The Caretaker of Showman's Hill (Vampire Romance) (19 page)

"No one," warned Basil, "is to do any such thing."

It was then the spasms started up again. Basil tried to hide it, but his family knew the difference.

Hope went to help him, but he pushed away her hand. "I've got to feed the bats." He started up the attic stairs with the last jar of blood that he’d confiscated from Antonio.

"You need to take care of yourself," called Hope.

"It was a stupid move to have dumped Cassie's blood," he heard Antonio saying as he made his way to the attic. “He could have at least fed it to the bats.”

Basil opened the window to let the bats fly free, but they all just hung around lazily. He unscrewed the lid and poured the blood into the top, setting it on the floor. The spasms were getting more severe and lasting longer and longer. All he wanted to do was to go back to his vault and sleep it off, but he couldn't. Cassie was there and he wouldn't be able to control the temptation.

He made his way down the steps and out the back door, not even able to hear what the others were saying to him, the pain was so strong now. He walked right past La Roux and Jack without acknowledging them, and made his way up the hill to the cemetery. His legs wobbled beneath him and his body shook. His vision blurred and he fell to the ground on top of his parents' graves. How lucky they were to have died long ago. How happy they must be.

It didn't matter anymore if he lived or died, he tried to convince himself. La Roux would be taken care of by Jack, and his family would survive on their own. As for Cassie, well, she was much better off without him. Still, he couldn’t help but want to protect her.

He just hoped she’d have sense enough to get the hell out of there and away from the rest of the vampires as soon as she saw what was happening to him. He should have told her to go back to California, now that she knew the truth about her sister. There was no reason for her to hang around the cemetery any more.

There was no saving himself, he realized. He knew the bat connected to him was very sick. As soon as it died, he’d die along with it. It was what he’d wanted for the last two centuries, but now that it was happening he couldn’t help but wish it wasn’t true.

It was then that he saw his mother standing in the full moonlight. At first he thought she'd come to take him to the other side and in a way he was happy that his hell would now be over. Still, he wanted more than ever to survive just to watch over Cassie, even if it meant some day he’d outlive her and have to bear the pain again of watching a loved one die.

That’s when he realized it wasn't Madra standing in front of him at all. The form that moved toward him in the night was that of Cassie's. She moved toward him quickly with her arms stretched toward him, looking more like an angel than a confused young woman. He thought he was dead and she was there with him. He hoped he was dead, but the thought of her dying bothered him immensely.

“Basil? Are you all right?”

When she spoke he realized he wasn't dead and neither was she. She'd somehow known he was suffering and was coming to his aid. She smiled at him and helped him to his feet. He leaned all his weight on her tiny, warm body. He looked at her and said "You're beautiful, do you know that?"

That was the last thing he remembered before the next spasm took control of his body and his world turned blacker than a moonless night.

Chapter 23

Cassie helped Basil to his bed, all the while wondering if he was truly dying this time. She'd never seen someone in so much pain. She didn’t understand why the convulsions had continued. Weren’t they supposed to stop when he drank a virgin’s blood? It was then that she realized what was really happening.

“You didn’t drink the blood, did you?”

“No,” he answered softly.

“Why did you make me believe you were going to?”

“Why didn’t you tell me it was yours?”

She wanted to cover Basil with a blanket, as his body was shaking and she wasn't sure if it was from the convulsions or perhaps he had a fever. Of course, Basil had no blankets on his bed. Vampires never got cold, she figured. The sheets and the pillows must have been more for comfort than warmth.

"C-Cassie." Basil chattered through his teeth, his eyes red and glazed over. Cassie knew he wasn't even coherent of what he was doing or saying.

"Shhhhh. Everything will be alright," she reassured him, though her own words hadn't done a thing to comfort herself.

"You're b-beautiful, honey."

He said it again. She hadn't misheard him the first time. He was saying she was beautiful, and with all her might she wanted to believe that he meant it. She couldn’t. She wouldn't allow herself to get her hopes up when Basil was talking gibberish. Once he came out of this attack he probably wouldn't remember a word he said, and hell if she was the one who was going to remind him.

