Of the Blood

by Joshua Laack

Chapter 39

  Salem took them to the airport and purchased them tickets on the first flight home. Andrew didn't even notice anything around him. He only had eyes for Johari. From the airport, Johari called Paul to update him on what had happened here. Andrew wondered if he would soon get the chance to meet Paul as a fellow immortal and to thank him for what he had done for Andrew's mother. If not soon, Andrew realized that they both had plenty of time and he was sure that at some point, he would get the chance.

  They talked for a moment, and then she hung up the phone. Andrew wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to the conversation or to the things around him. He was just reveling in being alive and in being with her. She sat beside him for a moment as they were waiting to board the plane, and then she shook her head.

  “How do you do it,” she asked? Andrew glanced over at her beautiful face.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have been around for nearly eight hundred years. I was convinced that I had seen everything that I would see after only two hundred of those years. That belief held true for all of the next six hundred years. All I ever saw was the repeat of things that I had already seen. Humans and Blood existing the same as they always had since their beginnings. Sure there were new inventions and new ideas, but the reactions of humans and of Blood to their surroundings has remained unchanged. I always knew what to expect. Yet, after all that time, you show up in my life and manage to surprise me when you are still just a human. Then, you continue to do it as an immortal. I can't turn around without you doing something amazing and unbelievable.” She leaned over and gripped him tight within her arms. Then the real reason for her words came out. “I thought he was going to kill you,” she whispered. “I thought I was going to lose you and then, somehow, you moved faster than the fastest being I have ever known. So fast that most, including myself didn't even see you move.”

  “I guess he wasn't as fast as you thought,” Andrew replied with a grin. Johari smiled and shook her head.

  “I guess not.” There was silence for a moment and then they began to call the first passengers to board the plane. They stood up, waiting to be called. At the other end of this flight was home. That sounded amazing, peace and a long life to enjoy it. Of course, that thought jinxed the whole thing.

  Salem was standing beside them once more.

  “Please, Tabitha begs you to return. It is not as over as we had believed.” A feeling of dread rushed through Andrew once more as the undertone of Salem's words flowed through him. Demons, lots of them and if Tabitha needed their help, it was worse than he could imagine. He didn't want to risk his life again, and he didn't want Johari to risk hers. He just wanted to spend eternity with her, but how could he turn his back on the world when he now had the strength to do something to save it? Not to mention, if the demons won here, they would be after them soon too, no matter where they were.

  “Of course we will come,” replied Johari. She paused and looked at Andrew as she realized that this may not be the same decision he had come to. He smiled at her and took her hand, and then they followed Salem back to face their demons.