"And then we had to deal with the authorities." Heather said. "Frank, Wendy and I got our stories together. Lawson had been investigating Midler and asked Amos for help. Midler had killed- Lawson and wounded -Danny. I had killed Midler in self-defense… Amos had not been there. He had been checking some information with Beverly's help… We did not have any trouble getting Beverly to help… after all she owed Amos... Frank had given me a ride as I waved to him, he was just a helpful bystander…I had to deal with why I was involved and what hold did Midler have over me… But I had something to bargain with, evidence of payouts by drug companies for using the patients as guinea pigs… and then drug dealers for Midler's supplies… I got a good bargain - I got immunity and a suspended sentence. Of course, my career was in shambles but I was free. And I had knowledge and a good mind"

"As for Amos. he was devastated. He followed our instructions on what to say or do with the authorities… He was like a sleepwalker. He had lost Lawson and Danny was in the hospital, recovering. He tried visiting Danny but the smells of the hospital almost overpowered him. To much pain which added to the one he was suffering almost send him round the bend."

-0-

"Why go on living?" Amos shouted to the wind "If I can call what I do "living" No I am existing on borrowed blood. What for? To go back to my empty house and remember the dead? Everyone I cared for everyone I loved is dead... Now it is Lawson… and Danny is hurt. Frank and Wendy, Beverly… my relatives of this century... they are not enough… they cannot banish the pain…

I almost killed that woman today. I fed too deeply. I do not know how I managed to stop. maybe next time I will not stop… maybe…

I should wait here for the sun to rise…Let it destroy this mockery of life. Let me join my family and friends."

"You know that Kisasi will not allow you." Genevieve said softly.

"Genevieve... why do I have to carry this burden? What sense does it make? Every night is the same… and all I can think are my losses."

"There is more waiting for you, my love."

A door showed up in front of him. "Come in my love" she told him, guiding him with her hand.

It was a small, cozy room, with a couch covered with a silk throw. She was suddenly solid he could touch her…and he dd not feel the need for blood.

"While we are here, we can be together as we could not be in life. I do have my woman's body , and you have your man's body… And we can be as man and woman." She led him to the couch kissing him.

-0-

"It was a bit of Heaven, that Genevieve gave me. Each day we would meet and go into our secret place and love each other. And it was thus that I went through those days…things were happening, and knew of it, but I was not interested. When Wendy told me about her plans for an inn I went along, instead of coming up with a lot of reasons not to… A vampire putting up an inn? It would be folly. Except that it was not… I did not have to chase people, they came to me, and paid me besides… and when they went back, they would encourage their friends to come. Hiding me during the daytime would be no problem. There are a lot of places in an inn where guests are not supposed to go… It made sense but that was not why I went along… I was thinking about Genevieve and how we had recaptured our love…. It was thanks to what Genevieve did that I had enough control of myself to visit Danny at the hospital. The smells and the pain still hit me, but I did not lose control. Danny was surprised to see me blaming myself It had just been bad luck and Lawson alerting Midler it was NOT my fault. He did want to go back and yes, build the inn with Wendy…And I could keep myself in control when I took blood from the girl that had sent Lawson on Midler's trail. She blamed herself of course… and since I was blaming myself too, we ended up crying in each other arms… and if I had not been in control, I would have drunk too deeply from her. but she was safe…

"I thought that it would last forever, but Genevieve knew it would not last. She came to me when I needed it and let me stand on my own… We could have a taste of Heaven, but that was all that Kisasi would allow me….

"But she told me that someone would come who would be important to me.

"And so the next day I saw Heather Mattox waiting for me…"