The Vampire's Moon

I saw Benjamin sink to the ground after Ricky and the tears ran down my face. I had to reach them. I HAD to reach them. Before it was too late, before I lost the people who had taught me so much. Before I lost Ricky, who had taught me to laugh again. Before I lost Benjamin, who had taught me how to love again.
I bit the Emperor's hand and he pulled back in surprise. I wanted to run to them, but something in me told me it was too late, that someone was going to die. Depression shot through me, and inside me I felt the power being triggered. Only it hadn't been sadness that had triggered it. It had been death. Death had triggered the power.
This new power was life.
Life force pulsed through my veins and I could feel all my powers ultra enhanced. I could feel things inside me being pulled out to take on physical form. Balls of flames hung suspended in my right palm. Lightning shot from the finger tips of my left hand. I could feel thunder rumbling in my throat. A soft, warm glow surrounded me.
All these things are what make up life. The raging flames of anger, the painful shock of fear, the thunderous roar of happiness, and the soft, innocent, warm glow of love. Even in death there is life, and this life caused by death is the most powerful force that ever existed.
The Emperor gripped his hand, furious. When he looked up that fury melted into amazement, which quickly changed into fear. He stepped back, and tripped over a rock. He fell sprawling to the ground. I walked over to him, no longer afraid of those bloody eyes, and placed my hands on his forehead. The fire in my palm burned him, and the shock of the lightning stunned him. My soft, warm glow comforted him as he died, and when I spoke my rumbling voice reminded him of the times when he had been good.
"You were a tyrant and evil, but die in peace. That is something everyone deserves," I said, "even you."
The Emperor closed his charred eyes and lay back calmly, giving in to the inevitable. He was dead. All that was left of him were his black, burned bones.
I stood and walked to where Benjamin and Ricky were. I discovered Ricky still breathing, but just barely. Michael had stabbed him in the back. Blood was everywhere. I sat Ricky up, and he smiled.
"You never needed saving," he said, voice hoarse and clenched in pain. He still managed to be humorous even at a time like this. Yet, I found myself unable to enjoy it. When I didn't smile or laugh or anything, he looked over at Benjamin.
"He's dead isn't he?" I nodded. "Am I going to die?" I shook my head. "Bring him to me, he's my best friend. I want to see him."
I pulled Benjamin over to Ricky, and I felt something from him, a light of some kind....
"Benjamin's alive!" I shouted.
"What?" Ricky looked over at him again. "Will he live?"
I inspected closer. Though I could sense a life force within him, it was very weak. He wouldn't live.
"No. His life force is too weak. He won't make it unless it can be renewed." I looked down at Benjamin. Tears fell from my eyes onto his beautiful face.
"How do you renew a life force?" Ricky asked.
"You have to be able to reach that person in their conscience, and a life force must be given to them from someone else." I didn't know how I knew he had a life force, or how it was renewed, but I figured it must have come with the new power; since this power had everything to do with life.
Ricky looked thoughtful. I deciphered his expression quickly.
"No! Ricky, don't!" I stared at him in horror, as more tears streamed from my eyes, and my voice cracked. "If you give up your life force...you'll die. Ricky, you'll die."
He smiled, and actually looked calm as he answered. "I know that. I want to, for Benjamin. He loves you, and I want you two to be together. That can't happen if he's dead. I'm willing to die to save my best friend. He's never been so happy since he met you."
I shook my head, a pained expression deforming my face. When I spoke, it sounded almost like a whimper, it was so filled with pain. "No, Ricky."
"Please, Michelle. I want to."
The look in Ricky's eyes was sincere; he truly did want to die saving his best friend. He truly did want me to do this. He truly did want to sacrifice himself for our love. And I found myself powerless to deny him; no matter how much it would hurt me to do it.
"Okay, Ricky," I said quietly, voice barely more than a whisper. "I'll do it."
"Thank you." His smile was so full of warmth, it made another tear fall from my eye.
I put one hand on Ricky, the other on Benjamin, using the knowledge I'd suddenly gained to guide myself through the procedure. I tapped into Ricky's life force, then I closed my eyes, and focused on Benjamin's dwindling one. I found it flickering, close to being extinguished, and used it to gain a connection with his consciousness. Praying it would work, I closed my eyes and focused with all my heart.
'Benjamin?' I said in his mind.