Final Days (16 page)

“Oh, no!” she called out as she lost her balance and started to topple over.  Alisa did a double take as Ko
en crossed the sidewalk and was there holding the woman before she hit the ground.  The woman turned to him.

“God, thank you!  I couldn’t seem to sto
p that.  Four is just too many to safely walk at once.  I won’t do that again.”

“It’s all right.  I would have hated to see you take that fall on concrete.”

“Me too.  I can’t thank you enough.”

Alisa arrived next to them and squatted d
own to pet one of the puppies.  It dove at her, frantically licking and nipping at her hands.  Alisa laughed.  “They’re gorgeous!  I’ve always wanted a dog.”

The woman looked down at her.
“Really?  Because these guys are looking for homes.  I have their mother and father and I’m keeping one of the litter mates, but I can’t keep all of them.”

Alisa’s smile faded away as she stood.

“I wish.  But I can’t.”

Koen saw the sadness in
Alisa’s eyes once again as she looked down at the playful pup at her feet.  He saw her hand twitch as she reached out to it, and then drop by her side.  Whatever it was that brought that look into her eyes, he was going to fix it.  No matter what it was, or what the cost, Koen never wanted to see her sad again.  And the way she looked at that puppy...he knew it would make her happy.

“Are you sure?  He looks like he wants to go home with you
,” the woman teased.

He did, too. The puppy had attached himself to
Alisa and when he stopped moving and just stared straight up at her, she dropped down and gathered his champagne body in her fingers and buried her face against him.  She could smell that sweet puppy breath and feel his warmth.  A small procession of tears slipped away from her self-restraint and travelled down her cheek. 
Oh, if I had the
time,
her eyes promised the little dog,
I would take you
right now and keep you close for the rest of your life
.  It wasn’t fair to the puppy, who deserved a good forever home with someone who had a long life to share.

So she stood and shook her head.  “I can’t.  But thank you for letting me steal a few moments with him.  He’s a really good boy.”

The pups owner shook her head.  “Too bad. I thought I might have the perfect home for him.  Well, thank you, sir, for saving me from injury.  Or at least my dignity.”

“Anytime.
  Here, let me help get these lines untangled,”  Koen offered.

Carefully, Koen helped her take each puppy and unwind the leashes until they were all separated.  He saw Alisa waiting patiently for him, her eyes still on the puppy.

While she was distracted, he caught the woman’s eyes and sent a compulsion to her.

“Be at the entrance of this park in two hours.  Someone will show up with money and take this puppy that my woman was petting.  He will give you a generous sum of money.  Please bring some puppy food, toys, and whatever we will need for a few days.  Thank you.”

The woman tilted her head to acknowledge him and walked away carefully with the straining dogs.

“You are a good man.  I knew that back in Paris.  You’re such a hero, Koen.”

“I’m no hero,” he said, his fingers buried in the back of her head, twined through her hair.  “But I want to be yours.  I want to make the world exactly what you want it to be.  That’s why you need to tell me what’s wrong.”

“You
are
my hero.  I am so grateful for these days we’ve had.  And really, my troubles are not a part of this.  We are so wonderful together.  When we are with each other, I have no worries or problems.  So, would you just take me home so you can get inside me?”

Nothing sounded better to him, either.  It was obvious she wasn’t going to disclose the reason for her sadness and
occasional distance.  The matter wasn’t closed, but there were other things to attend to now.

He pulled her to him to kiss her, his tongue lingering on her lips.

“Okay.  Let me make a quick call.”

Two hours later, Alisa crawled out of bed and headed for the kitchen.  

“I think I still have some of that pinot noir you bought at the restaurant last night.  And I’ll bring you some cheesecake. It’s been in there a few days, but I’m sure it’s still good.”

Koen was starving.  During these two nights with her, he hadn’t eaten nearly the amount of calories needed by a first blood vampire.  She would have been shocked by what he needed.  She was offering cheesecake?  Oh, hell, yes.

Alisa was buried in the refrigerator when her doorbell chimed.  She pulled out, surprised.  It had to be three a.m.  Who the hell would be here at that time of morning? 

Pulling the tie around her, she cinched it to cover her lack of clothes and looked into the peephole.  It was a man she did not recognize.   Stepping backward, she bumped into Koen.

“Let him in,” he said.

“You know him?”

