Chapter 6 - Day Off

“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind,” Chevalier said, holding the reins to the painted stallion.

“This won’t take long,” Emily told him, laughing as she led Patra into the corral.

“Breeding horses isn’t my idea of a nice quiet day with you,” he chuckled.

“Don’t push it. If this doesn’t work, we get to try to artificially inseminate her,” Emily said, and grinned at him.

“Yeah, I’m not doing that.”

“You have a problem with breeding?”

“Just the horses,” Chevalier chuckled.

“Ok, let go on three and then clear the area,” Emily said. She counted slowly to three, and they both let go of the reins and ran to the fence, crawling through it quickly.

“So much for romance,” Chevalier said, watching the stallion chase the mare around.

“Maybe they don’t want to be watched… want to go riding?” Emily asked him.

“It’s your day,” he said, and she ran into the stables as he chased her, growling.

Chevalier cornered her and kissed her softly.

“Get a room,” Kyle chuckled from behind them.

Chevalier turned and glared at him, “Why are you here?”

“Cavalry… remember? We’re taking the entire group out today, so there’s about to be more of us,” Kyle said as he slipped a bridle on his stallion.

“That leaves us short a horse,” Emily said, frowning.

“I’m sure there’s enough room on my Arabian,” Chevalier said, taking a bridle into his stall.

“Yeah I guess, if we don’t use a saddle,” Emily sat down on a bale of hay and reached down to tuck her pant legs into her boots. She laid back on the hay and yelled, “Ugh!”

“What’s wrong?” Chevalier asked as he led the stallion out into the stable.

“I can’t reach my boots,” she said, frustrated.

Chevalier knelt on the hay and kissed her, taking her face in his hands. Emily wrapped her hands around to the back of his neck.

Mark cleared his throat from the door to the stables.

Chevalier looked up at him, “You’re all fired, go away.”

Mark grinned and went into the stall with his mare.

Chevalier helped Emily sit up and she went over to the Arabian, “I can’t believe I’m going to ride this monster.”

“He’s not a monster, he just has personality,” Chevalier said, and pulled the horse over to Emily.

Emily put her hands up on the Arabian’s back and tried to hoist herself up, “My God, I’m too fat to get on a horse.”

Kyle laughed from inside the stall.

Chevalier chuckled and lifted her up onto the stallion’s back and then jumped up behind her.

“Were you laughing at me?” Emily snapped, and started to dismount, but Chevalier held her on the horse.

“You can attack him later, let’s go,” Chevalier said, and kicked the Arabian into a canter. Emily took the reins and headed the stallion up to the woods outside of town. She leaned back against Chevalier’s chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

Once they made it outside of the city, Emily turned the stallion toward town. She loved to look over the beautiful city. Chevalier kissed her neck and moved slowly down her shoulder.

“Chev?” Emily asked.

“Mm?” He bit softly on the back of her neck.

“Someone’s coming,” she told him.

Chevalier looked up, and his keen eyes took in the visitors.

“Encala,” he hissed.

Emily kicked the stallion, but Chevalier pulled back on the reins, “They can outrun the horse, just wait here. Don’t ash them, no matter what.”

Chevalier slid off of the Arabian’s back, and walked forward a few steps, “Care to explain why you’re here?”

Emily counted twelve Encala. They stopped ahead of Chevalier and the one in the middle smiled.

“No harm intended. We came to seek an audience with the Winchester,” he said, and glanced briefly at Emily.

Emily watched them closely.

“If you have something to say, you can say it from there. Get any closer and I’ll have to intervene,” Chevalier warned, his hands curled into claws.

“We didn’t come to fight. We came as peaceful diplomats to check on her welfare,” the Encala said.

“She’s fine,” Chevalier hissed.

“Good, then she’ll be up for the trip,” he said, and the twelve Encala advanced on Chevalier.

Emily gasped and scrambled off of the horse. She felt two arms wrap around her and hold her as she fought to get to Chevalier. She couldn’t see him, he was surrounded by Encala, but they were falling around him.

“Kyle!” Emily screamed, but was cut off by a hand over her mouth.

Thinking fast, Emily bit the hand of the heku holding her, and kicked hard at his knee. She heard the loud crunch of his kneecap just as he let go of her and fell to the ground. She turned around and kicked the side of his head with her cowboy boot. She spun and saw the small depression in the side of his skull.

Emily jumped onto the back of one of the heku that was attacking Chevalier and wrenched his neck hard to the side. He fell under her, but another grabbed her and pulled her off of him. One had her upper body and one had her legs. She kicked and struggled, but couldn’t get to any of their weak points.

She heard Chevalier roar and the head of an Encala fell beside her on the grass. She felt a handhold a rag over her mouth and nose and then darkness took over.

