hasn’t been destroyed. Time and place are fluctuating in her mind. We think that’s why she kept saying ‘Burghausen.’ She wanted to be brought here…to where she thinks is still home. When you and your friend take her back to Italy, we’ll give you the tools you need to keep helping her, but you’ve got to be delicate. And keep that delicacy in mind when you see her in a moment. Be careful what you say; introduce reality only sporadically. Do you understand?”
“I do. Nicholas is going to die, very soon.”
Jasmin motioned to the other German vampires to back away.
“You may see her now. She’s in what used to be the garden. Thankfully, all the bodies were buried by the locals after your team left. Now, when you reach the remains of the garden, remember, don’t overreact, and don’t be overly emotional. Act normal. It’s just like waking a sleepwalker.
“There is a friend of hers, and yours I believe, with her at this moment. Your friend, who has also been given instructions in how to care for your wife, will travel with you back to Italy. Good luck.”
Ryker stood and, making his way toward the former Southern Garden, felt sympathetic pats on his back from the German coven. The dark of the castle looked even more so under a starless night sky. The bodies were, indeed, gone, but Burghausen, a burnt shadow of its former self, haunted the landscape, like a great life that had, prematurely, been left to die.
Walking through the remains of the great carcass, Ryker came to where the greenhouse once stood, the colorful varieties of living flora having been replaced dark emptiness and death. Sitting inside, was a blonde woman, who Ryker, at first, mistook for his wife.
Then he saw, standing near the chipped remnants of the central fountain, Annelise. She turned, and locked eyes onto him. He paid no attention to the other woman.
“Ryker, honey,” she said, her voice strained, not yet full as it should be, “have you seen this? All the plants are beginning to wilt. Do you know why? Do you think we can bring them back?”
The Dane turned his back to her, not wanting her to see the uncontrollable sobbing that exploded out of him. Suddenly, he felt her hand on his back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Is it the plants? I think they may be okay. The just need some extra love and care.”
“No,” he mustered, turning back around. “It’s not the plants. And yes, I do believe we can bring them back to where they once were. Stronger than before, more beautiful than ever. You’re right; we can save them, save anything, or anyone, with extra love and care.”
“That’s good. By the way, have you seen LillyAnna? I can’t find her. I can’t find anyone. Where is everybody?”
“I’m glad you asked,” he said, his brain racing to think of what to say next. “Everyone’s in Italy…on vacation. You and I were still packing, so I told them to go ahead. They’re all waiting for us, for you, there, in Venice. Are you ready to go?”
“Oh, yes, I’d love to go to Italy. Even the children are there?” He watched her begin to drift. “The children…save the children. Save the children.”
“Yes,” said Ryker, putting his palm to her cheek, trying to bring her back. “Liam and Mara are there. And LillyAnna. She’s waiting until you get there to go shopping. She won’t go without you.”
“I’d love to go. By the way, you remember Katarzyna, don’t you?”
Ryker suddenly remembered there was another woman in the garden, still sitting only feet from him.
“Katarzyna? Yes, I do remember her. I mean, you.” He reached his hand out in a gentlemanly gesture to help the woman to her feet. “I haven’t seen you in years.”
“Seventy-two, to be exact,” she said. “Not since you and your wife helped my country when we were invaded by the Nazis.”
“That was a very difficult time for Poland, and you, if I recall. You had been turned not long before, and we met when we heard about the
“I do. Nicholas is going to die, very soon.”
Jasmin motioned to the other German vampires to back away.
“You may see her now. She’s in what used to be the garden. Thankfully, all the bodies were buried by the locals after your team left. Now, when you reach the remains of the garden, remember, don’t overreact, and don’t be overly emotional. Act normal. It’s just like waking a sleepwalker.
“There is a friend of hers, and yours I believe, with her at this moment. Your friend, who has also been given instructions in how to care for your wife, will travel with you back to Italy. Good luck.”
Ryker stood and, making his way toward the former Southern Garden, felt sympathetic pats on his back from the German coven. The dark of the castle looked even more so under a starless night sky. The bodies were, indeed, gone, but Burghausen, a burnt shadow of its former self, haunted the landscape, like a great life that had, prematurely, been left to die.
Walking through the remains of the great carcass, Ryker came to where the greenhouse once stood, the colorful varieties of living flora having been replaced dark emptiness and death. Sitting inside, was a blonde woman, who Ryker, at first, mistook for his wife.
Then he saw, standing near the chipped remnants of the central fountain, Annelise. She turned, and locked eyes onto him. He paid no attention to the other woman.
“Ryker, honey,” she said, her voice strained, not yet full as it should be, “have you seen this? All the plants are beginning to wilt. Do you know why? Do you think we can bring them back?”
The Dane turned his back to her, not wanting her to see the uncontrollable sobbing that exploded out of him. Suddenly, he felt her hand on his back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Is it the plants? I think they may be okay. The just need some extra love and care.”
“No,” he mustered, turning back around. “It’s not the plants. And yes, I do believe we can bring them back to where they once were. Stronger than before, more beautiful than ever. You’re right; we can save them, save anything, or anyone, with extra love and care.”
“That’s good. By the way, have you seen LillyAnna? I can’t find her. I can’t find anyone. Where is everybody?”
“I’m glad you asked,” he said, his brain racing to think of what to say next. “Everyone’s in Italy…on vacation. You and I were still packing, so I told them to go ahead. They’re all waiting for us, for you, there, in Venice. Are you ready to go?”
“Oh, yes, I’d love to go to Italy. Even the children are there?” He watched her begin to drift. “The children…save the children. Save the children.”
“Yes,” said Ryker, putting his palm to her cheek, trying to bring her back. “Liam and Mara are there. And LillyAnna. She’s waiting until you get there to go shopping. She won’t go without you.”
“I’d love to go. By the way, you remember Katarzyna, don’t you?”
Ryker suddenly remembered there was another woman in the garden, still sitting only feet from him.
“Katarzyna? Yes, I do remember her. I mean, you.” He reached his hand out in a gentlemanly gesture to help the woman to her feet. “I haven’t seen you in years.”
“Seventy-two, to be exact,” she said. “Not since you and your wife helped my country when we were invaded by the Nazis.”
“That was a very difficult time for Poland, and you, if I recall. You had been turned not long before, and we met when we heard about the
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