Of Wine and Roses

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters related to the VHD movie. Kale however is mine. If you wish to use her as a character in one of your stories, please contact me for permission. Also, Edward, the young red haired Dhampire, D\'s little brother, is owned by Cassa Dellinger, and makes his story known in her tale, Coming Home. Located at Fanfiction.net. The story The Happy Prince is by Oscar Wild, and was my favorite when I was little. That\'s why I put it here.

NOTE: This is a work of fan fiction. So please read on and enjoy.

Special Mention: This fic is here because of one special person. I was having trouble writing this story. I couldn\'t figure out how to start it. Then Kemurikat (fanfiction.net) sent me an email with something VERY special attached. She drew an amazing picture for me, of Kale and D, and as I was looking at it, all the pieces fell into place. Thanks so much Kemurikat, your picture helped me a great deal. I hope you like this story as much as you do the rest. If you would like to see this wonderful drawing by this very talented artist, click here (www.geocities.com/jemstone505/kale_D.htm).

WARNING: The following work of fiction contains explicit sex and sexual references that may be uncomfortable for some. If you are under 18 (or whatever age is appropriate for your location), HIT YOUR BROWSER BACK BUTTON NOW. If you find explicit sex offensive, please don\'t offend yourself by reading further.

Author: Charlotte (AKA jemstone5)
Email: jemstone5
Feedback: Please, yes, lots
Forward to others: would be flattered if you did.
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Chapter 1 The Race

It wasn\'t an odd sight to see two horses running across the plains, their riders holding tight to the reins, and their bodies close to their mounts. The urgency of the racing steeds was known only to the riders, the indication of their professions plainly seen across their bodies. The dark horse\'s rider, who wore all black clothing, looked back to where the silver one was, his long sword angled nearly straight across his back. His broad brimmed hat tilted slightly, he then turned back to their racing path.

The silver horse\'s rider wore arrows on holders across her thighs, a small bow mounted on her right arm. She had another bow, a much longer one, laying across her back, and a large quiver of longer arrows, glinting silver in the setting sun. Her green cloak flew out behind her, as she quickly turned her horse down a hill, after the dark leader. Trailing the pair, as fast as its little legs would go, was a gray and white wolf. Determination of keeping up, in every step of its four feet, its tongue extending from its mouth to the side as it ran.

One could say that the dark horse was running away from the silver. If that were so, why was the silver running from the wolf? The answers would never be known, for they were the riders to share, and it didn\'t look like the two would be stopping for some time.

A small ground hog like creature poked its head out of its burrow, looking to see i wer were safe to venture forth. It ducked down as a dark four- legged animal charged over its burrow\'s opening. Curious to see it was safe once more, it immerged again, looking first where the dark animal had gone, making sure it didn\'t see it and come back for a kill.

Satisfied, it turned the other way, only to dive for cover again as a silver animal charged overhead. It looked up cautiously again, waiting a little longer. Seeing the two strange creatures far off in tistaistance it took another step outward, only to dive back down its hole, just barely missing the jaws of a trailing wolf. The wolf continued on, the tiny creatures tail snapped off in its teeth.

The two riders raced on, seemingly not needing to stop. Then suddenly the dark rider pulled his horse to a stop, right next to a large evergreen tree. Turning his horse, he waited. The silver horse raced up, slowing to a halt next to the dark rider. \"All right Kale. I win. You remember the deal?\"

\"I know...but do I have to?\" D raised an eyebrow, quite surprised she\'d try to back out. \"Without a kiss that is?\" More than pleased to accommodate her, he moved his horse sideways, enveloping her lips with his. Victory was indeed sweet, and he relished every drop. Slowly his right hand moved around her, or so it seemed. When his horse stepped away, his arm was around a smiling, almost laughing, black haired little girl. Carefully he settled her astride his horse in front of him, making sure she was secure. \"I still think you cheated.\"

\"Do it again Daddy!! Do it again!\" laughed the little girl.

\"The horses have run enough today Aceline. Now we walk.\"

\"No, no, no, silly!\" she laughed. \"Kiss mommy again! Her heart went bump, bump, bump, really, really fast!\" Kale laughed and blushed a bit.

\"Can\'t argue with that,\" D said, and moved closer once more, finding her lips tasted even sweeter.

