Blueblood 4: Dracula - 27. Aftermath

We headed quickly back to the caverns. We got to the entrance as the others in our group were taking people inside the entrance. The entrance was not a gaping hole, but a crack that was kind of hidden even and would not be found even by accident. There were some of Dragon’s men and women watching for any...unexpected arrivals. Some were being carried in as they were going through the change due to the venom.

“It’s a good thing the cavern is big,” I said to Dragon as people were going in.

Suddenly Gabriella was running over and hugged her father, making him grunt from the impact and touch his left side as it hurt. Not from being shot, but Gabriella’s hug and Gabriella didn’t let go.

“I heard what you said over the earpiece. I had to see you.” Gabriella said smiling with relief as she moved back enough to take her father’s face in her hands. “I heard you were fine, but…” she looked at Colin’s left side, “you were shot!”

Colin nodded with a chuckle. “I’ve been shot before, this wasn’t any worse than the others.” He hugged me to his right side and kissed me on the head. “I have my own personal medic to see me through. I’ll heal.”

It was the first time I’d seen the cavern crowded. There were well over a hundred people in what had been Dragon’s…throne room? There were the ones going through the agony of change and others that had been with them when attacked; friends, lovers or spouses.

I sighed. “Well, this will be a different kind of triage,” I muttered. There were real vampires with them and I saw the look they were giving the people that were not vampires on the Disflavor with hunger they were keeping control of. “We need to get those not on the serum away from temptation.” I pointed at them, but the others from the VUN were helping to keep some control by standing between regular people and the untreated vampires. “They have to be watched.”

Colin nodded as our personnel were moving around getting things under some kind of the beginnings of control.

Then I saw my mother and Willie come over smiling at me. Less urgently than Gabriella had greeted her father. Mom wrapped her arms around me.

“I see you’re fine.” Mom said smiling. “That’s what I needed.”

Willie hugged Colin first, then gently pushed mom aside. “Enough, woman.” He grinned and hugged me in a bear hug. “I’m so glad things turned out so well…and you’re both fine…my sons.”

There was general chaos as people were asking over and over what was happening. That’s when Dragon did it again. He got up on his raised portion where his chair…throne…was.

“Silence.” He said in English, almost quietly, but heard. His talent not turned up as strong as it was in the town square. The others turned to him. “What happened will be explained to you once we get some control. We need to get those who were victims of this attack to get them treated. The ones with them will stay with them to keep them calm. An explanation will be given in more detail.”

Colin shook his head. “How does he do that?” He asked almost reverently.

“He’s a good hypnotist.” I shrugged logically. “He’s been able to do it for centuries…he just got…better at it.” I looked at the many new faces mixed with those I knew from VUN from the United States and England.

“What happened in the village will be a determining event,” Colin said looking at the now calmer people. “I think Dragon’s talent will help. If I understand about hypnosis, he can plant the idea of not talking to others about what happened with these people.”

“We’ll monitor the televised broadcast of the Transylvanian Halloween.” I nodded. “There will be investigations from authorities. It was recorded and broadcasted.”

We separated the real vampires from the victims and kept them separated. It was now past sunrise and everyone was safe down here for now.

“All these people will need food,” Colin said. “And bathrooms.” He pulled his phone out. “I’ll call Stan to see what we can do.”

I nodded. “Dragon has bathrooms, but they only pissed ammonia. This is going to possibly get messy.”

Going to the holding area where Lucian and the others were. I was not surprised to find Lucian just…staring. Not at anything, no emotions on his face, not moving as he sat; his face completely blank. The others were just…it was sunrise and they weren’t going anywhere…most were asleep. I wasn’t even sure Lucian even knew I was here, but he didn’t look up at me but asked.

“How long do I have?”

I looked at him. “I’m not answering that. Do you think we’ll kill you?”

Lucian looked at me then. “I hope you will.”

I thought about what I’d feel if I lost Colin. “Fifty years is a long time,” I said. “Something I hope Colin and I will have. Something Iilya was going to take away if I let him. You understand I couldn’t let him.”