“I sent for him.  Open the door, baby.”

Alisa unlatched the door, popped the deadbolt back and turned the handle. 

The man she did
not know stood there holding the squirming puppy Alisa had held in the park just a few hours earlier.   She turned back to see Koen grinning broadly.

“Ah, Koen, what did you do?”

“You wanted him, I could see that.  He’s yours.”

“I can’t have a pet in this building.”

“You can now. I fixed it with the building manager.”

“Mr. Murray?  He would never agree to that!   I heard him tell a kid once if he could forbid goldfish, he would.”

Koen shrugged and handed her the puppy.

“What can I say? I’m a charming motherfucker.  The puppy is yours, baby.  You lit up when you held him.  I would see you happy.”

What was she going to do with him?  Alisa held the puppy close as he licked her face.  Oh, hell.  She was falling in love at first sight all over again.  Her eyes lifted to Koen’s, glistening.

Th
is was real love.  That he found so much heart-deep joy in pleasing her.  What they had wasn’t just an incredible sexual affair…she was really in love with this man.  Sadly, she had to admit he had fallen in love with her as well.

Koen stepped forward, one of his hands curled around the puppy’s head, the other around Alisa’s.

“He’s going to be a big dog.  Look at those paws.  His puppy name is Samson, but you can call him whatever you want.”

Alisa buried her face in his
soft fur, her fingers threaded there too.

“No.  I love Samson.  I think it suits him perfectly.”

She would keep him.  And the puppy too.  This had grown too great, this love, this bond with Koen.  If it was meant to be, if destiny wanted them to take this ride together, who was she to thwart fate?   It was too late now, anyway.  If she tried to leave him, if she tried to make him leave, he never would accept it.  He was going to be hurt either way, but at least now she knew they could be together at least until she passed on. 

The hard part was yet to come. 
He would have to be told, and soon, that they would not have a lot of years ahead.  That their lifetime together would have to fit into just a few years.  Now, she believed it would be enough.

This time, when she looked up at Koen, she didn’t hold back at all.  She let the depth of her love for him show in her eyes.

He paused, then touched her cheek.  The sudden realization that something had changed struck him as he picked Alisa up, puppy and all, and carried her back to the bedroom.

SIXTEEN

It couldn’t be true.  Chione had to have had some kind of a breakdown.  He knew she and Starla had become close.  And he always thought of Chione as sort of fragile.  So she must have convinced herself that Starla was still alive because she couldn’t handle the loss.  He was
barely
handling it himself.  But he promised her that he would come to the temple right away when she phoned and told him that Starla wasn’t dead after all.  He knew it wasn’t true.  He’d touched her empty body after the lifeforce was gone.

Already dressed, he walked out into the beautiful night.  His eyes travelled upward.  He’d forgotten it was a full moon tonight.  They should be celebrating the apex of their power as they usually did each night of the full moon.  They should be celebrating the additions of new family to their community, since Jacob and Starla had only moved here just a week earlier.

Instead they would be saying goodbye.  He worried about Chione’s emotional health, but in truth, his own was suspect.  He knew already that Jacob would go from here after Starla was laid to rest tonight.  And he thought he might do so, too.

He was still the leader of his people, but this loss was his greatest and he needed time and distance.  For now, there was nothing here for him.  He had thought about it this morning and decided he might go to the Americas.  Everything about his home would remind him of Starla and his son.  An ancient friend had lived in the American state of California of two centuries and invited him at least once every year to come for a visit.  Ahmose
could not think of a better time to go.  He couldn’t look at that empty house he had built in joy for the new family.

Laughter came from beyond the op
en door of the temple. It added to his confusion and anger. How could someone be inside with her and laugh like that?  He stormed through the door and stopped in his tracks.  Starla, Jacob, and Chione looked up at him, smiles frozen on their lips. 
Starla
looked up at him…

A split second later he was in front of her, kneeling, his lips against her belly, his arms tight around her.  Jacob did not stop him.  This time, he completely accepted
Ahmose’s touch on his woman.   He understood.  Coming forward, he knelt beside Ahmose, a hand on his shoulder.

“There is a
God in the heavens and he brought her back to us.”

Ahmose glanced at Jacob, and then back to Starla, who looked perfectly healthy.

“How is this possible?”  He looked at Chione, who shook her head and shrugged.

