Book Two, Chapters 201 to 210

The Vampire's Daughter

Book Two

The Beginning of Another

Chapters 201 to 210

Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006.

All rights reserved.

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0201

"I know I've seen it before," Elizabeth said, "but it seemed like Sabastian was stronger than that. Like the bloodlust would never get o him."

"He may still be strong enough to beat it," Mary responded. "Tobias went through a period where we weren't sure if he would, you know, make it."

"But Sabastian is so different then the rest of us. It's like he's a vampire, but not. He's always seemed stronger. Emotionally and physically stronger," Elizabeth said, sitting on a chair in the room.

"Perhaps," said Mary, sitting beside her and putting an arm over Elizabeth's shoulder. "But he drinks the blood of his own kind. He's a cannibal. It's against the cardinal rules. If he were found out sooner, or weren't as strong, he would have been killed."

"I know. It's just hard to think of him in that way. And it's not just that I'm his sire, we were, and I believe still are, close friends. We share a bond that goes beyond a normal relationship."

"Has he ever told you what it's like?" Mary asked.

"He didn't start drinking the blood of vampires until we parted ways. And we've only just reunited. The topic has come up, but we really haven't discussed it."

"I asked him what it was like."

"And?"

"It sounded to me like it was the same as taking a human, but multiplied by as many victims as the vampire being drained has taken. He sees all of their souls pass into his own.

"It's like he's pouring other vampires' bowls into his own. He said there are times when the souls creep into his conscious thoughts."

"If that's what it's like, I can't even imagine how many souls are inside of him. He's drained the life from so many. From ancients," Elizabeth said, with genuine concern.

"Yes, the number must be staggering. My concern, however, is how to stop him if he has gone insane," Mary replied.

"Don't say that," Elizabeth said, "not yet, anyway."

"Not yet? Did you see what he did with the wave of his hand? I've heard that some of the ancients have grown powerful enough to have skills like that.

"They talk about the skills as otherworldly, but what he did was frightening."

"It was," Elizabeth answered. "The only thing that could stop him would be a blood hunt. He would have to be overpowered by numbers. Even then, I don’t know how many it would take to stop him. Five, ten, a hundred…

"God, I don't want to think about it. I want to walk downstairs and find him sitting in the living room waiting for us. I want him to make a snide remark about how long it takes me to dress. I want him to be O.K.," Elizabeth continued.

"Do you think that's what we'll find?" Mary asked.

"No," Elizabeth paused. "He said they wanted him to kill Thomas. He must mean the souls within him."

"If he thinks the souls are talking to him, or, worse, controlling him, his battles have only just begun."

"What was it like for Tobias?" Elizabeth asked.

0202

"Tobias' struggles with the bloodlust didn't begin suddenly," Mary said to Elizabeth, as they sat holding each other. "His struggle grew over time.

"At first he was the only one who could tell, but after awhile, those that knew him well saw the changes taking place. He asked me to contact an old friend for him, an ancient known as Ogg.

"Tobias told me not to let anyone else know what I was doing. So I left for the Old World and came back with Ogg. The trip took a couple of months, one out and one back.

"Ogg and I got to know each other quiet well. He told me that we had to quarantine Tobias and simply pray for the best. When we got back, the whole clan knew there was a problem. Ogg instantly took charge, putting Tobias and himself into quarantine. Ogg said that he would protect Tobias as best he could.

"They remained in the basement of the Port Chester estate for over a year. I don't really know what happened, but when they emerged Ogg had to carry a barely conscious Tobias out."

"My God!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"It was a shock to us all. Tobias was old when he was sired, but he was strong and lively. He used his looks as a tool to seem fragile, but this time he was truly old and worn.

"We hunted for him, bringing him victims for months before he could hunt on his own. This was the time when he found my replacement.

"But, eventually, he recovered fully. I don't know what happened in the cellar, but whatever it was saved him."

"It's too bad this Ogg isn't here today," Elizabeth said, after a few moments of silence.

"Ogg is not the type of vampire with which Sabastian would associate. I only did so because of my love for Tobias. I mean, and I can't explain it fully, that Ogg was evil. Truly evil."

"More so than Tobias?"

"Tobias was a mean prick, Ogg was evil. And he never did or said anything to me to make me say that. It's just the feeling I got from him.

