|
Collette sat up in bed. He's here, she thought,
feeling cold. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her
bare shoulders. He's here, she thought again, looking around for the
evidence to satisfy her feelings.
She looked around the room and spotted a black crow
sitting in the open window. It was watching her with unblinking
eyes, spying on her. Collette watched the bird as it sat, unmoving,
quietly watching her. I see you, Collette thought, keeping her
eyes locked on the crow. "He sent you to find me, did he,"
she said to the bird. "Well, make sure you let him know where I
am," she said defiantly.
Hearing the words I opened my eyes, did you say
something, I thought to her.
Friar Essex is in town, she replied, on the window
is one of his spies. He will know shortly where I am.
Do you want to kill the bird?
She sounded tired when she replied, no, let him
come.
I looked from
the bird, to Collette, and back to the bird. So, I thought to her, he
knows about me.
Collette looked at me, yes. She shook her head
slightly, so much for keeping you a secret. She giggled slightly,
guess he wins round one.
I laughed at her joke, yes, I guess so. Still, I
thought to her, he doesn't know about Brian or Nathaniel.
No, I guess he doesn't. She looked at the crow
as it sat perched on the sill and added, yet.
Do you think he will find out.
She turned from the bird to face me, I don't
know. I don't foresee it, but the future the next few weeks is
uncertain. I don't know what is going to happen.
I smiled at her, we will win.
She smiled weakly, yes.
The bird cawed
and flew off of the window and headed back towards the town. It was
on its way to report what it had seen. Collette shut her eyes and
exhaled heavily, soon, she thought to me.
You know, I thought to her, two can play at this
game. We already have Brian and Nathaniel, but what if we sent our
own spy into the church. You know the saying about a fly on the
wall. Well, we could always....
Yes, she said, opening her eyes again. I heard
her reach out with her thoughts, come, little ones, she thought, come to
me.
Three lady bugs flew into the window and landed on
Collette's wrist. The climbed up her arm and rested on her
shoulder. Hello, she said to them with her mind. I almost
heard their reply. I want you to do something for me. I want
you to fly into town and find the church. In her mind she flashed a
picture of what the church looked like. Fly into the church, hide in
the corners, and watch. I will look through your eyes, listen with
your ears, just watch, listen, and remain hidden. Can you do that
for me?
Again, I almost heard their assent.
Fly away, my
friends, she thought to them and the tiny insects took flight. The
flew slowly across the room and then out of the same window that the crow
had just left. The small insects flew from the castle and towards
the town. Collette watched the flight from their eyes, the world looking
larger to her now that she was witnessing it through the insects
eyes. The continued flying and soon Collette saw the church appear.
The ladybugs flew through the town and landed on the
roof of the church. Yes, she thought to them, take up residence,
watch, be my eyes.
The three insects took flight again and soon they
found a way into the church. Collette watched as the first insect
climbed up the wall near the church's entrance. The second landed on
the statue of Christ crucified on the cross, while the third flew into the
church and rested on a crossbeam support in the middle of the
church. The three bugs had the church well covered.
Friar Essex was nowhere to be seen.
Wait, my friends, Collette thought, wait and
watch. I will check in with you often.
Collette returned
her attention to me; that is taken care of, she thought. I have the
three lady bugs ensconced in the church, serving as my eyes and
ears. I can now at anytime witness what is transpiring within the
sacred rooms. With Brian and Nathaniel in town, his efforts should
be hindered, and with the three insects, I think we have Friar Essex fully
monitored. Now we wait.
Yes, I agreed.
I want you to monitor my conversation with
Nathaniel, can you do that?
Yes, I said, no longer doubting that I could.
I knew that with the training Collette had given me that I could monitor her
thoughts. She was still more powerful than I and if she wanted to
block her thoughts from me she could. She wanted me to read her
thoughts and I would.
Collette reached out with her thoughts and I reached out
with mine. Nathaniel, she thought, reaching across the miles
towards the town. Can you hear me?
Yes, I heard his reply in Collette's mind.
