A few minutes later, I heard sirens wailing. I was sitting down on the top step of the porch now, my knees pulled up to my chest, arms wrapped around them and my chin resting on my arms. I was staring at my body with a frown on my face. Why hadn't it turned to ash?
It was Michael who made the first move. He let go of Eve and knelt next to Natalie. "Natalie, he's gone, we need to let the ambulance take him away, okay?" He said softly.
"No!" Natalie shouted, clutching me tighter. The ambulance and police were here now, and I watched silently as the policemen came over. The red and blue lights on their cruiser flashed on my deadly pale skin. I couldn't see the colour, but I knew them well enough.
"Alright, who was killed?" An officer asked, coming over. Michael stood before I could see his face. "El-Elder Justin," He said quietly. I heard the officer's heart beat quicken and he pushed Michael aside. I snarled, then bared my fangs when I saw the officer's face.
Officer Strode.
That bastard.
He stood next to my body and Natalie protectively spread herself over me, blocking me from view. He glared at her and grabbed her arm, and yanked her up. I snarled at him and stood up. Michael's head snapped over and I stared at him. He frowned and looked away. "Michael? Michael!" I shouted. He didn't look over again. Had he seen me?
"Hey, don't do that!" Shane snapped and strode forward, slapping Strode's hand off my Natalie. I growled lowly when Shane put a hand on Natalie's shoulder. He shouldn't be touching her. She was mine. She shook his hand off and went to kneel beside me again, but Eve caught her arm. "No, sweetie, let's go inside," she said quietly, but it took two officers to get Natalie away from Old Me. As they passed through New Me, Natalie shivered. I reached out to her, trying to cup her face. My hand passed right through her.
"Natalie," I crooned, my heart breaking. I followed them into the kitchen where Eve sat Natalie down and strated making tea. She pressed the cup into Natalie's limp hand and made her drink it. I didn't stick around to hear my death again. Instead I went into the living room, where Shane was. He was talking to a policeman, and I shuddered as an ice cold ripple went through me. Wait. I felt that.
Suddenly the portal in the living room opened and Myrnin stepped through. He froze when he saw the policeman, but continued towards the kitchen after a moment. "Hey!" Shane shouted indignantly. Myrnin ignored him, and Natalie dropped her cup when she saw the vampire. I stood next to him, not bothering to say anything.
"Why in God's name are there policemen everywhere?" Myrnin asked lazily, leaning against the doorframe.
Michael cleared his throat. "Um, Elder Justin, h-he was staked with silver. He didn't make it." He spoke quietly, his voice cracking and a fresh tear rolling down his cheek. I watched him, then walked right up to him. I stared him in the face, but he looked right through me. I turned and saw Myrnin's eyes widen, his mouth opening in horror. "No no, that's not true, I refuse to believe that!" He said quickly. "Believe it!" Michael snapped, and raced upstairs. I heard his bedroom door slam. As the officers left I floated up the stairs to his room. I passed through the door to see Michael on his bed, his face buried in a pillow. He was sobbing. I sat down on the bed.
I didn't know how I wasn't falling through the bed. After a while he sat up and wiped his eyes, sniffing.
"D-dad? Are you there?" He croaked. I raised an eyebrow. He hadn't called me that in five years.
"I'm here, Mikey," I said, reaching out to my son. My fingers passed through him, but he shivered. "Need to fix that damn heating," He muttered.
"Dad, if you can hear me, I-I just want to say I'm sorry. I was stupid to have shut you out, when you took me in. You saved my life. I love you Papa." My heart broke even more. That had been his first word. He had called me that until he was six, then dad, then eventually just Justin.
"I forgive you, Michael. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." I whispered, a tear rolling down my face.
