Tainted Love

Chapter 48

Rose's POV

The bright white light that surrounded slowly faded away, revealing a sight I never thought I'd see. I was literally in a cloud. I felt like I would fall through if I moved. I gasped when I looked at the massive golden gate in front of me, white light preventing me from seeing past it. This was a dream, right?

"Rose," a man said. I turned in his direction, gasping once again. What that an angel?!

"No, I'm not an angel, and no, that gate's just a figment of you imagination. Anything else you would like to ask me?" he said, his attitude leading me to believe he's done this a million times before.

"What is this place?" I asked, feeling groggy.

The man shrugged. "How should I know? It's your mind, not mine."

I burst out laughing. This really was a dream! He narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?"

"You're kidding, right?" I managed to get out through my snickers. He sighed. As he did so, the entirety if my sight turned black. I frantically looked around, trying to make sense of where I was. I stopped when I saw a reflection of myself. But it wasn't my really reflection.

I was wearing a loose white dress and black boots, covered in patches of dirt. My hair was loosely tied back, with strands of wavy brown hair outlining my face. I shook my head. Fashion during colonial times was truly terrible. What was the most striking were my bright blue eyes. A mere glance at them announced to the world that very few things weighed on my shoulders in that state. At least, I had hope. Here I was, covered in blood and dressed in black leather with everything falling apart, staring at my innocent eighteen year old self, who was so blind to the cruelties of this world.

"I rarely am kidding. You should know that," my past self replied. My voice was slightly higher back then. It sounded so unnatural.

I scoffed. Who would win this argument: me or me? "I don't need a life lesson from myself. I've down enough reflecting and breaking down over my past decisions already."

She tilted her head, causing another strand of hair to fall. "Try not to be so stubborn for once, Rose. I know what you are. I know what you've done. But you died a hero, and that's enough to get you here with me.

I shrugged. "One action doesn't change anything."

She ignored me, looking down at something I couldn't see. "What are you looking at?" I asked.

She sighed. "I hate when people die suddenly. I'm a huge fan of happy endings. This is just depressing."

I walked over to him, stepping carefully even though there was nothing but darkness below me. I followed her eyes. In front of us was an opening of light, which I could see from far away. I gasped. I was looking at myself, not my past self, but my current self, lying completely still with a pool of blood surrounding me. Reynold was leaning over me, his actions to wake me up in vain.

"Oh my gosh," I breathed. My past self looked at me, putting her hand on my shoulder. "You saved his life. As I'm the part of you that died when you took on the evil of the vampire's curse, I assumed your love for him had died with me. I was wrong. You sacrificed your remaining life for him."

I laughed a little. "You make it sound like I shouldn't have," I said quietly. I looked at her bright blue eyes. "But I would do it again."

She smiled. I cringed a little. It was so bright and joyous I wanted to puke. I forgot about that giddy, easy-going side of me. I lost that years go. "I'm glad to hear that. You have the option to go back if you wish, but someone who has suffered as long as you did couldn't possibly want to-"

"I want to go back," I said, still looking at Reynold as Michael and Sir Albert pulled him away from me. I couldn't leave him. My past self did a double take. "Wh-What? You actually do?"

I nodded. "It's not exactly a tough question."

I continued to watch Reynold. She noticed. "Reynold C. Dracula. A dark man with a good heart. That's why," she said thoughtfully. "People rarely get the option to go back to life, and I never actually thought that you wanted to. Death isn't something you just give up, you know. It's a peaceful thing that's surprisingly easy for others to accept. You're different."

I shrugged. "Different is a compliment to me."

"I'd hope so," she said. I glanced at her. Her curly brown hair perfectly complimented her rosy red cheeks as she smiled down at the image below her. Yes, she was smiling down at my dead body.

I watched as Reynold ran back to me, kissing me. I felt a tinge of sadness when I didn't feel it. My past self looked at me, grinning.

"May we meet again, at hopefully a much later date," she announced.

And just like that, the bright white light engulfed me once again.

The light turned into darkness, and the sharp pain in my abdomen that had disappeared in heaven came back. But I felt something. Reynold. Reynold was still kissing me, tears dripping down his face. In a moment of pure joy, I kissed him back. He jerk away, holding me head up. I smiled at the glisten in his eyes. I wasn't dead.

"I love you," I said. He didn't answer. All he did was kiss me, clutch me like I would disappear. I wasn't going to ever again.

I pulled away, running my fingers through is black hair. "I thought I lost you," he said, tears falling down his face.

I grinned. "I guess you found me."

********
Yeah! Rose is alive! Oh happy endings!

I'll have the next chapter out today, knowing this one was kind of short, but I didn't want to leave everyone so sad for so long!

Thanks and I'm so happy everyone likes the new book cover! That thing took me wayyyyy too long.

Whew, long message...

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