Enlightenment

Part 11

            Six and a half hours later I woke up, filling my lungs with air. The sun was just rising up from behind the horizon, which was broken by rough hilly countryside. We would be fine in the car, the top was still up and the windows were very heavily tinted. Jamie was scowling darkly in the direction of the window, although I doubted he would be able to see anything through the dark glass with his human eyes. Rummaging in my pocket I found my sunglasses, which I slipped on. Julia and Chris were already wearing their own pairs.

            Chris stirred, despite his best efforts he had been dozing against the side of his seat; abruptly he sat back up straight, looking angry with himself for letting his guard down. 

I glanced sideways at him. "Nothing wrong with sleeping, not much else to do." 

He ignored my comment, "Where are we?"

I shrugged. "That's a good question, Julia? Where are we?"

"Well, you said go somewhere safe, and it made me think of that time when those soldiers were chasing us."

I grinned "Which time?"

"The Russians."

"Ahh good choice." I offered no explanation for Chris, Jamie was paying close attention and  I didn't really want him knowing where we were, which was Scotland, the north to be more precise. I own a house there, and if I knew Julia, that was where we were going. 

            I remembered the Russians well; we had a little disagreement in an inn where they were staying, caused by William of course. He had always had a bad habit of offending people. He was using the name Charles at the time, it was quite popular then. Of course if he was in a fight, I had to join in. The two of us were like that, inseparable... but no I would not think about him, far too many painful memories that I had tried to bury deep. I deliberately didn't think about him most of the time, as even after all this time, I still loved him so much. I felt a familiar ache in my heart that had nothing to do with my injuries. But he's dead and gone. I thought to myself viciously, nothing can bring him back so stop thinking about it. Julia's voice interrupted my mental shouting.

"We're here."

            We had come to a tall metal fence; spikes ran around the top, along with live wires.  I knew they were currently turned off, the lack of quiet buzzing gave it away. The fence ran around the entire grounds that surrounded the house. I remembered it clearly. It has always been one of my favourite houses; it is also one of my oldest.

            House really isn't the correct way to describe it; mansion would be closer. Four story's high and then a large converted attic, where the servants used to live. It stretched around in a long U shape, with graceful dark wooden beams covering the frame. It even had shutters on each window. I had converted one of the huge out buildings into a garage; I currently had quite a few different cars stored there, of many different types. Even one of the very old ones from when they were first invented, I never could bear to throw it away. The house had all the modern inventions installed, although I had made sure it was done tastefully, so I didn't ruin the original feel of the building. It had the best security systems installed,  I knew this would not stop other vampires, but it would hopefully keep unwanted humans out.

            The building was not in view from our current position. The grounds were large, and many trees filled most of the space. The trunks were thicker than several men, although I remembered when they were tiny saplings. There was deep a lake along one side, with a tiny island in the middle.

            I got out the car and placed my hand on a small panel at the side, I waited as it read my fingerprints and emitted a small beep; the gate swung open almost silently; it was well oiled. Julia started the car again when I jumped back in and we went along the thin road that wound between the trees. When we came into view of the house Chris swore softly to himself, half laughing, Julia sighed contentedly.