was no time for Sam to run, and nowhere for him to run to. He had no choice, he realized, but to confront this animal.
But strangely enough, instead of being overcome by fear, Sam felt rage course through him. He was furious at the animal. He resented being attacked, especially before he even had a chance to get his bearings. So, without thinking, Sam charged, too, preparing to meet the bear in battle, the same way he would a human.
Sam and the bear met in the middle. The bear lunged for him, and Sam lunged right back. Sam felt the power coursing through his veins, felt it telling him that he was invincible.
As he met the bear in mid-air, he realized that he was right. He caught the bear by its shoulders, grabbed on, spun and threw it. The bear went flying backwards through the woods, dozens of feet, smashing hard into a tree.
Sam stood there and roared back at the bear, a fierce roar, even louder than the animal’s. He felt the muscles and veins bulging in him as he did.
The bear got to its feet slowly, wobbly, and looked at Sam with something like shock. It now hobbled as it walked, and after taking a few tentative steps, it suddenly lowered its head, turned, and ran away.
But Sam wasn’t going to let it get away so easy. He was mad now, and he felt like nothing in the world could abate his anger. And he was hungry. The bear would have to pay.
Sam broke into a sprint, and was pleased to find that he was faster than this animal. Within moments, he caught up to it and in a single leap, landed on its back. He leaned back, and sunk his fangs deep into its neck.
The bear howled in agony, bucking wildly, but Sam held on. He sunk his fangs deeper, and within moments, he felt the bear slumped to its knees beneath him. Finally, it stopped moving.
Sam lay on top of it, drinking, feeling its life force course through his veins.
Finally, Sam leaned back and licked his lips, dripping with blood. He’d never felt so refreshed. It was exactly the meal he’d needed.
Sam was just rising back to his feet, when he heard another twig snap.
He looked over, and standing there, in a clearing of the forest, was a young girl, maybe 17, dressed in a thin, all-white material. She stood there, holding a basket, and stared back at him, in shock. Her skin was translucent white, and her long, light brown hair framed large, blue eyes. She was beautiful.
She stared back at Sam, equally transfixed.
He realized that she must be afraid of him, afraid that maybe he would attack her; he realized that he must have looked like an awful sight, on top of a bear, blood in his mouth. He didn’t want to scare her.
So he jumped down from the animal, and took several steps towards her.
To his surprise, she didn’t flinch, or try to move away. Rather, she just continued to stare at him, unafraid.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
She smiled. That surprised him. Not only was she beautiful, but she was truly unafraid. How could that be?
“Of course you’re not,” she said. “You’re one of mine.”
It was Sam’s turn to be shocked. The second she said it, he knew it to be true. He had sensed something when he’d first seen her, and now he knew. She was one of his. A vampire. That’s why she was unafraid.
“Nice takedown,” she said, gesturing at the bear. “A little messy, wouldn’t you say? Why not go for a deer?”
Sam smiled. Not only was she pretty – she was funny.
“Maybe next time I will,” he said back.
She smiled.
“Would you mind telling me what year it is?” he asked. “Or century, at least?”
She just smiled, and shook her head.
“I think I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourself. If I told you, it would ruin all the fun, wouldn’t it?”
Sam liked her. She was spunky. And he felt at ease around her, as if he’d known her forever.
She took a step forward, and reached out her hand. Sam took it, and loved the feel of her smooth, translucent skin.
“I’m Sam,” he said, shaking her hand, holding it for too long.
She smiled wider.
“I know,” she said.
Sam was baffled. How could she possibly know? Had he met her before? He couldn’t remember.
“I was sent for you,” she added.
She suddenly turned and began heading down a forest trail.
Sam hurried to catch up to her, presuming she meant for him to follow. Not looking carefully were he was going, he was embarrassed to find himself trip over a branch; he heard her giggling as he did.
“So?” he prodded. “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”
She giggled again.
“Well, I have a formal name, but I rarely go by it,” she said.
Then she turned and faced him, waiting for him to catch up.
“If you must know, everyone calls me Polly.”
Chapter Four
Caleb held open the huge, medieval door, and as he did, Caitlin stepped out of the abbey and took her first steps out into the early morning light. Caleb at her side, she looked out at the breaking dawn. Here, high atop the hill of Montmartre, she was able to look out and see all of Paris stretched before her. It was a beautiful, sprawling city, a mixture of classical architecture and simple houses, of cobblestone streets and dirt roads, of trees and urbanity. The sky blended in a million soft colors, making the city look alive. It was magical.
Even more magical was the hand that she felt slip into hers. She looked over and saw Caleb standing by her side, enjoying the view with her, and she could hardly believe it was real. She could hardly believe it was really him, that they were really here. Together. That he knew who she was. That he remembered her. That he’d found her.
She wondered again if she had truly awakened from a dream, if she were not still sleeping.
But as she stood there, and squeezed his hand tighter, she knew that she was truly awake. She had never felt so overjoyed. She had been running for so long, had come back in time, all these centuries, all this way, just to be with him. Just to make sure he was alive again. When he hadn’t remembered her, in Italy, it had crushed her to the depths.
But now that he was here, and alive, and remembered her – and now that he was all hers, single, without Sera around – her heart swelled with new emotion, and with new hope. She had never in her wildest dreams imagined that it could all work out so perfectly, that it could all actually really work. She was so overwhelmed, she didn’t even know where to begin, or what to say.
Before she could speak, he began.
“Paris,” he said, turning to her with a smile. “There
