Chapter 11

Nick pulled her head into his neck and petted her hair, "Sherl. This is the only thing I could ever promise you. I would never do that. Death is better than this dark life. I promise you I would never, ever change you."

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Kevin stood to the side as AJ picked the lock to the hotel room door. There had been no answer and Kevin wanted to make sure the room was empty. Since he had gotten this close to finding Nick, he wasn't going to make any mistakes now.

AJ stood up and smiled, "There isn't any door that will stop me."

"Okay, you take care of Nick while I take care of Sherl," Kevin said.

"What exactly are you going to do? I'm still in the dark about this whole thing," AJ asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You'll see. Believe me, you'll enjoy this one," Kevin said slyly.

Kevin quietly turned the doorknob and threw open the door. He and AJ stormed in. The hotel room was empty as the apartment they had broken into only a few days earlier.

"Fuck!" Kevin roared.

"I can't believe they would risk going into the public," AJ said.

"I will find them and wring Nick by the throat tonight!' Kevin hissed, his eyes blazing, his fangs shining.

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Sherl tried to take in as much of the city as she could. She knew they must return to the hotel soon. Every minute they spent out in public, the more they were at risk of Kevin finding them. Nick put his arm around her waist as they crossed the huge public square. There was a festival being held and there was barely any room to move.

Nick and Sherl stopped for a moment to observe the activity. Nick stood behind Sherl with his arms wrapped around her. She sighed contentedly. For a moment, she felt she and nick were a normal couple. A small smile spread across her lips and she turned to face him.

"What?" he asked looking down on her.

"Nothing, just this," she said and reached up to kiss him. Her lips met his and she leaned her body into him. Nock's kisses had a passion Sherl had never experienced. She always wanted to be with him no matter what the circumstances were.

A pair of hands gripped her arms and violently pulled her backwards. She opened her eyes to see Nick struggling with AJ. "No!" she started to scream but her mouth was quickly covered.

"Don't make a sound or I'll snap your neck right here. I don't care who sees," she heard Kevin say, his cold breath against her neck.

"Let her go!" Nick said through gritted teeth.

"Nick, ifyou ever want to see Sherl again, I suggest you let me give the orders," Kevin sneered. He wrapped one arm around Sherl's waist and started to lead her through the crowd. AJ followed with Nick, twisting his arm behind his back.

Kevin snaked through the crowd to the cathedral on one side of the square. He opened the heavy wooden doors and pushed Sherl inside. AJ pulled Nick in and slammed the doors shut. The bolt slid home with a resounding thud. The sound echoed through the vast cathedral.

Grabbing her from behind, Kevin wrenched Sherl's head over to one side, exposing her neck. His fangs bared and his green eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim light. Nick struggled against AJ but his effort was futile.

"Now. You have two choices, Nick. I suggest you take the first one," Kevin hissed.

"What do you want you motherfucker!" Nick snarled, fangs flashing. He narrowed his yellow eyes.

"I want you Nick. I know why you left me. You're lonely. You need a sister," Kevin said.

"Don't even think about it," Nick said.

"You create Sherl and she'll live. Else, she will die," Kevin said, cracking an evil grin.

"And what do you get?" Nick said.

"I get your innocence; I extinguish what is left of your humanity," Kevin said, his grin spreading even more.

"And what if I don't create her," Nick asked.

"Then she dies," Kevin said simply.

"I will never change her. If I did, I'd become just like you," Nick said. He kept trying to break free from AJ's grasp. AJ only tightened his grip even more.

Kevin turned Sherl to face him; "It was nice having you around." He tore into her flesh, sucking her blood with every ounce of strength he had. Nick screamed and clawed at AJ. Blood tears streamed down his face.

Kevin raised his head, his face stained with Sherl's blood. Her body hung limp in his arms. Nick collapsed to the floor into a sobbing heap. He knew he could change her but he had promised he never would. Nick clutched at his chest as it felt like his heart was being ripped out.

Kevin walked over to Nick and dropped Sherl in front of him. "Change her. Create a new vampire," Kevin said.

"No, I won't do it," Nick said between sobs. He was answered by a kick in the ribs from Kevin.

"Why won't you do it!" Kevin screamed. "What do you owe humanity!'

"Fuck off," Nick said.

"Fine, you fucking pussy! I'll do it!" Kevin roared and picked Sherl's head up. He ripped open his own wrist and let the blood flow into Sherl's mouth.

Nick leapt up and pushed Kevin over, his head cracking against the stone floor. "You'll never have her!" Nick screamed and knocked Kevin's head against the floor again. Before Nick could do anymore, AJ grabbed him in a headlock and pulled him off Kevin. Kevin crawled back over to Sherl and pulled her head up to his chest. He was ready to slash open another wound across his pectoral muscle when he stopped. Kevin looked up at the closed cathedral door with a frightened look.

Nick stopped struggling against AJ. AJ even let go of his hold on Nick. The air grew very still. Not even the candles above the altar flickered.

Like a dynamite blast, the cathedral doors splintered inward. The booming sound was so loud; Nick was forced to cover his ears. Kevin shielded his face with his arms. He slowly lowered them to what had blown the doors open. As the dust settled, a figure was silhouetted in the doorway. The moonlight shone through long flowing locks. Kevin swallowed thickly, "Terri?"

"I always asked you to call me 'Mother," she said stepping into the golden light of the cathedral. "But then you never did obey me, did you?"

"What are you here for?" Kevin asked quietly, not moving from his spot.

"To stop you. I cannot save Nick but I can save Sherl. You don't just create vampires because you want to, Kevin. There's more to it. You used your gift carelessly," Terri said. She turned to see Howie step into the cathedral. He moved to Nick and helped him up. AJ looked from Howie to Terri and then back again. Without another glance, he turned and bolted from the cathedral.

"Kevin, let Nick and Sherl go. Come with me. Let's try to make up for what you've gone through. Let me comfort you, my son," Terri said softly, extending her hand.

Kevin looked at her hand. His face worked with emotion. He started to move his own hand towards her but then stopped.

"No! I'm sick of people telling me what to do!" he screamed. He picked Sherl up and ran to the altar. He laid her down and bit once more into his wrist. Terri was behind him within a few breaths. She grabbed a handful of his hair and wrenched his head back.

"Damnit Kevin! I'm tired of you and your insolence. Now let her go or I will destroy you," Terri roared into his face.

"You'll have to kill me before I bow to your wishes," Kevin said defiantly.

Terri looked into his eyes, she caressed his cheek, "I made a mistake by bringing you into this dark world. To make things right, I will take you out of it." She grabbed Kevin by both of his shoulders and threw him into the bank of prayer candles. Kevin crashed through it, hot wax covering his clothes and body. The melted wax instantly ignited, engulfing his body in flames. Terri watched tears streaming down her face. Nick and Howie were silent as Kevin's body turned to ash.

Terri turned back to Sherl. She pushed Sherl's hair out of her face and tried to wipe away some of the blood.

"You love her, Nick?" she asked.

"Yes, Terri, I do," Nick said.

"It would be wrong to change her," Terri said.

"Yes, I would rather her die than have her become a vampire. I can't do that to her. It would be shelfish and conceited," Nick said.

"Then you would be exactly like Kevin," Howie said speaking up.

"We can still try to save her. Trust me, Nick," Terri said. Nick only nodded. Terri opened her wrist and let a minute amount of blood flow between Sherl's lips.

"Nick, Howie, that should be enough to get let to the hospital. Let the humans take her from there," Terri said.