The Lost Soul (29 page)

Eventually, Lilly looked up and stared at her father.

"I thought you were going to die. You were in a coma," she said nodding, wiping the tears from her face.

"How long was I under?" he asked, trying so hard to keep it together.

"Three days."

Suddenly, he remembered what had happened. "Eric..." he groaned. Poor Eric. The man was a hero.

"How is everyone?" he asked.

"The family is okay," she whispered, "but one of our close friends is seriously ill."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry... who is it?"

"His name's Monty. He's taken care of December ever since she was a little girl. He's the nicest guy," she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry," he said, holding her tightly in a long hug.

"Son?" said a quiet voice from the doorway.

"Dad?" Jack said, watching Gabriel hobble into the room with a walking stick. He looked so much older than the last time he'd seen him.

"Dad," he blurted out before tears began to flow between the two as they hugged each other tight. Lilly stood up and watched before she tiptoed out of the room and let them have some quality time together. After all, they hadn't seen or spoken to each other for nearly sixteen years.

#

Monty was being cared for at home, after refusing to go to the hospital. He was well aware of the severity of his injuries and he certainly didn't want his final days to be spent in a hospital room, so Moira had agreed he should be at home with those that love him.

"Monty, oh Monty darling," whispered Ruby as she hovered by his side. "I wish I could help you. I wish I could do something. I feel so darn useless just hovering about like this."

"Nonsense," he coughed, "You know I love your company, regardless of whether you're dead or alive," he chuckled, smiling.

"Mother," said Moira, "perhaps Monty ought to rest a little?"

"No Moira love. I'd rather have Ruby with me, if that's all right with you?"

Moira smiled and patted his hand before she gently helped him sit upright, just a tad, so he could take a little sip of water.

"I wish I could hold your hand, Ruby," whispered Monty as he looked at the woman he loved. The woman he had always loved, ever since he had first laid eyes on her spirit, he knew she would have been the one for him. It didn't matter that she wasn't alive. He just loved being with her. He felt she was his soul mate.

"Oh Monty, I wish I could hold yours too. I have always wished for that to happen, my darling. Oh Monty, I do love you. I'm sorry I never told you before..."

Monty's eyes lit up.

"You love me?" he choked and she nodded energetically, "Oh yes dear. I do, from the bottom of my no longer beating heart," she laughed.

"But...but...I love you...too," suddenly his body was limp and his eyes closed. His heart beat for the very last time.

"Nooo," wailed Ruby as she hovered over the love of her life.

Moira rushed to her side, followed by December and Lilly as they all shed tears over the death of their dear friend.

"He's gone, mother. I'm sorry."

"He told me... he told me... that he loves me, darling," laughed Ruby, hovering directly above his body. "And I loved him so, I loved him so much. I can't bear it. I can't bear that he has gone," she wailed.

"I haven't gone... not yet, Ruby," said a voice from the doorway as Monty's spirit hovered towards her.

"Monty?" she cried, rushing towards him. She stopped just before she reached him and held out her hand. He did the same.

But when they met in the middle there was a flash of electricity, followed by a loud crackle.

Ruby yanked her hand back, as did Monty, while the three others looked on in shock.

"Did you... feel that?" Ruby asked wide-eyed and he nodded, holding out his hand to her again.

She touched him and her hand didn't go through him, she felt him. Really felt him.

"Oh my...." whispered Ruby as the two fell into each other's arm in a long embrace.

December, Lilly and Moira blushed at the scene that developed before them, as Moira coughed conspicuously.

When they pulled apart, Ruby and Monty grinned at each other and giggled like a couple of love sick teenagers.

"Do you remember what Michael said, Mother?" asked Moira quietly and Ruby nodded.

"I'll be set free when I find true love.... and it was right in front of me, all this time. I just had to wait for the old man to die," she chuckled.

"Less of the old..." laughed Monty as suddenly they both squinted, holding their hands in front of their eyes.

"What's that?" asked Ruby.

