28. The Witch and The Vampire

Chapter 28

The Witch and The Vampire

T he household was decked out in all the trimmings of Christmas. Cinnamon, dried oranges, and pine scents filled the air. Rich, green garland hung from the walls and bookshelves. A yule log crackled in the fireplace. Five stockings hung from the mantle in between the icicle like wax drippings of the candles above.

Candles of green and white burned atop the fireplace mantel. Their bubbling wax dripped down to the floor like gnarled fingers of ghosts of the candles of Christmases' past. A large red candle rested in the center of the mantle, the showpiece of all the candles. The Christmas candle—the symbol of returning light in the darkness.

A Christmas tree, tall enough for the star on top to touch the ceiling, nestled into the corner of the living room on the other side of the red Victorian couch. The branches bent and strained with the weight of the colorful ornaments and lights. Every space maximized. It was trimmed in gold ribbon. A true sight and spectacle. A testament to the ideals of Christmas.

Brightly colored packages filled the space beneath the tree. Gifts for Christmas. A joyous celebration of returning to light after the hardship they had endured in the darkness. Each package contained a thoughtful gift of admiration and love for the recipient.

Max laid on the floor, her legs tucked to her side. Her front paws were outstretched with her nose nestled in between. Her tail wagged back and forth across the dark hardwood flooring. It left behind trails of shedding fur; clumps of hair formed and were swooshed away. She let out a low moan, a growl of displeasure. Her brown eyes focused on the packages beneath the tree.

"Two more days," Hugo said as he sat on the red Victorian couch. His feet propped up on the coffee table. A college football game played on the TV above the fireplace. "You two can wait two more days."

Next to Max was her partner-in-crime, the horse-dog Galahad. He floated as close to the floor as possible. The footrest placed on the floor, the tip of his handle hovered a few inches off the ground. He, too, fixated on the packages beneath the tree. Waiting. Anticipating. He tapped twice against the floor.

"Two. Days. You're not opening anything before then," Hugo repeated.

Max moaned once again.

"Learn patience. Be like Gwennie. She's being calm floating there."

The ash broomstick floated in front of the Christmas tree. The tip of the handle focused on the TV, almost as if she were watching along with Hugo. She floated like a silent sentinel, guarding the entire room.

Max moaned into a bark.

"How about a treat?" Hugo said.

Max sprung to her feet at the magic word, ‘treat.' She trotted over to Hugo. She placed her head on his leg. Galahad, always the one to be involved in the action, followed the golden retriever.

"Come on," Hugo said as he flung the remote onto the couch cushions. He stood and went into the kitchen, the parade of dog and broomstick following behind him.

Hugo opened the pantry doors and took out a white metal container. He pulled the lid off and retrieved the tan, bone-shaped biscuit inside. He handed it to Max, who gingerly took it from Hugo's hand. Her teeth slowly clamped down on the baked goodness. Once secured, she took off running back into the living room. Galahad followed.

Three knocks rapped against the black front door.

Hugo eyed the door down the hall as he placed the container back in the pantry. Three more knocks rang out. Max was far too preoccupied with her treat to bark at the visitor. He shut the pantry door and scurried down the hallway. Guinevere was waiting at the living room entrance closest to the door, fulfilling her protective duty to guard against intruders.

"It's okay, Gwennie," Hugo assured the floating broomstick. He cracked open the door, drawing the attention of the impish golden retriever with the hickory broomstick following behind. He pointed at the welcoming party, holding up a finger.

"You two stay here," he commanded.

They ignored him and wanted to see who was calling at this late afternoon hour.

"Back," Hugo muttered under his breath.

The dog and the broomstick kept coming. Max wormed her way between Hugo and the wall to peek through the crack in the door. Hugo shooed her back with his hand, placing his body against the wall.

"Back. Back," Hugo said in a raised voice as he shooed everyone back away from the prying eyes outside.

He flattened himself against the wall, opened the door enough, and slipped outside. He shut the door behind him. Hugo turned to face a delivery man standing on the gray porch.

