Chapter 10

I could hear someone groaning. After a moment I realized that it was, of course, me. How many times over the centuries had I woke up like this? Too many to count, and certainly more than I remembered.

Damn it was dark in here. For a moment I had no idea where "here" was. The memories flooded back; the cavern, the family, the old man and most of all Thorfinn. The torches must have all burned out while I lay unconscious. I tried to move. I could barely bend my arms or flex my fingers. I was incredibly stiff and I ached all over.

Finally after long minutes of trying I managed to crawl towards what my memory dimly told me was the altar area. My muscles and joints finally loosened enough to get on my hands and knees and fumble over stones. I found what I was looking for, a box of matches. Striking one, I looked around in the flaring light and spotted a torch that had not burned completely up. Memorizing its location, I walked there as the match went out. I caught it up and lit it.

The light hurt my eyes. I examined the room. No sword. No Thorfinn. Not even ashes. For a moment I panicked. Had I somehow not killed him? No, I was able to reassure myself. He was dead. Not even someone as powerful as he was could survive his head being cut off.

As the feeling came back into my body I began to itch. I was covered in fine dust. If it had been possible for me to sneeze I would have been doing so. Instead I brushed the accumulated dust off my body. I looked around again and saw nothing. Shrugging my shoulders I left, following the passage back to where the family had been.

They were, of course, gone. My eye caught a glimpse of something and I picked it up. It was the rotting remnants of a piece of rope. Thoughts chased back and forth through my mind. Where was Robert and the backup team? Or anyone? Just how long had I been laying in this cavern?

I cautiously proceeded down the exit shaft. After all, I didn't want to be caught unexpectedly by daylight. When I did see light, it was the silvery radiance of the moon.

I had no luck finding the path that led back to the house. Apparently I was still somewhat confused, for I wandered aimlessly through the forest area until I stumbled upon a hard surface road. A trucker picked me up and was kind enough to deliver me to the police station at the next town we came to. I would have liked to have thanked him further, he was cute, in a rather beefy, solid way, but I needed to check in first.

Fortunately I still had my ID folder. On its strength I was able to call Washington. Twice. The first time I dialed Robert's direct number and it came back disconnected. The second time I went through the FBI switchboard where a voice stiffly informed me that she would see if Deputy Director Dale could take my call. After listening to a short, but pungent, fit on my part, she connected me.

He answered on the second ring. I overrode the secretary trying to butt into the conversation.

"Robert, where the hell were you? I've been walking through these damn woods and looking for the damn team and I couldn't find a damn soul and when the hell did you get promoted and what the FUCK is going on?" Its a good thing I don't need to breathe.

"BRIDGET! Oh my GOD. I thought you were dead!"

"Well I'm not," I started to say more but he cut me off. That in itself made me wonder. Robert never interrupted, especially a lady, which he had always been thoughtful enough to consider me.

"Where the HELL have you been?"

"What do you mean?" I was getting shaky now. Robert never cusses.

"Bridget, have you looked at a calendar?"

"No," I simply replied. I let my eyes wander across the office. I froze. That couldn't be right. It wasn't possible. I couldn't speak, but I must have made some croaking noises because apparently Robert knew I had realized the date. And the year.

"Yes," he paused. "You've been gone for fifteen years."

Any person trained in simple first aid can tell you that you faint because the blood supply leaves your brain. Therefore, vampires cannot faint. Therefore, there was obviously some other reason I found myself stretched out on the floor with a couple of nice cops hovering over me and Robert's voice blaring from the phone.

Once I decided I could get up and stay up, at least as far as the chair the officers helped me to, I tried to make sense of it. Robert explained that he had indeed received a call from the family I had rescued that night. By the time he convinced enough people to respond, two days had gone by. Regardless of how hard they searched, they were never able to find the cave. Finally, they had to give up.

He assured me the killings had ended. I was able to briefly summarize what had occurred in the cavern. It was nice to know that my memories of parting Thorfinn from his head were most likely real. I considered saying a short prayer, but all I could think of was "Hope you're close to the fire, you bastard".

