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WARNING: Some portions of the following work of fiction contain explicit sex.
If you are under 18 (or whatever age is appropriate for your location), HIT
YOUR BACK BROWSER BUTTON NOW. If you find explicit sex offensive, please
don't offend yourself by reading further.
The full disclaimer for this work of Vampire Hunter D fanfiction is
at the beginning of Chapter 1.
Author: Charlotte MacFarlane
Email: duckey@ns.sympatico.ca
Feedback: Please, yes, lots.
Forward to others: would be flattered if you did.
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Always and Forever
Chapter 7 Sound and Fury
She always hated being carried by someone in ha hurry. She woke as Tygra tried to squeeze through the hole in he castle wall. Bumping her head on the edges of the walls in the process. "What are you doing!"
"D wants you out of here," he said.
"No!! Let go of me!" frantically she squirmed out of his grasp. "I've got to get to him!"
"Kale!"
"NO!" she pinned the tiger to the wall, her expression furious, her eyes telling him to listen. "D has saved me! More than once. If he's sending me away, its for one reason, and one reason only! He believes he's gona die. He needs me. And I'll be there!"
"Alright," he said. "I'll go with you."
Kale let him go, took two steps, then kicked back and knocked him flat. She checked and made sure his pulse was strong, it was. "You'll have a head ache, but you'll be alive at least. We'll come back for you. Just stay put."
D found the vampire in the main hall of the castle, calling out for his werewolf. "He's dead, Tagrez." D stated, stepping out from under the stairs. "and you will join him."
"How did you...? Never mind." The vampire drew his sword, and stood across from D. "You'll die anyway."
Kale could hear their yelling, and the sound of their swords clanging together. She stepped towards the edge of the walkway to see the two fighting almost a level below her. D wasn't doing so good either. He hadn't recovered completely, and it showed in his stamina. She watched as the Vampire beat D back against the wall, just below her feet. She had to do something. "Kale."
"God! Tygra!" she almost cried, "you scared the crap out of me!"
"Well, don't leave me lying on the floor next time."
"I was trying to save your hide."
"Thanks."
"But since you're hear, help me with this." She started pulling out a small box with a wire from it. "I haven't got a lot of power left in these batteries, but maybe it will be enough to distract the vampire for a second." She pulled a door open, and pointed to the equipment. "That I know is some kind of intercom system. Find away to plug the speaker system into this jack, then hit this button. The sound is up full so after you press it, cover your ears. But wait for my signal before you hit it."
"Panthro would be better at this, but I'll do my best."
"That's all I ask, but if not, be sure to burry me and D together under the biggest tree you can find." She pushed the man away, turning back to the battle below. Tygra didn't protest, he only went to work.
'Jacks, wires, plugs, she must think me a miracle worker. Well Tygra, you better be, you don't want to loose any more friends. Regardless.'
"You fight like a girl D!" sneered the vampire, as he drove the Dhampire back against the wall. D blocked all his attacks, but his strength was fading fast. He had to find the opening that would bring him down. Suddenly, D's sword was flung across the room, his hand stung from the force of the blow that released his grip. "Now," said the vampire, cutting D's face with the tip of his sword with each word he spoke. "You will die, and your bitch will serve as my next meal."
"NOW!!!!"
"What!!!???"
Kale watched, as D tried to keep the vampire from gaining the upper hand, but his strength was nearly gone. Then his sword went sailing across the room. This was it. She reached into her pocket and took out the last of her garlic bulbs, and ran it over her last silver arrow. Thick and rank with the scent, she laid it in the cross bow, and stood up. The vampire drew back his blade. "NOW!!!!" she yelled and jumped off the ledge.
"What!!!???" The vampire looked up as a green-cloaked figure dropped down in front of him, and arrow suddenly embedding itself deep in the middle of his chest. "You stupid little bitch," he laughed. "Silver arrows don't have....have an effect....an effect on...me...What?....what have you done!!!!"
"Silver may not effect you, but garlic sure does." Kale took the remainder of the garlic, and stuffed it into the vampire's open mouth as he yelled at the poison coursing through his body.
Kale watched the vampire turn brown and then to ashes, his cried falling on unconcerned ears. The mutants he'd controlled for so long suddenly dropped to the floor, exhausted over the fight to regain control of their own minds.
D looked up and saw Kale. Standing there, her face stern, but triumphant. She'd done what she'd wanted to do. She'd saved him, again, even when he told her to go. As she turned, a single thought came through his mind, a thought that was not his own. 'Not when I'm around, my D,' Kale smiled, as D's eyes closed in exhausted sleep. He was safe with her. He knew that. The music above him, loud though it was, to distract the vampire and confuse his senses, lulled him gently to sleep. Lifeline, yes, Kale was...no...is his lifeline. And he would never forget that.