"Dogs," Hugo muttered.

"Sign here, please," the delivery man said.

"Sure thing," Hugo said as he took the digital delivery pad. He signed his name with the tip of his index finger.

"Gnarly teeth," the delivery man said.

Hugo shot a glance at the delivery man, never moving his head, his eyes darting up to the top of his eyelids. "Excuse me?"

"Your teeth. They're pretty good replicas. They look almost real. But wasn't Halloween like two months ago?"

The delivery man was young, no older than twenty. Lanky with messy hair. The whole world ahead of him, yet blissfully unaware of what secrets lurked in the shadows.

Hugo covered his mouth with his left hand. Shit! He saw them. Now what?

"No. No. My teeth are naturally pointy," Hugo responded. He peered down at the pad and finished signing his name.

"You could have fooled me."

"Don't worry. I get it all the time," Hugo said. "But when I bite my lip . . ."

"It must suck," he said. "No pun intended."

Hugo glared at him. "What if I was a vampire, though?"

A solemn expression fell over the delivery man's face, rendering him silent.

"But I couldn't be, right? I mean, the sun's still up. I would burn and turn to ash."

"Right," the delivery man said.

Hugo smiled at him. "Besides, there's no such things as vampires."

They laughed.

Hugo said, "But still . . . what if there were, and you never knew it?"

The delivery man gulped. Hugo could hear the young man's heart pumping. He smelled the blood coursing faster through his veins. Even though the bloodlust had subsided after drinking from the spell once again, he still had the abilities of a vampire.

He could enthrall and partake in the bloodlust once more. What would be the harm? The delivery man would never know. Or Hugo could leave him with the memory of a vampire attacking. Who would believe him? He was only a kid.

No, he wasn't quick to given in to his urges. Hugo couldn't enthrall the poor kid. Besides, if he ever wanted to satiate his blood fix, they still had bags of blood in their fridge from when Ez dropped them off following his transformation. A quick and easy snack.

"I'm messing with you. Here you go," Hugo said as he handed the pad back to the delivery man.

The delivery man presented Hugo with a cardboard box, about a foot tall. He took it and cradled it under one arm. The delivery man turned and proceeded back to his truck.

"Thank you and Merry Christmas," Hugo shouted.

Hugo waited until the delivery truck took off. He withdrew a key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and entered. He was immediately attacked by the waiting party inside. Max jumped up to investigate what he held in his hands, curious as if it was for her.

"Get back," Hugo said. "It's for Alice."

Hugo kicked the door shut and went to the basement entrance. He opened it and entered the darkness, shutting the door behind him. The steps creaked and moaned as he descended. The soft glow of a hanging bulb provided enough light for Hugo to make his way through the basement. Empty grape boxes scattered the floor. The door to Alice's wine cellar was open. The soft glow of flickering candles spilled into the basement from within. Hugo entered, carrying the gift for Alice.

She stood at her work bench, meticulously placing items in their proper positions. Alice picked up her newly acquired ingredients and studied them, turning them over and over. After a few moments, she placed them in their dedicated slots in the apothecary box. She rearranged her other items, including the few surviving mortars and pestles.

Hugo paused for a moment, admiring his wife's beauty. Alice's wavy, purple hair. Her beaming smile. The small twitch in her nose as she smelled the ingredients. The curves of her hips. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was a lucky man. Far too lucky to have yet another wonderful woman choose to love him.

She tilted her head, and her emerald greens found his icy blues. She batted her eyes a few times, and her smile grew. "Are you going to stand there all night?"

"If it meant I could stand here captivated by you, and bask in your beautiful glory, then yes. I'm going to stand here all night."

She turned, leaning back against the workbench. She raised her hand and curled her finger, summoning him closer. "Come here."

"Yes, ma'am." Hugo rushed over to the workbench and placed the box on the table.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling Alice's body closer. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, urging him to kiss her. Their eyes locked. A fiery, passionate desire hid behind Alice's emerald green eyes. The flickering light of the candles from the wall sconces bathed her in a soft yellow glow.