Acelineled,led, her ear pressed to D\'sst. st. \"Bumpy, bumpy, bumpy!\" she laughed as Kale\'s hand found her stomach, and began tickling her, while the two remained in their kiss. \"Oh...ha ha ha...poor...ah ha ha...Logan!\"

D looked up to see the wolf, finally catching up to them. \"Sorry Logan,\" Kale offered. \"Come on, you can ride with me.\" Logan shook the ground animal\'s tail out of his mouth, not finding it at all very appetizing, then changed to his human form, gaspinr brr breath as he did so.

Aceline watched in total amazement. The first time she\'d seen him transform, she ran out of the room, screaming that Logan, the wolf, was some kind of monster. It took a bit of explaining from Kale to calm her down, but she managed all right. After that she just couldn\'t believe it. \"The next time,\" Logan panted, \"You two...race...do it in...a circle. I\'ll meet you...at the finish.\"

\"That doesn\'t make sense,\" Aceline stated.

\"What do you mean?\" D asked as the worn out changeling climbed onto Max, behind Kale.

\"Well, if you go and race again, and he doesn\'t move, how can he meet you at the finish?\"

\"Do you know what a circle looks like?\" D asked as they rode on.

\"I don\'t think so. I must have fallen asleep through that class.\"

\"All right. Look here.\"

\"Am I in trouble?\"

\"Not at all. Look.\" Aceline turned to see D holding his necklace out. \"This is in the shape of a circle.\" She nodded. \"Now, if I place my two fingers here, say they are mommy and Logan, and mommy goes off alone, Logan stays put. Mommy races around the circle, all the way back, where does she finish?\"

\"Back where she started.\"

\"That\'s right, and who would be there waiting?\"

\"Logan!\"

\"Right. But since he didn\'t move...\"

\"That\'s why he could meet mommy at the finish! Without going in the race!\"

\"Right.\" He kissed the top of her head as she confidently took the reins of his mount.

\"D?\" He looked over to Kale. \"You just taught your daughter something. How does it feel?\" D used his right foot to push Nightmare closer, and kissed her.

\"Feels just like that,\" he whispered.

\"Dark One. If you are to do that, perhaps it best I do walk.\"

\"No. It\'s all right. We\'ll behave.\" Kale chided, moving Max ahead a little. Then she stopped and listened. There was an odd rumbling sound coming behind them, but it was so familiar. She dreaded turning her head to be sure, but she had to.

She watched with a horrified expression as a large plane flew overhead. It wasn\'t military colors, but she had been to the military air show enough times to know that the plane overhead was the old USA style Hercules aircraft. Max and Nightmare stomped their feet, and nearly reared up at the odd vehicle passing above. At once Kale started Max running, following the plane. D held close to Aceline, and took the reins, as Nightmare launched into a gallop. \"Is mommy racing again?\" Aceline asked, her tiny arms around his arm.

\"No. I forgot to tell her about the planes. She thinks those are bad people.\"

\"I feel funny daddy! What is that?\"

\"You sense my father, the same as I. It\'s a Dhampire trait. You can sense the presence of vampires, and if you concentrate, you\'ll sense Dhampires as well. ! Sl! Slow down!\"

\"Mommy! Wait for us!\"

She had little choice to stop, as Max approached a wide trench dug out of the land in front of them. It was nearly 12 feet across and 10 or so feet deep, angled sharply to the middle to allow for the drainage of the land to be carried away, rather than flooding the surrounding fields. She didn\'t dare try to jump across with Logan doubled with her. They\'d never make it.

Nightmare slid to a stop next to them, as D reached for Kale\'s arm. She never once took her eyes off the distancing plane. \"It\'s all right Kale,\" he urged.

\"All right!\" she snapped, a strange fury in her eyes. Aceline couldn\'t help but be afraid. It was much the same look her family had given her. \"Do you know what that is?!\" He nodded. \"Then you know what it means! I can\'t stop D! You know I can\'t!\"

\"Yes you can, Kale. That plane was built in the last thirty years. The pilot is of this era.\" Aceline looked questioningly to Logan, he put up his hands and shook his head in dismay. \"The man doesn\'t know anything about them. He built the plane from scratch. He runs a cargo company called High Flyers. Not only that, Father is on that plane. Maybe Adrian too.\"

Her heart jumped, and her breath caught in her throat. She knew she had to face her brother-in-law someday, she never expected it to be so soon. She knew they were going to meet up with Dracula, but what he\'d do when he faced the pair together once more, she wasn\'t sure. \"You\'re sur\'s \'s not an arker?\" she demanded.

