41 - The darkest night will pass…

“Well, my dear, what do you think of young Seth?” Rian asked as he and his wife strolled through the moon-lit gardens.

“He seems quite charming, and very taken with Kemp.” Pamela replied. “I just wonder…” she worried her bottom lip.

“Wonder what, my dearest?”

“This is twice now that our son has fallen for someone and both times they’ve been vampyres.”

“Perhaps that’s his mother’s side coming out?”

She chuckled. “I’m not quite certain it’s genetic, all things considered.”

“I’m afraid I agree with you, both that it can’t be genetic but more importantly, it somehow goes against his nature, or should.”

“On the other hand, one can’t help who they fall in love with, now can they?” She patted his arm. “At least he had one advantage; he knew what the boys he fell in love with were before it happened.”

“Which is more than you did. Do you ever regret it?”

Pamela shook her head adamantly. “I fell in love with the man before I knew you were more than human. I wouldn’t trade one moment of our life together.”

Rian cupped her face in his hands. “I wish…”

“I know.” She stroked his cheek. “I am considering it now.”

His face lit up. “You are? You truly are? Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because I haven’t made up my mind yet.  But watching the boys together and realizing that poor, sweet Seth won't have to chance to share his entire lifetime with Kemp—because of what Kemp is—I understand more than ever how important having someone you love with you always can be.”

Frowning, Rian said, “You never in all our years together realized how I would feel when you died?”

“Of course I did, in my heart. But the mind is a strange place. I could tell myself I never wanted us to be apart—that I never want you to suffer because I’m gone. But the idea of becoming a vampyre…” She shook her head. “It frightens me, Rian. You know that. On so many levels it terrifies me, even though I know it shouldn’t.”

He wrapped her in his arms, just holding her for a long time. Then he said softly, “I promised you, I would never try to influence your decision and I will continue to keep that vow.” He wanted to break his promise. He knew that too soon she could be taken from him, whether by illness or death. But it was indeed her decision to make and she had to do it freely—of her own choice. Otherwise she could come to hate him. He would prefer a thousand times over to loose her to death than to that.

“I know you will,” she replied just as softly before pressing a tender kiss to his lips. “Now, my dear, I think we’d better go rescue our son before that new horse of yours does him a great deal of damage.”