Zen and the Art of Vampires

"Is that it?" a breathless voice asked behind me. I turned to see motes of light gathering in the air, reforming themselves into Marta. "Is that Ostri?"

"That's it. Where are the others?"

"Coming. It's so beautiful," she said, her voice filled with awe as she stared at the dusty portal.

"I guess it is." I couldn't help but smile as the other ghosts slowly re-formed themselves, all of them staring with identical expressions of unadulterated delight at their long-sought destination. "Before you go, I just want to thank you all for everything you've done. No matter what else has happened, or will happen, I'm truly pleased that you will be able to move on."

Dagrun clicked her tongue against her teeth and pushed forward, past the other ghosts, past where Frederic stood, past Kristoff and the still-unmoving Alec. "I'm not going to stay for the speeches. Farewell and all that." She stepped into the swirling mist and disappeared.

"Go ahead, all of you," I told the ghosts, turning back from their beatific smiles as they spoke good-byes before drifting into the vortex.

I had a job to do still, a horrible one that lay before me.

"Get to it, already," Denise ordered, jerking Magda forward another couple of steps.

"In tua luce videmus lucem," Frederic said, gesturing toward Kristoff. "Now is the time, Zorya, daughter of the moon. Draw on our strength. Channel the light that flows through you from the moon goddess mother to cleanse the abomination that lies before us. Right the wrongs."

The chanting increased in volume, filling me with a euphoric sense of lightness. The light increased in intensity, surrounding me with a corona of power that threatened to burst free and fill the entire hilltop.

Kristoff's gaze met mine, and for a moment, for a second, I was possessed with the absolute knowledge that I could end his suffering. It would be humane. It would be quick. It would be… unjust.

"Ulfur?" I asked, struggling to rein back the light that wanted so desperately to pour forth.

"Here."

The air rippled behind Denise.

"Now," I said, spinning around to face the two women. Ulfur materialized, throwing himself forward onto Denise, knocking the gun from her hand as Magda was sent flying with a startled cry.

I gathered the light and yelled as I flung it at Denise, "This is for Anniki!"

The light hit her with the impact of a sledgehammer, flinging her backward at least a dozen feet.

Frederic froze for a second, then leaped at me, his face twisting in hate. "If you will not use the light, then I will!"

A sharp burning pain bit deep into my side. I stared down in horror to see him pulling the knife from my side. The blade glistened with blood, but glowed with a pure white light that faded from me even as I watched.

Frederic whirled and ran toward Kristoff. Denise, still struggling with Ulfur, screamed an order to kill me. Magda picked up a rock and slammed it on her head, pointing beyond me and yelling.

Alec had risen to his feet, the right side of his body still rather gruesome, but miraculously partly healed. He lunged forward, knocking Mikael aside in a desperate attempt to free Kristoff's hands.

Greta shot him three times in the chest, sending Alec to his knees.

I knew with absolute certainty that Frederic was going to plunge the light-drenched dagger into Kristoff's heart, and I had no power left to stop him.

I acted without thinking. I leaped forward, throwing myself toward Kristoff, screaming, "No!"

Frederic raised the dagger high in both hands, chanting in a high, strange voice, "In tua luce videmus lucem!" before jerking his hands down.

The knife bit into my back as I landed on top of Kristoff. Alec hauled himself to his feet, still frantically trying to free Kristoff's hands despite the fact that Greta continued to empty her gun into him.

Pain blossomed slowly as I lifted my head, a hot glow spreading out from the blade in slow waves of heat that quickly picked up intensity.

Shouts rang out through the trees, familiar voices calling to Kristoff and Alec.

"The light must have faded," I told Kristoff, who lay prone beneath me, the waves of heat starting to make thinking difficult. "I told you to have faith in me."

"I do," he said, the lovely teal of his eyes burning bright.

Frederic screamed as the vampires reached him.

Magda rushed over to me, gasping at the knife that I knew was protruding from my back. "Dear god in heaven, Pia. Dear god!"

"I'm all right," I said, my voice a croak as hands helped me off Kristoff and the stone. My head was swimming, but I made an effort to clear it. Alec, after having kicked the gun from Greta, sent her flying into Rowan's waiting arms, and staggered toward me, grabbing me in a careful but tight embrace.

"My love, my brave love. It is all over, my Beloved. Do not cry, it is over."

I wasn't crying, but I was shaking with the aftereffects of having been twice stabbed. I didn't complain, however, as Alec cradled me, murmuring words of comfort.