he others sat around in the living room waiting anxiously when the door opened and closed. Jumping up from his seat, Daniel stood at the door and listened. Anna walked into the room somberly
“She’s in her room and doesn’t want to be disturbed.” He nodded his head knowing that Sage needed to be alone to grieve the loss of Cristian. “What happened?’ Billy asked. “She made Cristian forget,” Anna said plainly. “She erased his memory of her.”
“I know that was hard for her—” Lisa said sadly, “she loved him very much.” “She did the right thing,” Anna said. “It’s better this way for everyone.” “At one time, I would’ve welcomed the news with much glee,” Pedro replied, “but now all I feel is sadness.” “Not so much for Cristian,” he quickly corrected, “but for Queen V.” “She loved him from since I joined the coven.”
Samuel sighed heavily and excused himself from the room. Anna thought to go after him but changed her mind. “It’s almost like losing him again—” Billy said, “like a death of a relationship.”
“In a way, yes,” Anna replied. “Because it will be as though everything that happened didn’t.” “He won’t remember, but she will,” Daniel said, “That’s even worse.”
“We need to do something so that she doesn’t dwell on it and go back into seclusion,” Cody said. “Remember how we rarely saw her?” he asked, “I liked when she was more outgoing and we were all together.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Anna said.Sage walked into her room, shut the door, and leaned against it staring at her bed. “I can’t sleep in this bed again,” she thought. “It has too many memories of me and Cristian.” She looked at the dimple in the sheets where he had lain while she was missing, imagining his anguish over her well-being. She stared down at the floor where he had collapsed and was bleeding heavily from the wound on his wrist. His life was slowly ebbing away and she had to decide to let him die or turn him into a vampire. With great reluctance, she had made the decision to turn him, and that was when their problems began. The portrait, although it played a small role in their problems, wasn’t the main cause of it. She felt guilt for turning him. It ate away at her conscience and began to become an obstacle between them. “Even if I took Cristian away from the warehouse and turned him once again, the guilt would’ve remained,” she thought. She sat down on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. “I hope one day you can forgive me, Cristian,” she said softly. “I did this so that you can have a fulfilling life.”
Samuel approached the door, lifting his hand to knock, but instead he withdrew his hand, taking a breath, and with resolve walked back down the hallway.
After Sage left, Christopher and Jillian thanked the doctor for his services, giving him a hefty paycheck, and took Cristian back to his loft, but not before having to call a locksmith to help get the two burly men from being trapped in the restroom. Once Cristian was inside his apartment, Jillian laid him on his bed as he started to stir. “The tickets are ready,” Christopher said hanging up his cell phone. “Good,” Jillian replied. She looked around his loft for any signs that could jog his memory of Sage, checking for newspapers or messages on his answering machine or anything else. “The portrait,” Christopher said. “He probably will only remember painting it,” Jillian said, “not any of the other things that occurred after.”
“We will need to inform him of Robert’s death,” he said. “That’s right,” she said frowning. She snapped her fingers. “Rafael killed him over his obsession over the painting,” she said. “For all we know, that is probably what happened,” she reasoned. “But will Cristian remember?” he asked.
“Possibly just as long as he doesn’t remember her,” she said. “Right,” Christopher replied. Cristian woke up, grabbing his head and groaning. “Son,” Christopher said. “Dad, what are you doing here?” he asked. “We wanted to tell you about a family trip we’re taking.”
“Family trip…,” Cristian said, rubbing his eyes. “Yes, it’s something your father and I have wanted to do with you, Son,” Jillian said. “I don’t have any plans,” Cristian said, “at least I don’t think so. I’ll need to call Robert,” he said. Christopher and Jillian shot each other an uneasy stare. “The flight will be leaving in a few hours, Son,” Christopher said, “There’s something you need to know about Robert.” Cristian got up weakly and walked toward the bathroom. “Let me shower first,” he said, “then you can tell me afterwards.” He shut the bathroom door. “It’s just like he was before,” Jillian whispered excitedly, “He doesn’t remember her.” They embraced ecstatically.
