Here it is, my lovely readers. The final chapter to this story of the Changing Light series. Yay! Well, yay and noes! I'm starting to get a little sad that the trilogy is actually winding down but, as my brain is wont to do, it's starting to plot more and more after the final story. A twisting wrench was thrown in my writing spokes that I didn't see coming that could quite possibly set me up for some Frog brothers and Sam perspective pieces. We'll see where that goes. I still have Histories to write, after all! So thank you all so much for reading, to the people that have been with me from the beginning and those that came in recently. I heart you all and I appreciate you so much! Sounds cheesy, I know but the reviews, hell, the hits alone, make me happy! Be sure to be on the look out for the final story, Rage Against the Dying of the Night, that should be posted soon. October is a down month for me and my regular writing so I'd like to get a couple chapters up before NaNo. Again, thanks so much for reading and reviewing and I hope to see you all at the next story! And, of course, thanks to Dyllan Thomas for that play on his line!

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"Has he gotten any better?" Detta asked as she entered the cave.

It had been two weeks since her and Marko's trip to New York but neither of them had divulged any information as to what had happened. None of them needed to know about their souls or their pasts together so they both kept those memories locked away tight. Dwayne and Paul might have cared about her story of Jackie but she decided to not waste her time or her inhuman breath. It was hardly worth it to her. She doubted it would be worth it to them.

David wanted to know about Ted, details. She wasn't about to give him full disclosure. All she told him was that there was now one less waste sucking air on the planet. He wanted to know if anyone saw her, if she was careful not to give herself away, and so on. She reassured him that SWAT wouldn't be showing up any time soon and to unclench. David always seemed to get wound up if things didn't go his way or if he lacked control over something. One of many flaws of his. He threatened to read her mind and she told him to fuck off, that Marko had taught her to lock away memories so that no one else could get to them. He looked angry and defeated at this but she didn't care. There were things that she was allowed to keep from others. Perhaps she kept more from David than anyone else but that didn't bother her. He was the last person she wanted wading through her privacy considering her past with him. He had enough leverage as it was with her. He didn't need to know that he tormented her in another life too.

Dwayne shrugged. "He's getting along better. He wanted to know what's causing the pain."

"And do you tell him?" Detta asked as she sat on the couch next to him.

Dwayne nodded. "I can't lie to him. He deserves to know what's happening to him."

Detta had been asking Dwayne for updates on Laddie since she got back. At one point he showed his annoyance at her pestering him, as it was her third asking in two days, by snapping at her but he eventually resigned to use of muscle memory when replying to her. Paul was the one that told her how they got Laddie to drink. David had given him an ultimatum: drink or die. Thankfully Laddie's a smart kid and knew that David would kill him if he didn't do what he said. Detta tensed at the notion of David forcing the blood down Laddie's throat, the mere mental image making her cringe but she was repeatedly reassured that Laddie took the bottle and drank from it himself.

Just as Dwayne had become his big brother, Star had become his big sister. She kept him as protected from the boys as she could, although this created a rift between her and Dwayne. She didn't like Laddie being around them at all but Dwayne wouldn't have that. Because of Laddie, they hardly spoke to each other. Paul was the one that kept the peace between the two. Star saw her brother in Laddie and it was something she latched on to and didn't want to lose a second time. She felt that if she let the boys take him, they'd turn him and she'd be by herself again. Not only had she not fed yet, Laddie hadn't either. She wouldn't let herself and she wouldn't let him. She coached him on how to control the hunger. Detta wondered where she had learned that since none of them had taught her. She probably taught herself and Detta realized how much stronger she was as a half vampire for resisting. She knew she wouldn't be able to do it. But because of that, Star and Laddie were both a little sluggish. Nothing noticeable to a human but they were both moving slower than what they should. Malnourished vampires.

"For someone you never really cared about, you certainly are showing a lot of concern," Dwayne said, his face stoic.

"Yeah, well. It's not that I didn't give a shit. I just didn't want to become a babysitter. But that doesn't mean I want to play patty cake with him either."

"No one's asking you to."

"I'm just . . . worried, I guess. Not like Star or you but it just doesn't feel right with Laddie, that we've done something wrong in turning him."

"So he should have died?"

"That's the thing. No. So what then?"

"Then you put the choice in his hands," Paul chimed in, walking up to sit on the fountain edge across from them. "You take the decision off your back and put it on his."

"But he's only ten!"

Paul shook his head. "Doesn't matter. He made his decision. Honestly I would have done the same thing."

"You did do the same thing," Dwayne said, his face carrying a look of defeated comprehension.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't ten when it happened."

"Duh," Detta added to the conversation.

Paul smiled and nudged her shoulder before getting up to walk the room. Detta smiled after him before returning her gaze to Dwayne.

"David still ignoring him?"

"Yup. Star usually grabs him before he has a chance to ask David anything."

"And if she doesn't?"

Dwayne shrugged. "David tells him to go ask someone else. You know, if you came around more, you'd know all of these details."

"I know, I know. I may be a vampire but I still do have a job."

"You know you don't need it, right?"

