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WARNING: Some portions of the following work of fiction contain explicit sex. If you are under 18 (or whatever age is appropriate for your location), HIT YOUR BACK BROWSER BUTTON NOW. If you find explicit sex offensive, please don't offend yourself by reading further.

The full disclaimer for this work of Vampire Hunter D fanfiction is at the beginning of Chapter 1.

Author: Charlotte MacFarlane
Email: duckey@ns.sympatico.ca
Feedback: Please, yes, lots.
Forward to others: would be flattered if you did.
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Of the Heart

Chapter 3 Heart Felt Wishes

D could always judge distances just right. It drove Kale nuts. Even now she couldn't tell how long it would take her to get from point A to point B. put her behind the wheel of a car & lookout. She wasn't called the family speed demon for nothing. She felt a little sad at that thought. Her family was gone. She remembered how she'd talk about her dreams of owning a riding resort, but she was frustrated that she'd never have the money to buy it, or even get started.

She shook off those remberences. That's really all they were, remberences. She had a new destiny now. Or perhaps this was what was planned for her all along. She tried to reach for D's left hand. She just wanted to touch him, she needed the support she'd find hidden in his eyes when he looked at her. Only when he saw her hand move toward his, he didn't reach out. Instead, he pulled away, making Nightmare move ahead of Max. she didn't understand. He'd never done that before.

"The city gates," said D, before Kale could ask the question her mind was screaming to know, when really he didn't have an answer for her just yet. "Looks like we'll need to do some kind of check in."

They fell in line with the rest of the people, as they gave their names and proof of residence within the village walls. "Name?" The man asked, as he looked up to see, only, D's chin from under the broad hat he always wore.

"D."

"Kale."

"Occupations?" the man asked, scribbling their names in the book in front of him.

"Vampire Hunter," said D.

"And you?" the man asked Kale.

"I'm with him."

"She's...my apprentice." Kale shot D a surprised look. He'd always told people she was his woman, and he was proud of that fact. He never, ever called her his apprentice. D just moved ahead slightly.

"Rules of the city?" she asked.

"Don't kill anything that doesn't deserve killing."

"Town Sheriff?"

"Don't disturb him when he's drinking."

"And he starts that at?"

"Sundown."

"Wonderful."

"Inns are along the main street. Just don't run over anybody. The road kill guy's got a broken arm."

"Thanks." She followed D through the gates and stayed close as people scurried around them. Some carrying boxes & animal cages, others leading animals packed with boxes, and then there were just people, pushing their way through to get to family & friends or to where ever they were going.

The main street was really just a huge market square. Booths lined the sides where there weren't buildings, and then there were storefronts, bars, eating places, and then the Inns. "We'll go to the bar," said D leading the way, Nightmare neighing to get people out of the way. "They usually have rooms for rent."

"D," he didn't turn. "Can we talk when we've settled?"

He sighed. "No," he whispered, "I haven't any answers for you. Just leave me be."

That stung. Though it was only fair. D had given her time to over come her ordeal, and even promised not to make love to her till she was sure she was ready. If it hadn't been for the interruption that morning, she & D might still be around their small campfire, enjoying one another. What ever was bothering D, he'd talk about it when he was ready, & she'd be there.


She was surprised again, when D asked for a room with two beds, but she soon saw his point. He'd been wrestles in his sleep of late, and felt it wasn't fair to Kale to wake her up as well. So, she'd sleep in one bed, undisturbed, while he slept, or tried to sleep, in the other.

But fate once again conspired against them. Every time they felt like they'd fall asleep, some one outside or in the bar, would start a fight, or fire off rounds from their laser riffles, waking them all over again.

The morning rays finally bathed the room in light, and D woke to see Kale sitting at the window looking out. Quietly he joined her to see what had gathered her attention so solidly. On the street below a group of children were gathered with their parents. What they were discussing he didn't care, but watched as Kale's gaze followed the youngsters as they chased one another around. "Did you ever know someone who was pregnant?" she asked sadly.

"No," he sighed.

"I did. Lots of people. But I was too afraid to ask questions about it, in fear I'd upset the mothers." D sat down next to her, stroking her hair, while she wiped away the gathering moistness of her eyes. "It isn't fair D."

"I know."

