Unrequited (6 page)

***

“Oh, Ashton, thank God you're all right. Jackson just called and said you'd left the dance. We were just about to start searching for you.” Elaine Wallace dropped the keys and purse she was holding and rushed to hug her daughter the moment she appeared in the doorway.

“Mama, Daddy, this is Will Leighton.” Ashton pulled away from her mother's embrace and made space for Will to enter the house.

“Mr. Leighton, yes, we met a few days ago. Is everything all right?” Frank Wallace had come forward to shake Will's hand. Both parents now had a concerned expression in their eyes.

“Yes, everything is fine. I saw Ashton leave, so I wanted to make sure she made it home.” Will wasn't sure how to bring up the whole “vampire teacher” thing, but thought it would be best saved for another time. He would have to give it some thought and figure out how best to approach the topic without startling the Wallace’s. He didn’t have to think about it much longer, because Ashton took the lead.

“Will's a vampire.” She spoke the words very matter-of-factly, and Will felt a slight sting when they were said. There would always be some part of him that could never get used to the word.

The Wallace’s were silent. Mrs. Wallace stopped in her tracks. Her smile became frozen, but clearly not out of joy. Mr. Wallace backed up and sat in a recliner with a hard
thud
. They continued staring at Will in a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

***

Ashton was unsure of how to behave. This whole evening was strange and unexpected. Just when she thought she would be able to find some sort of balance in life, Will had come and upset everything. She wondered how her parents were going to react, if they ever regained the ability to speak. A full five minutes had passed and neither of them had yet to utter a word.

“You’re a vampire…but how did you know about Ashton? We've been very careful to conceal her…condition.” Frank had finally found his voice.

“It's hard to explain, sir. I’ve always been able to sense things about others. When your daughter first came into the school, I could detect the presence of someone like myself,” Will explained.

“How many more are there?” Elaine was the one speaking now.

“Just myself, and now Ashton. For a very long time, I thought I was the only one like me.” Will spoke in a calm voice and didn’t try to hurry the situation or over-explain. The Wallace’s needed time to form their thoughts and questions.

“This is all very hard to take in.” Elaine took a seat and stared at the two vampires still standing by the doorway.

Ashton felt for a moment like she was introducing her parents to a potential boyfriend. She had a fleeting instinct to grab hold of Will's hand, as though it were the two of them against the rest of the world. This strange man was going to somehow be a part of her life, she knew it, and the thought confused her.

***

Will could tell the Wallace’s were struggling to understand everything that had transpired in the past few minutes, and he didn’t have to call on his extra senses to make that determination. He knew his presence was going to take some digesting on their part, but all in all, he felt like things had gone well so far. They hadn't ordered him immediately away, and they didn’t seem to feel he was a threat.

For his part, Will was feeling rather upbeat. He'd gone from being alone in the world, to finding a kindred spirit. Not only had he found Ashton, but he'd also found her family, and he hoped to forge a good relationship with them. There was a distinct comfort in being able to share oneself with others. Until now, Henry Pike had been the only one who Will could truly talk to.

“I won't intrude upon you any further, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace. I know this whole situation is a little strange. I'm at your service if, and when, you would like to talk. I've been at this for quite some time, and I believe I have a lot of insight which can help you and Ashton.” Will was still standing at the doorway, and was about to turn and bid them farewell.

“Mr. Leighton—Will—please come tomorrow. I think we will have lots of questions for you, once this has a little time to sink in.” Elaine stood and took a few steps toward Will. He could feel her emotions as she approached. She had a little apprehension, but mostly she contained a mix of curiosity and, of all things, hope.

“I'm afraid I'm out of town tomorrow, but any other time will work, ma'am.” He smiled, eager to ease her.

“Sunday then, around lunchtime. Oh, but I guess you probably don't eat, do you?” Elaine was starting to fidget, and Will knew she was finally accepting he truly was a vampire.

“I would love to join you for lunch. I look forward to it.” Will extended his hand to Mr. Wallace and gave a gentlemanly nod to Mrs. Wallace. He then turned to Ashton, and without thinking, kissed her on the cheek before walking out into the night.

Chapter Eight

Saturday was beautiful and bright. Will was sitting in a small bistro, waiting for his dear friend to arrive. There was quite a lot for the two of them to discuss. The events of the night before had left Will unable to think of anything else.

“Hello there, old man,” Henry's voice boomed from the doorway.

Will laughed and stood to greet his old friend.

“I remember a time when I was the handsome one,” Henry said as he sat down. “I should have insisted you turn me, back when I still had my own hair and teeth.”

Henry often joked that he wished he were a vampire, though in truth, neither of them had ever really considered making it happen. Will knew Henry felt sadness at his friend's eternal journey, and wouldn’t want to trade places with him. Will abhorred the thought of ever subjecting another human to the life of a vampire.

Henry's aged appearance always gave Will a mixed feeling of fascination and sadness. During his prolonged time on Earth, Will had never stayed in a place more than a few years, and he had always cut ties with the people he left behind. Henry was the only person he had ever watched grow from young to old. He knew one day this dear friend would be gone. The pain of that eventuality struck Will every time Henry displayed a new sign of old age.

He had seen his friend grow portly and bald. His once handsome young face was now wrinkled and ruddy. Where Henry had walked with swagger and confidence as a student, he now walked with a cane, arthritis having set in some years before. Still, Henry had not changed in the ways that truly mattered. He was still the most jovial and intelligent person Will had ever known.

“How are you, Henry? Are you ready to enlighten the masses during your presentation today?” Will was very glad to see his friend.

“I just hope people show up, and that at least one of them is actually paying attention.” Henry laughed his hearty laugh and began to scan the menu.

“I'm so glad to see you, and the timing is extraordinary. Something unexpected has happened,” Will said, and then paused as the waitress came to take their order.