Chevalier heard the sound of hoof beats as he ripped the arm off of an attacker and spun. He slammed the arm into the face of another that was behind him. The Cavalry arrived and they jumped from their horses and landed squarely on the back of the attacking Encala. Chevalier looked around quickly for Emily, but didn’t see her. Finally, he caught sight of two heku off in the distance and blurred toward them.

One of the Encala broke off from the other and spun on Chevalier, he crouched low and hissed. Chevalier slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. They began to wrestle and claw at each other, both trying to get a grip on the other.

As soon as Chevalier felt his hands fall onto the Encala’s solid head, he tore fiercely and ripped his head from his body. Covered in blood, Chevalier ran toward the other Encala, who disappeared into the trees with Emily cradled in his arms.

He appeared where the Encala disappeared, and sniffed the air. His senses were honed in on Emily and the trail was easy to follow. He heard the footsteps of several of the Cavalry behind him as he ran deeper into the forest. Ahead, he could see the Encala leaning over Emily, who was lying flat on the forest floor.

Chevalier and the three cavalry members lunged at him simultaneously, and they fell several feet away, tearing at the limbs of the Encala. He screamed in agony as every part of his body was torn away from his torso, followed lastly by his head.

Chevalier stood up, out of breath, and looked at Emily. He walked forward slowly, followed by the Cavalry. He was confused and angry at what he saw. Emily had a needle in her arm, and her blood was draining into a bag. She was unconscious, but had blood running down the corners of her mouth.

He knelt down beside her and pulled the needle from her arm. He handed the bag of blood to a member of the Cavalry, who dumped it out onto the forest floor. Chevalier picked her up gently in his arms and carried her limp body back toward the others.

“Are any left alive?” Chevalier growled and darkness fell over his features.

“Yes, three of them, they are restrained,” Mark said, catching up to the Elder.

Kyle ran forward when they got close, “Is she ok?”

“I don’t know yet,” Chevalier growled, his eyes fixed on the three Encala.

Chevalier handed Emily off to Kyle and walked forward.

Kyle looked down at her and frowned, “Did they force-feed her blood?”

Mark walked up to her and touched the blood with the tip of his finger, he tasted it and grimaced, “It’s heku blood.”

Chevalier stopped in front of the three restrained Encala, “Take them to the prison. I’ll take care of them myself… no one touches them.”

The Cavalry members nodded and began walking back towards the palace. Chevalier hopped up on his Arabian stallion and led him over to Kyle, then reached down and Kyle handed Emily up to him.

“We’ll get the horses and be right in,” Kyle said angrily.

Chevalier kicked the stallion into a gallop and headed back for the palace, with Emily cradled motionlessly in his arms. A guard came and took the Arabian as Chevalier slid off of him and carried Emily inside. Damon met them at the door.

“What happened?” Damon asked, his eyes wide.

“Encala attack,” Chevalier hissed. “Get the doctor.”

The faction doctor arrived just as Chevalier was laying Emily down on the bed. Damon was standing by the door watching.

“Chloroform,” he said. “I can smell it on her. That means she should be awake soon.”

The doctor got out a stethoscope and listened to Emily’s heart and lungs, then took her blood pressure. He moved it down to her belly and listened carefully to the baby and then pulled her shirt up a bit and pressed down around her entire abdomen.

The doctor then pulled out a Doppler and held it against Emily’s tummy. He quickly picked up the rapid heartbeat of the baby. He got a measuring tape and measured from her breastbone to her pubic bone and put it back in his bag just as Emily started to stir.

“Whose blood is this?” he asked, and wiped her mouth clean.

“It’s heku blood,” Chevalier said chillingly.

The doctor frowned, “Why would they force her to drink heku blood?”

Chevalier growled, his hands balled into fists.

“To strengthen the runes,” Damon said from the doorway.

“Chev!” Emily screamed, and sat up suddenly.

He sat down beside her and took her in his arms, “It’s ok, I’m here.”

“The Encala…” she whispered, and grabbed his shirt in her fists.

“They’re dead,” he said, and kissed her forehead.

“I can taste… something,” she said softly.

“Drink this,” he said, and handed her some chocolate milk that Damon had already requested for her.

Emily drank all of it quickly, and then leaned back against Chevalier. He touched her hair softly.

“I’m so sorry,” she said softly.

Chevalier frowned, “Why are you apologizing?”

“They were after me.”

“That’s still not your fault,” Chevalier told her, and looked up at the doctor.

“Everything with Emily and the baby looks good. I’m worried though, that’s a big baby,” the doctor said to both of them. “Your blood pressure’s high too. I’ll want to check that again tomorrow.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Chevalier whispered to Emily, and she shook her head.

Chevalier whispered under his breath, too low for Emily to hear, and watched as Damon nodded and blurred from the room. The doctor followed him and shut the door.

Emily looked down at the small puncture wound on the crook of her arm, “What did they do?”

