Elaine met Denise in the cemetery the next morning. The machines were already at work, digging into the earth.
"Denise, are you crazy?! Why are you doing this?! Why?!"
Denise looked at the headstone, then at Elaine.
"I have to know."
They were almost there. They could see a bit of the wooden casket already.
"Oh my God! I can't bear to look!" Elaine shrieked and turned the other way.
Now, the coffin was fully exposed and everyone saw the huge hole at the top. One of the workers jumped into the grave and broke the locks on the coffin. Then, he cautiously opened the lid that creaked every centimeter. He began to shovel out the dirt that filled the coffin.
"Mrs. McLean?" he said as he stared at the casket in shock. "There isn't a body in here!"
Elaine fainted. Denise looked at him and smiled.
"I knew it."
Denise decided she was going to look for AJ when night fell. She wasn't sure what he had turned into or what he was, but she didn't care. All she knew was that AJ was alive. She prayed to God for that miracle, even though she knew it was impossible. But God answered her prayers and returned AJ to her. It wasn't his time. She left the house at 10 PM. She wasn't sure where to look or if he would even appear, but she had to try. Denise figured the most reasonable place to search first was the cemetery since that was where she saw him, or rather thought she had seen him. She walked through the graveyard, alert and anxious. He was there. She could feel it.
"AJ? AJ, I know. I know you're alive. I know you're here. I can't understand how it happened, but I don't care. I just want to see you. Please."
The wind rustled the bushes and trees and the crickets chirped, but AJ still didn't reveal himself. Denise continued trying to coax him out of hiding.
"AJ, please. You don't know how much I suffered these past few weeks. I wanted to die." She began to cry softly. "I felt like I had nothing to live for. Please come out. I love you."
A gentle breeze blew from behind. She turned around. AJ stood there, dressed all in black, looking as handsome as ever. Denise's knees buckled, but she locked them to keep from fainting. She gasped and covered her mouth. She sobbed and cried tears of joy. AJ just stared at her with no expression on his face, not sure of how to react. She slowly walked towards him, trembling.
"AJ."
His face finally showed emotion and his bottom lip started quivering.
"Mom."
She staggered towards him, arms outstretched and he fell into them, holding her tight. They both fell to their knees, hugging each other and crying.
"Oh God, I thought I had lost you forever!"
"I'm sorry, Mom! I'm sorry for leaving you!"
"No, I'm sorry! It was my fault!"
"No! No, it wasn't!"
"Yes, it was! I shouldn't have let you go!"
"I chose to go!"
"I should've stopped you! In any way I could have! But it doesn't matter! You were given a second chance and this time I'm never letting you go! Never!"
They just held each other and said their "I'm sorry's" and "I love you's" for what seemed like an eternity.
Denise finally spoke up.
"Hey, maybe w-w-we should get i-i-inside. It's not very safe out here and I d-d-don't want to lose you again."
AJ nodded. She looked at him and smiled. She still couldn't believe he was there. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. He hugged her again and then stood up and helped her up.
"Let's go home."
They walked away with their arms around each other. They were about to get into the car, when-
"Alex?" a familiar voice called out. AJ and Denise turned around.
"Val! Umm, hi!"
Valencia's eyes shifted from AJ to Denise and then back to AJ. She looked confused.
"Umm, Val, this is my mom, Denise. Mom, this is Valencia, my, uh, sire."
"Sire?"
"Yeah. She's the one who, umm, made me."
"Made you? Into what?!"
"A vampire."
Denise stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open.
"Val, you can get in the car."
"I'll fly."
"Ok, then I'll meet you at our place. You can follow us."
AJ looked at Denise. She was still in shock.
"I think I'll drive," he said as he gently removed the car keys from her grasp.
AJ jumped into the driver's seat, while Denise slipped in beside him, still staring. Even when they were getting to the house, she was gaping. AJ saw her from the corner of his eye.
"Mom, can you please stop staring. You're making me nervous."
"Where are your fangs?"
" I'll explain everything once we get home, ok?"
"Ok."
"Ok."
They pulled into the driveway a few minutes later. Valencia was already waiting at the the back door. Denise was surprised.
"How did she---"
"She could fly. So can I. Come on."
They got out of the car and stepped up to her. Denise opened the door and stepped inside with AJ following behind.
"Val, you may come in."
"Thank you, Alex." She also stepped inside.
"You have a lovely home, Mrs. McLean," she commented as she looked around.
"Well, I, uh, thank you. Please, let's sit down in the living room and we can discuss this, this, umm, situation."
They walked into the living room. AJ sat on the big armchair, while Valencia and Denise sat on the sofa.
"S-s-so," began Denise, "you're vampires. Both of you."
"Yup."
"That is correct."
"Why? How did it happen?"
"Well---" both of them said at the same time.
"I'll tell her, Alex."
"Fine."
"Would you like to hear the whole story or a shortened version?"
"Everything and anything, if you don't mind."
"All right. Umm, it all started when I was walking down the shore."
She told the whole story, including everything about clans and such.
"So I took him back to Romania with me so I could guide him through his new life."
Denise tried to understand all of this.
"If you're supposed to be in Romania, why are you here?"
"Cause the bad guys are wreaking havoc here and we've come to kick their asses!" stated AJ.