"Although I find Sabastian boring and, at times, annoying, he gives off a feeling of goodness. It's like he's a father figure.

"Ogg was more like a devil. Or, at least, what I think a devil would be like."

"Where is this Ogg now? In case I wanted to ask his help," Elizabeth asked.

"He's went back to the Old World. Last I heard from Tobias, Ogg was in what's now called the Middle East. But I wouldn't know how to contact him. And I don't think he would help if I asked."

"I understand, it's just that I hate to lock Sabastian up without anyone there for him," Elizabeth responded.

"Maybe that won't be necessary," Mary said. "We've given him plenty of time. Maybe he's gotten control of his demons."

The two women walked downstairs to the living room. The door to the cellar was still open, so they walked down.

The lights were out, but the light from the top of the stairs gave them enough of a view to see that Sabastian had cleaned the basement.

"Sabastian," Elizabeth said, "are you O.K.?"

0203

Sabastian didn't respond to Elizabeth's question, so she repeated herself. "Sabastian, are you O.K.?" she said more loudly.

"I heard you the first time," he answered.

"May I turn the lights on?" she asked.

"Yes."

Elizabeth motioned to Mary, who flipped on the lights. Elizabeth was relieved to see Sabastian sitting at a small desk she had in the far corner of the room. She wasn't sure what she expected to see, but she felt it was going well. Mary followed behind as she walked the final few steps to the basement.

"Are you O.k., my dear?" she asked again.

"As you can probably see, I broke your bed. I will replace it, of course. I attempted to fix it, but it appears the damage is too great. I am sorry."

"Sabastian, I don't care about the bed. I'm concerned about you," Elizabeth said.

Sabastian turned himself around in the chair and looked at Elizabeth, "You look ravishing despite what you have been through, I do not know how you manage it."

Slowly and deliberately, Elizabeth asked, "Are you O.K.?"

Sabastian looked at the ground. "The hole in the wall should not cause any structural damage to the building. I can acquire some cement and patch it myself, or, if you prefer, I can have someone come and fix it."

"I don't care about the hole any more than I care about the bed," Elizabeth said, anxiously. She knew Sabastian well, and he only avoided questions when he was playing or when the answer was gravely serious. "Tell me you are O.K."

"If that is what you would like to hear, then yes, I am O.K."

"You're lying to me."

"Yes. I am."

"What's the matter?" Elizabeth asked.

"I hear thousands of voices in my head screaming at me," he said, lifting his gaze to Elizabeth. She walked over and kneeled on the ground in front of him, stroking his cheek with her hand. "Never before has the din been so deafening. So blinding. I feel like I am lost in my own mind."

"Oh God, Sabastian," she said, as she started to cry.

"You know that it's the bloodlust, don't you?" asked Mary, who was still standing by the stairs.

"I do not believe it is the bloodlust, it is something deeper, perhaps more sinister,” Sabastian said.

"When I saw Thomas hurting you, I was angry. That was when they started to yell at me. First it was just a few voices, but it quickly grew until throngs of voices were yelling at me to kill him. I barely remember what happened.

"Your pleas to spare him were beacons of light, shinning into my darkened mind. You saved him, but the voices in my head remain.

"It is taking all of my energy to concentrate on this conversation. I am afraid the voices may be winning."

Elizabeth cried and continued to stroke Sabastian's face. Mary asked, "How long have you heard these voices?"

"For years they have occasionally surfaced. But then only one or two at a time. This is different. It is like they have all bubbled up at the same time and they will not recede into my subconscious. It is taking all of my energy to concentrate on this conversation," he repeated.

0204

"What do you want me to do?" Elizabeth asked Sabastian.

"I do not know," he answered in a low voice. "I fear that in my current state that I am not only dangerous to myself, but to those around me. That is unacceptable. I will not endanger Susan."

"What are you saying?" Mary shot out.

"I am saying that Susan is with Sol. I trust she is safe. He will have to watch over her until I am able. Until I get through this."

"What are you going to do until then?" Mary asked.

"I believe it would be best if I were left alone. I will fine someplace where I will be left alone."

"You will stay right where you are," Elizabeth said. "That way I can help protect you."

"You're going to protect him when you could barely protect yourself?" Mary asked.

"I didn't fight Thomas because he is my sire, but I will fight him now if I have to."

