Alex
continued to work on the book, stopping for meals and to occasionally take a
walk outside just to clear her head.
Gene did not question her any more about the book and her thoughts on it
but he continued to hover around the study.
Alex became so accustomed to his looking over her shoulder that it no
longer bothered her, in fact, she missed him when he wasn't around.
Michelle
called every third day checking up on her friend just to make sure everything
was above board and that Alex was indeed all right. Alex gave glowing reviews of her new employer and her new
home.
She
had been on the job for about a week when Michelle called and asked her to go
shopping. Alex hadn't seen her friend
since she started work and thought this would be a great opportunity to catch
up. She worked hard all morning finally
informing Paul that she would not be there for lunch. Paul frowned at this information but did not say anything.
Alex
left for an afternoon of shopping leaving Gene and Paul alone in the house.
Darkness
fell and no Alex. Gene was pacing in
the library and Paul waited anxiously. 'I
should have followed her. If something
has happened to her it is my fault.
Gene will never forgive me.'
A
little after 10:00 a car pulled into the driveway. Alex saw the curtains in the library move slightly. She had a wonderful day with Michelle. It was so nice to be able to spend time with
a friend, she didn't realize how much she missed her friends until she spent
time with Michelle. She really needed
to call and let them know she was doing well in her new job.
She
opened the front door to find Gene barreling down on her bellowing, "Where
have you been? Don't you know what time
it is? I can't let you out of my
sight."
Alex
stood there frozen with shock. Fear ran
through her body as a picture of Scott flashed before her eyes then anger
replaced that fear, this was not Scott, this was her employer and how dare he
talk to her like that. She did not
utter a sound but turned and headed for her room leaving Gene ranting behind
her.
"You
shouldn't have done that." Paul scolded Gene. "She didn't look too happy."
"Something
could have happened to her she could have been killed!" Gene was shouting.
"You
need to calm down Gene." Paul said quietly. "You are going to loose her."
Gene
stood staring at Paul his eyes blazing red.
Even through the anger and fear Gene saw the wisdom in Paul's
words.
"What
if I had lost her?" he whispered.
"I couldn't live with that again." Gene turned and quietly walked back into the library and shut the
door.
Paul
walked to Alex's room, he had to try and undo the damage Gene had done and Paul
believed Gene had done great damage. He
started to knock on the door and found it slightly open. He knocked quietly sticking his head inside
"Alex?"
He
stepped inside and found her suitcase on the bed and Alex coming out of the
bathroom carrying some of her toiletries.
"Alex?"
Paul began.
"I
am out of here and don't try and stop me." she said vehemently. "I am not staying here any longer. I quit."
"Alex,
please let me explain."
"Explain?
There is nothing to explain." she yelled.
"I will not stay here with a control freak watching my every
move. I did it once and I will not do
it again!" she was becoming
hysterical.
Paul
had to act quickly or they would loose her.
He rushed to her side and grabbing her arm turned her around to face
him. Fire was burning in her eyes. 'Have to be careful, must calm her
down.' Gently he placed his hands
on either side of her face, "Listen to me Alex." he whispered. "Gene was concerned about you. You were gone all day and no one knew where
you were."
Still
full of anger Alex fought with him, "He isn't my keeper. He said I could come and go as I
pleased. Now I am supposed to tell him
my every move? I don't think so."
"Let
me tell you something about Gene." He took her by the hand and led her to
the couch in the sitting room.
"Sit down with me and let me explain." He pulled her down on
the couch next to him and held her hand in his.
"Gene
was not always this overprotective of people.
You see, he had a younger sister, Gene idolized Holly, she could do no
wrong in his eyes so great was his love for her. Holly started to associate with the wrong kind of people and her
parents were worried about her. her
parents were leaving for an overnight trip into the city and they forbid her to
go out with her friends while they were gone and they left Gene in charge. After they left Holly went to Gene and well
she sweet talked him into letting her go with these friends. Gene could never tell her no so he let her
go with a promise that she would be back by dark. Holly didn't come back by dark; Gene was beside himself with
worry. They found her body three days
later, she had been beaten and raped.
Gene was devastated and has always blamed himself for her death, you
see, if he would have just told her no and made her stay home she wouldn't have
died. When you didn't come back I saw
that same panicked look in his eyes. He
was afraid you had met the same fate as Holly."
Alex
listened to Paul's story and the anger she felt coursing through her veins
seemed to melt away. "I didn't
know." she whispered.
"I
know. And Gene wouldn't want you to
know. I just thought it might help you
understand. He really wasn't trying to
control you he was just worried about you and your safety."
Alex
and Paul sat on the couch holding hands.
She laid her head on his shoulder, suddenly she felt very tired.
