3 years later
The triplets were graduating from high school and most of Thierry's household had gotten tickets to come. They all wanted to see the triplet's graduate with top honors. This would be one of the many shining moments in their young lives.
All who could get tickets filed into the auditorium early in order to get good seats. Hannah and Thierry were of course there to watch the triplet's they had raised since they were five, graduate. Thierry of course looked basically the same. Same white blond hair combed back and same warm dark eyes that had lost most of their eternal sadness ever since Hannah and the triplet's had come into his life. He hadn't aged a day in all the years the triplet's had known him. Hannah on the other hand like all humans had aged, but gracefully. Her hair was the same color of wheat with just a few streaks of gray and her gray eyes were as clear and as sharp as ever. They were still very much in love.
Delos and Maggie were also there. Delos being a vampire looked the same all though a tad older. As a Redfern he could age if he wanted to or stop; aging altogether or even reverse his age if he wanted to. He had stopped aging at 25. His hair was still a dark brown and looked tousled as though he had been out in the wind. Maggie liked him that way she claimed it reminded her of when they had first met out on that cliff all those years ago. His eyes were still the same clear yellow gold. The triplet's had made an impression on him although he claimed he was just the same as he had been years ago. But they all knew that he had changed—a lot. He had used to be so distant and cold with everyone except Maggie, now he was warm and made friends more easily. As for Maggie her autumn colored hair had grayed, but only slightly and her endlessly deep sorrel eyes could still look into your very soul.
Ash and Mary-Lynnette were there as well. Mary-Lynnette being human had aged. Her brown hair, although without a touch of gray to mar it had wrinkles on her face, wrinkles that had not been their years ago. Her blue eyes however were as clear and sharp as they had always been. As for Ash he looked no more then 25 which was the year he had stopped aging at Mary-Lynnette's request. His ash blond hair was without a touch of gray and his ever changing eyes looked a happy blue.
Thea and Eric had also gotten tickets to the graduation. Thea's hair was still almost; gold without a touch of gray as a true indication of her age and her eyes, which were brown, were kind, soft, and somehow wise. Eric's being human had been touched by time. His sandy blond; hair was still short with just touches of gray at the temples making him look distinguished and his gray flecked eyes were bright with laughter and unshed tears.
Lupe was also in the crowd. She had never forgiven herself for what had happened years ago although people kept telling her it wasn't her fault. She thought she had failed the one person that had given her a home and saved her mother and her from certain death. Thierry had told her a hundred times he didn't blame her, but she didn't believe him and thought that secretly he blamed her for what had happened even though she knew in her heart that he didn't.
Quinn and Rashel had wanted to come, but unfortunately Rashel being human had come down with the flu and Quinn had refused to leave her side. Rashel had ordered him to go to the triplet's graduation. She would be fine for a few hours she said, but he had ardently refused to leave her side for any reason. The graduation began and soon the triplet's were walking across the stage. Hannah had tears in her eyes as she watched them one by one except their diplomas and go back to their seats. All three had graduated with top honors.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
A few minutes later the graduation was over and the triplet's met Thierry and Hannah outside. "Congratulations you three," said Hannah.
"I'm proud of you," said Thierry.
"Thank you," said all three at the same time.
"Quinn told me to tell you that he was sorry he and Rashel couldn't make it, but unfortunately, Rashel has the flu," said Ash walking up to the group.
"I wish they could have come," said Lena wistfully.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your family?" asked a voice behind them, before Ash could respond.
"Oh Principal Sloane," said Lena. "You've of course met our parents Thierry and Hannah Descouedres."
"Yes I have it's a pleasure to see you again Mr. And Mrs. Descouedres," said Principal Sloane.
"You too," said Hannah politely.
There was something strange about the triplet's family, thought Sloane. Always had been and of course Thierry himself was weird. Thierry didn't look over twenty and yet Sloane knew he had to be at least approaching fifty.
"And this is our Uncle Ash and Aunt Mary-Lynnette," said Lena, introducing a couple. One with ash blond hair and the other with graying, brown hair. Soon the introductions were over and they were on their way home for the party Thierry had planned—a kind of graduation bash.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
"So what are you planning on doing now that you've graduated?" asked a voice behind Lena. Lena whirled around almost spilling a cup of punch in the process to see a boy, no a man she corrected herself looking exceptionally handsome. He had slightly long black hair and piercing eyes that were blue, but not quite—they were more like a sapphire. He was tall and muscular, but not too muscular.
"Oh I don't know," said Lena. "Go to college I suppose. Hi I'm Lena Descouedres," Lena introduced herself.
"I know who you are," said the guy with a smile.
"Oh you do? And just how is it you know that?"
"All of Circle Daybreak knows of the three children Thierry adopted thirteen years ago. Well at least those that are well informed anyway," said the guy with a smirk.
