Dark Stranger

Alex - Part 11

Case 2 - "Blood Bank"

As I rose to the surface of consciousness, the flashes that Zass had shared with me started to come to the front of my mind. I skipped over the scared faces and the images of blood and death. I focused on those whom Zass had given his heart to, those he had lost and those he had been forced to put down. All the weird creatures he had come across were fascinating but I guess he'd tell me more about them later.

When I got to Nathaniel's time with Zass and felt what Zass had for that man, it was like I almost felt the same kind of love as Zass did. That man was stunning. Shortish, a brunette like Zass, but his features were more... feminine? His gorgeous long hair came to his waist, and his eyes were almost silver. As another flash came to me I saw him dancing for Zass. It was Ballet. Oh, Wow that man was a superstar. I bet he was the sort of dancer that would have been as famous as Nureyev in his day. They were together for so many years and never lost that feeling for each other. I wondered what had happened to him, to make him leave? From all of Zass's memories that I had absorbed, they still loved each other.

Then I saw how he was with Lyssa and his despair at her death. His lust for Lynx turning to hatred and how he would absolutely put her down given the chance. His relationship with Kris was at the forefront of his memories and I saw their first moments, their love blossom and the depths of sorrow that Zass had felt when he had passed. I was about to start crying from the emotional rollercoaster but then Zass's memories were overlayed with an image of Kris, looking like had in the beginning, sassy, glowing with health and happy. Zass was remembering him as he once was, not as he'd been at the end and I couldn't help but smile.

His concern for those of us he came into contact with now, shone through. He had changed from the creature that lived to slake his thirst on anything that moved, into a compassionate, caring and kind Vampire who really wanted to help where he could. Kind of sounded like a bad movie plot, but it was true! In his eyes I knew he believed his current life couldn't make up for his past, but I also knew that kind of judgement was not who I was. I could choose to make a huge deal of the bad shit, or concentrate on the positives in his life now. I chose the latter.

And then, rising more fully conscious I searched through the flashes until I found myself as a child.

I felt Zass's frustration at being unable to pursue the creature that had caused the accident. I saw his 'adjustment' of the evidence so the Supernatural Community would remain hidden. I focused on how he had held me and comforted me. Then I saw his perspective as the ambulance drove away and how he had felt as I disappeared from view. It wasn't love, but it was something more than just concern for a child.

That was the moment I knew I was truly in love with Zass. I smiled, I knew I could say the words out loud now. I'd never said them to anyone other than my family. The last time I had used them was at Oma's funeral thirteen years ago. I finally knew my own heart well enough to know that Zass was the one for me, no matter the consequences, how long we would have together or if we made it at all. He was the one.

I rolled over and looked up at the ceiling. As I turned over I realized that my body felt different. I could feel everything, every muscle down to the bones. I placed my hand over my heart and felt the movements of the chambers as they pumped my blood. My senses were heightened and that annoying blind spot in my vision had melted away. I felt for the scar at my temple and then looked at my shoulder to see where the bullets had torn through my flash to discover the scars were no longer there. What the??? Was it the Mark? Zass did say things might get more interesting after he Marked me. Was this it?

I hopped out of bed and into the shower. Once I was dry and dressed and ready to face the night's activities, I headed out into the living area. As I walked through the door I was hit with the smell of frying bacon. I bounded into the kitchen to find Zass cooking me breakfast. I came up behind him and put my arms around his waist, nuzzling his neck. He giggled and looked back so I could kiss him.