Good, Collette
thought to Nathaniel. Friar Essex is in town now. Be wary, he
is a sly and powerful creature. Pay attention to what he is doing,
hinder his actions, but do not cross him physically, do you understand?
Yes, he replied. I could see him sitting in
his bedroom, relaxing on a recliner. He was looking towards the
ceiling, as if Collette was God talking to him.
Let Keith know that he is in town. Keep an eye
on your grandson, guide him. Can you do that?
Yes, he repeated.
Good, Collette smiled. Very, very good. This
is almost over. I will be watching. Remember, call me if you
need any help.
I will, he promised.
That's done, Collette thought to me. I am worried
about them, if Friar Essex realizes what they are doing.... her voice
trailed off.
They will be fine, I thought to Collette. You will
protect them.
Yes, she thought
back, but she did not sound convinced.
When will we face him? I asked, emphasizing
the word we. I wanted her to know that I was in this with her until
the very end, regardless of the outcome.
Collette exhaled heavily and shook her head, I don't
know. I can't see that, it is hidden. Looking into the future
on this is like peering through mud, useless. I have seen glimpses,
mainly shapes. I am pretty sure that the battle will take place
here, at the castle. Friar Essex will bring the fight to us.
That is an advantage.
Yes, I agreed, it is.
He knows about you, I had hoped to keep you a
secret; to use you as a surprise.
Don't worry about that, I thought to her, now he has
more to worry about. Him knowing could prove advantageous.
Perhaps, she thought noncommittally, perhaps.
Collette sighed and
climbed from the bed, I need to feed, she thought to me as she crossed the
room to look out of the open window that both the raven and the three
ladybugs had used to exit the castle. The sky was a tranquil blue
that belied the dangerous confrontation that would soon take place.
An occasional seagull cried in the distance, calling for food, for companionship,
or both.
She turned from the window and looked at me as I lay
on the warm bed, call Brian in here, please. We need to
feed.
Of course. Brian, I reached out with my
mind, seeking the young man. Brian, can you come in here please?
In reply I heard his muted, "yes, sir."
He will be here shortly, I informed Collette who was
once again staring wistfully out the open window. He was resting in
his room, I continued, passing on the scene I had witnessed when Brian had
responded.
Very good, she thought. Now, come here.
I will feed on you.
Crawling from
the bed, I crossed the room and stood before Collette, baring my throat to her
hungry gaze. I felt her teeth puncture my throat and I gasped when
she began pulling my blood from my body and into her warm mouth. She
fed on my blood, growing stronger as the coppery fluid left my body and
sustained hers. She pulled away, sated, and thought to me, thank
you. I needed that.
I righted my head and smiled, I know. And I
did know. I could read her so much easier now than when I had
arrived. My training had progressed that far. She could still
keep her thoughts and feelings hidden from my gaze, but when she was not
closing herself to me, I could read her easily. Her secrets were
hers, her thoughts and feelings we shared.
Brian entered the room, "hello, Mistress,"
a nod to Collette, "sir," a nod to me.
Hello, Brian, I thought to him. Come here,
please, I need to feed.
"Yes, sir," he said, hearing my thoughts
in his head. He walked across the carpeted floor and stood before
me, baring his throat to me as I had bared mine to Collette.
I bit his throat,
sinking my teeth into his supple flesh. I sucked at his throat,
pulling his blood into my mouth as Collette had done mine just moments
before. I sucked at his throat, feeding on his life blood. I
felt myself grow stronger as his blood coursed down my throat and spread
throughout my body. I released his throat and watched as two thin
lines of blood formed, running down his neck.
Thank you, I thought to Brian.
"You are welcome, sir," he said to
me. "Will there be anything else?"
Yes, Collette's thoughts crept into Brian's mind and
mine. Brian turned towards Collette, "yes, mistress."
Go lie on the bed and masturbate, Collette commanded
him. I want to watch.
He grinned, "yes, mistress.
Gladly." He walked across the room and crawled into the sunken
waterbed. The bed sloshed under his weight and he pulled two pillows
under his head to look at Collette as he rolled onto his back. He was
naked, as we all were, and his hand immediately gripped his growing cock.
