36: The Unlikely Duo – Pt. 3

“Derrick! What are you doing here?” Victoria asked in a whisper trying her best to close the front door behind her.

“Uh, I thought you could use some help talking to your Mom.”

“What? No I don’t need help at all actually I can handle my Mom. You need to get out of here, now.”

“Ok well, that’s not exactly the greeting I was hoping for,” he grinned and showed her the bottle in his hands. “I even brought a bottle of the finest red wine. We can have it with dinner,” he inhaled deeply and tilted his head to the side. “Mmm is that Roasted Turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce I smell? Besides I could have sworn you invited me to come.”

“What? I specifically said ‘no, Derrick, you aren’t invited’.”

“Ah, I thought you meant on the ride up, so I flew,” he smirked teasingly.

“Derrick, you can’t be here, now go!”

“Whoa, that’s no way to talk to company, young lady, I know I’ve taught you better than that,” Richard’s voice rumbled behind her and Victoria turned with a slight look of worry on her face as she looked at him. “Victoria, who’s your friend.”

“His name is Derrick, Dad, but he was just leaving.”

“Yes, that’s a great idea actually,” Delores agreed as she joined her husband at the door. “Thank you for the gesture but we’re having a small family gathering, I’m sure you understand.” Victoria noticed as her eyes glossed over and she stared Derrick down where he stood. Although she smiled, it didn’t reach her eyes and didn’t go unnoticed by both Derrick and her daughter.

“Of course, Mrs. Carson. My apologies for…”

“Oh you know what, I’m a total goof, I completely forgot I asked you for dinner Derrick,” Victoria replied and slapped her opened palm against her forehead. “But that was for tomorrow I’m so sorry about that. But since you’re here, you might as well come in.”

Delores glanced at her daughter and then back to Derrick who looked around the doorway and nodded negatively towards Victoria. “He’s not coming…”

“Join me in the living room for now, young man, let’s let the women finish doing what they do in the kitchen,” Richard smiled as he unknowingly invited the vampire inside.

Victoria took the bottle from Derrick and started towards the kitchen with her Mom. After a while she headed to the living room in search of her father and Derrick; afraid of what the two would get into together. Three of her brothers sat watching the game and drinking and Derrick and Richard were lounging behind them. “Who’s playing?” Victoria asked and leaned over Charles, her oldest brother, as she watched the next play start.

“Pittsburgh at Denver,” he replied and leaned up to give his baby sister a quick peck.

She glanced back at Derrick who stood uneasily beside her father and smiled. “These are my brothers, Eddie, Greg and Charles. Guys this is Derrick.”

“Hello,” they all replied in unison but barely took their eyes off the T.V. “Join us Derrick, you like football?” Greg asked, taking a drink of his beer.

“I’m more of a rugby fan myself,” he replied and looked uncomfortably between Victoria and her family as they all turned to stare.

“He’s British,” she explained and the others all nodded their heads as if coming to the same conclusion.

“Well in that case, how about the grand tour, Derrick?” Richard offered to which Derrick readily agreed. Richard started out of the living room heading down the hallway and he and Victoria quickly followed. “So other than Rugby, do you have interests in any other sport?”

“I enjoy the horses, Sir.”

“Oh yeah? You get down to the track often? I used to take the kids to the dog track when they were younger. We’d sit for a while and watch the races.”

“I always rooted for the bunny,” Victoria smiled and Derrick grinned, looking at her quizzically. “What? I didn’t want him to get eaten.”

“Yes and she always won,” Richard laughed and wrapped an arm around his daughter.

“I haven’t been in a while I can admit. I stay pretty busy with my other obligations,” Derrick replied and glanced towards Victoria. The look wasn’t lost on Richard and he squeezed his arm tighter around his youngest before leading them into his study.

“When Victoria was 12 she asked me to take her to one of the local stables so she could learn how to ride. You see she used to be in the Scouts and Delores and her troop would go to the stables to ride but they always had a lead; Victoria wanted to do it herself. She got pretty good at it,” Richard nodded towards the trophy case on his back wall. “Enough to win the junior league her third year in. After that though she gave it up.”

“I’d reached my pinnacle, Daddy, it was time to try other things.”

“So she says. Next it was Track and Field for two years before quitting. I thought she’d make the Olympics with some of the times she got but her interests were animals at that point. This trophy case is all hers. The others in here are mixed with awards from her siblings but, Victoria was always the overachiever. She needed her own case. But that’s my little Tootie.” Victoria winced hearing her childhood nickname and without looking knew Derrick’s face had curled into a smile. “What about you, young man? You bring home any trophies for your parents to boast about?”

