That’s how. Yes he is an angel but he is also much more. Previously in times before these, you only saw him as a vampire and yes he is part of those creatures as well. I know that he wants to tell you the story in full so I am only going to highlight the situation and hopefully finish before he finds out where I am.” Rissy had handed Charlotte the bottle of water and Charlotte opened it and handed it back to Rissy. “Yes Charlotte I believe in reincarnation but how does this affect me and why does this woman look almost exactly like me. By the way I don’t believe all of that vampire crap.”
“You are a Moonshower correct? Your family has many strange situations as you are well aware. You always return in a similar form. The hardest thing for Johann is having you not remembering him. He does truly love you, and about the assault, do you know he almost died when he realized what he had done? When you returned to him, he was prepared for you to kill him. Later it was discovered that your promiscuous side had enticed him to do it. That part of you realized that he was vulnerable and could always raise his ire, but in his weakened state he was unable to control himself. He had been poisoned by someone who wanted him and lied to him about a child. Her name was Rina, she was a queen, and the child’s name was Lucy. The softer side of you forgave him and to this day, he cannot understand why you did and has never forgiven himself. This was to be your time and now he feels as though all is lost. Listen to your heart Rissy and listen closely. Do not tell him I was here and that I told you anything. I love him Rissy and I tell you that he loves you.” Before Rissy could respond, Charlotte rose, grabbed the portrait, and left.
Charlotte hurried home and ran quickly upstairs to the room where the portrait was to be; replacing it exactly where it had been. As she came out of the room there was Svelta standing there tapping her foot. “Just what are you doing in there missy?”
“I was just tiding things up.” Charlotte said with a smile. “How is he mother?”
“He’s going to be alright Charlotte. It was a big blow to him and he feels fairly hopeless and if you think that I believe you were in there working, you are out of your skull. You better hope that he doesn’t find out where you went.” Then Svelta softly whispered. “You will have to tell me what happened. If you hadn’t done it I would have.”
Rissy went to bed and kept seeing her and Johann together, and a voice whispering to her. She opened her eyes and there was a chestnut haired woman sitting on the side of her bed. Rissy looked at her automatically knew her name. Rissy was a witch and thought nothing of it and it was definitely not the first time she had seen a ghost. “Alma, why are you here?”
The woman smiled at her. “To give you and Johann my blessing. I am the other woman he spoke of. We love one another deeply but I am too independent for him and I’m not a faithful woman and see no reason to be so. He has always tolerated that, but you have always been faithful to him and it is a trait that he admires and respects. He did push you away once, but my dear it almost killed him to do so. He could not stand the bickering between the two of us, and felt you would be better off with someone who would love you and be faithful to you and you alone, but you two could never part for long. You both shared a bed numerous times, actually too many to count. You were married and he was with me. You never would allow intercourse, but my dear, your skills at other pleasures put me to shame. Once you and I were friends or I should say your uninhibited side and I were. You and I became bitter enemies, but I will wait for Johann to tell you that story. I hope that you will find it within your heart to forgive him, and if you do, your greatest wish will come true. One other thing, he gave you pleasure as he fed from you, he only did that a few times with me.” Alma disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.
It was late the next morning when she awoke. Rissy fixed her coffee and sat down to read. As much as she tried she couldn’t concentrate and had to put the book down. She decided to go for a drive. Her mind was jumbled with thoughts and she did not even realize parking the car and walking along the beach until she came upon a place where there were still two set of footprints. She placed her foot in the smaller of the two and it fit perfectly. She sat down in the sand and looked out over the ocean and cried for hours. When finished she rose, took a piece of driftwood that she had found and made a circle around the place where she and Johann had been when it was a happy place. She turned to the east and made a blessing for the circle to only allow someone who had true love and felt that it had slipped away to enter. She did the same with the south, west and finally the north. She stood there for a little longer and slowly wandered back to her car but felt compelled to look back at the spot where she had felt that she had finally met the love of her life only to have that shattered. She saw a few people walk past the place who went around the circle and then she saw a single person walk right into the circle and sit. She felt sorry for whoever it was that sat there and could relate. She almost went back but decided that she would not be good company so she continued her journey. Once she got to her car she just sat there looking at the ocean and thinking. Things had become so strange since she had met Johann. She had felt so comfortable with him and even now she did, but her brain was reeling. She had noticed her speech changing and then to be so intimate with this man. Her heart ached for him and yet she loathed him at the same time. She thought about the ghost visitation and that damned portrait, she knew it was her in that portrait. She could feel it, she could even see it. She took her time going home and instead of going the short way home, she caught herself driving by his house hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but she didn’t see him. The tears began again. The pain in her chest made her nauseous. Even her brain had begun to wonder if it had jumped to conclusions too quickly.
It then dawned on her. What if Charlotte had been right and there had been things about that whole incident that she couldn’t understand and that Johann still didn’t?
Rissy did the only thing that she could think of and that was to call Lisa to come over. Lisa was her favorite cousin and could help her. Lisa came quickly after Rissy made her promise not to tell any of the rest of the family. When Lisa arrived, Rissy brought out a pot of coffee and they went out on the veranda to talk. “Lisa, what do you know about Johann and don’t tell me ‘nothing’ because I’m sure you know something.”
“I know he is from Germany or somewhere like that but really nothing more.”
“Dammit Lisa, I know you know more than that!” Rissy screamed. “Tell me now!”
“Rissy my dear, it is not for me to tell you. This is your journey and all I can say is to follow your heart.” Lisa took a breath and looked at Rissy. She wanted to tell her much more but it was forbidden. She did think and made one last statement about Johann. “I can tell you this and really I’m going beyond what I’m allowed to say. Johann is more than you know. Whatever you feel follow it and do not be afraid to ask questions but not to me or his employees but Johann directly.”
Rissy shook her head and said she understood and then she and Lisa took a walk in towards River Street for a lunch.
Examination
Johann was falling apart. When he woke he went for a walk and ended up on Tybee Island walking the beach. He wandered without realizing that he was at the spot where he and Rissy had been happy. There were still a man’s and woman’s footprints there and he stepped into the man’s and realized that they were his. He was a little surprised that they would still be there. He had been certain that somehow with the rain they would have been washed away. He did not see the circle because he was so focused on how at first last night was one of the most satisfying and happiest of his life until he ruined it. He had to go too far in telling her about his true love. It could have waited for another time. His thoughts went back to that time and his tears flowed more covering his face and flooding his eyes where he could barely see. He could still detect Rissy’s scent and he saw a faint circle around him and looked around but did not see her but then out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw her but when he turned his head in that direction he did not see anyone and his heart sank