"The blood, Basil. Where's the blood I gave you?" She knew if she could convince him to just take a sip, it would help him.

"I dumped it down the drain." He reached out and stroked her cheek gently.

Cassie closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth of his touch, but at the same time felt sick that he’d wasted the only thing that could cure him. If only things could be different. If only Basil was human. But now that the blood was gone, that was never going to happen.

He pulled away with a start, and her eyes opened. He was having another seizure, and this one looked like it was the worst yet. She couldn’t just stand there and watch him die. She had to do something to help him.

"I'm going to get some help." She jumped to her feet and headed for the door.

"No! C-Cassie d-don't leave me. I n-need you . . . here . . . with me. Forever."

Forever? Did he know what he was saying? She was torn. She didn't want to leave him, yet knew that she had to find a way to draw her blood. Or if he wouldn't take hers, than at least some of La Roux's could work now that the girl was feeling better.

"I won't t-take anymore bl-blood from anyone, Cassie. Not L-La Roux's, and definitely n-not yours." Even in his weakened state, he had managed to read her mind.

"You don’t have a choice, Basil. If you don’t, you'll die!" She fell to her knees and threw her arms around him. The full moon shone through the stained glass window, showing the blueness of his skin. He was sick. He was dying and she had to do something to help. But if he wouldn't take the blood, then what chance was there that he'd pull through?

She cared about him and wouldn’t let him die. Actually, care was too weak a word and she knew it. She felt something deep down for Basil that she, herself, didn't even understand. A longing, an aching, a need. They were so much alike. Alone, and yet not so alone when they were together. They had a need for each other and she was sure he had felt it also.

"I want to d-die, Cassie. Tell . . . Jack to t-take care of La Roux. And y-you get the h-hell out of here and go b-back to Cal . . . "

"I don't have anyone to go to, Basil. This is my home now and I'm not leaving you."

"C-Cassie. I'm a goddamn vampire! Y-You don't belong here. G-get the hell out before someone sucks you dry, like they did Dee."

Basil's eyes closed and his breathing was very shallow. She sat by his side holding his hand just like she did with her own adoptive mother, feeling so helpless while she’d waited for the ambulance to come.  He had that look, like her mother, just before she’d passed away. The hollow look of death upon his face, his mouth an open passage for his soul to flee his earthly body. She wasn’t even sure anymore if he had a soul.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she held them back, not wanting to let Basil know she was crying. She was stronger than that. She had to be strong. For him.

A feeling of being so alone encompassed her once again. It was a feeling she’d forgotten since the day she’d met Basil. She’d been searching her entire life, but she wasn’t sure what she’d been looking for. Now she knew exactly what she wanted in life and she wasn't going to let it slip past her without trying to hang on to it.

She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and got to her feet. Basil was sleeping, or maybe just passed out. She knew he was still alive by the shallow movement of his chest up and down, but she didn't know how long he had, or how long she had to try and help him.

She thumped the vault filled with clothes and pulled out some sweaters and laid them atop Basil to keep him warm. She then kissed him gently on the lips and felt him stir beneath her. She'd go to La Roux or his brothers for help. They'd know what to do and how to save him.

She ran out the door and down the hill to the Bat House, stumbling in the dark even though there was a full moon. A dog howled from somewhere in the distance and a chill ran up her spine. It was Halloween night and she was alone in a dark cemetery. Not a comforting thought. Especially since she knew vampires lurked around every corner.

She picked up the pace and was nearing the house when a twig snapped behind her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

She turned around slowly, looking over her shoulder, but kept on walking. There was no one there. It was probably her imagination getting the best of her. She turned back around and stopped dead in her tracks. Antonio stood directly in front of her, in that stupid get-up again. Why tonight? She had no time to deal with Antonio and his Count Dracula imitation now.

"Move it, Antonio. I don't have time for games tonight."

"Games, Cassie? Is that what you think this is all about? It's Halloween. It’s a very serious night for vampires, especially with a full moon. Not to mention, I’m starving."

She pushed past him but he grabbed her arm.