Collette crossed the
room and stood over the bed, looking down with a smiling eye as Brian
rubbed his cock furiously. Collette watched as Brian masturbated.
Her smile grew as she thought to me, come here.
I crossed the room and stood next to her, yes,
mistress, I thought to her.
Collette pulled her eyes from Brian and thought to me,
drop to your knees and hold your face above his cock with your mouth
open. I want him to come in your mouth, and I want to watch.
I nodded as I fell to my knees. The bed shook
under my weight as I crawled forward to position myself as Collette had
directed. I knelt next to Brian and lowered my face, holding my open
mouth inches above Brian's cock. His hand was a blur as he
masturbated. I heard Collette's thoughts as she said to Brian, look at
me.
Brianturned his
head to look at Collette. He moaned as he watched her drop down into a squat,
spreading her knees, opening her pussy to his gaze. His eyes were riveted
to her sex as she dropped her hand between her widely parted legs and
began masturbating, stroking her pussy slowly.
Brian gasped, his hand flying in a fury as he
stroked his erect cock. "Coming!" he shouted, staring
between Collette's legs, watching intently as she masturbated.
I could only watch with an open mouth as Brian's
hips lifted from the bed. He ejaculated, shooting his semen into my
open mouth. His hand continued to pump at his erection as he
came. His seed hit my face, another burst hit my cheek, a third stung as
it hit my eye, forcing me to blink and look away. I sat back on my
heels and wiped Brian's semen from my eye.
Brian, I read Collette's thoughts, lick him clean.
"Yes,
mistress," Brian whispered. The bed shook as he climbed to his
knees. Walking on his knees he knelt next to me. He bent
forward, and as Collette was continuing to masturbate, he began to lick my
face. He lapped at my cheek, pulling the semen that had missed my
mouth into his.
Collette moaned as she watched Brian lick me. Her
fingers were making large circles over her extended clit. I could read her
thoughts, the delight of the scene before her evident in the musings
behind her shining eyes. She moaned in joyous pleasure as her
pleasure climbed. Yes, I heard the heated moan in her mind.
Brian's tongue lapped at my cheek and then he moved
over to my eye. He continued licking my face, eating his spent seed
as Collette looked on. His tongue trailed down to my chin and when he
swallowed heavily, his face contorting in disgust at the taste that
assailed him, Collette came. Her moans of bliss filled the room as her
pleasure peaked. "God," she said, her breathing coming in
gasps, "that was hot. Thank you, Brian."
Brian smiled at
her praise, "you're welcome, mistress."
Collette smiled and commanded Brian to go the the
kitchen and prepare a meal. He acknowledged her command with a soft,
"yes, mistress." Brian climbed from the bed and left the
room, the candles of the castle lighting his path.
We will eat shortly, Collette announced.
I know, I told her, I heard your command to him to
prepare breakfast.
Very good, Collette thought in reply, very, very good.
I smiled. What are we going to do after
breakfast?
I have one more thing that I think you need to
learn. You need to do this. Her body slowly faded from sight
until she was invisible. This, I heard her thoughts in my mind, is
what I will teach you; it may prove useful. "Don't you
agree?"
Her voice came from across the room. She
became visible again across the room. She was standing behind the
sunken tub, twenty feet from where she had faded from sight. Wow, I
thought to her, amazed.
You will learn
this today.
I nodded, yes. I would not deny her; would not and
could not.
But first, she thought to me, it is time to eat.
Yes, eat, I heard a strange voice enter my
mind. You will need your strength to fight me, but you can not
win. I think you know that already. And do you think that this
puny thing will help you against me. Ha, that's laughable. I
has spColletted countless centuries in search of you and you think that this
pup can help you?
Block your mind, Collette commanded me, shut him out.
I imagined hundreds of walls encircling hundreds of
walls, all of them surrounding my thoughts. I blocked my mind as I
had seen Collette do. I was uncertain if I succeeded; unsure if I had
indeed blocked the thoughts that resided within my mind from
escaping.
