Chapter 16
The room was quiet once more and that’s when Tori realized that the howls had subsided as well. “The wolves are gone,” she said. There was the sound of movement outside the door, something was coming, and whatever it was, there were a lot of them. The door burst open and Kane flew in, followed by Liv, Kyle, and what remained of Vincenzo’s militia: six vampires. Derek had given him over twenty.
The vampires took in the sight of the room. The calcified ancients. The image of Dante with his chest torn open. The savage Eadgar, stone cold and harmless. But what shocked them all was the image of Erin, weeping bitterly over the body of Derek MacKenzie.
Liv ran over to Erin and pulled her gently off of Derek’s cold body. “I killed him.” Erin choked. “I killed my Derek!” Tori was there in a heartbeat, stroking her hair and wiping away her own tears.
“No, you didn’t. Dante did.”
“I pulled the trigger.” Erin choked on her tears; she was in hysterics. Kane ran over and lifted her up in his massive arms. Erin fell limp against him, just crying over and over how she had killed Derek.
“Elora, do you have anything for her?” Kane asked hopefully.
“At the loft, not here. Take her there, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Kane nodded and went to step forward, but something else caught his eye. Bryce was leaning over Jasmine, feeding her his blood from his wrist. “What are you doing?”
“She should have been awake by now. Dante claimed her.”
“He did what?” Kane’s eyes widened in horror as he realized what Jasmine had been sentenced to.
“Aye. But she didnae wake up. I realized Elora had given her tea. With wolfsbane in her system the transformation will nae take place. I’m just giving her my blood to heal her wounds. She’ll be all right.”
Kane looked relieved. “Thank you, Elora. I think Jasmine had her fill of supernatural. She had no desire to become a member of the pack.”
A raven flew in and rested on Elora’s shoulder. Elora bit her lip to hide her tears and stroked its feathers as it nuzzled its beak against her cheek. “You’re welcome, Kane. I suggest you get Erin back, and I’ll help her in any way I can. Hurry, honey. The sun won’t stay away forever.”
“I agree wi’ Elora. Ladies, go wi’ Kane. Erin needs ye now. Enzo, and Kyle…” He looked at them sadly and then dropped his gaze to the body of Derek. “He was all that remained of Miranda. Had I known about Derek sooner, I would have raised him as if he were my own son. Would ye help me bury him? He fought for our freedom and doesnae deserve to be left among the bodies that slain our people. Afterwards, we’ll find the others and bury them as well.”
Kyle stepped forward, “Bryce, dawn will break in less than three hours.”
Bryce lifted his gaze from Derek and looked at Kyle for the first time. He was splattered in blood and dirt. “Then, we must hurry.”
****
A few nights later, what remained of The Blood Clan, took Erin to the garden Bryce had chosen for Derek’s final resting spot. It was a place where Miranda used to come to pick wildflowers and sell at market when she was human. Back then it was just a patch of land, but now it was city property. A place where the sun would stretch its rays each day, but no longer be able to hurt their friend.
Erin had been quiet since Elora had fixed her a tonic. She had slept the past few days away, and the nights as well. Now, she fell to her knees and kissed the dirt that held within it the most precious contents. “I know our love was destined for heartbreak. But I loved you, Derek. I always have, and I always will. I was the one that was supposed to be placed in the ground one day, not you.” She began to shake from her pain. And Bryce kneeled beside her and touched his palms to the dirt.
“He was the best of us all. I hope to rule in a way that would make him proud.”
Erin jumped up and wiped her hands over her face. “I have to go.”
“It’s all right, sugar, I know this is still very fresh. I can make you another tonic if you like.” Elora offered.
Erin looked at her friends. “No, I mean, I have to go. Averill was right. I’m a slayer. It’s only a matter of time before I turn on you.”
“That’s only if we give ye a reason to turn on us. I think ye know us well enough to see we wouldnae raise an army of vampires to drain and conquer the world.” Bryce, despite the sadness that loomed in the air, offered her a small smile.
“Still, my life is in New York. If I stay here, I’ll just repeatedly see what happened in that chamber. I need to go back and figure things out.”
Tori gave her a hug. “I wish we were going with you.”
“I’ll fly back with the others. But then, I need to sort things out, by myself. Your place is here. You have to teach them a new way of life—or else I will have to come back.”
Erin excused herself and walked back to the loft by herself. Tori looked at the others. “I hate sending her back to New York alone.”
Kane crossed his arms causing his tattoos to stretch and ripple. “She won’t be alone.”
Bryce’s mouth twitched in disgust. “The ground on his grave hasna even settled. Show Derek the respect he deserves and leave her be.”
Kane sighed. “I just meant, I’d look out for her. I don’t intend to replace Derek. I know I never could.”
“And we’ll be there too, Bryce.” Kyle said as he took Liv’s hand in his.
“Erin will be well looked after,” Corbin said with a bright smile. “I already insisted that she spend Christmas with me and Elora in New Awlins.” Bryce nodded, and wrapped an arm around Victoria. They moved silently under the light of the waning moon. It was quiet without the Weres. The wolves, no longer under the command of Dante, had abandoned the city, eager to retreat back into the woods that they so missed.
Tomorrow they would each pick up the pieces of their life and start over, but tonight they were still bound together as the members of The Blood Clan.