Page 33 of House of Pawns
“Everyone, this is Dr. Nial Jarvis,” Samuel says as he leans on the counter. “He’s a doctor from Montgomery who’s suddenly become very interested in a position at Hipsbro County Hospital when he learned about a House full of other Born. I found an old contact of mine, asked if he’d join. He had no interest, but he’d heard of a doctor in Montgomery that only ever worked night shifts.”
Nial looks around at all of us, studying. There’s hesitance in his eyes, but also the slightest bit of wonder. “She’s not one of us,” he says, indicating me.
“Not yet,” I answer. “But it won’t be long.”
He nods and I can almost see the gears turning in his head. He seems a bit overwhelmed. “But you two are?”
“We’re both Born, yes,” Lillian says. Anna studies him closely, and I know I couldn’t have chosen a better woman to be my General.
“Can you tell us about yourself?” I ask. I gesture toward the dining table off the side of the kitchen, the cinnamon rolls momentarily forgotten. Our entire group shifts to it, taking seats. “By the way, I’m Alivia, this is Lillian, Anna, and you’ve already met Samuel.”
“Yes,” he says with a nod. He folds his hands on the table. All of his movements are very controlled and almost pained looking. “I, um…” he takes a hard swallow. “Thank you for having me in your home.”
I didn’t tell him the House was mine, but he knows.
“I’m happy to have you here,” I say with a small smile.
Nial nods. “Right. About myself. I came from England, Cornwall, about seven years ago as I finished medical school. I was offered a position in Richmond. I’m an emergency medical physician.” His voice shakes just slightly. And he can’t seem to keep from staring at us all. “About two years ago, when there was that freak ice storm, I ran out to help bring in a stretcher, when I slipped on the ice. I fell back. Hit the base of my head, top of my spine, on a ledge. Snapped my neck, severed everything, immediately.”
Such a simple little mistake. A trip. A fall.
And then dead.
“I woke up four days later in a morgue,” he says. His voice cracks just slightly. “It was freezing and dark. It was terrifying.”
I reach across the table and take his hand in mine.
He clears his throat. “I uh…I got my way out. But the examiner, she was there. And I was so…so very thirsty.”
“It’s okay,” Lillian says. “We all did it.”
Nial bites the inside of his lip and nods. “I couldn’t stop, didn’t really even realize what I was doing. But when I came to my senses, I bolted. I was sure my death would be on file, recorded already, so I didn’t dare try going back to England. I ended up in Montgomery. Got a job. And then Samuel here tells me I’m not the only one.”
“You thought you were the only one of your kind?” I ask him gently.
Nial nods. “You hear the stories, but I never imagined they were true. I thought I was a zombie. I just kept waiting to crave human brain tissue.”
He suddenly breaks out with an awkward sounding chuckle, and soon we are all laughing along with him. “You’re not the only one,” Lillian offers. “That was mythought too.”
“You didn’t know what you were either?” Nial asks her with a smile.
“No,” she shakes her head. “Woke up, just like you, in a morgue.”
Nial leans back in his chair with a relieved sigh. He shakes his head. “I have to say, it’s such a relief, after two years, to know I’m not alone.”
“You’re not,” I say, giving him a smile. “You are among friends here. Family. And I hope you will stay with us. We all live here, and you’re invited to as well.”
“Really?” he asks in surprise. He looks around at all the others. They nod in confirmation. “That’s very generous of you. I…it feels like too much.”
“Really,” I assure him. “It’s not. There’s plenty of space. And in reality, each of us is a bit of an orphan. We are all each other have. Please, stay with us.”
Emotion swims in his eyes, and I didn’t know a vampire could cry until I see it there. “Thank you,” he says in a breathy voice. “After so long in solitude, I am just so grateful and relieved.”
“Come,” I say as I stand. Everyone else does as well. When they all start to follow us out of the kitchen, I discreetly hold up a hand to tell them to stay.
“Your home is very beautiful,” Nial says as he looks at the splendor of it all. “May I ask how one so young came to have so much?”
“I inherited it from my father,” I say. “You have a lot to learn, but I think you should get settled in first?”