"My; we sure are modest aren't we?" asked Lena almost mockingly. "You know so much about us and yet I don't even know your name."
"It's Allyn," he said with another smirk. He seemed to smirk a lot Lena noticed.
"Well it's nice to meet you Allyn," said Lena reaching out to shake his hand. As soon as bare flesh touched bare flesh it was like being hit with a lightning bolt and they were in each other's mind. What the hell is happening? was Lena's first frantic thought.
I think I know, came a voice in her mind and with a shock Lena realized they were directly connected now. The words the soulmate principal seemed to come floating up out of the depths of his mind.
Lena could tell he was shocked, but the shock was quickly turning to surprise then anger and denial. Well if we are soulmates we will have to stay together or be very unhappy the rest of our lives, Lena thought.
I don't want a soulmate, came Allyn's churlish thought.
Well, I wasn't looking for a soulmate either, but I got one, said Lena calmly.
Allyn didn't respond and jerked his hand away. The connection was instantly broken. Both stood there, for a minute then; Allyn turned away and started to stalk towards the door. "Where are you going?" Lena called after him.
The only response she got was, I don't want a soulmate. Then he disappeared.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Lena walked up to her room trying not to cry until she had her door closed behind her. She flung herself down on her bed, and lay on her stomach and cried until her tears were just a trickle then they had practically stopped all together.
Somebody entered her room a few minutes later without knocking and approached her bed. Her room was dark so she pretended she was asleep thinking; maybe they would go away. She should have known better. "Lena honey are you okay?" asked the voice of her adoptive father Thierry Descouedres. Lena did not respond even when Thierry sat on the edge of her bed.
"Lena?" asked Thierry softly. Finally Lena looked up her face streaked with tears. "You okay?" asked Thierry again. The tender look in his eyes said it all.
"I'm fine Thierry really," said Lena.
"It might help to get whatever it is off your chest you know," said Thierry. "If you talk about it you'll feel better."
"It's just that I met this guy at the party . . ." Lena began. "He was arrogant and terribly full of himself and yet I found myself being attracted to him. And when we touched . . ." Lena paused again
"It was like getting hit with a lightning bolt?"
"That's it," said Lena with some surprise.
"So that makes you soulmates," said Thierry, his expression thoughtful.
"His name was Allyn."
"Allyn's a made vampire," said Thierry thoughtfully. "Got; turned about a hundred years ago. He's also a loner, but I wouldn't worry he'll be; back. He'll have to come back or go insane. It just hits some harder then other's. Just ask your Uncles Ash and Quinn. They are two perfect examples of ones the soulmate principal hit hard."
Lena laughed mirthlessly then smiled a very small smile.
"Why don't you come back down to the party?" asked Thierry. "What's the point of missing a party that was planned especially for you and your brothers just because one vampire won't accept his destiny?"
"Okay Thierry I promise I'll be back down in a few minutes. Just let me freshen up," said Lena giving her father a kiss on the cheek.
Thierry nodded and got up to leave.
"Thank you for everything," said Lena.
"You're welcome," said Thierry softly.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
A few minutes later Lena reappeared at the party. She had fixed up her makeup and straightened her dress and here she was looking as though she hadn't just been up in her room crying.
She looked around and was just about to walk over to some of her friends when Hannah approached her. "Thierry told me what happened and I'm sorry," Hannah told her softly.
"It's okay Hannah," said Lena.
"He'll show up again," said Hannah.
"Even if he does show up that doesn't mean I'm going to forgive him," said Lena tossing her long blond hair angrily.
Hannah smiled at this for she knew that once Lena saw Allyn again her anger would just seem to melt away. After all, you couldn't stay mad at your soulmate for very long. Before Hannah could respond Quinn approached. "May I have this dance milady?" he asked gallantly bowing.
"Of course you can kind sir," said Lena accepting his outstretched hand.
He took it and gently whirled her around the floor. Hannah smiled as she watched them. It had been so from the day of the triplet's adoption, 13 years ago. Quinn had claimed that no kid was going to get by his defenses, but all five-year old Lena had, had to do was climb onto his; lap, kiss him on the cheek, and call him Unca Quinn. Quinn's heart had instantly melted too little Lena's charms and they had been extremely close ever since. As a result Rashel had gotten close as well although not as close as Quinn. Quinn had then vowed to protect her and her brothers from all harm. Thankfully, nothing else had happened since that day they had been kidnapped 13 years ago when they had first been adopted.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Somebody came up and tapped Hannah on the shoulder. "Can I have this dance milady?" asked Thierry bowing.
"Of course you can kind sir," said Hannah accepting Thierry outstretched hand. He took it gently in his grasp and very gently held her in his arms.
