Of Light and Darkness: The Vampire's Daughter

overturned — was still there, with its forest green walls and wooden moldings. Charlotte bent to pick up her Volume on Vampire Anatomy and placed it back in the same place she had put it thousands of times before. Her sketchbook had been tossed about also, and a picture that had been torn out from between its brown covers was one she had been sketching for Valek. It was of the two of them and their home, together. She picked it up, considering it needed a few new additions.

Ultimately, she made her way past the foyer and the kitchen, to the back room, where she had seldom been allowed. His office. Cautiously she opened the door. What she found on the other side was exactly how he had left it. Pristine. White. Organized. A true embodiment of who he was. Valek’s papers were carelessly shuffled about on the desk like he had been there just last evening. Charlotte hugged the drawing to her chest and smiled. She was really home.

“Charlotte?”

She turned to see the others standing in the threshold of the office.

“Are you all right?” Jorge asked.

She nodded, folding the sketch behind her quickly and smiled. “Yes, just having a look around.”

“Valek should be awake soon,” Dusana offered.

“Thank you. I’ll go up in a minute.”

They waited, looking at her expectantly.

“Oh! Yes, let me show you around. You can make yourself at home anywhere you want.” She cautiously walked past them. Tomorrow, Charlotte decided, she would take them all out hunting in the daylight.

Once they were all settled in; Jorge in the study, reading by the fire after Sarah had magically seen to it that all of the books had been stacked back where they belonged, Lusian, Sasha, and Dusana searching around in the kitchen until they found Valek’s emergency blood packets, and Mr. Trinozka napping in the middle of Charlotte’s singed, old bedroom with Edwin as a teddy bear, Charlotte finally made her way to Valek’s bedroom.

She closed the door softly behind her, as she had weeks ago when she snuck into his room the first time. But she could see him now, lying peacefully in the center of the bed — the first time he had ever slept peacefully. She crept over to him as she had before, pulling one knee up and then the other, until she was lying next to him, her arm fastened securely over his chest. Sighing, she closed her eyes.

“Valek,” she began when he still did not wake up. “I love you.”

Valek opened his eyes.

Epilogue

Charlotte visited each room one by one in the large house at the end of the town square, biding a “good night” to her newfound family. First Sarah, Lusian, and Dusana, then Sasha, Jorge was the last of the Vampires, then Mr. Trinozka who slept in the study by the fire, ever with his little Edwin. He would create a new burrow for himself in the morning just under the house, so he would always be close. Charlotte opened the door to one last bedroom, left vacant. A small, golden wedding band sat alone in the center of the bed. Charlotte gave a tiny smile. “Dobrou noc, Andela,” she whispered, before closing the door behind her.

She finally skipped back to his bedroom, where Valek was sitting on the edge of the bed, toying with something small in his hands. She ran over and pounced into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek. “What is that?”

“It is your birthday present.” He held up a little silvery whistle to the moonlight. “Belated, of course.”

Charlotte cocked her head and grasped it. “But I already have one.” The thing was beautiful, however. It was intricately done, with the image of a phoenix carved into the sides, embellished in pieces of jet and pearl.

“You don’t,” Valek mused. “It was destroyed in the flames as I wore it. Its pieces must be somewhere in the Regime still.”

“I love it!” She reached behind her neck to clasp the necklace chain.

Valek’s large hands replaced hers as he helped her. It fell just in front of her chest. It was smaller and more delicate than the one she used to have. She continued to study it.

“I had Sarah order it from a human merchant days ago, when we were still in the city. There is nothing enchanted about this. It is meant more as a symbol that I will forever be here to protect you, no matter what happens, Charlotte. No matter how much fire we endure.” He closed both of her small hands in his. He turned the whistle to the backside and read the letters carved there. “We will always rise.”

She smiled as she then fully understood the symbol of the phoenix and lifted her face to kiss him. “Thank you, Valek. I will treasure it.”

“I am never going to let you leave my sight again, Lottie,” he said seriously.

“I wouldn’t want you to.” She nuzzled his chin. They sat in silence for a few moments, thinking privately. He did not cross the boundaries of her mind. “We are safe, Valek,” she reminded him.

“Yes. For now, we are.” He rested his cheek atop her head.

“And you will walk in the daylight tomorrow.” She beamed. “Like the others.”

He smiled. “Yes. I will.”

They were together. Finally. They were the moon and the sun — the light and the darkness — together and to be alone to more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shayne's first year out of high school, she penned, co-directed, and starred in the feature-length film, The Incubus, a paranormal romance, which obtained distribution and opened in over fifteen theaters across South Florida among popular chains like Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. The Incubus obtained a fan-base of over 100,000 girls online, and has garnered the attention of reporters from the Miami Herald, CBS News, and NPR Radio. Leighton also starred alongside Scream Queen, Tara Cardinal in the film, Legend of the Red Reaper.

Now, 20-year-old Leighton is excited to release her debut young adult novel series, Of Light and Darkness, set in contemporary Prague, as well as penning several other screenplays, a novel adaptation for Legend of the Red Reaper, an original pop/rock album, and acting in various film roles.

Visit Shayne online at: http://www.shayneleighton.com