Chapter 46:

Dedication

(Nick's POV)

A strange sense of calm had washed over the Eastend Care Home. I stood outside of Aiden's door, a little hesitant to enter. I knew what I must do, but I was...scared? Nervous? All of the above?

Was this...finally coming to an end? Decades of despair...yes, it's been decades now, hasn't it? I had never really thought of it before, lost in my own mind as I was. Trapped in a state of half-living myself until recently.

I had once been Mortal, but ever since I had stepped into the realm of the Fae, I had slowly began to change. That didn't mean I wasn't Human, but I had become something...more. Especially now that I've taken my true place as King. There are myths among the Mortals about eating and drinking anything a Fae has given you, as well as giving them anything.

This holds some weight in reality, but for the most part, it simply means that once you enter the realm of the Fae, you can never return to normalcy. You will never be able to unsee what was once hidden to you before. For most Humans, this just meant a life filled with either whimsy or terror. Sometimes, both.

The intricacies of this could be delved into another day. For now, let's just say that Mortals have the possibility of living longer lives than normal, but nothing too extreme. Maybe two hundred years, at most. If they get lucky, maybe longer.

I, on the other hand...will live far beyond that.

I was already old, though I didn't look it. I had magic in my veins and recently invigorated myself with the lifeblood of the world. I was also married to the Queen of the Fae who never really "died". She was simply...reborn. This wasn't anything new to me, as most Fae revived after some time, given a few exceptions like being killed by the Flames of Erasure or simply old age when they pass "Into the Dream", as they called it.

However, at the time, I didn't even know they could die, and so I, as usual, remained naive to what she was trying to tell me. I finally understood now, though it had taken me a while. She was the embodiment of life and death, as well as its cycles. More so than any other Fae, for she was Fae. The embodiment of it all.

Like seasons, she would change and grow and eventually "die", only to be reborn again. This effectively made her immortal, but it grew to be incredibly lonely. After all, there were very few who lived as long as her, even among the Fae who eventually passed into The Dream. Not only that, but she had always been idolized by them.

This created a social gap that many couldn't overcome. Very few were ever able to get close to her. Especially with the Court of Elder Fae being so strict about such things. There was a time when Calli had to answer to them, as they cared for her upbringing with each cycle. They acted as interim Monarchs while she recovered during her rebirth, and as she grew into her role as Queen once more, they acted as parents and guides.

This system was put in place because with each new cycle she forgets the last. That is until she comes into her power. Sometimes, this happens early, other times it doesn't happen until late into her rebirth. Once they find her, they shelter her so as to not allow any distractions to her awakening.

This meant that, throughout everything, the only constant in her life had been her other half, Callisto, who she wasn't even aware until much later in her cycles. Callisto, just like Callista, went through rebirth, but hers was an even lonelier one.

She constantly awoke in a realm of darkness. The only thing to greet her were the stars in the night. The Souls of the Dead which permeated her realm. The Dreaming. They were her only solace, and through the darkness she saw a brighter existence. Callista's world.

They had been born in two, one in light and one in dark. Life and Death. These were their domains. The Sun and the Moon. Two sides of the same coin, constantly spinning into perpetuity.

While jealousy grew in Callisto, so too did an unshakeable bond form between them. They were the only solace the other had throughout their lives of eternity. Callista only ever served the Courts and the Faelands. Never really having a life of her own.

Those who watched over her rebirth eventually grew arrogant as the task was passed down to the next generation of Elder Fae. Only a few remained that had been there since the beginning, and they revered Calli too much to become overly close with her. Unfortunately, the newer generations of Elder Fae did not listen to the warnings of the old. They waited until the last of the old generation passed into The Dream before making their move.

They tried to sculpt her into their puppet, catastrophically underestimating her. After all, to them, she was just a child with a malleable mind upon each rebirth. They believed they could suppress something so innately tied to reality that hubris got the best of them. When they attempted to control her, Calli had slaughtered them.

