How Dark Is the Night?

My heart raced. My body ached. I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I ran all the way up the hill and up to our spot on Lookout Pointe. There, by the cliff, was Pete with his back to me.

“You shouldn’t have come.” He said looking tired and ragged.

By now Erelin, Brendon, Kat, and Micah were all asleep probably changing back to normal. But, here I was the slayer still with one more problem to solve before I could change back to normal me and that was Pete. Pete couldn’t change until I got him away from the sun. At least I hoped that if I got him out of the sun he could fall asleep and change back to human.

“Pete, come with me.” I said out of breath and grabbing his arm.

“No.” He said pulling away from me.

“Pete, the sun will be up soon.” I said upset.

“I know. I can sense it.” He said.

“Come with me into the woods. The shade will help us until I am sure help arrives. Please, Pete, don’t do this.” I said almost crying again and pulling on him to follow me.

“Why should I? Look at all that I have done. I always seem to screw up everything good in my life. You shouldn’t have come. It is better on all of us that I do this.” Pete said with worry lines under his eyes.

“I don’t give a rats ass if you betrayed me or whatever. You can explain later. I read your note. Pete, whatever you knew, you held it deep inside you. I wish you would have told me what you saw Volkmar do to me. I got that you gave me the strength I needed to fight Volkmar. You were right, however. I was ready and it was time to fight him before anyone else got hurt. Ok, so maybe the way you went about it was wrong. People screw up and make mistakes.” I said reasoning with him.

“I could have turned you. You know how I have been since Volkmar changed me. What if I had allowed it to happen? What kind of example does that set for our daughter in that I bit you and decieved you?” Pete asked.

Pete’s eyes were so determined and yet I can feel his emotions. He can’t hide them from me as much as he tries. He has concern, worry, and seriousness written all over him.

“Pete, you didn’t turn me.” I said. “I knew you wouldn’t. I should have trusted you but you left me feeling vulnerable and scared and I was bound and determined to fight for our daughter.” I said.

“Alexandra needs you. Don’t do what my father did by leaving me because he thought that it was for the best. It wasn’t. Who knows, maybe I wouldn’t have ended up as screwed up as I am if he had been around.” I said.

“You aren’t screwed up.” Pete said.

I took Pete’s hand and placed it on my stomach. “Do you really want to abandon her? Pete, I forgive you. I love you. Volkmar is dead. Why do you have to do this?” I asked.

“I want you to be happy without me hurting you again.” Pete replied.

“I am happy when I have you near me.” I said as Pete pulled away from me and turned to look back at view of the city.

“The sun is starting to come up.” He said as I saw it creep up slowly behind the city. Soon, the sun would be illuminating the sky and Pete would turn to dust.

“Pete!” I yelled grabbing his hand but he pulled me close into him.

“Just remember, I love you and Alex. Tell her I do.” Pete said kissing my lips then moving to my neck. He kissed my neck where Volkmar had tore into me and then backed away from me.

“Damn it, Pete! You aren’t doing this!” I said as I saw the sun rise higher and higher.

I knocked Pete onto the ground and tried to shield him with my body. He reached up and held my face as he looked me in the eyes. He kept me paralyzed by his gaze. No.
Pete reached up and kissed me as the sun was above us. Tears started to fall as I knew I was too late and he would turn to dust. My eyes closed because I didn’t want to see it.

Our kiss lasted what seemed forever. I felt as the air was being knocked out of me. It was too powerful. Something was happening and yet, I couldn’t stop kissing Pete. There was this intensity and fire to it I had never felt before.

I opened my eyes as we pulled away finally. I looked at Pete confused a bit until I heard him start to cough for air and looked down to see his chest rise and fall. When he was done coughing he looked at me and said grinning, “Did I hear in your thoughts that you love me and that if the sun didn’t kill me, you would?”

“Oh, Pete!” I said smacking him.

“Hey, what was that for?” He asked grabbing his jaw.

“That is for scaring the shit out of me.” I said as he leaned in to kiss me again.

“I had to know.” He said breaking from our kiss. I was still on top of him.

“But how?” I asked confused as to how he didn’t turn to dust.

“I…” Pete started to say before Joe cut in with, “What the hell is this?”

“We see you flee out of the hospital thinking something is up and tail the cab driver only to lose him and then end up here to see you frolicking on the ground?” Bev said taking us by surprise.

“Uh, I can explain?” I said smiling and looking at Pete.

“Actually, I can explain.” Pete said as I got up and helped him up.

“There had better be a good explanation mister, because Amanda looks like shit, no offense, and needed emergency care.” Bev said always looking out for me.

“I can explain after a long nap and a shower.” Pete said wrapping his arm around me and walking over to Joe’s car.

“What?” Joe said looking at Bev confused.