veryone arrived at the airport and walked quietly to their destinations when Sage turned around somberly to look at Anna, Daniel, Samuel, Billy, Lisa, Cody, and John who were all about to leave in opposite directions to whatever awaited them on their journeys. “Be safe and I’ll see you in New York,” Sage said, blinking back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She felt like a mother who was bidding farewell to her children who were leaving the nest. “We’ll be back before you know it,” Anna said,
one, Sage gave them all a hug and watched as they disappeared into the crowd to their respective terminals. “You’ll see them again,” Cristian whispered softly in her ear as she quickly wiped a single tear that fell from her eyes.
Rafael stirred awake abruptly. He was dreaming of walking through the darkened hallway approaching an opened door. Peering in, he saw what appeared to be eyes staring back at him. They were glowing. “Rafael,” Randi said, startling him. “I was just coming to check your temperature,” she said apologetically. “Help me get out of here?” he asked. “I feel like a trapped animal.” “The doctor told you that you will probably be released in another day.” He stared at her while she took his temperature, pleading with his eyes. She sighed. “Look Rafael, you are recovering from an assault and your cast had to be reset,” Randi said. “You should probably stay as the doctor ordered.” “I can’t stay here for another night,” Rafael
demanded. “There are things I need to do—things I need to take care of.” “Such as what?” Randi asked. “Killing the vampire queen that you kept speaking about in your delirium?” Rafael’s eyes widened. “I said that?” he asked. She nodded her head. “Please,” he asked, softening his voice. “Please help me get out of here, and I can explain what you overheard.” She looked at him, folding her arms.
Sage stared out the window of her private plane looking at the ocean while Cristian watched her in silence. For the first time, she would be traveling without the coven. It reminded her of the loneliness she felt while trying to avoid the passengers in the boat after fleeing from New York. “You’re not alone, Sage” he said taking her hand. “They have been my family for such a long time,” she said, tearing up. He brushed his hand across a tear rolling down her cheek.
“You and I are family,” he said. “And one day we will have our own family.” She looked at him, distressed. “You said that you were turned to carry on the lineage, and together we can have a family. A boy or a girl—it doesn’t matter,” he said with a smile. Sage shook her head violently. “No, Cristian,” she said, her voice breaking. “That won’t happen. You see my father turned me before I married and before I could have children.” “What do you mean?” Cristian asked, swallowing hard, the growing lump in his throat. “The tradition in my family was that once the new heirs had a family, then they were turned afterwards. My father in desperation turned me before I was able to bear children.” She paused, closing her eyes against the inundation of tears she knew would roll down her face. “Cristian, I
KATHRYN NICHOLEcan’t have children.” “But you’re a living, breathing woman,” he said. “I’m not alive, Cristian,” she said in anguish as if the very words ripped out her heart. “My body died when I became a vampire, just as yours did when I turned you.” She turned her head away from him and stared out the window. He looked down, stunned by her admission, realizing what it truly meant to be a vampire.
“I’m sorry, Cristian,” she said softly. He lifted his head up and saw her staring at him. “My father denied me the chance of having a family.” She felt the resentment that she harbored against her father buried within her beginning to arise again. Not only did he turn her against her will, he now denied her the one thing she had always wanted. A family. Because of the vampire curse, she could never give Cristian the family that he desired. She felt her body tremble from her anger. “Sage, I don’t fault you for something you were forced to partake in.” Cristian took her gently into his arms. “I now understand the sadness that lies behind your eyes. Don’t fault yourself for turning me,” he said, “I chose this life of my free will. You and I will always be a family, no matter what.” He kissed her passionately holding her tight against him.
Randi came back into the room after Rafael dressed. “Are you sure about this?” she asked. “Yes,” he said. “Okay,” she said. She opened the door, glancing down both sides of the corridor and motioned for him that the coast was clear. They walked briskly out the room and into an elevator. She handed him his cell phone. “Where did you find that?” he asked. “It was in your pocket and I kept it until you awakened,” she replied. “At first I thought, you were some kind of spy with gadgets,” she said. He stared at her blankly. “Well, uh, thank you,” he said, putting it in his back pocket. After arriving at the garage, the elevator door opened and they stepped off. “So where are you staying?” she asked. “I can drop you off.” Realizing that he had probably lost his room due to his week-toweek agreement, he replied, “I don’t have anywhere to go.” “Then I guess you’ll be staying with me,” she said matter-of-factly. “Here’s my car,” she said as she clicked her key to unlock the door. It was a silver Pontiac. “I live in Brooklyn,” she said as they drove out the hospital garage. “So do you mind telling me what’s going on?” she asked. “Which version do you want?” he replied, “The long or short version?” “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I need to know first if you believe that vampires exist,” he said. “Let’s just say I believe in the supernatural,” she said. “So who is this vampire queen you kept yammering about?”
Sage saw herself walking through the dark hallways of her loft. She could sense a strong presence in front of her. From the faint scent, she could tell that a vampire was before her. “Pedro!” she called out. There was no answer. “I can tell from your scent that it is you, Pedro,” she said. “Speak.” She stretched her hand out and felt the silky shroud. She heard a nearly inaudible whisper. “Mi….” “Sage,” Cristian said, breaking her trancelike state. “The pilot just announced that we should be arriving in New York within the hour. We’re almost home.” “Home,” Sage said with a shudder, knowing without a doubt that others were also awaiting her homecoming.