CHAPTER SEVEN

Caitlin and Caleb flew away from Paris, over the French countryside in the early morning, she holding tightly onto his back as he cut through the air. She felt stronger now, and felt that if she wanted to fly, she could. But she didn’t want to let go of him. She loved the feel of his body. She just wanted to hold him, to feel what it was like to be together again. She knew it was crazy, but after being apart for so long, she had a fear that if she let him go, he might fly away forever.

Beneath them, the landscape was ever-changing. Pretty quickly the city fell away and the landscape shifted to dense woods and rolling hills. Closer to the city, there were occasional houses, farms. But the further they got, the more the land opened. They passed field after field, rolling meadows, an occasional farm, sheep grazing. Smoke rose from chimneys, and she guessed that people were cooking. Clotheslines spread out over lawns, and sheets hung from them. It was an idyllic scene, and the July temperature had dropped just enough so that the cooler air, especially up this high, was refreshing.

After hours of flying, they rounded a bend, and the new view took Caitlin’s breath away: there, on the horizon, sat a shimmering sea, vibrant blue, its waves smashing into an endless, pristine shoreline. As they got closer, the elevation rose, and rolling hills went right up to the shoreline.

Nestled in the rolling hills, amidst the tall grass, she saw a single building set against the horizon. It was a glorious, medieval castle, designed of an antique limestone, covered in ornate sculptures and gargoyles. It was nestled high on a hill, overlooking the sea, and surrounded by fields of wildflowers as far as the eye could see. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and Caitlin felt as if she were in a postcard.

Caitlin’s heart beat with excitement, as she wondered, as she hoped to dream, that this could be Caleb’s place. Somehow, she felt that it was.

“Yes,” he called out, over the wind, reading her mind, as always. “This is it.”

Caitlin’s heart pounded with delight. She was so excited, and felt so strong, she was ready to fly by herself.

She suddenly jumped off of Caleb’s back, and went flying through the air. For a moment, she was terrified, wondering if her wings would sprout. A moment later, they did, supporting her in the air.

As the air ran through them, she loved the feeling. It felt great to have them again, to be independent. She rose and dove, swooping up, close to Caleb, who smiled back. They dove down together, then up, swerving in and out of each other’s flight paths, the tips of their wings sometimes touching.

As one, they dove down, closer to the castle. It looked ancient; it felt worn in, but not in a bad way. For Caitlin, it already felt like home.

As she took it all in, looked at the landscape, the rolling hills, the distant ocean, for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt a sense of peace. She felt, finally, like she was home. She saw her life together with Caleb here, living together, even starting a family together again, if that was possible. She would be happy to live out her days here with him—and finally, at long last, she didn’t see anything that stood in their way.

*

Caitlin and Caleb landed together in front of his castle, and he took her hand and led her to the front door. The oak door was covered in a thick layer of dust and sea salt, and clearly hadn’t been opened in years. He tried the knob. It was locked.

“It’s been hundreds of years,” he said. “I’m pleasantly surprised to find that it’s still here, that it hasn’t been vandalized—that it’s even still locked. There used to be a key…”

He reached up, way above the door frame, and felt the crevice behind the stone arch. He ran his fingers up and down it, and finally stopped, extracting a long, silver skeleton key.

He slipped into the lock, and it fit perfectly. He turned it with a click.

He turned and smiled at her, stepping aside. “You do the honors,” he said.

Caitlin pushed the heavy, medieval door, and it opened slowly, creaking, encrusted salt falling off in clumps as it did.

They walked in together. The entry room was dim, and covered in cobwebs. The air was still and dank, and it felt like it hadn’t been entered in centuries. She looked up at the high, arched stone walls, the stone floors. There were layers of dust on everything, including the glass windows, which blocked a lot of the light, making it seem darker than it was.

“This way,” Caleb said.

He took her hand and led her down a narrow corridor, and it opened up into a grand hall, with high, arched windows on both sides. It was much lighter in here, even with the dust. There was some furniture left over in here, too: a long, medieval oak table, surrounded by ornate, wooded chairs. At its center sat a huge, marble mantel, one of the largest fireplaces Caitlin had ever seen. It was incredible. Caitlin felt as if she had walked right back into the Cloisters.