Randi woke up as her alarm clock went off, hitting the snooze button and lying back down on the couch where she’d spent the night, not wanting to sleep in her bed. “Rafael,” she called out, sitting up then with sorrow, she remembered that he was gone. “I was hoping it was just a bad dream,” she moaned, grabbing one of his shirts and sniffing it. “The ashes,” she remembered getting up to take a shower and deciding where to release his spirit. She’d asked the hospital if she could take a leave in bereavement of a loved one, but that was partially the truth. She requested the leave so that she could avenge Rafael’s death after she scattered his ashes. “That vampire will pay for killing Rafael,” Randi vowed as she stepped inside the shower. “I will settle the score for you—and that’s a promise.”
Billy walked into the living room, surprised to see Anna and Daniel already up. “Couldn’t sleep either,” he said. “No,” Anna replied. “I couldn’t help but think of Sage.” “Has she come down yet?” he asked. “No,” Daniel said. “She hasn’t left her room since last night.” “Just like before when we hardly ever saw her,” Billy replied. “She’ll come out of it,” Anna said, “She can’t let the emotion rule her.” “Where’s Samuel?” Billy said. “He wasn’t in his room.” “So much has happened,” Anna said. “We all need a moment to digest it and ponder it.” “More happened in these short few months than anything I can remember in all our years together,” Daniel said. “Yes, revelations and things that were in the deep crevices of our minds that we never thought possible,” Anna said clasping her hand. “Okay,” Billy said, not sure what she was implying. Lisa and Cody entered the room next with John not too far behind.
“What an exciting twenty-four hours,” John said. “You almost want to hold your breath for what will happen next.” “I know,” Lisa said, “It’s been quite a few months of chaos.” “Something we’re not used to,” Cody said. “Where’s Pedro?” Billy asked. “He left during the night,” John said, “Maybe he was meeting his lady friend.” “Possibly,” Anna said. “That’s one piece of good news out of all of this,” Daniel said, “Pedro found someone compatible for him, and he won’t interfere in anymore of Queen V’s relationships.”
“That’s the irony,” Anna said, “Cristian and Sage didn’t need Pedro’s interference to tear them apart.” “It was fate.” “How are you sure?” John said. “They found each other before…what if fate once again causes their paths to cross?” “I suppose the only ones who would know are those whose destinies were already predetermined,” Anna said. “I can’t say one way or the other.” “How do we know who’s fated for us?” Lisa asked. “The heart knows,” Cody said. “But how…?” Lisa stammered. “I can’t answer that,” Billy said confused. “All I know is my heart is telling me that it’s hungry.” Everyone broke into laughter.
Samuel stared out at the horizon from the roof when the door opened, and to his surprise, Sage joined him. “I didn’t think you’d come out your room,” he stated. “I was hoping that you didn’t become withdrawn to the point that we rarely saw you again.” She smiled faintly. “I did rarely come from out my room, didn’t I?” she said. “Yes,” Samuel replied, serious. “How do you feel?” he asked. “Numb,” she said, “Disbelief. Grief.” She gazed at him, “Guilt.”
“Why do you feel guilt?” he asked. “Because I’ve been trying to deny something deep within my heart, and I felt like I was being disloyal to Cristian.” “Tell me,” Samuel said. “Sage,” Anna gasped, coming through the door. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” She gave her a hug, giving Samuel an apologetic stare for disrupting their private conversation. “I’d better go,” he said, leaving the two women alone. “Sorry,” Anna said over Sage’s shoulder as he walked past her. “I really didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I guess I shouldn’t stay in my room so much,” Sage said. “I wanted to tell you of a party that the subjects want to throw in honor of your return,” Anna said, not mentioning that she concocted the plan a few hours ago. “It will be a vampire-only invitation.”
“Please say, yes,” she pleaded. “I want to see you happy again.” “Is that even possible?” Sage said. “I gave up Cristian so that he could be happy.” Anna grabbed her hand. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you about Cristian that was troublesome while you were gone.” “What is it?” Sage asked. Anna took a breath and began to relate the things that transpired while Sage was gone.