Robert’s body remained lifeless for two days.
I stayed by his side, leaving only briefly to check the realm to see if he was there, but he never was.
On the third day, Robert moved and began to stir in his sleep. I realized that luck was on our side. If Elaina would have killed him, there would have been nothing I could do. Even the strongest spell or alchemy potion couldn’t cure the dead.
But because she turned Robert into a vampire, I still had hope and I knew that I could cure him. But I did consider that perhaps Robert would be happy in his new form. There was no guarantee that he would want to be cured.
When I sensed that the time of his transformation was near, I said a few protection charms just to make sure nothing went wrong while he turned.
Finally…Robert rose from the bed; stiff and awkward like a zombie. He was alive, but only just.
He began to transform before my eyes.
He groaned as if he was in pain. Then his body stiffened and I could see a red glow shoot into his eyes.
He looked as if something had taken over his body. His body vibrated slightly as everything about him changed; his eyes, his skin tone and even his scent.
I couldn’t stand to watch it and I had no way of knowing what to expect afterward. Perhaps he would hate me when he woke up. Maybe he would curse me for failing to save him from Elaina.
After his metamorphosis, he turned to face me. “Josephina?”
“You can see me?” I asked, although I shouldn’t have been surprised; knowing that ghosts and vampires sense each other with a strong attraction like a magnet.
“Plain as day. I can see everything,” He said, his voice slightly gravelly from not being used in so many days.
“Why didn’t she kill me?”
“She didn’t want us to be together,” I answered sadly.
“I didn’t want this,” he said sounding flustered.
“I can cure you,” I said.
“Because you’re a witch,” he said as if he had just remembered.
“Yes…I’m a witch,” I answered with a slight hesitation, because I still wasn’t sure how he felt about me being a witch.
I took a chance and reached out to grab his hand. “Elaina said you would hate me when you woke up.”
“Never!” He said forcefully. “Elaina knows nothing about love,” he added in a much softer voice.
I smiled and he stared at me. “You’re beautiful!” He said as if he were seeing me for the first time, which in a way, he was.
I reached out and pulled him close to me. He responded by holding me, even though we both knew that I was only there in energy. There was nothing to truly hold.
“I’m so glad you didn’t die!” I said, although I knew that him still living had consequences for our time together.
“But…how long will we have together?” He asked, voicing my concerns.
“I don’t know Robert…but you have to let me cure you.”
“Later,” he said. “I hate being…one of them, but…I like seeing you.”
Robert leaned over and kissed me. I relied on my memory of us in the realm to recall the feelings of having his lips on mine.
“I love you!” I said, because no matter what happened next, I wanted to make sure he knew that.
“I love you too,” he said, “and I always will…no matter what,” he added.
He leaned in close. “Let me cure you,” I whispered before his lips touched mine.
“Later…” he whispered back before he finally made the connection to my mouth. This time, I swear I actually felt it.
A few hours later, Robert stood in the kitchen with a cure elixir in hand.
“Will I still see you after I drink it?” He asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered, trying not to sound too sad.
Robert sighed, then drank the whole bottle down in one gulp.
Because he drank it instead of having it thrown at him, like Elaina, his transformation took place immediately. Again, he groaned as if in pain.
He was fully restored, but he could no longer see me.
As I began to walk away; with feelings of mourning once again creeping up on me, something unexpected happened…
I could feel my spirit being pulled and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was out of my control.
Robert rounded the corner, just as the last of my spirit began to disappear. I don’t know whether he could see it or not, but he stood there watching…
Until all traces of me completely vanished.
