Dawn Reclaimed

Gina's limbs stilled and her eyelids drooped as the medicine began to take effect. She mumbled incomprehensibly, her fingers clenching into tight fists and then relaxing. A fine sheen of sweat dotted her brow. Barbara was thankful for the medication. Grateful it was doing its job. But, it was a temporary fix. Gina needed more deep down than Barbara or anyone else could do for her. She needed to heal emotionally. Time and a lot of love and understanding were the only cures for that. Barbara wetted a washcloth in the bathroom sink and returned to Gina's bedside to dab at the beads of sweat on her brow. She'd never felt more helpless or incapable as she did now, watching that woman struggle with inner demons she could not even begin to comprehend.

Hunter heard Gina's screams of terror echoing down the hall. He took her screams as a good sign. She was alive and breathing, damaged, but alive. He struggled onto his feet. Hobbling down the hallway, reduced to using the crutches the doctor had left for him. He walked as fast as he could, using his nose and the gift of his wolf to sniff her out. The corridor was a long cavern of closed, heavily paneled, oak doors. The search to find her was exhausting. His shattered knee joint was knitting back together, stiff and painfully slowly. His broken femur was healing. But, the thing throbbed like a son of a bitch and the crutches only served to slow him down. Without the help of the wooden sticks though, he wouldn't be able to walk at all.

He thought he could forget Gina. Forget the terror and go on with his miserable, self-pitying sub-existence until his wife called him back to the shores of the Great River. But, Gina's screams and the acrid scent of her fear, two things he'd become very familiar with over the last two days, stirred something to life deep inside of him he'd thought was dead. Something he'd long ago forgotten and buried. Feelings. Emotions. The inborn need of his wolf to protect and defend. His wolf didn't give a damn if Gina was human or not. She was pack and therefore his kin to care for. He didn't bother with politeness or knocking on the door. Hunter burst his way in and growled at the female vampire hovering over Gina.

Gina opened her eyes. Glancing up through the thick mire of a drug induced haze. She tried to focus on Hunter. She was certain it was Hunter. But, he was clean and dressed, teetering precariously on crutches. It couldn't be Hunter. Hunter was dead, beaten and stabbed to death by the killer. She'd seen it. Cried for him. Watched him die. No one could survive what had been done to him. Did that mean, since she could see him, that she was dead too? Was she seeing a ghost? Adrenaline surged through her system, countering the effects of the drugs and clearing the haze. She screamed louder, trembling uncontrollably in fear. "You're dead! I saw him kill you!"

"No. Gina, I'm here. With you." Hunter tossed the crutches and hobbled over to the bed, careful not to jar her, he sat on the edge. As if she were fragile as spun glass, he took her hand and pressed her fingertips to his chest. "See, I'm real. Breathing. Feel my heartbeat."

"Yeah..." Gina answered shakily. Nothing was making any sense. Her eyes were growing heavy and her thoughts clear as muddy water. Things weren't adding up. Hunter wasn't dead. He wasn't hurt or bleeding. He wasn't chained. "I don't understand what's happening," she whimpered. Her tears fell onto the pillowcase beneath her head. Staining it in a haphazard pattern of polka dotted wet spots.

Hunter scooted closer and gathered Gina into his arms. The vampire in charge of her care had wisely backed off and stood across the room, wary of him and bristling protectively with concern for her patient. "I know you don't. I know," he soothed. Smoothing her hair off her forehead with his palm, he whispered softly to her. "Shhhh. Rest now. It will all make sense later on." He rocked her gently. Her body relaxed in his arms as the drugs swept her under. "You're safe now."

Hunter's body was like a great big warm blanket wrapped around her. Comforting. He felt real. He felt safe. If he was safe, so was she. He wouldn't have left her there to die. He wouldn't have. If she fell asleep, he might disappear. If she woke up, he might fade into the dream. Gina couldn't discern what was real from what wasn't. Perhaps, she'd lost her mind. Been tortured to the point of insanity. And nothing was real anymore. "Promise me you won't leave me." If this were a dream or some alternate reality, she was going to grab hold and let it sweep her away. She shifted her legs and climbed into his lap. Basking in the warmth and safety that he represented to her.

Hunter adjusted Gina's weight in his lap. Pulling the blankets over her body, he rested against the heap of pillows piled at the head of the bed. "I promise." He rocked her in his arms until her breathing evened out and her body relaxed to the point of a limp noodle. "I won't leave you, Gina Klein." Resting his cheek against the top of her head and closing his eyes, he felt his exhaustion tug him under. "Ever."