“I'll have the turkey club, and my friend here will have nothing, but don't worry, he still leaves a tip.” Henry laughed again and turned his attention back to Will.

“Henry, I've met someone.” Will watched the humor leave Henry's face.

“What do you mean? You've always said you would never—”

“I've met someone like me…another vampire,” Will said in a low voice, making sure he couldn’t be overheard.

Will could see the shock in Henry's face, and proceeded to tell the entire story to his friend. Henry had always been a good advisor. He also had a vast knowledge of the world Will inhabited.

“What do you make of all this?” Will asked when he finished his narrative.

“It's amazing. She’s a new vampire, which means there has been recent activity. Where did you say she was from? Mount Clara? That's not even two hours from here. You need to know how she changed, and if she knows who changed her. I find it more than a little alarming that there is a vampire attacking young women.” Henry took a sip of his water. “I guess we should have known that all vampires aren't as humanitarian as you are.”

“I'm supposed to have lunch with her family tomorrow. Perhaps I can find out more then. This girl is far from an open book. In fact, she wishes I would leave her completely alone. Her family seem like good people though, and they are very concerned about their daughter's wellbeing. Without a doubt, they are going to be more forthcoming with me than she is.” Will had a sudden image of last night and the scene at the Wallace house. Why had he kissed Ashton on the cheek?

“About this girl, what is your exact goal here?” Henry asked the question Will had been asking himself as well.

“I really don't know. For so long I've avoided relationships, with the exception of yours, because they were all doomed to end. Now, that's all changed. I can't sort it out. I don't even really know her, but in a way she is already a part of me.” Even as he spoke, Will recalled the feel of Ashton's hand over his.

As he had driven away from the Wallace house the night before, he’d been filled with something he had long ago given up: dreams. Suddenly Will had a new set of dreams for his life. He’d always wanted to marry and have a family. Children were still out of the question, but a wife was suddenly a possibility. Of course, there would have to be love there, but at least there was finally someone around with whom he could potentially fall in love.

“I really don’t even know if she is someone I’d be interested in.” Will felt like he needed to qualify his dreamer’s thoughts with a dose of reality. The reality being that he didn’t know her, she was a student, and she didn’t seem to care for him very much. Will and Ashton had endless roads ahead, and it was too early to know if they would navigate them together.

Henry was sitting back in his chair and smiling at Will. Without a word being said, Will knew his friend didn’t believe him. Henry obviously suspected Will was falling for Ashton. Will suspected Henry was correct.

The time had come to travel the short distance to the University for Henry's presentation. A large crowd turned out, and Will was pleased for his friend. Henry had a reputation for being a colorful and interesting professor, and today's talk was no exception.

“The world of the paranormal is all around, whether you choose to see it or not.” Henry was speaking to the group. Will smiled at a student sitting nearby. The young man didn’t believe in the paranormal, Will could tell.

Ah, if only you knew how close you were sitting to a vampire
, Will thought to himself and chuckled.

At that moment, a strange feeling took hold of Will. It was much like the day he knew Ashton had arrived, but this time the feeling was even more powerful. Could it be? Was there really another one?

Will looked around. The crowd was large, and he couldn’t tell who this feeling was coming from. He only knew it was located on the far side of the gathering. While Ashton's presence gave Will a sensation of sweetness and light, this new person gave Will an ominous feeling of dread.

The talk ended, and the crowd broke into applause. Will made his way toward the podium and Henry. All the while he tried to identify this new presence. Little did he know that only a few feet away, a pair of black eyes had found him first.

Chapter Nine

Ashton's mother had been staring at her for at least ten minutes. As she put the food into serving bowls; as she carried the bowls to the table; as she helped set the table for lunch with Will. She had felt her mother's eyes on her the entire time.

“What is it?” she finally asked when she couldn’t handle the scrutiny any longer. Something told her all this attention had little to do with the way the napkins were folded.

“Honey, I just want you to know that your father and I support you in all this. Will seems like a nice young man, and your attraction to him is completely understandable, but I hope you two won't make any decisions until after graduation. I know you're almost twenty, but—” Ashton cut her mother off.

“Mama! Have you completely lost your mind? I am not making any plans where Will Leighton is concerned. If I had never changed, you wouldn’t ever dream of condoning a serious relationship with anyone right now. One unwelcome kiss on the cheek and y'all are ready to assume I'm going to spend my life with him, just because he's a vampire. My feelings haven't changed.” Ashton was mortified. She felt like she was in some Jane Austen novel where girls were expected to marry the first eligible man that came along, or in her case, the first immortal who came along.

“Calm down and watch your tone. I'm not trying to force you into something you don't want…but, honey, I wish you wouldn’t reject the possibility of a fuller life before it's even presented to you. Why don't we both try to be open-minded?” Elaine patted her daughter on the shoulder and set about finishing the lunch preparations.

A knock sounded at the door, and Elaine made Ashton go and answer it.

“Not forcing me, huh?” she said before she opened the door.

***

Will was standing on the Wallace’s porch, and was slightly startled when the door flew open. Ashton seemed to be mid-sentence with someone inside the house, but stopped and gave Will and appraising look.

“You're awfully dressed up for lunch,” she said as she showed him into the dining room.

“Oh, I've just come from church.” Will looked up to see Elaine and Ashton staring at him, eyes wide with surprise.

“You go to church? We weren't sure if…” Elaine didn’t finish her thought.

“You weren't sure if you
could
go to church. You can. All that stuff about turning to dust or bursting into flames is a myth. The way I see it, I didn’t choose this life, and God knows if I had my way I would have kept my soul fully intact. I don't really know if I believe the whole 'no soul' thing either. I mean, how can any of us know, right?” Will smiled casually and took a seat at the table.