Night Train Part 16

Aramus growled. "You would have died otherwise."

"I know, but..." She took a deep breath. "But now I'm in the way."

Aramus groaned. "In the way of what?"

Rafael sighed. "I was correct, she saw us too deeply."

"I see." Aramus released a long slow breath. "Elaine. If we had not wanted you as a part of us both, we

would have found another to make you."

"What?" Elaine blinked. They had wanted her?

Aramus groaned. "It would not have been difficult to find a sire."

Rafael's arm tightened around her waist. "With her fire?" He snorted. "There would have been a line of

vampire looking to have her for their child."

"We would have had several duels fought to gain her." Aramus's voice was laced with humor.

"Duels?" Rafael snorted. "I would have had to hold an entire tournament!"

Elaine shifted onto her back. "Then I am not interfering in your lives?"

Aramus choked out a small laugh. "No."

Rafael brushed her cheek with his fingers. "You have in fact, brought us together."

Elaine sniffed and wiped her damp cheeks. "But you two are obviously in love. What kept you apart?"

Aramus turned his head away.

She flinched. "If that's too private...?"

Rafael sighed. "No, it is best that you know." He snuggled against her right side. "When Aramus came to me, he was near death from Dimitri's abuse."

Elaine turned to Aramus. "Like Tony?"

Aramus released a breath. "Yes."

"I made Aramus my child to save him. I loved him from the first moment, and he was a delight to have, but I am very old, older than you can imagine."

Elaine snorted. "I don't know. I can imagine pretty far back." Aramus pressed against her left side. "The passing of time is different for a vampire. As they gain in age, they gain in power, and that power needs to be fed. Rafael is possessed of a need that a human soul cannot survive." He took a deep breath. "Nor can a fledgling." "I could not let him stay." Rafael pressed his head against hers. "I needed to feed and I could not feed on a soul so young, without eventually consuming it, but I could not want another when he was near." He took a shuddering breath. "It was very...hard. He was fully half my heart." His arms tightened. "I did not think Aramus would forgive me."

Aramus lifted his head. "Of course I forgave you!" He snorted. "After a while." He released a long breath. "A long while." Rafael sighed. "You do not know what joy I felt when I saw you tonight." Elaine winced. "With me tagging along." Rafael pressed her shoulder. "When I saw you, I was hoping Aramus had finally decided to make a child. I knew the moment we met that you were an excellent choice." Aramus turned to face her in the dark. "I hope you can forgive me for taking you from your life?" Elaine took a deep breath and released it. "It's okay. I didn't have much of a life." She slid deeper under the covers. "I don't have much of a family. I doubt they'll miss me. I lived for my art, and that's still here." She touched her heart. "I can feel it."

Rafael stirred at her side. "Not much of a family? How could this be?"

Elaine squirmed. "My parents didn't exactly want kids. They stayed together for a little while, and they still provided for me, that's how I got to college, and to Rome, but most of my life has been with one relative or another." She took a deep breath. It hurt, but it was an old hurt. "My art is...all I have."

"Ah... " Rafael sighed. "That explains what I saw."

Aramus turned toward him. "And I."

Elaine turned from one to the other, but she couldn't make out anything in the darkness. "What?"

Rafael pressed his palm to her heart. "There is a great deal of scarring where the love from your family

should be."

Elaine's breath stopped. "You saw that?"

Aramus set his palm over Rafael's hand. "It was difficult to miss."

Rafael lifted his head. "This is how you keep making the infant cry."

Aramus pressed his cheek to Elaine's. "Elaine, your making did not, and cannot come between us,

because you are a part of us. We hold your soul in our bodies, as you hold a part of ours."

"But I was just a total stranger..."

Aramus pressed his fingers to her lips. "With my first glance, I desired you. With our first kiss, you made

me smile. With my first taste, you became precious to me. Dimitri only quickened my decision, but eventually, I would have made you mine."

Elaine shivered. "That fast?"

Rafael sighed. "Elaine, do you know that every staff member in this house drinks Aquinas with every meal?"

She turned to Rafael. "What?"

