“It’s a fictional story,” he said defensively. “I wanted to write a story from a vampire’s point of view, since in my opinion, vampires are misunderstood. I didn’t mention at all about you or Queen Sage.”
“Most vampires don’t openly discuss vampirism, because we’re a secret society,” Anna said. “We really don’t like to be in the limelight. But since my childhood, vampire stories have been part of our folklore for quite awhile,” she sighed. “I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
“I’m sorry for invading your privacy,” Lisa said. “I was just curious.”
“Let’s make a deal; when I’m done, I’ll let you read the manuscript. How about that?” John said. “Okay,” Lisa grinned sheepishly.
“One conflict that was resolved quickly,” Daniel grinned, “A nice change.” Everyone chuckled.
“That reminds me,” John said. “Rafael wanted to cleanse the family name from a scandal that happened years before he was born. “It was referred to as the fate of Amerie and Lance.” “Amerie,” Anna said. “She was Sage’s great grandmother, I think.” “Yeah,” John said. “The story is that when the vampire hunter tried to kill the queen, he was unable to because he was smitten by her beauty.” “Instead, they fell in love and ran away together. They were eventually discovered in Vienna, and Lance was forced to watch Amerie’s destruction; he was driven from the family in shame. Rafael didn’t want to fall into that same trap, which is another reason he is so obsessed with killing Queen Sage. Rafael’s and Sage’s fates are intertwined with the fate of Amerie and Lance.”
“We can’t wait until nightfall,” Anna said. “We have to search for them now.”
Cristian took out Sage’s cell phone to check his voicemail at his loft. “One new message,” it said. “Cristian, hi this is Randi,” the voice said. “I wasn’t truthful earlier about where Rafael is,” she continued. “I will tell you where he is so that you can find your girlfriend.” He memorized the address, jumped up from the bed, and rushed out the room.
Samuel came back into the living room looking pensive. “I was on the roof thinking,” he said.
“Remember when John asked if Pearson took Sage to a church, and we didn’t think it was likely?” he asked. “Yes,” Anna replied. “What if he did take her to a church?” “I don’t see how,” Anna said.
“Sage was spiritual once,” Samuel said. “Maybe a church doesn’t affect her the same way it affects us.” “I don’t know Samuel,” Anna replied. “What if it’s a church that lost its light?” John asked. Lisa remembered the abandoned church she saw on the bus when they were headed into town. “That church,” Lisa said, tapping Cody’s shoulder. “There’s an abandoned church that we saw when we were coming back from Kansas,” she said. “That’s right.” “It looked menacing in the darkness,” Cody said. “I know where she is,” Cristian said entering the room excitedly. “Randi told me.” “Okay, this is what we’ll do,” Anna said, “Daniel and Billy you go with Cristian.” “Maybe Samuel and Pedro should go too.” Cristian stared at her with irritation. “Lisa and Cody, you’re coming with me, while we check the warehouses.
“I hope that when we return, we will be reunited with Sage,” she said. As Anna, Lisa, and Cody went out the door, Cristian stopped Samuel, gripping his arm. “You’re not coming anywhere with me,” he said. “I’m going to find Sage.” Samuel sighed heavily as Billy, who gave Samuel a sorrowful look, and Daniel left after Cristian. Samuel stood with his arms folded as Pedro took him aside. “I think we need to check that abandoned church Lisa spoke of,” he said. Samuel nodded his head.
Once they were outside the door, Cristian said, “Guys, can you meet me at Central Park? I need to stop by the gallery first.” “How about we come with you?” Daniel offered. “That’s not necessary,” Cristian replied. “I won’t be long.” Billy and Daniel stared at each other doubtfully as Cristian went around the corner. He jumped into a taxi. “Can you take me to New Jersey?” he asked.
“John, did you by chance see this church that Lisa spoke of?” Samuel asked.
“Yes, I could never forget it,” John shivered. “It was scary looking.”
“Can you tell us where it is?” Pedro asked.
Anna, Lisa, and Cody arrived at the warehouse pleasantly surprised to find that the other vampires had already begun their search. “This is great,” Anna said. “Sage would be so proud to see how much she means to her subjects.” “At this rate, the search shouldn’t take very long.” “Maybe we can go check that church I spoke about,” Lisa said. “Perhaps,” Anna said.