It was known as "The Court Purge", and ever since, only remnants had remained of their order. I now knew that they were the original New Dawn before Crowley had gathered them and made them into the New Dawn that I knew today. In fact, it was the first lead I had followed when I began my search for answers. It, unfortunately, led into dead ends.

I didn't have any real proof until Crowley confirmed it. None of that mattered now, as they were finally finished. What did matter is that ever since that day, Calli had taken her life into her own hands, and that meant living how she wanted, all while still performing her duties as Queen.

All of that is to say, as I stood here thinking for a moment, is that Calli found love during one of her rebirths. It came in the form of a curious young human who stole her heart from a young age. When her memories returned, she knew that one day her cycle would continue, and one day, she would forget him. One day, he would grow old and die.

Of course, I'm talking about myself. As a human, I didn't have a long lifespan. Something she sought to change. So, you could understand her excitement when I showed an affinity for magic. It was, after all, something that could prolong my life. However, this wasn't enough for her. There was only one way I could truly stand by her side, and that was to become King.

Not just in title, as I had obtained that when we were married, but truly King. To drink of the Waters of Life and cement myself as a fixture in reality. To do so, I had to become strong enough to withstand it, and that is when she had made up the lie about previous Monarchs drinking from the waters of the Tree of Life. This was to give me motivation.

As a Fae, she was rather secretive, but not out of malic. It was just out of habit. Some things she kept from me because she knew I would rush off and be in way over my head. I was stubborn that way. She knew me better than I even knew myself sometimes.

Still, I now knew everything, or...as close to everything as I could. Through the memories of the past that the Palace had shown me, and drinking the Waters of Life, I had gained many insights into Calli's thoughts and her plans for me.

In typical Fae fashion, nothing was ever easy. I didn't know if Calli really knew of New Dawn and their plans, but I did know that she understood that she had enemies. Eventually, they would make their move sooner or later. Unfortunately for us, they had.

Our lives were turned upside down, and Calli took the one path she saw available in order to keep me safe. She knew that I would stop at nothing to bring her back. She knew that I would never give up, and when I was on the brink of doing so...she would appear and taunt me. When that wasn't enough, she played rather dirty, sending Jasmine after me.

I don't think either of us anticipated Jasmine, but Calli often improvised when the opportunity arose. She was clever, incredibly so. It was why I hated all this thinking. She was the one who usually did it for me.

"In the end...I drank and ate your food," I muttered, thinking of all I've been through, "I took your hand and you took mine. Our hearts exchanged for one another. You tied me to this realm, and now you have to take care of me. That's your responsibility."

I sighed, reaching a hand towards the door to Aiden's room. There was truth to the myth of eating and drinking in the realm of the Fae, but not so simple as you might think. I had sacrificed so much, but it was time to get it all back. I had lost way too many precious years to this. It was a good thing I had many more to make up for it.

Stepping into Aiden's room, I beheld his angelic face resting in his bed. Jasmine looked up from where she sat in the room, eyes going wide. I had made my presence as miniscule as possible, for I didn't want to disturb anyone, but now that my presence was known, I opened my arms for her to run into them.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, happy to see me, "Everyone saw what happened. You did it...you're finally free!"

There were tears of happiness in her eyes as she beamed up at me. I returned the smile, cupping her face gently in my hands and wiping them away. She grew curious, sensing something behind the smile I gave her.

"It's not over yet, is it?" she sighed, and I simply shook my head.

"No, it's not," I glanced around the room, noticing that Vanessa wasn't here.

Jasmine caught me looking and smiled wryly, knowing exactly what I was thinking.

"She's fine. Resting right now," Jasmine assured me, caressing my face tenderly, "You know, you look...different. A little less...gray."

She fluffed my hair, scrutinizing it slightly.

"I don't know if I like it, but..." she admitted with a slight chuckle, "You were always handsome."

"Heh, thanks," I placed a kiss upon her forehead affectionately, "This is the new me, so...you might wanna get used to it."

"Are you sure we can't like...dye it some?" she inquired cheekily.

