Midnight Rays

Chapter 8

  After breakfast the three of them helped Mrs. Lettie clean up the kitchen. 
  "We are going to need help," Samuel said.  "We are going to need a backup plan if you plan not to turn and we are found.  We need to have a plan in motion at all times."
  "We are always going to be watching our backs if I make that choice, won't we?" Emily said with tears starting to form.  Then she shook her head, "no.  I will not be a 'damsel in distress,' I will not let them drag me down.  I want you to teach me to defend myself, Samuel.  I won't always have you there to save me Samuel."
  "I will always be there.  But I know what you mean, and understand how you feel.  So when would you like to start?"
  "Now!"  Emily said, excitedly.
  The two of them stepped into the front yard.  The moon was bright, and cast just enough light for Emily to see Samuel standing in front of her.  He held a thick block of wood that had been carved into a sharp point at one end. 
  "I'm sure you have seen a stake before."
  "Yes, of course." She gulped as she spoke the words.
  "You obviously can't rip someone's head off, this will serve as second best.  Aim right here," he said as he pointed the stake at his own heart.  "As hard, and fast as you can.  You can't hesitate, even for a second.  A vampire can move ten times as fast as you, and will.  You have to use their own speed against them.  Here, hold this."  He hands the stake to her then backs up.  "I'm going to move toward you slowly, and you show me where you would stab."
  He takes a few steps towards her and she holds the stake straight out from her body.  He then moves quickly behind her and grabs her waist.
  "You're dead."  He turns her to face him.  "You can't go for the obvious direction.  Try again, this time anticipate my move."
  She turns and he is once again in front of her.  This time as he moves toward her she quickly turns and holds the stake out.  "Good," he says as he ends up right in front of where she turns.  "Again."
  This time as he moves towards her she turns, but he is not there, she looks back as he grabs her waist from behind again.  "Watch my eyes, see where they are headed.  And the direction my feet are pointed.  There will always be a tell as to which direction someone will move.  Learn them.  I need you to."
  He then comes at her from the side,  when she puts her hand up he trips her up, knocking her to the ground.  "Up.  Again."
  He comes towards her again, she quickly squats and kicks her leg out stopping him as he goes to move around.  "Very good!  Again."
  They go through this many more times when Emily puts the stake on the ground, out of breath.  "I need a break.  And a drink."
  "Very well.  We will pick this up again tomorrow night.  I want to show you something, anyway."
  Emily follows him inside to the kitchen where he pours her a beer into a glass and grabs himself a blood bag which he pours into a glass and proceeds to warm it up in the microwave.  "I hope a beer is fine, Mrs. Lettie will be going grocery shopping tomorrow before she comes back, I wasn't sure what you liked.
  "This is perfectly fine, thank you.  So what did you want to show me?"
  He quickly downs his glass then grabs her hand, leading her up the stairs and towards his room.  When she steps in she is only slightly surprised by the simplicity of it.  It is much like her room, only there is no canopy on his bed.  His comforter is all black, and there is a bearskin rug in front of the fireplace.  The rocking chair beside it has an open book upon it.  "Dracula?  Of course it is, why am I not surprised," she laughs out.  He grins at her and replies with a bow, " 'I sometimes think we must all be mad'..."
  He then pulls a large wooden chest out from under his bed.  It was plain all but for a small dragon carved on the top.  When he opened it there were papers and small photographs that looked quite old.  "My family," he said quietly as he noticed her eyeing them.  He moved them aside and pulled a long, thin, box from the bottom.  He pulled a beautiful dagger from it.  It was completely silver with a thorned rose etched along the length of it.
  "I brought you up here to give you this.  It was my mother's...and now yours."
  "I-it's beautiful.  I can't take this, Samuel, you should keep it."
  "I want you to have it.  It would mean the world to me if you would accept it.  Keep it on you at all times, I just hope you never have to use it."
  She held the dagger to her chest then placed it back in the box.  "I will treasure it always, thank you."
  Samuel stepped closer to her and tucked her hair behind her ear.  He then bent his head and kissed her gently on her lips.  She then looked up at him and pulled him closer. She kissed him then, harder and full of the longing she has held since she first seen him.