Chapter 22

Rob came awake with the feeling that something was missing. A quick glance at the clock showed it was four thirty in the morning. He was laying on his side, spooned up to a woman's back. It was the feel of her plush ass cradling his half-hard cock as well as the weight of her breast in his hand that convinced him it was Dawn. The scent of her hair was simply confirmation.

He realized with a start that what he was missing was Elaina. He raised his head to look around, but she was nowhere in sight. It had been a while since she'd vanished in the night, but it wasn't completely unusual. He drifted back to sleep, giving Dawn's warm breast a couple of loving caresses before fading out.

He woke later when Dawn moved in his arms. He felt Elaina's back against his hand and knew she had returned. He pulled his hand out from between the ladies, getting a whine from Dawn, and reached over them both to gather Elaina's breast in his hand. They both shifted in their sleep, with Dawn wriggling closer to Rob and Elaina closing the gap that was created. He saw by the clock it was early yet, so he nestled in and went back to sleep.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads!"

Elaina's voice cut through the dream Rob was having. He lifted his head groggily and the dream faded before he could capture it. He rolled to his back and away from Dawn. She shivered for a moment then twisted around to snuggle into Rob's shoulder, laying her hand on his chest and smacking her lips. Rob ran his fingertips up and down her spine, and she responded by wriggling and complaining.

"Don't wanna get up," she moaned into his shoulder. He continued tickling her spine and she wriggled out of his grasp.

"None of that, now," Elaina chided. "We're going to Rob's mom's today. I've got breakfast just about ready and you need to get up."

"Where did you go this morning, sweeting?" Rob asked when his head had cleared of sleep.

"I brought the Mustang over," she replied. "The weather's going to be chancy and I don't want to spend more time in my armor than I have to."

"Armor?" Dawn asked. Visions of breast plates and steel helmets ran through her head.

"You'll see," Elaina replied. "Come on, get up! I need to feed you guys." She left the room after she was sure they were getting up.

"Armor?" Dawn asked Rob when he stood and stretched, his abs flexing and rippling to her delight.

"Vampires experience an extreme reaction to direct sunlight," he replied. "They turn to dust so fast that the energy released causes their clothes to catch on fire. For all intents and purposes, they burn in the sun.

"To prevent that happening, Elaina wears a mask and leathers that cover her completely. You'll see what it looks like when we leave."

Dawn was horrified. "Elaina could burn up?" she husked. "We can't let her go out! We can't risk her like that!"

"Dawn, sweeting," Elaina called from the doorway. She'd come back to see what the hold up was. "I've been dodging the sun for seven hundred years. I'll be careful, I promise."

"I couldn't bear to lose you," Dawn sniffled. "I just found you and I can't..."

Elaina went to her and wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her in close. Dawn wrapped her arms around Elaina's ribs and put her hands on her shoulder blades.

"Dawn, I can't live my life afraid of the sun," Elaina said soothingly. "I will be cautious, don't doubt that. Think of it like a sailor who's afraid of drowning: you take all due precautions but you do it anyway. Okay?"

Rob came up behind Dawn and silently wrapped his arms around both of them.

"Come on," Elaina urged, "Your breakfast is getting cold."

After breakfast, they all dressed in jeans, with Rob pulling on his black pullover and the girls wearing dark cotton blouses; Dawn in a deep pine forest green and Elaina a dark firebrick red.

Dawn watched as Elaina went to the closet and pulled out the pieces of her armor. Dawn peered closely at what she had in her hands, but she held her questions for when Elaina showed her what they were. She laid the armor on the bed then went back to the closet, coming out with an armful of white leather. Dawn gave her a quizzical look.

"This is for you, sweeting," Elaina said. She took the leather by an edge and shook it out. Dawn was looking at a white leather cloak with an emerald silk lining. A silver broach decorated the collar and acted as a fastener at the throat. Dawn put her fingers to her mouth and gasped.

"Elaina, it's beautiful," she said in awe.

"Turn around," Elaina directed her. "Let me put it on you." She settled the cloak on Dawn's shoulders then demonstrated how the clasp worked.

"Winter's just about over," Elaina said, "That's why this one isn't fur-lined."

Dawn pulled up the hood and rubbed her face on the silk lining. "I don't care," she purred, "I love it. Thank you, Elaina."

