• Tears blurred my vision as I felt the glass piece fall and shatter on the ground…and as Richard stormed out of the house. Running blindly after him I followed him to the channel. It was dark outside and I knew it was also very dangerous for a young woman like myself to go out gallivanting down allies but I needed to warn Dante. I had to save him. He was the only one who would care to catch me when I would fall and he was the only one to ever smile or care for me in the least. My family hadn’t given a damn about me and it had left a hollow hole in my heart. Marrying Richard had only deepened that hole. Thankfully when I’d set eyes on Dante I felt it heal a little and I knew deep down that if I stayed with him then I would be healed.
    Sticking out of sight I made sure I was not seen by Richard and when he finally stood beside the channel I peeked around the corner I was hiding behind and looked around. I saw no Dante and as the clock tower rang out the hour of ten I felt worry build within my heart.
    “Are you waiting for me?” whispered a voice next to her ear. Turning around ready to defend myself I found Dante standing beside me. Embracing him, I consoled myself in his warmth and I felt my tears turn to happy ones instead of ones of fear and desperation.
    “Dante I’m so happy. I thought you would be killed….” I mumbled into his coat, trying to hide my tears unsuccessfully. Dante put his arms around me and stroked my hair to comfort me.
    “Now why would I go and die when I have finally met you? Nothing could stop me from meeting you again. You are the most precious person nearest my heart.” he said lovingly.
    Suddenly six shots sounded loud and clear as the two turned to see Richard fall to the ground, bleeding and dead. Across the channel a smoking silver pistol shown in the darkness, held by a dark shadow. Crying our I ran towards the fallen Richard and rolling him over I couldn’t help the look of shock in his eyes. Closing them I felt as if my dream had gotten worse. Some how someone had just stepped on the mess of glass from my figurine.
    Dante stroked my long blond hair and encouraged,” My love, we must set him free. The old Vikings used to send their dead into the water to be free within the ocean. You shouldn’t dwell on this it wasn’t your fault. He would have killed me and, from his line of work, sometime in the future a vampire would have killed him.”
    Shaking my head I rolled his body into the channel and feeling as if the ground would open up under my feet and take me down into hell I ran back to my unwelcoming home. There I cleaned and cleaned until my hands were red and my knee’s were scratched from the wood floors. Still I felt the unease that I just couldn’t’ shake. Packing all my belongings into a chest I dawned a cloak and walked back to the channel. Thankfully Dante was not there and now I didn’t have to fear my husbands wrath.
    Sitting beside the water I felt despair rush through me and getting ready to let myself slip into the rushing water a hand suddenly pushed me away from the edge from the water. Surprise covering my face I watched the hand in horror as suddenly a young woman appeared from the water. She was beautiful beyond anyone that I had ever met and it moved me beyond words.
    A splash came from the water from behind her and the glimpse of a fishes tail was all I needed to explain the situation I was now in. At this moment I was face to face with a mermaid who had just saved my life from my own denial. She smiled up at me and in a voice that sounded like rain drops she sang aloud,” Why, why would you caste your life away into my home? Why would you make my home impure? Dieing for another who is not your love is selfish. Your husband is mine and is not dead. He lives within my home. I am his new wife. We love each other greatly. I was once said to have died but I am alive now from the magic of the river. Go now. Find your one who alone sings to your soul. Alone you shall not be within his arms and now you are free. Go now.” With that she disappeared in the water.
    Releasing my breath that I’d held in for so long I turned and rushed down the streets around town looking and searching for my love. Besot I could not find him I turned towards my home and once in my room I fell asleep in my bed.
    At around four in the morning I awoke to find myself in someplace other than my room. My chest sat at the bottom of the bed I had slept in. Sitting up I looked around and almost jumped out of the bed as I realized that Dante sat next to my bed watching me.
    “I wanted to talk to you…” he said softly. His eyes were full of concern and fear. My heart ached to know why he was so fearful. His skin was no longer the cream color that made him look so healthy and alive, now it was unhealthy pale color that made him seem weak. Praying that I was making the right choice I leaned over to him and kissing him I announced,” I love you too my dearest Dante.”
    Tears rolled down both of our cheeks and suddenly realizing why he looked the way he did I gave him my wrist and spoke the condemning words that I knew I would place sin upon my shoulders in the religion of my old husband,” Drink Dante. Let me be with you forever.”
    Dante stared into my bright blue eyes and replied,” I will not turn you into a vampire. Instead I will give you some of my blood as well so you will live forever without having to fear water or salt. The only way to turn a person into a vampire is to drain that person of all of their blood and then give them vampire blood to replace all of their own. I will only be taking a small portion of your own and then I will give you a small vial worth of my own. I will let you live longer than any human and if you keep drinking it through eternity by my side than you will live as long as I do without growing old or sick.”
    Opening his mouth he bit my wrist and drank my blood. There was no pain in the action but it was a funny feeling have the blood rush out of my veins. Stopping suddenly he closed my wound with his salvia (which was the reason why have the people who had the blood taken by a vampire never knew that the event even happened from lack of evidence).
    Smiling I watched his eyes, which were now a dark red color instead of a lighter one. He nodded and using his teeth he slit his own wrist and taking a vial out of his coat he poured some into it and then closed his own wound. Handing me the vial I looked down at it and what it would signify. Instead of holy water being tossed on me or having to drink wine like at my wedding to Richard I would be drinking the blood of my most cherished and beloved person. We would be bound together into eternity.
    Clarifying my choice I downed the vial of blood and surprised myself. It didn’t taste like iron which normal blood usually did. Instead his blood actually tasted more sweet like an apple’s juice. Feeling it warm my body I smiled up at him and hugging him I whispered into his ear,” From now into eternity I am yours and you are mine. I love you like none other.”
    He stroked my hair again and whispered back,” You are mine and I am yours. I love you like I have never loved any other and I will always love you into eternity and beyond.”