It had been quiet for so long, that when D suddenly started to gasp for air, Kale was immediately awake, looking to him for signs of consciousness. His eyes snapped open and he saw her. His Kale, his angel. "I must either be alive or in heaven," he whispered after his breath returned to him. "either way, I love waking up to you." Gently and lovingly she kissed him. The energy he felt in that kiss, woke him inside as well. He pulled her kiss to him with the hunger of a starving man, and she didn't pull away. Something was different. He parted from her, looking up to her. Her expression was calm, loving, and her eyes, oh her eyes, they were alive and dazzling. She was there. No longer afraid, no longer did the hidden pain threaten to take her loving stare from him. "Kale?" She pulled her arms around him, and he tried to hold her in return, trying not to hurt her.
She realized this. "Its ok D," she whispered. "The marks are gone. I'm healed, all over."
Frantically D started searching her neck and teeth. She laughed. "How?" he asked, finding her normal.
"Tygra," she said quietly. "He has a device that heals wounds quickly. He could only get it to work on humans."
"Did he...?"
"Yes. He healed me there too." For a moment he was angry, angry that another man had seen his Kale in that way. But then, he calmed, he gave her back to him, and for that, he was grateful. He pulled her to him in a kiss, that was so intense that the world would have exploded around them, and they wouldn't have cared. He ran his hands gently down her back and up her sides, her breath quickening with each touch. Suddenly she broke the kiss. "No D, please, not yet. Not here. Please?" The mischief in her eyes, told him all he needed to know. She wanted him too, but the timing wasn't right. He nodded, the slightest hint of a smile etched at the corners of his mouth, but his smile from his eyes warmed her, and was all she really needed. "D, I need to ask you something. Do you need, anything?"
He understood her question; she wanted to know if he needed blood. He tried to rise, only to find that his body ached all over, and through no will of his own, his left hand flew to part his hair over his ear, a tiny voice hoarsely whispered, "yes,"
"Yes," he said to her, ashamed that even now, in this wondrous personal moment, his vampiric needs were coming first.
Kale reached down into a cooler box on the floor next to the bed. She came back with a blood donor bag of blood, and handed it to him. "It's fresh, and human. Maida stayed to donate it in case you needed it. As a transfusion that is."
"No one knows?" he asked, as she placed the bag in his hand.
She shook her head, and turned away. He wasn't sure if she turned, because she didn't want to see him drink blood, or if it was out of respect for his need to keep his other side hidden from her as much as possible, but what ever the reason, he was glad of it. He quickly drained the pouch. The blood was sweet, young, and...oh gods...virgin. He put the empty bag aside, feeling the warmth of the innocent blood run through him. Virgin blood to Vampires was powerful, and to him, it was like taking an aphrodisiac. He hoped Kale would understand. "There's a red box in the wall across the room. You can toss it there," she said. D tried again to rise, only this time, he felt a pain in his leg unlike any he'd felt before. Quickly Kale turned to help him.
"My leg!" he gasped through the pain. She ran her hands down to his thy. There was a red patch there, blistered and angry. Like a rash almost.
"Oh crap," she hissed, she hated swearing, and tried not to at all. But sometimes even her temper got the best of her. "D, this is my fault."
"What do you mean?" he asked, as she went and drew a basin of water and returned with a cloth and soap.
"When Tygra and I carried you out of the castle, I still had garlic juice on my hand. I was holding onto your legs. The juice must have seeped through your pants. I never thought about it. D I'm so sorry."
"Never mind. It was an accident, just wash it off. Hurry!" Carefully she washed D's leg. Her gentle motions soothing the aggravated skin. He lay back just wanting nothing to do with the outside world, just wanting to remain in this tender moment.
They both looked up at the soft knocking on the door. "Yes?" she called.
"It's Tygra, I need to examine D. May I come in?"
Of all the times, why now. "Just a minute." She put the basin away, and covered D's leg. The rash was dissipating so there was no more need to worry about it. Kale went to the newly repaired door controls, and unlocked it. The door slid aside and Tygra strode in. The hair on the back of D's neck stood on end. Why? Why was he so guarded against this man, who helped save him, and Kale? Because he was smiling at her. That wasn't new, a lot of people smiled at Kale. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing thoughts.
"D?" Tygra called. "You feeling alright?"
"Yes, the light is just too bright, that's all." She knew he was lying, but she kept it to herself. Tygra went about examining D's injuries, or trying to find were they were. Finally he gave up and shook his head.
"You know, if I could put your healing ability into a bottle, I don't think there'd be anything that any of us down in this part of the world would need to worry about after you've gone."
"Perhaps."
"D are you hungry?" asked Kale.
"Actually yes. I'd like some of that rabbit stew that you make so well."
"I'll see what I can whip up for everyone."
"I'll see if Snarf is finished with your clothes." Kale didn't see D reach out and take Tygra by the arm and prevent him from leaving, but when the door closed, the hunter let him go. "Something on your mind?"
"I asked you to get her out of the castle. What happened?"
"She kicks worse than a horse," Tygra said flatly, rubbing the side of his face where her foot had connected and knocked him out.
D sat back and nodded. "I'd forgotten about that. I'm sorry, I should have warned you."
"That's alright. Your horses should be repaired by tomorrow. Panthro is just finishing the shaping now."
"What was wrong with them?"
