Chapter 38 #2
“I understand, I do not want to put Vail in danger, and I certainly do not want to risk her finding out the truth about us, especially not her grandmother.”
Draven gently caressed my cheek. “You are making a difficult choice. One that I will forever be grateful for.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of my decision settle upon me like a heavy cloak.
The thought of bidding farewell to the life I had known, to the warmth of the sun upon my skin, filled me with a profound sense of sadness.
Yet, being with Draven and never again having to fear for my safety, tugged at my heartstrings with an undeniable force.
“When the time comes,” Draven continued, “I will make the transition as smooth as possible for you, but you will need to trust me completely.”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you, my heart,” He pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. I felt a mixture of anticipation and apprehension about the future. My life was about to change in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend, but I was willing to embrace it if it meant being with Draven for all eternity.
“I believe I will need a month before I make the transition,” I said. “I want to savour all the human experiences while I still can, and I wish to spend as much time with Vail as possible.”
“I have all the time in the world to wait,” Draven said, trailing kisses down my neck.
“I cannot believe you can turn into a bat,” I chuckled.
He smirked, enjoying my candidness. “Yes, I can,” he confirmed. “Not all Blood Hunters can. Believe me, it took me a very long time to figure it out and master.”
“How long?” I asked, curiosity piqued.
“A long, long time,” he replied, his gaze unwavering.
December 16, 1891
In the month since Draven agreed to turn me into a Blood Hunter, I spent most of my days with Vail.
We would take long walks by the river and bask in the sun’s rays.
The more I contemplated my mortality, the more I realized that I did not want to become a monster.
Draven had reassured me that, with his guidance, I could retain control over myself after the transformation. I believed him.
I left Thornwood Manor with a heavy heart, knowing that today would be the last time I would see Vail. It was nearly winter, and Draven said he wanted to bring me deep in the woods for the transformation, so I would have less of an urge to run into town to feed.
I entered Vail’s house; the familiar smell of spices filled my nose.
“Hi, Rosie,” Vail greeted me as I entered. She was making us tea in the kitchen, and I looked around. She was alone, her grandmother must have been out.
“Hi,” I replied with a warm smile, though the weight of my decision hung heavily in the air. I sat down on the couch, my thoughts racing as I prepared to inform Vail that I would be leaving.
“You seem different. Is something bothering you?” Vail remarked as she handed me a cup of tea and sat beside me.
I took a deep breath to steady myself. “No, I feel fine,” I began. I traced the delicate flower details on my teacup; I couldn’t make eye contact with Vail. “Actually, Draven and I are going away for a while. An overdue honeymoon.”
“Where are you going?” she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.
“He has this lovely little cottage along the coast that he talks about,” I said, trying to sound convincing. It wasn’t entirely a lie; we would be going to his cottage.
“How long will you be gone?”
“The whole winter … or at least until the snow clears, I suspect. We will not be able to travel back once the roads are covered,” I explained.
“I will miss you,” Vail said, moving herself closer to me and resting her head on my shoulder. She smelled of lavender, and I breathed in her scent deeply.
“I will miss you too.” I rested my head on top of hers.
We sat for a moment, and I looked outside the windows as the sun was high in the sky “Do you want to sit outside?”
“It is too cold.”
“I want to feel the sun before it is gone.” I caught myself. “Winter is so close now, I want to soak in as much sunshine as it has to offer us.”
As Vail hesitated, I reached for her hand, offering a reassuring smile. “Come on. I promise I will keep you warm,” I said.
“All right, but only for a little while.”
I took her hand and led her outside.
Stepping into the crisp winter air, we were greeted by the soothing warmth of the sun against our skin.
I found a comfortable spot on the porch steps and settled down, patting the space beside me for Vail to join.
She hesitated for a moment before sitting down, pulling her coat tighter around her frame.
As we sat side by side, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Vail, feeling a pang of sadness knowing that this would be one of our last moments together. The weight of my impending departure hung heavily between us, casting a bittersweet shadow over the tranquility of the moment.
“Rosie ...” Vail’s voice broke the silence.
Her hair shone gold in the light, and I realized that this would be the last time I ever saw its golden halo framing her face.
“I want to tell you how happy I am for you. At first, when you told me about Draven, I was nervous for you. I think maybe it was simply jealousy, not allowing me to feel happy for you. I felt like we were drifting away from each other, but you have shown me that even with Draven in your life, we are still inseparable. I have also not seen you this happy in a long time.”
Her words struck a chord within me, stirring up a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. I reached out and gently took her hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You are my favourite person, and that means the world to me.”
Vail kissed the top of my head.
“Thank you, Vail,” I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. “For being here, for believing in me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
With a gentle smile, Vail leaned in closer, pressing a tender kiss against my cheek. “You will never have to find out,” she murmured, her breath warm against my skin. “I will always be here, for you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close, trying to etch this moment into my memory forever.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the path leading to Vail’s house, drawing my attention away from her and toward the approaching figure.
Agnes emerged from the trees, and my smile faded quickly as I saw her.
She looked at me, her brows furrowing as she squinted her face into a troubled expression.
“Hello, Grandmother. Rosie came to say goodbye. She is going on a trip.” Vail walked over to her grandmother, taking her basket from her.
“Vail, my child, something is amiss,” Agnes said, her voice low. She stalked past Vail and toward me like a cat keeping a wide berth. “I sense a darkness, a presence that I have not felt in many years.”
Vail’s eyes widened in alarm as she stared between Agnes and me. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a cold shiver running down my spine.
“Grandmother, what do you mean?” Vail asked.
But before Agnes could answer, her gaze shifted to me, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as if sensing something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
“It is she who brings this darkness,” she said, her voice filled with a mixture of warning and concern. “Beware, child, for there are forces at work here that are beyond your understanding.”
Agnes began to mutter an incantation under her breath, her hands waving intricate patterns in the air as she attempted to unravel the mystery that surrounded me.
The air crackled with energy, and I stood still, unable to move.
And as I opened my mouth, I was also unable to speak; the air was being pulled from my lungs.
Agnes kept staring at me and repeating the same incantations. I struggled to breathe. Vail’s hands shot out, grasping her grandmother’s arm with force.
“No, Grandmother, please!” Vail pleaded. “You cannot do this. You will only make matters worse. Rosie was leaving anyway.”
Agnes paused, as her gaze flickered away from mine for a moment. The energy vanished, and my body remained mine once more.
But then, with a resigned sigh, Agnes relented, her expression softening as she withdrew from her spellcasting. “Very well, my child,” she said, her voice heavy with regret. “Mark my words, there is darkness at work here, and we ignore it at our own peril.”
With that, Agnes turned away, disappearing into the shadows of the house.
As we watched her go, neither of us spoke, the weight of her grandmother’s words hanging between us like a heavy shroud.
But then, with a trembling breath, Vail turned to me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
“You need to leave,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “I apologize about that, but you should go before she changes her mind. I do not want you to get hurt.”
And as I looked into her eyes, I knew that she was right. I went to her and held her in my arms. “I love you,” I told her and held onto her tightly.
“I love you too, Rosie. I will see you soon.”
Her words tore out my heart. I couldn’t look back at her as I left.