“I had my share of ‘proud’ moments,” Derrick replied thinking back to his childhood. Back then you didn’t get trophies, just bragging rights so his wall wouldn’t have been covered so completely. “However I’m much more interested in Victoria’s many accolades,” he smiled and watched as Richard proudly turned towards his wall of trophies and began explaining each and every one. “He called me young man,” Derrick whispered in Victoria’s ear and she gave him a swat as his laughter grew louder.

“Cut that out! In his eyes you ARE a young man. Hell you’re younger than I am…technically. You were 25 when you were turned, I’m 30 now.”

“Aww well if it makes you feel any better, you don’t look a day over 40, Tootie.” Victoria stomped on Derrick’s foot and he held in a yell, drawing Richard’s eyes as he turned to look at the two of them near his desk. “Leg cramp,” Derrick replied awkwardly and moved away from Victoria who was now trying to hide her laugh behind her hand.

Richard went back to his trophy case and Derrick leaned into her shoulder again. “You play dirty.”

“Oh sorry, it must’ve been a muscle twitch I hear it happens with age,” Victoria snarled causing Derrick to chuckle in his throat.

“Dinner’s ready!” Delores called for her family and everyone began gathering into the formal dining room.

Derrick watched as everyone took seats or helped bring the food to the table before deciding where to sit. “I thought you said there were 10 of you?” he whispered, leaning into Victoria.

“Well Jacqueline and Veronica decided to work the holiday, extra money and all. And Kendrick is currently out of the state on the road and couldn’t get back in time; he drives trucks, long haul.”

“Ah!”

“How did you two meet?” Eddie asked of Derrick as he took a seat beside him. Lynn and Virginia helped bring the dinner to the table and everyone waited as Delores and Regina served them.

“Derrick helped me out on a cold case I was working. His information proved vital in a case against a murderer. Ever since then he’s been providing tips that often leads to arrests,” Victoria responded, stretching the truth a little.

Dinner was placed in front of everyone and a small prayer was said over the food. Derrick kept his eyes on Victoria, who appeared nervous and concerned over his sudden appearance at her parent’s place and Delores kept her eyes on him. “What do you do for a living if I may ask?” Delores opened the conversation and cut her stare at him.

“Derrick tells me he’s an M.D.; cardiology wasn’t it?” Richard asked as he cut into the turkey on his plate.

Victoria’s eyes widened and she looked at him from across the table and he smirked at her before addressing her father with a nod. “That’s correct Sir. I completed my nine years of training, doing my residency at Sacred Heart’s Medical.” He rubbed his chest as the bite of turkey made him choke a little. Coughing up a piece of the white meat, he politely rubbed his mouth with his napkin and apologized.

“A surgeon? Wow that’s…impressive,” Victoria replied and took a sip from her wine glass as she listened to him regale her parents.

“You didn’t know, Honey?” Richard asked and leaned forward in his seat. “I was under the impression that you and Derrick were seeing one another.”

“What? No. Derrick and I are…”

“Taking it slow. And I don’t normally tell people what I do for a living. I find that they pin ideas and dreams on my title and I like to get to know the girl I’m interested in for who she is and not what she expects of me,” he winked at her and took another bite of his turkey.

“Understandable,” her mom agreed, jumping into the conversation. “So many people have a tendency to lie these days you can never tell if they’re showing their true face. Why Cardiology?” Delores asked feigning interesting in Derrick’s story. She was anything but impressed, more overly suspicious of the reason a vampire was sitting at her dining room table talking about her daughter as if they were the best of friends.

“I’ve always been interested in the science behind the heart. The organ is so tiny when you see it yet it has the most important job within the human body. It’s just, amazing.”

“Yes. There’s nothing better than feeling your heart beating within your chest. Knowing the veins and arteries that connect to it and extend throughout the body pumping blood are the driving force behind life, it is amazing,” Delores spoke as she sipped from her glass and continued staring Derrick down. “I’m sure you understand what I mean.”

“Yes Ma’am,” he cleared his throat as he choked once more on the meat. “Might I say this dinner is, delicious. I love roasted turkey.” He coughed once more and covered his mouth with his napkin.

“Are you ok?” Victoria asked leaning forward, showing a degree of concern as the coughing increased. He turned away from the table as a heavier cough started and Victoria got up to see about him. “Derrick,” looking up into her eyes she gasped as she stared back into his glowing red eyes and extended fangs.

“Bathroom.”

“Up the hall, first door on the left.” He rushed through the house, slamming the bathroom door behind him and immediately began pouring water over his face and rinsing out his mouth. Victoria excused herself from her family’s company and went to check on him. Knocking once she entered and watched as he desperately soaked his head in water. “Derrick?”

