Ravenswood Ch. 09

Here's the next chapter of this series, one that continues to put a different, more unique Sci-Fi spin on the age-old vampire myth. By the way, as a reminder, the term 'vampire' is one of human construction and not in the lexicon of the Terrian language. Therefore, they don't call themselves vampires, regardless of any similarities in their abilities that the human may perceive.

Because this is science fiction there are aliens, good ones and bad ones, and yes, the good ones are here to stand against those who would suppress the more physically fragile human race. In this chapter, Maura learns more about her relationship with Jason and the village.

This chapter could be rated PG-13 for action, but I still like to caution my readers. I hope you enjoy it, leave a comment once you've read it. Good feedback is the lifeblood of any writer...dreamweaver594.

9-Recovery

Two days later Jason's feet finally touched the floor. He slowly got out of bed with a quiet groan. He moved like every muscle in his body ached. He slipped on his robe, grabbed a towel, and walked into the main room of his grandmother's cottage.

Vera stood in the kitchen frying eggs on the stove. "Good morning. I'm glad to see you're finally up."

"Where's Maura?" Jason mumbled as he headed for the back door.

"I sent her on a few errands, she'll be back shortly. She has become my ward Jason, and because of what happened in your apartment you share her blood now."

"I know," he said with a determined look, "she told me."

Lisa walked through the front door and dropped her coat on a nearby chair. "I just saw Yaol, he said he'd be waiting for you this morning at the practice grounds."

Vera smiled sweetly at her grandson. "Yaol is just what you need right now."

"I'll go find him after breakfast. I am still a bit tender so perhaps we can start slowly. But first I really need a shower. Phew! I reek! I don't know how Maura can stand to be near me."

The lines of determination that etched in Vera's face softened as Jason opened the kitchen door and walked outside. "I thank providence every day for that girl." Vera murmured as Jason gently closed the door. Outside, through the door, he heard his grandmother say. "He's finally come back to us." He still hoped the bathwater was at least warm as he hobbled across the path, his tender feet bruised by the occasional stone.

Several hours later, Jason leaned against the walkway gate that led to his grandmother's cottage. Maura moved in a blur across the lawn, her blade flashing in the mid-day sun like a jewel. "I doubt there's a swordsman in the next ten villages who could hold out against you, Maura, your blade work is spectacular. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't start teaching guardians soon."

Maura paused and turned to him, slightly out of breath. "How was training?"

"Exhausting." Jason walked through the gate towards the bench near the cottage door where Maura sat. "Have time for a walk? There's something I want to show you."

She nodded then sheathed her sword to set it aside.

They walked along a narrow grassy path. It meandered through the forest and the pathway seemed filled with life as birds chased bugs and butterflies and bees flit from flower to flower. The sunlight filtered through the tree boughs and a gentle wind tickled the leaves above making the sunlight sparkle and dance on the ferns along the way.

Ahead, a shaft of sunlight poured through a small opening in the forest canopy to reveal a glen nestled among ancient oaks in the middle of the forest. Near the center of the glen several large monolithic stones stood like sentinels guarding an ancient, sacred place. There was a hushed silence about the place, as if the place was sacred and all life knew it.

"It's beautiful." Maura walked out into the glen and spun around. "I can feel a tremendous energy here. Where are we?"

"It is the gathering place, or in our ancient tongue, 'Tayeel-Maele.' This is where my ancestors first set foot in this world, over ten thousand years ago."

Maura walked to the nearest monolith and ran her hand across the surface, which was covered in the same ancient runes that covered the archway of the portal in her world. "Is this another portal?"

Jason joined her. "Sort of, it's that and a lot more. I am only beginning to learn of its purpose. This is what your father was protecting."

Maura looked at Jason in shock. "What?"

"Lisa briefed me on the details of your escape. I'm sorry to hear about your father, he was a very brave man. He died trying to prevent something that would have become catastrophic for this and many other worlds. Soon his deeds will be entered here into the Akashic records. It's good that you will be here because you'll be able to witness the ceremony."

"Huh?" Maura looked up at Jason, stunned. "When I arrived the council was ready to kill me!"