Lucian shook his head. “I have nothing now.” He said helplessly.

“Your life is your own,” I said. “I know how I feel just thinking about life without Colin. I can only imagine what I’d feel after fifty years with him. I probably would feel like I see you do now.” I looked in his dry eyes. “Tomorrow, when the sun goes down…you need to decide whether you live or die. If you decide to live, which I hope you do, but that decision is yours. The serum will hurt for about five to six days. You will have to keep up with it. There is always the sun…you can willingly go out in it. I’ve known one that did.”

Lucian nodded. “You didn’t know Iilya.” He said softly.

“But you did,” I said.

Lucian nodded again. “I did. There was that man you knew…hard and callous…but sometimes…he would let me in. He could be so gentle and kind…” he sat remembering. “He was…haunted. His past and things he did and things done to him…there were things he was told to do, but expected he would do what he was told.”

I listened but didn’t respond.

Lucian shook his head. “I know he could be overbearing, not that stable,” he chuckled at that thought, “and he was obsessed like I said, but I did love him.”

I smiled at his words. “I know you did. I could see it.”

“Please,” Lucian said tearful, with no tears. “Don’t think he was all bad.”

I gave a grudging nod. “I’ll have to take your word on that.” I smiled. “Keep those thoughts about him, I don’t know if it helps now, but remembering the good things is best.”

A few more hours working to get everyone settled so we could tell them more about what was happening. There was another issue. When I had been bitten by Brett, I was flushed with new blood. We didn’t have that. I hope the ones we got to immediately would be alright with just the serum. Blood typing and the amount of blood needed…equipment…we simply didn’t have that here. I worked quickly. My problem was, I knew what was going to happen.

The thought of Lucian’s loss and what I’d feel if it was Colin kept playing on my mind, but I didn’t want to think about that if I didn’t have to. I also knew that was a hopeless attempt. I was dealing with the victims and their loved ones or friends who wanted to know things about what happened and when they could leave. Dragon’s assurance that they would be told seemed to satiate the curiosity for the moment. I was talking with Stan to see that some food would be brought to the cavern. I was busy on purpose. I knew Colin was working, but he was also watching me.

Colin finally came to me and grabbed me, stopping me from going to deal with another issue. “Devon.” He said turning me to him. “Stop.”

Looking at him, I knew what he was going to say. “I can’t.”

“What are you doing?” Colin asked, but he was concerned and I saw it in his emerald eyes. “Slow down.”

“I can’t,” I said pleading for him to understand. The adrenaline and quick actions were now playing on my mind. “I can’t stop. If I do, I’ll think. If I think…” I began to shake as the thought surfaced, “…Colin…I killed a man!” I was almost in tears. I waved in the direction of where Lucian was being held. “I killed a man that meant something to someone! Iilya was crazy, I know that…but Lucian loved him! I killed him!”

“I was there.” He said seriously and brought me to him and hugged me tightly. “I remember.”

I buried my face against his chest. “I killed a man, Colin,” I said. “I’ve never killed anyone. I was in the military, but my job was to save lives, not kill.”

“I know,” Colin said hugging me tighter. “I knew you’d have a hard time with this.”

I was now beginning to cry more. “I couldn’t let him kill you! He would have killed you, I know it. I had to stop him!”

Colin kept the pressure on, holding me. “I am so grateful to you for doing that, Devon.”

“You mean everything to me, Colin. I can’t tell you in words how much I love you, the thought of someone taking you away from me…I had to! I love you!”

Colin began to cry as well, not because he was hurting physically. “I know you do, Devon. I know that.” He pushed me gently away so he could press his lips to mine, tenderly and lovingly. “I love you so much.” He smiled as he cried quietly. “As stupid as this may sound…I don’t know how I made those two centuries without you. No one means more to me than you. No one! You’re my husband…yes…but you’re not just a big part of my life, you’re part of my very soul. Now that I have you in my life, I would do anything to keep you with me. Even kill. I understand how you feel.”

