A Beautiful Sacrifice

Chapter Twenty Four

The walk back was rather uneventful. Perttu insisted on carrying her in his arms all the way. The sun was rising too quickly to get back to Perttu’s house that night so they stayed the day in Niklas’ house. Niklas didn’t seem to mind he got some food and a cup of tea together for Lily and as an afterthought got himself some as well. Perttu did not need the food and sat watching the betrayer as Lily and Niklas ate.

                The betrayer was too dangerous to let him alone again. So they had brought them with him, hopefully they would be able to lock him in a cell or give him over as a charge to a master in magic who would watch over him as a parent over a naughty child would. They would not kill him outright and while they had their own prison system as did the human would, it wasn’t as advanced. To be stripped of your powers and placed in the care of someone else who would dictate their every movement was the worse thing they had, and it worked better. The betrayer would never again be out of the sight of his carer’s eyes. And he had kicked up a huge fuss over that information. Perttu had been forced to send him to sleep and Niklas, determined to show them that his power was every bit as good as Perttu’s, had used magic to float the vampire all the way back to his house. His sorcerer’s magic was indeed very powerful, never once did it waver in his strength and Niklas continued his conversations - unfazed by multi-tasking. Perttu had yet to restore the vampire’s bones to their normal healed self and he was debating leaving that to the one who would watch over him. The carer, when they found one.

                When at last the sun rose and the pale blue of the sky was tainted with orange flames Perttu gathered Lily in his arms and lay on the bed Niklas has shown them to. The spare bedroom was sparsely furnished; evidence of his solitary life, but it was comfortable. Because of the chill that clung to the air from lack of use they had been provided with many extra blankets and together they lay smug, warm and wrapped tight in thick material and each other’s arms.

                To Perttu he had thought he would never again get the chance to hold her. For that brief moment in his life he had been plague with despair at knowing she may never be safe next to him again and now, he took this opportunity to hold her tighter than he should. He closed his eyes to block out everything but the feel of her and he pulled her so her back pressed into his chest. Just so he could feel her breath and know she was alive.

                The curtains had been magically enhanced, courtesy of Niklas. He had done an amazing thing. They blocked out the rays of the sun and did not hurt Perttu but they lit up the room and while Lily had no trouble drifting off to sleep Perttu was wide awake. At first he had wanted to savour the moment between the two of them. He hadn’t wanted to forget the relief he was feeling and so he did not try to sleep when she did. But then the sun was rising higher and more powerfully. The rays crept around the room and lit everything with a tiny hint of golden yellow and he saw shadows in the corners of the room where the sun did not hit it. The beauty of such a thing was too much to close his eyes to.

                For many years he had longed to see the sun and here he could, in safety. So he whiled away the day in pure bliss. With the biggest grin on his face a person could imagine. The sun was lighting up his room and his woman was lying in his arms. He memorised every detail so he would never forget it.

                Lily slept peacefully – a miracle after such an ordeal. He had expected a few whimpers or even for her to wake up in distress at some point but she didn’t. The day rose and fell and the moon started to creep up to take the place of the sun. Lily woke easily and after turning to face him, snuggled into his chest.