My Love Was Lost, Then Found.
I looked at my Heath. He was my love, my life. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had to make a decision about him that would change me. Possibly forever.
Being a vampyre fledgling was still a whole new world to me. I knew now that it would have to be a world without Heath in it.
We had been kissing with a passion that would've set the park on fire as I thought about this. So I tried to talk to him.
"Heath," I murmured around his lips, "Stop for a second." He looked at me with a questioning look on his face. "Why?"
I took a deep breath. "Because we need to talk. You have no future with me." "Wait a minute-" "No, let me finish. I'm going to be a powerful High Priestess one day. There's no place for a human in that world and you know it. I'm sorry to do this, but I have to break our Imprint."
His eyes got wide and alarmed. "No Zoey, you can't! You know what it will do to me! It almost killed me last time. I don't think I could live through it again."
"I'm sorry, but I have to do what is right. Just remember, I'll always love you with all my heart and soul."
Walking away from him was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but it was a door that needed to be shut.
And shut it would be.
Later that night….
Stevie Rae offered me one last chance to opt out of it. I couldn't believe I was doing this. "Zoey, are you sure you want to do this? Once you do, I've heard the effects are irreversible."
"I don't want to, but I have to."
"Ok. Here it goes."
She started to call the elements. "Air, come to me." I felt the wind on my face. "Fire, come to me." I felt the heat of an open flame. "Water, come to me." It felt like I was washed in the ocean. "Earth, come to me." We both felt that one. It felt healing and nurturing. "Spirit, come to me." It felt like my soul lifted.
"Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. By the power I command as the first Red High Priestess, I ask that you release Zoey Redbird from this burden. Release her from her Imprint with Heath Luck."
As I heard Stevie Rae's words, something inside me snapped. It felt like my heart was ripped in two, then torn to shreds. I also heard Heath scream, felt his excruciating pain.
Then it stopped. There was no more pain, only sadness.
My soul mate was gone.
I would never love again.
Four Years Later….
I knew something was going on. It started as an uncomfortable itch that wouldn't go away. Then, pain. Pain that radiated from my Mark all the way down to the tips of my toes. It brought me down to my knees. There were tears forming in my eyes.
Was I dying?
No. I was Changing.
A few more minutes of agonizing pain, and then it was over.
As I stood up, I felt taller. Stronger. More inhuman.
Human. It made me think of Heath. I wonder what happened to him, I thought.
Well, what ever had happened to him, it had been for the best.
Everything was how it should be.
At least, that's what I thought until I saw him.
That Night….
I had been walking down the street, embracing my new freedom, when I saw him.
Heath.
I barely whispered his name when he looked up. His rubbed his eyes like he thought I was an illusion, something not quite real. He looked again.
"Zoey? Zoey, is that you?
I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat.
"Yes Heath, it's me."
He had his trademark grin on his face. "Wow, you look good! You're not wearing any cover-up stuff. Did you finally make the Change?"
"I just did tonight."
"Cool. Hey Zo?"
"Yeah?"
"I've really missed you."
I smiled. "I've missed you, too. I'm sorry I broke our Imprint. Do you still have room in your heart to love me?"
He gazed at me with a look of pure love. "Of course I do. Does that mean I get to be your Consort after all?"
"Yes, you do."
I knew I'd repaired the damage that had been done 4 years ago. I also knew something else.
With Heath Luck as my Consort, anything was possible.
There was nothing we couldn't take on together.
The End
