Hannah

Richard and Elaine looked up when they heard the kitchen door open.

“Mr. Dawson? Can I talk to you?”

Elaine immediately got up and headed up the stairs. “You’re on your own, Rich. I have some…housecleaning to do and laundry to fold. She winked at Hannah.

Hannah smiled gratefully, then sat down at the table, across from Dr. Dawson. “Has Mrs. Dawson talked to you? I mean, about Jack? And me?”

“Yes, she has, Hannah. And I can certainly see why you’re so uncomfortable.”

“Eli’s sure I should let this happen, Mr. Dawson, but I think it’s … not right.”

Sava sighed. “You know how it works, Eli. What exactly would you like to know? Whether or not it hurt? If I was frightened? ”

She ignored the crooked grin on his face. “Did you want to die …after?” she whispered.

Realizing at once she was quite serious about this, he put his arm around her. “It’s complicated, Angel. My life was nothing like yours. You were an innocent child. I…wasn’t. “

“But…”

“No. I didn’t want to die. Actually I gave it no thought whatsoever. I had unfinished business to take care of.”

“What did you say to Papa, Hannah? You’ve made him cry.” Eli plopped down beside them. She couldn’t help but notice that Hannah’s eyes were red, too.

“And Hannah’s doppelgänger just had to put in her two-cent’s worth,” Papa said, smiling. “How are you this morning, Eli?”

“I…I don’t know, Papa. I’m not sure I want to…talk about it right now.”

“Hannah? Are you ready?” Eli stood on the edge of the porch next to Oskar, wings unfurled.

“I…think so, Eli. Do you really think this will work?” Hannah tightened her arms around Eli’s neck and wrapped her legs around her waist.

“Of course it will! You’ll see. Oskar? Are you ready?”

“Ready.”

“Sava?”

Sava smiled at her and leaned back in his chair.

“Jack?”

“Ready, Eli! Good luck, Hannah!” He hoped Hannah hadn’t noticed how nervous he was.

Oskar leaned forward and sniffed the air. He was sure of it now; she had drunk blood. He could smell it on her breath, and realized there were remnants not only on her mouth, but in her hair, on her chest, and on her arms and hands. He wondered how long it had been since she had…fed, and whether or not feeding on blood would make her stronger than him. It wasn’t a pleasant thought.

And yet, still he waited. None of it mattered to him at this point. All that mattered was getting her back safely home – and to him.

It was the third day of Hannah’s hibernation, and Richard was getting nervous. “She’s not a vampire, Elaine. I don’t think she’ll be able to survive months of hibernation like Eli did. She’ll die of starvation.”

“We don’t know what she’s capable of, Rich. She’s…unique.”

“We know she’s no stronger than Eli or Oskar,” he retorted. “And Eli just barely survived herself with her full strength.”

“That doesn’t sound like a rigorous scientific observation to me, Rich. You’re thinking with your heart now. Eli could have hibernated another month or two safely. Believe me, I know.”

Ryan let the phone ring several times before he gave up and hurried back up the hill. He wanted desperately to help them, but Jonathan had told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to go out without an Elilight. Janice’s lights were still off, so he’d have to go get the lamp himself. He hurried up the steps, but saw her window light up just as he was entering the building. He called again. “Janice? There’s been a fire at the school, but it’s out now. But Oskar was taken by Adrian, and the others went after them. And Hannah’s missing!”

“Slow down, Ryan. Adrian took Oskar? Again?”

“This fire was deliberately set, Jonathan!” Sava was furious. “Here’s what’s left of the timer, and the smell of gasoline speaks for itself!”

Jonathan couldn’t smell anything but he certainly wasn’t going to question Sava’s sense of smell. He was almost certainly right. “But why, Sava? And why the school, of all buildings?”

Sava leaped to his feet. “I told you they would stop at nothing!” His rage was palpable, hitting Oskar and Hannah like a sledge hammer. And by proxy, everyone in the room felt his wrath. “I knew I should have killed Adrian when I had the chance!”

“Adrian is expendable, Sava; a small cog in the machinery. I’m sure there are plenty more where he came from.” Jack knew there was no point in regretting what they could do nothing about now. It would only distract them, and possibly divide them.

“What are you doing, Eli?” Oskar paused a moment at her open door on his way downstairs.

She glanced up at him and smiled. “I’m just trying on my wedding ring, Oskar. I wanted to see if it fit yet.”

“I thought you were going to wait, Eli. You know, until we’re eighteen.”

She avoided his eyes. “I know, but it doesn’t really matter, does it? And I was curious. I know my hands are bigger than they were, just like everything else.” She opened the box, carefully turned the ring over in her hands a couple of times, then slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly.