Trailmix

I have not been eating a proper breakfast lately, and my wallet has suffered for it. I get hungry and since it is too early for lunch I end up going to the coffee shop and getting something that is expensive and probably not too good for me. The coffee is great, but i don't need dessert at 1030 in the morning.

So last night on my way home from dancing I stopped at the big WM. Now I have heard people disagree with me on this, but they sell an excellent trail mix. It comes in like 4 varieties too. At less than $5 for a huge bag I get something that is better for me than a cake in the morning, and will hold longer because of the nut proteins. Of course they were out of my fave last night, so I am trying something new, the indulgence mix. It's ok. I would rather have the huge chunks of pineapple than the chocolate chips, but it does not taste bad.

So I got some feedback on the Jack issue yesterday. I agree with the feedback, but fro now on if you see a chapter that is based on Jack's action just consider yourself warned that it may get gruesome. Or not, it depends on your tolerance for such things.

SO with that said, here comes chapter 36.

Torn
36

Maureen could see tears openly streaming down the vampire’s face.

“You fought so valiantly that day…” Julius trailed off, too emotional to continue.

Maureen could stand to watch his pain no longer. She scooted to the edge of the bed where he had sat down and put her arms around him.

Julius turned and buried his face into her shoulder.

Maureen just closed her eyes and continued to hold him, trying to ease his pain.

***

Maureen didn’t know how long they had been sitting there.

Julius’ crying had stopped, but she sensed that he still needed her.

She raised her eyes to look out he window. She wasn’t surprised to see that it had turned dark outside.

Her stomach rumbled.

Julius raised his head and looked at her. His eyes were bloodshot.

He turned and looked out the window, Maureen thought it odd that he did so such a short time after she had.

Her stomach rumbled again.

Julius pushed himself away. “I’m sorry.”

Maureen didn’t know how to reply. So she kissed him on the cheek and stood up. She started toward the door, trying to decide what to eat.

“Kyra?”

She stopped, and turned back toward Julius. “Yes?”

Julius merely shook his head, unsure how to ask his question.

Maureen waited a moment, then thinking that he had changed his mind turned to go toward the kitchen.

“I came into your home. You had never met me before, at least not in this life. Why did you believe me? Why did you accept what I had to say?”

Maureen stood in the doorway, pondering the question.

She turned once more to face Julius. “I don’t know. I think I just knew…”

Julius cocked his head, his eyes pleading for more.

Maureen walked back to the bed, sat down and took his hands in hers.

“I knew that you were coming before you ever arrived. All of the day that you arrived and all of the day before I had sensed you coming. I had felt fear, but not at your coming. The fear was of the information that you brought with you. Somehow I knew that once I met you my life would never be the same again.”

She smiled, “And I wasn’t disappointed.”

Julius saw her smile and couldn’t help but to do the same. Somewhere in her was the same person that he had loved so many years ago, and this other person whom she had become and he had never met was just as lovable.

Her stomach rumbled again, louder and more obnoxious this time.

They both looked at her belly, and laughed.

Julius scooped her up. She let out a little scream as he did so.

“Let’s go get some food in you before that thing eats you from the inside out,” he joked.

***

Julius put Maureen on the couch. They had both been laughing.

Maureen tried to stand up. Julius placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

“Let me,” he suggested.

“Tea and coffee are one thing, nobody messes with my meat.”

Julius looked at her quizzically. Then started laughing as he relented.

They headed toward the kitchen. Maureen had set some chicken breasts to marinate a couple of days earlier, and decided that they would make the perfect dinner.

Soon the smell of cooking chicken wafted through the house.

Julius wandered out to the garage to check on the bloodroot. He was pleased with the progress the plant had made. He thought that it might regenerate enough for him to use again in another day or two.

He went back to the kitchen to cut open another one. Maureen turned from the chicken and saw the root in his hand.

“What’s that?”

He looked at her, confused. Then remembered that she had always been in another room when he had cut one open before.

“It’s bloodroot.”

“Where did you get it?”

Julius blushed. He realized that he hadn’t told her about the visit from Claudius.

“I had a visitor two nights ago, just before you fell ill. He brought these for me.”

Maureen nodded. “Ok.”

Silence fell between them for a moment. The sizzling of the chicken was the only noise.

“So why didn’t you bring your own when you came?” Maureen asked, confused.

Julius’ blush deepened. “We had to move fast. You needed training, and we didn’t know how long we had.

I left not realizing how long I would be here. I also didn’t even think about it as I left.”

Maureen stared at him for a minute. Then they both started laughing.

“Well now you know. Don’t leave home without bloodroot.”

The laughter only intensified. It felt good to the both of them to be laughing.