The Vampire's Rival

Epilogue

Another Turning?

That was Ruqwik's thought when Kitari led her and Hadley into Lujeo's Crypt. Unlike the last time she was here, she now understood why a vampire would want to turn a human. The last few days back with Hadley had been richer than all the days Ruqwik had lived. Not that she hadn't been happy before, but this was the type of happiness that made her think of her life in two parts: 'before Hadley' and 'after Hadley'. There was a glaring piece missing from this puzzle that was them, but the fact that they shared this heart-rending loss made it slightly tolerable, and also drew them closer.

"I didn't think you'd bring Hadley to a Turning Circle," Ruq said to Kitari.

Kitari turned to her, looking a little confused. "This isn't a Turning Ceremony."

Hadley sighed. "I should have told you about this from the beginning, but I didn't know how to."

They walked into the inner cavern of the crypt, where Ruq immediately froze, looking at the body on the marble platform at the centre of the room. Even in the dim light from the dancing torches, she knew that form. That long dark hair, that golden skin...

"I watched her die." Was all Ruq could whisper as she walked up to Jamila's body.

She looked exactly as she had that last night at the Hotel, with an IV of blood dripping into her veins.

How was this possible?

"I made Kitari promise to bring her back and not let her die, no matter what it took." Hadley explained. "Kitari attempted to turn her before she completely bled out."

"It wasn't an attempt," Kitari said. "It worked. She's a vampire. But she never woke up. I've been trying for a century to wake her up, but nothing I've done has worked."

Kitari turned to look at Ruqwik.

"I think it's her mind," Kitari explained. "A part of it that I can't physically reach."

Ruqwik immediately understood what had happened. The Venom attack at the ballroom.

Jamila's mind was still in that state of convoluted mash, stuck there as she'd balanced on the edge of death before being turned. Turning her had saved her body, but not her mind.

"You think I can undo it, don't you?" Ruq said, suddenly realising why they'd brought her here.

"This was why I didn't want to bring her here!" Hadley scolded Kitari, pinning the scientist with a hateful look. "You're always building up my hope that she'll wake up with your experimenta, and then crashing it when you fail, and I have to mourn her all over again!"

"I didn't say I couldn't fix this." Ruq replied, moving closer to Jamila and taking her hand.

Ruqwik reached into Jamila's mind, going deeper and further than she'd ever dipped into a mind before. She untangled the webs she had mashed together and couldn't help but land a soft kiss on Jamila's lips when it was done. Both an apology and a longing.

Jamila's eyes fluttered open.

"Ruq?"