A Hasty Decision
By Starra Andrews

bolt of blue and silver lightning ripped the ground open.  As Tamara scrambled to get up, searing heat slashed through her side.

Another flash of lightening struck in front of her.  It looked like an electrical storm, but she never saw lightning strike sideways.

She inhaled sharply, grasping her arm.  In a daze, she looked down, and saw blood running between her fingers.

She turned to run, but stumbled and fell backwards.

Tamara opened her eyes to see glistening stars scattered among a night sky. 

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

She rose to a sitting position, and realized she was in the middle of a field.  Regardless of her injury, she was eager to see the castle and join the ball.  But, when she eyed a thick forest of pine trees, she became more alarmed.

Now panicked, her breath came in gasps.    

In an instant, several men dressed in black coats sprang from the nearby tree line and rushed toward her. 

One of the men thrust his arms forward, and lightning flashed from his hands.  She covered her head as she heard him shout “Death to the vampire bloodline!”

She glanced behind her, and saw something dark fly over her head.  There were six figures in all, flying toward the men in black coats. 

She looked at the forest, and decided to make a run for it.  When she turned, a hand grabbed her good arm in a savage grip.

“Don’t kill me!”  She begged.

“Shut up!  I’m not here to kill you.  I’m here to save you,” a stranger’s voice barked in her ear.

“Get the woman!” the leader of the men commanded, pointing directly at Tamara.

Immediately she felt herself yanked up, and thrown over the stranger’s shoulder.  The land below seemed to stretch out of sight, and then everything went black.

*     *     *     *     *

Tamara’s eyes slowly fluttered open.  Her brows creased as she stared at a wall of rock.  It was obvious she was in a cave, but she wasn’t sure exactly how she got there.

She turned toward the man sitting next to her.  Now she could see his face.  He had classic chiseled features, black hair, and brilliant blue eyes.  He looked very grim.

“It’s a simple wound.  You’ve lost some blood, but not enough to be dangerous.  You’re lucky you only got a portion of their electrical charge.  Had it been a full hit, you wouldn’t be alive now,” he said, as he began wrapping her arm in bandages.  “I’m Derek.  What’s your name?”

“Tamara.”

“Well, Tamara, can you tell me what the hell you were doing out there during Hoanigall?” he chided, staring her down.

Tamara could only stammer, “I...I...”

“Well?”

Tamara gave him a quizzical look, and asked, “What is Hoanigall?”

“Don’t play naive.”

“I’m not.  Really, I’m serious.  That sounds familiar.”

Derek smirked at her and cocked his head.  “Okay, I’ll play your little game.  Hunting Season occurs once a year with the new moon of spring, and lasts for a fortnight.”

“Oh my God!”  Tamara gasped, “The Hunting Season!”

Derek put his hand over her mouth and pressed down hard.

“Now you listen to me,” he began over Tamara’s muffled cries, “If you scream like that again, I will personally throw you back onto that field and let you fry or bleed to death.  Whichever one gets you first.”

Frightened, Tamara silently stared back at him.

“Do you understand me?”

Tamara nodded.

“No more screaming?”

Tamara nodded again.

“Okay, I’m taking my hand off now, and just remember what I said, because I meant it.”  He removed his hand slowly from her mouth.

“I’m so stupid,” Tamara blurted through tears.  “He said it was a hasty decision, and I didn’t listen to him.” 

“What was a hasty decision?” Derek asked as he handed her some bandages to wipe her eyes.

“Coming here.” she replied.

“Well that’s obvious.  I couldn’t believe it when I saw you sitting out there on the battlefield.  Are you insane?”

“Not yet.  But, you don’t understand, I had no intention of coming here.  I meant to go somewhere else.”

Derek stared at Tamara with a look of confusion.

She sighed, knowing there was no other way.  Leaning back, she took a deep breath.  “It was about noon when I ran down the street to Malcolm’s shop . . .”

*     *     *     *     *

Tamara burst into the bookshop with tears flowing down her face.  Her friend Malcolm was alone behind the counter, and for that she was truly grateful.

“He wants a divorce!” she announced in between sobs.

“Come here,” Malcolm replied, putting his arm around her shoulders.

He led Tamara to the back office, and sat her down.  He poured a cup of water and handed it to her, then took a seat across the table.

“Now, tell me what happened,” he said calmly.