Barbara closed the door behind her, leaving her patients to nap. And yes, she considered Hunter a patient. She took up residence in a chair beside the closed door. Giving them privacy, of which they so desperately needed. But, keeping within easy earshot, just in case. Hunter's presence was therapeutic to Gina. Thomas might disagree and give her hell for it. But, she saw no harm in letting Hunter stay. The two of them had suffered so much together. Survived a terror that existed in horror stories. And in bond of born of fear and terror, of blood and pain, Hunter and Gina were kindred spirits. Perhaps, as survivors, they could heal each other in a way modern medicine could not.

Claire locked on to Grant's hand. Resisting the urge to turn tail and run to the safety of the car. Something about the ominous garage that seemed to appear out of nowhere gave her a serious case of the creeps. She was apprehensive and nervous to be entering the lair of the undead. Despite Grant's reassurances that vampires were very much alive and kicking, she still couldn't quite manage to wrap her head around it. In the movies vampires were seething, blood-thirsty, fiends, not the next door neighbors.

"Claire, we don't have to do this tonight, if you don't want to." He pulled his hand free to punch a number code into the security lock. His palm was damp with sweat. Her sweat. "Really, we can wait."

"No. No. I want to do this. I have someone to thank for all these clothes. And I want to meet your extended family. I really do." She forced a smile and smoothed her pale blonde ponytail. She'd chosen her outfit carefully, mindful of Grant's warnings about the vampire who had filled her closet with such nice things. She wore a black and green print skirt, a matching blouse, opaque stockings, and the most adorable black flats. She looked great in the outfit and not nearly as pregnant in clothing designed to camouflage her baby bump. On the outside she looked calm, cool and collected, even if on the inside, she wasn't.

The steel door hissed open and a voice came over the loudspeaker. "Hi ya, Grant. Is this the amazing Claire I see with you?"

Grant pointed to the hidden camera. "Wave."

Claire obediently waved at the black camera lens. She wouldn't have seen the camera at all if Grant hadn't pointed it out. Apparently, the brotherhood took their security very seriously. The garage was a vast space packed with cars of every type and size. Yet, from the outside, if she'd just been walking past on a hike, she wouldn't have noticed it at all. The brothers were very creative with how they hid their mark on this world. Rumors around town, for as long as she could remember, had it that the woods were haunted. Only the brave traversed the woods. And when the brave talked, the stories abounded. She'd never specifically believed in ghosts. But, not one to take chances, she'd avoided wandering too far off the beaten path. She stuck to the trails her father had taken her on. If she wanted to commune with nature, she usually went to the park or out to the cabin.

The woods were dense and foreboding. They spanned for hundreds of acres in every direction. Most of Moore County was sprawling forests and wild empty places. And other than the little town and the two thousand or so people living in it, there wasn't much else in Moore County, just cornfields and woods and a bunch of old busy bodies spreading stories of ghosts and strange sightings after dark. "Hi," she said. Squeezing Grant's hand harder as he led her through a spacious garage the size of his family's house and through a door into a long, winding corridor, the floor sloping down, deep into the heart of vampire central.

"Honey, Claire, you're squeezing off my circulation. Don't worry. Everything is fine. You'll see." Grant said as he pulled his hand free from her fingers and their vice like grip. Guiding her by his palm on the small of her back, he steered her through the maze of corridors to the rec room. That would be the best place to start the tour. The kitchen and the recreation room were warm and inviting, a neutral zone of sorts, and not nearly as intimidating as the rest of the compound.

Claire's eyes grew big as Grant steered her into a sprawling kitchen. The stainless steel fridge was as big as a king sized bed. Gleaming stainless countertops stretched from wall to wall. The stove sparkled flawlessly in the overhead lights. The cabinetry was a warm cherry finish and gave the place a homey and less utilitarian feeling. The white ceramic tiled floor was immaculate. She had the distinct feeling that as she walked with Grant, they were traveling down at a slight angle. Given that there were no windows, she guessed the vampires lived underground. Maybe the whole blowing up in the sunlight was a bigger thing than Grant had assured her it wasn't.

On the other side of the stainless counter that served to divide the kitchen area was a dining room. The table wasn't as impressive as Grant's. But, the massive oak dining table and chairs could easily seat fifteen people. A gaggle of women sat at the far end of the table. Devoid of the usual plate of cookies and mugs of coffee, they hovered in a loose group shoulder-to-shoulder, chatting like best friends. A blonde with wild, unruly, curls, generous curves, and a face that was both cherubic and cute as a button, turned and upon spotting her, jumped out of her seat.

