In time, all the secrets were out. Elaina confessed to her part in conspiring to kill Robert and hiding Dante’s guilt.
She received a lighter sentence because of her willingness to testify, but she would still be spending a long time locked up.
Although Janet Poktried to lie about her part in the whole thing, Robert soon found proof that Janet had been concealing evidence of Dante’s guilt for a long time.
That coupled with Elaina’s testimony, led to Janet’s arrest and conviction.
Still, Janet was loyal to her fellow vampires to the end. She agreed as part of her sentence to drink one of my vampire cures and give up her right to immortality. It was the only way to save the other vampires in town; keeping the pact between them and the Moonlight Falls residents intact.
It was admirable and obviously a very difficult thing for her to give up.
She and Elaina had the privilege of sharing a cell for a long time…
But since Elaina didn’t fully follow through with the plan to kill Robert instead of turning him, she made it a point to stay as far away from Janet as she possibly could.
Janet spent the majority of her remaining years in jail for aiding and abetting, hiding evidence and being an accessory to a hideous crime.
Dante was also forced to drink a cure.
He had the harshest sentence of the three, with a first degree murder conviction. He never truly showed any remorse for killing Desirae.
“Why did you do it?” Robert asked repeatedly.
“It was my right as the more superior species,” was his always arrogant answer.
Robert continued to serve as a cop, dedicating himself to bringing other criminals to justice. He became well know for finding even the most well-hidden evidence and sending criminals to jail for a long time. He had an excellent case record.
Although he knew that Annie was manipulated into cheating on him and ending their relationship…
Robert never went back to her.
They did clear the air between them and maintained a friendship.
But, Annie ended up marrying her fiancé Mike and they later had a daughter. Robert was present at their small, carnation filled ceremony…the type of ceremony Doreen had foreseen.
Although I thought that the two of them were destined to be together, Robert obviously thought otherwise.
His heart was contained elsewhere.
It took him about a year, but Robert eventually visited the cemetery where my body was buried.
He entered the gates and stood, dripping wet from the rain, as if he was lost and didn’t know what to do next.
He looked around; relying on his instincts to guide him.
Sure enough he walked straight over to my forgotten headstone.
He removed his helmet and took a step back; taking a deep breath as if he had just remembered how to breathe.
I knew that he had something that he wanted to say to me, but he appeared to have a hard time saying it.
He sat down on a nearby bench; appearing to gather his thoughts.
When he was finally ready, he walked over and said what I wanted so desperately for him to say, “Goodbye Josephina.”
Now that he had said it, I knew that he would be able to move on with his life.
I don’t really know the purpose of Robert and I falling in love, just to have such a short time together…
But I think like me, he was content to have experienced true love at least once…even if it was just for a little while.
And also like me, I think he made a decision not to question it, because I had served my purpose. And because of me, he was still alive to serve his. Whether we understood why or not, it all happened that way for a reason.
