again those words. Darkness. Darkness.

Who better to speak of darkness than those forsaken by the sun? Who better to voice those words than a vampire?

“I would make her my bride.”

“You will do no such thing.”

“You cannot hold me forever, father.”

Theroen felt himself reaching the extent of his strength. Two had drained him as much as he dared allow. He unwound her arms from his neck, pushed her lips from his wound, pushed her words from his mind.

* * *

Consciousness came to Two like layers of red gauze being lifted from her eyes.

She could feel Theroen’s arms around her, holding her safe, as the blood rushed and roared. It burned her veins, as her empty body sought to replenish itself, but the hurt was far away. Unimportant.

She spoke his name, forced her eyes to focus, looked around. Melissa, too, was here now. Not Missy. Two could tell solely from the expression on the face. Melancholy, and yet filled with happiness. Tear tracks were drying on her cheeks. Missy could not have looked like that if her life had depended on it. Two coughed. “I’m thirsty, Theroen.”

Melissa laughed at this. Two felt Theroen take a deep breath.

Two put her arms behind her, took her weight away from Theroen, and glanced around. The light, previously dim, now seemed much brighter. It was not overwhelming, but the change was drastic. Melissa stood in a corner now, smiling in a way that said she knew precisely what Two was experiencing. Two flexed the muscles of her arms. Theroen watched her, his uncanny calm returning once again to mask whatever he might be feeling.

“How do you feel?” Melissa asked. Her grin said she knew.

“Thirsty. Hungry. Strong.”

A pretty laugh, and Melissa glanced at Theroen. “I think the young lady’s in need of a drive, Theroen. Time to show her what she really is.”

Theroen stirred as if waking from deep contemplation. He turned to Melissa. “And what are we, really, sister?”

Melissa’s smile didn’t waver, nor did it turn bitter or cynical. She raised her eyebrows a bit, eyes gleaming. “I believe we are predators, brother.”

“Ah. Yes. That we are. Do you understand this, Two?”

Two considered. “Does it matter who I drink from?”

“Not so long as their blood is untainted.”

“Or relatively so,” Melissa chimed in. Theroen sighed, and her smile widened momentarily. Two looked out the window, thinking.

“Not tonight.” Theroen’s voice was flat. Two turned to him.

“Why not?”

“He’ll wait. I’d rather your first night as a vampire not be so focused on your past, Two. This is your future.”

“Who would you have me kill then, Theroen?”

“There are twelve million people sleeping in that city, Two, and several hundred thousand between us and them. Pick one.”

Two mused, looking frustrated. Melissa watched, obviously confused, but not yet ready to interrupt with questions.

“You confuse the mortal desire for revenge with some sort of higher purpose, Two. You will have it, but not tonight.” Theroen’s voice carried no judgment. He was simply stating the facts.

Two looked over at him, swallowed, closed her eyes momentarily. This was not what she had expected, exactly. Theroen’s calm description of vampirism had seemed so clear, so easy to accept. She had expected to come through to the other side believing in it as thoroughly as she had when she asked him to finish her. She had not expected this nervousness, this concern.

“How do you mentally prepare yourself to kill someone?” Two’s voice was plaintive. “I thought that... when I was finished, that I’d just want it. That I wouldn’t care.”

Theroen shook his head. “No, not at first anyway. Eventually you will come to understand, or to rationalize... it depends on who you talk to. At first it will likely be hard for you. I do not think, though, that your current thirst will let you wait, and that is perhaps for the best.”

A moment passed. Two sighed. He was right.

“There was a town, in a little valley, surrounded by trees. I saw it on the night when this all started. You took me there.”

Theroen nodded.

“There, then. If we’re ending what was started that night, we might as well do it there.”

Theroen stood and grinned. It was like sun breaking through on a grey morning. “A good idea. We shall go there. As beautiful as you look in that gown though, Two, I think you may find your old dressing habits more suitable to this line of activity. I will meet you in the garage.”

He departed. Melissa remained.

“Who did you want to start with, Two? Who were you