The Deep, Dark Secret

May 10, 1954
Met with Adam yesterday said he’s going to teach me. I hope he means it because I don’t think I can handle another day like this. One day I’ll be like him, one day everything will be right and no one will suspect a thing, I hope. 1

Adam ducked into the little coffee shop and stepped out of the rain. Instantly he spotted an angel sitting in the far back corner, their spot, waiting for him. Taking quick steps over he planted a kiss on her forehead and sat down. 2

“You’re late.” She said with a smile.3

“No I’m not, I’m on time, you were early.” She rolled her eyes.4

“You ready to order?” she questioned5

“Yeah. You want the usual?” she nodded that she did. Getting up he walked to the counter and ordered a black coffee and a mocha latte, buying a roll as well. Reaching long, slender fingers into the pocket of his dark jeans he pulled out a ring he’d been holding onto for a long time. Placing the band into the roll, he wrapped it in a napkin and walked over to the table. 6

“Here you go.” He said placing the latte and roll in front of her. He sipped his coffee slowly as he watched her open the napkin. The time it took for her to find it was only seconds, but those few seconds felt like such an eternity. Time had never moved so slowly.7

“Adam, is this….” She didn’t finish that sentence, but he knew what she meant. He only nodded, then looking deep into her sapphire eyes with his dark, almost black eyes; he opened his mouth to speak.8

“Sharon Josephine Michaels, will you do the honor of marrying me?” he asked slowly. Not being able to speak and trying hard to stop the tears from flowing she nodded her head with passion.9

Four months later, after much stress and planning, Adam stood at the end of the aisle, anxiously awaiting his love’s time to be in front with him. Music flowed from the organ as people sauntered in. Shawn, her brother, stood next to him up front, his best man. 10

After what seems like hours, but was really only minutes, the wedding march started to resound from the organ, directing everyone’s attention to the back of the church. Dressed, in a beautiful white gown, her arm hooked with her father’s, Sharon looked at the sea of people until her eyes settled on the front, where her man stood, smiling up at her. 11

Without any incident the ceremony went on, Adam and Sharon were soon announced Mr. and Mrs. Lawman. 12

Music played on in the background while people talked and some even danced. After several drinks at the open bar, Shawn gave a hearty family welcome to Adam in front of everyone. Even if he didn’t remember it, everybody else surely would. 13

Adam was talking to a coworker he’d invited when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Telling the worker to hold on a minute, he turned and found himself face to face with Mr. Michaels, Sharon’s father. 14

“A word, Adam.” Adam excused himself from everyone and he and Mr. Michaels went off to a private corner of the reception area. 15

“You may have fooled my daughter, Adam, but I know your deep dark secret.” He said slowly, looking Adam straight in the eye. 16

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.” He replied, his voice even. Putting a hand into the inside of his jacket, Mr. Michaels pulled out a couple pieces of paper. He handed the first one to him. 17

“Do you know what this is?”18

“A journal entry?” Adam guessed, barely glancing at the paper.19

“That’s right and it was written by my brother several months before he left for Korea. He claims he was bitten by a vampire, you see that?”20

“Yeah, but I don’t know how that can be seeing as vampires don’t exist.” Adam handed him back the piece of paper.21

“That’s what I thought too. You see, then my family received this letter from the military, several months after he left.”22

Mr. and Mrs. Michaels,23

I regretfully tell you that your son, Sean, was killed in the line of duty. He served his country well and protected his brothers in arms until the minute he died. I was grateful to have him under my leadership. I am sorry to have to tell you through this letter, but it is the easiest way of communication at this point of time. 24

Captain Adam Sheridan25

US Army26

“I’m sorry about your brother, sir.” Adam said after a minute of looking over the letter. 27

“You know the captain visited my family once after Sean died. I was only fifteen at the time. He’d said something along the lines of ‘your son was one of our best’ to our parents, they bought and I’d wanted to.” He seemed to be trying to tell Adam something specific and he was picking up on that. 28

“Are you trying to tell me something, sir?”29

“You’re quick. You see that captain that visited my family all those years ago looked strikingly like you.”30

“He could’ve been my uncle. My mother’s maiden name is Sheridan sir.”31

“Was his name Adam and was he in the army?” Mr. Michaels questioned him. 32

“I couldn’t tell you that, sir, she died when I was six and my father never told me anything of her past and he himself is dead now.” He seemed to think about this, consider it for fact. 33

“If you don’t mind, sir, I believe I owe your daughter and my wife a dance.” He said, a smile pulling at his features34

“Alright, but, son, keep in mind I will be watching.”35

“Ok, but don’t expect anything.” Adam walked away and over to a table where Sharon sat, watching people. Offering her his hand he pulled her up and over to the dance floor where all the guests on the floor moved away and allowed the new wedded couple a first dance. 36

In a dark part of the room a man, no older than twenty, watched as his brother kept an eye on the couple. Dark eyes glanced over at the happy young couple, neither one seemed to have a care in the world, but he knew the truth. 37

August 29, 2008
Sharon is now grown and married. Adam has taken her in. John knows, and he tried to get Adam to tell him the truth, but he’s good and he said nothing. Many years after saving me from killing an entire team, he still hasn’t killed. How he does it, I don’t know, but one day he’ll regret it, one day he’ll regret teaching me his tricks.38