The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 37/the flight of the orphans

Mary got down and looked at me.

"Shit what happened to you?" she said looking at me.

"Nothing. Look after the children." I said.

Mary took my hand and noticed the vampiric blood on it. She pulled a cloth from her saddle and wiped it off. Being a vampire slayer would not keep me safe from anyone. The fair-haired girl called Molly was put on to the saddle of a solider riding with Mary. Now at eye height, even in the faint light of the morning you could see the bite marks. Even for vampires the consumption of child flesh was deemed beyond the deepest depravity.

"What happened to you?" she said.

"We all escaped from Malphas" I told her.

Mary lifted the sleeve of the girl and even to someone who's eyes had faded to the squalor of the vampires, still have space on her face and soul to exhibit her abhorrence.

Mary shouted to the men "right we have our prize. We will take the princess back to the keep. The children come with us and then we find some place safe for them. Expect contact with Malphas and his men. Renton, stay behind. Hide our tracks then use your horse to make it look like we've gone off in that direction then turnaround and join us. "

A horse was bought from me and I climbed up and I was given the sleeping body of Molly again. She rode on the saddle in front of me barely strong enough to hold her hands around my waist and use my chest as a pillow. We took off a strong case and then as Dawn came to our aid slowed down along ride ahead. It was clear that Mary had been strategising.

"His Lordship is to be married to the Duchess," said Mary

"I heard," I said.

"We need to get back to the keep," said Mary. "I spied on the water pirates that caught you. They'd spoken to a long coat who belonged to the Duchess. I think she was behind your capture. I heard joking saying the knew a thing which could stop the ceremony. They are keeping some secret from us. After I tortured the waterpriates they told me practically the same thing but didn't know what it was. I got enough to go on to find you. We must get back to the keep before the wedding begins and tell him of this intelligence."

I looked at Mary.

"What about Cub?" I said.

"In the panic of your escape she might get out," Mary said. "I'll send Renton to hunt for her. He's good."

****

We rode on and a little later and we stopped and for a minute will I threw up.

"How how long has this been going on for ?" asked Mary looking down on me and rubbing my back. She handed me a cloth.

"A few days" I told her wiping my mouth "the water in the camp is bad and the food is worse. "

"In the mornings?" asked Mary.

"Odd question" I said time was strange with the vampires. "Yeah in the mornings now I think of it so what?"

I got back onto the saddle and we continued.

"When did you last fill your Moon cup?" said Mary. She meant when did I last have a period.

"Your right, I'm late," I said realizing with all the pressured I had not kept a track.

"If you even might be with child, the Duke must be informed," said Mary picking up the pace of her horse. The company started clatting down the road at a higher pace. 

"Why the high priestess will still seek to get rid of me," I said.

"Are you kidding? If you are about to have his child that will place her at the top of her order. It's been well over 200 years since there was a vampire grandmother. She will switch allegiance to the Duke istantly. With the head of the ordered behind him it will be easy for him take over the high council and if you're feeling selfish he will marry you instantly, father or no father. Do you remember lady Valencia? She was a coven girl in the 1980s. She was pregnant for three months before having a miscarriage that was such a stunning achievement they turned her and raised her up to the lady status for it."

"Hang on will they make me a vampire?" I said. As we rode.

"Seriously? You haven't seen vampires around pregnant girls? There is a big taboo about feeding off mothers to be. I've read of Dukedoms crushed for suggesting it happened. Apparently, if you turn a pregnant women, you create a child who is a day-walker. Half human half vampire and friend to no one. The vampires are very afraid to do that - they think it is an offense to the blood god."

This conversation had woken the sleeping girl Molly. 

"What's wrong?" she said lifting her head up weakly. 

"Nothing, Nothing go back to sleep," I said putting my hand on her head.  We would have to take the kids somewhere. We had been riding hard all day to the Keep in London. Night was coming but Mary knew of a village fortress under control of the Duke. We rode hard into the village as it was getting dark. Molly peeled off me like a rag doll.

"I don't feel so good," she said.

"I had been worrying about her all day. Mary held her for a moment while I got off the horse. Seeing her in Mary's arms I saw the look of worried mother not the Warrior General. Molly looked very pale.

"See if they have a doctor in the village." I said to one of the soldiers. These days it was a remote chance.

The soldier looked at Mary who nodded, he saluted and  handing his horse over to another went off urgently. We had arrived at an old coaching in which we immediately went in. The landlord took one look at Mary in her inquisitor collar and took us both to the best room in the inn. I put Molly down onto the large double bed. She felt cold to my touch. We wrapped up as much as we could and I held her hand desperately willing life into her through it.

Soon an old woman who had once been a nurse before the fall, came up to the rooms.After examining her the nurse got up and came over to me. There was a dire look on her face.

"She has lost so much blood." she whispered to me "I've never seen a child, who has been drained like this.  She shouldn't be moved she needs liquids, the best broth we can find. If she was older she might live but in one so young...   to be honest with you I don't hold out much hope."

I was about to thank woman when Molly called out weekly. I rushed to her and held her small hand in mine. There was such a great pressure each way, I couldn't leave this girl, not after her treatment at the camp of Malphas. Yet if I did not, then Sadismann would marry the Duchess. I had heard from Mary on the trip how much he had been manipulated into doing this. It was clear from Mary's description how torn he was between looking for me and keeping his coven in order. I desperately wanted to rush to his side. Particularly if I was about to be a mother. Looking at Molly is sad eyes I knew I could not leave it there possibly to die on her own.  

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A/N We are back! Start of term of University had some serious hand-ins. Now we are free to get back into the swing of things. Thanks for everyone who kept reading/voting in our tardy writing grap. RK+Reb