His words still
came into my mind; already I can sense you fear me. Good, that is
very good. You should fear me as I will be your undoing; I will kill
you and display your rotting corpse as a warning to all that cross
me. When your body has decomposed to rid yourself of your beauty I
will command your lifeless body to rise and serve as my slave for
eternity.
Are you thinking of what I will do to you? I
hope so. Now, go, eat your lunch. I will be watching
you.
I felt his presence leave my mind. Good,
Collette's words came to me, he was unable to read your thoughts. That
was a victory. I could sense his agitation when he left, he was
certain that he could have read your mind. He seemed shocked that
you were able to keep your thoughts from him. That is very good,
very, very good.
Thank you, I thought to her.
Collette exhaled and
shook her head, he is more brazen than I had given him credit for.
He must be feeling confident, Collette continued, too confident. She
flashed me a quick smile, he will lose, she thought, nodding.
She sounded confident in my mind and I took solace
from the fact. Yes, I agreed, he will lose. You are too strong
for him. In my mind I could see Collette pulling me physically back through
time to confront a throng of people while horses galloped and flew through
the air with ease. I could still see the steam fly from the horses
nostrils as they galloped through the air, their magnificent beauty
begging for attention.
I looked at her, my eyes furrowed in thought.
I could not read her thoughts when I assured her that she would win.
Was she not as confident as I was? Did she harbor thoughts of
losing?
No, she smiled at me, we will not lose. Don't
worry.
I smiled at her, she could still read my thoughts,
of course. Okay, I answered in reply.
Collette crossed to
me and intertwined her arm in mine, come, she thought to me, we need to
eat.
My stomach grumbled at the thought of food, yes, I
agreed. I am hungry, I thought to her. Even though I had been
transformed into a vampire, and it was the blood of others that sustained
me, my corporal body still needed sustenance to work. I knew that in
time I would no longer need to eat and that blood would be enough to
sustain my body but as of yet I needed real food.
Collette led me from the bedroom and together she and I
traversed the short distance to the dining room. Brian had set the
table with only two place settings and I wondered if he had already
eaten.
Check, Collette thought to me.
Brian, I reached out with my mind, have you eaten?
No, I heard his reply deep inside my brain.
Then join us, I said to him with my
thoughts.
I heard his smile, delighted.
Brian emerged
from the kitchen with another place setting. He set it to Collette's
left, placing the silverware next to his plate. "Lunch will be
ready shortly," he informed Collette and I as he departed back into the
kitchen.
Collette was sitting in her usual seat at the head of
the table. She was looking at me with a grin on her
face.
What? I asked her.
Nothing, she smiled, shaking her head. Your
training has gone very well. I am elated at how quickly you have
caught on. I want you to turn yourself invisible now. Try it,
she continued, it is easy. With that she faded from view. I
watched as her chair backed away from the table so I knew that she was
still physically there, just unseen to my eyes. "Now you
try," she whispered aloud in my ear, standing behind me.
I looked behind
me but of course she was not there. I exhaled and concentrated on
turning myself invisible. I imagined myself sitting in the chair and
willed the air around me to absorb the light that created the image of me
sitting there. It was light that made me appear and it would be
commanding that light that would allow me to become invisible.
From outside I watched as my body slowly faded from
view. I was sitting at the chair invisible to the world. I
opened my mouth in awe and was amazed to be unable to see myself do so
from outside my body where I was standing to watch myself turn
invisible. I had turned myself invisible and Collette's praise in my ear
was uplifting. Very good, she said, sounding elated, very good
indeed.
The door to the kitchen opened and Brian emerged
carrying a platter of food. He looked around the empty room and
called out, looking at the ceiling as if trying to call us in the bedroom,
"are you two eating?" he asked.
Tell him, Collette thought to me.
Yes, Brian, I thought to him, we are going to
eat.
He smiled, "good," he said, still
looking at the ceiling. "It will be ready in a
second." With that he turned around and walked back into the
kitchen.
Collette became
visible and commanded me to do the same. From outside my body I
concentrated and returned to the realm of the visible. Wow, I
thought to Collette, that was easier than I thought it would be.
Have you noticed that you have done everything the
same way, just will it to happen and it does.
