A/N: I wanted to give you all a warning that this chapter is a bit sappy, but I think it is understandable given the circumstances. I would also like to provide a suggestion; while I was writing this I had a song on repeat and I think it adds a lot to this chapter. If you would like to then I would suggest listening to She is the Sunlight by Trading Yesterday at least through the last 2/3rds of this chapter. Like always, I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 25

It was another day and a half before Leigh was able to discern the whole truth, or enough of it to wish she hadn't ever started looking into it. When she pushed away from the table violently it drew D's attention. He was at her side immediately. "What happened?"

She turned her wide-eyed stare to him, barely managing a whisper. "I'm not wholly human. I knew I was different but…"

D had already figured out that she was more than human, so her statement didn't surprise him. He could tell it bothered her though. He could understand how finding something like that out suddenly could be a shock. He would have her talk about it, but not now. For now, he pulled her close. She merely stood within his arms, not moving for several minutes. Finally, the shock wore off and she clung to him.

Neither paid attention to how long they stood there but finally Leigh moved to pull back. When she stood to face him, her eyes were still troubled, but she had accepted what she had found. "I apologize… I just never expected anything like this." She also finally realized that he had not been surprised by her outburst. "Did you already know?"

D reluctantly nodded. "I have known for some time that you are more than human. It isn't something I have encountered before, and you didn't seem to realize it, so I didn't bring it up."

Leigh turned and braced herself against the table for a moment before falling into her seat. "Well I know now. This gives details on what the pendant was supposed to summon. It states that there were a handful of races almost as old as vampires and some of them were nearly as powerful. The most powerful of them were the elementals. There were never that many of them and they had nearly faded from history by the time this was written. The only remnants of them were the ancestors they left behind. They had merged with humanity to the point they became legend. Those with the blood of an elemental are what the pendant targeted. Even diluted the blood of an elemental was the only thing that could bring the pendant to life."

She trailed off at that point, once again lost in her thoughts. D watched her for a few minutes, knowing she was still trying to assimilate the knowledge she had found. Finally, he broke the silence. "That explains why you were able to activate the pendant. Does it also explain how to reactivate it for you to return?"

That time her eyes were filled with tears when she looked back at him. He noticed she was fighting to not let them fall. She blinked several times and cleared her throat before she spoke. "Yes." Her voice still broke on that single word. He watched as she swallowed several times and tried again. "It states it is only a matter of will. Since it chose me I have a certain amount of control, although it seems as if it will not be easy."

D was shocked to hear it was as simple as willing herself home. He realized in the next moment that there had to be more to it. If it were that simple, he knew there had been several times she had been homesick enough to have triggered it. "What else is involved? I know it won't be as easy as wishing yourself home."

She nodded back to him. "When I was pulled to this time it created… I guess you could call it a wormhole, or a gateway… something like that. Anyway, that will stay open as long as I remain here. The location I arrived is the only place I can go home."

D found that he was torn at her words. It would take them at least two months or more to get back to that castle. On the other hand, he could admit to himself that he wasn't entirely upset that he had two more months before he had to let her go. It was at that point it truly hit him that his time with the woman in front of him was already counting down. He had never expected to find someone like her and now that he had, he found himself questioning his goals. He pushed those thoughts aside roughly as he also remembered she didn't belong there. His goal now was to get her safely home, to the people she obviously missed. Those thoughts did not stop him from pulling her up and into another embrace.

After they finally pulled away from each other they decided it would be best for them to stay in the compound for the night and leave early the next day. Leigh moved to gather everything up, but D stopped her. "There is no point in taking that. This is the best place for it now."

Leigh looked around at everything she had worked so hard to complete before finally turning back to him with a nod. It was appropriate for it to remain buried. They wordlessly walked back to the room they had been sharing. It was only late afternoon but that didn't stop either of them. Leigh turned to D and held out her hand. They both understood their time together was soon to end. No words passed between them as he took her hand before pulling her up into his arms. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips before laying her onto the small bed they had been sharing.

The next day they were up early. Leigh wasn't sure if D had slept at all. She knew she hadn't slept well but she was grateful that every time she awoke he was there beside her. His warm arms worked to keep her together, so she was able to not break down.

Leigh didn't say anything when D moved to put all of their things across the saddle of her horse and helped her up onto his. Once he was mounted behind her she didn't hesitate to lean back just enough to feel his body against her own. They traveled like that throughout the day. Neither of them said much but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of them wanted to bring up what was coming, instead they focused on simply enjoying each other's presence.

D made sure to give the town they had last stayed in a wide berth, putting them a little out of the way. He wasn't really pushing the horses either so when night fell, they had not made as good of time as they had when they first came to that part of the frontier. If he was bothered by the slight loss of time, he never mentioned it and Leigh found she was in no mood to complain.

