Epilog

Helena was not able to 'see' but felt the warmth from the light as Myka would move her withered body from her bronze tomb. The first few times were a rough go, her body adjusting to the encasement, of not being able to move, but her mind hearing everything.

Over the years? Helena was trying to estimate the lapse of time as she heard shuffles of their move, the soft blips of some sort of medical equipment. Myka's curses at something would cause her heart to clinch.

"My, love?" she would press her thought toward the younger woman, using what little energy she had to reach Myka.

"I'm here," Helena would hear her, feeling those strong fingers stroking tenderly at her wisps of white, thin hair when she would lay her out of her coffin. Her mind's eye picturing that loving smile, the glint of gold flecks dancing in the pool of emerald.

"Test number 1866," she heard Myka saying as the warmth from the sun filled her, "Will proceed at 0423 hours,"

Helena had become familiar with the sounds over the years from her mate, the sound of a bag rustling, then setting on a wooden counter. The whistle from a tea kettle sounding as she heard Myka shuffle around the room, the click of metal on stainless steel, 'instruments' Helena had surmised.

"Dickens?" Helena would hear Myka call out. Was it her new mate?

One night, her head leaning against the bronze, her mind catching the sobs of Myka, the soft rustle of her hands stroking, fur? "Rest in peace, Dickens ten," The soft drop of tears tore at Helena's heart, feeling the utter sadness as Myka's heart broke.

"I shall kill the one that has caused you such pain," Helena swore to herself, "I shall eviscerate the sot who dares to toy with your heart,"

"Baby?" Myka wiping her hand against her nose, sniffling as Helena felt those gentle fingers resting on the lid of the bronze casket.

"I shall bring upon the next ice age to this heathen world at the fool that broke your heart," Myka covering her mouth as her body shook from the outpouring of emotion emanating from her one.

Overwhelming her very soul.

"I know you would," Helena listening to the soft sobs from Myka. Then the silence, the broken bond as she felt Myka move away. Helena's mind's eye watching as Myka shuffled around the 'lab' she had created.

But this time was different, the soft drops of the crimson liquid lit a fire, raging up and then into her bones. Helena screamed as she felt her body convulsing, Myka hugging her close, "Please work," was drowned out by Helena's screams.

"Come back to me"

XXX

Helena sighed as she heard the soft click of the door behind her from her seated on the sofa. Her head bent, her eyes lifting at the sound of the paper bag thumping softly on the hard wooden counter.

"Dickens" she whispered as she heard the feline's four paws make contact on the kitchen counter, his one paw playing at the bag of blood.

"Dickens 13, stop it!" Myka said as she unpacked her groceries.

"And how long was I slumbered in that bronze hell?" Helena replied as she snugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

"One hundred and fifteen years," Myka replied as she poured the pig's blood into her mug, watching then as it rotated around in the microwave.

"Damn it, Dickens," Myka said as she grabbed the feline, yanking it away from the used bag of blood, "Go say 'Hello' to your mom," Myka was saying as she plopped the feline down in Helena's lap.

"A cat? Really, darling. Didn't this … thing pass away eons ago?" Helena was saying, her hands held up as she watched the feline knead at her thighs.

"Yes, Dickens, one." Myka replied as she finished unpacking the bags. The ping ringing through the small flat. "I needed someone to keep me company,"

"This is Dickens, 13." Myka said over her shoulder toward Helena, her lips then blowing away the offending steam from her mug of blood as she shut the microwave door. Her smiling as she sat down next to her love. Helena lifting the soft throw to allow Myka to settle next to her on the couch.

"How can you stand that vile swill?" Helena asked as she crinkled her nose at the offending aroma wafting from Myka's mug.

"I told you, one hundred and fifteen years ago, I will not take another's life to prolong mine," her eyes shooting sideways over her mug as she stared at her redeemer.

"Yes, yes," Helena flipping her hand behind Myka's head as she huffed her indignation

"Helena," Myka said as she set her mug down on the table in front of them.

"Hear me out," she said as she stilled Helena's protest. Her finger pressing against those pale lips.

"Ouch!" Myka huffed as she pulled her finger away, shaking it as she glared at Helena.

"I told you before; many things have changed over these last hundred years. Arron shall be here soon for his sanjuation. Believe it or not, I have found willing, silent donors for us," Myka sighed as she started to get up, mug in hand.

"When was the last time you hunted?" Helena asking as she gripped the strong forearm.

"Enough of this!" Myka growled, letting her walls down, her inner demon escaping her shielded demeanor as she lifted Helena up off the couch, in a blink of the eye, their bodies were pressed against the walls of the small, English flat.

"Listen to me, and listen well," Myka growled against the shell of Helena's ear.

"I have been one-mined with bringing you back to me. Decades of blood testing, endless hours hunched over the endless slides, watching, praying for my blood, our blood to respond," Myka lifting her thigh to press between the dangling legs of Helena as she was splayed against the wall.

"I never, ever 'hunted'. Ever took another's life after Pete," Myka's flashing eyes relinquished for a second from Mahogany. Downcast at her thigh between those legs, even in the heat of blood-lust, she still protected Helena.

"One hundred years, Helena," Myka then whispered against Helena's ear. Her grip easing with each breath of words. "I slaved away, grasping at every new blood revolution before I found the way for us to live," Myka's words were laced with defeat as she set Helena down on the floor.

"Hunt, as you will," Myka throwing her arm around to the large window that adorned their flat.

"London is calling,"

Myka whispered in defeat as she sunk down into the sofa. "Never mind that I put my life on hold for you, my whole being dedicated to bringing you back to me," Myka sighed, her face falling into the palms of her hand.

"Go, feast upon the innocent," Myka sighed into the palms of her hand.

"You think so little of me?" Helena hugging the blanket closer around her shoulders.

"I have dedicated my life to bring you back to me, to us." Myka sighed.

"And I am forever grateful, my love," Helena whispered, in the blink of the eye, she shrugged her blanket off, settling upon the hips of her love. Her hands gentle cradling the soft face in her hands. "I am forever in your heart," Helena whispered as she caught the salty tears streaming down Myka's cheeks with the quick slip of her tongue.

"You," Helena pulling gently on the chin, lifting those green eyes to meet hers, "Are my only one,"

The soft press of those now flushing lips brushed against quivering ones, "Yeah?" Myka whispered against those heavenly lips.

"Yes, my love," Helena ghosted, her wanton hips causing the low groan elicited from her Myka as her hips danced over the younger woman's.

"Mine?" Myka whispered as she gripped the ass end of Helena's canton hips.

"Forever and ever,"

The End