"Do you think you stand a chance?" Mary asked.

"I do. I know Thomas as well as or better than any of our kind. I know his weaknesses. I can exploit them."

"And the fact that he lied to you for so many years about the Tribunal?" Mary asked.

"I have learned from that mistakes. Trust me, he and I keep a distance between us for very good reasons. I can protect both Sabastian and myself if the need arises."

"I should like to stay in my own home," Sabastian said, standing up and walking into a dark corner. He lay down and balled himself up, his face pointing into the corner. "Mary, please let Susan know I am OK and ask Sol for his help. If he refuses, bring Susan here."

"I will do as you ask," Mary said, "but I am gravely concerned."

"As am I," Sabastian replied.

Mary motioned for Elizabeth to go upstairs with her. Once in the living room, Mary said, "This is not a good idea."

"I don't see that we have another option," Elizabeth replied.

"We should find someplace else. Someplace more secure for both of your safety. For the safety of all of our kind."

"At this point, I'll settle for the basement. I don't want to make any rash decisions. The dawn is coming, you should go back and let everyone know what's going on.

"We will be safe for the night. I am sure of that. Go, please. We can discuss what to do again after things settle down."

"I don't like this," Mary said, "but there doesn't appear to be any other option."

Mary left the house, tossed the ticket she had gotten for parking in front of a hydrant into the street and sped off. After watching her drive away, Elizabeth went into the basement, locking the door behind her.

She walked behind Sabastian and curled up with him, spooning his body. "We'll get through this," she said softly, stroking his hair. He didn't reply

Mary arrived back at the house to find the front door broken in. She rushed upstairs to find Susan on the floor holding Claudia's head in her lap.

0205

Looking around the room, Mary was shocked to see a dead vampire. One of the Zionists.

"Are you O.K.?" she asked Susan.

The little girl looked up at her and said, "Yes."

"Is she..." Mary started to ask.

"Yes. She died protecting me from him," Susan responded, nodding her head at the dead vampire. He had on the high-ranking robes of the Zion clan and a post through his chest. "Sabastian is with Elizabeth. You need to sleep now. I'll take care of the bodies. We must ask Mina for help tomorrow."

Mary was taken aback by all that Susan said, and, instead of dealing with the commands she was just given by a little girl, asked, "Where is Sol?"

"Gone."

"What?" Mary asked, fighting the sleep that was creeping upon her.

"Go, sleep, before it’s too late" Susan said, as the first rays of light started to enter the room.

Mary did as the little girl said, but was more confused than before. The last month or so was a blur and the current situation only made her head spin faster. She lay on her bed, fully clothed, looking at the ceiling, her mind in utter confusion, as sleep closed her eyes.

That day, Susan dragged the Zionist to the window and threw his body outside. It landed in a shaded area so she went down and dragged it into the sun, where nature destroyed the impurity. It was hard work for a little girl, but, knowing what would happen if someone found a vampire, she kept at it until the job was done.

She walked back to the front of the house and fixed the door as best as she could, which wasn’t very well at all. She checked it from a distance, however, and it looked passable.

After that, she went into the kitchen and removed everything from the freezer to make room for Claudia's body. She knew the sun wouldn’t destroy Claudia and she didn’t want her body to rot. When she had emptied the icebox, she looked inside and cried.

"Was this part of the plan?" she asked out loud, and then went upstairs to her friend's body. Time was already starting to take its toll, so she moved as quickly as she could dragging Claudia down to the kitchen. She was tired from dragging around the vampire and fixing the door, so dealing with Claudia’s body was especially hard.

With the body finally in front of the refrigerator, Susan broke down again. "I need help, how can you just stand there and watch? You say you love me, us, but yet you do nothing."

She sobbed and fell to the floor. Eventually she put her head down and just slept.

Mary came down to the kitchen after she awoke to find Susan asleep on the floor and defrosted food scattered around the room. Instead of waking the little girl, she went up to Susan's room to look at the bodies and figure out what to do.

To her surprise the bodies were gone.

She noted that the window was open, so she went over and looked out to see scorch marks on the patio that she knew were from the vampire.

She went back to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, exposing Claudia's corpse. She closed the door and sat next to Susan.

"My world couldn't possibly fall apart any more than it has," Mary said, shaking the little girl awake.

