Marion awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee brewing. She stretched leisurely in the fluffy covers of the bed, feeling safe and warm. Still half asleep, the young woman pondered whether to get up and join Wes or fall back into slumber. Before she could make a decision, the young man entered the room. He had two cups of coffee and handed her one. She smiled at him and sat up to take it. They sat in silence for a minute or two, sipping their coffee. Wes sat down his half finished cup and smiled at her warmly as he placed a hand on her calf. The young man rubbed her leg over the bedspreadand spoke.
"Are you ready to talk?"
"I..." fear trickled down her spine. She struggled to find the words and fidgeted uncomfortably in the bed.
What can I say to him that I haven't already? He did not believe me before. What could possibly be different this time?
She cleared her throat and the words just came pouring out.
"I tried to tell you before Wes. I am the last descendant of the Dupont family bloodline and through my dreams Dorian tricked me to come back New Orleans. My family made an agreement with him and he wants what he believes is his. He wants... me."
Tears trickled down her face and the young man reached up, tenderly brushing them away. He now sat, struggling to find the right words. He'd grown to care for her deeply and he wanted so desperately to understand. He had been foolish to waste time getting angry with her and she appeared to believe every word uttered from her lips.
"I want to help you Marion. Vampires.. the rumors have always been there but.. let's go talk to my Grann. I believe in her and I've seen what she can do. I think she can help."
The girl agreed and they both got dressed. She finished off the last of her coffee before they headed out into the late morning sun. Wes walked them to where he was parked and they got in, making their way back out to the bayou. The young man reached over and rubbed knee
as he drove, trying to reassure her that everything would be alright.
"I want to help you Marion. We will find a way and if there is a man after you I'll..."
"You won't do anything of the sort Wes. He could kill you so easily."
"I want to protect you Chéri."
"I won't let anyone else stand in harms way because of my choices. "
Marion's voice rose defiantly, shutting down the conversation. She looked ahead and saw they were already pulling into the familiar turn to his Grann's house. She gulped, hesitant to divulge her story to anyone else. Silently they exited the vehicle, the young man grabbed her hand and they walked solemnly to the front door of the shack. The old woman sat expectantly on a worn leather chair in her small living room. It had appeared that had Wes already told her what was going on. She beckoned the young woman to sit beside her. Her old withered fingers tangled around the girl's hand as she spoke.
"Child, I knew something be different about you before you ever set foot in my door. My grandson here only confirmed it when he rung me up early this morning. He says you've already been bitten?"
Marion nodded her head and looked away from the older woman.
"No need to be ashamed child. Nothing you could've done to prepare against this. Ahh.. I see there on your wrist. Boy, I thought you said the marks be on her neck?"
The young man's eyes grew wide in horror.
His grann's head whipped back around and spotted the puncture wounds on her neck. She sighed, looking deeply troubled.
"Each time he feeds from you the connection grows deeper. His hold on you stronger... we may be too late."
The older woman's gaze met Marion's with sympathy and compassion. The girl's lip trembled as her gaze went down to the floor.
YOU ARE READING
Crescent City Sins
FantasyMarion just left everything she knew behind to pursue a new life in the Big Easy. Born and raised in the Midwest, Marion knew she'd be stepping into another world. The story memorized and repeated to everyone back home was that she "just wanted to...