They passed two more days in the same way. By the third day they had started talking more, mostly because Lefty hated leaving long silences undisturbed. Leigh was grateful to the carbuncle. As much of a smartass as he was, he still managed to somehow make her smile. She found herself silently thanking him for making those days fill with laughter. She had a sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly what he was doing. She resolved to make sure she gave him a proper thank you before she left.

The evening of the third day found them heading into a village they had not stopped at before. Leigh turned back to look at D with a questioning look. If he saw it though he didn't say anything. He moved the horse toward the center of town, stopping in front of an inn. He helped her down before turning to get them a room.

Leigh knew they would need supplies for their return trip but didn't think they needed them yet. She wasn't going to complain about a real bed though, especially since they had taken to sharing a bedroll. She appreciated his warmth beside her each night but laying with him in a bed was completely different. She blushed a little at her thoughts. They had been together long enough that the thought of him lying next to her skin to skin shouldn't make her feel like that, but she had a feeling they could spend ages together in that way and she would never not feel the rush of her feelings for him.

D noted her small smile and the blush that dusted her cheeks. He had a good idea what caused it and just brushed her hair back off her face. She turned to fully face him at the gesture, her smile growing as she looked at him. His eyes roved over her face, taking the time to memorize the way it lit up when she looked at him. He was glad to see the bruises had finally faded to nearly nothing.

She stood still allowing him to just stand there and look at her. It seemed as if she knew what he was doing and took the chance to do the same. When he felt satisfied that the moment was etched in his memory, he leaned down to kiss her. All of his movements were slow and deliberate. He made sure to take his time, memorizing each spot that made her gasp, the feel of her skin beneath his fingers, the way she tasted.

Leigh wanted to cry at how gentle his touch was. It conveyed so much more than words. She understood though, her own touches were not tentative but every time she ran her fingers gently across his skin she sent out her feelings, knowing that he would understand what she couldn't say.

Even though they were in a comfortable bed and not on the hard ground, it was late when they both found their rest. Leigh slipped into a deep sleep for the first time in days while D held her and watched her sleep. The emotions he couldn't show while she was awake were clear on his face. He wondered briefly if his companion hadn't been right. He knew she couldn't stay but having her leave without ever saying anything might be worse than sharing. It was something he would have to decide soon.

The next several weeks went by much faster than Leigh wanted them to, even though it seemed as if they were taking the return trip slower. On the way to the compound they had stayed in the saddle from dawn to after nightfall. Now that they were on the way back their travel days were much shorter. She also noted that they stopped every few days and stayed in a village instead of constantly out in the open. Each time they stopped, they both took advantage of the extra time they were allowed.

Since they were taking their time Leigh was able to relax a little and found that there was more to the strange time than she had previously been able to experience. There were still many people that would treat them with suspicion and some that were outright hostile, but that wasn't everyone. She found that as a whole, the people were wary but not unkind. She almost regretted not having the opportunity to really see what society was like while she was there.

She was also surprised when D took the time to show her some of the wonders that she would otherwise never have seen. Not everything the Nobility created was centered on bloodshed. On several occasions he took the time to go a little bit out of the way, so she could get a glimpse of an abandoned wonder. It was almost saddening to see such grand and beautiful edifices already succumbing to the hands of time. She realized with a heavy heart that all things yield to time eventually. Nothing could escape, and it was bittersweet seeing the evidence of a people's passing, even if those people were bloodthirsty killers. She knew the pangs in her heart weren't because of the passing of the Nobility, but much more personal even if she would never voice it aloud.

Even though they were taking their time, D made sure to skirt the Capital. It was the only time during the trip that he pushed them to make as much distance as possible before he allowed them to stop. He made it clear that he didn't want to spend more time than necessary near the metropolis.

Once they passed the Capital, Leigh found that her heart grew heavier each day. They still shared conversations and she somehow managed to smile but inside, all she could think was that with each day's passing they were one day closer to their goal.

It was several weeks after they had passed the Capital when things changed. That morning when they started their trip, Leigh noticed immediately that D was nearly completely silent. He wasn't big on conversation most of the time, but they had been together long enough that he no longer hid behind a mask. It was especially strange since Lefty was also silent nearly the whole day. Leigh couldn't stop her fear from rising. She was strung so tight that when D moved off the trail in early afternoon, she felt the tears prickle behind her eyes. He took them to a cave that Leigh was surprised to find familiar. It was the camp they stayed in when she first arrived. Looking around at the sight of it now, after so many months, she couldn't help the strangled sound that escaped her. It started as a laugh but somehow got caught up in a sob. She knew she never would have expected things to end up like they had. No matter how much it hurt though, she knew it had been worth it. She tried to cover the few tears that had escaped by quickly moving to set up camp. If D had noticed he didn't mention it.

It didn't take them long to get everything set up. Leigh found that she couldn't face the sight of their little camp though and didn't bother sitting down. Instead she ducked outside without a word, trying to keep herself under control while pretending to look across at the beginnings of a beautiful sunset.