"Maybe," I laughed, shaking my head, "Honestly, you're incorrigible. So, Vanessa is resting? How has she been otherwise?"

Jasmine shrugged with a wry smile before resting her head against my chest.

"Chugging down Nick flavored juice boxes," she answered coyly, "Can't get enough of them. It's a good thing you returned, or I might have to stick a straw in my neck."

"Be nice," I playfully poked her cheek, causing her to scrunch her face up adorably, "You'd do it anyways."

"I would, but still," she admitted, relaxing some as her tone took on a softness, "I've had my time with you, and will have plenty more, but...you should still go see her."

"Hmm..." I looked towards my son who laid peacefully in his bed, "Damn it, you're right. I'm sorry, Calli...you're just going to have to wait a little more."

"Did you figure something out?" Jasmine inquired and I once again nodded.

"Yes," I took her hands in mine and kissed them, "Will you look over Aiden for a little while longer?"

She smiled widely, rolling her eyes.

"Like you even need to ask," she replied, practically pushing me out of the room, "Go, I'll keep him company."

"Thank you," I told her before the door closed in my face.

I was a little impatient to see Calli again, but Jasmine was right. I should see Vanessa beforehand. I had promised her several times that I would spend time with her, and unfortunately, I hadn't been able to deliver on my promise. This did leave a bad taste in my mouth, and so, I made my way to her room.

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(Vanessa's POV, Moments later)

She slept deeply. Dreaming of the sweet taste of nectar. It's color crimson. She drank of its source freeing, moans of pleasure escaping her lips. It was exquisite. Divine.

She had never tasted anything like it before, and she didn't know if she ever would again. Day in and day out, she craved the taste. So much so that even in her dreams, she swore she could smell it. Her fangs sinking into flesh. The warm, hot blood of...

Her eyes blinked open as she awoke as if from a daze. The scent of earth and rain assaulted her nostrils, as did that sweet smell of blood that only one person could produce. Osran. Nick.

Her eyes went wide as she saw her fangs had sunk into the neck of that very same person. She attempted to move, but a firm hand held her head in place. A sense of calm washed over her as she slowly retracted her fangs and licked the wounds she had made.

"S-Sorry, I don't know what came over me..." she mumbled sheepishly, "I thought I was asleep, but-"

"Shh, it's alright," his soothing voice eased her heart, "I didn't mean to wake you, but...you were shaking in your sleep and I...well, maybe I shouldn't have picked you up."

Confused, Vanessa peaked from around his neck to realize that she was in his lap, cradled to him. She immediately felt her face grow warm from embarrassment and her heart flutter.

"I'm sor-" she began to apologize again, but Nick wasn't having any of it.

His hand grabbed her chin, thumbing her lips as he stared deeply into her eyes. She was mesmerized by them. They were sapphires of the deepest, purest blue. Within, she could see a smoldering ember of amber, and swirling within was a dance of silver and aquamarine. It was simply...beautiful.

"You may want to clean up some," he spoke softly, not berating her in the least, "I don't mind if you wish to feast, but you may want to slow down a bit. My blood is...different than before."

"Different?" she wondered, clicking her lips as soon as he took his thumb away.

Her eyes almost immediately dilated and blood surged at the taste. He was right. There was a richness to it unlike what she had tasted before. It was...strong. She wanted to taste more, but before she could, her body reacted in a way that it never had before.

She doubled over in his lap, clutching herself as pain wracked her body. It was enough to leave her mind blank, but as she convulsed, Nick held her tightly. In his comforting embrace, as he whispered sweet nothings of reassurances, she was able to focus just enough to suppress it. Gritting her teeth, she took several deep breaths, beginning to control the blood within herself and channeling it deep into her very soul.

"Th-that..." she breathed heavily as she finally settled down, resting her head against his shoulder in exhaustion, "Was intense..."

"Yeah, sorry about that," he told her bashfully, helping to adjust and smooth her hair, which was rather endearing of him, "I couldn't exactly warn you, since you were asleep, and...well, you looked hungry. You're strong enough now that a little bit won't hurt, and as you drink more...well..."

