Seven months after the accident that brought Kerrie over to the vampire side of life, the band had finished its latest album and headed out on tour. Lyra tagged along, staying with Sav because Paige had finally given up on him and moved out. Kerrie stayed with Vivian all the time because she was terrified something might happen to him while she wasn’t around. Bobbi was with Joe, though she knew nothing about the vampires she was staying with. And Cyra was along with Rick, having one hell of a good time.

Rather than hire in a new guitarist for the tour, they came up with a plan to keep their little secret safe. All shows were scheduled to start after sunset and Steve would take Phil’s place on stage. He dyed his hair and wore it tied back in a ponytail. The fans were told his name was Clark Mays, a shortened version of his middle name. Publicity was minimal around Steve appearing with them, saying he was simply playing with them on tour to do the extra parts that Vivian had written in the studio. In reality, Steve and Phil had both worked on the album and taken no credit for it. They’d just come in to have a little fun. Phil had stayed back at the coven house with Leesha, figuring he hadn’t been ‘dead’ long enough to be seen around the band.

Lyra was jumpy on the ninth night of the tour, looking around and wondering what was wrong. Steve kept complaining about hearing a slight grinding noise somewhere, but no one could track it down. And Kerrie, Lisel and Cyra were all out of sorts, a feeling in the air that something terrible was about to happen. The band could see there was something wrong with all their vampire companions, but no one knew what to do about it. Finally, Joe and Sav cornered her and asked, “Lyra, what’s going on, luv?”

“I’m not sure or I’d tell you,” she answered honestly. “You remember how everyone was out of it the night Viv and Kerrie had their accident?”

“Yeah,” Joe said slowly. “Why?”

“Cuz it feels just like that,” Lyra said quietly. “Something’s going to go really wrong tonight, I can feel it!”

“Jesus, it’s too late to cancel the show,” Sav said in frustration. He started to pace around the backstage area as Joe asked quietly, “Can you tell which one of us it will be?”

“No!” Lyra said, nearly in tears with her own aggravation. She looked up and saw Cyra prowling around the stage, looking it over as thoroughly as inhumanly possible. She walked slowly over to Lyra and the others and said, “Listen, stick close to the stage for tonight’s show. Something’s, well.....”

“I know. I’ll stay on Sav’s side and you can take Steve’s,” Lyra answered. “That way at least one of us can get out there as quickly as possible.” She stood up and pulled Sav into her arms, whispering softly into his ear, “I won’t let anything happen to you, luv. Or any of the others.” She kissed him gently, trying to sooth away his restless nerves and it seemed to work a bit. At least he wasn’t quite as upset as before. Joe came over and slipped his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck before heading back to get ready for the show.

As the band took the stage, Cyra and Lisel took up their posts on Steve’s side of the stage while Lyra and Kerrie sat just behind the curtain on Sav’s side. Cyra moved further back, so she could reach Rick quickly. Steve didn’t really need her as much as the mortals he shared the stage with.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until about two thirds of the way into the show. Then all the vampires started hearing the grinding noise Steve had mentioned during the sound check. He was still playing, but Lyra could see him look up at the lighting rig suspiciously. Sav and Vivian were on Lyra’s side of the stage just as the grinding over her head got loud enough to be heard by mortals over the music. She looked up and saw someone climbing the rig, trying to tighten it back up. The technician took one wrong step and Lyra saw the rig start to come down, headed straight for Vivian and Sav.

Lyra didn’t even have time to yell for Kerrie to help her, she just darted out onto the stage and threw herself at an unaware Sav. He’d only just started to hear the sound as Lyra’s body slammed into him, pushing him down on his face five foot from where he’d been standing. Then he felt a searing pain as the rig crashed down across his lower legs. Lyra took the worst of the impact, but Sav could tell one of his legs was broken. Flinching in pain, he turned towards her even though his leg was pinned under the rig. She was looking at him, trying to see if he was okay. He nodded at her slowly, then whispered, “I think my leg’s busted, Lyra.”

“You’ll heal,” she said quietly. Then she twisted around, remembering that Sav hadn’t been alone under that rig. Turning first towards Rick’s drum kit, she saw a mangled mass of pads and metal but no Rick. Cyra had snagged him out from under the lights before they came crashing down.

