Chapter Twenty Six

Ashes To Ashes

Erin and Bertrand stared at the dust pile on the mud floor. Neither of them knew what to do or say.

"Erin..-" Bertrand spoke first.

"Don't, Bertrand. Please." Erin began to cry again. She backed away from him slightly. This didn't go unnoticed by Bertrand.

"You're scared, aren't you, Baby-bat?"

Erin failed to look at him. "No." She squeaked.

"Please don't lie to me."

Erin looked into his eyes. "I'm not scared, I-"

Bertrand broke their eye contact. "I said don't lie to me."

Erin took his hand, he stiffened underneath her touch.

"I'm not, I just -you just-"

Bertrand stayed silent.

"You just killed someone."

"I'm a monster." Bertrand repeated. He released her hand.

"No..-"

"See you around. I'm so sorry.-"

"Bertrand, running away is not the answer, a wise old Vampire once told me that."

Bertrand couldn't help but smile. He took her hand again.

"I love you, Bertrand De Fortunessa, I love you, I won't desert you when you need me. I'm not like all the other Vampires out there. I may have a dead heart, but it still beats for you. You make my day so much brighter. You make me feel safe, when I'm with you I forget all about who I am, what I am."

"I love you too. But by doing what I just did, I sense the fear in your eyes, the fear in your un beating heart, I scare you. I've turned into the monster you so desperately wanted to avoid. I've turned into Vlad's clone." Bertrand was sobbing uncontrollably. His face was scrunched up, as if he was in pain.

"You're in pain?"

"I need to get away from here. Please, don't come looking for me."

"Bertrand?-"

Bertrand began to walk away from her.

"Bertrand! Bertrand, where are you going!? Stay, I can help you! Bertrand!"

Bertrand didn't look back. "I have to sort things out."

"Bertrand!" He didn't answer. Just disappeared from Erin's sight.

Erin was getting a horrible sense of deja-vu. She sank to the floor. Her protector had left her. Unprotected. She once again stared at Jasper's ashes.

"I hope you're happy." She sobbed.

She contemplated throwing the contents of the pile over the trees, away from sight, but, somehow, she just couldn't do it.

Erin had never felt so alone. She laid down on the cold, hard floor, and wept. She wept for herself. She wept for Bertrand. She wept for Ingrid. She wept just for the sake of weeping. She was all alone.

Again.