Anticipation was thick in the cool air of the stone wine cellar. Hugo bent in, their lips reunited, a union of two souls coming together as one. Soft kisses. Gentle touches. They began their dance of fire and passion smoldering below the surface. An intoxicating swirl of lust, desire, and love. Two souls intertwined and made for each other.

Time stood still. The cellar faded away until it was only them. The soft touches turned into fiery passion as they reunited and explored each other as if it were the first time. The dance renewed. A spark turned to flame. Full passion and desire overtook them.

His hands and fingers traced up her spine. She shivered at the ghostly trails left behind. He pulled her closer, away from the bench. Instead of continuing the journey, he reached down below her hips and lifted her off the ground. She happily agreed to his show of strength, helping to jump up and wrap her legs around his waist.

He set her down carefully and placed her on the edge of the workbench. She responded by gently caressing the back of his coifed hair, pulling him closer. They never broke their union. Their lips locked into an eternal dance of desire. After a moment, after what seemed like an eternity, the world came back into view.

They relinquished their dance. Her taste still remained on his lips. His body craved her, desired her. He wanted more. The bloodlust might have stopped, but his other vampire desires craved his wife. His body was on fire, still not quelled by their intimate kisses. He wanted more. He needed more.

They met forehead to forehead, both breathing heavily. They locked eyes once again. An unspoken bond of love and passion and desire between two fated souls. They loved each other. They had fought witch-finders, vampires, and an army of undead for each other. There was no limit to what they would do for each other.

"Give me five minutes to finish up here, then we can take this upstairs," Alice said.

"Five minutes is an eternity," Hugo said as he pulled back. He placed one hand on his heart and extended his other hand. "But I'll suffer it for you."

"So dramatic," Alice said.

Hugo winked at her. "Always."

"We're doing the thing I like," Alice said.

"Anything for you," Hugo said. "Oh, you have a package."

"It's not the only package I have," Alice said with a wink.

They chuckled.

"The delivery man saw my teeth."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him I have naturally pointy teeth, it's a pain to deal with, and there is no such things as vampires."

"Did he believe you?"

"I think," Hugo said as he backed away from the table to give Alice space to jump down. "Then I told him the sun was still up, so naturally I couldn't be a vampire."

"Good. I'm sure he won't be the last to notice," Alice said as she jumped down.

"I did think about biting his neck, though. You know, to shut him up. Or maybe enthrall him."

"If you're good, maybe . . . maybe , I'll let you have a taste."

Hugo nodded his head and smiled. "Yes, ma'am." He paused. The smile faded from his face, and his eyebrows narrowed.

"Did you ever let your other vampire boyfriend bite your neck?"

"What? No. No. NO. Never," she replied. Alice winked. "You would be my first, and only if you're on your best behavior will I consider it."

Hugo picked up the box and handed it to Alice. "Since I didn't have time to get you anything for Christmas, on account of being dead and all, this is my official Christmas gift to you. I mean, I didn't buy it, but I did bring it from the door to you, so I'm taking credit."

"You being alive again is all I wanted for Christmas."

"So, I got you two things for Christmas."

Alice curled half her lip in between her teeth to hold back her laugh, but small bursts of laughter escaped. "I see your sense of humor is alive and well too."

"Always. Now, open it up, and let's both be surprised by what I got you."

With a snap of her fingers, the top flew open. She withdrew the paper stuffing and another box held inside. It was black and wrapped in a purple bowtie ribbon. She pulled on the ribbon, opened the box, and withdrew a card.

"Sorry we couldn't make the wedding. I know your other one was destroyed. I hope this helps you get going again. See you soon. Nicholas ‘Santa' Claus," Alice said as she read the card. She handed the card to Hugo.

Hugo turned the card over and re-read the inscription. "So, you really took Ez, the Raskins, and Max to the North Pole?"

"Yep," Alice said as she withdrew a wooden hourglass, similar in design to her previous one, from the box. "Ah, it's a replacement hourglass. What a lovely wedding gift. We'll have to thank them when we see them in February. Now, I can finally get back to business."