0206

"How did you get the body into the freezer?" Mary asked.

"I just did," Susan answered, looking around the room as she got up.

"And the vampire?"

"I put him in the sun."

"How did you know to do that, let alone do it?"

"I just did."

"What the hell kind of answer is that?" Mary exploded. They just looked at each other for a moment. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. It's just that so much has happened. I'm..."

"It's O.K.," Susan interrupted, "a lot has happened to all of us. I threw him out the window and dragged him into the sun."

Mary, who was overwhelmed and agitated, but calming down, said, "Last night you said we had to go to Mina for help. Before we do that, or anything, I want to know what happened last night while I was gone."

"Sol and I went to see Mina. She wasn't expecting us, so she was busy and we had to wait in that room." Susan began.

Their wait didn't last that long, but Sin didn't waste any time and had already made several passes at Sol. Typically, Sol ignored her advances, focusing, instead, on defending his mind. Even though Mina was preoccupied, made obvious by the scene of her having sex on the monitor, he could sense her probing his thoughts for information.

"I could do that for you," Sin hissed into his ear as she zoomed in on Mina licking the underside of her victim's penis from base to tip. After stroking his member with her hand a few times, while sucking on
his glans, she slid one hand up to his chest and pushed him down onto the bed. While still working his penis, she nestled her mouth into the space between his scrotum and leg, and bit into a vein.

"Would you do that, too?" Sol asked sarcastically.

"Only if you begged," Sin answered, licking his ear.

"Gross," Susan said from across the room, as Sol had asked her to move to a new location when he saw what was being shown on the video. Susan was sitting at Mina's desk.

"I tend to agree," Sol said, using his hand to clean Sin's saliva from his ear. "I can only imagine where your mouth has been."

"So are you gay, prissy, or both?" Sin shot back, coldly.

Sol chuckled to himself before saying, "I'm here to see Mina and that is all I've come to do."

"Cause I can have one of the guys come up, it's no big deal. We cater to all desires."

"What's gay mean?" Susan asked.

"Gay means happy," Sol said to her.

"I think you're happy," Susan replied.

"Oh, I think he's very happy," Sin said through a laugh, just before Mina entered the room from the back door. She stopped and looked at Susan, saying, "I didn't realize you were here."

"I know," Susan responded with a smile.

"I see you've made yourself comfortable."

"Sol wouldn't let me watch the TV."

"A prudent choice," Mina said, with a nod toward Sol.

"So what brings you here?" Mina asked of Susan.

"We came so I could meet you," Sol said, confused at why Mina had directed the question to the little girl.

After Sol had finished speaking, Mina looked at Susan, who said, "Yup. But I don't want to play like we did last time."

0207

Mina continued to look at Susan for a few moments before turning to Sin, who had snuggled up to Sol again, and said, "Sin, please leave us."

"But I'm having fun pestering the gay one," Sin said.

"Sin, I need you to go inventory the costumes."

"If you'll excuse me," Sin said, standing up and walking to the door, "I have to go inventory the costumes."

Mina looked over at Susan, who was intently watching the vampire. It was as if they were talking to each other without speaking, further confusing Sol. He didn't understand why this powerful vampire had taken such an interest in a little girl. Sure Susan was special, but it seemed overdone.

"Is that what you did to Mary?" Sol asked.

Looking at him, Mina simply said, "Yes."

"Your skills are quite developed, I could sense you probing my mind while you were still, um, occupied."

"I've had a great deal of time to hone my skills. And I am of the four."

"So you are proof that the four exist," he replied with a chuckle.

"They most certainly do," Mina said, walking over to a chair across from Sol and sitting. "I have to apologize for Sin. She is quite an enjoyable companion because of her playfulness and spontaneity, but she hasn't yet learned that there are times and places when you must contain yourself."

"She didn't bother me. It was unfortunate, however, that she forced me to watch you while you were, well, indisposed. That's not something I could allow Susan to watch."

"I guess that explains why she's made herself comfortable at my desk."

"Yes, if you would allow me to turn the monitor off, she could come and join me on the couch."

"I like sitting at the desk," Susan chimed in, "the chair spins. See." She spun herself around for them.

"She's fine where she is," Mina said. "So what brings you here?"

"I wanted to meet you."

"So, here I am. You must know that Sabastian and I have come to an agreement that I won't bother him and he won't bother me?"