“They were taking blood from you,” Chevalier told her.

“Why?”

“The runes, I suspect they were taking it back to Vaughn,” he said. “They gave you his blood, too.”

Emily frowned, “I drank Vaughn’s blood?”

“I think so. There’s really no way to be sure.”

“That’s disgusting,” she said, and looked up at Chevalier. “Are you ok?”

Chevalier smiled, “I’m fine.”

“There were so many of them.”

“I’m fine.”

“Why did you tell me not to ash them? There were only 12.”

“You don’t need that strain on your body right now. I knew I could handle them, of course, you had to go and call the Cavalry to take my glory.” Chevalier smiled and ran his lips softly against hers.

“This taste is awful,” Emily said, and wrinkled her nose.

“Even heku don’t like heku blood. What would you like?”

“Ice cream,” she said, and crawled onto his lap. “Does that mean my day is over?”

“Why would you say that?” Chevalier asked, wrapping his arms around her.

Emily shrugged and took the ice cream from the servant who brought it in. She took a bite and looked around the room.

“What do you want to do for the rest of the day? Sam is taking Allen to a movie after school,” Chevalier said, and shook his head when Emily offered him a bite of ice cream.

Emily put down the empty bowl and turned to Chevalier, “You’re covered in blood, go shower and I’ll think of something.”

Chevalier nodded, kissed her softly, and got up, disappearing into the bathroom. Emily scrambled off the bed as soon as she heard the water running and ran down the stairs.

When Chevalier came out she was sitting on the couch waiting for him.

“Much better,” Emily said, and smiled.

“Miss me?” he asked, and sat down beside her.

“Always.” Emily turned away from him quickly when she felt the tickle of blood in her nose.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, touching her shoulder.

“Nothing, runny nose,” she said, and grabbed a tissue before walking into the bathroom and shutting the door. She sat down on the floor and shut her eyes against the new pounding in her head as she tried to stop the nosebleed.

Chevalier went to the bedroom door when he heard someone approach. Damon was just about to knock.

“What?” Chevalier asked.

“Am I supposed to revive them?” Damon asked.

“Revive who?”

“Those three Encala.”

“What happened to them?” Chevalier asked, confused.

Damon frowned, “Emily.”

Chevalier sighed, “Revive them. I’m not done with them.”

“Will do… I’ve never seen her do that before though,” Damon said, turning toward the stairs.

“Do what?”

“Hold them without killing them. I have to say it’s kind of impressive. I could smell their burning flesh for a few minutes before they actually turned to ash.”

“Just revive them,” Chevalier told him.

Damon nodded and headed down the stairs.

Chevalier stepped back inside and knocked on the bathroom door, “Em? Can I come in?”

When Emily didn’t respond, he stepped into the bathroom and saw her sitting on the floor with her hands pressed against her eyes. There were bloody tissues beside her on the floor.

Chevalier sat down beside her, “How bad is it?”

“Shhhh,” she whispered.

“Damon’s going to revive them. I haven’t had a chance to hear what they have to say,” Chevalier said softly. He reached up and turned the light off in the bathroom.

Emily looked up now that the light wasn’t hurting her eyes, “Can I watch?”

“Watch what?”

“You and them… in the interrogation room?”

“No, that’s… that’s out of the question,” he said, frowning.

“Why?”

“It’s hard to explain. The smell of blood and fear, the sounds of them screaming in pain… it triggers almost a primal urge to cause pain. You can’t be near when that’s happening, it’s too dangerous,” he said, and helped her up. “Let’s stay in this afternoon, put in a movie, ok?”

Emily nodded and let him lead her into the bedroom. He blurred to the windows and pulled the heavy drapes, drowning the room in darkness.

***

Emily rolled over in bed and realized she was alone. She sat up and looked around the dark room. She could hear voices outside in the hallway, so she stepped out to see who it was.

“Good morning,” Chevalier said, smiling when she came into the hallway.

Emily nodded and leaned back against him. Chevalier wrapped his arms around her.

“I think we’re all ready, unless Emily wants to use the room first,” Damon said with a mischievous grin.

Emily didn’t need to be told what he was talking about, “You offering to let me practice on you?”

“Like you could hurt me,” Damon laughed.

“Is that a challenge?”

“Hey,” Chevalier warned them both.

“What would you do? Sit on me?” Damon asked, smirking.

“Are you calling me fat?”

“If the tent fits…”

“Damon…” Chevalier growled.

Damon looked at Chevalier just as Emily drew back and punched him in the nose.

“Blood-sucking parasite!” Emily screamed at Damon, and stepped toward him.

Chevalier wrapped an arm under her arms and lifted her off the ground, “Both of you calm down. You two are worse than kids.”

“She… but she…” Damon hissed, but stopped when Chevalier glared at him. He turned on his heels and blurred down the stairs.