"So what were you thinking about you looked awfully pensive just a minute ago?" asked Thierry with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, I was just thinking about how it still surprises me that all Lena had to do was kiss Quinn on the cheek and he melted instantly," said Hannah.
"He's not as tough as he has led everyone to believe, but I will admit he has a certain soft spot for Lena," said Thierry with a grin as he watched them dance.
"I know," said Hannah also smiling. "Just like a have a certain soft spot for a certain vampire I know."
"Oh who?" asked Thierry curiously.
"You of course you idiot," said Hannah looking as him affectionately.
"Oh," said Thierry kissing her on the lips.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
"So how is Aunt Rashel doing?" Lena inquired. As they danced she studied him. He looked tired
"She's better," said Quinn. "She was sorry she couldn't make it to your graduation." Sorry wasn't the word devastated was more like it. Rashel had wanted so much to go and had ordered Quinn to go in her place, but he had refused to leave her side.
"It's okay," said Lena with a sad smile.
The song ended and Quinn turned and started to walk away then paused. "He'll be back you know," said Quinn.
"Who?" asked Lena, pretending she didn't know what he was talking about.
"Allyn of course," said Quinn his black eyes sparkling with laughter. Then he grew more serious. "He'll have to come back or go insane. That's the way the soulmate principal works. It just hits some harder then others."
"Does everyone know about my problem?" Lena called to his retreating back. Her only answer was Quinn's laughter floating back over the crowd.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
For the next few weeks after the party Lena moped around. Thierry had just told everybody to leave her alone for nobody could solve this problem but Allyn. Lena just lay down on the bed. She tried to read a book but then she realized she had read the same page five times and wasn't remembering what she had read. Finally she sighed and lay the book aside. Even if he did come back she wasn't sure she would ever forgive him for what he had done. After all she hadn't been the one who had just walked away.
"Lena you have a visitor," called the voice of her Uncle Ash.
"Oh, who?" Lena yelled back.
Ash paused then yelled, "Come and see." There was something particular about his voice, but what? Then she had it; it was being tightly controlled. The question was why? Who was the visitor that had Ash so upset?
Lena; sighed again got up and made herself presentable then walked downstairs slowly. She headed for the living room and stopped dead in her tracks when she got to the doorway. Ash was facing her and he looked damned furious, but he was controlling it. All right so the question appeared to be who was sitting on the couch opposite him that could make Ash that mad, but not mad enough to lose his temper and kill the guy and the second question was . . . She never got as far as the second question for then the guy turned and it was Allyn.
"Allyn," said Lena coldly leaving the doorway and walking over to where Ash was sitting.
"Lena," said Allyn as calmly as possible although his voice still trembled slightly.
"Now Allyn just remember what we talked about," said Ash getting up off the couch where he was sitting next to Lena. "You hurt Lena again and not only will I be after you so will most of this household understand?"
"Yes sir," said Allyn looking abashed.
Ash left, but not before giving Lena a wink then he was gone.
"Man is your uncle high strung," said Allyn after a few minutes silence.
"No he's not he's just tad overprotective is all," said Lena.
"You call threatening to have half this household after my hide just a tad overprotective?" asked Allyn incredulous.
"Ever since my brothers and I were kidnapped when we were five everybody who lives here has been like that," explained Lena.
"Oh," said Allyn. "Lena . . ." he began after a few minutes of tense silence.
"Don't you Lena me Allyn," Lena exclaimed coldly. "I wasn't the one who left me standing all alone at the party and I wasn't the one that said I didn't want a soulmate. Do you know what kind of torture you put me through?"
"I came to say I was sorry," said Allyn as soon as he could get a word in edgewise. "I haven't been able to think, eat; sleep for thinking of you and no matter how much I tried to forget you I couldn't. So I hope you accept my apology. If not I guess, both of us will be very unhappy for the rest of our lives." He said the last sentence almost mockingly throwing her previous words back in her face.
"Oh Allyn do you mean it?" asked Lena, daring to hope.
"Yes Lena I do. I've come to realize just how incomplete my life would be without you," said Allyn.
"I forgive you," said Lena softly. So softly in fact the even Allyn's vampire hearing had trouble picking it up. Allyn got up and came to sit beside her on the couch, but Lena met him halfway. They finally met in the middle of the room. They kissed long and deep. When the kiss, ended Lena led him to the couch and they sat down side by side. They talked for a long time until the sun went down and the moon came out just getting to know each other better. Finally, when the shadows had grown long they just sat there enjoying each other's company not saying a word and not needing to. Allyn with his; arm around her shoulder and Lena with her head on his shoulder using it as a pillow. They stayed that way for a long time not needing to move and not wanting to until at last Lena gave a contented sigh and fell asleep her head on Allyn's shoulder.
The End