4.
He quit the house, his head spinning. With that wink, Elijah knew that this was all part of the game. He was challenged to a duel, when his chances were 50/50 that he would live or die. Better than that, he thought, because he knew how to handle a pistol.
He rode back to Oak Lawn and saw Atkins. Elijah told him everything that had happened, and Atkins agreed to be his second. Atkins took another horse to return to Blackshear in an attempt to dissuade Ware. He was gone for more than four hours, and it was dark when he returned. Unfortunately, he had not been successful, and the duel was on the morrow at three.
In the meantime, Elijah called an attorney and an undertaker. He had land that he wished to bequeath to James for his kindness, as Elijah had lost his home in the War and had not gotten around to rebuilding. He had no widow or orphan to support, but he had a sister who was married to a Union sympathizer in Ohio. Elijah would be buried with his family north of what was now known as Isabella Station. The undertaker would not wake him, but begin travel that very night.
All this information he put in a letter and gave to an ex-slave to deliver to Natalia with instructions to pass on to Wade. In the letter, he also said he hoped for a clean and quick death. The slave returned about an hour after Atkins had returned, with a note also saying that Natalia trusted in Wade, was hopeful that this would work, and please burn this letter, which he did in the fireplace.
He was up all night, his stomach roiling in protest. It was about 2 a.m. when he something at the window. He walked over to it, and threw it open.
Holding onto the ledge by two fingers was Ware. His other hand came up, and he easily hoisted himself over the sill and into the room.
“How did you do that?”
“You will learn,” Ware said quietly. “I am sorry to have to come here like this, but there are preparations that must be made.”
“I’ve already made them.”
“Yes, and we appreciate how simple you made things. Yet, you must die first.”
“I thought that was tomorrow.”
Ware put a hand on Elijah’s chest. “You must be bitten by me first. You will sicken, and then die from your wound.”
Elijah looked down at the white hand on his chest. “I beg of you, sir, to please make it quick.”
Ware nodded. “I shall, I promise you.” He pushed Elijah back toward the bed and had him sit down on it. “Now, this won’t hurt.”
Ware leaned forward and nuzzled Elijah’s neck. Elijah tilted his head to the side, exposing his pulsing jugular. Ware breathed on Elijah’s neck, and then Elijah felt a pinch there – then wonderful bliss. He relaxed in Ware’s strong arms, as Ware began to suck on the neck. As he did, Elijah felt himself getting weaker and weaker, almost to the point of passing out.
Then Ware stopped, and Elijah fell back onto the bed, gasping. He felt at his neck, felt wetness there, but when he brought his hand away it was clean.
“How do you feel?” Ware asked, straightening his waistcoat. Ware was no longer as pale, and looked almost ruddy.
“I want…to sleep.” Elijah closed his eyes. He wanted to surrender to the blackness encroaching on his vision.
He felt something sticky at his mouth, and his tongue lapped at it. It tasted sweet. He lapped at it again, and then it was taken away.
“You will remember,” Ware said, a voice far away. “You will remember.”
5.
The next morning, Elijah still felt weak. Atkins even noticed how pale Elijah looked. The undertaker had returned with final forms and looking for final payment for the transport of the body and the payment to the other cemetery’s grave diggers to do their work. Atkins made the payment after seeing Elijah’s will. Even if he lived, Elijah promised that once he was back at his house and building again, he would pay James back.
Elijah tried to eat but couldn’t. It was that night-before-a-battle feeling, when he could not eat because he did not want to soil his uniform as he died. He had seen it happen on the field, and refused to let it happen to him. He would die with dignity.
The appointed time came near, and Elijah and Atkins both went to Blackshear’s. Harriet Blackshear was outside, and told the two men that even she could not dissuade Ware from his path. They were in the back, past the gardens, waiting.
As he walked in, he saw Natalia. Natalia looked like she had been crying, her eyes red and puffy, her skin even more pale. Elijah took her hand, and kissed it, the farthest he had gone with her thus far. “My dearest,” he said, “I did not mean to insult you. Your father does not see that.”
“My love,” she said, her breath hitching, “Please do not do this.”
“It is upon my honor that I must.” Again, he kissed her hand. “Please wait for me.”
“I will.” Then she threw her arms around him and hugged him. To feel that body so close to his, he realized that it was going to be worth it. He was performing for everyone, just as she was.
He let her go, and with a determined air, walked through the house, to the veranda, out through the gardens, to the lawn in the rear. There stood Mitchell Blackshear, Harriet’s brother-in-law, as Ware’s second. Atkins and Blackshear conversed quietly, while Ware and Elijah stood about a foot apart from each other.
Elijah swayed in the cooler November air, feeling sick and weak. The two seconds broke from each other and went to their respective men. “Will you apologize?” Atkins asked.
“I have nothing to apologize for,” Elijah said, not lying.
Blackshear came over to them. “He still insists on going through with it.”
“As does Mr. Hall.”
Atkins put a hand on Elijah’s bicep, right over his old wound. “Aim true,” he said, and walked away.
A servant stepped forward and offered the men a choice of two flintlock pistols. Elijah raised his eyebrow – they had to use these antiquated pieces? Ware did no such thing and picked the right-handed one. Elijah picked the remaining one, and the two men stepped out to the field.
“Aim high,” whispered Ware, as he turned his back on Elijah. Someone called out the paces, and then both men turned.
Elijah didn’t even get a shot off, before he felt something hit his head, right between his eyes.
6.
There was nothing. Then…a thump, and his body was jolted. He tried to gasp, tried to open his eyes. Something was on his tongue, and he refused to swallow.
“Wait,” said Ware’s voice, and he heard some snipping on his face. His left eye popped open, and he focused on someone leaning over him, looking at his right side. “A moment…” and then his right eye popped open. Then Ware snipped lower, and he could open his mouth.
Elijah spat out the coin that was on his tongue. “Blah. A penny?”
“Undertakers are cheap,” said Ware. “Come, a boat is waiting.” Ware bit into his wrist, and blood bubbled up there. “Drink,” he said. “Quickly.”
Elijah looked at the blood, looked up at Ware, and drank. The moment it hit his tongue, he immediately felt fortified. As he drank more, he felt more and more well, and stronger. Ware took the blood away. Elijah found himself reaching for it.
“You will get more on the ship,” he said. “Come, we must away.”
“Natalia?”
“She is already aboard.”
So began Elijah’s adventures abroad and at home.