“Wimp!” Emily yelled after him.

“You better watch it. One of these days he’s going to lose his temper with you,” Chevalier said, carrying her into the room. He set her down inside and shut the door.

“Why is no one ever afraid I’ll lose my temper with him?” Emily asked, crossing her arms.

“Because you aren’t a naturally violent person, and he is,” Chevalier said, and took the dome off of a tray.

Emily put her hand on her stomach, “No food… ugh.”

“Are you feeling ok?” Chevalier asked as she laid down on the bed.

“No, my stomach has been upset since last night,” Emily said, and pulled the covers up. “Go to work, I’m just going to nap.”

Chevalier nodded and left for the council chambers, and she was able to quickly fall asleep.

***

Emily looked up at the ceiling and frowned. She sat up suddenly and started to panic. Nothing looked familiar, her clothes were different, and her hair was longer. She scrambled out of bed and backed up against the wall.

“Keith?” she yelled, hoping he would come explain what was happening. Emily caught sight of herself in the mirror and gasped when she saw her pregnant belly.

“Keith?” she screamed louder.

Mark opened Emily’s door to see if she needed something, and saw the look of horror on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Mark asked, stepping into the room.

“Who are you?” Emily whispered. She was too afraid of the strange man to speak louder.

“Emily, what’s wrong?” Mark asked, frowning.

“Don’t come near me,” she said louder, and then screamed. “Keith!”

Mark raised his hands, “I won’t, I promise.”

“You’re one of them aren’t you?” she asked, starting to get angry.

“One of who?” Mark asked.

“The vampires.”

Mark narrowed his eyes, “Do you know where you are?”

Emily glanced quickly around the room, looking for a weapon. She saw a familiar item, her bag, tucked by the dresser. She ran to it and opened it, then pulled out the 9mm and turned it on Mark.

“Where’s Keith?” Emily asked, pointing the gun directly at his heart.

“I don’t know,” Mark said, unsure what to say or do.

Emily pulled on a robe she saw hanging over a chair and tied it around her waist, “Get in the closet.”

Mark slowly moved to the closet and stepped inside. He saw fear in her eyes as she shut the door, and he heard it lock from the outside. As soon as Emily ran from the room, he opened the door and followed after her.

Emily hit the stairs running and descended, two at a time, unsure why her leg was hurting. She ignored the pain and kept going.

“Keith!?” she screamed.

“Emily?” Kyle asked, appearing before her on the stairs. He stopped and put his hands up when she leveled the 9mm at him, “Whoah, what’s up?”

“Stay away from me,” she said angrily.

Kyle looked up at Mark as he quickly filled him in, in a voice too silent for Emily to hear.

“Emily, listen to me,” Kyle said with his hands up. “I can explain, ok? We aren’t going to hurt you.”

“Sure you aren’t, just one little bite, eh? A little blood to quench the thirst?” she asked suspiciously.

“Just put the gun down before you hurt yourself,” Kyle said softly.

“I’m not the one that’s going to get hurt. You better stay back,” she warned.

Kyle took one step toward her, and the sound of a gunshot rang through the palace. The entire Council appeared on the landing below Emily. One of them moved quickly to Kyle, who was shot in the chest but quickly healing.

“Em?” Chevalier asked, frowning.

“Keith!?” Emily screamed, and pointed the gun at the Council.

Chevalier took a step back, his eyes wide. Mark’s lips moved quickly as he whispered what he’d seen.

“Put the gun down,” Damon said sternly.

Emily glared at him, “You would like that, wouldn’t you, vampire? You are not drinking from me.”

“Keith? Sam?” she yelled.

“Yes, Emily?” Sam asked, appearing beside her. He gasped and watched Emily hold the gun on the Equites Council.

“Where’s Keith?” she asked, not taking her eyes off of the Council.

Sam frowned and looked at Chevalier.

“Get back in that room,” Emily yelled at the Council. Chevalier nodded, and they all stepped back into the council chambers.

“Follow me,” Emily said to Sam, and ran down the stairs to the ground floor. She turned on one of the guards and held the gun up to him.

“Where’s the door out?” she asked him, glaring.

The guard frowned, confused, and pointed at the front doors.

“Is this Montana?” she asked the guard, and he shook his head.

“Sam, where is Keith?” she asked again when she stepped out into the daylight.

“He’s… I don’t know where he is,” Sam said.

Emily turned on him, “Are you with the vampires now?”

He shook his head, “No, I’m not.”

“You are acting weird… you are, aren’t you?” she accused.

One of the Cavalry members walked up and patted Sam on the back, “Emily, Sam, how’s it going?”

Emily stepped back from them and pointed her gun at Sam, “How could you, Sam? You were my Dad’s friend. How could you join the vampires?”