“Does your Mom cook with garlic?”

“What? Um yeah I think so why? Garlic! Oh my God are you dying? Can that kill you?”

“No, it just,” he started and turned to face her, “does this.”

“Wait, so everyone out there can see your eyes and fangs?”

“Pretty much.”

“Ok no, no Derrick, you cannot do this here! Change back!”

“What do you think I’m trying to do?”

“Derrick! Go human face or whatever you call it!”

“I wish I could but, I have way too much garlic in me right now.”

“How did you not smell the garlic in the food?”

“I smelled it but I didn’t think it was much. I can handle a little garlic but I think your mother doused my plate with it.”

“Ok. So now how the hell do you stop it then?”

“It has to run its course through my system.”

“DERRICK! No!”

“That’s not even the worst part,” Derrick responded as he turned to look at her. The intensity behind his fire red eyes made her take a step back and he blinked once to try and ease her fear. “I’m really very hungry right now. It’s sort of a defense mechanism I guess. My body is growing weaker by the second and right now the urge to feed is my biggest desire.”

“Feed as in…oh my god! Why would she do this here? She has to know it’s placing the entire family at risk.” Victoria started pacing trying to figure a way out of their current situation and Derrick groaned as the rumbling in his gut grew more profound. “You know what, I say let them see. If Mom wants to play games at the risk of her own family then I say we give her what she wants. Let them see what you are!” She started for the door and Derrick quickly pinned her against it, preventing her from opening it.

“No, we can’t do that.”

“And why not?”

“Because they won’t understand and panic will assuredly set in. That means a lot of screaming, a lot of running around and a lot of danger around you. And with you wearing my promise on your wrist there’s no way I can let them near you, Victoria. They will all die bloody. If you want your family to survive today you and I have to remain a secret to them.”

Victoria glanced at the band on her arm and back towards the growling vampire mere inches from her throat. “So you’re saying that this bracelet makes you my very own murder machine if the colors change?”

“When it detects danger, yes. And right now, just trust me when I say it’s best we keep this between us. And as for my current situation, you’ll have to cast something, a spell or a glamour for the time being.”

“I-I can’t cast magic here after what you said! My family doesn’t know about it and that might make you go Terminator or something!”

“Fine then I hope they’re ok with the idea of a demon sharing the table at Thanksgiving. Pass the gravy bowl please,” he replied, showing off his fangs for her in a flashy manner.

She laughed and sighed heavily as he splashed more water on his face. “What if something goes wrong and I make you explode or, or you grow an extra appendage or something?”

“I have faith in you Victoria, now please, you have to.”

She exhaled slowly and shook her head as she stepped in front of him. Slowly she held up her hands and began chanting:

“Moonlight burning in this night

remove his affliction from my sight.”

She watched as his eyes went back to normal and his fangs became less pronounced. “Feel better?”

“Not in the least,” he replied and stumbled a bit on his feet. “I need to get home.”

“Did you drive?” He looked up at her with an expression that denoted a negative and she nodded. “Right, you flew. Ok then I guess I’m calling dinner with the family short.”

“I’m sorry Vic…”

“There’s no need for that,” she interrupted his apology and wrapped an arm over his shoulder. “Can you stand?”

“Yeah I should be fine.”

“Good. I’m gonna say my goodbyes and we’ll get out of here, ok?” The two headed into the kitchen where Delores stood over the sink washing her hands. She turned to look at them with a smile before turning off the spigot.

“A glamour, Victoria? You do realize that it won’t hold for very long don’t you?” Delores grinned as Derrick leaned against the wall behind her daughter and tried his best to maintain his composure.

“Well then I’d better make this quick. What do you think you’re doing? You could have seriously hurt him!”

“Please, enough with the dramatics Victoria. Garlic won’t kill his kind, it only repels them; weakens them a little.”

“That’s not the point Mom, how could you do that to him? And at the risk of your family?”

“Because he’s a demon! You brought a monster into my home and expected me to just smile and be cordial? I should ask you what was going on in your head. Are you sleeping with him?”

“What if I was? Derrick is the one who has helped me understand what is happening to me because I sure as hell couldn’t depend on you for that!”

“You watch your tone young lady! Regardless of what’s happened I am still your Mother, you will respect me when you come into my home.”

“Victoria,” Derrick called behind her as he pushed himself deeper in the corner to hold himself up. “I need to feed, we need to go.” She turned and moved towards him, lifting his arm over her shoulder she helped hoist him up to carry out the house.

