YLENA'S SECRET

(Amy's Chronicles - Book IV)

Chapter 1

Author's note:

This is a sequel to "Unexpected Truth". So if you haven't read it first, you won't probably understand some details or references mentionned in this fourth book.

Disclaimer:

All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc... are the property of their respective owners. The boys do not belong to me, unfortunately. The original characters and plot are my property. I'm in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Warnings: This story is rated NC-17 and contains soft sex (nothing really graphic), blood play, character's death and violence.

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All I could say at that moment is that I was lying on the bed, in the cave. I recognized the damp walls, the candles, the couch and David's armchair. The dark atmosphere was all around me. The pain I felt was unbearable but Yléna tried to help me with some magical potions made with strange and unknown plants. David stayed by my side all the time, days and nights, going out just to feed. He never wanted to leave me for more then an hour. He was always reassuring me, saying that my wounds would heal quicker with Yléna's help and I knew he was right. She was a powerful witch.

I was unable to feed correctly. David insisted to make me drink from him. I thought that I could just smell Yléna’s bottle of plants again and again but he said that my body needed blood to regenerate correctly. For once, Yléna agreed with him. I was seriously wounded. This had nothing to do with my hunger.

To drink from David was a good deal, though. So I accepted. It made him happy, it helped my body to heal and it kept me away from some mortals he could eventually bring back to the cave for me.

“How are you?” David asked when I opened my eyes.
I smiled. I didn’t want to let him know how hard it was to stand this pain. I wanted to be courageous.

“I'm fine, don't worry. You don't have to stay with me,” I replied.

“Yes you are!” he said, caressing my face.

“What?” I asked, surprised.

“You are very courageous! No need to act as if it wasn’t painful at all, I know what it is.”

“Really? You’ve been hit before?”

He did not reply. He leaned in to kiss me and I wrapped my hand around his neck. I couldn’t say how much I had desired this before. I had always been attracted to David and I probably had always wished this day would come soon. But curiously, it was exactly the same as I had imagined. Most of the time, I thought David couldn’t be something else than a heartless bloodsucker but I was wrong! Tenderness was also a part of his personality… sometimes!

Yléna entered the cave carefully, holding a bottle in her right hand. I briefly remembered the jewelled one. Dwayne came in right behind her. He was her “taxi driver” – Max’ order!

David leaned back from me as Dwayne reached Paul and Marko.

“Time for your medication,” Yléna said. I saw David's face change. Even if they weren't enemies anymore, they weren't really friends either. I could feel the tensed situation between them but each time I questioned David about it, he did not answer.

“We’ll go to the boardwalk, we need to feed. I’ll be back within the hour.” He informed me before leaving.

I heard the boys’ voices fade as they went out of the cave.

I saw some kind of a sad expression in Yléna's eyes. I guessed she secretly hoped David and her could be closer now but David was David and he would never change. David loved to control things and persons and his sister was a powerful and uncontrollable element. I assumed that it was probably the reason of his behaviour.

“What colour is it today? Green, red or purple? And the taste, could it ever be delicious one day?” I asked to attract her attention.

All what she gave me to drink was always awful, it disgusted me but I had no choice. If I wanted to heal quicker, I had to do it. And, believe me, to follow Yléna AND David’s instructions about it wasn’t a piece of cake.

“Stop playing, Amy!” She replied, laughing. She was talking like David someway, I briefly thought. It made me smile.

Yléna started to remove the bandage and I felt the pain a little more, but I did not moan. She noticed it.

“When you first met my brother, did you know he was a vampire?” She asked to distract my attention from the pain.

“Yes, I knew it and it undoubtedly frightened me because I was refusing vampires’ existence. My friend had told me not to be afraid but I couldn't stay totally entrusted,” I replied. Yléna continued her cares. She cleaned up the wound with some fresh water.

“David looked so powerful and dangerous, but in the same time, he was mysterious and attractive.”

It suddenly brought a flood of memories in my mind. I remembered many details, exactly as if they had happened yesterday.

