When Night Falls

From the Heart - X-Ray Dog
It would be good if you would listen to this while reading this chapter. (: Thanks

-Ryan’s POV-

“No, no no no no…” A low pitched keening sound… I glanced at Sarah and Jamier through my tears, astonished when i realised that it was Iwho was making that sound.

I had lost the only woman I loved in this world…

I let out another howl of agony, pulling her lifeless body towards me, wishing that I could bring her back, somehow. Her heart was silent, so silent…

“Ryan! Ryan, let go of her now!”

I snarled in response, snapping fiercely as a pair of hands tried to pry my arms off Christine. I teleported a few feet away from them on instinct, cradling her against my chest.

“Ryan, please. Let me try something!” Sarah begged. Jamier and Sarah were both frozen to the spot, surprised beyond anything that I had reacted so violently towards them.

I growled softly under my breath, the anger and pain clouding my senses. If I could not protect her when she was alive, I at least wanted to guard her in her eternal sleep… If I couldn't even do that, I would never be able to forgive myself...

“Please Ryan. I can’t let her die like this… I can’t lose her like this… I need her…” Sarah begged, her green eyes heavy with tears. She fell to her knees, weeping desperately. “I think I can save her…”

I started, confused at her words. Out of the blue, I saw, in her thoughts, what she wanted to do. Astonishment forcefully cleared my mind, the angry mist in my mind disappearing all at once, as though a violent gust of wind had swept through it.

“You…” Shocked beyond words, I gaped at her for a moment, before I swiftly carried Christine’s lifeless body to Sarah. It was the only way left… the only hope we had of saving her. We had to try.

“Oh God, please let this work…” I heard her whisper a quick prayer. Sarah was kneeling before Christine, her fingers lightly caressing her best friend’s swollen cheeks. I brushed Christine’s hair out of her face, shakily pressing my lips to her forehead again. Sarah’s eyes were on me, and I nodded as I stepped away to give her space.

Sarah’s fingers travelled to Christine’s chest, where the fatal wound had sapped the life out of her. I saw a crystal tear sparkle at the edge of her eye, before it slipped and fell onto her blouse. I could hear her thoughts as they tumbled about in her mind. The shock of losing Christine forever had given her a vision. She had seen herself healing her best friend, bringing her back to life. The vision had been so real, so life-like that it had given Sarah the hope that she might really be able to do it. And it had given me hope as well, the moment I saw her intentions…

Healing was a rare ability among the vampires, so rare that in fact that no living vampire had actually seen one in their life span. Not even my father. If Sarah was a healer… No, impossible. But we had to try, at least…

I gasped as I watched the tips of her fingers glowing green. There was a strange look in Sarah’s eyes, and her mind was perfectly blank and resolute as she held her fingers above the fatal stab wound. The slit fizzled and became smaller. A black, poisonous, tar-like substance began to ooze out of Christine’s stab wound and her other injuries. All the other wounds began to heal. Sarah drew back, stopping for a moment, apparently exhausted. She fell backwards, dizzy. I stepped forward, wanting to help her, but she shook her head at me. She then continued the healing process.

And then I heard it… A heartbeat. Weak and barely discernable, but definitely a heartbeat.

I cried out in shock, rushing to her side with Jamier behind me as Sarah continued the healing process, encouraged by the sound. The heartbeat was weak, but unyielding, stubbornly growing stronger. Like an infant growing at enormous speed, Christine’s heartbeat began to quicken… until…

I heard a gasp, a sudden intake of breath as Christine opened her eyes, crying out in pain. Sarah was flung backwards violently, hitting the wall with a crack. Amidst the confusion, I cried out for Jamier to help Sarah, while I threw my arms around Christine, helping her up as she sputtered, coughing and gasping. Her wounds were not entirely healed, but she was alive…

“Christine!” Overcomed by happiness, all I could do was to kiss her forehead and laugh, hugging her close to me. I had been so close to losing her… She was alive, alive!!

“Sarah! I cried out. “Jamier, how is she?”

“What’s wrong with Sarah?” Christine asked, her pain reflected in her eyes as her black orbs widened with alarm. She turned towards the direction when she heard Sarah groan in response.

“I’m okay…” Sarah called out weakly. “It just took up too much of my strength…” Jamier began to support her, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She batted his arms away obstinately, and then began to make her way towards Christine. But the exhaustion finally took her, and she swayed on the spot, and then fainted, falling right into Jamier’s arms.

“Gotcha,” he whispered. He lifted her up, carrying her bridal style towards us as Christine began to reach out anxiously for Sarah.

“What’s wrong with her?” Her voice was feeble, but the panic in her tone was apparent.

“She saved you.” I whispered. “You were… dead,” I winced at the memory of the immense pain that I had felt when I thought that I had lost her forever. It came back rapidly to me once again, leaving me breathless. I stopped as the full emotion of the moment hit me in the face, and my eyes filled with tears. It was awhile before I trusted myself to speak again. “She healed you…” I was marvelling at the miracle of it all... She was dead, but Sarah had actually managed to bring her back to life...

Her black orbs were lost as I spoke, and she stared at Sarah, her fingers brushing Sarah’s cheeks.

“Thank you, Ryan. Jamier, Sarah.” Her voice was soft as a caress. “For coming to save me.”

I merely laughed, giddy with joy, pressing my lips against her forehead. I froze upon realizing that I was being too forward and she had stiffened in response, and I hesitated before looking back at her again. She was a deep red, but I didn’t know whether she was blushing, or whether it was the fever that the infection of her wounds had brought. She didn’t say a word as she stared back at me, her eyes full of an emotion I couldn’t make out.

She looked away from me, her gaze falling on the floor. She reached out, picking up a golden stud from the floor. It had probably belonged to the vampire that had captured her. She stared at it for a moment, before she pocketed it. I frowned, confused, but did not question her.

"Jamier?"

He looked curiously at her, nodding in response.

"Will you bury Amber and her family?" She pointed feebly at the body in the corner of the room.

He nodded solemnly.

"I will. I will return after I have placed Sarah in her bed."

“Ryan?” She muttered.

“Yes?”

“I want to go home.”

I nodded, lifting her up into my arms. She slung her arms around my neck, and I felt her slide closer against my chest. I heard her sigh, before she closed her eyes. The steady beating of her heart made me smile.

I hadn’t lost her, after all.