Hurts Like Heaven

It was a cloudy day but still very warm. I headed out, looking to the woods to see if I could spot William, or one of the other vampires that were here for my protection. I couldn't, the vamp blood only went so far.

I had called Daniel again, but still no answer. I was still a bit upset about him slipping me his blood, but what could I do about it now. He meant well, I suppose.

I hopped in the pickup and headed into town. I knew it was risky, but I just couldn't help it. I need not to feel like a prisoner. And if Alexander wanted me dead, I'm sure even being at home would keep me safe. I turned up the radio, determined not to let all of this madness get me down. I sang at the top of my lungs.

It was Friday, and at this time I would usually in the second half of my shift. I wasn't used to having this much downtime, especially on a Friday, and my manager told me not to come back til Monday. So I had the rest of the weekend and hopefully Dan will have sorted all this mess out. A girl could hope.

But as I drove I found myself heading towards my job. I walked in through the back and headed down to the locker rooms. “What are you doing here?” A voice said behind me. I had heard her coming.

“Hey, Lisa.” I said, turning around to face my coworker. I don't think she had been prepared to see my face, and was shocked to see me looking so... normal.

“You look... How are you feeling?”

“I'm okay.” I whispered. I felt amazing actually, but I couldn't tell her that. It must be a shock to see me. I didn't know Lisa well, we worked together but that was it. We didn't socialize with one another, she was a little older than I, and we didn't have any mutual friends. But she had helped to save my life, and at the risk of her own life, even if she didn't know that part. And I can only imagine what I looked like to her a few nights ago, bloody, barely conscious.

I gave her a smile.

“I wanted to say thanks for everything.”

“Um... you're welcome.” She looked a bit uncomfortable. “Why are you here?”

I shrugged. “I just needed to come here. I... I don't know why.”

I walked along, Lisa right behind me, I knew she was worried about me. “Are you sure your feeling okay?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Then we were there. Near the storage closet, where I had nearly lost my life. I thought I could smell blood, but I realized it was my imagination. There was no stain. Cass had been right, although in my mind I could see where the blood had been. I bent down and touched the floor. And a voice spoke in my head, Soon.

I snatched my hand away as if stung. What the hell?

I stood up quickly to find Lisa staring at me with a strange look on her face, her cellphone in her hand. “I can't imagine what you've been through,” she said slowly, as if speaking to a child, “It's only natural to want to come back... here.”

I looked up at the fake camera. “They really need to get that fixed.” I said to no one, then walked past here and into the locker room.

It was empty and I went over to my locker. I knew Lisa was still behind me, waiting for me to do something crazy. I can imagine she had James on speed-dial. I turned and gave her a smile as I sat on a bench.

“I don't know what I'm doing here. Would you mind giving me minute?”

She seemed hesitant but left me alone. I knew she was just outside the door. I put my head in my hands. What was that voice? Was I loosing it?

Get a grip, Tourie. You can do this.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when my phone vibrated in my back pocket. After settling my heart I dug it out. A text from Daniel:

I got your message, or rather messages. I'll be there soon.

I debated about telling him where I was. He would have a fit if he knew I was here. So instead I told him to meet me at the park.

I got up from the bench and went out of the door. I wasn't surprised to find James there, him and Lisa having a hushed conversation. They both looked up at me, once they noticed my presence, that is.

“Tourie. How are you doing?” he asked.

“Could be better.”

“You look... better.”

“I had great doctors.”

He gave me a strange look.

“Lisa, don't you have work to do?”

She looked surprised, as if she had forgotten she was at work. She hustled off, not without giving me a look of concern over her shoulder.

“I was just leaving.” I told him and began walking.

He stepped into pace beside me. He didn't say anything until we reached the same back door I had entered through. He didn't know what to say to me, nor I to him. He looked at me like I was a wounded animal.

“Tell me, is everything okay?” I nodded. “Everyone's been worried about you. I'll let them know you're doing better. But do me a favor. Go home and rest. Work can wait. It can't be good coming here, when it's still so fresh.”

I could be back on Monday, what difference did a few days make? “Okay.” I whispered.

“Okay. See you on Monday.”

I pushed the door open.

“Oh, and if you need more time, or need anything at all, just let me know.”

I tried to smile. “Thanks.”

~

I took my time driving over to the park, my fingers were shaky. Something about that voice had shaken me. But as I parked and sat there in the lot, I tried to rid myself of the unsettling feeling. I had shut my eyes, and that's when two words popped into my head. Bright and as clear as daylight. I popped my eyes back open. That was weird.

