I’d been so stupid to trust him. His true nature had been revealed on multiple occasions, but my desire to be loved and accepted made me ignore the obvious. I justified all his behavior and eventually my own, thereby becoming a slave to evil’s master.
The weight of all my past actions crushed me, making it difficult to breathe. All the innocent lives destroyed because I had been a fool. I tormented myself with visions of their burned bodies and terrified cries. The heavy darkness, mixed with the sounds of their tortured souls, pressed upon me, stealing the last of my breath. They willed me to die as they anxiously waited to escort me to hell where I belonged. I wanted to answer their cries and give them what they wanted.
But that would be the easy way out.
It would be easy not to live, not to deal with the consequences of my actions. Hell wouldn’t be much different from living in the cabin, alone, existing only in an empty shell. I was comfortable living like that. It was a coward’s way of life, and I had embraced it.
I fought against the darkness, willing it away. I was not yet ready to let it claim me, not when I still had the chance to make it right. The weight upon my chest lifted slightly as hope grew in my heart, a small light to push back the darkness. The light reminded me of the vampire who had saved me from Alarica. I bit the inside of my cheek. If he hadn’t stopped me...
I thought of Charlie and the Deific. If Charlie had found solace in the work he did there, then maybe I could too—if they would have me. And then I would locate the vampire, to tell him thank you. I pulled myself to my knees and took several deep breaths. Then, as fast as my body would permit, I returned to the cabin, stumbling along the way, but with each step, I became stronger and more determined.
When I reached the cabin, I hurried into the library and opened the small drawer inside the desk. Only one thing was in it—Charlie’s card. I picked up the phone and dialed his number.
Please answer.
He didn’t. Instead, after a few rings, a woman’s voice said, “Thank you for calling First Choice Accounting. May I help you?”
First Choice Accounting?
“Hello?” the lady asked again.
“Um, may I speak with Charlie?”
“Charlie who?”
I closed my eyes, trying to remember if he’d ever told me his last name, but my mind drew a blank. Even his letters hadn’t revealed his last name. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know it. He works for the Deific. Do you know the name?”
The woman paused. “May I ask who is calling?”
“My name is Eve. Charlie asked me to call.” A lifetime ago.
“One moment.” I heard a series of clicking sounds in the background. After almost a full minute, she said, “Charlie isn’t here right now, but we will have a car pick you up in two hours to bring you to him.”
“Do you know where I am?” I asked.
“We do, Eve.”
My heart skipped a beat when she said my name. “Where will I be going?”
“To our New York office. Charlie will be waiting for you here. The gentlemen’s name that will be picking you up is—” I heard the clicking sound again— “Garret. Do you have any questions?”
“A million,” I said, laughing weakly.
“Everything will be all right, I promise,” she said. “Just wait there. Maybe pack some food for the trip. It’s a long drive.”
“Okay, thanks.”
The woman said goodbye.
I hung up, my hands shaking.
After quickly packing what few belongings I owned, I dropped into a chair near the front window and waited. I was too nervous to do anything else but sit and imagine how my life was going to change. The image of the vampire with the sorrow-filled eyes came into focus. The sharp angles of his face, his dark hair and arched eyebrows.
Sooner than expected, headlights shined on the front of the house, bathing me in its glow. The horizon behind it burned a bright orange and pink, a sign of the rising sun. A tall, well-built man stepped out of the dark sedan in a blue suit and red tie. He was bald and sported a shiny metal stud in his eyebrow. Before he reached the front door, I stepped outside and closed the cabin door firmly behind me.
“Eve?” he asked, startled by my abruptness.
“That’s me.”
“I’m Garret. I’ll be taking you to New York.” He looked down at the small bag in my hands. “Do you have any other luggage?”
I shook my head.
“Let’s hit the road then.” Garret returned to the car.
I paused before following him. No turning back now. It was time to embrace my new life. Just before I ducked inside the back of the sedan, light from the rising sun warmed my face.
Garret didn’t say a single word the entire trip, which took several hours, but I didn’t mind. I’d been out of society for so long that I wasn’t sure if I knew how to have a normal conversation anymore.