The Cavalry guard looked at her with wide eyes. Emily heard the whinny of a horse from behind her, and took a few steps back, the 9mm still directed at Sam and the guard. She couldn’t figure out how she’d gotten here. She just hoped Keith was back at the ranch and would protect her from them. The vampires had never gone so far as to kidnap her before. She knew how mad Keith would be when he found out. Her head was pounding, making it hard to think clearly.

Emily looked around and spoke to herself, “Car… I need a car.”

She spotted the stables and backed toward it, “One move, vampire, and I’ll shoot. You can just stay here, Sam, I… I can’t believe you joined them.”

The guard nodded and watched her closely.

Emily pressed her hand to the side of her head, and fought to clear her mind. The only thing she was sure of was that the vampires kidnapped her, and she had to get back to Montana, to the safety of the ranch and Keith. She tried to remember how long she’d been gone. Long enough to be very pregnant was all she knew.

When she was a safe distance from the vampires, she spun and ran for the stables. The guards watched as she ran past them in her nightgown and robe. Her bare feet made very little noise against the ground. Their orders were to stay away from her, so they moved into the shadows as she passed.

Emily stopped when she got into the stables and turned to make sure no one was following her. She looked around the stables and gasped when she saw Patra watching her from her stall.

Emily grabbed an unfamiliar bridle off of a hook and disappeared into Patra’s stall. She put the bridle on quickly, but couldn’t pull herself up onto the mare. Cursing under her breath, she led the mare into the stables and used a bale of hay to climb onto her back. When she turned the mare toward the exit of the stables, she saw the exit blocked by heku.

She raised her gun toward them, “I have enough ammunition to kill all of you, so back off.”

Chevalier put his hands up in front of him, “Emily, you need to listen to me.”

“Listen to a vampire?” she snapped. She didn’t notice how they winced at the name.

Kyle moved quickly off to the side and Emily spun toward him. She felt arms wrap around her from behind and pull her off of the mare, while another set quickly took the gun.

Emily screamed and fell to the ground as the arms around her turned to ash. The sudden impact made her head hurt worse, and knocked the wind out of her. She looked up as the vampires descended on her.

Chevalier knelt down beside Emily and put her face between his hands, he stared down into her eyes. He hated the way she looked at him with terror filled eyes, but they soon calmed as her breathing slowed to match his. He knew he shouldn’t have been able to control her. This only worked on Emily when she was sick or tired.

“Can you hear me?” he asked, his voice smooth and calm.

“Yes,” Emily whispered.

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where do you live?” he asked, not breaking her gaze.

“Cascade, Montana.”

“Where is Keith?”

“At the ranch,” she said softly.

“Who are the Equites?” Chevalier asked, concentrating on her eyes.

“I don’t know,” Emily said, and then blinked a few times. She screamed and fought against the vampires holding her.

“Do it,” Chevalier ordered, as he re-caught one of her hands and pinned it to the ground. Damon quickly gave her an injection, and then grasped his chest when he felt the burn starting. He fell backwards just as the pain stopped. Emily stopped fighting and fell silent against the ground.

“What the hell was that?” Chevalier asked, letting go of Emily and looking around.

“She’s lost seven years of memory,” Sam said, looking down at her.

“Damon, get Mark revived. He’s the only one that was by her when it happened,” Chevalier said. He picked Emily up, not sure exactly what to do with her.

“She’ll turn us all to ash if we aren’t careful,” Quinn said, looking down at her.

“Move Allen into Kyle’s room, and we’ll have to restrain her to the bed. Sam is the only one she can’t ash, so he’s the only one to have any contact with her until I figure this out,” Chevalier told them.

Chevalier looked over as Mark stood up, still grimacing from the pain of being burned.

“What happened, Mark?” Chevalier asked.

“The first I knew something was wrong was when she started yelling for Keith. I went into her room… and she pulled a gun on me and ordered me into the closet. She even locked the door,” Mark explained.

“Quinn, please talk to Exavior. Mark, get some four-point restraints,” Chevalier said coldly, and headed up to Emily’s room.

Chevalier and Damon hooked the soft leather restraints to her wrists and ankles. They stood back and watched her slow breathing as she slept.

“This was one of her fears,” Chevalier said as he sat down on the bed.

“Losing her memory?” Damon asked.

“No, being restrained,” Chevalier sighed.

“I don’t think we have a choice.”

“I know we don’t. I also know that no heku can be in here until she’s calmed down. Seven years ago, she had no control over the ability, didn’t even know she could do it,” Chevalier said. He remembered the long hours in Colorado it took to get her where she had some shred of control.

“What if she never remembers?” Damon asked, lowering his eyes.

“I don’t know.” Chevalier looked up when Sam entered.

“Allen’s moved over, but he’s pretty upset about being away from his Mom,” Sam said as he approached the bed.

“I’ll talk to him,” Chevalier said.