"I'm guessing that's for us, love. I guess we're supposed to go into it..." said Monty as they both turned to their family.

Moira's bottom lip quivered and a tear dropped from her eye.

"Mom?" she said, sniffing.

"Oh darling, it's time for me to go. I've been a burden to you all these years and now I can go and leave you to get on with your life," she smiled, moving forward to put her arms around her daughter.

Moira felt a strong warm feeling like she'd never felt before. "I will miss you so much. Be happy... both of you," she said as Monty hugged her too.

Hugging the girls before they stepped into the light, Ruby said, "That Jack is such a nice looking young man, Moira... I think you should ask him round for dinner....." and then they were gone.

Moira, December and Lilly all looked at each other and laughed, each wiping away the tears that wouldn't stop falling down their cheeks.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

A gentle breeze blew as Jack and Lilly walked slowly through the graveyard quietly pondering everything they had been through.

"You know I've never been here before," said Lilly, glancing around at all the beautiful flowers that seemed to surround them, everywhere she looked.

"You never came when you got back from England?" he replied, looking at her sadly.

She shook her head and pursed her lips before saying, "I couldn't bring myself to come... not without you."

Jack smiled while he led her to the two graves that were positioned beside each other. Lilly knelt down and placed the two yellow roses by the headstones of her mother and her sister. Jack knelt down by her side and they held hands for a moment before standing and walking away, smiling sadly.

As they wandered back towards the car, they took a quick detour to pay their respects to those that had perished in the fight against the Nephilim. Next to Monty's headstone stood another, slightly smaller one with the words:

Eric

A Royal Hero

"That's nice," whispered Lilly.

"He is a hero. He saved over a hundred people," said Jack.

"Why a Royal Hero, Dad?"

Jack smiled, "He told me he was a butler for royalty... he was one in a million," Jack replied while a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Yes, he was."

"We should go... the girls are leaving soon."

Turning away from the headstones, father and daughter were startled by the sudden appearance of a familiar face.

"Hello, Lillian and Jackson," said Michael, stepping forward out of nowhere.

"Michael?" exclaimed Lilly, "We thought you were dead. We... we looked for you... but we...."

Michael held his hands up and smiled. "I cannot die, not really."

"Then why? Why did you leave us in the middle of the fight?" she asked as her dad looked on and listened.

"I only came to your family and friends to reassure you that you could succeed. You did not need me."
"But we did..."

Michael shook his head, "You merely thought you did. You succeeded without my help."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" asked Jack.

"He's the Archangel we told you about Dad, Michael."
"Oh, of course. Thank you. Thank you for making them believe that they could do it. I wouldn't be here otherwise. None of us would"

Michael smiled again and nodded, before he turned and walked away. His body slowly faded as he went, until he had vanished completely.

Lilly and Jack watched him go before they walked back to their car where Oliver stood waiting patiently.

"You okay?" he asked his girlfriend who smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm fine. We're fine."

Climbing into the car, Oliver started the engine and pulled away from the kerb, away from the graveyard.

#

"Thank you, Calliope. Thank you for choosing us instead of them," said Jo as she quickly hugged her new friend. "But, you don't have to leave."

Calliope nodded, "Yes, I do. I don't want these powers any-more and down there, they are useless. That's why I do have to leave, Jo. There is also a chance there might be others still down there, trapped. If there are, I need to be the one to help them. And there is the matter of the Nephilim that escaped. Zalea and Tiffani have invited me to live with them in their home. Plus, they are going to need all the help they can get in finding their way back home," she smiled at the two faeries who beamed beside her.

"Which is why I'm going too," said a voice from the back of the crowd as Sammy walked to the front, carrying a bag with all his belongings.

"You're... leaving, Sammy? But... but why?" asked Lilly, aghast.

Smiling, he turned to look at Tiffani who grinned, "To help them find their way home... and" he gulped, "because I love her," he gushed, his cheeks turning pink as Tiffani rushed to his side and held his hand.