Tamara stared into Malcolm’s warm green eyes, and thought of all the times she’d come to him for advice.  At the age of seventy-five, he truly was a father figure to her; although her father was bald by fifty, and Malcolm still retained a full head of grey hair.

Tamara sighed.  “I thought David and I would reconcile today when we met for brunch, but instead he asked me for a divorce.  We’ve only been separated for six months, and we planned this meeting two months ago to decide our future.  Our communication was wonderful, and we were getting along so well.”

“So this is a definite decision for him?” Malcolm asked.

“He’s already living with someone!”  Tamara replied before wiping her nose again.

“Oh dear.”

“I feel like an idiot.”

Malcolm regarded her with sympathy, “You didn’t know.  He kept her a secret from you, and probably never invited you over to see his place, right?”

Tamara thought for a moment and said, “Yes, you’re right.  Whenever I wanted to swing by, he always had an excuse as to why I couldn’t come over.”

Tamara began sobbing again.

“Drink some water and just relax,” Malcolm suggested.

Tamara took a sip of water.  She turned to Malcolm and said, “What do I do now?”

Malcolm took her hand, and said, “I’m so sorry darling.  I wish I could make you feel better, but this is something that will just take time.  Right now you’re in shock, but it will get better, I promise.”

“You’re right.  I know you’re right, but I just can’t stand the pain.”

“I know, but look at it this way.  At least you know now instead of having him do this perhaps a year later after you’d gotten back together.  Did you ever think of that?”

“Well, no, because that doesn’t make me feel any better, but I suppose you’re right.”  Tamara leaned back in her chair and sighed.  “I just want to go away somewhere.  I want to go to a place where no one can find me, just for a little while.”

Suddenly, she popped forward in the chair.  “I know!  You can let me open one of those books in your special collection.”

Malcolm’s face turned stern, and he put his hands on her shoulders.  “You’re very upset right now, and you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“But I do,” Tamara replied.  “You don’t think I believe what you told me, but I do.  I saw it happen!”

Malcolm stood up and walked to the front of the bookstore.  He turned the sign around to Closed and locked the door. He walked back to where Tamara was seated, and said, “I’m going to drive you home, and then . . .”

“No, I want to go to The Castle.  The book you told me about where they have that beautiful masked ball.  The one on the moors, with lush, green rolling hills everywhere you look.”

“Tamara . . .”

“You don’t understand Malcolm, I saw her.  The woman you took into your special reading room.  I saw her open one of those books, and disappear.  I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it, but she was gone.  I heard you tell her that it only lasts for five hours, and then she would return.”

Malcolm looked at her with utter shock, and didn’t know what to say.  When he found his voice again, he asked, “When did you allegedly see this happen?”

“I remember distinctly,” Tamara began.  “It was two weeks ago, and I was using your restroom at the time.  You must have forgotten I was there, because you locked the front door, and put up the “Closed” sign.  Then I heard you and the woman talking in the back.  Since I was leaving, I walked back to say goodbye.  But, when I saw you leading her to your special room, I followed and hid behind the curtains.”

“The curtains by the bay window?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Impossible!  I would have seen you.”

“Well, you didn’t, and I saw her go into that book.  I snuck out before you could find me, and that’s why I know it really works.  I want to go to that masked ball for just a few hours.  Please, Malcolm, it would be so much fun!”

Malcolm took her hands, and searched her face.  “Tamara this is a hasty decision, and I think you should wait.  You’re very upset right now.”

“But, I saw that same woman in your shop since then, so I know she’s all right, and it works.  It works, right?”

Malcolm sighed, “Yes, yes it works, but that’s not the point.  Maybe you can do it later when you’re feeling better, but not now.  You’ve just had an emotional upset, and you’re not yourself.”

“Why are you trying to stop me?  You closed the store, and you know it’s safe, so why not do it?  I’m begging you, Malcolm, please do this for me?”

Malcolm released her hands and stared her down.  “No, I can’t let you do it Tamara.  I know you’ll regret it.”  He turned away to reach for his calendar as he continued, “How about we make an appointment for you and . . .”

Quickly, Tamara ran to the special reading room, shut the French doors behind her, and turned the lock. 

“Tamara no!”  Malcolm yelled from the other room.

She grabbed the key and opened the glass case of books.

“Tamara!  Wait, please wait!”  He shouted, banging on the windows.

Tamara opened the case and reached for The Castle.  It was a bit too high for her, so she had to get on her tip toes to grab the binding of the book.

