A vampire named Citlali receives an email from an old lover who broke her heart centuries ago. The message says the immortal is dead and she left a key for Citlali in a bank in New York. But the same message had been sent to two other persons whose...
Lee looked understandably wary coming back to Ameyal's house, but she settled down in the sitting room and she seemed to relax. I brought her some tea and she took the mug before looking at me with surprise.
"How did you know it's my favorite?" She asked.
"Ameyal wrote about it in her diary. Actually, it's how we could find you."
"Her diary, yes. So do you know about...me?"
I hesitated, and Citlali took over carefully. "We know how you became an immortal and how you met Ameyal. But her diary stops without giving more information on what happened on her last day."
Lee seemed to hide behind her mug and took a sip of the tea.
"Take your time. You don't need to talk to us right now," Dovi said.
Lee shook her head. "No, I... I want to." She closed her eyes. "The magician I overheard, he made a deal with sorcerers. He gave them some secret information on how to obtain important objects and how to reach certain people. I didn't understand everything. Hell, I don't understand anything about the diplomatic situation of the magical world, or whatever. But somehow, he learned that I was still alive. So I was a threat. Apparently, it's not easy to kill an immortal, I mean us, I guess. And so he cast a spell. It must have been him. Who else?"
"What kind of spell?" I asked.
"Ameyal told me it was one that emulated the effect of vampire blood on us. I woke up with dark streaks on my hand and they expanded. It was so painful. I was panicking. We had not much time, and..."
Lee's words left space for sobs.
"Did she transfer the spell on her?" Dovi said softly, tears rolling down their cheeks.
Lee nodded. "I didn't want to. I didn't know what she was doing. I swear."
I took her hand. "No one is accusing you. None of this is your fault," I said.
"She told me what would happen. She gave me money and contacts. And she sent the letters and gave instructions to the bank before it was too late. It happened so fast. In a couple of hours, the poison was everywhere, and she lost consciousness in my arms. And she was gone."
The silence in the room was so heavy when Dovi broke it after a few minutes. "Where is she?" They said.
"I put her in the secret room. And then I took my stuff and left. I just... I couldn't..." Lee whispered.
"The secret room?" I asked.
"Yes. It's magically hidden. There's an access in the office."
Dovi stood up. "I... Please, show us."
I hesitated. Did I want to see her? Citlali took my hand. "You don't have to," she said.
"No, I... I think I need to say goodbye."
And I did. I said goodbye to the statue that was now Ameyal's body. Her intriguing beauty preserved forever in a stone-like state. My vision was blurred by tears and I didn't dare to touch her. But Dovi kissed reverently her forehead and Citlali caressed her arm. Then they buried themselves into one another's arms and I joined them.
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