age nodded her head listening quietly as Anna told her about the tension and arguing that followed her disappearance and how Cristian lashed out at her and Samuel in particular. “Samuel told me that Cristian found out about the night we had together, and he was understandably upset about it.” “But there was no reason for him to be upset—it happened long before he was ever born,” Anna said. “I know,” Sage replied, “but it was another secret I kept from him.” She sighed. “It really doesn’t matter anymore, since he doesn’t remember me.”
“You never gave him all of your powers,” Anna said, “Even Pedro noticed it.” “I wanted to see how he would do with some of the powers he knew I had, such as the power of illusion.” “He enjoyed wielding it,” Anna said. “I know and that bothered me,” Sage sighed. “I tried to tell him that the power could be addicting.” “He was very arrogant too—” Anna said, “always reminding us that you chose him, and that we had better get used to it. He belittled us and insulted Samuel.” Sage stared out into the gray sky sadly. “I know you may not want to hear this, Sage,” Anna said, “but I think making him forget you was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to all of us. I believe Cristian was planning on excluding us from your life and having you all to himself.” “That would’ve never happened,” Sage said, “Wherever I go, you go if you so choose.”
“But as you said, maybe this is what fate had in store for us.”Cristian sat on the airplane staring out the window having a faint sense of déjà vu. He could recall staring out a window and looking out at the ocean in a previous time. “Son, are you alright?” Christopher asked him. “Yeah,” he replied. “I just still can’t believe Robert is dead,” he said. “And why didn’t I know this before?” “His body was only recently discovered,” Jillian answered. “None of us knew he was dead.” “This Rafael Pearson guy was a suspect in his disappearance and death?” Cristian asked. “Yes,” Jillian replied, disquieted. He took a breath.
The name sounded slightly familiar to him, but he didn’t know why. It seemed to him like portions of events that he should easily recall were missing from his memory like chapters missing from a novel. An example was the fuzzy explanation his parents gave of the massive dent in the wall. They both seemed at a loss for how the indentation occurred, stating that it was an accident. “The painting was returned though?” he asked, facing them. “Yes, the portrait was returned without incident,” Jillian answered tensely. “Okay,” he said, turning and staring out the window while his parents shot each other nervous stares.
Randi pulled up to the funeral home and parked her car, resting her head on the steering wheel. “You can do this,” she said encouraging herself to get out the car. Taking a deep breath, she exited the car and walked toward the glass door, gripping the door handle. “May I help you?” the funeral director said as she entered the home.
“I’m Randi Benson,” she said nervously, “I’m here to pick up the ashes of Rafael Pearson.” “Yes,” he said, nodding his head. “I spoke to you last night, or I left you a message on your voicemail.”“Right,” she said. “Come this way,” he said, taking her into a room where there were flower arrangements and a bronze urn sitting on a mantel. “These are his ashes,” he said, gently placing them into her hands. Her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the urn tightly against her person. “May his spirit find solace in his eternal rest,” the director said, holding the door as Randi thanked him and exited the building.
“Where can I set your spirit free?” she thought, still having not decided where she would scatter his ashes. “I know,” she said starting the car and cautiously placing the urn on the floor to keep it settled.
She drove toward the Hudson River and parked her car, getting out and walking along the pier. She looked down both sides for any spectators and opened the urn. “We didn’t spend a lot of time together,” she said, “but I feel like I’ve known you all my life. I will not leave your task uncompleted. I will fulfill what you died trying to accomplish. I will destroy the vampire queen.” She tipped the urn over and released the contents as the sun broke through the clouds, shining brightly in the sky and a gust of wind picked up, carrying the ashes away. “I know you will watch over me and guide me in this effort, and I won’t let you down,” she said.
“So this celebration,” Sage said, “when will it occur?” “In four weeks,” Anna said. “Will that be a problem?” “No, I just wanted to begin to make the arrangements of moving back to Egypt,” Sage said, “I have no reason to stay here anymore.” “What about the coronation?” Anna asked. “I suppose there won’t be one now,” Sage said, “I don’t have a mate.” Anna gently nudged her shoulder. “I can’t begin to claim that I can see into the future,” she said, “but I think everything will work itself out.”
“Meaning you believe in love,” Sage quipped. “I’m still a skeptic,”
Anna said, “but I want to believe—let’s just put it that way,” she grinned. “Daniel is changing your perspective, isn’t he?” Sage said, “I’m happy for you.”
“I will admit that the thought of falling in love frightens me because of the risk of getting hurt,” Anna said. “You’re telling me,” Sage said sarcastically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound...,” “It’s alright—I was just jesting,” Sage said, “I wasn’t being facetious.”
“So I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” Anna said, “but do come down and join us when you’re ready.” “I will,” Sage said, “Thank you for your friendship—this is what I need right now.” “I’ll always be here,” Anna said, “I’m not going anywhere.” They embraced, with Sage stifling a tear as Anna left her alone on the roof.
“Cristian,” she said softly, feeling the loss keenly.Randi stopped by the hospital to pick up her paycheck not wanting to have a conversation with anyone. As she tucked the check inside her purse, she overheard a conversation between one of the orderlies who works at the morgue and a nurse at the nurses’ station. “It’s in four weeks,” he said, “it’s in celebration of the queen’s return and the hunter’s defeat.” “Sounds like it’s going to be a great party,” the nurse said. “Here’s the thing,” the orderly said, “It’s only for people our kind.” Randi pressed her ear closer to the edge of the wall to listen. “So it’s a party for the undead,” the nurse said. “Right, no humans allowed, besides they don’t know how to party as well as vampires,” the orderly joked. Randi let out an audible gasp trying to cover her mouth and realizing too late that vampires have sensitive hearing. “Did you hear that?” the orderly said as Randi hurried quickly to step inside the elevator. She felt a gust of wind close in as the elevator door closed swiftly. Panting, she waited as the elevator moved agonizingly slowly, toward the garage.
Once the door finally opened, she raced out of elevator, got inside her car, and sped out of the parking lot, leaving tire burns. “Please,” she said looking in her rearview mirror for any movement. “It’s still daylight,” she thought. “They wouldn’t risk flying in the open and being seen.”
Staring anxiously and not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she heaved a sigh of relief and continued on her route home. Arriving at her apartment, she looked around again for any signs of vampire activity. Hurriedly taking out her keys, she opened the door and ran to her apartment, swiftly shutting the door. “Oh my, God” she said covering her mouth, her heart beating fast as though it would jump out of her chest. “I never suspected that vampires worked at the hospital or the morgue,” she thought.
“No wonder Rafael never felt comfortable at the hospital and was anxious to leave.” Taking out her phone book, she began to look down the list of places to take archery lessons and to obtain a gun permit and for target practice. She even looked up names for martial arts classes. “I have to be prepared for battle,” she thought. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her hair, contemplating.
“First, I have to change my look,” she said opening up a drawer and taking out a pair of scissors.