Redemption (24 page)

"No," Braith told her. "He is most certainly
not
alive."

***

Hannah stepped into the shadowed foyer of Uncle Abe's house. The house was as silent as a tomb and was enshrouded in the same air of melancholy as a cemetery. Uncle Abe was sitting on the couch with his hands folded between his legs as he leaned forward. Heath hovered nervously by his side. Lucas and Ellen were sitting beside him; tears streamed down Ellen's cheeks as she shook her head at Hannah's questioning look.

"They're in the back bedroom," Uncle Abe told her softly.

Hannah led the way through the narrow halls to the room at the back. Though it was a large room, it seemed much smaller with Xavier and Timber standing guard. It became even smaller when Braith and Jack filtered in to stand on either side of the full size bed.

Aria's eyes were a fiery red color as she rose from the chair that had been set up by William's bedside. "Calvin?" she demanded.

"Dead," Braith told her. Aria nodded before turning her attention back to her brother. "Any change?"

"No, there won't be for a little while now. He can still hear us though." She brushed the hair back from William's forehead as she slid into the seat again. Daniel walked to the other side of the bed and pulled another chair forward. "It's going to be grueling but he'll get through it, otherwise he'll just prove I
am
the stronger twin."

Braith ran his hand over her hair as he knelt at her side and pressed a kiss against her temple. "You're right, he will get through it."

Hannah kept hold of Jack's hand as he moved to stand beside his brother. Though blood still marred Jack's cheeks, the scratches on his face had already healed. She couldn't tear her gaze away from him, she'd almost lost him and she couldn't get enough of looking at him. She shuddered as she recalled what she'd just seen him do. Braith had tried to hide most of it from her, but even still she'd witnessed just how deep Jack's brutality and desire to protect her was. She thought she should be repulsed by the ruthlessness she'd just witnessed, instead she found herself loving him even more for it.

"Was Calvin the one that did this to him?" Aria demanded.

"No, it was Kane," Hannah answered. "I didn't see him out there with the others, but I didn't see everyone that has been killed or captured. He may be among them."

Aria nodded as she took hold of her brother's hand. It remained stiff and unmoving within her grasp, but she held it firmly. "If he's not out there, we'll find him," Jack promised her. Hannah wrapped her hand around Jack's arm as a shudder racked through him. "William
will
be ok."

"He will," Hannah said.

Aria's red eyes were forceful as she lifted her head. "I survived, we came from the same womb; he'll survive too."

"I'll get some chairs," Hannah volunteered.

She was reluctant to release Jack but she had a feeling no one was going to be leaving this room for awhile. She glanced out the window as Lucas helped her to gather some chairs. Tubs of water were being rushed up from the lake by vampires in order to put what remained of the fire out. The water would be enough to save the blacksmith shop but the tavern was a crumbled heap of burnt cinders.

Though tears burned her eyes, she knew it could have been much worse. They were all still alive, or at least she was hoping that they would all still be alive when this was over. Turning away from the window, Lucas helped her carry the chairs into the bedroom. Jack gestured his chair away with a flick of his wrist as he remained standing by the foot of the bed.

The next few days passed by in a blur as William's body continued to be battered by the changes it was going through. Hannah had never seen anything like it as the rigor mortis stage slipped away leading him into one of extreme agony. Though she hated to just wait around while William suffered so greatly, she found herself unable to leave Jack's side as he and Aria unfailingly stayed beside William. Xavier remained ever present in the shadows behind Aria, but Braith and Daniel were pulled away numerous times to deal with the aftermath of Calvin's raid on the town. They returned as soon as they were able to and resumed their positions around William's body. Timber checked in often but he came and went as he helped to hunt down Calvin's remaining vampires.

There were many times when she was convinced that William would never survive the changes his body was going through. She hadn't thought the human body could handle what William's body seemed to steadily endure as he writhed and moaned upon the bed. She thought she heard a bone break but she couldn't be sure as his body was wracked with a spasm that caused his back to arch three feet off the bed. Hannah took a small step away but Aria knocked Jack's hand away when he made an attempt to push William back down on the bed.

"Don't touch him!" Aria snarled through clenched teeth.

Jack looked torn but he held his hands up in surrender as he took a step away from William. He flopped back onto the bed, a strangled cry escaped him before he became still again. Aria waved them back as she sat beside him on the bed and rested her fingers in the center of his outstretched hand. The thin shirt he'd worn had been torn from his body yesterday and the blankets had been stripped from the bed. The only thing he could tolerate against his skin was the thin shorts he wore and Aria's subtle touch.

Hannah watched the two of them with a lump in her throat. Jack would be heartbroken if William didn't survive this, but Aria would be devastated. Braith's face was strained, his hair disheveled as he helplessly watched his wife. Taking a step forward, he rested his hands on Aria's shoulders and began to rub them. William had to survive this, he simply
had
too.

