Continuing Saga--Life After Deep Dark
Chapter 5
As Vicki arrived at Mike’s door, the nervous energy began to build within her. What was she going to say to him? The last time that she saw him, he had kissed her and even though his words indicated that he longer wanted to be involved with her life, especially the supernatural part of her life, she knew different. The relationship that she shared with Mike was first built around a competitive spirit that they developed in the police academy, but later it had grown into a close friendship/ partnership, followed by a romantic attachment. The lines of their current relationship were murky at best. She knew that one word from her, just a small glimmer of hope, would rekindle the relationship with him. Mike had told her just recently that he had spent a year after they broke up trying to forget her and then another year trying to win her back. If she really loved Mike, then why was it so difficult to make it work with him? Sure they fought and had friendly banter, but what couple didn’t have their problems? In the past, the sarcasm and the ribbing only served to further heat up their relationship, but now it seemed more like a brother and sister fighting over a toy.
Vicki had told Henry the night before that he had 40 life times ahead of him and that Mike only had 1, and that she had screwed it all up. The more that she contemplated those words, the closer she came to the harsh realization that she could not continue to take blame for the mistakes of others. All of her life, she had tried to make things right for the people that she cared about. She couldn’t heal the wounds that her father had felt from the coldness of her mother. These wounds that ultimately resulted in her father leaving. Vicki had always felt that she was responsible and that if she had tried harder maybe it would have brought peace to her father and he would have stayed. However she had no more control over that than she did over Mike’s self destructive behavior. He chose to follow her into the dark abyss, throwing away his career in the process and not pursuing other relationships. She had not giving him false encouragement that she wanted a relationship outside of friendship, but then again she had not completely told him to move on either. Vicki knew that Mike still had feelings for her, and she used that to her benefit when she needed his help on a case or police information. Did that mean that she now owed him something in return?
Finally, Vicki took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Mike was not answering, so she became more persistent in her attempts to get his attention.
“Mike, Mike are you in there? It’s Vicki.” There was still no answer.
As she stood there knocking, anger begin to boil in her.
“Mike, open this door. Quit being so childish. We need to talk.”
Mike sat in his living room listening to Vicki trying to gain entrance into his home. He was torn as to whether he should answer the door or just let her leave. Was she here to tell him that she finally had come to her senses and wanted to be with him again? Or was she going to tell him that she chose Henry? If it was the later, than he was not prepared to hear those words. His mind tried to wrap around the concept of what could possibly attract Vicki to this man, this monster. Henry was a blood sucking bastard son of King Henry VIII. He was dead for Christ’s sake. Surely, she would not choose a dead man over him. His pride was not ready to find out the answer.
Suddenly, he heard a sound in his kitchen. It sounded like the window being jarred open. As Mike grabbed a bat and walked slowly to see what was making the noise, Vicki fell through the window.
“Dammit Vicki, what are you doing? There are laws in this city about breaking and entering.”
“Mike if you had just opened the door then maybe I would not have had to resort to such measures.”
“Here’s a thought Vic, maybe I wanted to be alone.”
“Alright Mike, I shouldn’t have broken in, but I wanted to check to see if you were alright and it kind of scared me when you didn’t answer the door, especially with a demon running loose in the city.”
“Vic, I told you last night this is not my problem anymore. You and fangboy are going to have to deal with this creep all on your own.”
“Well Mike that is going to be difficult seeing that Henry is leaving for Vancouver.”
“What?” Mike said with a profound look of astonishment on his face.
“He said that he was putting his life in danger staying her. That there were two many dark forces being drawn to this city and that it was time to move on.”
Mike was trying to register all that Vicki had just said. With Henry out of the picture, maybe he would get his chance, but then again would he be getting Vicki by default. Mike shook his head in disbelief and then said:
“I can’t believe that the old valiant Price would just slink off, leaving you this mess to clean up.”
“Henry has made his choice and it is not for me to say that it is right or wrong. Regardless, there is still a mad man running loose in this city with a demon controlling his thoughts and actions. We have to do something. If we don’t then he will bring Hell to earth and many people are going to be hurt or worse. Do you really want their deaths on your head? We are the only ones that can stop him?”
“Vicki, I know that you think that you are invincible, but you aren’t. So far, you have just been lucky. These marks are not going to protect you and they definitely are not going to stop this guy.”
“No, but somehow I helped to bring him into this world and I am the one that has to get him back where he belongs. Mike you can either help me or watch as I try to bring this bastard down myself. What’s it going to be?”
As she stood there facing him with her hands on her hips, giving him a wicked glare, he thought of all the reasons why he should just walk away, but the main reason why he couldn’t stood in front of him.
With a huff, he said “Alright, Alright. I will help you get this guy off the streets, but when this is all said and done, you have a choice to make. I will no longer sat back and let you lead me around by the noise. Vicki, I need to move forward, either with you by my side or walking in a separate direction.”
Vicki’s heart felt burdened. She did not like being backed into a corner, but Mike was right. She did have some choices to make. The big question: Was she strong enough to make the right one?