"I'm generally aware of that agreement, yes."

"Although he excluded you and Mary from that, he explicitly included the girl. I'm intrigued that you brought her."

"I wanted to come," Susan interrupted.

"Did you. Why?" Mina asked.

"To help Sol like I helped Sabastian."

"I see." Turning to Sol, Mina asked, "So, now that we've met, what do we do?"

"We talk about Thomas," Sol said.

"I assume Sabatian explained why I am in the New World?"

"Yes, you are here to watch Thomas."

"So what did you want to discuss?"

"He betrayed my trust. Although I am of his blood, I want you to know that I will do nothing to help him."

"It doesn't appear that Thomas is very good at fostering loyalty. If you won't help him, will you help me?"

"I won't hinder you."

"I think that's acceptable," Mina said. Then turning to Susan, she asked, "Are we done?"

"Yeah."

Sol was completely confused by the exchange and asked, "Why did you ask her that?"

0208

"You don't believe you are here for any other reason than her, do you?" Mina asked, looking at Sol and nodding her head at Susan.

"I'm here so you and I can have an understanding of each other," Sol said.

Mina looked at him for a moment. "Well, then, I believe you have achieved your goal," she said to Sol. "Shall I have someone show you out?"

"I was hoping to find out more about you and your coven," Sol said.

"There isn't much more to tell. I am here to watch Thomas. I run a brothel that allows me and my offspring to feed while not drawing attention to ourselves. I generally don't bother with others of our kind unless they intrude on my territory, as you did."

"Who is your sire?"

"All I can tell you is that he is one of the four."

"Many of our kind don't believe the four exist," Sol said.

"They would be fools. The four are as real as you and I, but far more powerful. More powerful than any you have ever met."

"Where are they? Why don't they live among us?"

"They have lived long lives and prefer to be alone. Generally, their representatives do their bidding. But they do walk among us, you just don't know it," Mina answered. "Now it's my turn to ask a question."

"That seems fair," Sol answered.

"Why did Thomas step down from the head of his clan and the Tribunal?"

"He said he needed time to reflect, but what he wanted was for Elizabeth to fail as its leader, allowing him to step in and claim control of the city.

"But his plan didn't work as he had hoped. Elizabeth proved more capable than he anticipated. It was Sabastian and Susan that, ultimately, that caused the rift that ended the Tribunal's control of the city.

"Now it's my turn again. You say they walk among us, but where do they call home?"

"Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. I can be no more specific than that. What's preventing Thomas from gaining control of the city?"

"I presume it's the same thing as when he first arrived, the spirit of freedom. As with the humans, vampires came to the New World to be free from the kings and queens of the Old World. They certainly don't want to give up that freedom now. What do you know of the one called the Keeper?" Sol asked.

"I don't know of anyone by that name," Mina responded.

"That's not true," Susan said quietly.

"What?" Sol asked her.

"She's not telling the truth, and there are five, not four."

"And how do you presume to know so much?" Mina asked.

"I just do."

"Well then, who is the fifth vampire of the Four?" she queried.

"Their father."

"What?" Mina asked, with a little shock.

"Everyone has a father," Susan said with a smile.

Mina wasn't sure if the little girl knew what she had said or not, but it was obvious she knew more than a normal child.

"And what of the Keeper?" Sol asked.

Mina looked at him, then at Susan. Susan smiled at her.

"The Keeper exists, but I've never met him personally. At least not that I know of. I believe he resides in Europe, but I'm not truly certain," Mina said, before asking, "Why is Sabatian so protective of the little girl?"

"He loves me," Susan answered before Sol had a chance.

0209

"Why does he love you? Why not another little girl?" Mina asked Susan.

"Cause this is how it's supposed to be," the little girl answered.

"How do you know that?"

"I just do."

The two looked at each other in silence. A quiet that Sol didn't feel he could break. It was as if the two were eyeing each other down in a gunfight. After what seemed like an eternity, Mina looked away.

"I think it's time that you left," Mina said, standing up and walking to the door that led into the control room. "One of my men will see you to the door."

Susan jumped up from Mina's chair and walked through the door ahead of Sol. Before he passed by Mina, however, she grabbed his shoulder and whispered to him, "Be careful of the little girl." He looked into Mina's eyes and could see that her warning was genuine.