“I had it built in the 12th century,” he said, looking around himself. “Back then, this was the style.”

“You lived here?” Caitlin asked.

He nodded.

“For how long?”

He thought. “Not more than a century,” he said. “Maybe two.”

Caitlin marveled, once again, at the huge increments of time in the vampire world.

Suddenly, though, she got worried, as she thought of something else: had he lived here with another woman?

She was afraid to ask.

He suddenly turned and looked at her.

“No, I did not,” he said. “I lived here alone. I assure you. You’re the first woman I’ve ever taken here.”

Caitlin felt relieved, though embarrassed at his reading her mind.

“Come on,” he said. “This way.”

He led her up a spiral stone staircase, and it twisted and turned, and let them out on the second floor. This floor was much brighter, with large, arched windows facing every direction, sunlight pouring in, reflecting the distant sea. The rooms were smaller here, more intimate. There were more marble fireplaces, and as Caitlin wandered from room to room, she saw a huge four-poster bed dominating one of them. Chaise lounges and overstuffed velvet chairs, were spread throughout the other rooms. There were no rugs, just a bare stone floor. It was very stark. But beautiful.

He led her across the room, to a set of huge, glass doors. They’d been covered in so much dust, she hadn’t even known they were there. He stepped up and tugged hard at the locks and knobs, and finally, with a bang and a cloud of dust, they opened.

He stepped outside, and Caitlin followed.

They stepped out onto a huge, stone terrace, framed by an ornate limestone, column railing. They walked together up to the edge, and looked out.

From here, they had a commanding view of the entire countryside, of the ocean. Caitlin could hear the crashing of the waves, and smell the sea heavy in the air on the rolling breezes. She felt like she were in heaven.

If Caitlin had ever imagined a dream house, this would definitely be it. It was dusty, and it needed a woman’s touch, but Caitlin knew that they could fix it up, could get it to the state that it once was. She felt that this was truly a place they could call home together.

“I was thinking about what you said,” he said, “the entire flight here. About our building a life together. I would like that very much.”

He put an arm around her.

“I would like for you to live here with me. For us to start our life over again. Right here. It’s quiet here, and safe, and protected. No one knows about this place. No one will ever find us here. I see no reason why we can’t live out our lives safely, as regular people,” he said. “Of course, it will need a lot of work to fix it up. But I’m game, if you are.”

He turned and smiled at her.

She smiled back. She had never been more game in her life.

More than that, she felt deeply touched that he’d invited her to live with him. Nothing had ever meant more to her. The truth was, she would have lived with them anywhere, even if it was just a hut in the woods.

“I’d love to,” she answered. “I just want to be with you.”

Her heart pounded as they came together in a kiss, the sound of the waves in the background, the ocean breezes rolling over them.

Finally, everything was perfect in her world again.

*

Caitlin had never been so happy as she ambled through the house, going room to room, carrying a washcloth. Caleb had left, had gone out hunting, excited to bring them both home dinner. She was thrilled, because it gave her some time alone to walk through the house, to take it all in, by herself, and to look at it, with a woman’s eye, for how she could fix it up and make it a home for them both.

She walked through the rooms, opening windows, letting in the ocean air. She’d found a pail and rag and had gone down to the stream she’d seen running through the backyard, and had returned with an overflowing pail full of water. She’d run the rag through the stream until it was as clean as could be. She’d found a large crate to stand on, and as she opened each of the huge, medieval windows, she stood up on the crate, and wiped each pane. There were a few windows which were simply too high for her to reach, and for these, she activated her wings, fluttering high in the air, and hovering before the windows as she cleaned them.

She was shocked at the immediate difference it made. The room transformed from being dark to being completely flooded with light. There must’ve been hundreds of years of caked dirt and salt on both sides of the pane. Indeed, just opening each window was a feat in itself, taking all her might to yank them free of rust and debris.

