Vivienne

The small news van turned onto the long gravel path, lined with an ashen wood fence that outlined the land the distant farmhouse occupied.  Wendy smiled as she watched the two story white fifties style house come to view. “A wrap around porch, with rocking chairs.”  Wendy patted Brian on his thigh.

Brian looked at the marble white house with solid black shutters and a steep angled roof. “Looks like a normal house to me.”  He pointed out of his window. “I don’t know that I have ever seen a real barn before.”  He chuckled lightly.

Wendy slowed the van, and watched the few cows grazing on the grass poking up from the light snow that had fallen. “I love this place.  It feels like time stopped in the fifties.”  She pointed to the cows, “Wendy milks them herself.  The farm is self-contained.”

Brian looked all around and then back to Wendy. “Does this place even have power?  I don’t see any lines.”

“Underground.  She’s trying to maintain the way it looked when she was younger.”  Wendy added.

“Her being ‘The Darla’?”  Brian raised his eyebrow.

“Yes.  Most of us call her Loved One when we speak to her one on one.”  Wendy pulled the van into a small circle and placed it in park. “She is obsessed with the fifties, I mean look at her car.”  Wendy pointed to the garage near the barn that contained a powder blue and white Chevy Bel Air, its small round brake lights reflecting gently in the sunlight. “When you meet her, Be gracious and think of southern hospitality.”

“Before my time.  I will just be me, Wendy.”  Brian unbuckled the seatbelt and opened the door. “I don’t care about any of that.  I only care about saving Casey.”

“Then let me do the talking, unless she talks to you directly.”  Wendy raised her eyebrow, “You and me, right?”

“Sure, let’s just get this over with.  The more time we waste the worse things get for Casey.”  Brian muttered and started walking to the front door of the farm house.

“Southern hospitality.  Go to the back door.”  Wendy closed her own door and led Brian to the rear of the house.  Wendy was just about to knock on the door when she heard someone walking through the snow behind her coming from the barn.  Quickly turning, Wendy smiled and bowed. “Good morning, Captain Mattson.  I want to apologize for all that mess over the phone, I was…”

Captain Mattson waved his hand and interrupted Wendy, “...Forget it.  Come with me into the barn, Captain Addison and I are planning an operation and since you are the only infiltrator left, We unfortunately need your assistance.”  Raollet pulled his Cubs baseball hat off and turned it bill side down once more. “I didn’t want you on this operation, but The Darla thinks you will come in handy.  So, get a move on.”  He looked over at Brian and outstretched his hand. “Captain Raolett Mattson, Nice to finally meet you, Brian.”

Brian took a few steps toward the old farmer, “Sure.  Nice to meet you as well.”  Brian gripped Raolett’s hand as tight as he could.

“Easy there, muscles.”  Raolett laughed, “No need to break my hand.”  He winked. “Wrestling?”

“Football, I am a linebacker.”  Brian returned the smile and freed Raolett from his grip. “Sorry.  My dad always told me to meet someone with a firm handshake.”

Captain Mattson looked over to Wendy, “I like him already.  Nice pickup, Richards.”

“Thank you, Sir.”  Wendy acknowledged and turned to Brian. “I should be in there soon enough, I guess The Darla wants to talk to you alone.  Remember, be polite.”  She winked and started heading off towards the barn with Captain Mattson beside her.

“Just knock, Brian.  The Darla is expecting you.”  Raolett chuckled, “Expect tea.  She loves tea.”

-Let’s get this over with.- Brian told himself and lightly knocked on the door.  He heard light footsteps approaching the door and just before it opened, he got an unnatural chill travel the length of his spine and his birthmark to burn in his palm. -Is this a warning?-  He pondered as the door opened.

“Mornin’ Brian.”  Denise gave a wiry smile, “Please, come in.”  She pointed at his shoes. “Wipe your feet if you don’t mind.”  Denise advised as she turned and lightly bounced back into her kitchen, her dusty-blonde curly hair flowing lightly behind her as she walked.

“Sure.”  Brian scraped his shoes and walked inside, closing the door behind him. “Um…”  He started and was politely stopped.

Denise opened her cabinet and pulled out an orange and white box. “Peach.  I can always tell a peach lover.”

“Y…yes, how did..you know..um..”  Brian stammered for a moment.

“Oh, where are my manners?”  Denise raised her eyebrow and walked over to Brian offering her hand. “Denise Crow, Very pleased to meet you.”

