The Guest & The Change - By M. D. Bowden Page 0,38

father - what would it mean for their future?

Could he live in this world? Or should he drift off into the shadows, find other evil to fight - destroy more vampires?

It would all depend on Sarah, of course. He had known her for such a short time, yet he was unfathomably drawn to her. He couldn’t explain it. Yes, she was beautiful, but that wasn’t it. There was a connection he’d never experienced with anyone else. He loved her. If she wanted him to stay, he would - he would not be able to help himself.

But what would happen as she aged - would their connection remain? Would she ever want to become like him, a vampire? She had said that she didn’t, that she wanted to be there for her children. But if she turned into a vampire they could be together forever. He wanted this so badly, what if he lost control of himself someday and turned her against her will, or hurt her?

He could still feel the power coursing through him from all the people he had taken blood from to save Sarah, to gain enough power to kill Sebastian. But this power paled in significance to the centuries of power Sebastian had accumulated, which had all flowed into Daniel before Sebastian’s death. Daniel had not killed anyone himself, yet he felt the burden of responsibility for its origin. He had taken blood from people without their permission. He had weakened them. Yes, they would heal by themselves - but he still felt the guilt. Sebastian had killed numerous people - so many he felt sickened to think of them. Each life he had taken had increased his power. Now that power flowed in Daniel’s veins, in his cells - in his very being.

He did not want to waste that power, or those lives. He would have to find a way to make it up to the universe, to level out his debt.

It had been amazing when Sarah had awoken, not long ago. Now he was sure she would be ok, that she would awaken again. She hadn’t rejected him - she had looked at him in awe, with love.

But what had she meant about feeing different? Could all the power in his blood, in Sebastian’s, have altered her somehow? Was it being so close to death? Or had she meant something else, maybe she felt emotionally different?

He would have to talk to her about it, when she was fully awake.

***

Sarah felt awareness increase in her body - she was waking up.

She felt arms holding her against a firm chest. Her face was pressed onto a smooth leather jacket - Daniel.

He was with her.

He had come for her, he had saved her from Sebastian.

But where was Sebastian now?

That question could wait. She was just so comfy, so sleepy. Those strange waves of energy had gone and she was feeling more normal, accept she was feeling very thirsty - her throat was parched - when did she last have water?

It felt like she was waking after a nice long sleep, in a happy haze.

Sarah opened her eyes and looked into Daniel’s. Her face broke into a cheeky grin.

‘Hi,’ she said.

His answering smile was brilliant, and made her heart feel warm.

‘Hi yourself.’

Sarah sat up, so she was sitting on Daniel’s lap, and stretched - it felt good. She looked around, seeing soft light filtering through the dark green leaves. She looked at Daniel - he was watching her closely, looking happy but also concerned.

‘What is it?’

‘You said you felt different. I was wondering what you meant?’

Sarah pushed herself up from his lap, slightly reluctantly, but she wanted to see for herself. She moved her body - testing her limbs, and looked around to test her eyes. She listened to the forest to see if her hearing was normal.

‘I don’t know. I feel good. Really good. Except that I’m thirsty, I would love a drink. I can see clearly, I feel healthy. Strong. Eew - and dirty.’ She said, looking down at her clothes and feeling the blood around her neck.

Daniel laughed - a deep musical sound which filled her with joy - and stood up. He had an oddly shaped bulge in one side of his leather jacket, Sarah wondered what it was.

‘How long have we been here for?’ Sarah asked.

‘About two days.’

‘Two days? That’s crazy! No wonder I’m so thirsty. Have I been asleep all that time?’

‘Yes, pretty much. Except from when you woke up earlier, briefly.’

‘I remember.’

Daniel