“Your friend Jenny was Max’ girlfriend, wasn’t she?” Yléna asked.
I frowned at that memory. I couldn’t forget that all of this would never have happened if Max…

“Sorry,” she said, disturbing my thoughts. “I did not want to hurt you.”

“How do you know about Jenny?” I questioned.

Reacting like David would certainly have reacted too, she did not reply and continued to clean up my wound without looking at me.

“In fact, I did not know Jenny was a vampire until she decided I was ready to hear the truth. I guess I was, because I did not run away screaming.” I said.

We both laughed. After a moment, Yléna smiled with content.

“What?” I asked.

“Your wound is almost completely healed. It's a question of hours now.”

“Hours?”

She smiled. “Trust your half vampire abilities. Your body has now the power to regenerate quicker and my magic helps a lot too.”

I thought of what she just told me. My body could now regenerate, that was quite new for me and it sounded amazing. Yléna and I both stayed silent for a moment.

“I think David has been staked once, do you know something about it?” I asked. I hoped she could give me some answers or at least, help me to know David better but she said nothing.

“Yléna?” I insisted. I saw she was really embarrassed.

“I am not a liar, Amy! Yes I know about it, I’m not going to say different. But I won’t tell because David doesn’t want me to talk about it!”

“I did not know you follow his commands!” I was offended. I thought she was my friend and I thought she trusted me.

“Usually, I don’t! But sometimes, he’s right. The less you know, the best it is for you!”

“Yléna, look at me. I am a half vampire now, living in a damp cave with undead boys. I’ve lost everything I had, my family and friends, my apartment and my job. What else could happen to me?”

“I think David should talk about it, not me,” she replied firmly.

“Do you fear him?”

“No!” Her tone was firm.

“Is it related with the fact that Max owes you a life?” I asked again.
Her face changed.

“You shouldn’t question so much as you shouldn’t have heard the conversation I had with Max!” She was angry. She covered my wound with a clean bandage and put my T-shirt back in place.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to offend you. I know you are trying your best to save my life.”

“David really cares for you, now! He usually never cares for anyone. That’s why Max wanted you dead. He thinks that you could bring troubles into his pack. Max never thought David would learn to appreciate you with time,” she finally explained.

“And what is your opinion about it?”

“My opinion is that you could also bring some joy and fresh ideas in this cave ruled by males. That sounds feministic but I think you could help me to keep a good side in David’s heart.”

“I don’t want to fully join them, Yléna. I know that’s what Max ordered but it frightens me.”

“I fear that there is no way for you to be human again unless you kill the head vampire.”

“And the head vampire is Max!” I said. She nodded.

“So, it is now Max or me!”

“It is not that simple, Amy.”

“I know that I’m not strong enough to fight him. I wouldn’t even get a little chance to win, but with your help?”

“Max keeps the boys in line, that’s the only reason why I haven’t killed him yet. Unwillingly, he helps me to help my brother. Without Max, this community wouldn’t be anything than anarchy, believe me.”

“I understand,” I said. It was hard to admit that there was nothing I could do to get out of that hell. But I felt deep inside that I wouldn’t be able to leave David either, not after all what we had lived together.

“Is Dwayne a good driver?” I asked. I wanted to have a more joyful conversation.

“Wonderful!” Yléna commented with a smile.

“You appreciate him, don’t you?”

“I do!”

“What do you think about him?”

“He's cute!”

“Cute? Nothing more? Isn't he incredibly beautiful, hasn't he the most sensual eyes and the longest brown hair you've ever seen?” I tried, joking. She stayed serious.

“I'm not sure David would appreciate if you're attracted by Dwayne now,” she answered with a wink.
She knew I was not talking about Dwayne and me. But it was her way to politely tell me I was not concerned. So, just for pleasure, I continued.

“I think he'd be angrier if YOU have a love story with one of his boys,” I stupidly said with the same joking tone. She looked sad again and I realized I talked too much, once more. Unwillingly, I brought her thoughts back to the difficult relationship she had with her lost brother who was still rejecting her.

“Ouch, it's painful,” I said to Yléna as she moved my arm to make sure everything was ok.

