(Realizations)
"Stand down," the powerfully built man ordered. "This goes no further."
Alex watched in astonishment as the menacing crossbows were immediately lowered. A murmur swept through the group as they stepped back seemingly in awe of the man who had shouldered his way through the group. Older than anyone there, his short gray beard reinforced his stern dignity.
If the Hunters were abashed at the man's appearance Hopkins was enraged at the disappearance of the threat to Alex and Juliet. He rounded on the newcomer.
"Who are you? How did you get here? How dare you interfere in my mission?" the witch finder sputtered.
"My name is Daniel Holtz. And I am here just in time, I hope, because one of my most trusted associates, who is also a good friend, communicated his unease about you and your actions. As for your 'mission', it ends here and now."
"The Hell it does! Not before I settle that witch!" Hopkins screamed. He jerked the crossbow from the grip of a startled Hunter and spun to face Alex. The butt of the weapon touched his shoulder and he squinted through the sights. There were cries of alarm and Alex braced herself, hoping that somehow she could deflect the deadly missile with her branch.
Just as the crazed man's finger touched the trigger there were two loud reports. Hopkins s eyes widened even farther. He looked down. Dropping the crossbow he pawed at his chest before collapsing bonelessly. He hit the ground and didn't move.
Eyes turned. At the edge of the clearing stood a young woman. She held a heavy pistol in a two-handed grip. The muzzle still tracked the fallen witch hunter. Then the young man standing beside her reached over and carefully removed the weapon from her grip. She made no attempt to hold on to it. She sagged against him and he wrapped an arm around her as she stared at Hopkins s unmoving form.
"I never... I mean... not anyone human..." the woman faltered, her face as white as a sheet in the early morning light.
"It's alright Sarah," said the man holding her.
Daniel shook his head. "Abronsius, would you take care of her please?" He turned to one of the female Hunters. "Faith do you have your medical kit?" When the dark haired, leather clad woman nodded he continued. "Good. Please see to the young woman there and care for her until we can get her to a hospital."
Alex stood her ground, warily eyeing the approaching woman. Seeing that Daniel spread his hands wide and reassured her.
"Alex, I realize that you have no reason to trust us. You have been treated horribly. All I can say is that part of this whole terrible error was brought about inadvertently and the rest by over-zealousness on our part combined with a stranger whom we foolishly thought was in sync with our own aims. We were wrong and it's my entire fault. But now I promise you no further harm will come to you."
Alex looked into the man's eyes and believed him. She dropped her improvised club and turned back to Juliet as Faith knelt beside her fallen girlfriend. Tears filled the dark-haired wizard's eyes as she also fell to her knees besides Juliet.
The female hunter turned medic quickly examined Juliet's wound. She pulled a syringe from a backpack she had placed beside her and gave the ex-vampire teen a shot.
"Morphine," she explained at Alex's questioning look as she rapidly checked Juliet's eye and her pulse. "She's going into shock. Bring me some blankets or coats. Not yours," she forestalled Alex's instinctive reaction as she started to struggle out of her jacket. "First yours is soaked through and second you don't need to go into hyperthermia. Especially since your top is in rags. Juliet is going to need you. Take her hand."
Alex did as she was directed, lacing her fingers with Juliet. Other hunters piled warm coats over her fallen lover and one was gently draped over her own shoulders. Its warmth made her realize how much she was shivering.
"Even with the morphine this is going to hurt. Hold tight." directed Faith. She put her hand on the protruding tip of the bolt as two of the Hunters gently but firmly gripped Juliet. Then with one quick jerk of her arm she pulled the impaling arrow forward and through Juliet's shoulder.
In spite of the morphine Juliet cried out and struggled in the seconds it took Faith to remove the bolt. Alex held on for dear life as her girlfriend tried to squeeze her hand off. Then it was over and bandages were quickly bound to Juliet's shoulder and she was lifted on an improvised stretcher. The bearers walked quickly but carefully the rest of the way to the point where Alex had earlier planned for the pair of them to try to swim to safety. A boat was already bobbing there, apparently the one that had brought Daniel there.
