A Ripple In Time | Captain James Nicholls

Chapter Eight

The Brighton Estate, London; June 1, 1913.

James was late. He was never late and perhaps that should have been the first sign that something was wrong. The Captain was always punctual as his profession would require but on this particular evening he was late, it made the lady of the house worry and she paced. He and Izabella had not seen each other for two weeks, his training took him away with Major Stewart, and while he could give an approximation for when these events would end they were never for certain. She paced her sitting room, replaying their last meeting and how wonderful everything had been. For once she felt like her life was perfection, like everything was exactly how it was supposed to be and she felt surprisingly normal around him and his family. It was such a welcoming feeling, but she knew better than grow accustomed to that type of life.

Her thoughts strayed to Adam, her vampiric guest had been staying less and less since he and Eve had a week reunion. She was incredibly happy for the long time lovers as new life had been breathed into their relationship, and when he did come around often he sought refuge in one of the numerous guest rooms. His intentional avoidance of her struck a nerve but she would never dispel her emotions and thoughts to him. She could steadily tell that he was becoming bitterer to the outside world, more skeptical of the blood they divulged in to satiate their hunger, she was concerned for him but he would never stand for it, nor would Adam want pity. Izabella almost did not hear the steady fall of hooves on her drive for her thoughts, they were only shaken away when the horse had stopped but there was not a knock on the door within the following minutes.

The oncoming summer air was humid with looming storms and the night was warm, Izabella almost screamed when she burst from her front door. Slashes and bites marred the flank of his old steed, a fierce reminder that within the woods lurked a beast. If anything was keeping the horse standing right now it was adrenaline and nothing else. Her Captain was slumped forward in the saddle, his hand clutching his ribs. The scent of his blood filled her senses, beckoning her to taste it. Just one taste. Shouting for her house workers they scuttled about, retrieving medical supplies, readying a bed and lastly calling upon a veterinarian to tend to his beloved horse.

Carefully, she pulled the Captain from the saddle, draping his arm across her shoulders, if not for her enhanced strength and endurance it would have taken two to move his weight. Her canines had extended, her mind clouded with bloodlust but before tending to James she quickly stole upstairs to her ice box, nearly downing an entire flask to prevent her from feeding from the injured man. "Belle." She smiled at his voice, gently cooing sweet words to displace the pain. When he opened drowsy eyes her smile was there, wide and bright, so unbearably close to him and on full display were two elongated teeth that looked as if they belonged to a beast and not a woman. He told himself he should be shocked, but in his pain ridden mind he played it off as an illusion, something his mind had conjured to play tricks with his eyes.

Cutting the thin shirt open she pulled it back, revealing the expanse of his torso and the wound that had nearly sent her into a frenzy. "James?" He studied her movements, the way she reverently touched his bare skin, scanning over the wound. Taking a rag in hand Izabella dipped it into a bowl of tepid water before wiping away blood. He winced as she continued to clean the skin, lastly dappling alcohol across the cut that resembled a long scratch, though it was too deep to be considered such and not deep enough to require stitches. With her maid's help the two women were able to properly dress the wounded skin, the thick white gauze a stark contrast against his ruddy appearance.

Wincing just a bit James sat up on the empty lounge, bracing his weight on his arms; he looked to Izabella with a faint smile that was nearly hidden from everything that he had been through in the past few hours, "How's Bill?" Her hands that rested on his shoulders fell away as she stood straighter and moved around the room for a few thoughtful seconds.