"Oh, you must be Claire. And look at that..." Janine pressed a hand to Claire's belly and sighed longingly. "The little bundle of joy. Aren't you just adorable." She'd never considered herself a baby person before. But, just seeing that bundle underneath Claire's blouse had her thinking all sorts of things she was better off not thinking.

Claire resisted the urge to swat the woman's hands away. Having strangers fondle her pregnant belly was something she was going to have to get used to. She'd done it herself. There was just something about a pregnant woman that made you want to rub their stomach. Maybe, it was just the hope and promise of a new life about to begin. Humoring the woman, she shrugged it off. "Yup, that's me. I'm Claire."

"Oh, I'm Janine." She took Claire's hand in hers and dragged her to the table to introduce her to the rest of the woman. "This is Alex, my BFF, and Candace, Chris, Angel, and Kayla." The women looked up from their card game. Waved at Claire and gave a friendly smile. Returning to their heated game.

Claire followed Janine, walking into a huge recreation room with red carpet, plenty of sleek leather furniture tastefully arranged in groupings for maximum privacy. Dark walnut paneling lined the walls and arched the cover the ceiling twenty feet or so over her head. The room exuded warmth and intimacy that should have been impossible in this large of a space.

A fire burned, the embers glowing in the mouth of a huge natural stone fireplace spanning one entire wall. Claire looked around at all the possibilities this room contained. One half of the wide expanse was dedicated to games and recreation. A pool table, the red felt matching the carpet on the floor dominated the game space. There were dart boards, stacks of board games, playing cards, volumes of books, and a TV, a really, really big plasma screen TV on the wall. And even for all that there was plenty of floor room for dancing or simply mulling around. And people were, vampires rather, were taking advantage of the room's many uses. "Lori?"

"Hi, Claire. How are you doing?" Lori smiled and waved at Claire as she took a break from the game and leaned against her pool stick. Her mom's best friend was a little pale and Lori thought it best if she kept a subtle distance from the woman, until she got over her shock.

Claire shrugged, too dumbfounded to speak. She hadn't seen Lori in a while. And now, she understood why. Her eyes skimmed the room and locked on a petite woman with a mane of unruly red curls. "Don't you run the ice cream parlor? What's the Scoop?" Claire mumbled. "Robbie... Harris?"

"Hi." Robbie looked up from studying her shot. Pushing a stray curl of crimson behind her ear, she nodded. "I sold the ice cream parlor last year."

"Oh, I didn't know." Claire breathed. She knew these people. They weren't undead the last time she saw them. Little over a year ago, Lori was in college. Two years ago, Robbie was behind the counter serving up ice cream cones. "I had no idea," she stammered.

"You'd better sit down," Janine said. Claire wove on her feet, swaying gently back and forth. She didn't look well. More green than healthy pink. Her eyes were wide with shock and maybe a little trepidation. By this point, Janine knew the look well. It wasn't everyday you realized your friends and neighbors, the people you passed on the sidewalk day after day weren't quite as normal as you thought they were. Gingerly, Janine guided Clare to a couch and tried to coax her to sit down.

"I heard you were here! Claire, look at you!" Barbara wrapped her arms around Claire and gave her a careful hug. In her enthusiasm, she'd been known to squeeze too tightly and Thomas had sported the unintentional bruises to prove it. "Look at this!" she laughed, rubbing her hand over Claire's bulging stomach.

"Barbara... you're... I..." Claire stammered dumbfounded. The world was closing in on her, darkening around the edges and narrowing to a tunnel. She stood dazed. Barbara was supposed to be in the ground. Dead. Although Thomas had told her the truth about his mother, he hadn't prepared her for the reality of it. Death or rather lack there of suited Barbara well. She was dressed in a casual pair of kakis and a floral print blouse. Her sand colored hair was coifed to perfection. Her cheeks were rosy and full of life. For a corpse, Barbara looked...healthy. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God," Claire mumbled on shaky breaths.

"I think she's going to pass out," Janine said in alarm. Dragging Claire the rest of the way to the couch, she plopped the woman down and propped up her feet on the arm. "Breathe. Just breathe," she said, fanning Claire with a couch pillow.

Thomas pushed past Grant and rested his hand on Claire's forehead. "Claire, are you all right?"

