"I will talk, some," she said, and paused, closing her eyes, "but Stefans must be told I am safe, first."
"Where's your phone?" Sam asked.
"The front pocket of my backpack." After she slowly typed in the passcode, she said, "Sam, please call him for me, and I will talk." Her speech was slow, and somewhat labored, but she seemed mostly okay.
"Stefans, I do not know where I am, but will tell you when I get more strength. Do not worry for me. I am with Sam, and he will insure my safety," she said, and hung up.
"It appears you didn't give him a chance to question you," Father Wolfram observed, as her phone started buzzing.
"I will be scolded for not taking guards with me, but I did not think of it when I leave to see Sam. He told Sam to take me to care," she replied.
"You two really are a pair?"
Sam wasn't sure how to answer, but she relieved him of that burden. "Yes," she said.
"Your uncle is going to have a hard time with it, but be patient with him. He has a reason for his animosity," the priest said.
"I know, but he won't even give her a chance," Sam argued.
"You don't need to argue with me, son. I'm on your side, mostly," he said, with a fatherly smile. "Now, I know you will probably only tell me a few things, but I'd love to know what you are willing to tell me," he said, turning his attention to Kristi.
"Do you know of the three type of vampire, as you call us?" she asked. Her voice was getting a little stronger as she spoke, but was still a bit weak.
"Yes, but does Sam?"
"No, I do not think so," she said, turning her gaze to him. "Sam, I will tell you some about us. What makes us vampire is a virus. We only know this since science has become modern. There are three types of the virus, and we have known this for long time," she said, and explained the three variants to him. He never interrupted, his attention completely devoted to her, and what she was willing to give him.
"Would you tell me what year you were turned?" Father Wolfram asked, once her short lesson was done.
"Forgive me, but I cannot. That is information that is dangerous for us to say. I will tell you, I have the ancient form of the virus in me." After the explanation of the three types, Sam understood why she was able to beat the boys that had attacked them, even though she was smaller. It didn't totally explain what she'd done with the wild ones, though.
"I suspected as much, though I wasn't sure. I assume you are part of the house of Latvia," he stated, rather than asked.
"Yes."
"I must inform you, so there are no misunderstandings, I am a member of the order generally known as the Teutonic Knights. If this is a problem for you, I completely understand and will stop asking questions. I know there is a bad history between our people." Sam was a little surprised to see her close her eyes and breath deeply for a little while.
"I see the bad blood does still exist. I am sorry, and I will leave. It is not my desire to cause you anxiety, or make you uncomfortable."
She opened her eyes, let out a long breath, and said, "it is time to let the past go, and forgive, maybe. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary should always know, our people do not like betrayal. It is hard for us to forget when it is done to us, and our memory is long."
"I won't say it won't happen again. You know how people are, probably better than I, but I will promise that I will keep my word and treat with you in truth and honor."
"You say the right words. I accept them on behalf of the House of Latvia. We are again in accord, for so long as we remain in truth and honor," she said, and inclined her head to him. "This much easier in German," she then said, and he smiled at her.
"But I suspect your young boyfriend would not be able to understand as well."
"Sam is learning German, but he would not understand everything we say. You are correct to say these words in English."
"How much about yourself are you able to tell me?"
"Very little. I can say less than was given when the knight asked questions in the Baltic land. For what I can say, I would ask that you not keep any record of my looks, or my name, please. This is also dangerous for us."
"Oddly, this sounds familiar," he remarked, with a little grin.
"This is how we do our business, and have for a long time. We do not want our identity kept for records. We never have."
"Is the Queen from then still alive?"
There was a long pause before she said, "Yes." Father Wolfram's face registered his shock openly.
"Although I'm pretty sure I know the answer, why did the House of Latvia come to America?"
"There are wild ones here, which are what we attacked before Jake Hunter bring me to you, and because the porphyrics here not know how to handle it, we decided to come and show them. We hope they know for future, but they might not. They are not as mature as they should be, and do not use skills that are part of who they are. They are weaker than I thought they would be," she said, giving him an ironic smile. Seeing her smile, he started laughing.
"I like you," he said.
"I would say same of you." After a brief pause, she said, "if two like us were in talks during Baltic Crusade, there would have been peace instead of war, I think. Maybe change history of that place."
"Maybe so, maybe so."
"Considering all of the questions I want to ask are probably things that are dangerous for you to tell, or maybe not allowed, I think I'm done asking. Is there anything you'd like to ask of me?"
"How long before I can go home? I have a lecture to receive, so I can get ready for school tomorrow," she said.
