December Moon (The Raven Saga)

  Nodding, December asked, "Was it Duran? Who changed you?"

  Shaking his head, "No, it was a woman. I think she was killed in Tofino. I don't know if you saw her. Her name was Dharma."

  Lilly nodded, "Yes, she was killed over there."

  "She was evil, so evil. I thought Duran was bad, but, my God. The things she did to people..." he scrunched his eyes up tightly and rubbed his forehead with the palms of his hands.

  Oliver, Lilly and December looked at each other, not knowing what to do before he released his hands to his side and opened his eyes again.

  "What did she do to you?" whispered December.

  "She murdered my family ten years ago. I was only eighteen. She tied me up and made me watch as she fed on... my father, his wife Sheri, and my two half-brothers. They were only kids. Just five years old..." he sobbed as December jumped from her seat, rushed to his side and leaned down to hug him.

  His sobbing soon subsided and he looked up into December's large eyes, "Thank you," he whispered. "It's been a long time since anyone hugged me like that."

  Her cheeks burning, December took his hand and squeezed. "Any time you need a hug, you know where to come, okay?" He nodded thankfully.

  December stood back up before sitting on the armrest of his chair, his hand still in hers.

  Lilly smiled up at Oliver who squeezed her shoulder as Chris continued to tell them about how the brutal attack on his family led to his own transformation.

  "What about your mother, Chris? Where is she?" asked Lilly.

  "She died when I was two. I was too young to remember her though, but I have a photo," he said, reaching into his pocket, taking out a wallet and opening it to reveal the picture of a very pretty young woman with curly brown hair, a round face with a cute little button nose and green eyes.

  "She was beautiful. You have the same eyes," said December as she held it out for Lilly and Oliver to see, who both nodded sadly.

  "And here, this is my dad, Sheri and half-brothers, Daniel and Davey," he said, turning a flap in his wallet to reveal a stunning family portrait.

  "Oh and there's you. You look exactly the same," December said sadly.

  "This was taken just a few days before the attack. We were on vacation in Mont Tremblant. We were having such a great time," he smiled, a smile that soon turned to a look of pure terror as he recalled what happened later.

  "After she'd fed on their blood, Dharma told me she needed a new toy. I tried to escape but the rope was so tight on my wrists, I just couldn't get it off. The next thing I knew, she had bitten me and then she'd taken a blade to her wrist and sliced through. She put her arm to...to... my lips. I tried not to swallow but I couldn't help it. I don't remember what happened next. All I know is that I woke up with such an incredible thirst, a hunger. I needed to feed. I was like some kind of wild animal. I was stronger than I'd ever been before, it was hell. Pure hell."

  "My God, that must have been horrendous," said Oliver.

  Chris nodded and continued, "Dharma came back to me with a leather pouch filled with blood, which I drank from. She kept me with her all the time, always feeding me, never letting me leave her side. She toyed with me. Treated me like a pet. I hated her. Duran was the same, and the others. I wanted to get away, but I knew they would kill me. I couldn't do anything but stay with them like some sort of faithful servant," he spat.

  "And then when they planned that attack on you... and you saw me, Lilly, you really saw me, I was so relieved. I knew you would try to help me. I am so grateful to you, to all of you. You saved me," he said with a huge smile, a smile that finally touched the pupils of his eyes which expanded slightly. Talking about what had happened made him feel somewhat human again.

  Feeling the need to do something far less emotional, Lilly hopped up from the seat and pulled Oliver to his feet, before pulling up Chris and then December, "Come on, show December and me where this games room is. I think we need to chill out, don't you?" she said, specifically looking towards Chris who grinned back at her and nodded.

  On their way through the caves, the four of them chatted about menial things to try and help Christoff take his mind off of those horrendous events ten years before.

  As they wandered through, they came across Jo who was smiling to herself, in a complete daze.

  "Jo?" asked Lilly. "You okay?" she asked, chuckling at the expression on her face.