"Alexandra?"
Gene knocked on the door before sticking his head inside. Paul and Alex both looked up to see Gene
standing in the doorway holding a red rose, "I'm sorry for yelling at
you. I just…well…I just forgot myself. I brought this for you." He held out
the rose to Alex.
Tears
welled in her eyes as she walked over to Gene and accepted his peace
offering. She looked into his eyes and
saw the pain there and knew that she was to blame.
"I'm
sorry. I didn't mean to make you
worry." she whispered fighting back the tears.
Gene
wrapped his arms around her, "It was my fault, I should not have yelled at
you." He held her tightly
breathing in her fragrance and relishing the feel of her in his arms. Quickly he loosened his grip and stepped
away from her. "It is late and I
am sure you are tired. Paul we should
leave and let Alex get some rest. Until
the morning my dear." Gene bowed slightly and left the room with Paul
close behind him.
Gene
closed the door and staring straight ahead said, "I hunger."
* * *
Paul took control as he led Gene upstairs to the third floor to the door at the end of the hall. Once there, he took out a key and unlocked the door.
"This
is the last one."
"You
will need to find more."
Paul
opened the door and stepped aside as Gene entered the room. He then closed the door leaving Gene inside
and then turned and headed downstairs out the front door.
Gene
quietly entered the dimly lit room. He
stopped just inside the door to survey the room. He smiled as he found what he was looking for. Slowly he walked toward the middle of the room.
"I
hope I haven't kept you waiting too long my dear."
He
now stood in front of the woman who was tied to a chair in the middle of the
room. He caressed her cheek as his
emotionless eyes observed the terror filled woman.
"I
hope your stay here hasn't been too unpleasant. I'm sorry it had to end so quickly but I find myself needing to
feed more often. It will only hurt for
a moment then it will feel quite pleasurable.
Don't worry, Paul will see to it that you receive a decent burial."
With
that Gene stood behind the woman, pushed aside the collar of her blouse and
without another sound bit his victim on the neck. When he finished he looked at the lifeless body completely
drained of blood. Once again he
caressed her cheek. "Thank you my
dear." He left the room closing
and locking the door behind him.
* * *
Three
days passed with no more incidents between Alex and Gene, each seemed to be on
their best behavior. Alex always told
him when she was leaving and was very careful to be back when she said she
would be or at least call and let him know she was going to be late. Gene went out of his way to make sure that
he was always polite to her and not demanding.
They had found a comfortable middle ground and both were afraid to
shatter it. Paul fussed around them
both like a mother hen always there to keep peace in case things got out of
control. Life went back to a normal
existence for the three of them.
'Finally they were able to
live their lives together. Her husband
had died and now they no longer had to meet in secret. He loved her so much. She had explained the curse to her two
daughters and that he would need their blood to survive. The girls loved this man almost as much as
their mother did so were willing to give him what he needed. He would visit each of them twice a
year. All he needed was about a
tablespoon of their blood and it would sustain him for almost three months.'
Alex
started to understand the characters in Gene's story, even if she did not
believe it, they were very life like.
She admitted to herself that this story did intrigue her and she almost
wanted it to be true so she could do the research on the story as Gene had
suggested to prove it was true.
'She had grown very old and
sick, she was dieing. He stayed by her
side day and night not wanting to miss one precious moment with her. Finally the time came, she called her
daughters to her and bid them good-bye.
She looked into his eyes and begged him to end her suffering'
Alex
found herself crying as she typed. To
have someone love you that much was inconceivable to her. No one had ever loved her that much.
'Her daughters gave their
blessing to her final request and left the two alone. With tears streaming from his eyes he took her in his arms and
holding her close he told her he loved her for the last time and then sank his
teeth into her neck. He didn't take the
tablespoonful like normal but drank all that she had leaving her lying limp in
his arms.'
"Is everything all right?" It was Paul checking up
on her.
"Yes." she sniffled trying to hold back the tears.
Concern in his voice, "Are you sure? Why are you crying?"
"This story. I
guess I just got wrapped up in this story.
It is so sad." She wiped
away the tears that had succeeded in falling.
"Yes, parts of the story are rather sad." he
admitted. "Where are you at?"
"She just died."
"You are almost finished then. What do you think about the story now?"
"You mean do I believe it really happened? No, but I admit I would like to think that
maybe it did. To share such a great
love is precious. I hope that for her
sake it really did happen. But he never
mentions anyone's name, it was hard keeping track of who was who. Why didn't he use names in the story?"
"Because then you could do the research without me and
what fun would that have been?" it was Gene standing at the door. "So you like my story?"
"Okay, I admit it, I like your story. Are you happy now?" Alex teased him.
"Very happy. Now I just have to get you to believe
it."