“The witch died making my guard?”

Annabelle who had appeared out of nowhere nodded, “I don’t know no witch who can live through making a guard. It’s a permanent stain on the earth. It takes a soul to make it.”

She rolled on her side and watched the light of the maid flicker, “Annabelle why are you a maid here?”

She shrugged, “I gots nothing better to do and Miss Lydia kept me alive and safe for a long time. I don’ts sleep and I don’ts eat and I never need to rest or be quiet. Eternity is a long time to be dead.”

“Why don’t you go to heaven?”

She laughed, “Oh I will. When Miss Lydia is ready to move on we move on together. We was born together and we will die together.”

“What is the guard for?”

Annabelle’s face grew serious, “Them shadows is full of dark magic. The stain on the earth from the darkness. All the black evil magic hunts us. It wants to corrupt us.”

She frowned, “Are we that weak?”

Annabelle shook her head, “No, but a witch has gotta rest and aint no witch restin when them dark thangs is after ya. The shadows creep along trying to tie themselves to you. They the dark stain your momma put on this earth. Her anger.”

Ophelia shivered, “I saw them. The shadows that moved.”

The maid put a ghostly finger up at her, “You stay away from them shadows, they be coming for you. If the darkness wins everything good on the earth is gonna die Miss Ophelia. All the hate and pain and suffering your momma cast on man is in those shadows. It be the original black magic. Full of hate and pain.”

“Am I bad?”

Annabelle shrugged, “The prophecy says you gonna choose the light and save man but tis only a prophecy. Tis possible that you could choose the wrong side and your brother could save man. The prophecy only says one of the twins. It's them angels that thinks it be the girl and not the boy who evil.”

Ophelia looked at the balls of light hovering in the corner again and sighed, “I hope that doesn’t happen.”

‘We all do Ophelia.’

Chapter Eighteen

Sam

Aimee paced back and forth as the sun came up, “I think this is a mistake. She is going to burn to death.”

Sam shook his head looking at the old dusty book, “No it says right here. She just has to wear that disgusting old ring of his and she can walk in the sun.”

Giselle sat in the window watching the sun. She twirled the ring that replaced her Roses ring.

“It feels old and gross. I hate this ring. Look how fat it makes my finger look.”

Sam closed the book with a snap, “Giselle you need the ring. Being the sun walker makes you different than the others, more royal. Marcus was always slightly weaker but he could go in the sun.”

Aimee never spoke.

“Aimee I just want to sleep. Can we try tomorrow?”

Aimee spun and looked confused, “What? Oh uhm sure whatever you want.”

Giselle left the window and waved backwards, “I’m going to bed. Jeeves come tuck me in.”

Sam covered his eyes, “Hamish, it’s Hamish.”

He looked at Aimee with a smile, as Giselle’s voice echoed throughout the halls, “Why are you so old? Why don’t I have young hot guys as my slaves?”

“Well, miss I am your butler not your slave.”

“Whatever. I need like, warm blood before I go to sleep and don’t microwave it.”

Aimee barely cracked a smile. She turned her back to the doorway again and watched out the window silently.

Sam grabbed her arm and instantly they were standing on the side of the road. The old faint cross in the bark was barely visible.

She walked to it and dropped to her knees. She rested her head against the tree and brushed her fingers against the lines of ripped bark.

She whispered, “How did you know?”

He sat on the road, “Aleks. He called it your spot, like his and yours. He told me you would sit here and tell him everything. You poured your heart out to him. He spent eight months listening to every thought and feeling.”

She felt it in the air, it wasn’t her mother’s spot. It was their spot. His and hers.

“Sam, what the hell Aimee?”

Sam turned and waved, “Shane, hey man.” Aimee turned her back on the tree but never removed her hands from the bark.

“Hey.”

Shane looked hurt, “I’ve been calling you and shit Aimes. What’s going on?”

She shrugged and swallowed hard.

Sam stood feeling the tension in the air, “I’m going back to the castle Aimes, give you two some time alone. See ya around Shane.”

Shane put a hand out for Sam to shake. He shook it, trying desperately to not feel the pain in Shane’s heart.

“See ya man.”

Sam flashed to Greece instead. His heart burned. It was nighttime there. He watched the small house in the lonely part of the island but no one moved inside of the windows. He flashed downtown but the streets were bare. He frowned and wondered alone, searching for her. He could sense her still on the island. Her heart felt full. He loved the feeling.

