Watcher in the Darkness, Book 3: Imprisoned

Chapter 40

Vampires don't have souls. Humans lose theirs when they get Turned, and the Pure are born without them. When a vampire dies, there's no eternal reward or punishment. We just blip out of existence. Therefore, good and evil are just words to us.

I never believed in God; I just take his name in vain a lot. I've never believed in anything. Humans invented religion. Anything to make the short pointlessness of their lives more bearable. The majority of them will never admit to themselves that they're floating on a speck of dust through a brutal and uncaring universe. If they did, most would swan-dive into the nearest active volcano.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by light.

There was no tunnel. I didn't feel myself being drawn. My head hit the wall, my neck crunched down into my shoulders, then I was floating in a sea of white. The light was brighter than the sun, but not at all painful. It took me a second to figure out that I'd died, and then another to realize I wasn't alone.

A woman lay on top of me, almost nose to nose. Even that close, the light made the details of her face soft and fuzzy. It didn't matter, though; I knew her. I would've known her anywhere.

"Karen?" My voice didn't want to work, and I'd never been so tired in my entire life. Oblivion seemed so inviting that I wanted to sink down into it forever.

I sensed rather than saw her affectionate smile. "No," she said, and it was like her voice spoke directly into my brain.

I think, if I wasn't numb from the neck down, I would've felt my heart skip a beat. I couldn't hide the dread in my voice as I said, "Justine?" The idea of running into the woman I'd murdered in the afterlife never occurred to me. Talk about awkward.

I saw the blurry pink corner of her mouth turn up. "No."

My eyes began to adjust, like those of a newborn. "Are you telling me you're Serkani?"

Her smile became sad as she traced my bottom lip with the tip of her finger. "I've had dozens of names. I will have dozens more, before we are finally finished."

Why do all women speak in riddles? Why wouldn't she just let me sleep? "So, what do I call you?"

Her elbows on my chest, she propped herself up to give me a long look. Her black hair fell over her shoulder, tickling my cheek. "Call me Fetch."

Weird name for a chick, but whatever. "Where are we?" Overhead, I could almost make out tree branches with radiant green leaves. I caught a sparkle out of the corner of my eye, like the surface of water. I even thought I could hear the soft babbling of a brook.

Fetch's eyes drifted closed as she rubbed her nose against mine. "We are together."

She knew what I'd meant, but I couldn't be too aggravated with her. Not in that place. "And where is that?"

Fetch pressed her cheek against my chest, as though listening to my heart. The top of her head smelled like musky incense and strange flowers. "The in-between."

"How did I get here?" I tried to make out more details of my surroundings. A deep ache was beginning to grow in my neck and the back of my head. It didn't seem right, to experience pain in heaven.

"I brought you here," she said. I sensed there was more to it than that. She was holding me there, keeping me from drifting away on that nearby stream.

"Why?" I sounded like an angry child. "Why can't I just go?"

"Not yet." Her voice was gentle but determined. "She needs you now."