He grew silent, trailing his words off, which only made her curious. She glanced towards the wound she had placed upon his neck, not surprised that it was already healed, and then looked up towards him. He was avoiding eye-contact, and she saw very faintly a blush upon his face. In that moment, she saw something more than the fierce predator that he was.

She saw a man underneath all of that, and she thought he was rather adorable. He had taken care of her all this time. She had dealings with him in the past, and he was always courteous, albeit a bit gruff. Lately though, he had come to her defense many times and each time she had felt her heart quicken.

Her blood always came alive when he was around, even before she had tasted his. She wasn't sure if she was allowed to think it, but...she was in love with him. There was no denying it. Jasmine already knew, and she was sure that he knew as well. It was incredibly embarrassing.

"What...is it?" she inquired finally, having gotten her courage up to ask.

He shifted a bit, pulling her closer to him so that she was a little more comfortable herself. Of course, just being by him made her feel safe and comfortable, but still...it was nice.

"Vampires live forever, unless given true death," Nick spoke softly, finally glancing down at her with such gentle eyes that she almost swooned on the spot, "An intrinsic truth of the world, but by drinking my blood, especially now..."

He tilted her chin up, his touch surprisingly tender, yet held a strength unlike any other that was mirrored within his gaze. Her vision narrowed as she saw nothing else except for him.

"You've become...tied to me," those words came from a place deep within him and resonated with her, "If you do not wish for this, then-"

"I do!" she exclaimed suddenly, surprising not only herself, but him as well.

Her entire face burned with embarrassment as she quickly realized how fast she had said that. Hiding behind her hands, she tried to shrink down until she vanished, only...this didn't work.

"I meant...I mean..." she stuttered, trying to come up with some excuse, but failing miserably, "Not that I think...It's just...I don't mind if...damn it!"

As she made a fool of herself, a sound filled the room. It was hearty and pure, almost immediately soothing her heart while at the same time causing her to pout as she peaked from behind her hands. Nick was laughing, but she didn't hate it.

"You don't have to laugh..." she sulked.

"No, I'm sorry..." he shook his head, wiping the corner of his eye, "I'm not laughing at you. You're just too adorable. It's alright. You didn't say anything wrong."

He then took her hands in one of his as the other clutched her shoulder, holding her to him. Once more, she became enamored with his eyes that slowly took on a new quality that, perhaps she had seen before, but had simply never noticed before. Obsession.

"Just relax," his words washed over her like a warm blanket, "We can go as slow or as fast as you wish. For now, your body is still adjusting to all of the changes taking place. So, let's just talk for a while, yeah?"

In this moment, she had never felt safer and in more capable hands. Every tense muscle in her body relaxed and she rested against him.

"Yeah, I'd actually love that...Nick," she smiled, listening to the beat of his heart, "Where shall we start?"

"Let's begin with the basics..." he stated, and the two of them began to talk.

He held her hand the entire time, cradling her to him. She never thought that she would ever be in this situation. Love had never really been in the cards for her due to her position and life as a Vampire. When she had found it, it had only been something fleeting. Her long life made it difficult.

Something in this moment, however, as they shared things about their lives, told her that this would be something a little bit more permanent. So, instead of thinking too deeply about it, she simply allowed herself to enjoy the moment.

She learned much about his life and the things he enjoyed, and in turn, he learned much about herself. She was more than happy to share, and he was quite attentive while listening. She had lived a long time, but in all that time...this would probably make one of her fondest memories. Something that she'd cherish for centuries to come.

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(Nick's POV, Several Hours Later)

I had spent the better part of a day with Vanessa, which, to be honest, was something I had desperately needed. Jasmine must have realized this, because from the moment I saw Vanessa tossing in her bed from whatever dream or nightmare she was having, to holding her in my arms after she had just fed, my body began to release all of its tension that I didn't know I had been holding onto.