  "Huh? Oh hi! Yeah, I'm fine. Carmelo just suggested a date for the wedding. I was just thinking about that."

  "That's wonderful. So when is it going to be?"

  "February fourteenth!"

  "Oh, can you guys get any more cheesy," she teased, "you're so loved up that you have to get married on Valentine's Day!"

  "I know, I know. But it's so... right," she exclaimed.

  "Valentine's Day is perfect," added December, who was beginning to feel like a hopeless romantic herself.

  "Thank you, December! Oh, actually, there was something I wanted to ask you both. Lilly, will you be my Maid of Honour? And December, will you be a bridesmaid?"

  The two girls squealed in excitement, both jumping up and down and hugging Jo, "Of course, of course. Yes, yes!" they yelled in unison.

  Oliver and Chris both rolled their eyes and grinned.

  "Fantastic... I'm asking Tabitha as well but we'll talk about it later. After... things... have settled down. I've told Meredith and she thinks it's a wonderful idea. She said it'll help take her mind off of John," she said sadly, "But also, we need to see what happens with, you know, with Walter, before we can really start making plans."

  Jo smiled at the group before her face turned a little sad, "did you find out anything about Jemima, Lilly?"

  Lilly's smile faded as she told Jo what Duran had told her, that Jemima was now a vampire and was being kept somewhere secret.

  Shaking her head sadly, Jo put her hand on her cousin's shoulder. "Oh God, she needs to be found and brought here before it's too late. I'll tell Carmelo. Poor Jemima," she said as she turned and went on her way back to Carmelo as Oliver led them down to the games room where they would spend the rest of the evening playing silly games and forgetting about the horrors that had happened to them all.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Just as predicted, Walter took a turn for the worse on the fourth day. He had aged so much that he now resembled that of a man in his early eighties. The age he would have been had he not been transformed into a vampire.

  Rose had prepared herself for it to happen, but the shock of seeing him collapse was almost too much to bear alone. Unable to get a quick enough, direct message to her family in the mountains, Rose locked herself in the bathroom, just for a moment, and sobbed quietly to herself.

  I can't lose him now, she thought to herself before she splashed her face with cold water, patted it dry with a soft fluffy towel, composed herself and then walked back into the bedroom where Walter lay sleeping on the bed.

  She approached him and gently took his hand in hers.

  He stirred and opened his eyes.

  "How are you feeling, darling?" she asked.

  "Tired, very tired."

  "Then sleep, my love, just sleep," she answered as she lay down on top of the covers on the bed beside him, one arm draped across his body.

  Minutes later, he was sleeping once more.

  A couple of hours later, there was a commotion outside the house. Rose got down from the bed and tiptoed to the window to look outdoors.

  There stood her family, as Lilly grappled with the pot by the front door, looking for the key.

  Rose rushed to the door and opened it just as Lilly turned the key.

  She almost fell on her niece and hugged her tightly.

  "How is he?" she whispered as everybody quietly entered the house and closed the door behind them.

  Shaking her head, Rose's sad eyes said it all. "He collapsed this morning. He is now about his real age. I don't know what to do," she said, as tears began to fall from her eyes down her cheek
s. All her efforts at composing herself disappeared in a second.

  "When was the last time he fed, Rose?" asked Carmelo gently.

  "Yesterday, I gave him one of the containers of blood you gave me from the Elders."

  Carmelo nodded, "The Elders and I have an idea, Rose. Please don't get your hopes up... we have no clue what it will do, or even if it will work, but it might keep him from ageing further."

  Rose's eyes were huge with expectation, "Tell me, what must I do?"

  "You must do nothing Rose. We have brought some blood for him to drink. The blood comes from various sources who kindly donated it to try and help. Jo is the first," he said.

  "Jo?"

  Carmelo smiled and nodded, "Come, we can talk while he feeds. Where is he?"

  Rose quickly led them to Walter's bedside.

  "We must wake him."

  "Walter, darling, Walter, can you hear me? You have visitors," said Rose, gently squeezing his hand.