"You go to school?" he asked, then realization came, and he said, "yes, Jacob did mention that, didn't he?"
"To save you asking, yes, the sun does hurt me. I can accept the pain for what it gives me, which is not what I thought it would give me when I first come to America." Sam squeezed her hand, which she squeezed back.
"You're feeling stronger," he noticed.
"Yes, the blood is making me stronger, but I will need more. It is not enough, and it also takes time for it to restore me."
"I'm sure we can get more," Father Wolfram said.
"We have all we need," she told him, which brought a look of curiosity from him.
"I will tell you a thing that is a secret, though we do not mean it to be. It could be seen with not much struggle, if it is wanted. We have clinics that help people, but also get blood gifts. These gifts help those with bad injuries, but also feed us, so we do not need to hunt. When we go to a place, as we have in this place, we require that hunting stops once we make clinics there to give blood for food."
"That's absolutely genius!"
"I wish it was my idea, but it was not. It does make life very easy for us, and we do not have hunters because they think we are not there. No victims, no vampires, no hunters."
"That's a very nice arrangement. However, I don't think that region has had hunters...well, ever, and definitely before blood storage was possible," he said, and she smiled at him.
"Not since your knights left, because we make sure they do not have a reason to come. They have try sometimes, but we have made them decide it is not a good idea," she said, her smile becoming something Sam could only describe as wicked. "I think they will try again, because we come here. They will know we are there now, and think they need to hunt us. I do not want us to do bad things to them, but they are not welcome in our home."
"I can't promise that I'll be able to make a difference, as they are a different order, but I'll see if we can apply any pressure to keep them out."
"I will thank you, and if you do this with success, they will thank you, but not know it," she said, giving him another smile, then she asked, "can you send a text with my phone to tell Stefans where I am? He needs to come for me now, and he will worry for me," she said, handing him her phone.
"He said they are on their way, and he addressed you as my lady," he said, when he handed it back.
"Thank you, Father," she said.
"Normally, we require an adult guardian for this, but considering the situation, I think we can dispense with that little requirement," he said, and pulled out some papers.
"What is this?"
"When we administer medical care, we are required to have a signature acknowledging our efforts. Lawyers like these sorts of things, you know," he said, with a beatific smile.
There was obvious hesitance from her, as she looked at the document. Finally, she accepted the pen he still held. Also handing her a book to bear down on, she signed the paper, and hesitantly handed it back. Sam saw the way she signed it, and it was a very elaborate, artistic signature.
"Thank you," he said.
"I do not sign many papers," she said, and although Sam couldn't pin it down, there was more in her statement than the simple words. The priest smiled and left the room. When he returned, he sat in a chair with a book in his hand.
Although Father Wolfram waited with them, conversation died after that. Sam stayed on the bed beside her, holding her hand.
"Father?" a slender older woman asked, coming in the room, "There is a soldier and a woman here, asking after Kristiana. I assume this young lady is who they are asking about?"
"Yes. Please bring them here."
"Yes, Father."
"My lady," Stefans said with a bow, when he came in. Charlotte was with him, but had remained silent. Sam was pretty sure she was going to fuss at Kristi, pretty hard, once they got home.
"Can I go with you, just to make sure she's okay before I go home?" he asked Charlotte.
"I think that is acceptable, but only if your mother agrees," she said.
Sam pulled his phone out and typed a text, really fast. When the reply came a smile grew.
"I must assume she has agreed," Charlotte said.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "Where's Uncle Jake?" he then asked.
"He is in the church, I think, asking for guidance. He has had things revealed that have altered everything he has believed for most of his life. That is a hard blow to handle, and will take time," Father Wolfram said.
"I'm going to go let him know where I'm going," he told them, even though it was really meant for Kristi.
"We will be waiting at the front of the church," Stefans said.
Sam was worried about what his uncle was going to say, but he'd already gotten permission from his mother. It was up to Uncle Jake to let her know what Kristi was, if he thought it was that important. He wasn't going to, because to him, it didn't change who she was, or how he felt about her.
"Uncle Jake," he said, to get his attention, finding him in the middle of the church, kneeling in prayer.
"Sam," he said, not giving any hint of his thoughts, or even looking up.
"I'm going with Kristi to make sure she's okay. They'll take me home," Sam said.
"It's obvious I can't talk you out of this foolish path you're on, so why are you telling me?"
"I wanted you to know, so you weren't worried about me."
