Kuri felt her life blood flowing into the ground. She was dying.
Mr Tall and Mr Crepsley had been brought by Reiko to the scene, and disabled the Wolf Man.
"Kuri...why? Why did you save me?" Darren held her in his arms. "Please...please d-don't die...y-you're the only think that makes m-my life as a vampire happy..."
He was sobbing, tears falling on her blood-soaked chest.
Kuri tried to form words but choked on her own beating heart.
Her bloody hand touched his face in an attempt to soothe him, but then fell away as she edged into darkness.
"Why did the goddess choose her if this was her fate?!" Darren demanded of Larten furiously.
"This isn't the end for her," Larten said softly. "You must drain her blood, save a piece of her soul within yourself."
Darren growled at the older vampire, disgusted.
Kuri looked up at him. "Do it...it's ok...then we will both live...if you don't...you'll die with me..."
Darren stared at her. It was true, he had thought many times of what the fledgling's blood would taste like. She had a scent like maraschino cherries, and he thought she might taste sweet.
Before he could change his mind, Darren clamped down on her bite wound from the Wolf Man and began to drink the blood as it flowed out.
He was right! It did taste like cherries.
And besides that, there was this feeling...of bliss...
In a moment he felt his mind and heart connect to Kuri's.
Every thought and memory swirled together, connecting in his mind.
He had always known...they were born to meet one another.
As Darren drew his lips away, the wound healed and Kuri carefully sat up, and kissed him, holding him there for a minute, the taste of blood still on their lips.
They kept kissing until Larten coughed and Reiko giggled.
"Well who would have thought the two of you would imprint." Larten said.
"Makes the melodrama about her death earlier seem silly." Reiko giggled.
"Come. We must return to the Cirque." Mr Tall said.
The Wolf Man turned to the moon and let out a long howl, and they were on their way.
But everything was now different—Kuri and Darren were one.
Xxx
Kurda came back to find Kiana changed.
Her forehead mark was added to, red sparkles around it.
"I've changed." Kiana came closer and kissed him. "I've chosen Light. I've chosen you."
Kurda hugged her. Delighted.
"The other deaths weren't me! I was framed." Kiana cried. "Please believe me. It was Neferet!"
"I know." Kurda said. "I believe you."