Unsure of what to do, Brian awkwardly took Denise’s hand and kissed the top of it. “B-Brian Ashburn.”

Denise smiled and patted the big man on the shoulder. “A handshake would have been enough, we aren’t in the 1800’s.”  She pulled out a chair. “Have a seat, and let me get you that tea.”

“I-um..Captain Som-thing told me to expect tea.”  Brian tried to shake off his embarrassment. “Wh-what do you want me to call you?”

Denise gathered a dainty cup and saucer, placing it in front of Brian and stared gently at the man with her dark and deep hazel eyes. “Whatever comes naturally to you.  The others have gotten it in their heads to call me all sorts of things.” Pouring boiling water into the small cup, she dropped the teabag in the cup and laughed. “Captain Mattson is who you just met.”  She paused and pointed to the table. “The sugar is there if you want it.  If you want Splenda like the captain, I will get that for you.”

Growing frustrated with the possible posturing Brian balled up his fist and stopped himself short of hitting the table. “Sorry, Um…Denise, Darly-Darla or whoever you are…I was told you could help me get my girlfriend back from a vampire.”  He chuckles, “Of which…I am not even sure exists.”  He starts frantically poking at his birthmark. “I do know that since Wendy entered my life, it’s been one hell of a roller-coaster.  So forgive me if I am light on manners or patience.”

Denise pointed to the chair and watched as Brian regained his composure and reluctantly sat down. “Thank you.  The tea will help.”  She walked back to her cabinet and pulled down a mason jar, then opened her refrigerator and poured herself ice tea before sitting across from Brian. “I know exactly how you feel, Brian.  I wanted to hit things when I first found out.”  She took a sip of her tea, “I assure you, vampires are real.”  She held up her palm and revealed her deep green glowing rune. “You are as we call it, Awakened.”

“Are you going to help me or not?  Wendy said you were the answer to the problem.”  Brian sighed and pushed the tea away from him.

“Direct and to the point.  Okay.  We can do that.”  Denise pointed to the cup of tea and it slid back in front of Brian. “Drink the tea.  Trust starts somewhere.”

“What?”  Brian felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “I don’t want the damned tea, I want to help Casey.”

Denise shrugged and raised her eyebrow. “How do I trust you, if you don’t trust me?  If I can’t get you to drink a simple cup of tea patiently and talk about what we can do for each other, what is the point?”  She pointed to the back door. “Help yourself out, or drink the tea.  Trust me.”

“You seem really insistent on the tea.”  Brian stood up to walk out of the kitchen. “I barely trust Wendy and I don’t know you at all.”

“Yet you ate her food this morning on the way to the farm.”  Denise smiled and pointed at the chair. “Sit. Down. Brian.”  Denise sipped her own tea and changed tactics. “You are right, you don’t know me.  You trusted Wendy enough to come all this way and enter into a stranger’s home.  Yet, you will not have a cup of tea with the hostess.”  She once more pointed to the chair. “I don’t think you really want to leave, but you are confused and hurt.”  Denise reached into her apron and pulled out a small hair tie and put her long hair into a ponytail. “You have questions and I will happily answer them, but there are rules.  Call it a system of trades.”

Brian felt Denise’s words ripple along his spine, warning him once more.  Shaking his head he headed for the door. “You know, the last time I felt like this…I should have walked away.  Wendy was a little creepy, but this is outright wrong.  So I am going to walk away.”

Denise waved her hand and the rune in her palm exploded in pine green light, creating an image of Casey on a floor kissing another man. “That is what your girlfriend is doing right now, Brian.”

Blinking and shaking his head wildly, Brian turned to face Denise. “You expect me to believe this?  For all I know it is a projector somewhere, trying to manipulate me.”

“Just watch. Watch what you would be abandoning if you walk out that door.”  Denise calmly added and sipped her tea once more.

Brian wanted to look away from the vision but it blocked the door he wanted to exit.  Clenching his jaw he started shaking as the kissing intensified and the man started fondling Casey.  Brian turned to confront Denise when he heard everything stop and Casey expressed her love for him. “I…is that true?”

“It happened, yes.”  Denise waved her hand and the image disappeared in a cloud of smoke. “The worst thing we can do is turn our back on love.”  Denise pointed to the chair once more. “Have a seat, drink some tea and let’s see if we can save the two of you.”