"That's before they discovered who you were. The news spread like wildfire. All the Sirin villages from around the world will be sending representatives to gather here to honor him and to meet you. You've become quite famous."

Jason picked up a long slender tree branch and began to peel its bark. "You know Maura, nothing is a coincidence in this world or any other. What has happened to you, our meeting, your father's death, the fact that you are here to be part of this ceremony, it's all part of a larger plan that none of us can see clearly yet."

She stepped closer to Jason as the air was suddenly filled with a drumming of energy as a blue-white trace of a portal opening appeared in front of one of the monoliths. Jason held his arm out to protect Maura as two beings emerged from the frozen wall of water. They wore emerald robes of shimmering cloth faceted with jewels and crystals. Across their mantels the shape of a golden bird was draped, it's wings outstretched. They nodded to Jason, and then moved to another stone monolith. A second portal appeared and they stepped through it as the opening snapped shut.

Maura peaked out from behind his arm. "What was that?"

"Part of what I wanted to show you." Jason winked at her as he stepped closer to the massive stones. "We just witnessed delegates from one world moving to another. Tayeel-Maele is sort of like a transfer place where those from other worlds move between them. There are transfer points like this all over the galaxy."

Maura thought about what had happened. The two who emerged from the portal were strangely different; reptilian in nature with rough, scaly skin in patches of green and amber. Their eyes were large and almond shaped without lashes; their arms were long for their bodies, by human standards, and they ended in fingers with long claws. "Are they all humanoid in appearance?"

He continued to peel the bark off a tree branch. "Not really, humans wouldn't recognize most of them as sentient beings, but they are, remarkably so.

"It sure beats Buck Rodgers rocketing across the cosmos," she murmured. "I skimmed one of those books last month while on a lunch break."

Jason chuckled. "Yes, it does."

Maura turned and walked to a nearby stone bench to sit down. After a moment she turned to Jason. "What do you know about my father?"

"Grandmother told me that he was the gatekeeper in your world, the only one as far as we know. She told me that he kept his pledge to guard the portal with his life and that he was a very brave man."

Maura thought back to a conversation she had with Vera. She remembered Vera saying that there are good Terrians and bad ones, just like good humans and bad ones.

Jason walked over and they sat next to her on the bench. They watched the insects dance among the flowers bathed in sunlight. Jason continued to fiddle with the tree branch he'd found along the path.

"When you arrived, the council didn't know what to make of you. First of all, you didn't just break through the weave like a marauder. Nor were you an explorer, so they decided to wait and watch." He glanced sideways to gauge her reactions and they seemed neutral.

"Because I was already living in the human world, I was asked to keep an eye on you. And as usual, Grandmother will be quick to tell you that I always get too involved, especially when a pretty girl is the subject," he said, as his neck flushed crimson.

"She did mention your appreciation for a pretty skirt," Maura snickered and Jason nodded sheepishly.

Then he continued. "Anyway, I met with Fen a couple of times and she told me about the Intro to Mathematics class, I needed that course as well, so I signed up. The rest was pure luck, honest, I really didn't know about the charm or anything."

"What about that car?"

"It was given to me by the council and only to be used in an emergency, and, with those marauders, that was an emergency. I had it for just over a week before I picked you up, my third landing was the one where you were with me," he grinned. "But I always was a fast learner."

Maura nodded, as if accepting his explanation as they both stared off, lost in thought.

"What was he like, your father?"

"He was kind and compassionate, at least to me. At the same time he was driven by his work, which left me feeling lonely much of the time. I remember once when I was maybe 5 or so, he took us all to the ocean. It was quite an adventure because we lived so far away from the water. We traveled all day and well into the night but when we got there I was filled with wonder it was so amazing. Terrus doesn't have water like they do on this world. It's rather arid, so a trip to the ocean is a real treat. My mother was in heaven, I never saw her smile so brightly."

"He must have loved her very much."

Maura smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yes, he did. Everybody who knew her loved her. She was the gentlest person in the world." Maura paused as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I miss them both so much it hurts."

"I'm sorry, Maura, I didn't mean for you to remember sad thoughts." Jason handed her a handkerchief from his back pocket.