Mostly, I agreed with a nod. I find that by
concentrating on what I want to happen causes it to happen.
Sometimes it seems very difficult, though.
It will get easier in time, she assured me.
Doing more than one thing at a time is exactly the same, just will them to
happen. I watched as she demonstrated her point by floating on a
mist to the ceiling and then her body and the mist disappeared from
view. Behind me I heard her say, "like that." She
rematerialized in the corner of the room still floating on the
mist. Lowering herself to the ground she thought to me, if you
can picture it in your mind, it can happen.
I looked at her
as she took her seat, yes, I agreed, but do we have time?
Brian emerged from the kitchen carrying a platter
with a large pan of soup; lazy tendrils of steam rising from the
pan. There were bowls and spoons on the platter as well and he set
the tray on the table. He set the soup between us and stirred it
with the ladle resting within the white concoction.
"Smells good, Brian," Collette said, "I
love clam chowder."
"Good," Brian beamed.
Collette looked at me as Brian scooped out three bowls,
we have time. She smiled at me and I nodded, confident in her
reassurance.
Brian sat down
and the three of us ate the chowder. It was thick and hot and clung
to my ribs. Collette was purring in happiness, enjoying the clam chowder
immensely. She spooned bite after bite into her mouth, emptying her
bowl quickly before reaching for another ladleful of the thick soup.
"That is so good, Brian," Collette said as she refilled her bowl.
Finishing another bite of the soup Brian said,
"thank you." He was smiling happily, "I know you like
seafood." He took another bite, swallowed, and said, "I
have some crab cakes in the oven that should be ready in about ten
minutes."
"Yummy," Collette said. She took a bite
and looked at me, extinguish half of the candles in the room.
I pulled another spoonful of the soup into my mouth
and acknowledged her command with a muted nod.
I took another
bite of the soup and with my mind I walked around the room and doused the
small flames, one at a time. When half of the candles were
extinguished Collette smiled, shook her head, and immediately all of the
candles I had doused flared back to illuminating life. Now, she
said, extinguish them all at once.
Collette smiled at me as I nodded. She took a bite of
her soup and watched me as I pictured the room in my mind. I could
see all of the candles dancing in the gentle air currents that moved
unseen in the room. I looked at the candles in my mind and then
willed every other one to stop burning.
As commanded all of the candles I wanted to
extinguish did.
Very good, Collette thought to me.
Brian climbed to his feet, "crab cakes are
done," he announced as he departed into the kitchen to retrieve the
food that he had prepared.
He emerged about
a minute later, a minute spent with Collette and I staring at each
other, smiling. You have done very good, she told me, you are ready
to help me fight Friar Essex.
I was ready to help you the day I arrived, I thought
back. I had sought you out and at that time would have died for you.
Her eyes were shining in delight, I
know.
Brian set the platter of crab cakes on the table and
dished three of the large round cakes onto each of our plates. Collette
picked up her fork and took the first bite. "These are
great!" Collette exclaimed happily.
She took another bite as I took the first.
They were delicious and I let Brian know, "wow," I said.
The three of us
ate dinner in silence. The crab cakes were wonderful and I knew that
I would ask Brian to make them again. I finished eating my meal when
I heard Collette's thoughts in my mind, Nathaniel is talking to me, she
informed me. Listen.
I concentrated and eased my mind into Collette's.
Immediately I heard Nathaniel's words. "... knows that there is
someone in town that is talking bad about him. Fortunately the
townspeople have not let on yet who it is. I have not had Keith
doing anything yet so he will not be found out, but I am worried.
The priest that had served our town for years is gone and I presume
dead. Friar Essex says he was sent as a replacement and some people
bought it. I am getting worried."
Wow, I thought to Collette. What are you going to do?
She looked up at me and I heard her say to
Nathaniel, Call me immediately if you get into any trouble. It won't
be long now, Nathaniel. Don't worry. Her words sounded
calming. I felt Nathaniel depart as Collette looked at me, it is almost
time.
I agreed with
her and let her know, yes. What are you going to do? I repeated.
