Max and Zaiden stand before Noah, Aylin and Luka in the large foyer.
Their wounds have healed during the time they have been hidden in the mansion and they now stand in the hall, ready to head back to San Myushino.
"Thanks for the hospitality. We've decided we should be heading back home," Zaiden says. He reaches to scratch a spot on his forehead where a scar has formed.
"Are you sure the both of you are okay to leave?" asks Aylin. "It hasn't been that long since... everything happened."
"There is plenty of room here," Luka says, "Saint Germain has been
open about you staying until we can track down your lunatic friend. I
think it would be wise to take him up on his offer."
"Exactly," Aylin replies, desperation in her voice, "You guys need protection too! What if he goes back to the apartment? Max, you've hardly even been on your feet for two days."
"Look, if Zaiden is going home, then... I'm going too. I'm fine
now anyway." Max says, thumping his chest with his fist, his bravado clearly in better shape than his body.
"Besides," Max continues, gesturing to Zaiden, "I'm not just gonna let this dumb jerk
take all the credit for kicking Wolfgang's ass if he does decide to
show up."
The camaraderie between the two young men is clear, despite all their
efforts to feign indifference to one another.
"He will not return." Saint Germain says. His voice comes
seemingly out of nowhere, and the group flinches as they realize they
hadn't even noticed him standing there.
"Wolfgang has obtained what he desired," he continues, speaking to
Zaiden, "There is no more reason for him to return to his home now.
Capturing you was simply a means to an end."
"That's my girlfriend he's 'obtained'." Zaiden growls at Saint
Germain, "Why don't you just do your job and find her?" He speaks callously
towards the pale man, still resentful of the night that Karina was left
to the mercy of the monster.
Helplessness and hopelessness tear slowly away at him. He looks away from Saint Germain, grief stricken and forlorn.
There is nothing more to be said that won't make the situation worse.
"Thanks for letting us crash here... we'll be seeing you."
The young men exit the mansion. The large iron gate creaks slowly as they make their way back into the world of the living.
After watching them go, Saint Germain then turns to Aylin. He is
quiet for a moment as he stares into her bright brown eyes. Amazingly,
her resolve has not waned since their loss of Karina. In fact, he
believes he sees the flame inside of her burning ever brighter.
She stares back, unflinching.
"You are unaccompanied and vulnerable each and every time you
return to this house," Saint Germain says to her. "Why should I allow
this behavior?"
He considers her young face for a moment.
"If you weren't directly involved with our plight, I would hastily have sent you away for all eternity."
Noah stands beside them, feeling the tension rising in the cool air between them.
He imagines the possibility of never seeing her again, as he did earlier that day, and the familiar fear of life without her floods back into his psyche.
Memories of their meeting, of their embrace after the horror of seeing a vampire delight in innocent flesh, of comforting her on his own bed after their tragic defeat.... they all come back to him.
He feels panic welling up inside of him--he feels like taking her hand and running. Where to, he does not know. Saint Germain would surely find them, and separate them forever.
These thoughts threaten to ruin him completely.
But then...
"I've decided I'm going to live here," she says.
"I beg your pardon?" Saint Germain replies.
Aylin's gaze doesn't waiver. Her eyes are clear and her breath is calm.
Noah feels his heart may leap from his very body as he remains frozen to the spot, waiting.
"I'm graduating tomorrow," the young woman says confidently, "I
have already discussed leaving home with my family. They're under the
impression that I will travel abroad on scholarship for a scientific
study involving extraterrestrial life. My father was the one who
encouraged it, so..." she continues to look directly into the pale man's
eyes which, as usual, do nothing to betray his feelings one way or the
other.
"Looks like you won't have to worry about me coming here alone anymore."
The silence that follows is deafening.
Continue to Part 20...
Their wounds have healed during the time they have been hidden in the mansion and they now stand in the hall, ready to head back to San Myushino.
"Thanks for the hospitality. We've decided we should be heading back home," Zaiden says. He reaches to scratch a spot on his forehead where a scar has formed.
Helplessness and hopelessness tear slowly away at him. He looks away from Saint Germain, grief stricken and forlorn.
There is nothing more to be said that won't make the situation worse.
"Thanks for letting us crash here... we'll be seeing you."
She stares back, unflinching.
He considers her young face for a moment.
"If you weren't directly involved with our plight, I would hastily have sent you away for all eternity."
Noah stands beside them, feeling the tension rising in the cool air between them.
He imagines the possibility of never seeing her again, as he did earlier that day, and the familiar fear of life without her floods back into his psyche.
Memories of their meeting, of their embrace after the horror of seeing a vampire delight in innocent flesh, of comforting her on his own bed after their tragic defeat.... they all come back to him.
He feels panic welling up inside of him--he feels like taking her hand and running. Where to, he does not know. Saint Germain would surely find them, and separate them forever.
These thoughts threaten to ruin him completely.
Aylin's gaze doesn't waiver. Her eyes are clear and her breath is calm.
Noah feels his heart may leap from his very body as he remains frozen to the spot, waiting.
"Looks like you won't have to worry about me coming here alone anymore."
Continue to Part 20...
Ooh La la!
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