“Sorry,” she answered.

“Drink some of this, it will help you to sleep a little and the pain will fade.” She gave me her bottle and I drank without any question. It was awful, as usual, but I did not comment it.

“Stay quiet,” she said, smiling. She grabbed her bag and opened it. I didn’t know much about magic but I could say that her bag was full of strange things.

“You are going to use magic on me?” I asked.

“The magic is a precious help!”

“I thought it could only work if you believe in magic?”

“Come on, Amy, You believe in my magic! You believe in everything since you know about vampires’ existence; and you believe in me since you saw me fight Elyria!” she stated.

I smiled, she was so right.

“Don’t worry if you feel that your body is burning a little, it’s not dangerous. Don’t panic, you won’t be on fire!” She explained.

I nodded in agreement even if she just did nothing but scare me.

She looked around the place just to be sure the boys were gone. She probably didn't want them to see what she was about to do. I knew David hated magic.

Reassured by the emptiness of the cave, she took few things out of her bag and put them on the table. She had brought with her a green candle, some Olibanum incense, a kind of doll made out of green fabric, some eucalyptus and scissor. She leaned to me with the dangerous scissor in the hand. She suddenly noticed I was surprised.

“I won't hurt you,” she said, just like David used to do. David and her were so similar, I noted.

She cut some of my hair and put it in the doll with the eucalyptus. She lightened the candle and the incense, she put her hands above the flame, far enough not to get burned and she recited a bewitchment. Curiously, it was in French.

As soon as she started to recite the bewitchment, I felt warmth invade my body.

"Papa Legba, ouvre la porte de la santé pour Amy,
Qu'elle  puisse sous ta protection continuer à bien vivre,

I closed my eyes, trying to keep my self control. It was getting warmer and warmer. I felt the wound react under Yléna’s incantation. It was like it was moving. It scared me a little more and I tried to stay quiet as hard as I could.

Que le mal et la douleur soient terminés pour elle,
Qu'à partir de ce jour elle ne connaisse que la joie de vivre."

I squeezed the sheet in my hands and dug my head in the pillow, moaning.

She kept her hands above the flame of the candle for a while, eyes closed.  As Yléna stopped talking, everything went back to normality, slowly. I took a deep breath and released the sheet.

“You'll be healed soon. It's a question of time. Just let the candle burn completely, it’s important,” she told me, smiling. I did not reply but just smiled back, she was so kind with me. She leaned over my head and hid the doll under my pillow.

“This is for protection, don’t remove it.”

“Can I stand up?” I asked.

“Cautiously!” she smiled.

“Thank you for what you do to me,” I said.

She put her stuff back in her bag. I looked at her slow moves. I was falling asleep, slowly. The cure she gave me from the bottle started to make me feel so tired. She waved a hand through the incense’s fumes. David would smell it. She couldn’t hide the strong fragrance.

“Yléna?” I called after her. “Don't let David make you feel bad just because you're here. You know, everything just has to be under his control. But he can't control your magical powers. That’s why he's not closer to you. He needs time to accept it.”

“How many years more would he need?” she said.

She looked at the ground. I put a hand on hers and smiled. I wanted to tell her that her brother was happy to see her, but it wasn’t true. I couldn’t say why but it was obvious that Yléna’s presence did not please David. Anyway, he tolerated her because she was helping me. How could I be certain that he wouldn’t revoke her as soon as I was completely healed?

There were so many secrets between those vampires and Yléna the witch, and I was kept away from them, again. Why?

The boys came back in. David wasn’t with them. Yléna looked at Dwayne and nodded.

“I have to go. Get some rest,” she said to me. She kissed me on the top of my head like a mother protecting her child and turned around. She moved over to Dwayne who was waiting for her and they walked out together. He helped her to climb the rocks and I noticed that Dwayne and Yléna exchanged glances. She turned red a little, looking away from his stare.  Now, Yléna couldn't hide what was obvious, I thought.

The last thing I saw was their shapes disappearing in the half darkness. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I don’t know how long I slept but I had some very bad dreams about Yléna and David, fighting.

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