"Where's Basil when you need him?"

Her thoughts immediately flew to Basil and his condition in the mausoleum.

"Oh, so he's incapable of coming to your rescue. Sick and maybe dying, is he?"

She cursed herself for thinking so loud. She'd have to be careful around him. Instead, she filled her head with thoughts of Strawberry ice cream and Antonio gobbling it all down and getting very sick.

He released her at once and snarled. "Stop those thoughts before I teach you a lesson."

"What are you going to do?" She was already sorry she asked. Before Antonio could reply, she noticed he caught the scent of something and it drew his attention away from her.

"Somebody's here." He looked around the cemetery haphazardly.

"It's probably just a patron. Why are you acting like that?"

"No," he answered. "There aren't any patrons tonight."

"Why not?"

"Because the Bat House is closed. Everyone's sick and there's no one to run the place."

"Sick?" Cassie wondered what was going on. She ran to the door and threw it open. It was dark in the kitchen. The swinging door to the bar room was open and she could see, that too, was dark. What Antonio said was true. No one was around but them.

"Where's La Roux? Is she sick too?"

"No. La Roux went out with the sheriff to celebrate.”

“Celebrate what? Everyone being sick and in risk of dying? I can’t believe she’d leave at a time like this.”

“She left before she knew anyone was sick. What they’re celebrating is their engagement.

Cassie knew about La Roux and Jack even before Basil. She felt happy they’d made the announcement, but also felt confused by as to what would happen now. If she felt this way, how must Basil feel?

"Basil would have killed Jack for taking La Roux away from him if he hadn’t been too sick to do anything about it,” said Antonio, reading her mind.

She didn’t really believe Antonio, still, right now, it didn’t matter. She had to do something to help them all, and she had to think fast.

“There's nothing you can do, Cassie,” answered Antonio though she hadn’t spoken aloud. “The bats are dying and there's nothing any of us can do to stop it. It's only a matter of time now." There was a smile on his face and of course no remorse at all in his voice. She glanced at his eyes and then remembered not to. That only gave him control over her. She quickly looked away.

"No!" She protested. "It's not true. I won't believe it. You're not sick, so why should the others be?"

"Well, maybe I'm just not as cursed as the others. Or maybe I should say that I just have a healthier bat than the rest. Lucky me, huh?"

His smile was unnerving, even in the dark when she could barely see him. It was a trick. She shouldn’t believe him. How did she know he didn’t really lock all the others away or something? Maybe they weren’t sick after all, and maybe the bats were fine too.

"Go see for yourself." He pointed toward the attic stairs. "The bats are all sluggish and haven't eaten. There's nothing you can do, Cassie. Basil will be dead by morning."

She made her way in the dark to the attic door without thinking what she was doing. She looked back over her shoulder, only to find Antonio gone. Silently, quickly, just like a creature of the night, he was nowhere to be found. A part of her felt relieved, but another part of her felt very frightened not to know if he was hiding in the shadows.

She opened the attic door and placed her hand on the wall. It was dark up there. Really dark. Too bad there wasn’t a working light switch. If only she had thought to fix and bring along her flashlight.

As frightened as she was, she knew she had to continue. She also knew going to look for her flashlight would waste too much time. She needed to act quickly if she meant to save Basil.

She took the steps slowly, hearing the stirring of the creatures above her. She hated bats. They scared her even more than the thought that Basil and the others were vampires.

The closer she got to the top, the better she could hear a slight clicking noise and a flutter or two of wings. The bats knew she was coming. She stayed low to the ground and made her way to the window. The inside shutters were banging in the breeze. If she could open them wide, then maybe she could see the bats in the moonlight and know what the hell was going on.

She reached for the shutter, all the while looking over her shoulder into the dark. It was stuck, and she yanked on it. The shutter gave way suddenly with a jerk, catching her off balance. The movement startled the bats, which flew directly toward her. She covered her head and screamed. The shutter banged against the wall and whipped back, knocking her on the head. The room suddenly became pitch black and she felt as if she were falling, falling, falling. That was the last thing she remembered before hitting the floor.