"Worried about you!? You're hanging out with...no, let's be honest about this. You're dating a vampire, and you don't want me to be worried?"
"Uncle Jake, she's not evil, and she's not going to hurt me, or let me get hurt. Why do you think she got hurt? She nearly got killed trying to protect me, and those other kids."
"Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that her motives are pure, and honest. You don't think your risk factor hasn't gone up, simply by association?"
"Uncle Jake, I know you don't like her, or any of the people that have the illness she has, but...,"
"There is no but, Sam. By the nature of how they have to live, they become evil. No one would be able to stop the progression to that. They have to kill people to survive, and as long lived as they are, they lose the ability to feel emotion like we do. You don't have to call it evil, but one thing I do know about God, He loves, and His people are different from the world because of the love they have," Jake said.
"She loves me, and her people don't hunt people. They use donated blood to survive, so they don't have to hunt people," Sam said.
"This is getting us nowhere, Sam. Go do what you are going to do, and leave me alone, but don't come to me and let me know when you become one, which I'm sure is her intention." That response crushed Sam.
"She refuses to turn me. I know, because I already asked her to." Sam walked out, tears leaving streaks down his face.
"He is not happy," Kristi said, when he got in the SUV.
"No. He won't listen, or even consider the idea that you might not be evil. Why won't he listen to me?" Sam said.
"Because he has a really bad thing happen, and that has left a scar on his heart. It is hard to heal from that. He might never forgive, but you must understand where his hurt is. The blame for this is not his."
"Kristi, why do you have to go back to Europe? Isn't there a way you can stay here?"
"That is my home, Sam. It is where I have always lived. I have come to places like this for short times, but always, I go back home when I am done. I cannot stay, no matter what I might like."
"When I mentioned going to Latvia once, you didn't seem to like that idea, either. Why?"
"Because I want you to have a normal life. This is not a normal life, Sam. There is always danger, and people plot to take your power, and that power is many times your life. Please, Sam, do not think of that. I wished you would not try so hard to make me like you, but you did, and I do, but it must end when I go home."
"I can't accept that. I'm sorry, but I won't. There has to be a way."
"Not with this. I am what I have been for a long time, and I have more memories than I want to have, of things not good. Many I did not do, but many I did, and would do again, if there was need. The hunters are right about us. We lose the way to feel sympathy, or love, or many other emotions that makes you human. When we live as long as we do, those things go away."
"I don't believe that. You love me. You said so, and I believe you. So, even if you believe that stuff you just said, I know it's wrong, and I won't give up on you," he said, and drew her tighter against him.
"You don't have to fight me anymore. I have given up," she said, allowing him to draw her closer.
"But you haven't, or we wouldn't keep having this conversation. You keep saying it's over as soon as you and your family are done with the job you have here. You won't even try and find a way to stay with me."
"We are from two different worlds, Sam. I said this before, but you would not hear me. That does not change, no matter that I do not fight you, or myself with this anymore, and what I wish also does not change this."
"Kristiana, I will carry you," Stefans said, when they had pulled into the parking garage.
"I can walk, Stefans," she said, with only a hint of sarcasm.
"And I can carry you," he said, lifting her in his arms before she had a chance to get out of the car.
"You do not respect authority, properly. I think we might need new training."
"It is too late to train me, my lady. You are stuck with how I am, and always have been," he teased.
"You see what I live with?" she said to Sam. He only smiled at her, admiring the obvious love they all shared, even if they weren't necessarily family. At least, not family in the traditional sense of the word. He could relate, to a degree.
"This is really nice," he said, impressed with their house when they entered the condo. Although not too gaudy, it was definitely lavish.
"It is more nice than we like, but it it is good," Kristi said. Stefans had placed her on the couch, and handed her a tall dark glass, which she was drinking from. Sam knew what it was, but she did a masterful job not making it obvious. It was amazing to watch her strength visibly return as she drank, although she still looked tired.
"Come with me," she said, standing up and taking his hand. She'd finished the glass of what Sam assumed was blood, and seemed mostly back to her normal self.
She led him into a rather large, and very nice bedroom. It wasn't a girly room, by any means, but it was somewhat obvious that a girl lived there, simply by the few items lying about, and a few pieces of clothing on the bed. There was a nice desk, with a computer and books on it. Several of the books were in a language Sam couldn't read. As he looked closer, he realized there were books in more than one language, and he suspected several different ones.
Discarded in the corner was one of those black bodysuits, which he saw several holes in. He wasn't certain, but he thought he saw dried blood on it around those holes. Then he realized, she was wearing that when she got injured, however that had happened.
