Page 74 of Vampire Blood

Kael looked up at us, and despite his exhaustion, there was clarity in his gaze. “I appreciate everything. Really. But my path’s different. I have my own destiny to follow.”

I could feel the weight of his words, the finality in them. I didn’t know what to say. We had all come so far together, and now… now it felt like he was just slipping away.

“You don’t have to leave,” Lucas said quickly, the urgency in his voice impossible to hide. “You’ve done so much for us. You belong here.”

Kael shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. “I’ve done what I came to do.” He paused, meeting our eyes. “It’s time for me to go.”

I felt something tighten in my chest. I didn’t understand Kael fully, but I knew what he’d done for us. He had fought with us, protected us, and now, he was leaving. It somehow didn’t feel right.

“But we’ll miss you,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “You’ve been part of this. Part of us.”

Kael’s gaze softened, and I saw a flicker of emotion I hadn’t expected. “I’ll miss you both,” he said, his tone quiet but sincere. “But there’s more I need to do. People to find. Things to face.”

Lucas let out a long sigh, like he knew it was coming but didn’t want it to. “I get it,” he said, his voice softer now. “But don’t be a stranger, Kael. You always have a place here.”

Kael nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I’ll remember that.”

As the healer finished bandaging his wounds, we gave Kael one last look. He was leaving, but I understood. He had helped us when we needed him most. And now, he had his own journey to follow.

I couldn’t stop him. It was his choice. All we could do was wish him well.

The healer finished patching him up and we sent him on his way. It felt strange, not knowing whether we would ever see him again. But we had to believe that our paths would cross, if it was meant to be.

That night, our cottage was barely standing, half of the walls torn down, the roof barely intact. Yet, it felt like the safest place in the world. We didn’t need the walls to feel at home, not anymore. Not with Lucas by my side.

He sat beside me on the bed, the dim light of the candle flickering between us. His eyes were tired, dark circles beneath them from the fight, the long days, the endless worry. But even in the dimness, I could see the warmth in his gaze as he looked at me. Like he was truly seeing me for the first time again, like we had both survived something impossible.

“You alright?” His voice was quiet and low, like he was afraid to disturb the silence that surrounded us.

I nodded, pulling the blanket up over my shoulders as I leaned back against the headboard. “I’m... I think I’m okay. Just a little tired.”

“Yeah,” he said, his lips curving up just slightly. “I can tell.”

There was something in the way he said it, something playful, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, and I could see the weight of everything we had just been through in the way he held himself. We hadn’t spoken much since the fight, since Kael had left. But in this moment, with the world outside seeming distant and far away, we didn’t need to.

I shifted closer to him, the cold of the room making me seek his warmth. He didn’t hesitate, his arm wrapping around me, pulling me into his side. We didn’t speak at first, just sat in the quiet together, his heart beating next to mine.

“You did good,” he murmured after a while, his fingers lightly brushing through my hair. “We all did.”

I smiled softly, my head resting against his chest.

“We’re not done yet,” I said, though the words didn’t feel as heavy as they might have once. There was hope in my voice now, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“I know,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head. “But for tonight, we’re okay.”

“Are we?” I asked playfully, lifting an eyebrow.

He smirked. “Maybe… maybe not…”

I chuckled. That was enough of an invitation for him to pull me even closer and lock his lips with mine.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lucas

I felt as if, up to this moment, everything had been falling apart, but having her in my arms, safe and sound, was the only source of happiness for me. It never made more sense than it did now, as I looked into her eyes, I knew that she felt the same, that she would always feel the same.

That was the one constant in my life I could count on, one thing I could and should never doubt. I allowed that feeling to wash over me, to take hold of me completely.

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