After they left, Mina let her robe drop, exposing her naked body, and sat down at her desk. She put her head in her hands to calm down. The exchange with the little girl upset her in a way she couldn't explain. She was now even more certain that Thomas and Elizabeth were the wrong pair. That her sire was mistaken. That Susan and Sabastian were the ones he was looking for.

After a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes. She looked down at the blotter on her desk because it was filled with Susan's scribbling. Only, it was the same thing written over and over again. The girl had scribbled the name of Mina's Sire all over the blotter. But not just in English, she had written it crudely in Chinese, Korean, Japanese... The name sat before her in almost every Asian language.

A chill ran down her spine as she picked up the phone to call her Sire. "I have just met with Sol and the girl I told you about."

"Sol told me that Thomas is having great difficulty taming the city."

"Sire, I believe the little girl is more important than you originally thought. I..." She stopped talking and listened to her sire for several minutes.

"Yes, Sire." Mina hung up the phone. "I hope you are correct," she said out loud.

By that time, Sol was pulling up to the house. When the pair walked inside, they found Claudia cooking.

"I'm gonna go play," Susan said to them, as she headed up the back stairs.

"I have food ready soon," Claudia yelled after her.

Sol and Claudia made small talk while she cooked. Sol even helped, which brought back memories of his youth. When the food was cooked, Claudia asked Sol if he would get Susan.

He went upstairs and walked to her room. As he stepped into the doorway, he saw the little girl playing with a man. The man looked up at him and disappeared.

Sol rushed in and looked around the room. "Who was that?" he asked.

"Who was who?" Susan asked.

Sol grabbed the girl by her shoulders and lifted her to her feet, "Who was that," he demanded.

"You’re hurting me," she said, just before a force threw Sol across the room.

He looked around frantically.

"What the hell is going on?" Sol asked.

Susan looked at the area next to Sol, and then said, "His name is Judas." She looked Sol in the eyes, where she could see his fear.

"J... Judas Iscariot?" Sol asked, unsure as to why the name of Jesus’ betrayer came so quickly to his mind.

"Yes," she said, walking toward him.

He scrambled to his feet and ran from the room. As Susan walked into the kitchen, she could hear Sol's car pulling away."

0210

"Where Sol go?" Claudia asked.

"He had to see a friend."

"Is all O.K.?"

"I guess," Susan answered. "Let's eat."

The pair ate and made small talk, but didn't discuss anything of merit. When the meal was done, Claudia told Susan to go and play while she cleaned up. Susan went upstairs to her room.

Some time after Susan left, the doorbell rang. Claudia felt a chill run down her spine as she looked up from the sink. She closed her eyes and made the sign of the cross, before walking to the front door.

She didn't even bother to open the door, instead saying loudly, "You not welcome here."

"Open the door," a voice answered back calmly.

Claudia went to open it, but before she reached the handle she stopped. It was as if something was telling her not to open the door. She pulled her hand back and again said, "You not welcome here."

After a brief pause, the door came crashing in, throwing Claudia to the floor unconscious.

Paul stepped in and asked angrily, "Where is the girl?"

Unconscious and bleeding, Claudia did not answer.

"I forget how fragile you humans are. I guess I'll have to find her myself," he said to the old woman, before walking into the house. Slowly he found his way upstairs to Susan's room, where she was playing with her dolls.

"There you are my dear," he said to her from the doorway.

Susan didn't turn to look at him, but said, "You still have a choice. He will forgive you."

"What?" Paul asked. "Do you know who I am?"

Susan sighed. "You are the one who betrayed your faith. But you can still say you're sorry."

"You little bitch! What do you know about faith? What do you know about anything?"

Susan turned and stood up. "He trusted you, and you let him down. But there is still time."

"Time for what? That bumbling idiot John Paul didn't create anything. I did. The Zionists were a small band of losers before I took over. I put the Church on the map. Me!

"I killed him to preserve what I created. He would have destroyed it with his crazy talk. God? There is no God, there is only me."

"Don't say that," Susan chided.

"Do you know why I am here?"

"Yes."

"Do you think God is going to save you?"

Susan put her head down and cried.

"That's right little girl," he said, walking toward her. He reached out and took Susan by the shoulders, lifting her up to look her in the face.

[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006. All rights reserved.]