Page 26 of Her Vampire Hero

Jenny stood there for a long moment, staring at the spot where Rook had been. Then, moving as if in a trance, she got into the Camry and started the engine. There was still a few more moments of night left. She wished Rook hadn’t gone, but she understood why he didn’t linger to prolong the agony.

As she was about to put the car in drive, a large stone hand landed on her window. Jenny jumped, her heart racing as she turned to see Xavier, Rook's gargoyle friend, peering into the car.

"Jenny, wait!" Xavier said, his usually stoic face creased with worry. "You can't leave. Not like this."

Jenny rolled down the window, confusion and a spark of hope warring in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Xavier glanced around furtively before leaning in close. "Look, I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but if you leave now, you can never come back. The town won't let you in again. And Rook... Rook will die."

Jenny felt the blood drain from her face. "What? But... but he told me to go. He said—"

"Of course he did," Xavier interrupted, rolling his eyes. "He probably believes this is his penance for being a vampire. But the truth is, now that you've consummated the mate bond, Rook needs your blood to survive. That tea he drinks? Drinking from another creature? It won't work anymore. If you leave, he’ll slowly starve to death."

"Oh god," Jenny breathed, her hands shaking on the steering wheel. "He was going to let himself die rather than ask me to stay."

Xavier nodded grimly. "That's Rook for you. Always putting others first, even if it kills him. Literally, in this case."

Jenny's mind whirled with the magnitude of the choice before her. On one hand, there was the life she'd always dreamed of—excitement, adventure, the chance to prove herself to the world. On the other, there was Rook, and Beastly Falls, and a love so deep it transcended the boundaries between human and supernatural.

"I need to think," Jenny said, her voice shaky. "Can you give me a minute?"

Xavier nodded, stepping back from the car. "Of course. But whatever you decide, make sure it's what you really want. Not just for Rook's sake, but for yours too."

As Xavier lumbered away, Jenny sat in the idling Camry, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. The choice before her seemed impossible. Stay, and give up the dreams she'd held onto for so long. Leave, and lose not only the man she loved, but the sense of belonging she'd found in this strange, magical town.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. In her mind, she saw two paths stretching out before her. One led to the bright lights of a big city, to fame and fortune and all the things she'd thought she wanted. The other led deeper into Beastly Falls, to a life filled with love, magic, and endless possibilities she'd never even imagined.

As the sunrise broke over the horizon, Jenny made her decision. With a trembling hand, she put the car into gear and pressed her foot to the accelerator.

Chapter Nine

Rook sat at his antique writing desk, quill in hand, staring at the blank parchment before him. The faint glow of pre-dawn light filtered through the heavy curtains, a stark reminder of the limited time he had left. With a deep, unnecessary breath, he began to write.

"My dearest Jenny,

By the time you read this, I will have met my final dawn. Please don't be sad—our time together, brief as it was, brought more joy to my undead heart than I ever thought possible. You've given this old vampire a reason to smile again, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

I know you're probably furious with me for making this decision without consulting you. What can I say? I'm a sucker for dramatic exits. (Vampire humor—I hope it doesn't bite too hard.)"

Rook paused, a rueful smile playing on his lips. Even in his final moments, he couldn't resist a good pun. He continued writing, pouring his heart onto the page.

"In all seriousness, Jenny, I want you to know that letting you go is the hardest thing I've ever done. But it's also the right thing. You have so much life ahead of you, so much to offer the world. I refuse to be the anchor that holds you back.

Remember when we first met, and you were so determined to fix that car and get out of Beastly Falls? That fire, that drive—it's what made me fall in love with you. Don't ever lose that, no matter where life takes you.

I have lived for centuries, Jenny, and in that time, I've done things I'm not proud of. Things that, until I met you, I thought had damned me beyond redemption. You showed me that even the darkest soul can find light, can find love. For that alone, I owe you more than I can ever repay.

So go, my love. Chase your dreams. Fix cars, revolutionize the industry, show the world what Jenny Cortado is capable of. And on quiet nights, when the moon is full and the stars are bright, maybe spare a thought for the vampire who loved you.

Always and forever yours, Rook

P.S. I'm positive you'll do great things. After all, you've already proven you can drive a stake through a vampire's heart. (Too soon?)"

Rook set down the quill, reading over his words one last time. It wasn't perfect, but then again, neither was he. He folded the letter carefully, sealing it with wax and his signet ring—old habits die hard, even when the vampire doesn't. Someday, when the curse was broken for the town, Jenny would get this letter. He’d leave instructions for Xavier to track her down and give it to her.

With the letter placed prominently on the desk, Rook moved through his house, touching familiar objects, saying silent goodbyes. Each item held a memory—some centuries old, some as fresh as yesterday. But none were as precious as the memories he'd made with Jenny.

As the sky outside began to lighten, Rook felt a strange sense of peace settle over him. He had lived a long life, longer than any human could dream of. He had seen empires rise and fall, witnessed the birth of nations and the death of kings. And in his final week, he had known true love.

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