Alex was struck by the way that the four hunters who just minutes ago were trying to kill the pair of them waded into the water without breaking stride, patiently holding Juliet clear of the water until they reached the boat's side and stood there while others climbed onto the boat to lift the wounded girl gently onto the deck. She started when a pair of strong arms scooped her up. She looked up to see Daniel's stern face set with concentration as he carried her to the boat. He lifted her up to waiting hands and then was pulled in himself. Immediately the boat roared to life and headed up the coastline as they went below to where Faith was keeping watch on Juliet.
"She'll be fine," the woman medic assured Alex. "The bleeding has stopped. I've given her an antibiotic and hung a bag of blood expander. Right now she's asleep." Alex still wanted to cry as she looked at Juliet but took a deep breath and got herself under control. Daniel's voice broke through her concentration.
"I think the quickest way to get Juliet to the hospital will be to take her up the river to the city. I will have an ambulance standing by when we dock."
"Thank you."
The man shook his head. "You have nothing to thank us for. We let our zeal get in the way of our reason and this was the result. Feel free to tell the police the truth of what happened."
In spite of everything Alex giggled. "You mean tell them that my ex-vampire girlfriend and I were ambushed by a group of Vampire Hunters working with a Witch Hunter who had drugged us so that our magic powers were stifled? I think a simple hunting accident would be a lot better."
A smile tugged at the corner's of the man's mouth. "Probably."
An ambulance was indeed waiting at the end of the pier when the boat docked. Juliet was brought on deck and loaded onto the gurney. The paramedics out her in the back and allowed Alex to ride along when it was explained that Alex's mom in New York was Juliet's legal guardian but that because of the distance involved each of them had a medical power of attorney for the other. Once at the hospital Juliet went off to surgery while Alex filled out paperwork.
The numerous forms and questions kept Alex so busy that before she realized it a Doctor was calling her name. She dropped the clipboard and stood up.
"Here I am."
"Miss Russo I'm Doctor Meltzer. I'm pleased to tell you that your cousin came through everything just fine. Whoever treated her on the scene did a fine job. We had to remove a few splinters of wood from the arrow but she's all stitched up and in Recovery now. We'll be moving her to a room before long. I have the room number here," he smiled, "in case you would like to go up there and wait for her." He raised his hand. "And no, you can't see her in Recovery."
Alex tried her patented puppy-dog eyes to no avail. Darn it, she was really going to have to work on that. It just didn't seem to have the old effect anymore. She sighed. Growing up was really tedious sometimes. However the good news was that Doctor Meltzer told her that overnight should be all that Juliet needed to spend there.
"Good. I hate sleeping in a chair."
Regardless of her grumblings the events of the night caught up to Alex. She settled into a surprising comfortable chair next to the bed where they would be bringing Juliet. She closed her eyes for one moment. When she woke up she cracked one eye open against what she realized after a minute was the glare of the setting sun coming through the blinds. She groaned and forced her other eye open and uncurled herself from the position she had been sleeping in, stretched and yawned.
"It's about time."
Alex's sleepiness dropped away instantly. Juliet was sitting up in bed, a tray across her lap showing evidence that her appetite had not been very good. She was pale but she smiled.
The dark-haired girl was out of her chair like a shot so she could wrap her arms around Juliet. Well, that was the plan. But her legs were still asleep and her back was twisted and she was generally stiff and achy all over both from her nap and from what had happened over the last twenty four hours. But, groaning and announcing her aches and pains, she made her way to her girlfriend, who was shaking with what Alex realized was suppressed laughter.
"What's so funny?" she asked grumpily even as she bent over the bed, slid her arms carefully around Juliet and kissed her.
"Probably that if someone was only listening they would think that you were the one who had been shot," came Daniel's deep voice.
"Humphhhhh," was the only comment Alex made. Somehow it didn't surprise her that the chief of the Hunters was here.
He came around to the other side of the bed. "How are you feeling Juliet?"
"Well, to be honest, I feel like I spent the night running through the forest and then got shot through the shoulder with an arrow."
Amazingly, although he looked a bit sheepish, the older man laughed.
"Well said Juliet. I deserve that." He turned serious. "I came by to check on you. I've spoken with Doctor Meltzer and he assures me you will recover completely although he is going to prescribe some physical therapy for you. I also came to apologize once more for our mistakes; both that of thinking that you were still a vampire Juliet and for letting ourselves be swayed by Hopkins."