The last thing she remembered was looking back at Malcolm, and hearing him scream “No, not The Hunting Season!”  Then, she felt something hit her on the forehead, and everything faded away.

*     *     *     *     *

She looked at Derek and said, “So, you see, I’m not supposed to be here.  I went into the wrong book, because when the book hit me on the head, it opened.  The moment it opens, you are absorbed into that chapter.  I was supposed to be at a glorious masked ball in The Castle.  So, essentially, you’re not real.”

Derek suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her against the cave wall.  “I’m not real am I?  Is this real enough for you?”

“Yes!” Tamara choked out, now scared.

“If I’m not real then who saved your life out there?”

“You did!  You did.”

Derek’s features softened, and he let her go. 

Tamara rubbed the back of her head that had just bounced off the cave, and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.  “You have a temper, you know that?”

“I’m sorry.  Please forgive me, but I refuse to believe I’m not real, I’d sooner believe you’re insane.”

“I apologize.  What I meant to say was that I’m from another world.  Let’s just leave it at that, and I’m only here for five hours.  So, maybe I can just hide here until I’m taken back to my own world.”

“You won’t be able to do that,” Derek replied.

“Why not?”

Suddenly the opening of the cave blasted apart.  Derek jumped on top of Tamara, covering her with his body.  When the dust cleared, Derek moved off of her. 

“That’s why.  We have to keep moving.  They never stay in one place too long.  Are you all right?”

“Yes, I think so.” 

“We have to hurry.  They’re coming.” 

Derek helped her up. 

“How will we get out of the cave now?  Aren’t we blocked in?”  Tamara asked.

Derek didn’t answer.  He was studying her face intensely.  He stared deeply into her blue eyes, and began stoking her blonde hair.

“What is it?”  Tamara asked, nervously.

Derek shook his head.  “I’m sorry,” he replied.  “You remind me of someone I used to know.”  He turned away, grabbed the lantern, and said, “Follow me.  There’s another way out.”

Tamara followed Derek through the tunnel.  The lantern barely lit a couple of feet in front of them, but they kept moving.

Finally, after a half hour, Tamara said “Can we rest for just a moment?”

“Yes, but just for a moment,” Derek complied.

Tamara slid down the wall slowly to a sitting position.  “If I had known I would be marching through tunnels, I wouldn’t have worn a summer dress and sandals.  How much farther is it to another opening?”

“Not too far now.”

“Good.”  After Tamara relaxed for a moment, she turned toward Derek. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes,” Derek replied.

“Why are you helping me?”

Derek lowered his head, and played with a rock on the ground.  “I make it my business to help people during Hoanigall.”

“Well, I just want to thank you.  I don’t know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come by.”

“You would have died.”

Tamara stared at him in shock, but knew he was telling the truth.  “Why do they do this?”  She asked.

“All I can tell you is it’s been going on for hundreds of years, and they will kill anyone who gets in their way.” Derek picked up the lantern, and turned.  “Come, we are almost there.”

“All right.”

Tamara rose, and immediately hit something hard, which came crashing down on her.  She heard a blood curdling scream echo through the tunnel, and then realized it was coming from her own lips.

Derek turned sharply to see Tamara lying on the ground, with a warlock pinning her down.

“Hello Derek,” the warlock leered.

Tamara drew in a sharp breath, but said nothing.  She stared helplessly at Derek, and noticed that his face changed.  His eyes glistened, and his features became hard as stone.  There seemed to be a blue haze all around him.

“Marshall,” Derek hissed.

“Yes, I’m sure you’re not all together happy to see me again, are you?”  Marshall laughed.

Derek continued to stare Marshall down with such intensity, that even Tamara felt him flinch.

In an instant, Tamara was pulled up from the ground, and found herself standing in front of Marshall.  He held her so tightly she couldn’t even move her arms to squirm. 

Derek broke the silence.  “Let her go,” he demanded in a quiet, but intense voice.

“Helping the little humans again, I see?”  Marshall quipped.

“I said, let her go!”  Derek screamed.

“Oh, relax Derek.  Of course I’ll let her go.  In fact, she’s rather pretty for a human.  Why don’t we have some fun with her before we do the killing?  I know it goes against the warlock law, but remember the old days?  We got away with it back then didn’t we?”

“I’ve changed my ways.  You of all warlocks should know that,” Derek replied.