“If she orders me to let her go, I have to,” Sam reminded him.

“Damnit, I forgot about that,” Chevalier growled.

“Can’t we claim something… like insanity, to nullify that?” Damon asked the familiar.

“I don’t make the rules. I just follow what my master says,” Sam told him.

“Didn’t Emily tell you that you had to obey me?” Chevalier asked him.

“Yes, then she canceled it, and re-issued that order,” Sam said.

“Is there anything I can say to make my word stronger than hers?” Chevalier asked.

“No,” Sam said bluntly.

“What about Allen? Can you move to him as your master as long as Emily is incapacitated?” Damon asked.

Sam thought for a moment, “If I truly believe that Emily is not in her right mind, I would naturally fall to Allen.”

Chevalier growled, irritated, “Well do you?”

Sam nodded, “Yes, I do believe she’s no longer capable of handling the situation. Therefore, Allen would be my new master until that changes.”

“Fine, so I tell you not to let her go, and the only person that can tell you any different would be Allen?” Chevalier asked.

“Yes”

“Then that’s what I’m saying. Give her food, water, whatever she asks for, as long as you don’t undo the restraints,” Chevalier ordered.

Sam sighed, “I agree, though I don’t like it.”

“Doesn’t she have a way of slipping out of restraints?” Damon asked.

“No, these are the kind the Valle used. She couldn’t get out of those,” Chevalier said. He hated himself for putting her in them.

Damon left quietly and Sam sat down on a chair to wait. Chevalier stayed with Emily until she started to wake up, and then left hesitantly. He waited outside of her door, hoping her memory would come back.

“Sam?” she asked softly.

“I’m here.” Chevalier heard him sit on the edge of her bed.

“Let me out of these. Why am I in them?” she mumbled, the drugs were still affecting her.

“Do you know where you are?” Sam asked, and Chevalier cocked his head to the side to listen closer.

“Keith?” Emily screamed, and Chevalier could hear her straining against the binds.

Quinn appeared at Chevalier’s side, “Did Emily ingest more blood from the Encala yesterday, than she did from you when you bonded?”

“Probably, I only gave her a few drops in some wine,” Chevalier said.

“Exavior said that if she ingested more of Vaughn’s blood, it’s allowing them some control over her. They apparently used the control to make her forget the last seven years,” Quinn explained.

“So, what now? She needs to drink my blood to remember it again?” Chevalier asked angrily.

“I asked him and he didn’t know if that would work.”

“But he hasn’t had any of her blood, and I have.”

Quinn nodded, “That’s our only hope, that one connection. He has the runes though, and you don’t, that could very well put you on an even playing field.”

“Does he think the memories are gone?” Chevalier asked as he watched the door. Emily was screaming at Sam to let her go.

“He thinks they are just masked,” Quinn said hopefully.

Chevalier and Quinn turned to the door when they heard Emily scream out in pain. Chevalier stepped in cautiously, and watched her from the door. Emily was screaming and her back was arched. Sam stood helplessly to the side.

“Sam help me! It burns,” she groaned, and fought against the restraints.

Allen appeared in the doorway and screamed, “Sam! Leave her alone!”

Sam nodded, and walked out of the room as Chevalier growled.

“Allen, no! Tell him to come back,” Damon said, and ran out after Allen when he left.

Chevalier took his chances and knelt beside her bed, “What burns?”

“What are you doing to me?” Emily screamed, and then groaned as the burning intensified.

Chevalier pulled the sheet off of her thigh and looked at the fiery red skin around the runes, and how the skin was starting to blister. He knelt by her side and held her face between his hands. Again he was able to lock her gaze.

“Leave her alone,” he said, concentrating on her eyes.

Emily was relaxed beneath him. He held her gaze, even when Damon came into the room. He was listening, hoping to catch an emotion, or image of what was happening to her.

“Sleep,” he whispered after a few minutes, and she slowly closed her eyes.

Chevalier crouched down and pushed the sheet off of Emily’s thigh. It was still blistered and red, the runes barely visible beneath the burn. He began to gently rub her ankles. They were purple and welted from her struggle against the restraints.

“If she’s not afraid, she won’t attack,” Chevalier said to Damon.

“We lost Sam. Allen won’t tell him to come back because he thinks Sam was hurting her,” Damon explained.

“Great”

“How do we keep her from being afraid, when she’s tied up in a strange location?” Damon asked.

“We don’t, we untie her.”

“Then she’ll run.”

“Leave us,” Chevalier said, and heard Damon leave, shutting the door behind him.

“Em?” he said, softly touching her cheek.

“Keith?” she whispered.

Chevalier looked at her and sighed, “Forgive me, please.”