“All I know, master, is that she began to breathe at mid-morning and did not stop.  If it is a miracle, then we are grateful.  But I think there is something we do not know about a Shoazan.”

He didn’t care at this moment.  Ahmose stood and hugged Starla again, carefully because he couldn’t imagine she was very strong yet after…dying.

“Welcome back,” he said softly into her ear.

She reached out to caress his cheek, moist with tears.

“I didn’t know I had gone anywhere.  Although, I guess I must have if you felt me gone. We are fine, both of us.  Our son has been very chatty this day. 
He wants us all to know that he is not going anywhere until he meets us all.”

“I am grateful
.”  Ahmose didn’t try to control the flow of tears down his face.  He raised his wet eyes to Chione.

“Have you called Masura?”

“I have.  But I wanted to let Jacob and you know before anyone else.  Masura will be here shortly.  He doesn’t believe it either.”

Jacob closed his phone he’d just answered.

“Eillia and Daniel are nearly here.  She was shocked when I told her and then she murmured something I didn’t understand and told me she’d tell me more when she saw Starla.”

Ahmose’s
heart still raced, even though now he knew it was true that she was alive.  Chione was behind him, and he felt a butterfly soft touch on the center of his back.  His muscles unclenched, his heartbeats slowed, and his respiration calmed.  He’d forgotten her talent for impressing was strong enough even to work on the most powerful first bloods.  He smiled his thanks.  She smiled back and lowered her head.  Chione had always been the kindest of them all. 

He was beginning to realize that he may have been very wrong all along to think of her as fragile.  She saw things he did not realize she saw.  She fixed things so
seamlessly, no one realized she had done so.  He thought she might be like water, soft and fluid, able to fit into any shape, and yet it could cut through stone. 

Chione smiled that sweet, passive way she had always done except now he thought it may be hiding a tigress.

Eillia and Daniel arrived and went immediately to the temple.

With her usual elegance
, Eillia swept into the room, pushed aside anyone near Starla, and pulled her into her arms.

“Sweetie, I cannot begin to make you understand my joy at finding you alive and well,” she said as she leaned back, her eyes searching
Starla’s.

The
y hugged again, and then Eillia turned to Jacob.

“Don’t let her out of your
sight again.”

Jacob grinned and hugged Eillia. 
“Never again.”

“All right.
Then my job is done.”

Daniel slid his wife aside, glanced at Jacob for permission, which was given, and hugged Starla.

“You scared us, little vampire.”

“Not nearly as much as I was.”

“We’re hoping Eillia can help her remember what happened.  Who did this to her.”  Jacob told him.

“Of course,” Eillia agreed.  “When you feel well enough, my dear, I will journey with you into your memory.”

Jacob sat down beside Starla with his hand on her leg.

“We would like you to do it soon.  The quicker we find out who did this, the safer Starla will be.  She’s a target now that she survived this attack since the killer will know she can reveal him.”

Eillia nodded.  “I am ready whenever you are.”

Jacob turned to Starla. “Are you?  This won’t be pleasant.”

Starla drew a shaky breath.  “I know.  But you’re right.  My child is still in danger and nothing matters more.” Pausing, she closed her eyes.  When she opened them moments later, she whispered, “Okay.  Let’s do it now.”

Eillia looked around the room.

“Here, then.  On this rug.  Jacob, I want you behind her to support her.  You’re right, this will be difficult.”

They took places on the rug, Eillia facing Starla, Jacob right behind her.

“Jacob, don’t touch her while we’re on the spirit plane.  I don’t want you swept into this.  You don’t want to be there, plus then I’ll have to deal with returning both of you to your bodies, and I think I’ll have my hands full with getting Starla out immediately.”

Holding out her hands, Eillia took
Starla’s.

“All right.
  Relax.  Let your mind clear.  We’ve done this before to connect with your child.  It is the same process. Go to the white room.”

“I’m there.  It’s completely silent.”

“Good.  It needs to be.  Now, stare at the far wall and let me have control.”