She continued to coo and rub like a cat while Elaina tugged at the cloak, getting it settled better on her frame. Elaina picked her armor up off the bed and walked from the room with Dawn following after. She forgot her cloak for the moment when she saw Elaina donning her armor.

Elaina put the neck guard on first then settled the mask over her head. Dawn blinked at the bizarre image Elaina presented, then continued to watch silently as Elaina donned her cloak. She pulled a pair of elbow-length leather gauntlets out of the cloak's pockets and wiggled her hands into them, stretching and flexing her fingers to get them settled. She stuffed her feet into knee-high leather boots then pulled up the hood. She turned to face Dawn.

Dawn blinked at the image before her and then scanned her head to foot, looking for anything that might be exposed. She saw that Elaina was now completely encased in leather.

"I imagine you get a lot of strange looks when you go out in that," Dawn commented.

"Not as many as you would suppose," Elaina replied, her voice made hollow by the mask. "Most people ignore the bizarre, as long as they don't feel threatened by it. However, I did have one person tell me it was the best goth costume he'd ever seen."

Dawn looked up to Elaina's face and was startled by the alien visage under her hood. "I don't think I could ever get used to that."

While Elaina had been giving Dawn her new cloak, Rob was getting his laptop together. He dug out the unused backpack case that had come with the laptop and placed it on the bed. He downloaded his email then put the laptop in standby mode, tucking the cords in a side pocket before sliding the laptop into the main pocket. Shrugging it over his shoulder, he went out to the foyer to get his briefcase.

He watched for a moment as Elaina demonstrated the armor and assured Dawn that its bizarre appearance wouldn't cause problems, then he took his briefcase into the kitchen. He'd always wondered why the front pouch was so large and shaped the way it was. He found out why when he pulled the borrowed printer from his briefcase: it was designed to contain a travel printer. He slid it in and zipped the pouch shut, then placed the folder of paper in with the laptop and closed everything up. He shouldered the pack and left the kitchen to find the ladies waiting on him. He asked Dawn to hold the pack for a moment while he shrugged on his cloak.

"What's this?" Dawn asked when she handed the case back.

"My laptop," he replied. "There's something I want to ask my mom and Liz when we get there, and I need my computer for that. By the way, do you have your notary stuff with you?"

"Well, yeah," she replied. "Like I told you, I always have it with me. That way I won't forget it in case I need it."

"Good," Rob said. "Elaina, you may need to act as a witness."

"Rob," Elaina asked curiously, "What do you need a notary and witnesses for?"

"Something I want to suggest to Mom and Liz," he replied. "Let's get going, it's getting late."

Elaina handed over the Mustang's key, and they trooped out of the door and headed down the hall. Rob paused to looked at his neighbor's door, wondering when was the last time he'd seen Doug. He shrugged and hurried to catch up with the women.

Dawn watched interestedly as Rob calmly walked Elaina's huddled form to the car in the bright morning sunlight, and handed her carefully into the back seat. Dawn decided to sit in back with Elaina and followed her in, ducking under his arm to do so. Rob considered that for moment, then decided it was her prerogative where she wanted to sit. Elaina kept the armor on as a convenience, knowing she would likely need it to get out of the car when they arrived.

The drive over passed quickly and they were pulling into Martha's driveway. The Mustang seemed subdued when they pulled in and offered no dissent when he turned off the ignition. Rob turned in the front seat to face the women.

"Dawn, this is how we'll get her in," he stated. "I'll lead the way to the door with Elaina trailing you. The door's probably unlocked, so I'll knock and go in with you right behind me. Once we get in, I need you to stand beside me so Elaina can get the mask off and put it in her purse. If the door is locked, we'll do pretty much the same when someone answers, except I might have to push a little to get inside to the shadows."

Dawn nodded then looked at Elaina worriedly. The mask hid her expression, but the firm nod she gave said she was ready.

"Don't hurry," Rob warned. "We don't want to act suspicious and draw attention. Ready?" Both women nodded. "Let's go."

Rob opened his door and stepped out, reaching back to pull the seat forward. Dawn got out first, followed closely by Elaina, then proceeded up the walk in single file. Rob knocked then tried the door and found it was unlocked. He turned the knob and stepped in with Dawn doing as instructed and taking her place at his side. Elaina had stepped in behind them, dropping her hood and pulling off the mask, when things started to unravel.

