I never wanted to tell you that, but you asked and I will never keep anything no matter how bad, from you about myself.”
I moved closer into his arms. I needed to feel him closer to me to feel his warmth. He pulled me into his arms and held me.
“I was having trouble resisting till you opened your eyes. I fell in love with you that moment and the desire to harm you was instantly gone. I had never felt anything like that in my life, a force so true and powerful. I knew from that moment I had to have you in my life somehow.”
“I felt it then too. I couldn’t even speak for a little while after I saw your eyes. It was so amazing William, it was truly fate.”
“I agree. I have heard of such things, people falling in love like that.” He sighed, kissing my forehead. “I just never thought it possible for it to happen to me.”
“No. I never thought any of that love at first sight stuff was real. I really thought it was all crap, especially after Todd and all that.” I leaned my head up under his chin. I felt so safe, so loved so protected there. I never wanted to know a day in this life without him. I couldn’t possibly handle that ever. I had to have him with me; thoughts of him consumed my mind at all times. He was the love of my life half-vampire or not. That was simply the way it was.
Chapter 23
Peace… for now
That summer was perfect…well minus a few things. We spent all our free time together, and I was so happy with William; he brought out a side of me I had thought gone. I learned to love and trust again, because of him. I had been given a gift in his presence. He made me stronger and fuller of life, and I was able to move on from my past. I had learned that anything is possible in this life. The many down times we all have to endure are just paths leading to better things.
I had come to believe in a theory of my own, that we are rewarded for enduring the difficult times in our lives. If we soldier on and do our best to overcome the many obstacles in life, we all face. God rewards us with something we truly need and deserve. I had no doubt that my reward was having William come into my life and give me the kind of love I had only ever dreamed about having.
The summer as I said was like a dream. I met Will’s parents and his extended family. All were welcoming, despite me not being a vampire like them. I also learned William was only one of only a handful of half-blooded vampires. The fact was he had never even met another like himself yet. Doc explained that most humans, if they do not fully change, do not survive to become like William. I marveled at how many human traits he had and was thankful for them, but I knew I would have loved him either way.
The other thing I learned that summer that was not so very great at all. In fact, it was terrifying. I had learned William’s father, not his biological one of course, his creator Vincent, had been in contact with Doc and Lydia. Lydia is William’s mother.
Doc told me the story of how Lydia was really William’s birth mother. In the time of William’s birth in New Orleans in 1894, Doc was her attending physician. Lydia was dying from childbed fever, so common in those days. Doc could not bear to see such a young, beautiful woman die. Doc saw to William, who was remarkably healthy, and sent him home with his birth father and a wet nurse. Lydia on the other hand, was dying. Doc had told her husband she had already passed, and secreted her away to his massive home in the back woods of New Orleans.
Lydia’s human life ended only two hours upon arrival to Doc’s home, which was also the home to the others in his coven. Doc was the leader of the coven of vampires known as followers. They did not live off blood not willingly given to them by humans. The coven had strict guidelines. Doc was sure they all followed them.
Doc cared for Lydia, and she had been thankful to him for saving her. Lydia only wanted to