didn’t trust herself to speak at that moment, so she just held out her hand.
Caleb took it, and his skin felt so good to her. She felt comforted by his presence, as they walked together down the aisle.
“This church was built thousands of years ago,” the woman said. “A very special place for our race. It was built specifical y to house the most important and valuable of treasure. Here, among many other treasures, we have fragments of The Cross, along with the real Crown of Thorns.”
The woman turned down another corridor, then down a flight of wide, marble steps.
They entered the lower level of the church, and it took Caitlin’s breath away. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. It had a low, arched ceiling, painted a vibrant, celestial blue, and interlaced with shining gold arches. This place looked like a treasure chamber, and in the torchlight, it was positively glowing. It was spectacular. Caitlin felt as if she had just entered King Tut’s tomb.
“Down here, we keep the most valuable of artifacts. A special silver chest was built to hold them al , a chest which took twenty years to build. Inside of that chest, you wil find what you need.”
As they continued, the room opened up, and Caitlin was shocked to see standing before them, waiting, dozens of vampires, al dressed in white, al with white hoods. They each held a silver goblet, each one fil ed with a white liquid.
In the center stood a single vampire, a man with a long silver beard and piercing green eyes. He stared kindly at Caitlin and Caleb, holding a smal silver goblet for each of them.
The woman gestured for them to approach.
They walked right up to him, and Caitlin felt herself starting to tremble. Was her father here?
“Drink,” he said softly.
They each took a goblet and drank the white liquid.
Immediately, Caitlin felt restored. She recognized it as the white blood of her father’s coven. She also grew lightheaded.
The man stepped aside, and revealed behind him a huge, glowing silver chest.
“Your key,” he said softly.
Caitlin handed him back the goblet, stepped forward, knelt, and inserted her key into the smal lock on the chest.
It turned with a little click, and slowly, she opened the heavy lid.
Inside, nestled amidst piles of jewels, was a second chest, with an even smal er lock.
Caitlin was puzzled.
“I’m sorry,” Caitlin said. “This is the only key I have.”
The man shook his head. “You also have another key.”
The man shook his head. “You also have another key.”
Caitlin racked her brain, but had no idea what he was talking about.
He pointed at her neck.
She reached down, and suddenly remembered the antique, silver cross she wore. Could that be it?
She gingerly took it off, and inserted it into the lock of the smal er chest.
She was shocked to see that it fit.
She turned, and it opened.
There, in the smal chest, was one large, silver key. The same exact size key as the one she had received in the Vatican. She knew immediately that this was the second key she needed to reach her father.
She was ecstatic.
But at the same time, she was frustrated, hoping she would find al three keys at once, to find her dad here, in the room.
She took it, rose and stood beside Caleb, feeling increasingly lightheaded, as she faced the man.
“There are but two keys left,” the man said. “And then you can unlock the gates, receive the Shield, and meet your father for yourself. We are proud of you. And so is he.
“Your father, though, waits for you in another time and place. I am sorry to say it is not here.
Are you wil ing to go back again? To continue your journey?”
Caitlin turned to Caleb, but she already knew her answer.
She was prepared to go back, and she saw from his eyes that he was, too.
“Then kneel.”
The two of them knelt, holding each other’s hands.
“Lower your heads.”
They did so, and as they did, Caitlin felt her heart pounding.
There were so many questions left unresolved. Where would they end up? Would they be together? What about Sam? Pol y? Ruth? She had so many questions she was burning to ask Caleb.
She felt the entire coven gather around, and felt several of them laying their hands on her head.
“We hereby lay thee down to rest,” echoed the chorus of vampires. “Caitlin and Caleb, to resurrect another day. In God’s ultimate grace.”
Ruth came in and lay beside her, whining. As the words were repeated a second time, then a third time, Caitlin felt her world grow lighter.
At the last second, before it al disappeared, she turned to Caleb, and saw him turn to her. She looked deeply into his eyes, and knew, just knew, that next time, they would be together forever.
“I love you,” she said.
“And I love you,” he answered.
And those were the last words she heard, as she felt herself growing ever lighter, dizzier, drifting into the ceiling—until her entire world was blackness.