As happy as his words made me…there was still the horror knowing I had killed someone. I hated Iilya for forcing me into that, but I wasn’t losing Colin. I wasn’t a wimp, but I hated to even kill a bug! Iilya wasn’t a bug. He was a human being. A vampire, but human. He had to be stopped and he was crazy. “I had no choice.”

Colin pressed his forehead to mine. “I know.” He put his arm around me. “Come with me, you need some sleep.”

My eyes widened. “How can I sleep!? I can’t control things in my sleep.”

Colin smiled. “You’re tired. So am I. You’ve been up almost a full day. You need to rest. I’ll stay with you.”

Dragon had rooms. A lot of the interior of the cavern had wooden walls up with doors, so there was room for everyone, but Colin took me to a secluded part of the cavern to a room with a bed. Once he got me undressed and lying down, he took his clothes off and crawled in this bed beside me. Covering us with a blanket he settled down and spooned up behind me, Colin began caressing me on the head as he quietly said over and over. “It will be alright. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. You said it yourself, it wasn’t your fault. You did what you had to. Easy now, just let it go.”

Perhaps Dragon wasn’t the only one who could influence with words. With Colin’s quiet reassurances, I did fall asleep. A few hours later, I woke to feel Colin’s solid presence behind me. I felt him move slightly. Rolling over, I faced him, seeing his eyes full of concern…and love.

“You live,” Colin said smiling at me kissing me gently.

I nodded. “I do.” Putting my arms around him. “Did you get any sleep? You were up as long as I was.”

Colin nodded continuing to kiss lightly. “I napped.” He said with a slight shrug.

“I’m sorry about earli-“

“No.” Colin shook his head. “Never apologize for valuing life…even Iilya’s life.”

I was hugged by him again. “I love you, Devon.”

“I love you, Colin.”

Without either of us asking, we made love. Quietly and slowly, reconnecting once again.

Food was brought for the many people there and…portable bathrooms. Those blue things you see at special events or construction sites. Everyone just loves those!

We came back to the great room where we saw Gaius speaking with Dragon, standing close to each other. In light of what Gaius told us, that had a whole new meaning now. Or maybe I just wanted to see love. It made sense. Who else could you relate to other than someone who was at your side for centuries?

Colin followed my gaze and also smiled at Dragon and Gaius. “It makes sense.”

My eyebrows rose. “What makes sense?”

Colin shook his head. “Gaius and Dragon.” He waved at the two.

I grinned at him. “Oh, my god.” I smiled. “Can you read my mind now? I was just thinking about them!”

Colin grinned at me and shrugged. “I can read you, but not your mind…exactly. You can read me.”

I chuckled. “Yes, I can.” I looked at Gaius and Dragon. “I was just thinking it does make sense. They are just like George. John Burke claimed to like both male and females. George was…straight! I’m thinking that being homosexual is partly a choice.”

“What!?” Colin balked. “You chose to find me attractive? I know you do because I’ve seen your body react!”

I shook my head. “And I always will, but…after you lose family and friends for so long, that physical attraction is not as important. Being there is makes that someone more attractive. Gaius did fall in love with Nicolae’s mother, but she died. Who knows many have been loved and died. We don’t know about Dragon, I know he was married had children with his wife, but she died. After all those losses, who is the one that always remains? Each other. It makes sense for them to come together. It’s safe.” I brought him closer. “I’m not saying all homosexual relationships are choices, but…like George, Dragon, and Gaius, they do it because they know that other person has a greater chance of always being there. There’s comfort in that.”

“You’re right.” Colin agreed.

“Six hundred years and those two have been together.” I patted Colin on the chest. “We should be so lucky.” I pointed at Gaius and Dragon. “That…is a marriage.”

Colin nodded appreciatively. “Yes, it is.” He turned to me. “Well, we better tell everyone what happened.”

“We’ll have everyone meet in the main chamber. We can tell everyone at once. This won’t be easy.”

Colin nodded. “I know.”