Forgiveness and Punishment

56

"Go inside, Karen, Melissa is too sick to come out to greet you. She needs you soonest." Timothy says in greeting after giving her a hug. "Did you read the letter," Timothy calls after her.

"Yes," Karen replies back.

"And?" Timothy hides how anxious he is. If Karen leaves again Melissa might lose the child that she is carrying. She's already on bed rest and had to have Timothy's blood to help her keep the baby this long.

"I'll tell you later," Karen tells him motioning to her going to Melissa.

"Very well, but immediately after wards."

"Or you could join us and I could tell you both at the same time?" Karen tells him with a bland look on her face.

"Perfect. I'll be in shortly." Timothy wants to follow her inside right now, but needs to talk to Cliff first.

"She can't leave with me again." Cliff tells him once they are alone and not in hearing distance.

"Why is that? Has she been giving you trouble?"

"Hardly," Cliff sniffs, "I have to practically pry her out of her room. No, she's a psychic vampire, she can't come with me until she's fully trained."

"Shit." Timothy wants to bang his head on something. "I promised her that she could decide what she wants to do after this visit. I told her that she wouldn't be forced to stay here if she didn't feel welcome."

"Well, you might have to hold off on that promise until after training."

"Did your maker's daughter have to be near her?"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Melissa has been very sick and is pregnant. But the illness is more than what I've ever heard of for a vampire pregnancy. Human, yes, vampire, no."

"I'll take a look at her before we leave. Or rather before I leave here. I'll be staying at least for a month, if there is trouble with Melissa's pregnancy, I'll stay longer.

"Thank you, I know you aren't thrilled about being back here for any length of time."

Cliff snorts. "I left to allow Karen the chance to leave and regroup. She didn't deserve the treatment she was getting from those damn brats you created."

"I know. If I had known how they were treating her I would have dealt with it long before she left. The problem should be dealt with now, though."

"It better be or I will be dealing with them, since she won't be able to leave for  awhile." With that the two vampires make their way inside. Once there they separate and go their own way. One to find his room and the other to talk with his newest vampire.

Timothy slips into his bedroom quietly to not disturb Melissa and Karen as they talk.

Karen looks at Timothy with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I had no idea me being away would affect her like this. I never dreamed that I could affect any one this badly."

"It's not your fault. You should have felt the effects of the separation as well, yet it seems that you haven't felt them at all." Timothy frowns at this.

"Not really. I missed Melissa and Tad and even you a bit, but not enough to make me want to come back here. I came more because Cliff was insisting and because of what he discovered."

"You do realize that you can't leave again without full protection until after you are fully trained."

"I am fully trained, I went through hell week for more than a year." Karen replies dryly.