Billy stepped out of the den to see who was at the door. At the same time, Martha appeared at the kitchen entry, a smile beginning to spread on her face, then frowning with concern when she recognized Dawn.

"Uncle Rob!" Billy cried, and he ran toward Rob with his arms spread wide, barreling into him and wrapping his arms around his waist. "You came!"

Rob patted the boy's head and said, "Yes, I did. How are you doing, Billy?"

Billy looked up with sad eyes and said, "Mommy died."

"I know," Rob said, sorrow cutting his voice. "I'm sorry about that, Billy."

"Why did she have to die?" the boy said, tears starting in his eyes.

"I don't know, Billy," Rob answered, his own eyes feeling hot.

While Billy was distracted, Elaina squatted down behind Dawn, stuffing the mask in her prodigious purse, quickly stripping off the gloves and neck piece and stuffing them in as she went along. Even as busy as she was, she took the time to note where the sunlight was coming in. She knew from things Rob had said that the morning sun shone through the kitchen window, so she only had to be careful of windows at the front of the house. She counted herself fortunate that the sun was nearly at zenith when they arrived and all the windows were currently shaded by the eaves. She stood slowly and smoothly, letting her face appear behind Dawn's head as if she was leaning over to take a look. Martha spotted her, and her frown changed to confusion when she realized Elaina was there, too. Liz came to the entry and joined Martha there.

Billy turned his head to hug Rob closer and he noticed Dawn and Elaina for the first time. He backed off and rubbed his eyes, not wanting to be seen crying in front of strangers.

"Who's that?" he asked, pointing at the women.

"These are my friends. This is Dawn," he indicated her with a wave, "And this is Elaina," he said, reaching over to put his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh," Billy responded. Remembering his manners, he said, "Nice ta meetcha."

The women smiled at the young boy and murmured greetings back.

Rob lifted his head when he spotted Jillian coming out of the den with her head down and her hands clasped before her. When she lifted her head, he saw that she'd been crying.

"Uncle Rob?" she implored, with all of the little girl she still was in her voice.

"Jilli?" Rob replied in kind. She took a small step toward him.

"Mommy's dead," she whimpered, taking another small step.

"I know, Jilli," he acknowledged consolingly. He spread his arms low, his cloak hanging like wings from his arms.

"Why did she have to die?" she pleaded, seeking an answer to the unanswerable. She took another step closer.

"I don't know, sweetheart," he whispered. She was close enough now to touch him, but he kept his arms open and spread, waiting for her to accept his sympathy. "I just don't know."

She tentatively took the last step and gingerly reached out. He nodded to her and tried to smile, but all he managed was a tear. It was her undoing.

With a heartbreaking wail, she cried out "Nooo!" and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face to his shirt, sobs racking her slender frame. "Mommy!" she cried as he slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his cloak enfolding her as he comforted her, giving her sanctuary from cruel reality.

Billy watched with shimmering eyes as his sister broke down, and he backed up until he ran into Dawn's legs. She put her hands on his shoulders to steady him and left them there when he didn't move away. She rubbed his shoulders lightly with her fingertips when she saw tears falling on his shirt, trying to ease his pain. Without thinking, Billy sought out Elaina's hand with his own, and she took it in both of hers. She rubbed the back of his hand as he continued to hold on tightly. His body shook with the effort of holding in his sobs: he didn't want anyone to think he wasn't a big boy, because everyone knows that big boys don't cry.

"It's okay to cry, Billy," Dawn said understandingly. He turned to look up at her and saw the tears on her face. "Look, even Uncle Rob is crying." He turned again to look at Rob through watery eyes. It was Rob's tears wetting his sister's hair that was his undoing. Since Elaina was the one holding his hand, she was the one he turned to in extremis. He was average in height for an eight year old boy, so when he wrapped his arms around her waist, she ended up with his head on her chest. She didn't feel entirely at ease with comforting the boy, so instead of wrapping her cloak around him, she threw it back like a cape and put her hands on his back, patting him like she was burping a baby. He didn't care: someone was holding him while he cried and that was all that mattered.