Hugo gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Merry Christmas. Now, hurry up. Don't keep me waiting too long. And besides, you still owe me another race later tonight. Galahad and I are going to win this time."

"I don't know. Gwennie's pretty fast."

"Cheating. You're using magick or something. Winner's choice for tonight's race?"

Alice winked. "Of course."

"To which?"

"Both," Alice said in a low, sultry voice.

Hugo smiled. "Deal."

Alice placed the hourglass on the workbench and spun around. She pulled the sleeves of her black blouse back and snapped her fingers, like a conductor commanding the attention of an orchestra. The grape stompers, metal plates with wooden handles, rose and took their positions inside of the newly restored vats.

Alice paused, and with the snap of her fingers, the magical dance began once again. The stompers sloshed back and forth in the vats. Purplish-red liquid poured out of a valve, and the grape must flowed down a channel into a restored wooden-barrel like press below. The next batch of grapes rose from atop the wooden platform and dumped into the wooden vats. Alice turned and resumed her work on the ingredients to add to her wine. It was a wondrous, magical sight to behold.

Hugo turned and went back upstairs. The gathered crowd still waited as he reentered the hallway. Max jumped up and down to greet Hugo. He bent down and scratched her behind the ears. She sat down and tilted her head, soothed by the scratching. He gave her two taps on top of her head and went upstairs.

Hugo crossed through the bedroom, heading for the bathroom. He opened the door and flicked on the light switch. Sensual music played as Alice and Hugo's reflections locked in their own dance of desire. His reflection lifted Alice's reflection and placed her on the sink pedestal. Her naked back slammed against the mirror, covering the whole frame and shutting out onlookers.

"Ouch," she yelled. "The faucet dug into my back."

"Are you okay?" Hugo's reflection asked.

"It's fine; keep going," she commanded as they renewed their fiery passionate kiss.

"Not to interrupt, but can I?—"

"GET OUT!" both reflections yelled.

"Fair enough," he said. He went to turn off the light, but he decided otherwise. He shut the door to give their reflections privacy in their intimate moment.

"It can wait," Hugo said as he went back through the bedroom.

He bounced down the stairs and into the living room. Max and Galahad returned to their positions in front of the tree. Guinevere stood guard over the house. Everything seemed right with the world. Everything was perfect.

The memory shelf caught his attention. Hugo went over to Alice's memory shrine. The photos of long passed family members, their memories kept alive by Alice's dedication to her past. The pictures of the cowboy and witch who defended the spell. The picture of Alice's grandmother who guarded the spell. The picture of Elizabeth and her radiant smile. The wooden box in front.

He opened it to find it empty. The ring was gone, used to reconnect Hugo and Alice when he was in the land of lost souls. He glanced down at his new ring—the black onyx band inlaid with purple amethyst. It was perfect. The fusion of two lovers. The work of craftsmen.

"I met her," Alice said.

Hugo placed the box back onto the shelf and turned to face Alice standing in the entryway. "Oh, yeah?"

"Madame Sophia performed a séance, and Elizabeth came through. She's very beautiful."

"She was."

"She was the one who told me you were in trouble. She loved you very much."

"When they tried to turn me—and they almost did—do you know what saved me?"

Alice shifted her position. She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head. "No, what?"

"The wedding ring. The destroyed ring. Not because of Elizabeth, but because of you. You saved me from turning into one of those ghouls. The knowledge of you, and you alone, coming to save me. It was you . . . only you. The entire time, I held onto the hope you were coming."

He moved closer to Alice.

"You were the light in my darkness. My hope in the face of despair. It's because of you that I'm standing here today."

He wiped a tear from Alice's face.

"I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat," Alice said. "My only thought was getting you back. The only one who loved me for me. The only one I would have given everything to save."

Hugo chuckled. "The witch and the vampire. Forever."

"Always," Alice said.

They embraced once more, a love renewed and eternal. Forever.