Page 49 of Curse of the Asuune

“Wait, no, I can’t wear that,” Sarah objected.

“I don’t expect you to wear it,” Kathrine laughed. “Here is what you do. You put this away in your jewelry box or whatever, then when you are ready for dad to propose you put in around your neck. Make sure he sees it. He will get down on his knees and beg you to marry him.”

“I don’t understand,” Sarah said.

“My dad is a smart, forceful person…except when he is around you or mom. You two do something to his brain I think. He can’t think for himself, he’s always too worried about doing the wrong thing. So when mom wanted him to propose she wore this necklace with this ring on it, the one my grandmother gave to her. I’m sure you will get your own ring but if dad sees this he will know I gave you my blessing.” Kathrine gently put the necklace in Sarah’s hand.

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” Sarah said almost ready to cry.

“I don’t think you know how much you mean to me,” Kathrine replied.

Kathrine walked around the table and hugged Sarah.

“I missed you,” Kathrine said, now she was about ready to cry.

“I missed you too,” Sarah replied. “Is that all you wanted? It seemed like you were wanting to ask me something.”

Kathrine returned to her seat and readied herself.

“I wanted to ask how you first knew. I mean, how did you know it was him?” Kathrine asked, she seemed a little too nervous. There was more to it than she was ready to share.

“Well, it’s hard to explain. It was a feeling, the way I felt when I looked at him. The smell of him, sound of his voice. It was like I was being pulled toward him and I couldn’t stop.” Sarah looked at Kathrine hoping she might share more.

“I see,” Kathrine said, as she stared intently at her coffee.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on yet or do I have to tickle you like I used to,” Sarah teased.

This made Kathrine smile. Even at sixteen Sarah would tickle Kathrine whenever she was holding back. Sometimes Kathrine would intentionally hold things back just to get Sarah to tickle her. It was one of the few childhood things she kept into her teenage years and she had loved it.

“No, I’ll talk,” Kathrine said, sticking out her tongue. It was so good to have Sarah back. At one point she had thought that her dad had also killed Sarah. That day Kathrine lost three family members, no one realized how much Sarah had meant to her, not even Sarah.

“Well then…” Sarah prodded.

“I met this guy,” Kathrine unintentionally smiled and looked down to try and hide it.

“Ohhhh, who is this lucky boy?” Sarah teased.

“He was definitely a man,” Kathrine replied, trying to hide a smile that was growing larger.

“Hmmm, and what was this man’s name?” Sarah requested, she was intrigued.

“Paul,” Kathrine said.

Sarah got strangely quiet.

“Where did you meet him?” Sarah asked desperately. She dreaded Kathrine’s response.

“When I killed Sariel. He was the one that saved me. He carried me to dad. I’m not sure I would have made it out otherwise.” Kathrine saw the concerned look on Sarah’s face. “Why, what’s wrong?”

“Just a second,” Sarah said anxiously as she walked over to one of her dressers and rummaged through it. Sarah tossed out several pictures and photo albums before she found what she was looking for. She got out an old faded and frayed picture and brought it back to the table. “Is this him?” Sarah asked as she set the picture in front of Kathrine.

Kathrine started at the picture. The man had shorter hair and a beard but those eyes. She knew it was him. Her heart was racing and her stomach was doing flips. It was most certainly him.

“Yes, that’s Paul,” Kathrine replied.

“I’m very sorry, Kathrine. Paul is a very dangerous man. And what’s more he’s like your dad. His father was an angel and his mother a Nephilim. So he is extra dangerous.” Sarah looked at Kathrine with pity.

“Why? You were able to quit being a vampire. I’m sure he can too,” Kathrine said with pure optimism.

“I understand the desire to make him out to be redeemable but I just don’t think he is. Back before the great flood of Noah I knew Paul. He and I were friends,” Sarah started.

“Did you sleep with him? Is that it?” Kathrine asked.

“Oh, no, it’s not that. In fact until the day I met your father I was considered quite a prude. Sure I was flirtatious and fun-loving but I only had sex with men I was married to. Believe me, there weren’t many. It was only after I realized that your father loved your mother that I decided to drown my sorrows in sex.” Sarah half-smiled but Kathrine wasn’t in the mood anymore.

“Then what?” Kathrine was desperate. So much so that Sarah knew Paul might actually be Kathrine’s chosen one.

“My dear, I don’t say this to hurt you. I understand what it feels like. Paul and I decided to try and survive the flood together in a small boat. We were both vampires. What was a little water going to do? We couldn’t die from drowning.” Sarah paused and looked like she was remembering something distasteful. “You have no idea how bad drowning is until you do it over and over again for forty days. Well, anyway, Paul and I both begged God to spare us. We vowed to give up drinking blood and do his work for the rest of eternity. We pledged ourselves to him and groveled for his mercy. Two days later that mercy came. We found land. Paul and I kept our promise, at first. Then Paul’s father found us. Azazel, that fowl angel, took Paul away and left me beaten and bloody. I didn’t see Paul again until this century. It was during World War II. I was smuggling refugees out of Poland and I found Paul and Azazel. They were smuggling weapons into Germany. They were trying to make the war go on as long as possible by bolstering Germany’s arsenal.”