\"I\'m sure. I\'ve flown with him.\"

She looked back to the giant plane as it diminished from sight over distant hills. \"All right, D. I believe you.\"

\"Mommy? What\'s an arker?\"

Her daughter\'s innocent question, hinted with nervousness, brought her racing heart back to a normal pace. When she again looked to the little girl, she could tell her actions had made her worry. \"That, my sweet pea, is a long story,\" she said.

\"Perhaps one best told around a camp fire. Dusk comes soon. We should hurry to the trees. They will protect us form the coming rain.\"

\"What rain, Logan?\" Kale asked. \"There\'s not a cloud in the sky.\"

\"You\'ll see. Let us go.\"

The temperature had dropped dramatically as nightfall approached. It had quickly clouded over, and it started to drizzle as they reached the tree line. Now it was raining steadily, and Kale huddled Aceline closer to her, wrapping her blanket around her. Thought they had purchased a few sets of clothes for her, along with a warm cloak, Kale was still worried that she\'d get a chill. D was sitting next to them, a small pot of water near the fire to warm, four cups at his side, all with teabags, but one had a half crushed blood pill with the teabag. Aceline was slowly coming off her need for blood, and with D\'s help and teachings, her mental abilities were coming under control. He believed that once she had control of them, they might go dormant once more.

Again the wolf returned to the shelter of the trees, a second rabbit in his mouth. D took it and began it\'s cleaning, as Logan retook his human form, clearing the last of the rabbit fur from his mouth. \"How do you do that?\" Aceline asked. \"How do you change from a man to a wolf?\"

\"Simple, little Dark One. I ask the wolf spirit inside me to lend me his form.\"

\"Hu? How can you have a wolf inside you? Did you eat him?\"

Kale and Logan laughed. \"No Aceline,\" Kale began. \"You see. Logan is of a people who believe that the spirits of animals are messengers of the creator. They guide them through life, and death.\"

\"How come I never seen his people before?\"

\"Well, long before you were born, people came from a distant land, and tried to wipe out the people that originally live here, because they thought them less than human. It was a dark time honey, thousands died. Then for a long time they didn\'t do as well as the people from the other land. They\'d held them back you see. Then the great war happened, after that, I don\'t know.\"

\"How do you know that of my people?\" Logan asked in total amazement. \"Those stories are only told around our campfires, and only to our children.\"

\"It\'s part of what I am Logan. I\'ll explain that later.\"

\"Mommy? How come the people from the other land, couldn\'t leave Logan\'s people alone? Why did they have to fight?\"

\"Myself, I think it was greed. They wanted what was here, and they didn\'t care who they hurt to get it.\"

\"That was mean.\"

\"I know. A lot of mean and horrible things had happened back then. We can only learn from it and try not to do it again.\"

\"But if no one knows about it? How can they not keep from doing it again?\"

\"Common sense. I hope. There\'s just one thing I don\'t understand Logan.\"

\"What is that?\"

\"Why are you still following me? You\'ve already repaid your debt to me. Why not go on your way?\'

\"It is quite simple. I could not find many of my kind in the northlands, and I have had much time to search. I was debating with my wolf spirit if I should journey south. I had not decided when I met up with you. Now that I am here, why not stay with you. You know this land better than I, and I may also be able to help you. You\'d be surprised what people will discuss in front of animals, and not people.\"

\"He got a point mommy,\" she chided, as D handed the teacups around, and setting the rabbits across the fire.

\"May I ask something of you Dark One?\" D looked up and nodded slightly in answer. \"I understand what you had to do to save the little girl. But why give her the dust of blood, and not the real thing from the rabbits? They did not die till I got them here.\"

Aceline eyed her tea with an odd expression, but continued to drink as D nodded, and turned to answer Logan. \"I don\'t want her to get use to real blood before she has to. Real blood to Dhampires can, I\'m not saying it always does, but it can cause adverse reactions. A darker personality if it were, a stronger, more uncontrollable bloodlust, and some Dhampires have even turned their backs on their humanity to live and indulge as a Vampire. Those are the most dangerous.\"

\"I see. Thank you.\"

\"Daddy. When can I stop taking that stuff? Its yucky!\"

\"Soon Aceline, so-…\" both father and daughter looked up and to the darkness. Aceline pulled her mother\'s arms closer to her.