Caitlin looked carefully and was in awe at the craftsmanship of each window. Each window pane was several inches thick, and had the most beautiful design. Some of the glass was stained, some was clear, and some had the slightest tint of color. As she wiped each one down, she could almost feel the house’s gratitude, as it slowly, inch by inch, came back to life.

Caitlin finally finished and surveyed it again. She was shocked. What had before been a dark, uninviting room, was now an incredible, sun-filled room, with a view of the ocean.

Caitlin turned to the floors next, getting down on her hands and knees and scrubbing them foot by foot. She watched with satisfaction as inches of dirt came off, and the beautiful, huge stones began to shine through.

After that, she turned to the enormous marble mantelpiece, wiping off years of dust. Then she turned to the huge, ornate mirror above it, wiping it down until it shone. She was bummed that she could still not see her reflection—but she knew there was little she could do about that.

She turned to the chandelier next, wiping each and every one of its crystal laden candle holders. After that, she set her sights on the four-poster bed. She wiped down each of its posts, and then its frame, slowly bringing back to life the ancient wood. She grabbed the aging blankets and went to the terrace and shook them hard, clouds of dust flying everywhere.

Caitlin returned to the room, her would-be bedroom, and surveyed it: it was now magnificent. It shone as brightly as any room in any castle. It was still medieval, but at least now it was fresh and inviting. Her heart soared at the idea of living here.

She looked down and realized that the water in the bucket had turned completely black, and bounded down the steps and out the door, eager to refill it in the stream.

Caitlin smiled as she thought of what Caleb’s reaction would be when he came back. He would be so surprised, she thought. She would clean out the dining room next. She’d try to create an intimate environment in which they could have their first meal together in a new home—the first, she hoped, of many.

As Caitlin arrived at the waterbank, sinking to her knees in the soft grass, emptying and filling the bucket, she suddenly felt her senses on high alert. She heard a rustling noise, close by, and sensed an animal approaching her.

She quickly spun, and was surprised at what she saw.

Approaching her slowly, just feet away, was a wolf pup. Its fur was all white, except for a single streak of gray running down its forehead and back. What struck Caitlin most was its eyes: they stared back at Caitlin as if it knew her. What’s more: they were the same eyes as Rose.

Caleb felt her heart pounding. She felt as if Rose had come back from the dead, had been reincarnated in some other animal. That expression, that face. The fur color was different, but otherwise, this could have been Rose reborn.

The wolf pup, too, seemed startled to see Caitlin. It stopped, staring at her, then slowly, cautiously, took a few tentative steps towards her. Caitlin scanned the woods, looking to see if other pups were around, or its mother. She didn’t want to end up in a fight.

But there was no other animal anywhere in sight.

As Caitlin examined the pup more closely, she saw why. It was limping badly, blood coming from its paw. It look injured. It had probably been abandoned by its mom, Caitlin realized, left to die.

The wolf pup lowered its head, and walked slowly, right up to Caitlin. Then, to Caitlin’s surprise, it lowered its head and rested it in her lap, whining softly as it closed its eyes.

Caitlin’s heart leapt. She had missed Rose so badly, and now she felt as if she’d come back to her.

Caitlin set the bucket down, reached out, and took the pup in her arms. She held it close to her chest, crying as she did, remembering all the time she’d spent with Rose. Despite herself, the tears rolled down her cheeks. The pup, as if sensing it, suddenly looked up at her, leaned back, and licked the tears from her face.

Caitlin leaned down and kissed it on its forehead. She held it tight, cuddling it to her chest. There was no way she could let it go. She would do whatever she had to to help it heal and bring it back to life. And, if the wolf wanted, to keep her as a pet.

“What shall I call you?” Caitlin asked. “We can’t do Rose again….How about…Ruth?”

The pup suddenly licked Caitlin’s cheek, as if responding to the name. That was as definitive an answer as Caitlin could have asked for.

Ruth it was.

