reminded him.

“I did, yes.”

“So let’s go.”

Theroen nodded. “Yes, Samantha, you may come.”

Two looked over at Melissa. “What do we do with... with the body?”

“Abraham will take care of it. No, don’t argue. I realize how preposterous it sounds, but you have to trust me. One of the few customs he seems to care about is giving dead vampires a proper funeral. He will conduct services, and then he will burn her, but he will do both with reverence. I do not know why he does this, but I have seen it more than once. It is the only thing in him that seems still human.”

“It feels wrong.”

“Everything is going to feel wrong for some times, I think. We must go, Two. You’ve done all you can for Melissa.”

Samantha came to join them. “So what now? Are you Theroen? You are, right?”

“Yes.”

She glanced at him cautiously. Two waved the sentiment away. “You’re as safe with him as you’ll ever be, Sam.”

“I guess?”

Theroen turned to Sam. “Where are your shoes?”

“What, no ‘nice to meet you’ or anything?”

“There is no time. Where are your shoes?”

“Dunno.”

“You’ll need them. And a coat. Go to the closet out in the hall and retrieve them.”

Sam looked at Two, unsure. She nodded. “Do what he says, Sam.”

She did. Theroen turned to Two. “Good. Let’s go.”

Two glanced once more at Melissa as they left the room. She wanted to apologize, to take it back somehow. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

There was no time.

* * *

No time. They found Samantha at the closet, pulling on her shoes and jacket. Two had brought no possessions to the mansion, and had none to take. Theroen cared very little for any of it, and had no desire to bring it with him. He held other apartments, in other places, had more than enough money in banks with which to begin their life. They left the mansion, packed full of art, trash, and everything in between, to Abraham.

The Ferrari wouldn’t fit three, nor would a motorcycle, of which there were four. A Jeep was parked behind two of them, and Theroen leapt on the first, moving it quickly out of the way and returning to move the second. He seemed agitated, an unusual state for him. Two thought it best not to question, but Theroen picked up on her curiosity.

“I am greatly concerned by what Abraham may do in the heat of the moment. He is undoubtedly aware of his daughter’s death, and I do not expect him to take it well. I hope he may allow us to escape, though I do not know if he will. If he decides to stop us, things will likely not go well.”

“I’d ask you to define that, but I think I already know.”

Theroen nodded, and let the second bike drop with a crash, not concerned with it. He moved back to the Jeep. Two reached over, hit the button for the electric door opener, and watched it rise. It was raining outside, dark and cold; December rain just barely too warm to freeze. The hunger raged in her, but now was not the time. She heard a howl.

“What about Tori?”

“No time, Two, and no choice. Abraham’s orders were to leave her. We’ve already killed his daughter and are stealing her fledgling. I’ll not risk angering him further.”

Two looked again out into the blackness, understanding but not yet ready to accept. Behind her, she heard car doors opening. One closed.

“Two.” Theroen was standing at his door, waiting. The passenger side was empty in the front. Samantha sat in the rear. Two bit her lip, fighting against her anger.

“Okay, Theroen. It’s not right. It’s not fair. It’s totally fucked up, but I think we crossed the line between right and wrong somewhere around the time I stabbed my friend to death with a fucking table leg, anyway.”

“That may well be true. We wait on you, my love. You must decide if you are ready to leave.”

Two sighed. “I guess it’s a good thing, this immortality shit. I’m going to need years of therapy from this.”

Two got into the car.

* * *

They made it halfway down the driveway before Theroen was forced to jam on the brakes, bringing the Jeep to a sudden, skidding halt on the wet asphalt. Two, not wearing a seatbelt, caught her weight on her arms. Vampire arms. Human bones would have broken. Two barely felt the impact. Samantha, behind her, thudded against the back of Two’s seat with a squawking cry.

“Theroen! Jesus,