"I am very, very old." Rafael drew in a long breath. "Humans cannot not live here and work here without

it. They cannot abide my presence."

Aramus stroked her arm. "Their hearts would not survive the constant fear."

Rafael sighed. "A human will not walk into a room that I occupy, unless he is drugged, and a thrall is far

more sensitive. You should have been as your young friend was."

Aramus snorted. "Cowering on the floor."

"I could not believe you actually sat in my presence, drank coffee and smiled at me!" Rafael chuckled. "I

was absolutely charmed from that moment." Elaine frowned. "But Rafael, you aren't bad, just scary. Dimitri turned my stomach, you just made my heart try to pound its way out of my chest."

"Not bad, just scary?" Rafael touched her chin. "Elaine, I am not scary. To a human and more so to a thrall, I am terrifying." Elaine felt the slightest touch of bitter black feathers.Loneliness... Rafael released a breath. "I knew the moment you sat down and drank that coffee, that you had will, strength. No... How do they say it in America? Ah! Guts! A vampire must face many things that are terrifying, often within themselves. Your inner strength, your willingness to endure fear, proved to me that you were perfect to be vampire."

Elaine shifted in the blankets. "Twelve years of Judo doesn't hurt either."

Aramus leaned over her. "Without being vampire, your Judo would not have saved you from Dimitri. Did you not notice that you were far stronger and faster than before?"

Elaine frowned. No, she hadn't. "Oh..."

"She is going to be formidable when she matures." Aramus groaned, but Elaine could hear the pleasure in his voice.

Rafael leaned over her. "I tell you now, if Aramus had decided not to make you his child I would have. With or without your acquiescence. " Aramus turned to Rafael. "You would not...!" Rafael snorted. "I would so." "It is not within you to do so!" "It is well within me to save a fire such as this one. Just as I saved you." Aramus growled. "I gave you my consent!" "Actually, if you will remember, I tricked it out of you." Rafael's voice held traces of amusement.

"Ah!" Aramus rolled onto his back. "So."

Rafael looked down at Elaine. "So you see? You were wanted by both of us. It was inevitable that you would be one of ours. It is better that you belong to both." He looked up. "For the other of us would have been quite upset to be left out."

Aramus snorted. "There is a profound understatement."

"Oh." Elaine shifted uncomfortably. It was...strange, to be wanted. "Okay." Her heart filled with something she couldn't name, and it overflowed. Aramus rolled up against Elaine's side. "Ha! This time it is you who made the infant cry!" Elaine choked out a laugh through her tears. "I'm okay, really. I'm just trying to get used to being...um."

She didn't know how to put her feelings into words. It felt too big, it felt too different. Rafael brushed his lips against her brow. "The word you are searching for is, loved." Aramus caught her hand and squeezed it. "Elaine, I thought you knew?" Rafael sighed. "When you get up in four hours to feed her, she will know." Elaine groaned. "Oh come on! It's not like I am a real infant!" "Oh yes you are," They both said together. They looked over at each other and laughed. Elaine squeezed Aramus's hand and searched for Rafael's. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Rafael chuckled. "You will understand when you are older." Elaine jerked upright. "When I'molder ?" Aramus pushed her back down into the pillows. "Go to sleep." Elaine struggled to sit up. "What do you mean when I'm older?" Aramus shoved her back down and rolled on top of her. "Sleep, now." He turned his head. "She is not going to take well to napping, I can tell."

Rafael laughed outright. "Ah the pleasures of parenting!"

Elaine gasped. "Oh, come on, guys!"

They both leaned over her. "Sleep!"

Elaine groaned in protest but the yawn nearly cracked her jaw. "Okay, fine. What ever." She rolled into

Aramus's chest.

"Again she goes to you for comfort. I think I shall be jealous."

Aramus sighed. "You may come to me for comfort too."

"Oh?" Rafael rolled up tight against Elaine's back. "Good."

Elaine chuckled.

Aramus set his arm over them both and sighed.

The night became still but for the beating of three hearts filled with the rustling of black-feathered wings.

Fini.

About the Author.

For me, writing is more than a passion it's anobsession ."