to escape with our
lives.”
“ Yes, but you did.” He
paused as he watched her thoughtfully. “I must thank
you.”
“ For?”
“ Saving Carolyn. Because
of your actions, she is able to move on and raise her son without
the threat of the demon. Also-” A smile lit up his face. “Vlad has
decided to take Carolyn into his protection.”
“ He has?” Nikki asked in
amazement. This was not like Vlad. “Why?”
Christian's expression
turned sheepish as he admitted the truth. “It's because of what I
did to save you.”
The image of him standing
before her in the flesh flashed through her mind. It was the most
impressive and yet, terrifying thing she'd ever seen. “How did you
do it?”
Christian shrugged. “It
happens from time to time.”
“ Christian...”
Her voice had taken a
warning tone and he looked doubtful. Then he sighed and turned away
from her to stare into the dazzling fire.
“ It's only happened once
before and at the time I'd felt a strong emotion. In that moment, I
became flesh like I was hundreds of years ago... like it was before
I died. It was for a few minutes and then I return to my ghostly
form as if it'd never happened.”
“ A strong emotion?” Nikki
thought about the scene with the demon. Christian had been so
upset. “Like anger?”
“ Anger is strong, but that
wasn't the emotion that made me become flesh in the warehouse.”
Christian finally looked at her and his face held an expression she
couldn't quite place. It gave her chills.
“ What was it?”
“ It was love.”
Nikki's heart felt as if
it were about to burst through her chest at those words. They were
the only thing that made sense in this crazy, mixed up situation.
She knew her feelings were deep for him. It was as close to love as
a vampire could possibly get. She couldn't speak, however, and
stared at him in open shock.
Christian glanced away
from her to look at the floor. “I know there is no chance for a
vampire and a ghost when it comes to love. I am unable to stay in
solid form and though you may not age, I am forever trapped in this
image. It would be unwise to care for me.”
“ I've never been wise.”
The words came from her, but she felt numb throughout her
body.
The ghost glanced up at
her with hope in his gaze. “Carolyn is going to give birth in a few
months. My soul will be reborn and in eighteen years, I will be
once more an adult.” He paused as if contemplating his next words.
“It would be selfish of me to ask this of you, Nicola, for you have
given so much already-”
“ Ask.” Nikki needed to
hear what he had to say.
Christian smiled somewhat
at her tone. “Would you wait for me, Nikki?”
Nicola was silent. Would
she wait for someone she barely knew? He was everything she wanted
and yet, she didn't know if she could wait around not knowing.
Christian watched her with anticipation, then worry, then sadness
on his face. The emotions passed by so fast that Nikki felt as if
she imagined them all. Then as despair finally found its place in
his features, Nikki spoke, “How do I know you will be the same
person you are now?”
“ Pardon?” Christian didn't
appear to understand her question.
“ You will be in an
entirely new body and raised in a new lifetime. How is it possible
that you will be the same man you are today? How will you remember
who I am to you?” Nikki tried her best to sound strong, but her
hope was wavering. There is no way he could still be Christian if
he were reborn in a new body.
Shaking his head,
Christian responded with one simple sentence. “The soul never
changes.”
Looking at him with
uncertainty, Nikki asked, “Are you sure?”
“ I am positive. I will be
reborn as a different man and yet, I will be the same.”
A grin broke across Nikki's
beautiful face. “I would wait for eternity if it meant a chance to
be with you. To really be with you, Christian.”
He floated across the feet
separating them without pause. Nikki watched in awe as
lives.”
“ Yes, but you did.” He
paused as he watched her thoughtfully. “I must thank
you.”
“ For?”
“ Saving Carolyn. Because
of your actions, she is able to move on and raise her son without
the threat of the demon. Also-” A smile lit up his face. “Vlad has
decided to take Carolyn into his protection.”
“ He has?” Nikki asked in
amazement. This was not like Vlad. “Why?”
Christian's expression
turned sheepish as he admitted the truth. “It's because of what I
did to save you.”
The image of him standing
before her in the flesh flashed through her mind. It was the most
impressive and yet, terrifying thing she'd ever seen. “How did you
do it?”
Christian shrugged. “It
happens from time to time.”
“ Christian...”
Her voice had taken a
warning tone and he looked doubtful. Then he sighed and turned away
from her to stare into the dazzling fire.
“ It's only happened once
before and at the time I'd felt a strong emotion. In that moment, I
became flesh like I was hundreds of years ago... like it was before
I died. It was for a few minutes and then I return to my ghostly
form as if it'd never happened.”
“ A strong emotion?” Nikki
thought about the scene with the demon. Christian had been so
upset. “Like anger?”
“ Anger is strong, but that
wasn't the emotion that made me become flesh in the warehouse.”
Christian finally looked at her and his face held an expression she
couldn't quite place. It gave her chills.
“ What was it?”
“ It was love.”
Nikki's heart felt as if
it were about to burst through her chest at those words. They were
the only thing that made sense in this crazy, mixed up situation.
She knew her feelings were deep for him. It was as close to love as
a vampire could possibly get. She couldn't speak, however, and
stared at him in open shock.
Christian glanced away
from her to look at the floor. “I know there is no chance for a
vampire and a ghost when it comes to love. I am unable to stay in
solid form and though you may not age, I am forever trapped in this
image. It would be unwise to care for me.”
“ I've never been wise.”
The words came from her, but she felt numb throughout her
body.
The ghost glanced up at
her with hope in his gaze. “Carolyn is going to give birth in a few
months. My soul will be reborn and in eighteen years, I will be
once more an adult.” He paused as if contemplating his next words.
“It would be selfish of me to ask this of you, Nicola, for you have
given so much already-”
“ Ask.” Nikki needed to
hear what he had to say.
Christian smiled somewhat
at her tone. “Would you wait for me, Nikki?”
Nicola was silent. Would
she wait for someone she barely knew? He was everything she wanted
and yet, she didn't know if she could wait around not knowing.
Christian watched her with anticipation, then worry, then sadness
on his face. The emotions passed by so fast that Nikki felt as if
she imagined them all. Then as despair finally found its place in
his features, Nikki spoke, “How do I know you will be the same
person you are now?”
“ Pardon?” Christian didn't
appear to understand her question.
“ You will be in an
entirely new body and raised in a new lifetime. How is it possible
that you will be the same man you are today? How will you remember
who I am to you?” Nikki tried her best to sound strong, but her
hope was wavering. There is no way he could still be Christian if
he were reborn in a new body.
Shaking his head,
Christian responded with one simple sentence. “The soul never
changes.”
Looking at him with
uncertainty, Nikki asked, “Are you sure?”
“ I am positive. I will be
reborn as a different man and yet, I will be the same.”
A grin broke across Nikki's
beautiful face. “I would wait for eternity if it meant a chance to
be with you. To really be with you, Christian.”
He floated across the feet
separating them without pause. Nikki watched in awe as
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