"Thanks." Maura wiped her eyes then she reached across and squeezed his hand. "It's all right. My mother has been in my thoughts a lot lately."

"I know that a ceremony can never replace the loss of your parents, but I hope that when you see how greatly your father was admired it will help ease your loss." He scratched along the path in front of them; insects scurried to avoid his stick. "Usually when events like this occur there are no members of the family present to witness it. But now that you serve the council you will be able to be a part of it." He turned to her; his eyes sparkled in the light. "It's amazing...really; I've rarely seen a ceremony like this. It will be truly remarkable."

A silver tailed swallow swooped down among the insects at Maura's feet.

A troubled look filled Maura's face once again. "But if the D'liache clan don't know about the portal how are they sending others to abduct me?"

"We have a traitor." Jason turned to her solemnly. "A weaver. We don't know who yet but we will find him or her soon enough. That's why it's not safe for you to go back to the city. We can't protect you there."

She thought of what Vera said earlier. "There are good Terrians and bad ones, just like there are good Sirin and bad ones." Then she looked off across the clearing. "I don't want to go back, not now, not ever. I love it here. I feel so safe, so loved. I never want to leave here."

He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "Good." Then he sprung up suddenly and began to sprint across the open meadow. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! Let's see what Grandmother has for lunch. Race ya!"

He was half way across the glen and near the edge of the clearing before Maura stood up. But she was faster, remarkably so. She caught up with him quickly and was sitting on the bench at Vera's kitchen door as he lumbered up breathless then collapsed on the bench next to her.

He sat there huffing out of breath. "You're fast! Next time I'll give myself a better head start!"

She laughed and playfully tussled his hair. "Next time you won't catch me off guard!"

The following day Jason returned for lunch after spending the morning training with Yaol. He took a moment in the bathhouse to rinse the sweat out of his hair. Lisa stood near the oven pulling out fresh loaves of bread as Jason walked through the kitchen door with a towel over his head.

Lisa turned and scowled. "Hey, you're dripping all over my nice clean floor, you oaf!"

Jason continued to dry his hair. "It's only water, where's Maura?"

"I sent her out to gather some herbs from the forest." Lisa turned and retrieved several more loaves. "She wanted to learn how to make that healing poultice that Grandmother used on your wounds." She glanced out the back window. "She should have been back by now, it wasn't far."

"How long has she been gone?"

"Maybe an hour or two, I can't remember exactly when she left."

He tossed the towel across the back of a nearby chair. "I better go look for her.

Jason threw on a coat, pulled on his boots and sprinted out of the kitchen door. He rounded the corner of the cottage and headed for the path that led deep into the forest.

"Maura," he said softly as he ran, "Tell me where you are, Maura. Use your mind and show me where you are."

Jason ran down the path another hundred or so yards then abruptly turned to the right and plowed into the thick brush. Running was nearly impossible now as the forest began to close in on him. He pushed past thickets of nettles and slid down a small hill. He crossed over a tiny stream and bounded up a hill on the far side.

Across the top of the ridge and near another tangle of brambles he saw her. Her body sat slumped like a rag doll folded over a basket filled with herbs and flowers.

"Maura!" She didn't respond. Jason ran to her and felt for her pulse. It was weak; her breathing was shallow as well. Jason picked her up in his arms and walked quickly back towards the cottage. His grandmother stood by the kitchen door waiting.

"Grandmother! She's fainted! Her pulse is weak and she's barely breathing."

"Bring her in here." Vera led the way through her cottage and into Maura's bedroom. Jason laid her on her bed as Vera felt her forehead and placed her hand on her chest. "Her pulse is dangerously faint. Wet a towel and place it on her forehead. I'll prepare a broth. When did she last have blood?"

"Blood?" Jason had a shocked look on his face.

"Yes, Jason, blood. She's a Terrian they need blood sometimes. Do you know if she's consumed any blood?"

"Not that I know of directly. I mean, there was that rapist but I never saw her actually bite him. And that was months ago."