\"Mommy-…\"

\"Its ok baby, you\'ll be ok.\"

It was far too soon for Dracula to meet up with them. The plane had landed today, yes. But it would take another three days to get even close. D strode across their fire and watched the road they were to journey in the morning. He could hear it coming. Two horses and a carriage, splashing through the puddles in the road. But how many were inside? Kale pulled an arrow from its holder, laying it across the cradle, the bowstring pulled back and locked. The horses, sensing the nervousness of their masters, pranced a little around their tie points, ready to take flight as soon as their riders were settled. Logan again took his wolf form, and stood next to, and slightly in front of, Kale and Aceline. With his animal senses he could tell what creature was coming, but like the two Darks Ones, he couldn\'t tell how many. He quickly licked Aceline\'s face as she cried at the approach of this new sensation. D looked back over his shoulder, sensing her racing fear. \"Hush Aceline,\" he whispered softly. \"It will be over soon.\"

It burst from the trees quickly, the gold and silver trim glinting in the light of the lanterns at the forward section. The driver was a very slender man with blue died hair, dressed in a fine satin suite. He pulled the pair of black cybers to a halt, and quickly scrambled down. He pulled the step out from the carriage, and opened the door. He stood so stiffly straight that the expression \'broom stick up his ass\' was the first thing Kale thought of. But her inward smile died as a tall pail man excited the carriage.

Aceline literally scrambled behind her mother, hiding beneath her cloak, holding tight to her shoulders. \"Come no further!\" D said sharply, Logan growling to add his own warning.

The man had only taken two strides by now, and stopped, eyeing the two adults and the wolf. He let an unimpressed sigh escape his lips as he spoke. \"I am Trevor Hailmann. Vampire Lord of Ann Arbor. I have come in search of a child.\"

Kale didn\'t like the sound of that one bit. \"What child?\" D asked, rather restrained.

\"Perhaps it best I start at the beginning. Two hundred years ago, a man named Torrance was made to a vampire, by me. Abou yea years ago he broke with my house and went off on his own. I\'d learned, a few yeas later, that a terrible vampire was rampaging across the Eastern Frontier and Far Shore. When rumors of that ceased, I knew the vampire had left the land. Some months later, the same vampire began his horrors here, raping and killing men and women alike. He nearly came to my domain, before he was killed, but I had by then realized this rampaging vampire was Torrance. Now six years after histh, th, I felt a strange presence, nearby. The same kind of sensation a vampire gets when one of his own Dhampire children is near. I myself do not have such offspring, but the sensation is there, traced throthe the line of Vampires from the child, to the father, to the maker.

\"You know this sensation yourself Dhampire, so you know I\'m right. I went looking for the child, once I\'d realized how young it was, only to find it moving around. Now I sense it here.\" Abruptly the man\'s eyes flashed crimson red, and Aceline began screaming.

\"MOMMY!!! MOMMY!!! MOMMY!!!\"

\"Forgive me Aceline,\" D hushed, as she suddenly fell silent. \"How Dare you!!!\"

\"She\'s of my line! Give her to me!!\"

Immediately Kale grabbed Aceline, and ran into the trees releasing Max\'s tether as she went. The horse quickly followed. \"You can\'t have her!\" D shouted, drawing his sword to block the Vampire\'s passage. Logan stood nose to kneecaps with the coachman, teeth flashing beneath his jowls, daring the servant to even try and pass.

\"What right have you to her! If the woman hildhildhild\'s mother, than she will change, to truly bring the child up in Vampire ways.\"

\"Kale is my wife! And by human law, we\'ve already adopted the girl. You want her, fallow Vampire Law! The king is three days from here. You will know him by his trademark horses, six cyber whites. You can\'t miss them. NOW GO!! Before I declare a hunt ou!\"u!\"

\"Then the king shall decide hunter! And he will most assuredly see things my way. Tow!\" The vampire inside his coach once more, they drove away, the Vampire directing where to go as he sensed where the ancient king was.

\"Logan. Find Kale. Tell her I\'ve bought us some time. A little at least.\"

She hadn\'t returned as he hoped she would. Not that he could really blame her. He found her 100 feet into the trees, sitting in the shelter of a large blue spruce, one of the few trees that remained unchanged over time. \"Kale?\" he whispered gently, Logan looked over his shoulder at the approaching Dhampire, giving a worried whimper as he turned back to the woman beneath the tree.