"Well, Nightmare had his front left leg torn off its housing. It was hanging on by wires. But they both has some decay on all their legs. If you hadn't gotten them fixed now, then you wouldn't make it back north."
D nodded. "Thank you," he said, "but we've nothing to pay your mechanic."
"Don't worry about it," assured the tiger. "Kale's already taken care of that."
"Forgive me, but, I get the feeling that you wish I hadn't survived."
Tygra fidgeted slightly. "Its personal," he said, "but for a time, I thought you were the one who'd beat Kale so badly."
"No. I can never hurt her. She said you were able to heal all her wounds. It seems all is right, both physically and in her heart. I couldn't do that. Thank you."
"Well, I didn't heal all her wounds. There was an old scar on the back of her neck that wouldn't go away, and there's a large scar on her chest she won't let me touch."
"Yes, the 'D'. She begged me to put it there. I just pray she didn't feel the pain."
"Why did she ask?"
"To show others that she's mine, and only mine. Though I'm ashamed that I cannot have her 'K' on me. I heal without scaring. It would never stay."
"I think it hurtful to cut into someone like that."
"Out of malice yes. But she asked, out of love. Now there's the difference."
Kale found the kitchen relatively easily this time, and found Snarf up on his tail, searching through the cupboards. His Miss Kale," Snarf Greeted, "Can I get you something?"
"Actually," she couldn't get use to the idea of the house pet preparing the meals. But Snarf was o ordinary cat. "D is feeling much better, and wants to know if I could make his favorite rabbit stew. Mind if I use your kitchen?" She suddenly felt an odd sense of déjà vu, but quickly shook it off. She'd had many feelings like this growing up, but never really put much faith into them. This was probably one of those times.
"Sure. I was just looking for something to make for supper, anyway."
"I'll make extra."
"I'll help."
Within an hour the stew was steaming away with the meat fruits, grown by the burbles as an excellent substitute to killing some of the wild life. Kale reminisced about her family and spoke of them to the cat. Never letting on how long 'long ago' really was. They laughed about the games that she and her sister would play, and how that while growing up, she was the taller and larger sized of her older sister, and how the two of them would kid around in the kitchen. She told how they tried to teach her brother how to make coffee, but never managed to keep him from burning the water.
Snarf mentioned how Lion-o was the same way. Couldn't boil an egg to save his life. Just then the kitchen door opened and Cheetara strolled in. She was a little sleepy eyed, haven only just woken from her afternoon nap. She had grown a bit more too, Thundariens showing their pregnancies more than others because of the shorter gestation time.
Kale never looked over to her after seeing the color of her fur as she walked in the door. She didn't want to. She centered her attention on the small carrots in front of her, and carefully cut each one into small pieces. "Hi Cheetara, how are you feeling?" asked Snarf.
"Much better. Kale, I wanted to thank you. The idea of eating something at night really works. I haven't had any morning sickness. Thank you."
"Your welcome," Kale offered flatly.
Cheetara still felt shunned a bit by Kale, but she did say that she didn't react well around expecting mothers or children. Hopefully that will change. "I hope that when you and D have children of your own, you'll take your own advice." Snarf handed Cheetara a class of milk and some cabbage roles, which were specially made for her, with extra vitamins added by Tygra. Kale started to stab the cutting knife into the cutting board, dangerously close to her other hand. She seemed to be lost in thought. Snarf was about to ask what she was thinking of, when the door opened, and D and Tygra strode in, the tiger haven found D's clothes somewhere for him to get dressed. D wore all but his customary hat, cloak and sward, he looked very dashing, all slender and muscled beneath his tight fitting suite. Kale loved to see him this way, only she wasn't looking at him. She was just standing at the counter, stabbing a knife into the cutting board. For some reason, Cheetara got an odd feeling when she looked at D, and when D looked to her, the feeling intensified so much, that she dropped her glass.
The sound of the door opening, the smell of the food cooking, the breaking glass, it all meant something. Then it hit her, and Kale drove the cutting knife through her left hand. "Tygra!!! Help!!" cried Snarf, seeing Kale step back with the knife through her hand. D vaulted over the table and caught Kale as she crumbled to the floor. She remembered. Why would she have forgotten? She looked to D, her fear, shock, anger, and all the other emotions that turned her sad, all boiling to the top and not stopping. She just cried. D held her close, as Tygra wrapped her hand in a clean towel.
"Come on, we'll take care of this in Med lab," said Tygra.
"What happened?" asked Cheetara, completely confused. "Why did she stab herself?"
D only looked at her as he passed. She was pregnant, that would upset Kale, the cooking of the stew and the circumstances in the kitchen triggered memories in her of the night she'd been kidnapped. 'Kale must have blocked it all out,' he thought, "It isn't your fault. But please, I ask you, please stay away from Kale. If you must be in the room with her, then please, don't talk to her." D's voice wasn't cold, he was concerned about Kale. She'd been through so much, and had come so far, only to be taken down again like this, and then to have a strange woman parade in front of her, carrying a child, something that Kale could never do. "Its just too much right now."
"Come on D," said Tygra. "You can explain why later."