  "Carmelo..." he muttered as he opened his eyes, "I didn't... think... I'd be seeing... you... again."

  "Walter, we need you to drink this," said Carmelo as he offered the soft leather pouch to his lips.

  Walter leaned forward, Rose placed a couple of pillows behind his back and he began to drink, a drop of blood spilled down his chin. Rose immediately wiped it away with a handkerchief.

  When the pouch was empty, he leaned back down and closed his eyes.

  Carmelo looked across at Rose, "Now we wait. Come, let him sleep, we can talk in the kitchen."

  Carefully closing the door to the old sleeping vampire, Rose and Carmelo joined the rest of the family who stood around stroking the many cats and chatting quietly. As usual the cats kept a safe distance from Zoltan though. When he'd entered, they had hissed and growled at him and he had toyed with them in return.

  "Jo's blood is unique, Rose, she is that of a raven vampire. A very rare breed and we believe that her blood may strengthen Walter's system. We realise we cannot return his youth, but it might put a stop to his ageing, or at least slow it down," said Carmelo as Rose listened intently.

  "And if that doesn't work, you said you had the blood from various sources?"

  Nodding, Carmelo continued, "Yes, we have asked all the vampires from the caves to give a sample, so if Jo's doesn't have the desired effect, we will move on to the next sample."

  #

  Over the course of the next twenty-four hours, Walter was fed every last sample, yet he was still frail and his condition had not yet improved.

  "That's it, we have used up all of the blood. Rose, I'm so sorry it didn't work," Carmelo said sadly as Rose lowered herself down into her favourite comfy chair and Scully hopped up on her lap to comfort her. The feeling of sadness pervaded the room, it was heavy and uncomfortable.

  Sensing her daughter's need for some fresh air, Moira suggested the girls go for a walk with Oliver and Chris, to stretch their legs.

  Nodding, the four of them put on their coats, and headed out into the brisk cold winter evening. The sky was thick with clouds that threatened to open and drop their heavy load, but they didn't care, they needed to get out.

  As they shut the door behind them, Lilly pulled her woolly hat down over her ears and linked arms with December. The two boys followed behind.

  "I wish there was something we could do," sighed December. "I can't bear the thought of Rose losing Walter all over again."

  "I know, but what? Carmelo and the elders have tried everything."

  Walking down the well-worn pathway towards the ocean, the four of them settled themselves down on a massive piece of driftwood and looked out at the deep dark waters. Lilly and December sat in the middle with the boys on either side.

  Lilly dropped her head on Oliver's shoulder just as Chris took December's hand in his. She turned to look at him and grinned as she too dropped her head onto his shoulder.

  Suddenly, large droplets of water began to splash in the ocean in front of them. Seconds later, they too were feeling the rain on their faces.

  "We didn't bring umbrellas. Maybe we should go back," said Oliver.

  "No... there's no need," said December with a grin as she said a few strange words and moved her hands gracefully to produce a huge transparent bubble all around them. As the rain poured harder and harder, the group remained dry.

  Oliver, Chris and Lilly giggled as December kept the bubble around them by silently chanting the same words. Soon, she was able to keep the spell going without even thinking about it.

  As they sat, enjoying the bizarre moment, December felt a familiar sensation. There was someone close, but she knew if she turned behind her there would be nobody there.

  December... he can be saved. Walter can be saved. His bloodline... you can use.... but as the words startled her, the spell was broken and the bubble popped, leaving all of them drenched in a matter of seconds.

  As the others giggled and began running through the trees back to the dry safety of Rose's cottage, December took her time, trying to figure out what the lost soul had been trying to tell her.

  Reaching the house, the three stood under the porch still chuckling.

  "What happened?" laughed Lilly. "I thought you had it covered!"

  "You mean, we thought you had US covered," joked Chris.

  But when they noticed the look of confusion on December's face, their expression changed and the giggling came to a sudden stop.

  "What? December what is it?"

  "Huh?" she said, "I need to get inside. I need to speak to everyone."