Lyra found Joe and Steve on the opposite side of the stage, heading to the back of the downed rig. Joe looked over at her, the concern apparent on his face. She signaled him, letting him know that neither of them was seriously injured. Then she saw the commotion they were headed for. Kerrie was pulled out from the wreckage of the lights and stood there dazed and crying as Cyra and the others were trying desperately to get under the rig.

Venue security was trying to get the audience out as quickly as they possibly could without causing a riot. Some of the fans insisted on gawking at the accident or trying to get up there to help the band out, but eventually they were all cleared away. Then came the daunting task of getting the rig off the people trapped under it. Every movement caused Sav to scream out in pain, until Lyra finally folded her arms around him and took the pain away and into herself. He laid his head down against her body and waited patiently until they got him out.

Joe made his way to them and sat down by Lyra’s head, stroking her shoulder gently as he saw the grimace of pain on her face. When she looked up at him, she asked, “Is everyone okay?”

“Don’t worry about it right now, Lyra,” Joe said softly.

Lyra tried to move, then realized that if she freed herself, the rig might settle further down on Sav and break his other leg. So she laid still and said, “Joe, you’re going to have to pull Sav out of here if I can lift this thing at all. His leg is broken.”

Joe moved around in front of Sav and put his arms around his friend’s torso, getting ready to pull when Lyra was ready. He saw her turn and strain against the weight of the metal, moving it up only a fraction. But it was enough to free Sav from the wreckage. Joe got him out quickly, then turned back to Lyra. She was already dragging herself free, though it cost her two broken legs to do it. She lay there panting for a moment, a look of incredible pain on her face as her body mended. Then, that over, she checked on Sav again before heading to the rear of the rigging. As she looked into the tangled metal and glass, she realized there were two bodies under there. She could make out the black pants and boots Vivian had worn onstage that night. And next to his legs were those of another person that Lyra recognized as the tech who’d been on the rig when it fell.

Cyra grabbed Lyra and pulled her off to the side with a firm grasp. The she whispered in a voice no mortal could hear, “There’s two men under there, but I can only hear one heartbeat. It’s so faint that I can’t tell if it’s Vivian’s or not.”

“Jesus!” Lyra gasped. She ran back over to Sav and lifted him gently, getting him out of the way of the rigging so it could be moved. Then all five vampires, plus a few humans who were nearby, strained and lifted the lighting fixture. They moved it off the two limp figures and threw it off into the seating area. Kerrie and Cyra rushed to Vivian’s side. Cyra checked his pulse and nodded silently. But before Kerrie could cradle him in her arms, Cyra stopped her and said, “I think his neck is broken, Kerrie. If you move him, he could die right here and now.”

Kerrie recoiled in horror at her near fatal blunder. Cyra leaned back on her heels and said in a commanding voice, “Clear the stage, right now!”

Malvin rushed everyone offstage, leaving only the band and the vampires there. Lyra went back to Sav’s side and pulled him into her arms, still taking the pain away from his broken limb. Joe walked over and sat beside her, his arm curling around her and holding her tightly to him. From the look in her eye, he knew there was only one thing to save Vivian at this point.

Steve and Lisel pulled away, hanging onto each other as they watched Kerrie and Cyra sitting over Vivian’s unconscious body. They knew what had to happen next. Both of them only hoped that either Cyra or Kerrie would do it before that faint heartbeat faded away.

Cyra put a gentle hand to Kerrie’s cheek and whispered, “Can you bring him across or do you want me to?”

“I’ll do it. I always promised him I would when the time came,” she answered softly. She leaned down over him, smoothing his black curls from his face as her fangs sank ever so gently into his throat. She couldn’t bare to move him, so she was being extremely careful. Cyra listened to his heart carefully and when she realized Kerrie was getting close to the critical point, she tapped her on the shoulder. Kerrie pulled back and slashed her own wrist and held it close to Vivian’s mouth. Cyra finally leaned over and opened his mouth for her, letting her blood flow into him. His eyes opened and he stared up at Kerrie as he feed from her, his eyes still as loving through his fear.