"You know there's still Maria, right? I'm not going to up and quit. He pays me too good to do that."

"Right. Have you seen her lately?"

"Who, Maria? I saw her tonight. Why?"

He shrugged. "No reason."

"You like her, don't you?"

"That's not the word I'd use but lets just say I think she's a lot more interesting than any other prospective meal I've come across."

"Don't you dare!"

"Max would kill me so don't worry. She's just a human I can deal with."

"Why don't you ask her out then? It couldn't hurt, could it?"

Dwayne just looked at her, searching her face for something but she didn't know what. He made to say something but stopped himself before he stood up and walked away. Detta watched him leave, not wanting to delve into his mind. He wanted to be alone right now and she could feel that emanating from his body. He walked toward his private nook in the cave and disappeared into the cavern.

"Detta," Marko called to her from the cave entrance.

She looked as he motioned with his head for them to leave. She grabbed her jacket from the seat next to her and without saying anything to anyone, walked with Marko out of the cave. Instead of getting on his bike, he grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the cliff. She hated flying. She still hadn't mastered it but she figured, being a vampire and all, she had all the time in the world to learn. He took off first, nearly dragging her with him before she found her balance and flew on her own accord. They weren't in the air long; minutes maybe, tearing through fog, before Marko started to lead her down, descend on some jutting cliffs below. He landed them on a ledge just big enough for the two of them. He sat down first, his back against the salted stone, and he motioned for Detta to sit between his bent legs, a knee on either side of her, her back against his chest. Even though she had her own jacket on, she burrowed herself into his as he wrapped his arms around her body. He placed his cheek against hers, cold skin to cold skin, as they both looked out to sea, past the rolling fog and towards the stars in the distance.

She felt his lips brush against her ear as he exhaled. "Promise you'll never leave me."

She pulled her cheek from his and looked back at him, into his eyes, her own questioning. Detta's brow furrowed.

"You've never talked like that before," she whispered, her voice carrying over the crashing waves.

"I know but I thought I should, just this once."

"Why now?"

Marko shrugged. "Seemed like good timing."

Detta cocked an eyebrow. "Are you going soft on me?"

He cocked an eyebrow back. "Are you ruining a perfectly good moment? We don't get many, not here. Throw me a bone, will you?"

Detta smirked when she saw the semi-playful look on his face. "I promise. What about you? You promise never to leave me?"

"Now, you see the contract doesn't work like that. I think the harem would get lonely."

"Cute!"

"I'm not going anywhere." Detta looked at him skeptically. "Promise."

"Why do I feel like we should pinky swear or something?"

"How about this, kiss me now and I won't call you schmoopy in front of the guys."

"Schmoop—"

Detta was cut off by Marko's lips pressing onto hers. Her fingers wound their way to his hair, holding his head in place, his arms tightening their hold on her. Marko pulled back, gracing her lips with a few soft pecks.

"You don't call me schmoopy anyway," she whispered.

"I could start."

"You could also grow a vagina."

"That . . . would be interesting."

"Don't call me schmoopy."

"You really think I would? I like my balls attached, thanks."

She kissed him again before settling back into him. Marko traced his hand down her left arm, grabbing her hand when he got to it. He played with each of her fingers as Detta watched aimlessly. She felt him shift under her as he reached into his pocket. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back onto his shoulder, breathing in the mix of sea air and the scent of Marko. Then she felt him slide something onto her middle finger. She frowned before she opened her eyes and looked down. On her finger was a gold ring, rubies embedded around it. Detta lifted her hand to get a closer look. Pristine rubies, twenty-four carat gold. She smiled and leaned her head back again, intertwining her fingers with his.

"Who'd you grave rob this from?"

She could feel him laugh. "A widow I fed from a few months ago. She didn't need it anymore."

"I like it."

"I'm glad."

"So what do I—"

"Nothing."

"You don't want anything?"

"I want you."

Detta chuckled. "Besides that."

She could feel him breathing into her neck, his tongue flicking at her vein, his teeth nipping at her skin.

"This is all I want," he said before biting into her.

Detta moaned as Marko drank. She wound her arm up around his head, wanting to bring him closer to her body. One hand went up her dress, teasing her. The other traveled up her body, caressing her breasts, wanting to tear the material away. He pulled his fangs out of her throat and she turned around to straddle his lap. She returned the gesture, sinking her teeth into his neck, savoring the taste she adored so much.

Despite the teasing and the want, their tryst didn't go any further on that cliff. Instead, after their exchange of blood, they sat on the ledge holding each other, almost afraid to let the other go. The sense of closeness, of their souls mating, danced through their shared blood. It was an insatiable want, rather a need, for each other that moved between them. They sat on that ledge for the remainder of the night in relative silence, before the lightening sky foretold of the coming dawn. Only then did they retreat back to the cave for their usual day of rest with their vampire family, gathering energy for the coming night. They were unstoppable, the vampires of the night, brothers and sisters of blood. Detta went to sleep that morning with a new outlook, a new perspective. This was just the beginning.

End

Be sure to look for the final story in the series, Rage Against the Dying of the Night.

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Reviews are always appreciated.