"How did you get hurt?" he asked, still looking at the bodysuit.
"I was shot with crossbows. They had venom on the bolts."
"How many of them hit you?"
"I think four."
Then he saw a little table on the far side of the room. He hadn't noticed it until that moment. It was the first really solid indication of a girl's ownership of the room. Various pieces of jewelry were arranged in a very orderly case. There were a couple of hair brushes, a collection of ribbon, mostly in purples, but also a collection of dark red ribbon, and two tiaras. The one she had worn to the ball was the more valuable looking one, but the other actually looked prettier to him. Both had crosses embedded in their designs.
"What's this?" he asked, indicating the simpler tiara.
"That was a wedding gift. It was from the family I was to be married to."
"Do you wear it much? It's prettier than the other one."
"I think so too, but I have never put it on. There is much pain with it."
"I would think there'd be just as much pain with your comb."
"There is, but the comb was from my father. It lets me keep him close, even though I know it is not him. I think it helps me remember him more...better."
"I never knew my father."
"I know you have pain because of that, but to know him and lose him like I did is harder, I think. You have Jake, though. He might not be your father, but he is a good man. He loves you, like you are his son, I think."
"I thought vampires lost the ability to feel human emotions after a while, but you seem to feel emotions pretty good. I don't know how old you are, but I don't think you were recently changed."
"You see things very clear, Sam. I think that is another reason I like you the way I do. You are right, and I have said this, but I work hard to keep what is in me to be human. I lose a little as I get older, but I try to keep it. I hope when there is none of that left in me, I will die. I do not want to be like the monster in the book." He continued looking around the room, seeing where she lived.
"Sit, Sam,"she offered, as she sat on the bed.
He sat beside her, and she fell back. Taking his hand, she pulled him down beside her.
"Sam, I know there are things you wish to know about me. It is hard for me to say them, and not only because they are dangerous. It is hard for me to trust, but I will try. I do not know how much time I have here, but I will do good as I can to become open to you, as much as I can, and not give you too much danger."
"Kristi, I've told you, I'll take whatever you're willing to give, and I'll be happy with that. I'm just happy that you want to be with me, and spend time with me. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want it to end."
She turned to look at him, and their faces were together. Sam took the opportunity and put his lips to hers, and as they kissed, he turned on his side, draping his arm across her, pulling her close against him. She surrendered to it, enjoying their closeness as much as he did.
Before he was ready to end what they were doing, not that he ever wanted it to end, his phone chirped. He was pretty sure what was waiting for him. He rolled to his back, and pulled it out, seeing exactly what he expected, and didn't want to see.
"It is time for you to go home, yes?"
"Yeah."
"I will see you tomorrow. Sleep good, my prince." He rolled back over, and resumed what they'd been doing, before being interrupted.
After a little more time, she pushed him off, letting him know she didn't want to, but it had to be done. Interesting to him that he understood all of that in only a few breaths and odd motions, as well as her expression.
"Can I call you my girlfriend?"
"If you wish. I would be more proud of this title than the others I have," she said, and gave him a quick kiss.
"So will I," he agreed and returned the kiss.
She again pushed him away. "Go knave, before you get in trouble. I do not wish your mother to think bad of me," she said, with a teasing smile.
Nervous as he'd ever been in his life, he said, "I love you."
"I tell you, I do not know for sure this is love, but I think it is. So, I say, I love you and I mean it."
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."
"Stefans, can Sam be taken home, please?"
"Yes, my lady," came the immediate response.
Sam stood up, and headed for the door, but he found her hand slide into his, as she walked with him to the car. She then climbed in with him, Stefans driving and another man in the front passenger seat.
"There is another thing you must be able to have with me," she said, this time having a rather odd looking little smile.
"What's that?"
"Guards always with me. I have no privacy."
"I've already said, I'll do whatever is required, to be with you."
"That is not what you said, but I will accept this." She nestled into him, for the remainder of the ride.
Considering how good it felt to have her beside him, Sam hated seeing his house when they drove up. She sat up, kissed him and climbed out of the car. Sam followed and the two walked up to the porch, where they kissed again, and she walked away. Sam realized the irony of the situation. It should be him kissing the girl at her house, not the other way around.
"Mom," Sam called out when he got inside.
"Sam," he heard his mother reply, but something in her voice sounded off. He couldn't tell what, but her voice sounded strained. Walking into the kitchen, where she'd called from, strong hands grabbed him and put a cloth over his mouth and nose. Then blackness took him.