“Yes, and you’re such a bore now.  I thought I could tempt you into being a true warlock again, but I guess I was wrong.  Ever since that whore of a human crossed your path, you’ve been nothing but weak!”

Instantly, Derek stood face to face with Marshall.  Tamara didn’t even see him move.  She noticed that the blue haze around him had grown, and was now a menacing glow.

“Are you challenging me?” Marshall shouted.

“Yes!” Derek proclaimed.

Tamara’s heart raced as her own survival instinct kicked in.  She had to get away from both these men, so she stomped on Marshall’s foot as hard as she could.

“Oouuww,” Marshall looked down at Tamara, more annoyed than anything else.  He grabbed her by the neck and held her up in front of him with one hand.

She was dangling from his grip with her legs flailing.  She tugged at his wrist, but it was no use.

Marshall gave Tamara the once over, then glanced back at Derek.  “This human must be wishing for death, or she would not have touched a warlock.”  He laughed as he raised his free hand and began weaving a spell that Tamara knew in her heart, would spell her end.

Derek grabbed Marshall’s arm, and spun him around.

Tamara dropped like a sack of meal.

“How dare you!  She’s just a human!”  Marshall proclaimed.

“Run, Tamara!” Derek screamed. 

Tamara got up and ran.  The pitch black of the cave didn’t frighten her as much as what now lay behind her.  She felt the side of the cave wall for balance, and kept running. She finally saw a small light in the distance.  As she got closer, the light intensified. Just a few more feet, and she was standing at the opening.  She cautiously peered out, and saw a trail leading from the cave, directly into the forest.

She looked back, but saw nothing.  Then, after checking to see if the coast was clear, she ran down the trail.

*     *     *     *     *

Derek and Marshall stood a few paces from each other. 

“You were my friend,” Marshall began.  “I don’t want to kill you.  I was the one who spoke in your favor when the warlock elders voted to banish you.”

“If you spoke up for me, why did you kill Genevieve?”

Marshall smiled back at him, “But I didn’t kill Genevieve.  You only think I did.”

“Tell me the truth!” Derek demanded.

“I am telling you the truth, but you’re so blinded by that human, you won’t believe me!”

Derek turned away, and Marshall was right behind him.

“You were once the strongest warlock I knew.  Even I was hesitant to fight you.  Why don’t you come back with me?  We will approach the elders and tell them you’ve seen the error of your ways.  You can be reinstated, and everything will be as it was.”

Derek turned around to face him, “Don’t you understand?  It will never be as it was.  I loved her.”

“Are you mad?  You know as warlocks we take a mate later in our lifespan.  But until then, we are free to have any woman, with the exception of humans.  They are beneath us.”

Derek gave him a hard look.

Marshall continued, “Well, we both dallied with our share of humans, but that’s our secret.  Actually falling in love with a human!  Impossible!  I still don’t believe it.  In fact, if Genevieve were here now, I’d attack her again.”

Derek felt pure fury rise from deep within him.  In an instant, all his power flowed through his arms, and exploded. 

A moment later, he saw Marshall lying on the ground.  His chest covered in blood.

Marshall whispered in a shaky voice, “I think you did it this time, my friend.”

Derek got down on his knees beside Marshall, shocked at what he had done.  “I’m sorry.”

“I always knew you were stronger than me,” Marshall said with a weak smile.  “I believe you now, you know.  You must have loved her.”

“Marshall, I...”

“Oh, don’t bother.  You did what you had to do, but there’s something I must tell you.  Genevieve is alive.”

“What?” Derek replied in a stunned whisper.

“After you saw me attack her, I hid.  I saw the warlocks chase you away, but I stayed hidden.  Then, a vampire found her.  She wasn’t dead yet, but very close.  I saw him open his wrist, and give her his blood.  Then, he flew away with her.”

“You’re lying.”

With the last bit of breath he held, Marshall said, “You know it’s the truth, because you can feel it.  I’m sorry Derek.  Sorry for everything.”

Marshall’s eyes glazed over, and his breathing stopped.

Derek took his cloak off, and draped it over Marshall’s body.

He recited the warlock prayer for the dead, and flew from the cave to find Tamara, and then to find Genevieve.

*     *     *     *     *

Tamara made it to the forest, and continued running.  She heard a cry in the distance.  She was scared, but determined to live.

She stopped for a moment behind a tree to catch her breath.  When she looked around, she saw a small structure just ahead.  It was an abandoned barn.