He pulled his shirt back away from his right wrist and bit himself until his own blood poured freely, then put a hand against her lower jaw and pulled her mouth open. He hesitated for a moment, and then moved his hand over her face, letting the blood pour into her mouth. When Emily started to fight, he held her chin tightly so she couldn’t move away from him. He watched as she began to wake fully. When she did, he pushed her lower jaw shut so she couldn’t spit it out.

Emily struggled to spit out the thick liquid, but couldn’t get her mouth open.

“Swallow it,” he said, looking into her eyes. She stopped struggling as he locked her gaze, and she finally swallowed the blood.

Chevalier fell back to the floor and leaned against the wall. Emily was awake now and pulling frantically against her restraints. He watched as his arm slowly healed, erasing the only trace left of what he had done.

“Keith… please,” she said softly, and settled down on the bed. “Help me.”

Emily sounded helpless and alone. Her heart-wrenching plea for help from her abusive ex-husband made Chevalier furious. He couldn’t move, though. He didn’t want to alert her to his presence. For now, he could watch her in secret. Chevalier heard a knock on her door and it opened slowly.

Silas came in, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He glanced once at Chevalier, and Chevalier wondered what he was up to.

Emily looked at Silas with terrified eyes, “Get away from me!”

“Shhh,” Silas said, and shut the door behind him. “Are you a vampire?”

Chevalier started to say something, but stopped and watched.

“No,” Emily said angrily.

“Me either, let me get you out of those. I think we can get away from them,” Silas said, and moved to her side. He pulled and struggled with the restraints, Chevalier even heard him groan once from pulling so hard.

Chevalier nodded, the plan was brilliant, and he wondered who came up with it. It was similar to the Valle’s use of Tim, someone to gain her confidence, yet someone to watch over her.

“Damn, they are locked,” Silas said, and looked around the room.

“Try again, get me out of these,” Emily begged him.

Silas tried again, but pretended he couldn’t get them off of her, “Slip your hands out while I pull them, ready?”

“Ready,” Emily said.

Chevalier heard the two of them pulling and straining, finally, Emily sighed, “They’re too tight.”

“Someone’s coming,” Silas said, and slipped into her closet. Chevalier heard someone come in the room.

“Go away!” Emily screamed.

“It’s just some food,” a strange voice said.

The door to the room shut and Silas emerged from the closet and looked around, “What did they want?”

“They brought food,” Emily told him. “Idiot, how do they think I’m supposed to eat?”

Chevalier chuckled silently. They had forgotten that tiny part of their plan. He was impressed with Silas’ quick thinking.

“Maybe it’s just to torture you with. You have to be hungry, I know I am. I haven’t eaten in days,” Silas said.

“Yeah, I’m hungry too,” Emily said.

Silas went over and picked the dome off the tray, “This really looks good.”

“Don’t eat it!” Emily said.

“I don’t know, I’m really hungry,” Silas said, looking down at the food.

“What is it?” she asked, trying to see it.

“Grilled cheese,” he said, and picked it up and sniffed it. He turned back to Emily, “I’m really hungry.”

“Me too. Do you think it’s safe?” she asked.

Silas shrugged, “I’m not sure I care. They can either drain me or poison me.”

Chevalier gasped when he saw Silas take a bite from the sandwich. Silas grimaced and swallowed hard, hiding his face from Emily. He saw Silas gag a few times, and was sure at one point the grilled cheese was coming back up, but he managed to keep it down. Chevalier vowed he’d repay Silas for that bite.

“Is it good?” she asked.

“Very,” Silas said, and with his back to Emily, he pretended to eat and tossed the proof onto the floor behind the table.

Silas grabbed the other sandwich and turned to Emily, “Do you want one?”

Emily nodded, “Yes.”

Silas moved to her side and whispered, too low for her to hear, “Go.”

Chevalier blurred out of the room. He stopped in the hallway with Mark and Maleth, “That was brilliant.”

“Is she eating?” Mark asked.

Chevalier nodded and listened as Silas relayed that her headache was back, and she was getting sick to her stomach. Chevalier felt guilty, those were the same symptoms she’d had the night she was forced to drink Vaughn’s blood.

“Where’s Damon?” Chevalier asked.

“In the prison, last I saw,” Maleth said.

“I will be down there, too. I have some unfinished business,” Chevalier said, and blurred away.

***

By evening, Chevalier had been able to release a lot of his anger on a few of the prisoners, and headed back upstairs with Damon. They could hear Emily screaming from the foyer, still yelling for Keith.

Chevalier looked up the stairs and nodded when Damon excused himself for the council chambers. Chevalier headed up to their room. Silas was sitting outside of the door looking angrily at a servant.

“What happened?” Chevalier whispered.

“Imbecile here… came in and asked why I was in the closet,” Silas said, glaring at the servant.

“Damn,” Chevalier said, and looked at the door.

“All that work and it’s blown now,” Silas scowled.

“Deal with him,” Chevalier said, and stepped into the room.