Wait, she informed me. Friar Essex will not
make a move until he is ready. He suspects that someone is talking
about him; he is not stupid. I do not believe that he will do
anything that would further angry the townspeople. If Nathaniel or
Keith get in any trouble they will let me know and we will take care of
it. She smiled at me and took another bite of her lunch.
Her use of the word "we" was wonderful and
I smiled in gratitude. I think you are right, I thought to her in
reply, he will not want to risk angering the men, women, and children of
the town. I think he will counter what Nathaniel and Keith will do
but not confront them. Although, I continued, I do think he will
find out who is talking about him.
Collette nodded, probably.
I took another bite of lunch and then another.
Brian finished his meal and rose to his feet. "I have a plate
of cut fruit for desert," he said as he departed into the kitchen.
Collette looked at
me and smiled, meet me on the roof, she thought to me. I'll bring up
some fruit.
I acknowledged her command with a nod and rose to my
feet. The candles lit the way for me as they did for Collette and I
smiled. I wondered if they were illuminating my path out of habit of
if they were acting as if I was as Collette and warranted the
light.
Collette's thoughts reached me, preceded by a laugh,
they provided light for everybody. It's safer that way.
I thought back to her, laughing also, thought
so.
I emerged out
onto the roof of the castle. The sun was shining brightly overhead,
heating the earth. I heard the ocean in the distance, the waves
breaking over the shore in majestic splendor. An occasional cry of a
seagull pierced the air and I wondered if it was a cry of pain or hunger
or fear?
With a blink I traveled into the bird and instantly
I found myself flying over the crystal blue water with the decorative
white caps. I realized instantly the answer to my question, the bird
was hungry, the sharp cry that escaped my bill alerted others to my
presence and immediately other cries joined in. It was as if the
bird was being directed by other gulls, the cry a call for direction.
I blinked again and returned to the castle, standing
on the stone roof and waiting for Collette to emerged from the depths
below.
Nice trip? Collette asked me from the kitchen.
Yes, I replied. I wondered if the bird was
hungry and I answered my question.
You did very good!
I thanked her as
I stood looking down at the ground beneath me. The castle stood
three stories into the air and the drop looked menacing from where I
stood. I knew, however, that if I fell I would not hit the
ground. Collette had taught me well and I knew that I could easily
create a mist to support my falling mass.
As if to prove my point I jumped into the air.
I started to fall to the earth and immediately I summoned a mist around my
body and gently lowered myself to the ground below. I used the mist
to raise myself back to the roof and stood proudly in the sun, happily
amazed at the progress I had made.
Again Collette's voice came to me, very good, indeed,
she thought.
Thank you, I replied with my mind, you have taught
me well.
Yes, she agreed.
I continued to
look beyond the walls of the castle and into the gently rolling
hills. The sounds of life greeted me. I heard the caw of the
seagulls and the chirp of other birds as they flew through the air.
I strained and over the roar of the waves crashing over the shore I heard
a faint clicking sound that with a thought I learned was two crabs
fighting on the shoreline.
Collette emerged from the castle and crossed the roof to
stand with me. Her grin lit her beautiful face. You have
passed another test, she thought to me.
My head cocked in confusion, I did?
Collette wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to
her. She hugged me tightly and thought to me, yes, you did. I
sent you up here to see how you would pass the time. Would you wait
patiently or would you do what you did. You acted as I had hoped you
would, as a vampire. You used the powers that I have given you
almost casually. Very good, she thought, her grip tight.
Her praise
warmed me and I hugged her in return. I thanked her for her kind
words with my thoughts and she silenced me by sinking her teeth into my
throat. I gasped in pain and then tilted my head back, surrendering
my blood to her. She drank deep and when she finished taking her
fill she thought to me, feed. With her word she tilted her eyes
skyward, baring her throat to me.
I bit her neck, sinking my teeth into her warm
body. I drank her essence, feeling myself grow even stronger.
When I had finished eating I pulled my teeth from her throat. A thin
line of blood ran down her neck and I lapped at it with my tongue;
cleaning her throat.
It is complete, she thought to me.
What is?
Your training.
And I fell to the stone roof of the castle.
|