The following day Aria requested buckets of water to be brought forth. Lucas and Ellen hauled buckets of cool water up from the lake and huddled nervously in the doorway as they watched. Aria and Jack took turns sponging William's face with the cool liquid as he moaned and thrashed upon the bed. Even the slightest touch made him recoil like she used to from the rays of the sun. She knew exactly what he was going through, what it felt like to have your skin feel like it was on fire and even the smallest breeze rubbed the flesh raw.

"It's nearing the end," Aria whispered from where she knelt at William's side. Aria wiped back the strand of hair that stuck to her sweat streaked face as she turned her head to survey the room. "He'll need blood."

Jack's bowed head tiredly came up as his bloodshot eyes focused on Aria. His broad shoulders were hunched forward; his hair was disheveled from running his fingers through it. Hannah could feel the tightness of his muscles as she rested her hand on his back. "I'll get it," she offered.

She knew neither one of them was willing to leave and Braith and Daniel had been called away again an hour ago. "Not by yourself," Jack said as he rubbed at the thick black stubble shadowing his jaw.

"Jack..."

"Not by yourself," he interrupted brusquely. "Calvin may be dead but some of his men are still running free out there."

"I'll go with her," Xavier volunteered.

Hannah nodded and turned back to Jack. His bloodshot eyes were focused upon her as he studied her intently. He glanced at William before rising to his feet. "That's ok Xavier, I'll go with her."

"Stay with your friend Jack," she assured him.

He shook his head as he came toward her. "We'll only be gone for a little bit."

Fighting him on it wasn't going to get her anywhere, she knew that. Her skin came alive as his hand wrapped around her elbow and he walked with her out of the room. She moved closer to him as they made their way through the hushed house.

The sun was low in the sky when he opened the door for her and stepped aside to let her exit. Hannah's gaze instantly went to the skeleton of the new tavern rising into the air. The burnt out lumber had been removed from the site of the fire and a frame had already been erected. She spotted Uncle Abe and Lucas with the crew working to nail the beams of the roof into place.

Tears of gratitude burned her eyes as she watched the townspeople hauling lumber to the new building site in order to help them rebuild. They'd lost twenty two residents to Calvin and his men and thirty had been injured, but the town was coming together to help rebuild the tavern and bury the bodies. The bodies of Calvin and his fallen men had been burned yesterday, and his men that had been captured had been put to death.

Most of what was left of the town's inhabitants were now gathered round to help with the tavern. It was something that never would have happened when Calvin was in charge as Calvin had banned gatherings this big centuries ago.

Some of the other occupants of the town were trying to identify the remains still being pulled from Calvin's torture room. Most of the bodies that were in good enough condition to be identified were people and vampires that no one seemed to know. It seemed that Turner and Lola were the only two victims that had been residents of the town. Some of the bodies that had been identified were those of passing out-of-towners thought to have moved on, but they hadn't gotten far.

Sunlight poured onto her as she stepped onto the first step of the porch but instead of exhibiting the ability to move around in it like she had over the past few days, the warmth of it caused her skin to blister almost instantly. A startled cry escaped her but before she had a chance to retreat into the shadows, Jack wrapped his arms around her and propelled her into the house.

His hands were in her hair as he brushed it frantically back from her face. "Are you ok?"

She wasn't entirely sure what she was right now, confused and stunned definitely, but she hadn't been exposed long enough to do any lasting damage. "What happened?" Xavier demanded from the doorway of the bedroom.

"The sun," Hannah whispered.

Aria gave her a sympathetic look. "It will be ok," she said before retreating back to her brother's side.

"I don't understand," Hannah said as she twisted her blistered hands before her. "What happened?"

"We haven't exchanged blood in a few days." Jack's fingers were tender on her cheeks as he caressed her skin.

He stopped talking as Xavier appeared in the doorway. "I'll go," he offered as he brushed past them.

Jack took hold of her elbow again and led her onto the small back deck that overlooked a valley. Out here, the sun was blocked by the front of the house as it sank over the horizon. Jack's hands slid over her arms as he pulled her closer to him. Tingles erupted over her flesh as the anxiety she'd been experiencing over the past four days began to ease. The warmth of his lips against her ear caused her to go limp as he spoke to her.

"Take what you need, Hannah."

Her fingers curled into his arms and though she hadn't been hungry before now, she found the desire to feed burning hotly through her as the scent of his blood washed over her. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body flush against his. He released a small sound of pleasure as her lips skimmed back and her canines elongated into razor sharp fangs. His fingers dug into her back as she drove her fangs deep into the vein in his neck.