When Kerrie pulled away, she ran her hand over his cheek and whispered, “I’ll wait for you here, my love.” Vivian closed his eyes and waited for death to take him. In a while, she heard him gasp for air one last time, then he was still and silent.

The paramedics arrived, trying to get to Vivian’s body. Cyra let them pronounce him dead and take away the corpse of the technician, then she stared into their eyes and told them to leave immediately. Kerrie leaned back, looking up at her mentor and asking, “Cy, did I do everything right? Please, tell me I didn’t kill him!”

“He’ll be back in a moment, luv,” Cyra answered. At just that moment, they heard Vivian inhale his first breath as a vampire. He rose quickly, looking around for the fresh blood he scented in the air. Before Cyra could grab him, he lunged for Sav who was the closest one to him. Lyra threw herself in front of Sav and grabbed Vivian. Then she looked at Cyra and asked calmly, “Cyra, how the hell are we going to feed him?”

Cyra turned to Steve and said, “We’ve got a few bottles hidden back in the refrigerator. Be a luv and go get them, please?” Steve took off running without a word and returned in just a moment with the bottles. Cyra gave a couple to Kerrie and drank two herself.

Kerrie came over to Vivian, who immediately turned to see where the new smell was coming from. Then Kerrie’s world spun as he pinned her to the floor and tore into her neck. She cried out for just a moment before surrendering to him completely. He drained her nearly fully dry before tossing her aside and lunging for Sav again. Lyra took hold of him once again until Cyra could get between them. Then Vivian finished off his first hunger by sinking his fangs into Cyra’s throat.

Just as he pulled away from her, a second ambulance crew showed up and loaded Sav onto a gurney. Lyra went with him while Vivian looked around with a different kind of hunger showing in his eyes. He grabbed Kerrie and kissed her roughly, pulling her into his body. Cyra shooed everyone back off the stage and managed to keep even the security guards busy so that Vivian and Kerrie wouldn’t be interrupted or spied on.

Kerrie moaned softly as Vivian bore her down onto the stage. They were alone on the stage, the entire amphitheater empty as he ran his hand up her thigh and under her skirt. His kiss seared her soul as she felt him tugging at her panties. She heard a tearing sound as her underwear gave way to his pull. Her long fingers tangle in his hair as she felt him move into her. As his hips met hers, he leaned down and breathed softly into her ear, “I love you, Kerrie.”

“I love you, too, Viv,” she whispered, each movement of their bodies intensified by the newly formed link between them. They melted into each other, pouring out their hearts as they made love in a way only vampires can. Without words they knew exactly what the other needed, what the other wanted. Within moments, they could both feel their bodies tighten, readying for release. Kerrie felt herself give into the waves of sensation that crashed through her body. Only a second later, Vivian gave in to his own climax, his body pouring his vampire seed into her. He nuzzled at her neck, his fangs at the ready as she sank her teeth into his throat. He bit her carefully and they lay there for what seemed like hours on the cold wood of the stage, feeding off each other.

When they finally pulled apart and got ready to leave, Vivian looked up and saw Cyra standing there watching them with a soft smile. She crossed the stage and said quietly, “We’ve got to get you out of here, Vivian. The press is already starting to get hold of your accident and we want them to believe that you’re dead now. You may look different, but it will still cause an uproar if you’re seen.”

“Ok, Cyra,” he answered. “How are we going to deal with this now?”

“Oh, I’ve already started to deal with it,” Cyra replied. “The papers will be carrying a story about the tragic accident that claimed two lives tonight and no one will ever be the wiser.” She bundled Kerrie and Vivian out of the venue and within hours they were on their way back to the coven house in England.

Sav’s broken leg was put into a cast and within a few days, he and Lyra headed back to Ireland. The rest of the tour was cancelled, the sudden ‘death’ of their guitarist supposedly crushing the band’s will to keep going at the moment. In truth, they just didn’t have anyone who could step in to take Vivian’s place like Steve had done for Phil. So they took a long needed vacation and headed back into the studio a few months later, with three “unnamed” guitarists supplementing the work done by Joe and Sav.