I saw Daniel's car pulling in and he parked next to me. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car. Daniel looked really sexy, he had on a dark grey suit, his lilac colored shirt was unbuttoned at the top to reveal a bit of his pale chest.

I felt under dressed.

“Business meeting.” he said, reading my thoughts. “Looking better I see.” he added with a frown.

“And you look nice, yourself.”

“Just nice?”

“I'm mad at you, so that's all the compliments you get.”

He smiled and took my hand. “Let's talk over here.”

He led me to the fountain that stood in the middle of the park. The water was flowing, so we knew it would be harder to be overheard.

We sat down. “So, you deliberately gave me blood despite my saying I didn't need the help.”

He looked upset. “Darling, it wasn't me. I swear.”

“Don't give me that.”

“It's the truth.” He looked me dead in the eyes. “I swear. But clearly you're had blood. You look amazing. The question now is, where did the blood come from?”

“You really didn't give it to me?”

“No. Don't you trust me at all?”

If it wasn't Dan, then who was it? I felt a chill creep up my spine.

Daniel noticed me shuttering and slipped his arm around my waist. “I'm gonna kill the motherfucker who did this to you. I need to figure out whose blood it was.” He thought it over. “It was in the food. It had to be.”

“Where did the food come from?” I asked, but I knew the answer before he said it.

“Angus's.”

“So someone there slipped me blood. Why?”

“Didn't you eat there earlier yesterday, too?”

I nodded.

“It might have been then. I should have noticed.”

“Noticed what?”

“How your bruises were fading. But I was so stuck on Alexander,” at the mention of his name I shuttered again, “that I was distracted. Shit. I'm going to go have a word with Marcus.”

“Who's Marcus?”

“He run's Angus'. I'm going to find out why he laced your food with blood.”

“Oh no.” I breathed. “Aaron. He ate there too.”

“I'll go talk to him too. Make sure he's still his annoying, weak human self.” He didn't care if Aaron had been effected, but he would check on him for me. “Have you been feeling weird, any strange dreams?”

At the last word an image flashed through my head. Rotten food on a plate. I tried to shake it away, but it was only replaced with another image of my wrist bloody and those two words from earlier in the car, popped up again.

I somehow knew they were meant for Daniel.

I didn't notice I was on Daniel's lap until he was pulling me closer to him. “Tourie, what's wrong?”

“Lancaster and Foster.” I whispered.

Dan went pale. His eyes turned dark with anger.

“Who told you those words?” He shook me roughly. “Who told you?”

“Let me go, Dan.”

“Answer me.”

“I don't know. I.... I don't remember.”

I felt tears flood my eyes, and seeing them Daniel quickly let me go. “I'm sorry, darling. I'm so sorry.”

I swallowed hard. “It's him. Alexander. It's got to be.”

“What's going on? What's Lancaster and Foster?”

“Something old.” He looked around us. A few people were watching us. “Let's get you home.”

We stood and he reached for my hand but I jerked away. He was vamping out. And despite my best efforts to fight it I was frightened.

I saw hurt in his dark eyes, but I also saw hunger. “Have you fed?”

“Yes.”

“Clearly not enough.”

I started walking, him alongside me. “I took what I needed and nothing more.”

“Since when do you not give in when you were hungry?”

“Since you were attacked, darling. Would you like me to be honest? I would love to feed from you, only you. But I can't do that now, can I?”

For some reason I felt hurt and guilt rise up in me. I was depriving him of something he needed badly. But then logic kicked in. My blood wasn't anything special, he could get it from anywhere.

“Feed, Daniel. Please for me. Before you hurt yourself.” Or someone else.

We walked to the lot, silence stretching between us. By my car Dan whipped out his cell phone. He walked a little away from me. The call only lasted seconds.

“What's going on, Dan? Am I in danger?”

He seemed hesitant to tell me. “I think it might have been Alexander's blood in the food.”

Oh shit.

“And that's bad, right.”

“It could be.” He grabbed my keys from my hand. “I'll drive.”

“But what about your car?”

“I'm having someone pick it up. Things have changed.”

I didn't like the look in his eyes, on his face, it was fear. As brief as it was, it wasn't I was used to seeing in his features.

I climbed into the passenger seat and we pulled off. “What's going to happen to me?” my voice shook as the realization that Alexander's blood was now in my veins hit me.

“Nothing.” he said fiercely. “I'm gonna fix this. I swear, I will set this right, Tourie.” His knuckles turned white as they gripped the steering wheel. “I will.”