“You’re not seriously running off with that thing are you? Victoria there are some things about who we are that you don’t understand. Being friends with a…a vampire goes against everything our family stands for.”

“Gee Mom I might have known that had someone bothered to tell me about our little family curse but considering I was in the dark until Derrick found me, guess who I’m siding with right now. Besides, you denounced your magic, you have no right to tell me who I can and can’t be friends with.”

“Victoria please, I know I should have said something I should have told you that as the youngest you would inherit the family’s magic but I was scared. I wanted to protect you and keep you away from this life. Our blood is sacred. There are too many creatures out there who would kill to tap a vein and steal our life essence, him especially. Vampires are a witch’s greatest enemy. They cannot be trusted!”

“Derrick’s a good man, Mom and I care about him! He’s saved my life a few times, even took a bullet for me once. I know him. He’s nothing like what you think. And if Nana can trust him, so can I.” Victoria turned and started down the hallway with Derrick hooked around her shoulders.

“Princess?” Richard called after Victoria before she could exit with Derrick. “Where are you going Sweetheart? The game starts in an hour.”

“I know Dad and I’m sorry I have to get Derrick home. He has a peanut allergy and as you can see,” she replied nodding towards Derrick’s rapidly deteriorating condition, “Mom’s gone all organic in her recipes; they’re not sitting well with him.”

“I told that woman to ease off of those spices. Trust me young man I know exactly how you feel. Delores’ cooking gives me gas and indigestion.” Victoria grinned at her father’s over sharing and felt Derrick jerk in her arms.

“Dad.”

“Alright, I love you and you two make it home safely. Maybe next year you MIGHT defeat the old man!”

“I love you too Daddy,” Victoria smiled as Richard leaned over and kissed her forehead before waving her off. 

“So you really dressed for the occasion huh?” Victoria asked as she rounded the corner, pulling away from her parent’s place.

Derrick looked down at what he was wearing and slightly grinned. “Uh, I wasn’t sure if your family dinner was a formal thing or not so I dressed up. Better safe than sorry right?”

“Ah, I see. And this has been sitting in your closet for how long?” she asked, continuing to make conversation and keep the man beside her alert.

“Um well I’m not exactly sure, why?”

“Oh nothing. I was just curious how many suits you actually own.”

“Quite a few in fact.”

“And do they all scream ‘vampire’?”

“What? This is very nice vintage attire, worn by aristocrats and nobleman of…”

“…the 16^th century. Don’t get me wrong you look great and everything just really…old and ritzy.”

“Well Victoria, not sure if you’re aware of this or not but I am really old and ritzy.” Derrick brushed at his clothing as Victoria pushed through the traffic into the far right lane, smiling guardedly as she watched him.

“Derrick you look good, really; hot even. I like the ascot and everything. Honestly you’re fine. Forget I even said anything.”

“Victoria?” Derrick coughed as she turned the corner, entering the freeway towards Avondale.

“Yeah?”

“I know what you’re doing and you can stop. I’m already dead.” She noticed the grin on his face and blew out a breath. Driving as fast as she could with her siren on, Victoria veered towards the off ramp to get Derrick to his place. Every now and again he made a groaning noise that told her the garlic was really working its way through his system. And every time he swallowed he could feel the spices burning his throat.

“So sunlight is a hinder without a protection spell and garlic is a nuisance but you can wear a cross and nothing happens; interesting.”

“What can I say? I love to live dangerously,” he joked as she pulled into his driveway. Hastily rushing to his side, she pulled him from the front seat and stumbled with him up the few steps of his porch. Once inside, Derrick rushed towards his stash while Victoria went to lock the doors of her jeep.

“Feeling better?” she asked as she joined him in his kitchen, watching as he dumped the last blood bag into the trashcan and washed his hands.

“Much yeah, thanks. How are you holding up?”

“Me?” Derrick nodded as Victoria pointed to herself in surprise. “I’m fine Derrick. I wasn’t the one who was poisoned. I’m sorry about that by the way. My mom…”

“No it’s ok Victoria. You don’t have to make apologies for her. I understand why she did what she did.”

Victoria let the silence slowly encompass the room while her eyes lingered on the man in front of her. “So, you’re a surgeon! When did that happen?”

“Haha really? You’ve seen the study. Did you not read all of the degrees hanging around in there? Uh I wanna say 1974, the first time. I went through the motions again in 1985, 1996 and 2007; different cities of course. You can only be the young new doctor for so long. I haven’t practiced since late November 2008 though which is when I opened Dante’s.”

“Wow. That’s really…wow. You, Derrick, you genuinely continue to surprise me.”

“Well I hope that’s a good thing.”