Rafael began to stir as Sage stood to her feet only to collapse back to the floor. “I can’t die like this,” she thought. “I have to fight.” She stared at the rusted cross in the darkness, and it seemed to radiate, getting brighter and brighter like the sun. Rafael took off his shoes, searching for the matches he hid. “There it is,” he said picking them up from the floor. Sage felt pain within her body like a tug of war between her vampire nature and her human nature as she stared at the cross, watching as the rust faded and the gold gleamed from within.
She began to crawl toward it slowly, her limbs feeling as though they were pulled from their sockets as the power of the emblem beckoned her. She continued crawling toward it reciting the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.”
She reached out for the cross, her skin ripping and tearing as Rafael yelled, “What are you doing!” She grabbed hold of the cross screaming in agony, the sounds echoing in the air. He threw the match to the ground and the dry wood instantly went up in flames. Sage lay unconscious at the foot of the cross.
Cristian approached the door of the empty building smelling smoke from inside. “Sage,” he said. “I’m coming.” He kicked the door down and ran inside. “Sage!” he yelled. “Mom!” “Dad!” As he ran inside, two burly men dressed in white tackled him. “Hey!” he yelled. “Let me go.” He flung them off his arm and grabbed one of the men by the neck squeezing hard. Suddenly, a person flashed a crucifix in his face. “I repel you in the name of Christ,” the voice said shakily. Cristian stumbled backwards as the men handcuffed him to a gurney. “No,” he yelled. “Sage!” he screamed. The person held the crucifix to his face. “I repel you,” they said.
A man with dark hair, wearing glasses and a lab coat, came in wearing gloves and a syringe in his hand. Cristian fought against the silver handcuffs, trying to break free, his eyes crimson. The person pressed the crucifix closer to his face. “Why?” he asked his voice choked with emotion. “Because I would do anything to save your soul,” Jillian replied holding the crucifix in her hands. “Both of us,” his father said standing next to her. “This was the only way to get you away from her and I’m not sorry,” Jillian said. The doctor jerked up the sleeve of Cristian’s shirt and put a tourniquet on his arm. “Will this work?” Jillian asked. “It worked on me,” the doctor said. He took the needle and jabbed it into Cristian’s arm. “Sage!” he screamed.
After waiting for a couple of hours for Cristian to return, Billy replied, “I think he ditched us.” “He didn’t want us to come with him.”
“We might as well look for Anna and the others,” Daniel said. “No use waiting around here.” Billy shook his head, disappointed. Pedro and Samuel stared at each other as they heard the echoes of Sage’s screams.
“Did you hear that?” Pedro said. “That was her.”
They flew speedily in the air as the sun was setting, looking for the abandoned church. Rafael stood over Sage, as she lay unconscious. He bent down and caressed her face, struck by her beauty. “Time to send you to your eternal rest,” he said taking out another wooden stake. He lifted the stake up high in the air.
Just as he was bringing the stake down, a force flung him backwards. The stake flew out of his hands into the flames, engulfing the building. Looking around, he saw yellow eyes staring at him. “Who’s there?” he asked as Pedro grabbed him and shoved him against the wall. Samuel looked around in the flames for Sage. He saw her lying unconscious next to the cross. Instantly repelled by the emblem, he tried to figure out how to get to her as the flames spread dangerously closer to her.
Rafael got up as Pedro grabbed him by his arm, breaking it anew. Rafael bit down on his tongue from the force as blood spurted out his mouth. “Now I’m going to finish what I started that night you paid me a visit at the loft,” Pedro said.
Rafael’s eyes grew wider. “That was you?’ he asked. “It was me,” he said giving him a head butt as he fell to the ground. “Sage!” Samuel yelled covering his face as he crawled over to her. The smell of the burning garlic singed his nostrils as he gagged, coughed, and gasped for air. “Pedro!” he yelled as he saw the two men fighting as the flames grew higher around them. Samuel grabbed Sage into his arms and swiftly flew out the gaping hole of the building.
Pedro held Rafael by his neck. “You will pay for what you’ve done to the queen and you will hurt her no more,” he said taking out the silver stake from his back pocket. Rafael’s mouth hung open as he stared at it shimmering in the orange and red flames. “Any last words before I send you to your maker?” Pedro asked.
“See you in hell!” Rafael said defiantly. “You first,” Pedro said stabbing him with the stake, driving it deep into his heart. Rafael’s body convulsed as blood gurgled from his mouth. His eyes went still and he fell dead at Pedro’s feet. “Adios,” Pedro said smirking. He started to fly out the building when a lick of flames caught on his pants leg and spread quickly. As Anna, Lisa, and Cody were making their way toward the church, they saw a shrieking ball of flames fly into the Hudson River.