It's been 12 years since the Darkflame family came to Garside Grange. And four years since Ingrid wreaked chaos on Stokely. But Kalinda is going to have to watch her back when it comes to all of this.
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Ryan's gone.
Just like that.
I was so excited about spending some time with Vlad. I was going to put in Fifty Shades of Gray on my brand new tv, so we can watch it together. During the movie, I was going to change into something seductive for Vlad. I had been saving it for a special occasion, but it can't happen now.
My family had left to do something for the Witches' Council, but they will be back in time for the blood binding. Brianna left me some love potion to give it to Vlad. I might start making a special blood orange smoothie for him to drink along with the love potion inside it.
But enough about me. Let's focus on Erin. It took two hours for me and Vlad to convince her to come out of her room after several hours of isolation. I understand that she has to grieve, but I don't want her to be crouching in her coffin with tears running down her face. I want her to know that she has to stay away from Vlad. So, the three of us make our way downstairs and head straight for the Throne Room, where we hear some strange chanting. Upon entering, I see Ramanga, The Count, Adze, Ingrid, Bertrand, and Malik standing around a round table with three lit candles surrounding the corpse of a bat. "Tu las meen las formic." said the rest of them. It translates to 'May he go in peace.'
"What are they doing?" said Erin, whispering to him.
"It's a mourning ceremony," said Vlad, explaining it to her. The funeral is for Thomas Owen, an elder of the Vampire High Council. I'm not going to tell Erin that it's not Ryan, because I want to see the look on her face when she realizes it. Ramanga covers the bat with a cloth before flicking it up towards the ceiling, which makes its body and soul go to the next destination. He's at peace for now.
"Thank you." said Erin, thanking them. The Count becomes startled as everyone notices our presence. "It means a lot that you're remembering Ryan."
"Who?" said The Count, so confused. I knew this wasn't Ryan's funeral. I can tell, because everyone laughed at her except for me, Vlad, and Bertrand. "Oh, oh, him!" He remembers Ryan and it brought Erin this close to break down in tears. "This wasn't for your inconsequential brother. Thomas Owen, elder of the Vampire High Council, has passed." He'll give a funeral to a man that he never met for that matter.
"2,000 years old, and blind as a bat," said Bertrand. "Senile old fool woke up in the middle of the day and opened the curtains." Erin sniffs and leaves the room to avoid embarrassment, which brings out another laugh out of everyone in the room.
"Where are Ryan's ashes?" I said, asking them.
"I had Renfield throw them out." said The Count, not caring one but and flicking something away from under his fingernail. Now, Erin has lost Ryan forever. She doesn't have anything to remember him by.
