Pater stepped close to the old woman and bent his head toward her neck, his incisors prominently displayed. Instead of recoiling as expected, Velda moved to meet the tall, thin vampire as if to embrace him. She laid one withered hand on his chest, so that he paused, his mouth against her skin. “I waited for you. There was no other in my life. There could be no other. I will grieve for you and hope that God has mercy on your soul.” She whipped up her other hand, concealed in the folds of her too large sweat pants, and attempted to drive the stake she held through Pater’s chest.
He threw back his head and howled, his hand clamping around Velda’s fragile wrist like a vise. Destiny used every ounce of remaining strength, drew on Nicolae for aid and leapt to her feet, shoving Velda’s arm hard, driving the stake deep into Pater’s heart. Destiny dragged the other woman backward, away from the flailing vampire. Pater screamed curses, spewing vile threats at the two women.
Velda’s small body was shaking. She pressed her hand to her mouth, took a step toward the vampire, her hand out, obviously wanting to comfort him. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. You gave me no other choice.”
“The only way to aid him is by giving him death,” Destiny said, trying to comfort Velda even as she protectively thrust the older woman behind her.
Pater whirled away from them, only to find Gregori standing behind him. He turned back to the women to find Nicolae blocking his way. Vikirnoff was to his right.
Destiny slipped her arm around Velda. “We have to go, right now.” She staggered as she tried to urge Velda back into the comparative safety of her home. “You don’t want to see this.”
Velda steadied Destiny, turned for one last look. Pater’s gaze locked with hers. Velda’s lips trembled. Destiny tugged at her, regaining the older woman’s attention. “Please, Velda, let them do their job.”
Velda burst into tears, a low cry of pain as she firmly closed the door, blocking out the wind and fog and death. “I felt him close by. He was meant for me. He was, Destiny. All these years I’ve been alone, waiting for him to come. And he is evil.”
Destiny sank into a chair, her legs no longer able to hold herself up. “I’m sorry, Velda, so sorry. He wasn’t always evil. There was a time in his life when he was a great man. I’m certain of it.”
Velda hung her head. “Why didn’t he find me?”
“I don’t know. I have no answer for you.”
“I could see the evil in him, as if he had rotted from the inside out. He embraced evil. Rejoiced in it. I looked for his heart and it was black. I looked for his soul and it was gone.” Velda pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. “All these years alone, and it was for him. One moment I saw it in his eyes, an awareness of what could have been, and he rejected it. I saw him reject it.”
“I’m so sorry, Velda.” Destiny didn’t know how to comfort her. “But thank you for having the courage to save my life.”
“I would have saved him had he let me.” Velda covered her face with her hands and sobbed as if her heart were broken.
“It was too late,” Destiny said softly. “He gave in a long time ago.”
Inez came out of the bedroom, frowning as she pulled at the cotton balls stuffed in her ears. “Whatever is going on? Velda. Dearest sister. You cannot cry like this. You’ll make yourself ill.” She slipped her arm around Velda’s shoulders and turned her attention to Destiny. “You need an ambulance. You’re soaked in blood.”
Nicolae came through the door without knocking. Destiny’s hungry gaze went to his face. Nicolae. Her sanity. Her white knight. Sorrow for Velda rose up to overwhelm her. We cannot leave her this way.
I will help her. Your strength is gone, and you’re severely injured.
She looked down at the blood soaking her shirt. Revulsion made her shudder. She was rotting from the inside out, just as Velda had said Pater had done.