To Raise the Dead- Book Three

Ch. 19- Forever? Until The World Ends

"Tell me that you chose me. That you love me. That you crave the darkness."

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My legs were trembling, my heart was beating too fast that I could not breathe right. I wanted to scream, to cry, to run away--but I just stood there-- unable to move from this spot. This could not be possible, this new reality could not be true. It is just a dream, I thought. I was just dreaming and I will wake up soon. I blinked, pinched myself three times to tell myself to wake up. It did not work. I was awake and this is all true. 

Everyone stared at each other in awkward silence, waiting for someone to speak. We were all in shock--well except for some. I clenched a fistful of my gown and quickly ran away, needing to step away and be able to get air. I needed to know if this was true--that they are really alive. All eyes were on me as I sprinted out of the ballroom. 

I did not care if any of them followed me. If their bodies were in the crypt, then I would know this is just some sort of hallucination, and well, if it wasn't--

I haven't got there yet. 

It took minutes before I finally slammed open the door to Sebastian's family crypt, out of breath and panting hard. I stood beside where we laid Christian to read, opened it to see if he was there. If his remains were still there. They were not. 

I couldn't breathe, could not move at all. Christian and Sebastian walked in at the same time, I could just sense they would follow. I checked the other coffins--wondering if they were there, too. Nothing. Empty. 

I turned to the two now, tears coming out slowly. They both had serious looks on their faces like they do not know what I will do. I stared at Christian--icy blue eyes, pale skin, black hair. He wore a black suit and had his hands in his pockets. "You are dead," I finally said to him. "I watched you die." 

"And I was, Elora," he turned his head toward his brother. "But not anymore."

I paced back and forth, chewing on my lips for relief. This could not be possible. But was not possible was me coming back, too. So why couldn't they do the same?

 Sebastian took a step toward me, not close but not far away. "I need you to believe me when I say, all of this was for you. We all wanted them back and I thought it was best for them to be alive. So that is what I did. And it was my present to you." 

"That is some present if I say so." Christian chimed. 

I stopped, stared right at both of them with a glare. "You buy a girl a necklace or earrings for her birthday, not all the people she has ever lost! It was bad enough bringing me back, Sebastian, and now all of them are alive. Because of you. Do you know exactly the kinds of consequences for resurrecting someone?"

"No, but--"

"Exactly, you don't know," I said to him. There was so much anger in me that I could not control what I was about to say. "You are a selfish King, Sebastian."

His face turned into a look of shock. "This was for you."

"No," I whispered. "All of us coming back was for you and it is best that you don't lie to yourself." In front of me, I realize that a strand of hair was burning red. It was on fire. And I knew that they saw it, too. 

 "You just didn't want to be alone," I said. Sebastian clenched his teeth, as he wanted to say something but couldn't because he knew I was right. He walked out without saying another word. Christian stood there, wanting desperately to not be in the middle of our fight at this moment. But it was over. 

 Within seconds, although I didn't know how my mood changed. "Is it really you, Christian?"

He nodded his head slightly, the awkwardness now over. "Come here," he said, and I did. He placed his arms around me and I was comforted with his familiar embrace all over again. I missed it so much.  

It was only minutes before we let go. "I have missed you so much, Christian. You don't know how much." 

"Same here," he said at once. "Now are you ever going to tell me how you died?" 

I only smiled at him, before telling him everything that has happened since he died. We sat there by the empty coffins, sharing every detail of all the things he missed. He's back. The original King and Queen are back. My parents are downstairs. 

"So you are no longer a vampire, but a full-fledged Fae? Is that why your ears look like that?" he asked. 

I nodded my head, wanting to laugh. "Courtesy of my soon-to-be husband." 

"Well, if I am being honest, they fit you. I always knew that being a vampire would not suit you." And at that, the memories of our first meeting came in my mind. And I know it did for him, too because we both grinned. 

"Christian?"

"Yes."

"I am scared," I admitted. "This all started with my parents, and now their back and I don't know what to do when I hear their voices. I have waited so long to see them again."

"If you can single-handily defeat a powerful witch and stop a war, you can sure as hell see your parents. Now c'mon, you are missing your party." he stood up from where we were sitting. "I will be right beside you. Forever." 

Forever?" I asked. 

"Until the world ends. As both family and friends."

I placed a hand on his arm, taking a breath of air. "Always." 

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sorry for the shortie, I have been busy.

more coming soon...