"I just wish..." she couldn't finish, how would he understand. Men didn't have to carry the baby for nine months.

He gently kissed her brow, knowing what the rest of her sentence would have been. He often wished he could father a child, but he refused to pass on his Vampire heritage to any of his offspring, thus he'd decided not to sire children. It wasn't an easy choice, but it was the responsible thing to decide, and it was a decision he could live with. For Kale, it was far different. "I think you'd make a wonderful mother," he whispered.

"Thanks. Now lets get out of here."


With a few supplies purchased, and stored in saddlebags and the horses' compartments, D & Kale mad a final check of their tack. The city gates were about to open and more and more wagons & families crowded into the square. The morning air was cold, and Kale could see the distant trees begin their autumn pageant. She pulled her cloak closer around her, thinking of the snows to come.

Suddenly, something gripped her knees. She grabbed her dagger, but relaxed when she looked down into the soft brown eyes and smiling face of a little boy. "Hello," she sighed, and pulled the tiny arms from her legs.

"You looked like you needed a hug," said the little boy, slurring and drawing out half his sentence, and again he threw his arms around her knees.

She glanced over her shoulder looking for the boy's parents, though her sight first rested on D, who watched with quiet amusement. "Cute kid," she said, and pulled his tiny arms free. "How old are you?" she asked kneeling down, smiling slightly.

"I'm four," he said proudly, holding up three fingers and trying to get the fourth to co-operate.

"And where is your mommy and daddy?"

"Daddy is here, mommy's over there," he pointed across the square.

"Well you stay close to your daddy. I'm going to be leaving soon, & I don't want my horse to step on you."

"Ok."

She watched as the little boy stepped into the middle of a group of men next to her. "That was sweet of him," said D, as Kale stood and began snapping her stirrups down the length of the leathers they hung from. She did this whenever she was upset about something.

"Gates open, One Minute," came an announcement over the square's speaker system.

"Lets go," D gave her a final squeeze on her shoulder and went to his horse.

"Don't bother me now!" yelled a man in the group. "Go to your mother, now!"

Something told Kale to look to the square, she watched as the little boy who'd hugged her, begin to run across the muddy ground. Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She turned to see a large cargo wagon moving swiftly down the square, the driver cracking a whip above the heads of the cyborg horses. They broke from their fast trot to a canter, then to a gallop. "They're going too fast," she said. "Someone's gonna..." she looked back to where the boy had gone. He had stopped in the wagon's path, crying and calling out for his mother. "KID!!!"

D watched helpless as Kale sprinted from the horses into the square, after the little boy. "Kale! NO!! IT'S TOO LATE!!" he called. Even he would not attempt to pull the kid back with a wagon that close, moving that fast.

Kale tackled the tiny child out of the way and rolled under a stationary wagon as the galloping team spead past. People gasped and screamed as they saw the immanent accident about to take place, and all rushed to the now vacant area, looking for the little boy, to see whose child it was. "KALE!!" she heard, "KALE! WHERE ARE YOU!!?"

"Down here!" she called back. D pushed his way through the crowd and looked under the wagon.

"Kale, you alright?"

"Yha. Kid's ok too." She lifted her cloak as the little boy looked out.

"That was fun!" he cried. "Do it again!!"

"David!!" came a frantic woman's scream.

"Mommy!" called the little boy as D helped them both out from under the wagon. "Mommy, we were rolling in the dirt!"

"David!" a woman pushed through the crowd and took the little boy out of Kale's arms. "You scared me to death. I thought I told you to stay with your father!" She set him on the ground and began brushing off his clothes.

"Daddy told me to..."

"Enough!! Go to your father, right this instant!!"

"Mommy!"

"Go!"

"OK!!"

As the little boy stormed off, Kale tried to tell the woman about what she'd heard moments before the boy was in the street, only before she opened her mouth, the woman turned and slapped her across her cheek. "Don't you ever endanger my child again!" she hissed. D reached for the dagger on his belt, seeing the flash of a knife handle along the woman's arm.

Kale waved him down, and nursed her stung flesh as she turned icy eyes to the woman. "You haven't a clue what just happened, do you?" she asked, slowly building her rage. "Well, you're welcome! Next time I see your kid about to get run over, I'll leave him in the STREET!!!" The two pushed passed the woman and into the crowd to find their horses & leave.