“Very.”

“In that case, what can I say? I’m a man of many mysteries,” he replied with a smile and polite bow. “Anyway, uh, Victoria, you know what your Mom said about vampires being your greatest enemy…”

“Don’t worry about that. She was just scared.”

“It’s true. We’re not exactly the warm and fuzzy kind of beings. A witch has natural energy that draws all kinds of creatures to her. And there are some, like your family, whose blood is ten times more potent than anything else in nature. You need to be careful.”

“You’re my friend Derrick and I trust you. But if it turns out you’re just playing me long enough to sink your teeth into my vein I’ll shoot you in the nuts; twice.” She grinned and he chuckled lightly as she leaned against the counter.

“So you ‘care’ about me? What does that mean exactly?” Derrick smirked seeing Victoria’s face light up at her embarrassment and the awkward way she fidgeted with her fingers.

“It means just what it sounded like,” she began, finding the proper footing for her statement and making herself comfortable with her stance. “We’re friends Derrick and I care whether or not you live or die; especially if it’s at the hands of my own mother. Don’t read more into that than you should.”

“Right,” he nodded and leaned against the counter beside her. “And I suppose you’ve stood up for your other ‘friends’ in the same manner against your mother?” Victoria’s lips pursed and she swallowed hard but didn’t offer up an answer causing the smile on Derrick’s face to widen. “So what game was your Dad talking about?”

“Football, what else? It’s November.”

“Indeed. However I never took you for a football fan. You don’t seem like the type.”

“Oh? And what type is that exactly?”

“You know…t-the type of girl who likes football.”

“Uh huh. Well every year we play a pick-up game with a few of our old friends from the neighborhood. After a while it stopped being a neighborhood thing as more and more of them either moved away or just stopped visiting so it became a Carson family tradition, girls versus boys.”

“That seems a bit sexist.”

“Why? You don’t think the girls have what it takes to beat the boys? Now THAT’S sexist.”

“It’s not that Victoria it’s just, your brothers seemed like really athletic guys and I…think…I should stop talking now; yeah that is sexist. I’m sorry. I know you are a very capable woman and coming from that stock, I assume the others don’t fall too far behind.” He moved closer towards her and wrapped his arm over her shoulder. “Sorry I messed things up with you and your Mom. I know you wanted to talk to her about your magic and had I not gotten in the way you may have finally gotten some answers.”

“It’s ok. Her eagerness to hurt you told me everything I needed to know. She’ll never help me with this magic thing. Nana is my source of information as far as my family is concerned. Although I am curious about something,” Victoria remarked as she chewed her bottom lip.

“What’s that?”

“My Mom knew what you were the moment she saw you. If she’s no longer practicing and hasn’t in a while, how could she identify you as a vampire? Have the two of you met before?”

“No, never. I mean I’ve seen her a couple times but she has most assuredly never seen me.”

“Huh… in that case, it leaves much to question.”

“You think she’s been keeping up with her magic without telling anyone?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense right? I mean she never told me once about our family’s powers. She denied knowing where Nana was even though Nana explicitly mentioned that Mom knew all this time and she can identify supernatural beings with just a glance. I couldn’t do that until I was opened to our family’s magic and then I started seeing them everywhere. I just don’t know why she’d continue hiding it.”

“Maybe there is more to it than you know.”

“Yeah well. It doesn’t matter right now I suppose,” Victoria started and pulled an object from her pocket. “I got what I went there for; tucked away in the back of her bedroom drawer.”

Derrick smiled and glanced into her palm. “Well now, that is a pleasant surprise.”

“And I can thank Nana for teaching me that locator spell. So Derrick, you vile and treacherous creature and enemy of all things good, would you like to get to work helping me save this planet.”

“Well I don’t know. According to your Mom I’m just plotting to sink my teeth into that delectable throbbing artery I see above your breast. Then again, there’s one near your groin that I find even more enjoyable. And judging by the alluring aroma of your ever fragrant orange blossom body wash, I’m sure it would be a real treat. Are you sure you can trust me?”

“There’s no one better for the job. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. And if you get hungry, I’m willing to help…I have access to the Avondale blood bank; I have a badge,” she winked as a small giggle worked its way through her lips.

“My dear Detective Carson, you always know the sweetest things to say,” Derrick smirked as he offered his hand to her. “Shall we?” Victoria slid her hand into his and he gently caressed his thumb across her knuckles before bending down to kiss them. His lips lingered a moment and Victoria fought the urge to reach down and stroke a hand through his hair. Derrick smiled up at her as if he knew, laced his fingers between hers and led her off to the magic room.

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