"Bridget. Go to a hotel. Call me when you get there and I'll make the arrangements for you. I'll also get a car up to you by tomorrow night, new credit cards and some clothes. I guess there's no need for you to rush back to report. After fifteen years another couple of days or a week won't matter."

You wouldn't think I would be sleepy after having been, I don't know, unconscious? in suspended animation? for 15 years, but I ended up sleeping the clock around. When I got up that evening there was an envelope on the dresser in my room. Inside was a driver's license, credit cards, several hundred dollars in cash and car keys.

After a short debate with myself, I headed south and east. In two nights I had made my way back to Jackson County in Georgia. I headed to the main Sheriff's Office at dusk, hoping I could catch one of my friends before they went home for the night.

As luck would have it, when I walked in the main door I caught sight of in In/Out Board behind the desk sergeant. I saw that Deputy Inspector M. Gibson was out, but that Captain P. Gibson was in. My credentials got me through and I bounded up the stairs to an office that read "Internal Affairs".

"Bridget!" Pat Gibson swung her feet off the desk in her private office. She walked around it and hugged me. "About time you got here."

"Let me guess. Robert called you?" She nodded. "I have GOT to remember to check the car for bugs."

"Well, perhaps he's done that, but he called Mike and I at home with the news a couple days ago. He said he had just got off the phone with you."

"I suppose he knew that I'd head down here," I said. "So did you pass the information on to Linda and Sue?"

Pat's face fell and a cold hand seized my heart.

"Oh dear god. What happened?"

"Linda was caught up in a bank robbery several years ago. She exchanged herself as a hostage for a pregnant woman. Some of the details will never be known, but one of the holdup men got distracted and she tried to take them down. She succeeded but was fatally wounded."

"And Sue?"

"It crushed her. She loved Linda so much. She tried to hang on here. Linda's children from her marriage were incredibly supportive. They could have contested the will leaving the house to Sue but they didn't. Finally though, the memories got to be too strong for her. She moved out of state. We still keep in touch with her and she's rebuilding her life."

More friends gone. I didn't even know Linda had ever been married, much less that she had children. Pat hugged me again. "Come on, I've been waiting. Mike is at home and we want to know what happened."

"I need to check in just so Robert can feel smug about being right. Can I meet you there is 30 minutes or so?"

"Sure, let me give you directions."

When I knocked on the door later that evening I was met by a large young man and a big bear hug. I blinked my eyes twice. The man was a spitting image of Mike as he must have been at 20. He saw my confusion and laughed.

"Bridget, the last time you saw me I was 5. I'm Mikie, Mike, Jr." He ushered me inside. I was similarly smothered by Mike, Sr.

Over some wine and snacks, both of which I enjoyed, they brought me up to date on everything that had been taking place here. The two daughters I remembered were both married and Pat and Mike were now grandparents. Mike, Jr. was a cop like his parents and older sister. I returned the favor by basically spilling everything that had happened in the hunt for Thorfinn. I was probably breaking seven different kinds of security but I really didn't care.

All through the evening my eyes kept straying to Mikie. Damn he was handsome. No wonder Pat had latched on to his father. He was also polite, deferential and more than once I caught him looking at my legs. I was glad I had worn a skirt.

During one break in the conversation I helped Pat take some glasses and the now empty platter to the kitchen. As we stood in one corner, she leaned over to me and put her mouth to my ear.

"Bridget," Pat whispered to me, "I've seen other girls look at Mikie like they were going to eat him up. Since you can really do it, you behave." I actually opened my mouth to protest I would never do any such thing when I caught the twinkle in her eyes. "Got you," she giggled.

Eventually we ran out of conversation. We sat companionably for a bit but I began to notice half-covered yawns and fluttering eyelids. I kissed all three of them and took my leave.

