age stood immobile after Cristian’s departure, letting the rain drown out her sorrows and wishing for the ground to open up and swallow her. His apathy to her plight stung her more than his reproach for her moodiness. She noted the irony of her situation. She was with Cristian, yet she still felt lonely. She couldn’t explain it. She had lived a melancholy life since she became a vampire, with a constant struggle with herself. However, she found that she could withstand it because she wasn’t alone. The coven was always there with her giving her the strength she needed.
Without them, she felt lost. She thought of his mother’s negative reaction to her. “I didn’t think she would react like that,” she thought. “It was as though she looked right through me and saw my nature. She’ll never accept me in her son’s life nor forgive me for turning him into one of the undead. If she knew I didn’t have a choice, would she understand? Probably not,” she thought, “She probably would’ve preferred that I let him die instead of damning him.”
Cristian walked into the club wringing his hair taking off his soaked leather jacket. “Hey, West, haven’t seen you in awhile!” the bouncer yelled over the blaring music. “Been busy,” Cristian said. “Yeah, I bet” the bouncer remarked. He ordered a bottle of scotch and went to the back to sit in his familiar seat. Thunder rolled outside rattling the building. “Sage,” he said knowing that she was the cause of the downpour. “Let’s see if alcohol will still affect me like it used to,” he thought, taking a swig from the bottle. The taste was tart, but he forced himself to drink it. He was irritated, because he knew Sage regretted turning him and it was driving a wedge between them. “Cristian,” a woman purred in his ear. It was Tania, an old flame. She was dressed in a strapless, skintight black dress and heels with her blonde hair hanging on her shoulders. She had a look of mischief in her crystal-blue eyes. “What’s wrong, Cristian?” she said, slinking beside him, “Problems at home?” He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. She massaged his shoulders. “You’re wound up tight,” she said. “You need to release that tension.”
She looked around smirking to see if anyone was watching and knelt underneath the table unzipping his pants. “Let me make it all better for you,” she said. Cristian inhaled sharply, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. Even with his eyes closed, he could see Sage’s eyes filled with sadness as though she was standing in front of him. His eyes flew open. “No,” he said. He shoved her head forcefully away from him. “Stop this,” he demanded.
Lisa looked back at John finding him asleep, his head resting against the window. Cody grabbed her hand. “Hey,” he said. “How are you?” she whispered. “I’ll manage,” he said. “We’re almost in New York,” she said. “I saw the sign a ways back.” “Good,” Cody said. “I’ll be glad to see everyone together again.” “Yeah,” she said looking back out the window. While staring out the window, she caught a glimpse of a crumbled steeple of an abandoned church.
The stained-glass windows were broken and the door boarded. It seemed disquieting to her to see the place of worship empty and menacing in the darkness as if the building had lost its light. John, who had awakened, stared at the empty brick building with sadness that even churches can die if there is no more life in them. Straining his neck, he continued to watch the building shrouded in darkness until he could no longer see it.
Anna and Daniel sat on the plane, both deep in thought. “We caused an extensive amount of damage to the room,” he said. “We had no choice but to pay for the destruction,” she said.
“We both were a bit crazy.”
“Just a bit,” he said, grinning. “I’m anxious to get back to New York,” she said. “I’ll be glad to see Sage again.” “I missed everyone,” Daniel said. “Not that I didn’t enjoy our time together,” he said.
“Understood,” Anna said. “I’m looking forward to hearing how everyone else’s holiday went,” Daniel said. “I know,” Anna said. “But first I need to know if Sage is alright. I just feel something isn’t right.” Daniel looked at his watch. “We still have a ways before we’re back in the States.” Anna sighed impatiently.
The cage to the elevator opened and Cristian solemnly entered the loft. “Sage,” he said looking around, thinking maybe she returned. “Cristian, you idiot,” he said, thumping his head, disgusted by what had happened at the club. “How can I look at Sage after that?” he said. “She can sense my thoughts just as I am able to sense hers.” He checked the phone for messages.
“Cristian, I don’t know if you’re back in town, but we need you to come by the gallery first thing in the morning,” the director said. “It’s about the portrait.”
“I probably should’ve let the painting stay missing,” Cristian said remorsefully. “Sage and I were happier when we were in Prague. I knew she didn’t really want to come back, but she did it for me. And what has happened since we came back? My mother treats her badly, she gives in to her hunger, and I lash out at her because I was frustrated. I should’ve stayed and comforted her instead of leaving her like that. Sage, I’m sorry,” he said. “Please forgive me.” Samuel and Billy sat at the window seat on the airplane. “I’m sure everyone else is on their way back to New York like us,” Billy said. “Queen V will be happy to see us.” “She’s not the only one,” Samuel said, thinking of the sadness in her eyes when they all parted. From all the years that he had known her, she had always had sadness in her eyes. Even after she met Cristian, the sadness remained. The one time he didn’t see the sadness was the night they shared together. She had a twinkle in her eyes and a smile that would melt even the hardest heart. “I think Queen V needs us as much as we need her,” Billy said. “I think you’re right,” Samuel said. “I’m looking forward to seeing her and everyone else again.”
Rafael got up and began getting dressed. “What are you doing?” Randi asked staring at his six-pack abs, practically drooling at the mouth. “I need to take care of something,” he said.
“I need to replenish my supplies. I need a bow and arrows, stakes, holy water. It’s imperative that I get those.” “Will you be coming back?” she asked. “If you don’t mind my company?” he asked. “I don’t mind,” she said. “I actually like having you around.” They stared at each other for a moment.
“Can you take me into town?” he asked. “I have a meeting withCristian West’s mother.” “That should be interesting,” she said. “I’m expecting her cooperation in taking down the vampire
queen,” Rafael said. “A mother will do anything to protect her child
from danger and that’s what I’m counting on.”
“Just give me a minute to shower and dress,” Randi said while
Rafael watched her sashay into the bathroom.
“We’re back in New York,” Lisa said excitedly as the bus pulled
into the bus station. Cody grinned. They hugged. John stared at
them silently. They got off the bus and stretched in the light drizzle. John pressed his jacket closer to him. “It’s a bit nippy.” “We’ll be
out of the cold soon,” Lisa said.
They walked near the back of the bus station enclosed in
darkness. John held on tightly to Lisa who tightened their duffle
bags around him, and they flew back to the loft. “I don’t think I
could ever get used to this way of traveling,” he said. They landed
right outside the door. “Home,” Lisa said. They opened the door.
“Queen V!” “Cristian!” she yelled. They walked down the darkened
hallway. “It doesn’t seem like anyone is here,” Cody said. “This is strange.” Lisa replied, “Unless they are staying
elsewhere.”
“I smell a presence of a vampire,” Cody said. “It’s a faint
smell.”
They walked into the grand living room. John stumbled across
the furniture in the darkness. “I’ll go turn on the lights,” Cody said.
Lisa walked toward the insulated storage area. “What’s this?” she
said looking at the shattered bottle on the floor. “Cody!” she yelled.
He and John ran back to the storage area. “Look at this,” Lisa said.
“Someone was here,” Cody said. “It had to be Queen V,” Lisa
said. “She always uses a lantern. Something obviously happened.”
“Where are she and Cristian?” Cody said. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Unless Rafael found them,” John said. “I don’t like this,” Lisa said,
alarmed.