Starla was able to submit and let Eill
ia guide her past her conscious self into the worst memory of her life.  They moved through the shadowy time between now and the moment of her death.  A space occurred where the darkness tunneled so deep, Eillia pulled them away quickly, unsure of where that path would lead and concerned it could lead somewhere they may not be able to return from.  She guided them past the eternal darkness and toward the moment the darkness began…toward the moment Starla’s lifeforce left her.  As they crossed between the moment after and before her lifeforce moved from her, Eillia felt the coldest darkest touch she had ever known.  Out of desperation to protect Starla from it, she pushed past quickly and arrived to the time just before.  Through Starla’s eyes, the memory revealed exactly what happened.

Tamesine, above a frozen Starla, smiling
, speaking to her.   She apologized, then justified, this awful act.

Eillia was shocked.  Tamesine could not possibly have been here, could not possibly have done this. 

Then she remembered something Starla had told her once.  That there was a first blood in Ahmose’s community that looked like Tamesine.  Only she didn’t just look like her.  She was identical.  Eillia knew they had to be twins, there was no other explanation.  Tamesine had an identical twin sister who was a child of the moon.  No wonder she was so different than any other first blood they had ever known.  She did not belong to their clan.

Still, this was unbelievable news.

A first blood murdered a Shoazan who carried a first blood child.  An act so heinous, she was almost swallowed up by the memory herself.  This would fracture peace in this community.  Eillia watched Tamesine’s twin bring the knife down for the fatal cut, felt Starla panic, and pulled them away.  She yanked her out of the memory and travelled up the path again, through the darkness and exploded out into the white room to calm silence.  She stayed within Starla’s mind to be sure she was okay, and when Starla let her know she was, Eillia guided her out of the inward journey and back into their consciousness.  They both fell forward, but were held by their partners. 

Jacob kept his arms around Starla as she woke, tears rolling down her eyes.

“It was Windari,” she choked out, crying full out now.

Several things happened at once
.  Jacob held her closer, knowing that he could only protect her so far from such a powerful force.  Ahmose blew out of the room and was gone instantly.  Chione hesitated, and then followed him, disappearing in a flash.  Three first bloods guarding Starla along the perimeter of the building moved closer and stayed on top of the small group that was composed mostly of three very vulnerable “made” vampires.

“Why would she want to kill me and my child?”  Starla asked
Eillia when she got the tears under control.

“I think it was you.  Jealousy is a powerful emotion and that’s what I sensed when I watched her.  This woman, she has to be
Tamesine’s twin.  Has to be.  There’s a story there.  I have never seen her in Tamesine’s mind, so she must have erased herself.  Oh, this is horrific.  I could never have imagined a first blood ever capable of this.  She has to be stopped.”

“She will be.  Ahmose is there already, you know he is
,” Jacob said, brushing Starla’s hair back off her moist forehead.

Windari had flown back to her dwelling. Holy fuck!  No fucking way!  She’d survived?

It wasn’t possible!  It wasn’t possible!  It wasn’t possible!

The thought kept racing through her mind as she grabbed the few things she did not want to leave behind.  Because her life was in immediate danger if what that young vampire told her was true.  He’d come into first meal and said that the Shoazan had survived the attack from last night.

It wasn’t possible!  But she’d thought that about Tamesine, too, and it was obvious
she
had survived.

Windari looked around her home of nearly a thousand years.  She did not want to leave it.  She belonged with her kind and they belonged to her.  If she went, she would never be able to come home.   Although she knew that option was gone anyway.  Ahmose would have her killed for this act.  He would never understand that she did it for the future of their people.  And for the relationship he should always have had with her.  He would never agree that the death of someone like Starla would
n’t create even a ripple in the universe. 

With a final glance backward, Windari shut and locked the door.  No one ever locked doors in this community.  It was her message to them that she was gone and they would never find her.

Once she cleared the village and passed the magics barrier, she blocked her life signal so no one could track her.  She was a ghost now.  Perhaps once centuries had passed, she may be able to venture near and see if she might be able to return home.  But first bloods had long memories and she doubted it.

Where would she go? 
To the other side of the world.  To America, the one country she’d never visited.  It seemed a good choice.

She arrived at the airport and looked at the list of departures displayed.  At the counter, she compelled a pale skinned young human girl to take care of her.

“What are the biggest cities in America?” she asked.

“That would be New York on the east coast. 
Los Angeles on the west coast.  Chicago in the Midwest.  And maybe Las Vegas, in the desert.”

All she wanted to do now was disappear in a city of millions, so she could decide what her future would be.

“A one way ticket to Chicago, first class.”