually, thinking about it, he knew my name too!" she gasped.

  "Who is he?" said December as the two girls sat looking at nothing in particular, deep in thought, wondering about the identity of their own 'lost soul'.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  The following morning, Lilly and Tabitha went down to check on Rose and Walter to see if there had been any change in his condition.

  As they tiptoed down the stone steps and arrived at the closed curtain, they whispered Rose's name.

  "Come in girls," she answered sadly, knowing that both of them stood behind the heavy curtain.

  "Hey Rose," they both said as they gently kissed her on her cheek. "How is he?" asked Tabitha.

  Rose sighed, "the same, just the same."

  Lilly noticed that another bed had been placed in the room, presumably for Rose to sleep in but the cotton sheets remained untouched. She had spent the night in the chair, holding his hand.

  A tray with a plate of untouched toast and jelly sat at the bottom of it.

  "Rose, you must eat something. You've not had a bite to eat since before the attack," Lilly admonished.

  But Rose simply shook her head, the ends of her mouth turned downwards as she roughly brushed her eye with her hand.

  "Will you at least have a cup of tea? Please Rose?" asked Tabitha.

  Closing her eyes, she turned from Walter for a moment and smiled, the saddest smile the girls had ever seen on her pale face.

  "All right, I'll drink a cup of tea. Sweet tea... thank you."

  Tabitha turned and walked out of the room, Lilly could hear her hopping up the steps as she sat on the other bed.

  "I've been talking to him, you know?" whispered Rose, "I hoped maybe the sound of my voice would bring him back."

  "I'm sure he can hear you," said Lilly, thinking that's what people often say when their loved ones are in a coma.

  Rose nodded absent-mindedly.

  A few minutes passed before Tabitha returned with the hot tea. She wasn't alone. One of the women who had taken Walter's blood the previous night, along with Carmelo, Jo and Gabriel walked in. All looked at Rose solemnly.

  Gabriel spoke first, "My dear Rose. I'm afraid the news is not good," he said as he perched on Walter's bed facing her.

  As Rose looked up, Lilly thought she looked old. It was the first time she had ever looked old.

  Carmelo took over, "there used to be a disease in the vampire world called Sangue Debolezza. It was an ancient disease I thought had been wiped out many years ago but the witches have discovered that Walter's blood contains this very disease. In years gone by, Sangue Debolezza was only passed on through a bite from a carrier; and seen as Walter seemed in good health prior to his fight with Duran, we can only assume that Duran was carrying the disease. I'm so very sorry, Rose."

  "And there's no cure?" she whispered.

  Carmelo shook his head.

  Rose dropped her head into her hands and began to sob.

  "What if we were able to obtain a sample of blood from a carrier? Could the witches produce an antidote?" Lilly asked.

  Rose looked up and waited with baited breath.

  "Honestly? I'm not sure that it would help."

  "But it's worth a shot, right?"

  "Possibly, but where would we obtain a sample?" he asked.

  "What about Frank? He was Duran's first victim. I presume that he is still alive... and here in the caves."

  Rose took Carmelo's hand in hers, "Please try, Carmelo. Try anything."

  He nodded and quickly exited the room, rushing up the steps to call to the witches and nurses for help.

  "I wonder why Frank is still alive and not in a similar coma," said Jo as she stood up and prepared to follow Carmelo out of the room, before squeezing Rose's hand.

  "It must be because he was human when he was bitten," replied Gabriel as he placed a comforting hand on
Rose's shoulder.

  "How is dear Meredith?" Rose asked, suddenly remembering that somebody else was suffering far more than she was.

  "Not very good, I'm afraid. She, too, won't eat a thing. But it's to be expected. Losing a spouse is truly heartbreaking. Nothing helps, but time," he sighed, speaking from experience.

  Trying to stand, Rose struggled to lift her weary, bruised and aching limbs from the chair.

  "I must go to her. Lilly, Tabitha, please help me. Gabriel, will you please stay with Walter until I return?"

  Gabriel smiled and nodded as he watched Rose hobble out of the room, using the two girls to lean on.

  Meredith had slept for a few hours and when she had woken, just for a split second all was well until she remembered the horrors of the day before. She had witnessed her husband thrown against a huge boulder with such force that it had literally taken the life out of him. He had lived for perhaps three minutes, just long enough to tell her and the boys that he loved them dearly, that she shouldn't be sad for too long. He wanted her to move on with her life. "Do it for me, my love," he had said, "do it for me." Those were the last words he had spoken.

  She couldn't even lie down in bed any longer for the grief overtook her and she had to rush to the nearest bathroom where she sat on the floor retching. Her stomach was so empty though, that she was unable to vomit.

  She had never known pain like it. The deepest, dullest ache rose from the pit of her stomach and settled in her heart, making her want to scream and shout and hurl things against the wall.

  But Meredith would never do such things, perhaps at home alone, but not there surrounded by family and friends. Some were also in mourning. She couldn't forget that.

  As she sat curled on the floor in the old fashioned bathroom, so out of place in the middle of a mountain range, Meredith heard Rose's voice.

  "Meredith, dear, may I come in?"

  But she was unable to speak. The grief prevented words from coming out of her dry mouth. She lifted herself off the floor and crawled over to the wooden door and unlocked it.

  Rose gently pushed it open to find Meredith looking so unlike herself. And Meredith looked up to find Rose looking so unlike herself. She stood up and they fell into each other's arms, sobbing. There they stood for half an hour, letting their grief out.