"Yeah." Claire struggled like a beetle on its back to right her self into a sitting position. "I'm just a little surprised. It's a bit much to take in." She gratefully sipped on the bottled water Grant thrust into her hand. The water was cool and refreshing, moistening her dry mouth. Janine continued, perched over the back of the couch fanning her with a throw pillow. Lori and Robbie had retuned to their game, pretending not to spy and not doing a very good job of it. "I'm embarrassed, really embarrassed. I simply didn't know there were so many... people I knew...who are..."

"Vampires," Thomas said completing Claire's sentence. Satisfied that she wasn't going to fall out on him, he eased her onto her feet. "Want to see where you're going to have the baby?"

Claire leaned on Grant. She was still a little shaky. "Sure. Janine, it was a pleasure to meet you and thanks for the clothes. I'll get you paid back. I promise."

"Oh." Janine waved a hand dismissively. "You don't have to pay me back. It was my pleasure. And... well, if you want help with your baby shower, I'd be thrilled to lend a hand."

"Just don't let her plan your bachelorette party!" Someone called out from the dining room. The dining room burst into a titter of feminine snorts and chuckles.

"Oh, shut up you!" Janine shouted back in retort. Her bachelorette parties were the stuff of legends. Some people were just sticks in the mud and didn't know how to cut loose and have a good time. She batted her eyes at Claire and shot her a shy smile. "Really, I'd love to pitch in."

"I hadn't thought about a baby shower," Claire admitted.

Janine's eyes flashed with enthusiasm. "Well you don't have to. Leave everything to me."

"Ok." Claire said weakly. "Thanks."

Janine gave Claire a gentle hug. "So glad to meet you. I can tell we're going to be great friends."

"Likewise." Claire pulled free of Janine's hug. For a woman that stood barely five foot-two and probably weighed around one hundred and ten pounds the woman had a hug like a linebacker. Overwhelmed by the enormity of exactly how deep secrets ran, she rested her head against Grant's bicep as he led her out of the kitchen.

"See. They're just people," Grant whispered.



Chapter 59

They must have walked a mile before Thomas stopped and opened a door. "We're well away from the main living quarters and common areas of the compound. I've taken every precaution... to ensure your safety," he added. It seemed wise not to mention his concerns about the scent of her blood...any blood for that matter, this close to the vampire's. They'd smell it. Their sense of smell was simply too acute. She was a newcomer to this world. But, unless he wanted to send her running, screaming for the hills. Some things were simply left better off unsaid.

"Thomas." The Shaman glanced up from reading the owner's manual in his hand. If he was going to have all this scientific mumbo-jumbo lying around, he might as well learn to use it. "This must be Claire." He stood and extended a hand to her. Timidly, she put her hand in his, staring up at him with round eyes as if she didn't quite know what to make of him. "I'm the Shaman."

"We've met before," Claire said with a nod of her head. She gave his hand a brief shake and resisted the urge to wipe her palm on her sleeve. It wasn't that the Shaman had unnecessarily sweaty palms or anything of the like. Her eyes had been opened up to a whole new world and what he was beneath the surface of eclectic deception was so apparent to her now. He was a vampire. And she'd willingly shaken his hand. Hell, he was going to be helping Thomas with the delivery. She was willingly putting her life in his hands.

"Oh yes, of course. Please, have a seat on the table. I'm dying to play with some to Thomas's new toys. You don't mind do you?" Doc fumbled with the hand held Doppler machine and managed to find the on button.

"Ah... no." Claire climbed up on the table and studied the room instead of the man. For a vampire, he was very amicable. Smiling at her with a wide, open smile and brown eyes glimmering with the zeal of a kid on Christmas morning as he fiddled with the Doppler in his hands. He wore his silver-black hair parted neatly down the middle and braided into two tight braids that reached past the tops of his shoulders. He was the man that time forgot, then remembered, only to forget him again.

Attractive with a firm chin and a steep aquiline nose and narrow lips and broad, high cheeks, he dressed in a mishmash of styles. Wrinkled, tan kaki chinos with the cargo pockets on the sides stuffed full of odds and ends. A mint green oxford shirt buttoned haphazardly with the buttons aligned and fastened in the wrong holes. His belt was a white patent leather and from it hung a weathered medicine bag with missing patches of fringe dangling from the bottom. A thick silver chain hung around his neck. The turquoise beads and shells on the chain jangled as he walked across the room. His face was deeply grooved with character lines etched at the corners of his mouth and eyes. For a vampire, or what she assumed a vampire's persona to be, he was unimposing, non-threatening, and almost goofy professor like in his demeanor. Claire couldn't help but chuckle at the pocket protector tucked away in the breast pocket of his shirt.