She ran as fast as she could to the barn, opened the door, and jumped inside.  Crouching down, she looked out of the broken window.  There was no movement, and best of all, no sounds. 

Her hand touched straw on the floor, and she realized she could hide underneath it until it was time to go home.  At last she had found an answer to her dilemma. 

So, with that she laid down, grabbed heaps of straw, and covered her entire body.  The straw irritated her face for just a moment, but was quickly dismissed as she waited to disappear into her own world.

 Less than an hour had passed when Tamara heard the sound of weeping.  At first it sounded far away, and then she realized she was not alone in the barn.  She very slowly moved the straw off her face, and sat up. 

Crouched in the opposite corner was a woman in a velvet green dress.  She had long blonde hair, and was hiding her face.

Tamara wasn’t sure what to do, but after contemplating the situation, she decided to help the woman. 

“Excuse me,” Tamara said, but there was no answer.  “Excuse me.  Are you all right?”  She asked.

The woman refused to answer, so Tamara rose and approached her.  She walked over and kneeled down beside the sobbing woman.

Tamara put her hand on her shoulder and said, “I only want to help you.”

The woman recoiled, and hissed at her; revealing her fangs.

Tamara jumped back in shock.  She had just touched a vampire.  She was frozen in fear, but at the same time, couldn’t avert her eyes.

Even with the pallor of her skin, she was beautiful.  She had crystal blue eyes, and dark brows, against long flowing blonde hair. 

Tamara looked at her in awe, and asked, “Are you a vampire?”

The woman began crying again, and looked absolutely helpless.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to upset you,” Tamara said.

“Yes.  The answer to your question is...yes, I am a vampire,” the woman replied.

Suddenly panic set in, and Tamara bolted for the door.

The woman flew, and yanked Tamara down into the straw.

“Don’t go out there.  They are scattered throughout the forest.”

“They?” Tamara asked with a trembling voice.

“You are to be my first official kill.  They’ve kept me alive with the blood supply at the manor, but you need not fear me.”

“Why?” Tamara whispered.

“Because I’ve decided to let myself die.  I cannot live an eternity without the man I love.”

Tamara empathized with her pain, and replied, “I know how you feel.  But, I wish you didn’t have to die.”

The woman smiled at her for the first time.  “It is for the best, and I’m at peace with my decision.”

“Then why were you crying?” Tamara asked.

“I allowed myself to imagine how it could have been.”  She looked Tamara over and said, “You have a white haze around your body.  It’s as if you don’t fit into this world.”

“I actually don’t.”

“What is your name and where are you from?”

“My name is Tamara, and I came here accidentally from another world.  But, if I can hold on until morning, I’ll go directly back to where I’m from.”

“Well, Tamara, I will help you.”

“Thank you, I...”

Before Tamara could finish her sentence, the barn door blasted open, and fell to the ground. Derek walked in with a confident gait, approaching the women.

In a split second, the woman pulled Tamara back to the corner, and covered her with her body.  Tamara could tell she was weak, and using all the energy she had left to protect her.

Derek came closer, and as he did, Tamara wiggled her way out from under the woman.

“No!” She screamed at Derek, striding toward him.  “Leave her alone you warlock!  You’re a murderer!  You lied to me.  You made me think you were human.”

Derek looked Tamara straight in the eyes, and replied, “I did that so I wouldn’t scare you away.  The warlocks would have killed you if it wasn’t for me.”

“How can I trust you?” Tamara demanded.

“At this point, you have no choice.”

“That’s not good enough,” Tamara exclaimed, and threw herself at Derek to distract him.
“Run!” She yelled over her shoulder.

Derek gently pushed Tamara aside, strode over to the woman, and pulled her up.

Tamara saw Derek’s face turn to shock.  Then, his eyes softened.  In the faintest whisper, she heard him say, “Genevieve?”

Genevieve’s face turned to fear as she screamed, “Don’t look at me!  Please don’t look at me.”

She turned to run, but Derek held her tightly in his arms, as she cried against his chest.

“You are alive!  I was almost afraid to believe it.  Thank God I found you.”

“I’m not who you think I am Derek.  Let me go.”

Derek stroked her hair, and replied, “I know that you’ve been turned into a vampire, and I don’t care, as long as you’re alive.”

Tamara approached Derek, and said, “So this is the human you loved?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I think you should know she’s very weak and refuses to take blood.  The vampires led her to me so that I could be her first kill.  She told me she has decided to let herself die, rather than live an eternity without the man she loves.”