She wasn't surprised when D stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She rested her hands on his forearms as they both watched the sun sink lower in the sky. It was D that finally broke the silence. "I was going to tell you that we will be arriving tomorrow, but it looks as if you have already figured that out."

Leigh closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, enough to make sure that her voice would remain steady. "I recognize this site as the camp you set up when you first rescued me."

D didn't respond after that, instead he pulled her close enough that her back was completely flush with his chest. They stood like that until the sun had almost completely disappeared before Leigh turned in his arms to face him. She knew he would be able to see the tears shimmering in her eyes, even if she refused to let them fall, but she still somehow managed to produce a bright smile for him. She reached up and traced the outline of his lower lip before tracing his jawline and cheek with the pad of her thumb.

Together they had spent the last months making sure they made enough memories to last a lifetime. Neither of them said anything but she was sure he had been doing the same. She felt an ache in her heart as she sent up a silent prayer that those memories would hold him until he could find something else. She knew that his life would be so long that memories of her would eventually fade, and as much as it hurt, she hoped they would. She would rather that, than think if him reliving painful memories for the rest of his long life. He placed his hand over hers, cupping it to his face. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to. He stepped back, continuing to hold her hand as he led her back to their cave.

When they ducked into the small area that was lit with the low fire they had started earlier, they both immediately went to their bedroll. They hadn't made it all the way down before Leigh found her lips captured in a searing kiss. D had one arm firmly around her as he laid her back never breaking the kiss. They finally broke enough for her to take in gasping breaths. It caught in her throat though as his heated kisses trailed down her neck and over her collarbone. His nimble fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt, exposing her breasts to more of his kisses. There was an urgency in his movements that had not been there since the first time they had made love.

Leigh was being driven to madness by the movements of his hands and mouth on her skin, but she finally managed to get herself under control enough to push against his shoulders. When he looked up she was surprised to see his eyes had started to turn crimson. That was another thing that he had been able to control after their first time together. The sight of it didn't stop her. She pushed again, slightly harder that time. He finally relented and allowed her to switch their positions.

She had figured out some time back how to remove his clothing as well. Although she wasn't as quick as he had been it didn't take her long to expose him to her kisses. She wanted to remember every part of him, so she took her time in moving over his body, planting feathery kisses as she went. She finally made her way lower, planting kisses across the edge of his hip and down his thigh. She followed the same path up the other side. When she reached his stomach, she looked up to see his gaze burning into her. She felt herself melt at the heat in his gaze. She made sure to keep eye contact as she trailed lower. When she finally grasped him, she smiled slightly at the low growl it caused. She followed her hand with kisses until she was at his tip. She placed a soft kiss there before running along one side with her tongue and then back up the other. When she finally took him in her mouth, she hummed at the vibration his sounds of pleasure caused.

She was so lost in what she was doing that it was a surprise when he let out a growl louder than any of the ones before. She barely had time to look up and register the nearly feral look on his face before he moved so quickly, she could hardly register his movements and she found herself on her back again.

His lips were once again on hers as his hands roamed over every inch of her body he could reach. He barely paused before he lowered his head down to claim her with his tongue. His movements were so urgent, it wasn't long until she was close to screaming out her own pleasure. When he finally moved to claim her she almost instantly shattered around him. He caught her cries in another heated kiss without relenting. He pushed her to the brink again before finally cascading over the edge with her.

As they laid together, trying to catch their breath, he pulled her in close. She had barely managed to slow her breathing when her blood was stirred once again by his kisses across her shoulder. They ended up making love again and again. The urgency in their movements never faded, neither one wanted to stop and let the night take their time away from them.

They ended up dozing together right before dawn, but Leigh was awoken a short time later by a feather light touch on her stomach. He had been running his hand from the space between her breasts down to her stomach where he paused. She cupped her hand over his before turning to face him again. He pulled her close before kissing both her eyelids and then kissing her so gently her heart ached.

She could tell the sun had already started to rise but paid it no mind. They lay there so close to one another, neither closing their eyes as they shared tender kisses. When he pushed her back once again she welcomed him. She knew it would be their last time. They took their time together, building up the pressure to the breaking point but not rushing. When they finally couldn't hold it back any longer they fell into the abyss together.

Neither moved more than to close the distance between them, laying like that until the sunlight finally started to penetrate the cave. With a last loving kiss, D moved to gather his clothes with Leigh right behind him. Neither spoke as they packed their things but that didn't stop Leigh from trailing her fingers across D's arm or back every time he passed close enough. She only caught his small smile at the action once.

When everything was ready they paused before mounting their horses. D pulled her close, just holding her. Leigh buried her face in his chest and tried not to let her tears fall. When he finally pulled back he brushed her lips with his own once more before helping her up into the saddle of his horse and followed her up. He turned them toward the place where it all started. As much as he tried to keep his face in his normal mask, he found it was getting harder and harder to do. His only consolation was that the woman in his arms didn't see it.