The stars filled the night sky. I wasn't tired myself. I wondered if that club I had been to so many years ago was still there. I didn't feel like dancing, but I felt strongly like getting plastered. I mean knee-walking, head-spinning drunk.

The Rave was still there. The music was still terrible. They didn't have Irish whiskey and the Scotch was a really cheap blend. I didn't care. I took the bottle to a side table and glared at anyone who tried to sit down, talk to me or breath near me. Somewhere between the first and second bottles I reached the point I wanted to be. Thank goodness alcohol still affects a vampire.

At least this time I remained conscious, or at least semi-conscious. I remembered inviting a stevedore-type guy outside when he made some reference to my continual toasts to Linda. Apparently things were smoothed over because I couldn't find any sign I had been in a fight when the hangover relented enough for me to grasp my surroundings.

I was in a nice bed. Well, I always enjoy waking up in one of those. Looking around the room I could tell it was a guy's bed. I peeked under the covers. I was still clothed so I hadn't got lucky last night. Then the door opened and I realized I may have gotten luckier than I had in a very long time.

"Morning Bridget," Mike, Jr. said softly. The large, steaming mug in his hand was giving off waves of caffeine aroma. He handed it to me and stood rather awkwardly by the bed as I took a deeply satisfying swallow of the hot coffee.

"I guess this is your place?" He nodded. "I suspect either someone called you or you followed me."

He had the grace to look embarrassed. "I followed you. I just wanted to make sure that you were alright. They let me in the club and I kept an eye on you. When you offered to kick that guy's ass twice around the parking lot I stepped in and got you to come with me. I put you to bed here because I couldn't figure out where you were staying." His face red he turned away to face the doorway.

I slipped from under the covers. I put my arms around him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss the back of his neck.

"Thank you. For whatever reason or reasons you took care of me, I'm grateful. I haven't found a lot of that over time." I smiled. "A good bit of it has been from your family. Knowing your parents, I give five to one you spent the night on that couch out there." I nodded towards the room I could see through the open door.

Mikie covered my hands with his. "You're welcome. I don't really remember you from when you were her before. But Mom and Dad talked about you. You were, and are, their friend. I guess I had an adolescent crush on who I thought you were from the time I was a teenager."

"And now Mikie?" I stopped myself. "No, not Mikie, Mike. How do you feel now?"

"I'm attracted to you more than I ever thought I could be." He said simply. "Maybe its still a crush, maybe its only infatuation, but Bridget in real life is more amazing and," he swallowed, "and sexy than my fantasies ever suggested."

I let go of him for a moment. I saw his shoulders slump a bit, then straighten back out. After that minute I whispered, "Turn around Mike."

When he did his jaw dropped. I had taken the time to undress. He had come in the room wearing only a pair of cut-off shorts. The most difficult thing in getting them down was the fact that he had a hard-on that I almost couldn't free because it had stretched the material so tight. I stood on my tiptoes again and put my arms around his neck. Then I kissed him.

I kept my arms wrapped around his neck and drew him along with me as I backed towards the bed. When I felt the mattress touch the back of my legs I leaned over and rolled onto the bed, pulling Mikie on top of me. His young, strong body felt incredible on top of mine.

From the trembling that ran all through him I could tell that he desperately wanted to be in me but was trying to let me lead. I squirmed under him and parted my legs. As I continued to kiss him I reached between us. Taking his cock in my hand, I guided it to my wet pussy and wiggled the head into my slit.

"NOW, Mike," I breathed.

With a strangled cry of excitement he slid inside me. My knees bent and my feet planted on the bed, I lifted to him, giving him free access. His first strong thrust buried his cock in me until I felt his groin touch me.

"Oh nooooooo," he moaned. With that he frantically bucked his hips up and down. It took only a half dozen strokes and his cock spurted its pent-up load, filling me with his hot wetness.

He rolled off me and onto his back, one arm thrown across his face as though to hide. I still clung to his neck and the motions of his body pulled me onto my side. I rested my head on his chest and looked up at him.