His body pulled to the left. He climbed a steep street until he heard music. He left the road and ventured into the woods at the top of the hill. He flashed into the tree and surveyed the area.

Finally her bright strawberry blonde hair shone like a beacon of light for him. The lights above glistened off of her hair. His heart snapped almost in half.

She was in the arms of another man. They danced slowly on a dance floor. She was filling up on the man. He could sense it. He could smell it in the air. The other Sirens were around her dancing with strange men as well. They were teaching her to glean emotions like a succubus. It would dull the ache of her need. Sirens could feed similarly to a succubus. They needed sexual energy to satisfy their craving which was called a need. Orgasms given by another were the best way for a Siren to gain the energy and end the need, but it could be had by sucking a member of the opposite sex of their sexual energy. It was more vampirism than Siren and frowned upon. His mother would never have stooped as low as Hanna was.

The dark haired man was roaming his hands across her back and down her ass cheeks. He gripped the satin of the thin dress she wore and slid his hands everywhere. His fingers probed and caressed. Sam felt rage building inside of himself but she allowed it. If anything she encouraged it. He felt his breath quicken as she swayed her hips to the music. She smiled and giggled. She had drunk the wine. Sirens were famous for their aphrodisiac wines. It made the gleaning easier. They gave off an aroma when they did it.

Suddenly as if sensing his pain, her eyes darted to where he sat swaying in the tree.

Her hands dropped.

The other women looked up.

He watched their faces drop as they recognized the smell of him.

“You are an abomination. You must leave this island.”

He flashed to the ground across from the patio where they danced, “Why?”

He ignored the others and looked only at Hanna. Her eyes flooded with tears, “It wasn’t what it looked like.”

He took a step back, “I know what it is Hanna. You’re no better than a vampire, a slutty one. You and Marcus deserved each other. I’m sorry I killed him. It was the ending you needed.”

His heart was breaking. It was on fire.

“You have no right to be here. Your angel blood is a disgrace to our kind.” One of the older ones with shiny blue eyes pointed at him.

He sneered at her, “Don’t worry I’m leaving.”

He turned away from Hanna and began to walk away. He couldn’t flash. His power was gone. His pain was everywhere.

“Sam wait.” She ran after him. Tears poured down her ruddy cheeks, “Sam honestly what do you expect from me?”

He felt her hands shove him. He didn’t have to look back at her to know she was fighting the beast.

“You’ve loved me your whole life. You’ve known about me since forever. I’ve known you a year. It’s not the same for me. I don’t even know why we love each other. I can’t explain it.”

He winced. He wanted to tell himself it was the wine talking. He could hear it in her voice.

"Sam I just need a little time to adjust. I can't learn everything from you. Your mother was a disgrace to our kind. You need to know how bad her choice was. I shouldn’t even love you Sam. You shouldn't be my match."

“We don’t have to love each other Hanna.”

She shoved him again but he continued to walk away from her, “Good I don’t want to love you anyway. It feels forced, like I have no choice in who I love. I wish I never loved you. Jesus Christ just turn around and talk to me like a real man. You're acting like a bitch.”

She shoved him in the back once more. He flew down the road and into a building. His face and arms stung where fresh blood began to trickle from the wounds. Rocks and building began to crumple around him.

He watched regret pour across her face as she screamed for him. He flashed as the rocks covered his body.

He lay in the yard at Lydia’s. He could still smell the old vampire blood on the road. His blood began to fill the air and take over the air around him.

“Sam what are you doing?” Ari rushed at him and cradled him in her arms. He hadn’t realized tears had blinded him until her face appeared blurry.

“Sam what’s happened?”

Luke was suddenly at his side, “Is it Hanna? Is she okay?”

He covered his face to hide his pain. He was ashamed of himself.

“Is she hurt?”

“Where is she?”

He tried to speak but his voice cracked. He whispered instead, “She doesn’t want to be with me.”

He felt Luke help him to his feet, “Did she do this to you? Tell me you fought back.”

“Lucas.” Ari scolded him. Luke laughed nervously.

Sam shrugged him off, “I’m fine.” He turned and walked inside of the house.

Danny was in the kitchen eating and playing his DSI, “Hey Sam. Did Anne tell you she met some Internet dude? She’s going on a real date. Like gross. I pity that poor sap.”