  They opened the door and piled in as quickly as they could.

  "My, oh dear... you four are wet to the bone! I bet that was wonderful. It's been years since I felt the sensation of rain on my skin. Oh what I wouldn't give to feel that sensation once more," sighed Ruby more to herself than to everyone else, "Whatever is the matter, dear? You look like you've seen a ghost".

  "I heard him, I heard the lost soul again!" she exclaimed as she took off her sopping wet jacket and hat.

  "Well, what did he say?" asked Ruby.

  "He said we can save Walter."

  Rose gasped and jumped up, "How, my dear, how?"

  "He got cut off but he said something about his bloodline."

  "Goodness... that's it!" said Moira as she hopped up from her seat and looked around all the faces until she found the one person she was searching for. Tabitha.

  "Me"?

  Moira nodded, "He needs the blood of one of his offspring... his bloodline, that's you. Tabitha, you need to give him some of your blood."

  Meredith rushed from the bedroom where she had been checking on Walter, "He's taken a turn for the worse. He... he hasn't got long, Rose. You should go to him now."

  Rose rushed passed her and to Walter's side, sobbing.

  Carmelo produced a needle and a tourniquet, ready to take blood from Tabitha, but she rushed passed him to the kitchen, where she grabbed a sharp knife and ran into the bedroom, yelling, "There's no time for that!"

  Before anyone could stop her, she had sliced into her skin and wincing, held her arm to Walter's lips.

  "Walter, Grandfather, drink... please drink..."

  Walter was so still that she thought she was too late but soon as the aroma of blood filled the air, his eyes very slowly opened and he put his mouth over the open wound, drinking in the warm soft liquid.

  Rose sat by his side, still sobbing quietly.

  "Rose, Rose... it's working, look," whispered Tabitha as the family crowded round the bed to watch the miraculous recovery.

  Rose stopped her sobbing and looked up to see Walter slowly returning to his old self. Although he continued to look like an old mad, he was beginning to look more like a healthy old man, his strength returning to him second by second.

  "Okay, okay, Tabitha that's enough," said Carmelo.

  Tabitha tried to pull away but Walter gripped her arm tightly.

  "Walter, that's all you need, you can stop now," insisted Carmelo.


  But it was only when Rose said, "Walter, stop!" that he let go of Tabitha's arm and fell back to the bed.

  "Tabitha, forgive me," he said in disgust with himself.

  "Walter, you took it because you needed it. There's nothing to forgive," she smiled as she wrapped a cloth around her wound, a cloth that Meredith had handed her.

  "Rose, that is precisely why I fled to Portugal... for fear of harming one of my loved ones," Walter said quietly.

  Rose looked at him with nothing but love in her eyes.

  "My darling... look, you're alive, you're my age, Tabitha is fine. Like she said, you took what you needed and you stopped when I asked you to. You wouldn't have harmed Tabitha. I just know it."

  Rose literally fell forward into his arms then and they kissed each other softly on the lips as everyone, a little embarrassed, quickly left them alone in the room.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  "Happy Birthday to you

  Happy Birthday to you

  Happy Birthday dear Lilly

  Happy Birthday to you!"

  Sang the huge crowd of people in the grand dining hall in the mountains.

  Lilly leaned forward and blew hard at the fifteen candles on the beautifully designed black cake that was the image of her namesake, a raven.

  It was by far her best birthday ever. Surrounded by friends and family, there were no secrets to keep from any of them. Lilly was deliriously happy and it was easily noticeable by the constant grin that spread across her glowing face.

  The only downside was the lack of one particular person, the person who continued to be missing after sixteen months. Her father, Jackson Tulugaq. But Lilly was determined not to let that spoil her day. Although she still thought of her father often and there were days when her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest, she was still confident that he would eventually be found, alive, human (not vampire) and well.

  But on that day, her fifteenth birthday, Lilly did not want to dwell on the sadness in her life, she wanted to concentrate on all the great things and that included all her family and friends who were with her.