He turns to leave, stops, looks back at me. "Just so you know: What you did for Victor means a lot to us. You could have left him to die.""No, Richard, I couldn't."I see in his eyes that he understands. I didn't save Victor because I knew that his being alive was best for Denver. I gave him my blood because I didn't want to live in a world without him in it.

I start to cross the street, stop, turn back. "You are not what I thought."He smiles. A devastatingly beautiful smile.I race across the street to my apartment building, to home, to safety. Because that smile scares me for reasons I can't explain. I only know that it makes me want to see him smile again.

I press my face against his chest, inhale his scent, take comfort from it. "I'm so sorry, Victor. I'm not sure I realized how truly awful this is for you.""It could be worse. I might not have you."I sink against him."Trust me," he whispers.

The vampires took everything from me, but I'm looking into the eyes of one who has the power to give me back a reason to live, who can heal my gaping hole of sorrow.