Loving Merritt Forever

Loving Merritt After 22

"She is, she didn't want to see the horses with me, said they smelled." Merritt lied again. Thinking she had pulled off the lie rather well.

Again, Mary shook her head. "No he isn't little doll. Come with me, you and I shall ride together." Mary's voice raised in decibels, declaring her intentions. Several stable hands jumped, pulling forward a mare fitted with a side saddle for Mary, and a pony for Merritt to ride. Mary easily mounted her ride, beautiful as she adjusted her skirts over the side sidle. Merritt was not as elegant or effortless as she mounted the shorter pony.

The farm hand was apologizing for the pony, Merritt was the smallest guest and the pony named Plum rarely got to enjoy a ride. Immediately Merritt no longer minded having the smaller animal. She wanted her pony to enjoy the night walk with the other horses. It would have trained just as hard, and deserved to show how well it had been trained.

Merritt on her pony was led to Mary on her taller draft horse, and both started towards the forest together. The pony stepping high and proud beside the taller draft horse as Merritt rained praise on the animal. Patting the beast's neck and shoulders. The pony didn't seem scared of her, it had to have been trained around vampires from a young age. Animals knew to fear the undead. Merritt let herself live in this exact, isolated moment.

Enjoying the feeling of the silky mane of hair under her fingers. The living creature kindly carrying her on its back for her enjoyment. It was beautiful. The sky was clear and in such a rural location, the stars were brighter and more numerous than Merritt had ever before seen in her life.

Merritt had never ridden a horse on a real trail before, certainly never in the dark. After only a short time she felt like she had gotten a handle on sitting lightly in her saddle and moving with the pony. Taking her time to enjoy the sounds of the forest and the view of the stars in the clear night sky overhead.

The previous group of vampires were ahead of them, being much more loud as they reminisced about previous nighttime horseback nights they had all experienced. The group behind them just starting their trip. "I know you have not ridden a horse before, so why have you come out tonight?" Mary asked Merritt. Voice low, like she was keeping secrets of her own.

"Because I wanted to." Merrit hated how bratty she sounded then, More like Asher as a vampire than she wanted. Really, Merritt had loved animals when alive, had happy memories of times she had enjoyed the rare chance to ride a pony on controlled loops as a child. Merritt The vampire wanted to do something that was just for her. To make up for the fresh hurt and distrust that had been sown in her heart. For the distance now between her and Asher. He had promised her forever and then broken hem apart the very first chance he had.

Vampires had endless time, Asher should have stayed Merritt's forever. Months bonded as sire and childe had not been enough for Merritt. The connection was ruined all because Levi rushed everything. What hurt the most was that Merritt knew, that Levi knew better. He had bountiful years of bagged blood in storage, ready and waiting. He hadn't put that effort in for Asher's benefit.

Merritt's undead heart broke as her demon began to hum a lament. Levi knew Asher wasn't ready, and set him, and in turn also Merritt up to fail. Merritt's pain was all Levi's fault. Delicate trust had been broken, Merritt was unsure if the damages could be repaired. This weekend was going to be a test, Did Merritt want to stay the Merritt she had been, or could she find happiness in a completely new life. One that didn't include anything leftover from before. Not even Levi.

Ursula, started to talk to Mary. Not revealing anything more than there were some tensions in her relationship, wanting to perhaps find someone to help Merritt get past her own mental stumbling blocks. Mary seemed to be nice, Merritt's demon wasn't warning her of any problems yet. Merritt had enjoyed seeing Joy, talking through the change with her.

Merritt wouldn't ever get that closure with Gabi. She tried to pretend that Mary could hold a candle to Gabi as a friend. Even though that would never be possible. Merritt had only ever had one true friend, one person who had seen her just as she was and wanted the best for her. Merritt had continued to stalk Gabi online, keeping up with her life through social media.

Levi had arranged for "a long lost great aunt's" fortune to pass to her. So expertly, and carefully arranged that it would never become an issue. Gabi would get to live out her life comfortably, able to give her children a head start in life that she herself had not had, Everything she had ever wanted. Merritt had looked in on her friend and only wished her well. Merritt hadn't forgiven Levi, but she also could not deny that he had done a lot of good in her name. Merritt found herself very muddled and in need of a friend to bounce ideas and feelings against.

Merritt, pretending to be Ursala, began to try and talk more deeply with Mary. Who was more than eager to listen to anything Merritt had to say while on their horseback trek through the woods. Merritt hadn't spoken to another woman, not really since the morning she had died. She was starved for an independent female perspective on her problems. Luckily for her, Mary was more than eager to listen to anything at all that Merritt wanted to say.