\"She wont wake up, D,\" she cried, her worried tears streaming her face. He had to be careful. Her crossbow was still loaded, and the last time he approached her with a child\'s fate at stake, he broke her heart by taking the baby away. She may not say it, may not want to admit it, but she would most likely defend to the death to keep Acel \"W \"What did he do to her!?\"

\"He didn\'t do this love. I did. He reached into her and tried to pull her powers to the surface, undoing everything we\'d accomplished to get them under control once more. The only way I could protect her, was put her in a coma. She\'ll be alright, but I need to fix what he did, before I can let her .\" .\"

\"Then do it! Please! She\'s just a baby! She can\'t handle that kind of power! It\'ll drive her crazy!\"

Gently he kissed her, resting his left hand over Aceline\'s head. \"I will love. I will. Come. We\'ll go back to our fire.\"

Once more settled at their fire, Kale refused still, to let D take Aceline from her. D merely nodded and pulled his cloak around them both. \"Think of a moment,\" he said, \"to anchor us. A moment of total contentment. That\'s it, hold that moment.\" As he stretched his mind gently forward, he could see their last night in Chesapeake Bay. The three of them, huddled quietly on the bed, Aceline held gently in Kale\'s arms, and he holding them both. In that moment he felt such peace…he was happy. His life was full. A loving wife, a beautiful child. All was right.

He could sense Kale\'s total joy. She had all she\'d ever dreamed. She had a husband who adored her, and a child she would die for. It didn\'t matter to her that Aceline wasn\'t of her body, she was the child that chose her as her mother, long before she knew it.

Suddenly he felt a storm coming, voices shouting, and pain, horrendous pain. \"DADDY!!!\" came his child\'s hysterical cry. Quickly he dove into the storm, he couldn\'t fight what he saw, it would have caused untold damage to the girl. He had to find her first, have her help him put it right. He pushed through her memories, the people who were cruel to her representing her nightmares and inner demons.

\"ACELINE! Where are you?!\"

\"DADDY!!! IT HURTS! AAAAHHHHH!!!!\" Across the darkness he could see a barn. The one she nearly died in. Quickly he broke through the doors. He couldn\'t describe what he saw, it disgusted him so. Like lightning he drew his minds representation of his sword, cutting through bonds of chains and flesh. Hands that bound the child in places that should never been touched, quickly faded, and the little girl fell forward, into his arms.

\"Aceline?\" carefully he gathered her close to him, having her feel his protective thoughts. \"Aceline?\"

\"Daddy,\" she whimpered, \"It hurts. Make it stop daddy, please!\"

\"I\'ll need your help. You need to focus Aceline. You need to focus, find your mother. Go on.\"

\"Don\'t let go!\"

\"I\'ll be right with you. But you won\'t be able to find her, with me holding you. I won\'t be far. When you wake, I\'ll be holding both of you.\"

\"I\'m scared daddy.\"

\"I know. But I\'ll be here. Take your time. I\'ll be right at your side.\"

She held him close. \"Those things are scary.\"

\"I\'ll help you. Soon this darkness you see, will give way to the light. Find your mother. She\'s the key.\"

Slowly she nodded, and started running. \"MOMMY!\" D was true to his word, with each step she took, he was right there, helping her strengthen her barriers, forcing the darkness of her linage back, wrapping it in bands of light. \"MOMMY!!! Help me!!!\"

As the darkness waned, and light remained, Aceline could see a familiar face. \"Its ok baby,\" she heard. \"You\'re safe with me.\"

\"Mommy…\"

Kale pushed back her long black hair to reveal a pair of teary blue eyes. \"Hi baby.\"

\"Mommy…\" she sighed. \"I was so scared.\"

\"I know. But we were never far away, where we?\"

\"No. Not at all. Daddy was with me,\" she yawned, holding close to Kale. \"He made the darkness go away.\" Gently she fell asleep, warm and safe once more.

\"D?\" Kale whispered. \"Are you alright?\"

With trembling movements and haggareatreath, D slipped from them. \"She\'s…stable…\" he stammered. \"Her demons…are strong…for one so young.\"

\"I can feel she\'s alright. But what about you?\"

Again he moved further away, but turned to gaze upon them with glowing blue eyes. \"I\'ll be alright…I just…need a moment\"

\"My god D…What did you see?\"

At first he didn\'t answer, he just watched Logan, in human form, carefully cutting the rabbit meat from the bones. It was a steady image he could focus on, strangely calming in a way. \"Demons…\" he said at last, his calm returning. \"Demons too powerful for a child to endure alone.\" His eyes faded from their luminous glow, and once more his natural blue yes fell upon his family. \"She\'s alright,\" he said. \"For now her powers are restrained, but I think…I think it would be best for father to lock them inside her, till she\'s old enough, and strong enough, to face and control them.\"

She held her child close as D leaned in and kissedm bom both. \"If he doesn\'t kill me first.\"