Derek stared down at her, “No, you can’t do that!”  He pleaded.

“But I’m a vampire now.  I’m your enemy.”

“You could never be my enemy.  You’re just as beautiful now as the first day I saw you.”  Then, he kissed her.

Genevieve almost fell to the ground, she was so weak.  Derek picked her up and laid her down on the straw in the corner.

He leaned down and whispered, “Take my blood.”

Genevieve shook her head feebly, “No, I can’t.  I won’t do that to you.”

Derek held her head in his hands, and said, “You know that warlock blood is stronger than humans.  You won’t hurt me.  I can help you.  Please, let me help you.”

Tamara approached, and said, “Genevieve, in my world, I lost someone that I loved.  But, you now have a second chance at happiness.  You have a chance to have what ‘Could have been’ right now.”

Genevieve and Derek were staring at each other with such intensity, that Tamara backed away.  “I’ll be in the next room,” she said, and exited.

Tamara was relieved to think that she was almost home.  She couldn’t wait to tell Malcolm about her adventures, even though she knew he would be extremely upset with her.

She found a wooden stool to sit on, and leaned against a plank.  She saw the faintest bit of light coming over the hills, and thought it would be a beautiful sunrise.  It would be a wonderful thing to see right before she evaporates, or whatever it is she would do when she was transported back to her world.

“Oh no!” she gasped.  “The sun is rising!”

Tamara ran to the other room, and screamed, “Hey, the sun is rising!”

Genevieve and Derek were sitting together in a quiet embrace when Tamara barged in.  They both turned to her, not sure of what she said.

Tamara noticed that Genevieve’s skin was back to its normal color.  She radiated beauty, and glowed with renewed strength. 

Tamara looked at Genevieve, and said, “By the way, you look great.”

“Thank you,” Genevieve said with a beaming smile.

“But what I said was; the sun is rising!”

Genevieve looked at Derek, and he lifted her up to a standing position.  “We have to get you out of here.  The basement under my estate will keep you safe.”

“What about Tamara?  We can’t just leave her here.”

Tamara waved Genevieve’s comment away.  “Oh no, don’t worry about me.  Besides, the vampires can’t fight in the daytime, right?”

Derek replied, “Right, but the warlocks are still about.  Remember Marshall?  Would you want to encounter another like him?”

“Well, I probably won’t,” Tamara said with a bit too much confidence.

Derek looked out the window, and replied, “Oh really?”

Tamara followed his gaze to see three warlocks walking toward the barn.  They had been spotted, and now the warlocks were going to have some fun. 

They laughed, and started an electrical storm with their combined power.  The storm was getting closer as they approached the barn.

Derek turned to Genevieve and briskly asked, “Are you strong enough to fly?”

“Yes.”

Derek went to Tamara, and grabbed her tightly around the waist.

Tamara gasped, and screamed, “What are you doing?”

“Saving your life—again.  Whatever you do, hang on to me, don’t move, and close your eyes.”

Derek kicked open the back door of the barn, and yelled, “Genevieve, stay right next to me.”

Genevieve screamed, “I will.”

Tamara felt herself fly up into the air, and couldn’t help screaming into Derek’s shirt.  She clung to him with all her might.

She felt the wind blowing her hair to one side, and her clothes flapping against her body.
After a few moments, they descended lower, and slowed.

Derek’s feet landed on his patio, and Genevieve landed right beside him.

Tamara continued to cling to Derek; her sandaled feet on top of his black shoes.

Derek said, “Tamara, you can let go now.”

Tamara popped her head up, and replied, “Oh, I’m sorry.”

All of a sudden, Genevieve screamed.  Her hand was burning as the sunrise spilled onto the patio.

Derek scooped her into his arms, and yelled over his shoulder, “Tamara, follow me.”

Tamara ran behind Derek as they entered a beautiful mansion.  They ran through the living room, down wooden stairs, until finally, they reached the door to the basement.

As they passed through the doorway, Derek said, “Close that door behind us.”

When she did close the door, it was pitch black.  She heard Derek softly say, “Don’t move Tamara.  Wait till I get you.”

After a few minutes, he came back holding a candle. 

“I’m so sorry.  Is she okay?” Tamara asked.

“She will regenerate today as she sleeps.  Her hand will be healed by evening.”

“Oh, thank God.  What about those other warlocks?  What if they followed us here?”