Emily stopped screaming and looked over at him from the bed. Her terror turned to rage, which Chevalier recognized was even more dangerous of an emotion for her to have.

“I just want to talk to you, ok?” Chevalier asked from across the room.

“Do I have a choice?” Emily snapped.

“No, I guess you don’t,” Chevalier said, and smiled slightly.

“Where’s Keith?”

“He’s back in Montana.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Two days.”

“He’ll kill you,” she said, grinning coldly.

“I would imagine he will,” Chevalier said, watching her.

“Where’s the little boy?”

“He’s around, somewhere.”

“Is he your prisoner, too?” Emily asked, narrowing her eyes.

“No, he is my son,” Chevalier explained.

“Vampires have children?”

“I’m not a vampire.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Do I look familiar to you?”

Emily looked at him for a few seconds, “No… let me go.”

“I can’t, not yet.”

“Why?”

“It’s hard to explain. You’re confused, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Why not? Don’t want to lose a good meal?” Emily asked, scowling.

“My son… did he look familiar?” Chevalier asked.

“Yes,” Emily said harshly.

“He did?” There was a glimmer of hope in Chevalier’s face.

“He looks like you.”

Chevalier nodded and left the room. He could hear her cry out for Keith again when the door shut. He sat down in a chair set out in the hallway.

“Are you mad at me?” Allen asked from the doorway of Kyle’s room.

Chevalier shook his head and patted his knee. Allen walked over and crawled into his lap.

“I’m not mad at all, not at you,” Chevalier said. “Why would you think that?”

Allen shrugged, “Just making sure.”

“Tell me what’s up.”

“Could I ever make you mad enough to lock me in prison?” Allen looked up at his Dad with serious eyes.

“No,” Chevalier said, suddenly frowning. “Why would you think that?”

Again, Allen shrugged.

Chevalier smiled, “You’re worried about your Mom?”

“Why is she tied up?”

“It’s hard to explain, but she won’t be for long, ok?”

“Ok, can you tuck me into bed?” Allen asked.

Chevalier nodded. He tucked Allen in and then returned to the hallway to wait out the night. Just after dawn, he heard Emily wake up.

“Chev!” Emily screamed from the room. “Kyle… help me!”

Chevalier ran into the room. She was pulling against the restraints enough her hands were turning purple. She turned to him, her eyes pleading.

“Let me go,” Emily said frantically. She had the sudden image of him saying no, and finding out she was to be a prisoner of the heku now. She would no longer able to freely come and go, locked in a cell with the others.

“I got it,” Chevalier said, undoing her restraints.

“Who… who put me in these?” she asked as he untied her. She sat up and rubbed her wrists where purple bruises had formed. Emily was ready to run at the first sign that things changed for her in Council City.

“I did, Em,” Chevalier said, sitting down beside her. “Don’t you remember the last two days?”

“You put me in restraints?” she yelled.

“You forgot... everything. You were trying to run back to Keith,” Chevalier said, and took one of her feet to rub her ankle.

Emily thought back. Her mind raced from the Encala attack, to the dream she had about not knowing anyone, not remembering the heku, or her life since the ranch. She remembered shooting Kyle, and threatening the Council with a gun. The images of her dream intensified in her mind, and she realized it was all real.

She frowned and looked around the room, “I thought that was a dream.”

“I wish it had been,” he said softly.

“Mommy!” Allen yelled, and ran into her room and jumped on the bed. Emily winced when his foot brushed against her burned thigh.

Emily held him tightly, “How are you?”

“Do you remember me?” Allen asked, smiling.

Emily mussed his hair and hugged him tightly, “Of course.”

“Who are you betrothed to?” Allen asked, pulling back and looking at Emily.

“No one, I’m already married to your Daddy.”

“Then why do the voices tell you to come to them, because you are betrothed?”

“What voices?” Chevalier asked.

“Just voices, they stopped last night, though,” Allen said. “Can I play the Wii?”

Emily nodded and looked at Chevalier, “I didn’t hear voices.”

“He used to hear the Ancient when he spoke to you too, maybe it’s Vaughn calling you,” Chevalier said, his thoughts far away. “First they made you forget us, and then they call you to them, it all makes sense. The blood the Encala forced you to drink made his link with you stronger.”

“So why did it all stop?” Emily asked, frowning.

Chevalier sighed, “That… may best be kept a secret.”

“Why’s that?” Emily asked.

“Because I broke a promise again, one I’d like to keep to myself,” Chevalier said with a half-smile.

“You know, maybe I don’t want to know,” Emily said, and looked at her bruised wrists. “Did you have to tie me up?”

“I’m sorry, but you were waving the gun at everyone, and we were afraid you’d hurt yourself,” Chevalier said, smiling slightly.

“Will they ever leave me alone?” she asked him, seriously.

“I honestly don’t know.”