The Vampire's Harvest

122

Placing your bets on the statue, you pull it from your pocket and study the way the figures intertwine with one another.

"Where did you get that?" asks Ell with a bit of laughter in their voice, which is an odd sound to hear when the ruckus of battle still seethes around you.

"The lounge," you answer truthfully. "I was captivated by its beauty. Here the artist renders the perfection of the vampire's form in stark comparison to the human. The vampire must really love this mortal to bless it with the gift of immortality. How could I hope for anything other than this?"

"You really are an enigma," they say as they approach you. They walk with soft steps and a calm face, a rather eerie contrast to the vicious attacks that continue to rage beyond your bubble on the side of the road. "So you are sincere?"

"What more can I offer you than myself?" you ask, trying to quell the pleading in your voice, fearful it may give way to the honest uncertainty in your heart.

"Yourself is all I can really hope for. I've been rather wounded by this battle and if we are to escape this alive, well, you're first going to have to die." Before you can comprehend their words, they swoop in and sink their teeth into your neck. The initial pain subsides to a warm tingle that revives you long enough to see your sister slinking in behind Ell. She lowers herself, readying a pounce, though her sorrowful eyes focus on you instead of Ell's unguarded back. It's then that you smile and shake your head. Life is slipping from you, but it feels like coming home and you know, somehow, that everything will be okay. Gianette must have read the truth behind your expression because she gives a nod of her head before facing off with a different vampire. You close your eyes and release yourself into the intoxicating pain of Ell's bite.

"You sent her away," says Ell as they pull away. You can't answer them, you can't do much except try to focus your eyes on their soft, welcoming face. "I guess you really are ready." With that, they slash their fangs across their wrist and then presses the wound against your lips. Their blood drips down your throat and not long after, you slip completely into darkness.

You awake to the sound of water crashing against a rocky shoreline. The smell of salt tickles your nose and you rise to find yourself wrapped in a thick, down comforter upon a large feather bed. You roll out of your covers and plant your feet upon a cold, stone floor. You find the whole room is composed of marble and lit by a large, ornate fireplace. Thick curtains cover windows that dot the towering walls. You step over to draw one back when a voice stops you.

"Wait, miss!" cries a young woman who runs over to where you stand and grabs the curtains from you. "You must never open these on your own. There may be sun out there, please always find one of us to check and draw them for you."

"All right," you mumble, still trying to comprehend if you're in a dream.

"Fortunately it's night now, but I don't want to have you start bad habits." She gives you a smile and wrenches open the curtain to reveal a wide shoreline lit white by a full moon. The sea air brushes over your face and invites you to climb down the lofty castle wall and take a walk along the shore.

"Do you like the view?" asks a new voice.

"Yes, Ell, it is beautiful." You knew it to be Ell before they even stepped into the room. Somehow you sensed them from the moment you woke up, even if they were lingering somewhere in the distance.

"Good, welcome to your new home." They come up behind you and wrap an arm around your shoulder. Though it feels a bit too familiar for you at that moment, Ell gives you space and time. Through the years, you grow to love Ell and you believe with your whole heart that you made the right decision that fateful night, when you swore your loyalty to them and joined the children of eternity.

It also takes a few years for the town to recover from the battle. Neither werewolf nor vampire walked away victorious that night. However neither did they walk away as losers. Each side still maintained a healthy population and you got word from your sister that she was one of the survivors.

Now that the vampires have recouped, the ball has returned to your hometown and you hope to join Ell some day to go pick out a feeder of your very own. And, should you have time, you hope to visit your sister to swap stories of your new lives.

***

Congratulations, you found the successful ending for this branch of the story! Why not go back and see what happens when Ell doesn't believe you...