"This is impossible! Clans, vampires?! I can't believe it! It's just so---"
"Mom, it's true! It's all true! I'm living proof! I know it's hard to swallow. I didn't believe at first either. But, here I am. I had to accept it. But you don't. I could just leave and pretend this never hap---"
"Oh, no! No, no, no!" She walked over to him. "I'll take you in any way, shape, or form! I love you!" She hugged him.
"I love you, too, Mom."
Valencia looked at the beautiful display of affection and felt jealousy. First of all because she wanted that mother/son relationship again so badly. She had it once and then it was taken away from her so unfairly. That should be her and Nicholae, but it will never be. Secondly, she had developed a strong, loving bond with AJ and now she felt as if she would lose that. Then she felt a pang of guilt. After all, this was AJ's mother. REAL mother. The woman who had given birth to him, raised him, loved him, cared for him, and ultimately buried him. She understood her pain from losing him and her happiness from finding him again. She shook those thoughts and foolish feelings out of her mind and realized that AJ had been calling her name for a while.
"Val?"
"Huh? What?"
"You spaced out on us. Are you ok?"
"Oh," she said with a melancholy tone, "Yes. I'm fine."
"All righty."
"So, Valencia, do you want something to drink?" offered Denise. "Can you drink something other than blood? Or else I'll wring out the meat or something if you'd like."
"No, that's quite all right. Water will be fine, thank you."
"I'll be right back."
Denise started to get up, but AJ stopped her.
"That's ok, Mom, I'll get it. You two ladies just sit here and chat. Leave the manual labor to me."
AJ got up and walked into the kitchen. Denise and Valencia just looked around the room, not sure of what to say to each other.
"So, do you have anymore children?" asked Valencia.
"No. It's just AJ."
"Oh."
"Do you? Have children, I mean."
"I did. One son, Nicholae. He was very much like Alex, same age and everything."
"Was?"
"Yes. He died a long time ago."
"I'm sorry. You have my sympathy and understanding."
"Thank you. But, I've learned that life goes on. After all, I've had over 500 years to accept it."
"500 years?! You don't look any older than thirty!"
"That's because I changed when I was thirty-one."
"Oh. That would explain it. Boy, I wish I had eternal youth."
"You don't want it, believe me. Be grateful that you have the chance to grow old and to live out your life. Alex and I will never have that."
"AJ will never die?"
"Hopefully not."
"But I will. Then, I'll never see him again."
"You never know. We're immortal, but not invincible."
AJ walked in with a glass of water and a cup of tea.
"Here ya go, Val. Have some tea, Mom."
"Thank you, Alex."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
He sat himself down on the armchair again.
"Mom? How are Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Oh, they were devastated! *gasp* Oh my God! I forgot to call them! I have to let them know that you're---"
"No! Don't!"
Denise looked at him.
"You're the only one who knows about me and I want to keep it that way. I don't want to risk anymore lives."
"B-b-but"
"Alex is right. It's bad enough that you know. We have to keep a low profile, for your sake."
"I don't quite understand, but all right."
"Thanks, Mom. I know it'll be hard, but when ever you're around them, you can't let them know I'm here. You have to act as if I'm still dead. Ok?"
"Well, that shouldn't be too hard. You are. Sort of."
"Just a little."
Valencia looked at the clock on the wall that read midnight.
"Umm, Alex? I'd hate to ruin the moment and all, but we still have to patrol and get back to the hotel before sunrise."
"Oh, yeah. Aww, nuts!"
"Hotel?"
"Yeah. We're staying at the Holiday Inn near the shore on Ocean Blvd. You should drop by sometime."
"No way!"
"Well, thanks, Mom, if that's the way you feel---"
"I won't have to because you two are staying right here!"
"We are?"
"Yes, you are. You in your own room and Valencia can stay in the guest room."
"Oh, Mrs. McLean, I couldn't possibly intrude---"
"Nonsense! You're not intruding! You are very welcomed here. After all, you brought my AJ back to me."
"Gosh, I missed my room! I'm gonna go and take a little peak at it."
AJ started up the stairs, followed by Denise. He flipped on the lights in his room and looked around.
"Wow! Everything is exactly the same as I left it! You didn't change a thing or anything!"
"Nope."
"I thought you would have given away like half my stuff by now! Why did you keep it? Were you expecting me to come back?"
"As a matter of fact, I was."
"Oh."
AJ looked at the ground and twirled the bottom of his shirt.
"Umm, we better get going."
He jogged back downstairs.
"Val, are you ready?"
"Yes."
"Where are you going?"
"Part of our duty as the virtuous force is to eliminate as many of the opposing side before they muster to obtain overwhelming odds against us in official battle."
"In other words, Mom, we have to walk around and kill all the bad guys in sight so there wouldn't be too many of them when we actually fight in the war."
"Oh. Do you have to?"
"Yes."
"Unfortunately."
"And there's nothing I can do to stop you?"
"No."
"Sorry."
She sighed. " Just be careful, ok? I want you home in one piece."
"Can I lose a finger?"
"AJ, that's not funny."
"Sorry. I'll be careful, Mom. Don't worry."
"That's what you said the first time and look what happened!" v "Yeah, but now I know what I'm up against! I promise this time. I WILL be back."
"Ok."
She hugged him good-bye and wished them both good luck.
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