“Even if they did, it doesn’t matter.  My estate is warded.  They cannot enter without my permission.”  Derek extended his hand, and said, “Come.”

Tamara followed him to the bed where Genevieve was resting.  She saw a scarf tied around her hand, and knew Derek had attended her. 

“I’m sorry about your hand.  It was my fault.  We would have gotten in here sooner if I wasn’t clinging to Derek when we landed.”

“Tamara, do not blame yourself,” Genevieve replied.  “I just have to get used to my new lifestyle.”

Derek smiled and leaned down to kiss Genevieve gently on the lips.  In that instant, tears began to run down Tamara’s cheeks.

Derek and Genevieve looked at her with concern.  “Are you all right Tamara?  What’s wrong?” Genevieve asked.

“I have never felt real love before.  I thought I had.  I was married for years.  But, it was nothing like what I just felt from both of you.  I hope I get to feel that again one day.”

Genevieve sat up with the last bit of energy she had before submitting to a vampire’s slumber, and took Tamara’s hand.  “You will Tamara, I know you will.  I can feel it, so don’t give up.  I know your heart has been damaged, because I feel the sorrow inside you.  But, there is another.  Remember that feeling, because it’s real.  Love is the reality; sorrow is the illusion.”

“She speaks the truth,” Derek said.  “Heed her words.”

Tamara smiled, and looked down.  She gasped as her hand became transparent.  “Oh my God, it must be time!” 

Tamara looked back at Derek and Genevieve, as she began to disappear.  “Thank you both for your help.”

Genevieve reached out her hand, and said “Wait.”

Derek pulled Genevieve’s arm back, and embraced her.  “No, my darling.  She must go back.”

Genevieve sighed, “I know.”

“Tamara, remember, you are always welcome in our house,” Derek proclaimed.

Tamara, nearly invisible now, screamed, “I’ll remember!”

*     *     *     *     *

Tamara fell backwards, and bounced onto something fluffy and soft.

She opened her eyes, and heard a man’s voice call out, “Bullseye!”

She sat up to see Malcolm staring down at her.  He picked her up in a flash, and embraced her.

“I was so worried you’d be killed.  Thank the Lord you’re alive!”

Tamara was still shaking from the impact of entering into another world again, and looked around the shop to make sure she was really back.

She noticed a white featherbed on the floor just beneath her, and looked at Malcolm.

“I put it down, because that’s where people seem to pop out, and I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Thank you.  I’m so glad I made it back!” Tamara cried.

Malcolm looked her up and down, and said, “Well, it appears you have a lot to tell me from the looks of you.  What happened to your arm?”

“Huh?” Tamara replied, and followed his gaze down.  Besides her bandaged arm, her light blue summer dress appeared almost black.  Her legs were covered with small cuts, and her feet were filthy.  “I wasn’t really dressed for the trip.  Oh, and my arm is fine.  Just a little scrape.”

“Come here,” he said, and led her to the back room where he made tea, and had tea cakes sitting on a plate.  “I’d be scolding you right now, except my anger dissipated while you were gone.  I realized you could be dead, and then I prayed for your safe return.  I’m glad God answered my prayer.”

As Malcolm poured the tea, Tamara devoured two tea cakes instantly.  Then she said, “He did more than that.  I know now why I went into that book, and not the other.  I met two characters who helped me feel a love I never knew existed, and now I’m not as sad about my divorce.  Actually, I think it’s the best thing that could have happened.”

Malcolm handed Tamara her tea, and said, “You do seem to have a new light in your eyes.  I believe you came back a different woman than when you left.”

“I believe that too,” Tamara replied.  Then, she held up her cup of tea, and said, “A toast.”

Malcolm held up his cup, and said, “Of course, my lady.  What are we toasting to?”

“To a hasty decision.”

“Now, wait a minute,” Malcolm began with a knitted brow.

“I’m not done yet.  Most of the time they bring pain, and anguish.  But in my case, it brought enlightenment.  I thank you for opening the door to my enlightenment, and I promise to learn and grow from it.”

Malcolm smiled, and clinked his cup with hers, “Hear, hear,” he said, and they drank.

“All right,” Malcolm began.  “I know you want to run home and into a nice hot bubble bath, but you are not allowed to leave here until I know the story.”

All Tamara could say was, “Then you better get comfortable.”

As Malcolm’s laughter echoed through the bookshop, she began sharing her adventures.  Adventures that she knew put her on a new path.

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