Alex retreated back to join Michelle, who immediately held her hand. She couldn’t tell what had just gone through Alex’s head, but it didn’t really matter. She could ask later.
Clive had resumed his position ready to continue but stopped. Michelle turned to see a congregation walking forward from behind her. Besides Dougie, leading them carrying a flaming strip of wood, Michelle recognized a few. They were the members of Keep the Heart Beating, Dante’s foundation for the protection of humans. The group surrounded the coffin in a semi-circle and stopped in silent reverence. Dougie walked slowly over to Melina and handed her the torch. Melina walked slowly towards the casket, her demeanour stoic.
She reached the coffin and placed a flat hand above the lid, pausing before lowering it. Maybe she couldn’t bring herself to touch it. As if once she did, it was confirmation this was all real.
“If there is nothing else…” Clive began, looking from Melina to the torch.
“Only one thing,” she replied heavily before turning to Michelle and Alex and offering her hand. Michelle saw her face streaked with tears. “Please…help me.”
“Why…”
“Because he loved you. Because I need you. Because I don’t want to do this alone…I can’t.”
Michelle and Alex walked slowly forward, Michelle took Melina’s hand briefly before placing her own on the torch as did Alex. The three women he had loved over the two hundred years he had been on the Earth stood together. Melina needed their strength to do what must be done.
They placed the tip of the torch on top of the coffin. The moment the flames cracked over the wood, all Michelle remembered was falling to the ground, caught by Alex. As the coffin caught fire, that was the moment it was real. Dante was gone. Melina was smart. She didn’t draw it out. No long-winded speech, but it was all too soon for Michelle.
Melina tossed the torch far over the cliff face and into the ocean. Lauren wept, comforted by Clive. Michelle sobbed into her hands. Alex was holding back tears, rubbing her back. No words could make this alright. Michelle didn’t understand and never would. Not only had Michelle been robbed of a goodbye, Alex would never get to be with him after her memory came back. Melina had been freed but to the most devastating cost imaginable. Waste wasn’t even the word. Sleeping with him or not, together with him or not, the world was a much darker place now.
“Guys…” came Clive’s voice softly.
Michelle calmed her breathing down enough to nod her head.
“Look, I’m really sorry to do this now, but I didn’t know of a better time,” he said softly. “Dante’s wishes. He left me as executor. When you’re ready, we need to talk. Just letting you know.”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked.
“You’ve both been left with things,” he replied.
“Clive can you…just send them to my flat or something, please.” Michelle said.
“He left you T, Michelle.” He turned to Alex. “You’ve got almost three million into any account you nominate.”
“Three...what? What did he want me to do with that?”
“It was entrusted to Michelle on your behalf in case your memory of him never came back. I guess he trusted Michelle to know what to do.” Clive said with a sad smile.
“Other than that, there’s no instructions for it. It’s yours. Honestly, I’m not trying to overwhelm you guys. Just making you aware. Whenever you’re ready, ok?”
He kissed both their cheeks and gave them small hugs before leaving them to their thoughts.
Chapter Forty-Seven
A New Enemy
Gavin clicked his computer on at precisely eleven pm as the text message instructed him to do. He entered his I.D. and information. Within a few seconds, the screen went blank. Then the Sovereign insignia appeared.
“Report…” a voice came out of the computer speakers.
“All evidence suggests the cloud has completely dispersed. The prophecy came true after all.”
“It did, but not as you think. You failed.”
“How so…? I did as you asked, sir. I blocked the Air Force’s attempt to chase the wolf and the vampire. They were in the air when the cloud was lifted.”
Gavin’s phone beeped with a message.
“Look at that…” the voice said. “Study it and tell me what you see.”
Gavin clicked to find a picture bathed in infrared. He couldn’t make out the chaos in the picture of the cloud. It was just dark shadows and the like. He was about to ask if this was a trick question when he focused on something just to the right of centre. A wispy streak of white with a strange shape at the end of it. A flared shape. Stretched.
“Wings…?” Gavin asked himself.
“Not as unnerving as what they would be attached to.”
“I’ve never seen a bird that size. What is it?”
“The reason the cloud is gone. The vampire and the wolf had nothing to do with it.”
“So the prophecy was wrong?”
“No. The interpretation was. The sword hasn’t been touched. This…thing…is something else. It was only caught by chance. Via a low orbit satellite, reflecting the sun’s rays as it flew above the cloud. You are one of three people that have seen this photo.”
“This...thing...can fly?
“The power of a god, Gavin. Not only can it fly, but it can fly faster than sound and has the strength to lift an aircraft. Forget the wolf and the vampire. This is the one we have been waiting for. We must double our efforts.”
“We have our men ready. Are we to prepare for study or elimination?”
“Do you feel safe knowing something like