"My parents," Juliet spoke hesitantly, "told me there were vampire hunters. And I suppose I really can't blame them, I mean you that is. My father sometimes seems ridiculous and my mother acts like a typical woman but I know deep down that over the centuries they have killed heaven alone how many people. Still," she looked challenging at Daniel, "they ARE my parents and I love them. They made sure that I never fed on a person. I don't know where they are now but if I did I wouldn't tell you."
"Neither would I ask you too Juliet. I am curious though. You were a vampire at one time, this is certain. How did your change take place?"
Juliet smiled and took Alex's hand. "Love and the luck to fall in love with a Wizard."
"Ah, well then it's not something we can bottle and give to all the vampires. It would be nice to bring them back to humanity rather than kill them though. But one does what one must."
"The vampire hunting thing I can understand, although I'm curious how you happened to get involved in it. But who was Hopkins and what was his place in this?" inquired Alex.
"I, and my daughter Sarah whom you met briefly, came to this almost genetically. The head of our family, whom I am named after, was the first vampire hunter in our line in the 17th Century. His cause was just but because of what happened to his first family the army he raised was more of an instrument of vengeance rather than of justice. But before he disappeared he fathered another son, also named Daniel. The line has existed since then, passed from father to son and the descendants of his original force still work with me today."
"And Hopkins?"
"Hopkins also came from a family that specialized in something. In their case it was Witch Finding. Research conducted by my aide, and I hope one day son-in-law, Abronsius showed that the original forbearer, named Matthew as was this man, was a really nasty piece of work. He found witches whether they existed or not and used extortion and torture to wring confessions from people and money from those he 'saved'. This Matthew was sincere but he had inherited, if that can be passed on, his ancestor's fondness for causing pain, although he had made mental justifications for it. Unfortunately he was also quite convincing and charismatic and my daughter Sarah believed him. I am so sorry. I promise you in the future we will be much more careful."
"Fortunately Abronsius was not convinced by him and looked into his motives and actions and discovered enough to warn me. I wish I could have come earlier but I thank God I was there in time. Rest assured you will never be troubled by us again."
He turned to leave and stopped. "Oh, Sarah went through Hopkins s papers and discovered his notes on the drug you were given. It will wear off in a couple of days. What powers you have I don't understand but I trust my instincts that they are not evil. Farewell always." The door closed and he was gone.
The girls looked at the door and then at each other.
"He may be a good guy, even a great man, but I sure am glad he's gone."
"You and me both," replied Alex. She took Juliet's tray, examined it and wolfed down what the other girl had left. Seeing the amusement in Juliet's eyes she snorted. "Hey, I'm hungry!" She finished off the tray and placed it outside the room door. Returning she pried off her tennis shoes and climbed onto the bed. "Now, move over. I'm pooped."
Nurses checking through the night never bothered the two girls. Next morning Doctor Meltzer came by, examined Juliet and pronounced her fit to go home. A wheelchair was brought and Juliet, protesting her ability to walk, was firmly settled into it. Alex pushed her down the hall to the elevator. With a great deal of trepidation Alex went to sign Juliet out and get the bill. The sign out was easy. She was surprised to be told that the bill had already been taken care of. Additionally a man was standing in the lobby holding a sign that read "Alex Russo". He explained that he had a van outside and would drive them back to their apartment.
Reaching their place the man helped Juliet from the van. Being assured that she could walk just fine on her own darn it, he loaded the wheelchair back into the van and promised to deliver it back to the hospital. Alex guided Juliet up the stairs and into the living room of their apartment where she installed her girlfriend in a huge overstuffed chair by the window looking out over the colonial square below. She pulled a stool over, lifted Juliet's feet up and propped them on it, pulling off the other girl's shoes as she did.
"How's that?"
"Lovely."
"Good, because I'm worn out." With that Alex squirmed into the chair beside Juliet, wrapping her arms around her and heaving a sigh of satisfaction.
Juliet threw back her head and laughed. She reached up, took Alex's hand where it draped over her shoulder and squeezed it. "I love you Alex Russo.
Alex grinned. "Tell me something I don't know."
(The End)
(Just couldn't resist ending the story with that line. Everyone knows where it came from. If not, shame on you!)