Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [110]
Marielle sighed. If only Connor had stayed.
The next night, Marielle wandered through the garden at Romatech. Her eyes felt dry as sand from too much crying. Her heart thudded with a constant throb of pain.
For the first time in her existence, she understood the pain of mourning. Before, she took souls to heaven, and it was a time of joy and reunion.
Now she felt the separation. Sharp and severe. Father Andrew was truly gone from this world.
And where was Connor? Was he alone and suffering? Had he retreated into his black pit of despair and remorse?
She walked through the rose garden, plucking a rose here and there. The other Vamps and shifters had gone on to their homes. She had spent the night at Romatech. Shanna had given her a room in the basement, for she had nowhere else to go.
She found a cement bench beneath a tree and sat. Her heart ached for all her new friends who were grieving. Her heart ached for Connor. Why didn’t he contact her? Didn’t he know she loved him, and he didn’t need to suffer alone?
“How are you?” Shanna asked as she approached.
Marielle sighed. “Tired of crying.”
“I know how you feel.” Shanna collapsed beside her on the bench. “It’s Saturday night, and there’s no Mass. What will we do without Father Andrew?”
“I picked these flowers for him.” Marielle lifted the bouquet.
“They’re lovely. We’ll put them in a vase in the chapel.”
She lowered the bouquet, and her shoulders slumped. “They’re still alive. They didn’t turn brown and die.”
Shanna regarded her curiously. “Were you expecting them to?”
Marielle nodded. “That’s what used to happen when I was a Deliverer.”
“You’re no longer an angel of death?”
Tears stung her eyes. Not again. “I don’t think I’m an angel at all.”
Shanna drew in a sharp breath, then rested a hand on Marielle’s back. “I’m so sorry.”
Marielle wiped a tear away.
“Is it so terrible to be human?” Shanna asked.
“It’s . . . hard.”
“I know, sweetie.” Shanna rubbed her back. “You don’t think you can go back to heaven?”
Marielle sighed. “Zackriel said it was possible.”
“Well, there, you see!” Shanna smiled. “You mustn’t give up hope.”
“I had thought that helping to defeat Casimir would get me back to heaven, but I was wrong. Zackriel said I could go back if I really wanted to, but I don’t know how.”
Shanna’s eyes narrowed. “If you really want to. Maybe that’s the problem.” She gave Marielle a pointed look. “Do you really want to?”
A chill skittered down her spine, and her skin pebbled with gooseflesh. Good heavens. Was it doubt that was keeping her earthbound? No, not doubt.
Love. Love for Connor.
Sunday night, shortly after sunset, Marielle woke to a banging on her bedroom door at Romatech. She peered outside and found Angus and Emma.
“Connor just called,” Angus told her. “He wants me to take you to him.”
“Oh.” Her heart lurched.
“Dress quickly,” Emma said. “You need to leave right away.”
“Yes! Yes, of course.” She shut the door and ran to the bathroom. Connor wanted to see her! She washed her face, brushed her teeth and hair, and tossed on some clean clothes that Shanna had given her. She stuffed her feet into shoes, grabbed her jacket, and ran into the hallway.
“Good.” Angus grabbed her around the waist. “I have to teleport you there.”
“Good luck,” Emma said with a worried look.
“Is something wrong?” Marielle asked.
Angus sighed. “He dinna sound good on the phone. Hold on to me, lass.”
She grabbed his shoulders. “Where are we going?”
“Connor’s home in Scotland,” Angus replied, then everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-six
Marielle ran across a pasture in the moonlight. Angus had dropped her off by a large house of gray stone. Then he had pointed north.
“Connor said he would be at the henge. That way, over the hill.” Angus gave her a worried look. “I’ll come back tomorrow night to make sure ye’re all right.” He vanished.
Marielle was gasping for air by the time she reached the hill. It was chilly here in Scotland, but the run had warmed her up. She climbed the hill, wading through heather