It was adorable how, even asleep, she knew I was there and fed upon me. I didn't mind, but I was worried. My blood had changed since the last time she fed, and the results were clear. Fortunately, as a Vampire, she was already intrinsically tied to the world, and with Callisto violently awakening her, she was strong enough to endure it. Still, her body needed time adjust.

It was...enlightening to just relax and learn about Vanessa's life. She loved art and music. She had been into theatre at one point in her life. Something I was surprised to know, considering how timid she was. Something I did tease her about, but she simply scowled playfully at me and said:

"Hey! I'm not always timid..." she retorted defiantly before mumbling under her breath, "Only around you..."

She then pouted adorably and crossed her arms.

"Besides, if I can lead the Vampires, I can lead a play!" she glowered, which quickly broke down into laughter from the both us.

I knew just how well she could lead, and it was cute to hear her admit her feelings, albeit bashfully.

"Gods...she's precious," I muttered under my breath as I approached Aiden's room once more.

I was pleased to see that Jasmine was still there. She appeared to be reading a book of some kind, but set it down when I entered. Her smile was as radiant as the sun, and quite telling of her thoughts. She was like a cat, smug and knowing.

"So, how did it go?" she inquired as she stood and sauntered over to me, draping her arms around my neck, "Was she awake?"

"...You knew she'd wake up," I chided her lightly, but she simply shrugged coyly.

"Maybe," she said noncommittally, "Maybe not. I just knew you needed to relax, because when you first walked in here you were a bundle of nerves."

Her expression turned into one of genuine concerns, her eyes scanning me carefully. After a moment, she let out a satisfied sigh of relief.

"It seems it helped," she smiled lovingly, "You look much better now. Grey hairs or no."

"...Fine, I'll bring some of it back," I rolled my eyes with a playful smirk.

"No, it's fine," she laughed, running her fingers through my hair, "You still have a few, and you look good. Truly. Is Vanessa resting then?"

"Yeah, she fell asleep," I replied fondly, remembering her peaceful face when she passed out in my arms, "I stayed with her for a while to make sure, but she needs her rest."

"She does," Jasmine agreed, then turned a little curious, "So, why are you here if you still have something to do?"

I grew a little solemn as she asked this, taking her arms from around my shoulders and then taking her hands in mine. I took a deep breath and nodded towards Aiden.

"He's why I'm back," I told her, looking upon my sleeping boy, "It's been many years since the Cataclysm. When this started, he was just an infant. Because of his lineage and living in a state of half-life, he's aged incredibly slowly."

Saying this out loud really put it into perspective. Everything I had never really thought of before had all come back to me. Just how much time had been stolen not only from me, but from Aiden as well. Perhaps there was a way of giving that back to him somehow.

"Damn, that must....damn," she couldn't quite find the words, and honestly, I agreed.

"Damn, indeed," I nodded, leading Jasmine over to Aiden's side, "Anyways...Aiden's been the key this whole time. It was right in front of me, and I was just too blind to see it."

I explained to Jasmine everything that I had discovered. All the hidden answers. The truth about the Corruption and its origins. How Calli had sacrificed herself to save me. The truth about New Dawn and the reasons behind Crowley's motives, which she agreed with me about them being extremely petty.

All of that boiled down to informing her that Calli had given me the key all along.

"Aiden's heart," I carefully exposed his chest, revealing the writhing, glowing mass of violet-green energy where his heart should be, "It was clever of her. She gave me the answer all this time. Yet, I was too blind to realize it. He is my connection to her."

Jasmine was silent, though she didn't need to speak for me to know how she felt. Her arms tightened around my waist and hugged me comfortingly. She was being supportive and understanding. I appreciated it.

"I don't know how long this will take," I admitted quietly, "I need you to look after Vanessa while I'm gone. Inform everyone that this room is off limits until they hear from me."

"Alright, I'll tell them," she agreed, but I looked at her carefully so she understood.

"That means you as well, Jas," I was sure to put a little bit of authority in my voice, but not too much.

"Okay," she nodded, taking a deep breath, "I won't."