Lilly's shocked and saddened expression softened and she smiled, even though she felt like she would cry.

"I understand, but I'll miss you. We all will."

"I'll miss you too, Lilly. Maybe we'll see each other again."

"I hope so," she said, as he leaned forward for a hug.

"Take care of him, Tiffani," she whispered, saying goodbye to the two faeries.

"Zalea," said another voice. Jack stepped forward and smiled at her. "We've been through a lot, you and me," he said, squeezing his hand, "You saved me."

"And you saved me, Jack. I will never forget you."

"And I will never forget you. Stay safe. Goodbye," they said as they held each other in a long hug.

The small group made their final goodbyes to the rest of their friends, as they began their journey which would start at the crater where Ben's veterinary clinic once stood.

"How are they getting back?" asked a voice from the crowd that had gathered there.

"Calliope's power will get them to the bottom of the crater but the moment she steps foot on the ground, her power will disappear. Then it's up to them to find their way back to Moharth," answered Jack.

"Moharth?" asked the voice.

Jack smiled, "The silver forests of Moharth is where the Malean faeries live," he replied, smiling and waving as the group slowly made their way home, floating down the middle of the crater.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

"Aren't they just the most beautiful bride and groom you've ever seen?" sighed Tabitha, taking a long sip of champagne before turning to look deep into Zoltan's eyes. He laughed quietly and moved forward so his lips just brushed hers. "One day, babe... one day..." he said before they shared a long lingering kiss.

Lilly and Oliver sat with their hands held under the table, watching as the bride and groom shared their first dance, a waltz that slowed into a bit of a smooch to the Carpenter's
We've Only Just Begun
. When the song changed, Jack walked over to his daughter, "May I have this dance?" he asked with a grin.

Lilly laughed and jumped up, holding on to her father's hand as they walked on to the dance floor. Lilly giggled, tripping over his feet a couple of times before they finally found their rhythm, moving in time to Mariah Carey's
Hero
.

"I can't believe it's finally over," said Jack, looking at her and smiling, holding her tight.

"I know... after all these years. We can live our lives the way they were meant to be. Well, kind of," she sighed. "I wish Mom and Neleh were here."

"They are here, sweetheart," he said, placing both their hands over his heart. "They'll always be here," he smiled. "And when the house is built... finally... we'll feel like they're with us every day," he added. "I'm so glad Oliver has offered to help me to build it. It'll be nice to keep it in the family," he winked. "And speak of the devil...."

"May I cut in?" asked Oliver as Jack smiled and handed his daughter over to him and they continued to dance across the floor.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, looking down into her face.

She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up, "Relieved, happy, content, sad...."

Oliver smiled back, "I know," he said, "I know."

As the music changed to something more suitable for everybody to get up and have fun, the dance floor filled with the young and old, humans, vampires, werewolves, witches and other weird and wonderful characters. Laughter could be heard, mingled with the sounds of the Beach Boys as the elders and all their friends celebrated. They celebrated not just the union of two vampires so completely in love, but the defeat of the Nephilim, the return of so many lost souls and the newly formed secret friendship with the people of Powell River. But more importantly they celebrated life.

THE END

Chck out Witch Hunt by K Blake. Available April 2012 from Amazon.

“There she is!”

The scream sliced through Starr’s tired brain. She winced behind designer sunglasses. It was too early in the morning to deal with random yelling. If she had it her way, no one would be allowed to do more than whisper until she was totally awake and in a good frame of mind. She had parked in the school lot across from the massive gray stone building. Baycott Academy: the finest private school on the east coast or so the brochure claimed. You wouldn’t know it by the way the some of the students behaved.

She slammed the car door and almost lost a book off the short stack in her arms. She balanced them on her hip long enough to tuck the keys into her purse. Her long tawny-colored hair caught in the zipper. Wincing, she tugged it loose minus a few broken strands. At least she’d found a good spot for her car and wouldn’t have to walk a mile to reach the school’s front doors.