"Jason, she gave you her blood last week, and she hasn't been eating well since then." Vera thought out loud as she stood in the doorway. "Without marrow - her body can't reproduce new blood." She looked at Jason and then, as if by instinct, he knew what he had to do. As she walked into her kitchen to prepare a broth, he gathered Maura into his arms.

He cradled her head and whispered into her ear. "You must bite me, Maura." But Maura drifted in and out of consciousness. As Jason whispered to her she struggled to move away from him but she was too weak to break his hold on her.

Jason's fingers gently opened her mouth. He rubbed his thumb across her teeth cutting a small wound on the pad of his thumb. The taste of blood on her tongue triggered her Terrian instinct and her fangs began to extend.

He leaned forward and forced her fangs onto his neck. "Ow-w," he murmured as the fangs sunk deep into his neck. Jason closed his eyes and held Maura tightly to his neck. The Terrian instincts of Maura's body began to take over as she began to draw his blood through her fangs and into her veins.

Suddenly every cell in Jason's body filled with a sense of bliss. In that same moment Maura's body began to glow. Light began streaming from her in all directions, filling the room with a radiant brilliance.

Maura's mouth left Jason's neck as she arched her body backwards and began to float above him in midair while a brilliant light continued to stream from her. Slowly, as she recovered consciousness, the light that emitted from her body began to diminish and she drifted back into his arms.

"Wha-what happened?" Maura murmured half consciously. As she opened her eyes, she saw a trickle of blood still weeping from two puncture wounds on Jason's neck. "NO! I MUSTN'T!!" She began to struggle against Jason. But he held her tightly.

"Maura, stop! You needed...you almost died, Maura." Jason gritted his teeth as he struggled to keep her close to him. Her strength was returning, slowly. "You almost died."

Maura slowly stopped struggling and looked up into Jason's face, her eyes were filled with fear.

Jason kissed her lips. "We share blood now, right? Besides, I owe you one, sweetheart. Well more like a dozen, maybe more."

Maura cast her eyes down. She bit him. How could she? What had she done? "Jason we can't...we just can't go on like this!"

"Yes, we can." He carried her to her bed and set her down. "Maura, I've only known you for a couple of months and yet it's like I have lived my entire life waiting for you. I know things will never be easy but, it was amazing what happened just now."

"Jason, I'm a Terrian." Maura touched his lips with her fingertips. "I've been alone all my life, even when my father and mother were still alive I felt alone. There are things about me that I can't just change. There is the bloodlust, Jason, I don't know if I can control it. I need time to think about this." She pushed him away and buried her face in the pillow behind her.

Jason pulled her back to him and held her by her shoulders. "Damn it Maura bite me!"

Maura tried to push him back again. "What?"

"Bite me. Even on the edge of death you didn't hurt me. You barely took any of my blood before you let me go. Now bite me!"

"NO!"

"Do it! Do it now, damn it! I'll prove it to you!"

She glared at him. "Fine! You asked for it." She opened her mouth to expose her fangs and with a savage fierceness she sunk them back into Jason's neck.

Once again Jason's blood flowed into her and, now conscious, every cell in her body began to sing with pure bliss. Dazzlingly bright light once again exploded from her. Maura released his neck and looked into his eyes. "Holy blood, Jason! What's happening?"

"I don't know but whatever it is, this is what happened before."

Maura hugged Jason and kissed him again and again. "This is incredible. It's wonderful, like pure bliss; I've never felt like this before. I feel so fulfilled!"

He wrapped his arms around her. "Now do you understand? Even on the verge of death you only took a tiny amount."

The light that burst from Maura's body began to fade but joy continued to sing in her heart.

Jason whispered as he buried his face in her hair. "Can Terrians fall in love Maura?"

"Yes," she whispered back, hugging him tightly.

Vera stood in the open doorway holding a mug of broth with a knowing smile. She closed her eyes and took a big breath to let it out slowly. Then she closed the bedroom door gently as she whispered. "Finally."

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The author copyrights Ravenswood and all of its parts. The reproduction of any part of Ravenswood without the written permission of the author is expressly prohibited. This story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, their names and the places they visit, are from the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to persons, places, or things is not intentional and purely coincidental.