The Vampire's Heart [Sequel to the witch's heart]

Chapter 2

"Elspeth McKinley, where were you last night?" Elspeth stares at Alyth, her mother, in the dark of her bedroom, the curtains drawn tightly. She draws further back into her comforter.

"I'm sorry," is all she says to her mother.

"Don't give me that." Alyth says sternly. "You have to be careful out there."

"I've been careful!" Elspeth shouts through the material of her blankets. "I've been careful for an entire year now. I've trained and trained my magic alone in the basement in the dark, unable to leave this damn house!"

"You went to see Gregory last night." Alyth says, her words a statement, not a question.

"Gregory is never coming back," Elspeth says bitterly.

"Strange because he was at our front door just now, looking for you."

Elspeth sits up quickly, "you mean he's back?" Excitement is heard clearly in her voice. Alyth looks at her daughter in surprise, realizing that she really hadn't known of Gregory's return.

"If you did not see Gregory last night, where did you go?" Alyth questions.

"I'm going crazy mom," Elspeth whispers, all excitement from the news of Gregory gone. "I hadn't seen the stars in days, the voice of the world was so quiet and the voice of the Mother was so loud, calling me."

Alyth sits beside Elspeth and puts an arm around her daughter, rubbing her shoulder. "I'm sorry," her voice is soft now. "I wish you kids would have asked for our help. You're strong, Elspeth, so very strong and powerful but there are something even you cannot accomplish alone. We'll figure this out, I promise."

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Gregory opens his front door as the sun begins to set.

"Gregory, did you find her?" Anna asks eagerly. She has begun calling him Gregory again, rather than Greg, now that she and his family remember their time as vampires.

Gregory brushes past her, placing a hand on her head and shaking his own. He goes up to his room, ignoring the calls of Rudolph and Anna. He closes the door and rests his forehead against the dark word. Sighing, he pushes away from the door and continues unpacking. He places his collection of H.P. Lovecraft books on his shelf, his heart suddenly aching because, until now, his mind and heart did not remember that he is Elspeth's favorite author.

The human he was this past year didn't remember Elspeth at all. His fake life as a human saddens him, all the fake years spent without his love. All the real people whose memories were forcefully rearranged to accommodate his family when the comet worked its magic. All those fools he called friends who don't actually know him. All the girlfriends he'd told "I love you" to when they weren't Elspeth. 17 years of fake memories without Elspeth in them. For a moment he tries to hold onto the fake memories but finally he lets them go, they are of no use to him now, making way for his true memories. Now, when he can finally remember Elspeth, she is gone.

Gregory reaches up, brushing his hand across his cheek where tears he didn't know he was shedding roll down his skin.