*

Caitlin, Ruth at her side, had just finished cleaning the dining room, when she spotted something interesting along the wall. There, beside the fireplace, were two long, silver swords. She picked up one of them, dusted it off, and admired the hilt, encrusted with jewels. It was a beautiful weapon. She set down the rag and pail, and couldn’t resist giving it a go. She swung the sword wildly, left and right in circles, switching hands, all throughout the cavernous room. It felt great.

She wondered how many other weapons Caleb had here. She could have a field day training with them.

“I see you found the weapons,” Caleb said, suddenly walking in the door. Caitlin immediately set down the sword, self-conscious.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to pry into your stuff.”

Caleb laughed. “My house is yours,” he said, as he walked into the room carrying two huge deer slung over his shoulder. “Whatever I have, you’re welcome to. Besides, you’re a girl after my own heart. I would have went right for the swords, too,” he said with a wink.

He strutted through the room, carrying the deer, then suddenly stopped and turned, doing a double take.

“Wow,” he said, in shock. “It looks like a new place!”

He stood there, staring, wide-eyed. Caitlin could see how impressed he was, and she felt happy. She looked at the room herself, and saw that it was indeed transformed. They now had a gorgeous, dining room, replete with table and chairs for their first meal.

Ruth suddenly whined, and Caleb looked down, and saw her for the first time. He looked even more surprised.

Caitlin suddenly worried if he’d mind having the pup here.

But she was relieved to see that his eyes opened wide in delight.

“I can’t believe it,” Caleb said, staring, “those eyes…she looks just like Rose.”

“Can we keep her?” Caitlin asked, hesitantly.

“I’d love to,” he answered. “I’d give her a hug, but my hands are full.”

Caleb continued with the deer, through the room, and down the corridor. Caitlin and Ruth followed him, and watched him set down the deer in a small room, atop a huge slab of stone.

“Since we don’t really cook,” he said, “I thought I’d drain the blood for us. Then we could drink together, for dinner. I thought I’d take care of the messy work in here, so we could just sit before the fireplace and drink in style.”

“I’d like that,” Caitlin said.

Ruth sat at Caleb’s heels, looking up and whining as he carved. He laughed, cut a small piece for her, and reached down and fed it to her. She snapped it up and whined for more.

Caitlin headed back to the dining area, and began wiping down the goblets she’d seen. Before the mantle sat a pile of furs, and she gathered them up and took them out to the terrace, shaking them out in preparation.

While Caitlin waited for Caleb to finish, she looked out at the sunset, breaking over the horizon. She could hear the sound of the waves, breathed in the salt air, and had never felt more relaxed. She stood there and closed her eyes, and she wasn’t even aware of how much time had passed.

When Caitlin opened her eyes again, it was nearly dark.

“Caitlin?” came the voice, calling out for her.

She turned and hurried back inside. Caleb was already in there, carrying two huge silver goblets of the venison blood. He was in the process of lighting candles, all throughout the dim room. She came over and joined him, setting the furs back down.

Within moments, the room was completely lit, glowing with candlelight in every direction. The two of them sat together on the furs, before the fireplace, and Ruth ran up and set beside them. The windows were open and a breeze wafted through, and it was actually getting cool in here.

The two of them sat beside each other, and looked into each other’s eyes as they toasted.

The liquid felt so good. She drank and drank, as he did, and she had never felt so alive. It was an incredible rush.

Caleb looked rejuvenated, too, his eyes and skin shining. They turned and faced each other.

He reached up, and slowly touched her cheek with the back of his hand.

Caitlin’s heart started to pound, and she realized she was nervous. It felt like it had been forever since she had last been with him. She had imagined a moment like this for so long, but now that it was here, she felt like it was her first time with him, all over again. She could see that his hand was trembling, and she realized he was nervous, too.

There remained so many things she wanted to say, so many questions she had for him, and she could see that he was brimming with questions, too. But at this moment, she didn’t trust herself to speak. And apparently, he didn’t either.

The two of them kissed passionately. As his lips met hers, she felt overwhelmed with emotion for him.

She closed her eyes as he came in closer, as they met in a passionate embrace. They rolled onto the furs, and she felt her heart surge with emotion.

Finally, he was hers.