Chapter Text
Chapter One
The October night was cool and damp. The scent of impending rain hung heavy in the air, and the distant sound of thunder echoed the promise of a storm to come. In other words, a rather average autumn evening for that stretch of coastal Maine.
Dr Julia Hoffman frowned as she exited Windcliff, still fishing for her car keys that seemed determined to slip to the bottom of her purse despite her best efforts. She huffed in frustration before renewing her search. Finally her fingers snagged the elusive key ring, and she triumphantly removed her jingling prize from her bag as she began to stride toward her car.
It had been a long, draining week at the sanitarium. She missed the comforts of Collinwood, and especially the company of the unexpected friends she made there. The thought of seeing one friend in particular gave her that extra bit of energy she needed to make the long drive tonight instead of sensibly waiting for morning.
After their last misadventures in time travel Julia finally forced herself to let go of the dearly held fantasy that one day Barnabas might return her love. She would probably always love him, but she would never again express those sentiments. His feelings had been made abundantly clear on multiple occasions.
It was rather embarrassing how relentlessly she'd pursued him when it was obvious from his reactions that Barnabas did not consider her an eligible romantic partner. She was amazed he had forgiven her for meddling in his affairs, and interfering with his life as though she had a right to do so. The least she could do to make up for her misguided transgressions was remain the loyal and steadfast friend he required her to be.
She shoved the melancholy thoughts away, and focused on the positive. In just over two hours time she would be parking her car beside Willie's battered truck behind the Old House. Moments later she would be ushered inside, ensconced in her favorite chair by the fire, and Barnabas would be offering her brandy to ward off the chill. Then he would settle in his own preferred chair at her side. They would pick up once more their never-ending conversation, and talk until dawn as though he wasn't free from the vampiric curse at long last. Centuries of being forced to sleep by day and live by night had understandably rendered Barnabas a bit of an insomniac.
She lived for nights like that though. Any time spent with Barnabas was precious to her, but the long nights in pleasant conversation were her favorite. When he was warm, gracious, and solicitous of her needs. When she could startle an unexpected bark of genuine laughter from him with some small witty observation, and his eyes glittered with mirth. When for a little while at least she held all of his attention. It was more than worth the annoyance of a tedious drive after an exhausting work week. It was priceless.
"Miss! Miss, can you help me please?" The sweet plaintive voice of a young child called to her from the darkness between the rows of parked vehicles. The voice was choked with tears and tinged with more than a little fear.
Julia stopped walking and began scanning the area for the child she heard, hoping one of the hospital's younger patients hadn't managed to evade their caretakers and make their way outside. She peered down one row, then the next forcing her eyes to focus as well as they could in the dimly lit parking lot. She made a mental note to bring up improving the outdoor lighting at the next budgetary meeting. What they had was inadequate at best.
“Where are you, sweetheart?” Julia called into the darkness in the gentlest tone she could muster, eyes still straining to see.
“Here! Help me please!”
Then, eyes finally adjusting to the gloom, Julia spotted a small form half concealed in shadow, huddled against the bumper of a car halfway down the row to her right. Even without much light she could tell the poor child was trembling.
Julia sighed, kissing her pleasant evening at the Old House goodbye. Dr Hoffman forced herself back into professional mode, and made her way down the row intent on checking the child over before taking them inside to make sure it wasn't one of their patients. If it wasn't the police would need to be called.
She shook her head in dismay. Their security was quite good. They had improved a great deal since Maggie Evans made her escape several years ago, so she was fairly certain this child wasn't one of theirs. She hoped the child was only lost. The thought of any parent abandoning their child in the parking lot of a sanitarium was too depressing to contemplate, though sadly Julia knew from professional experience parents did worse to their progeny all the time.
When she reached the child she saw that it was a little girl of perhaps eight years of age. Her dark hair hung in two messy half-matted braids, she was barefoot, and wore only a tattered cotton shift dress that—besides being sleeveless—was entirely too thin for the cool temperature of the season. The girl was dreadfully pale with pronounced dark circles beneath large sad gray eyes.
“Oh, sweetheart, how did you get here?” Julia crouched down to appear less intimidating and slowly reached out to the little waif. The girl sniffled, and Julia could just make out the shine of tears on her cheeks. When those luminous gray eyes captured her own, Julia felt something within her melt. She couldn't have looked away even if she wanted to. A wave of almost maternal protectiveness washed over her.
The little girl stood up from where she huddled by the bumper with a smile, bringing them eye to eye. She reached out and took hold of Julia's hand. Her skin was chill and her grip was uncomfortably strong. Julia could only stare into the beautiful gray eyes, lost. Motes of light like those of a swirling galaxy seemed to flow in their depths. It was mesmerizing. Julia felt as though she could stare into those enchanting eyes for an eternity, and never lose her sense of awe and fascination.
“I lost my Mama, and I'm all alone.” the child whispered. “Will you help me, Miss? Please?”
Julia could only nod as the child moved ever closer. The girl let go of her hand and stroked Julia's cheek almost reverently. The Doctor's eyes slid closed as she was embraced by small arms. She felt nimble fingers unbutton the collar of her blouse, then a cool breath on her freshly exposed neck. When the girl's tiny fangs pierced Julia's throat she barely felt anything at all, only an aching sweetness that brought tears to her eyes when the child began to nurse at the wound.
It was so different than when she'd been attacked by Tom Jennings and Roxanne Drew. The pain was minimal, and while she felt a change in her thoughts and emotions, she didn't feel as terrified as in her previous encounters. Perhaps it was because it was a child. She didn't know. She was starting to not care. From the girl she felt only affection, contentment, and something like relief. Not of hunger, but something just as primal.
Too soon, Julia thought, the fangs were withdrawn from her flesh and the girl lapped away the last of the blood that wept from the punctures. Julia Hoffman was dazed and felt herself surrender to the thrall the child vampire cast over her as she fed.
The girl bit her finger and forced the bleeding digit between Julia's unresisting lips. Doctor Hoffman swallowed the bitter blood with a shudder of both pleasure and revulsion. Somewhere deep inside Julia was appalled by what was happening to her, but she couldn't connect that emotion to her conscious mind. Her will was no longer her own.
The girl grinned before taking Julia's hand and tugging. Julia stood up and looked down at the unholy urchin.
“I've missed you so much, Mama.” she sighed, voice wistful and pleased. “Let's go home now.”
“Yes.” Julia answered in a distant, almost hollow tone.