A sound that she didn't quite recognize escaped her as her fingers curled into his hair and she strained to get even closer to him. He spun so quickly that she barely registered the movement until he was pressing her flat against the wall. She was spiraling out of control, falling as surely as the leaves dropping from the trees in the fall. She stifled a small cry as she felt the prick of his fangs against her shoulder seconds before he began to feed from her as well. The stubble lining his jaw rubbed against her skin but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling and in fact she found she actually enjoyed it.

Jack pulled away from her as the front door opened and closed but he cradled her head to keep her feeding from him. Hannah, unable to stand anymore, collapsed into his arms as she reluctantly pulled away. She met his fiery gaze as she tilted her head back to look at his beloved face. His finger traced over her bottom lip, pulling it out as he bent to kiss her again.

"When this is all over we are going to find some time to be alone together," he promised in a harsh voice that caused her body to quiver.

"I look forward to it," she whispered.

The rakish grin he shot her caused her heart to melt. "I know you do."

He took hold of her hands, turning them before him as he inspected her previous injuries. "Amazing," Hannah whispered when she saw that the blisters had already disappeared.

"As long as you continue to feed from me regularly you'll be able to go out in the sun. Maybe one day you won't even need me. Braith said his vision continues to improve."

Unexpected tears burned her eyes at the prospect of being able to return to the warmth of the sun that had been denied to her throughout her entire life. She'd never known what she'd been missing then, but to experience the freedom the sun brought to her now was a gift she'd never imagined to have been given.

Jack had come into her world when she hadn't been expecting it, and certainly hadn't been looking for it and now she was never going to let him go. He'd completely disrupted her practical existence and he'd given her more than she'd ever dreamed of from life. Because of him she could walk in the sun, because of him she was free of Calvin, and she knew what it was like to be loved and accepted no matter what, and how to give that love and acceptance in return.

"I'll always need you," she whispered. "Aria said she only feeds from Braith."

His fingers froze on her face. "That is true."

It wasn't something she had wanted before, but now the idea of feeding from anything or anyone else seemed repulsive to her. "I would like to do the same with you, if you wouldn't mind. I mean, if it was an emergency I would use a blood bag, but..."

His finger over her lips silenced her rushed words as he leaned closer to her. "I would like nothing more, Hannah."

Joy suffused her as she smiled against his finger. "I love you Jack."

He pressed his lips briefly against her nose. "I love you too, Hannah."

Pure delight engulfed her as she threw her arms around him. She hadn't known it was possible to feel this connected to someone else, to feel this safe and secure, but she
was
protected and she
was
cherished. He wiped away the tears from her cheeks as he pulled her a step closer and kissed her again.

"Jack."

Braith's voice from the front of the house pulled them apart. Jack stepped to the side to look down the hall. "Yeah?"

"William is awake, and coherent."

Jack took hold of her hand and pulled her into the shadowy hall. Braith was waiting at the end of it, his hands folded behind his back as he watched them approach. "How is he?" Jack inquired.

"Hungry, but that will pass. He seems to be doing as well as Aria afterward."

Jack's shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes. "Thank God," he muttered.

Relief filled Hannah as she wrapped her hand around Jack's arm and stepped closer to him. "He's one of us now?" she inquired.

"He is," Braith confirmed.

He turned and led the way into the backroom. Aria was still hovering by William's side, a bag of blood in her hand as he tossed aside an empty one and took the full one from her. He was paler than he'd been before, his face was thinner and his beard thicker, but otherwise he appeared the same.

"This is gross and delicious all at once," William muttered as he ripped off the top of the bag with his newfound fangs.

"You get used to it," Aria assured him as Xavier handed her another bag.

Daniel took the empty bag from him and dropped it into a trashcan next to the bed. "I'm not so sure about that," William told her as he tossed aside another empty bag and grabbed the next one from Aria. "I need a bath."

"You do stink," Aria confirmed. "But then I've had better smelling days myself."

"That you have," William agreed.

Aria shot him a dirty look that quickly turned into a loving smile as she handed him another bag. "Lucky you brother, you get to deal with the twins for an eternity," Jack said as he grasped hold of Braith's shoulder.

Braith groaned but his eyes were loving as he turned to Aria. "I'm ok with that."

Aria grinned back at him before turning her attention to Jack. "So do you."

"So do I," he agreed with a laugh as he approached William. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better, but then I
did
die so I guess I'm supposed to feel a little crappy," William told him.

"I would have to agree with that," Aria said as she handed him another bag.

Hannah had never seen anyone consume so much blood, but then she'd never seen a human survive the change either. Aria was the only survivor she'd ever met before and may have been the only one in the world, until now. William tossed the bag aside, wiped his mouth and shook his head at Aria when she offered him another one. "I think I'm good."