"I'm serious," I didn't break eye contact with her as I warned her, "I'm going to ward this room. Hopefully, it'll prevent people from entering, but mainly...it's for preventing anything from getting out. It'll be dangerous in here once I begin."

Jasmine looked into my eyes, seeing the conviction within. She was worried for me, but she understood. Tenderly touching my cheek, she gave me a soft smile and nodded.

"Be safe, Nick," she whispered to me, leaning up to kiss my cheek, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I replied, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, "I'll be back before you know it. I need to end this."

We parted there, our hearts resonating with each other. She supported me in everything I did and had been there by my side for a while now. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

As the door closed to the room, I waved my hand and the sound of a lock clicked into place. The room was silent. The world seemed almost...still. I wasn't running anymore. I wasn't fighting.

Though, the final confrontation was about to begin. The sun beamed from outside, filling the room with a soft golden glow. It was almost like a fog had been lifted on the world, but there was one more thing to do. I took a deep breath and stepped to my son's bedside.

"Hey, Aiden..." I reached for his hand and took it gently in mine, "I'm sorry I've taken so long. You never deserved any of this."

I leaned down and kissed his hand, feeling the coldness of his skin. Soon, it would have warmth again. I patted the back of his hand, tucking it back under the blanket. My gaze wandered to the wound upon his chest. The lock that Calli had put in place.

"Your mother has a lot to answer for," I told him with a light chuckle, "Honestly, I hope you take after your more Human side the Fae. Let's not cause too much trouble when you're older, yeah?"

I smiled lovely and tenderly brushed his hair from his eyes. I honestly didn't mind if he took after his mother more, though I would have to work on those Fae tendencies.

"Well, I guess it's time," I took another deep breath and gathered all of the power I had acquired over the years.

A strong aura of amber surrounded me, sparkling with golden light. I could feel my eyes glowing strongly as a myriad of runes began to trace themselves on every surface of the room. Concentric circles of varying colors with ancient words written between the lines. The whole room was aglow with power as I took my position.

I placed a hand over Aiden's chest and one over mine. Back when Callisto had taken his heart and I had shared mine, a connection was born between the realm of the living and dead. In other words, a pathway to Callisto's realm. However, it was currently locked because of my interference.

I hadn't ever noticed it because I was fighting to save him. I was trying to keep him alive and not be pulled into death. After all, my goal was to return him to life, and should I die...for him to receive my heart so that he might live. I never thought that I could use it as a doorway.

It was a tether that linked directly to Callisto. Even if I did notice it before, I realized that I wasn't strong enough until now. I wouldn't have been able to tear open the pathway and step into her realm. I would have been rent into oblivion. Something that even Callisto wouldn't be able to stop.

"It's ironic, though..." I mused, "In order to do this...I have to kill myself. The very thing you prevented me from doing so many times before..."

I shook my head at the ridiculousness of it. It wasn't true death, not really, but the fact she had kept me from dying all this time...the poetry of it was darkly beautiful in a strange way.

"Give myself to you..." I sighed, shaking my head, "You kept telling me the fucking answer. Yet, I refused. You knew I would. You pushed me to get stronger, and now that I'm here..."

I began to draw the energy from Aiden's chest, feeling it seep into my flesh. Its sickly violet-green energy coursing through me. I gritted my teeth, demanding control over it. I would not let it best me.

It was like fighting with an eel. Slippery and elusive. It was hard to pin down. I whispered ancient words of power that echoed in a thousand voices. I called the energy forth, ordering it obey. Finally, with amber chains, I wrenched the energy from Aiden's chest, leaving just a small bead of it to keep him alive, and the room was plunged in its light.

The portal was now open...I simply had to enter. Reaching towards the warbling mass of energy, I grasped it and steeled myself.

"I...will save you," I then plunged it deep within my chest, letting out a gasp as its cold embrace took me.

I felt my heart stop. The world went still, and all that surrounded me as my body fell to the floor...was a dark abyss filled with stars.

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