The Vampire in the Iron Mask (Page 14)

“I love you, too, Daddy. That’s why I’ve stayed with you.”

It hit me. He couldn’t go to Heaven. Natassa nodded now.

“I have to know you’re okay, Daddy.”

“But I want to make it right…”

“All is well, Daddy. As it should be.”

“How did you get so wise…my son?”

The image of my son smiled. “Watching you, Daddy.”

That ripped a hole through my heart and I wept harder.

“I will always be near, Daddy. You know that.”

I sensed him fading, leaving me, perhaps forever. “Don’t leave me,” I whispered. I heard the pleading in my voice. Yes, I was going insane. A beautiful insane.

“There is nothing else to do, Daddy, except…”

“What? I’ll do anything.”

“Keep helping the others. It’s what you were meant to do.”

My mind was reeling. Keep helping others. Other kids. My son forgave me. He loved me…I’m dreaming. A long, weird, twisted, beautiful, surreal dream.

David did smile now. He moved toward me and embraced me with his tiny arms and I could not hold back the tears. I sat there on my knees as my dead little boy hugged the father who had killed him.

And then something else happened, something even more miraculous. On a night of miracles…and nightmares…as I tried to hug him back, his little spirit entered me. My heart. A spirit that wasn’t so little after all. I sensed his wisdom, his knowledge and his love. Now my heart filled with a joy greater than I had ever known. David was in my heart, cleansing away the pain, the sorrow, the guilt. I let it happen. Deep inside I knew this was it. I wouldn’t see him again, but he was making a special place to dwell within me. Forever, I knew. I let it happen.

We stayed like this for a timeless moment. Just the two of us. There was nothing else but a father and a son’s love.

Faintly in my mind, or my heart, I heard, “Oh Daddy! I knew you could do it. I love you…”

I watched as he moved back out of me, smiling. His innocent eyes shone now, all trace of sadness gone. He was leaving. My son was going to Heaven.

I still felt the incredible love within.

And then, I let him go.

Chapter Seventeen

It could have taken minutes. It could have taken hours. I didn’t know. I still didn’t care.

Natassa was smiling at me. For the first time in a long while, I smiled back. A real smile.

“Thank you,” I said.

“You are most welcome. And thank you for saving me.”

“It’s what I do,” I said, and remembered my son’s words. “What I was meant to do.”

She let go of my hands. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Did it happen? Was it real?

“It was real,” she answered.

“He was in limbo, all this time,” I said. “Six years, he stayed with me, tormented.”

“No. Time doesn’t exist in his realm. And he wasn’t tormented. He just never gave up on you.”

“He loves me.”

“More than you know.”

I fought back more tears. I relived the conversation with David in my mind. I turned from Natassa. I didn’t want her to see me cry. Enough tears. Enough pain. My son forgave me, loved me, and was with me always. In my heart. I forced myself back to reality. Whatever that meant.

“You and Guillaume,” I started.

“Yes?”

“Why didn’t he try to free you earlier? And why did he choose me?”

“I can see you’re curious.”

“To say the least.”

She stood, motioned me. As I rose, she said, “I will tell you then. But you’re right, we must leave this place.”

Chapter Eighteen

The four of us headed over to a nearby Denny’s.

Natassa insisted on a window booth where she could keep an eye on the horse trailer parked just outside. Precious cargo, indeed.

I learned that Natassa was six hundred years old, but had met Guillaume fifteen years ago in Norway, where they had fallen in love. Still, she kept her secret from him for years, until he begged her to tell him the mysterious truth about her. He turned willingly, drank her blood and vowed to help her hunt those who hunted the innocent. Vampires included. They were quite a team, apparently. They traveled the world, searching, as Veronica did locally, for the dark ones who caused nothing but chaos.

Eventually they learned about this new coven and came to southern California. They’d only been here a short while, hunting together, when Natassa was caught by the new coven, a coven intent on building an empire. An underground dictatorship.

Here in Anaheim, she’d met her match. She was caught and held prisoner. The coven had spread lies about her, and turned her reputation into an evil legend of sorts. Guillaume hadn’t yet cultivated the powers she possessed, and couldn’t free her by himself. He stayed by her side at Medievaland, protecting her as best he could. He didn’t know many of his own kind to aid him, but eventually he found out about me, the private eye who knew about vampires.

“What will you do now?” Veronica asked.

Natassa didn’t hesitate. “Go on, as usual.”

“Try to keep the peace?” I asked.

“Of course.” Her gaze fell on Veronica. “I’m intrigued by your skills,” she commented.

“Thank you.”

“I’m always looking for competent partners.”

“I’ll think about it.” But Veronica didn’t look nearly as dismissive as she sounded. She was intrigued. They would make a helluva formidable team.

Natassa merely smiled, and nodded as if she already knew.

It was three in the morning. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I wanted to reflect privately on the night’s events. All of them. My son…

Once again, I was grateful for Veronica’s telepathy. She said, “Well, we’ve got to go. This mortal needs his beauty sleep.”

We rose to leave. I shook hands with Guillaume. It seemed fitting to kiss Natassa’s hand. She reached up and kissed me on the cheek. “Blessings to you, good Spinoza.”

Chapter Nineteen

I arrived at my humble abode about an hour before dawn.

There were three messages, all from Roxi. I wanted to be alone, but in all fairness I owed her a call. I did so and assured her I was fine. She was pretty good about giving me my space. I promised her I would tell all, but not until I had a little shut-eye.

I took my bowl of cereal out to the patio just in time for the sunrise. I don’t care what anyone says, California sunrises are just as spectacular as our sunsets.