Belle Vie

Winds of Change - Part II

My mother was dead.

I was alone.

Tree roots torn from the dampened dirt, flying a hundred yards into the distance before falling to the ground as I screamed.

And yet, this outburst did not allow the weight of my grief to subside. The debilitating, relentless grief that somehow felt heightened by my vampiric senses.

Tears of blood burned against my frozen skin as I wailed and took another tree in my hands, tearing it from life and throwing it to the ground.

My mother died, believing her own daughter to also be gone from the world; waiting for her on the other side of the thin veil between the dead and the living. And I would not be there to meet her.

I had thirteen years to return to London; to find her and relieve her from her own grieving heart. Perhaps, even, bestow the Dark Gift upon her.

I would never see her again. Because I would live forever. Tethered to the undying, caged from the next world.

And whatever awaited me at the end of my own existence...I knew she would not be there.

"Celeste."

Footsteps sounded in the distance, as I felt two figures materialise behind me. As my knees buckled, a pair of arms sped to my side, preventing me from hitting the dirt.

As I sobbed uncontrollably, the same arms that held me attempted to soothe my cries. Thunder began to sound in the distance as grey storm clouds darkened the night sky. Not even the stars were watching as Lestat kissed the top of my head, words of feeble reassurance escaping him.

'All will be well, mon couer.'

'I am here.'

'She is at peace.'

PEACE! I screamed. And a bright light suddenly engulfed us, blinding the abandoned park for a brief moment.

As my eyes took a moment to adjust to the light through my crimson tears, I laid eyes on one of the trees I had thrown to the ground, lit ablaze from lightening having struck it amidst my outburst.

I watched the flames, swiftly squandered due to a sudden, harsh downpour of rain. Lestat's fingertips ran through my hair, as I heard his own sob catch in his throat.

Marius knelt beside me, as I felt his hand rest over my own.

"What do I do?" Lestat asked, his voice desperate. A breath emitted from Marius, "Look at me Celeste," and I had little choice in the matter as my eyes found his. His white hair was soaked through from the rain, as I watched his pupils constrict, "Do you wish to sleep?"

I nodded, suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. When was the last time I slept? Suddenly, I could think of nothing else. A sigh emitted from the ancient vampire, "Very well. Sleep, my child."

And I did.

A dreamless sleep. That felt as though it could have been mere minutes. And yet, when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dark place. Not the park, as before. Confined. Before panic could take ahold of me, I found a heartbeat; pounding against my ears.