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The following day, we bid farewell to Zuzanna which she replied by handing us a plastic bag filled with cucumber sandwiches made by her at the crack of dawn. We entered the airport in Bra?ov early morning, ready to fly to the US in a couple of hours. The airport gave me a sense of nostalgia. The last time I walked through it, I was but an innocent young woman who knew nothing of what was expected of her. Now, I had a baby in my arms and was accompanied by a vampire while on the run from my murderous husband. It couldn’t get crazier.
We went through all the required checkups, but something kept gnawing at me. The constant fear of being followed never left me. I scrutinized everyone in our close vicinity. When I looked at Kira, she kept doing the same. She probably felt as restless as I did. We walked to the officer who checked all passports. First, the officer took mine and Athena’s. I stood with my breath frozen in my lungs until I heard the positive response to go ahead, but he had yet to return our passports. Then it was Kira’s turn. The officer examined her, took her passport, and left.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“He might need to check with a higher-up. Sometimes that happens,” Kira said, but I could see her demeanor changing.
In a matter of minutes, two large men grabbed her arms from behind and dragged her out of there.
“What’s happening?” I asked. “Why are you doing this to her?”
“Do not worry. Everything will be well,” said Kira, but not she nor I believed her words.
The massive brutes didn’t even react. I turned to the officer in the booth. He handed me our passports. Inside it, I noticed a paper note. It said, “Leave now, Milady. Before things get worse.”
I looked at the officer in bewilderment, who didn’t move a muscle on his face. I shoved the passports in my bag and ran to the other side of the airport.
How did the officer know who I was? And why didn’t they take Athena and me as well? If Gabriel was behind this, then why didn’t he pursue his plan of killing Athena and, consequently me? Was it because he didn’t want to hurt me?
The number of questions swirling through my mind made me dizzy. Good thing Athena slept peacefully in my baby carrier. I sat on one of the benches and exhaled a deep breath. “What next?” I whispered. Then I remembered the letter. Maybe I could find some meaning in it. I was sure Gabriel took the other ones, but why did he leave this one?
I took the letter out of the envelope and opened it. The title of the letter was 1759, and it read:
“This is another year of the comet, my love. So many things have happened since the last time I wrote you. Few humans live to seventy years, but for me, it is just a reminder of how much I have left to see you again. Three more comets must pass till my wish is fulfilled.
During the past years, I traveled the world until I decided to settle in the English countryside for a while. But no matter where I lay my head at night, I continue to fantasize about where we would travel together once you arrive. Or maybe we would choose a place to call home and make our family bigger. I imagined you running after our son or daughter as they squealed with joy at the chase. I imagined myself becoming their safe haven but also their carousel of fun.
Sadly, I cannot gift you kids. It is the price I paid to be with you, and I would do it all over again. In their place, I had fostered many young men and women when they became vampires. And though having one of our own would be wonderful, I could imagine we could adopt the sweetest little baby girl and spoil her rotten.
Ah, my love, the dreams I have to keep my heart warm at night. Though it is not easy to live so, I yearn for you day and night. The only reason that keeps me going is knowing you are safe in the vacuum of time and that one day I will see you once more.
I miss you. I love you.
Your Gabriel.”
The letter made me cry, and being in the middle of an airport didn’t make things better. It reminded me of the Gabriel I used to know. Though his words were sad, there was light emanating from them. Hope that everything will be okay. It also said he wanted kids. If not of our own, then adopted. Then why the sudden change? What had happened? The moment he found out about my pregnancy, his behavior became so peculiar. But then he returned to his old self, only to disappear after I gave birth. There had to be a reason behind all of it. Something I assumed Vedoma had a part in. I didn’t know how and why. Gabriel let the enemy in our bed, so there was no doubt in my mind, the witch was somehow involved. It was now up to me to figure out how. But I couldn’t do anything if my little bun stayed with me. I hoped my parents would help, at least, till I could find some answers. Mr. Iglesias could help me with the details as I assume they have followed Gabriel for many years now. Be it to find a way to harvest his blood or find more information about Gabriel and Vedoma’s illegal art dealings.
My trip to America had to elucidate some of my concerns. Or at least, I hoped it would. Out of nowhere, my phone rang. Weird. Only a few people knew my phone number. When I checked it, it was a text message from Gabriel. For a few seconds, I hesitated to open it. What if he had something hurtful to say? But what if it concerned Athena? I had to find out. The text message said: “I hope you are well, my love. I am sorry you have to fly commercial, but I believe it is best for you and Athena. Now it is a great opportunity for your parents to meet their granddaughter. But once you spend enough time with them, would you consider returning back to me? I miss you. Gabriel.”
Gabriel knew I was at the airport. Of course, he did. He was the one who ordered to detain Kira, and he was the one who gave me the note. But why didn’t he try to stop me? Does he truly believe I will return to him? After everything he has done? Gabriel let me go to convince me to return to him. His plan had failed. No one in their right mind would return to a killer. I wished to believe Gabriel was the bad guy, but the letter didn’t let me. What about the other letters? Why did Gabriel take those? The questions seemed to pile up but with no resolution in sight. Just confusion. I looked at my sweet, little bun, drifting into a deep slumber. How could one want to hurt such an angel? The thought of it made me shiver and made my eyes well up.
Suddenly, the airport voice asked all the passengers to embark on the plane. I hid the letter in my duffle bag, wiped my tears, and headed toward hopefully a new beginning.
Chapter 27
Once I arrived at the Spokane airport, I realized I hadn’t called my parents. The phone number I had worked only for European countries. My only solution was to get a taxi and go straight to their house.
After I paid the taxi driver, I took the duffle bag and went to knock on my parents’ door. Unfortunately, they weren’t home. No surprise there. It was the middle of the day. Both of them were at work. Somehow my exhausted body and soul hoped it would find their support straight away. “Nothing is ever like I imagine it would be.”
I sat on the porch stairs and leaned my head onto the wooden rail. Sleep took me away in an instant. Athena had other ideas of how things should go, so she immediately expressed her intentions. I prepared her a bottle, and she calmed pretty quickly.
“I wish things were as straightforward as eating a tasty meal,” I said to her.
I looked at the time on my phone. It barely struck noon. Mom and Dad usually planned on coming home around six. Great. Just great. After Athena finished the bottle, we both let sleep whisk us to lands better than the real one.
“What are you doing here?” A voice from the dream said. Then I realized it was Mom’s voice. I opened my eyes and saw her.
