The Luna Empath

Chapter 33

The next day Alys asked Derek if he would take her in the garden for a walk. The fresh air made her cheeks glow a little and Derek dared to hope she was getting better. From that night on she did indeed get steadily stronger. None of the pack ever forgot the horrors they’d seen the night Alys died and the love of the pack brought her back to life. The nightmares faded and their unconventional family thrived.

Derek had pushed Deaton’s words about Alys taking Klaus’ blood to the back of his mind but it niggled away at him nevertheless. One afternoon when Lydia had taken Alys to the mall, Klaus, Freya and Elijah came to visit. Derek opened the door in surprise. They’d called to see Alys a few times since she left the hospital, but never unannounced. Derek smiled and let them in explaining that Alys wasn’t home. Klaus touched his shoulder “Actually Derek it’s you we came to speak with.” Derek lifted an eyebrow in question but motioned them through to the kitchen area and got everyone a drink.

Freya got straight to the point, seeing no point in trying to building up to a revelation which was going to be painful regardless. “Derek, I realised as soon as I touched Alys when she first left the hospital that something significant had changed. I didn’t tell you or even Klaus and Elijah until I’d visited again, so I could be absolutely sure.” Derek felt growing anxiety as Freya continued “When Klaus gave Alys his blood she acquired one of his attributes. My magic tells me Alys will not age, she’s not immortal in the way that we originals are, she can still be hurt and die, but otherwise she won’t grow old and she will continue to live on beyond her natural human life.”

Derek was stunned and realised the consequence immediately “When my life is over Alys will live on. We won’t be able to stay here with the pack to protect her from those who will see she never ages.” He put his head in his hands and Klaus reached out to touch his arm “Derek, we cannot do anything to change what has happened, but I think we can help if you will allow us. Freya can construct a glamour, a kind of spell for Alys when the time comes. She’ll be able to wear this glamour like a piece of clothing, and it will reflect her human age whenever she wears it so that she can continue normal life with you and the pack. No-one outside of the pack and ourselves need ever know.

Derek nodded but couldn’t speak and Elijah continued “We will keep a respectful distance Derek to allow you, Alys and your family to live out your lives, but if you agree we would like to visit a couple of times a year. One day Alys will be alone, and we want to be there to take care of her when that day comes. The visits will allow Alys to maintain the links to us, so she can call when she needs us.” Seeing how choked up Derek was Freya took his hand “You can tell her when you’re ready Derek, but try and concentrate on the happy years you have ahead of you, and not what happens beyond.”

As they drove away Elijah turned to his brother “Niklaus, I’m not sure I can accept she is not really in our lives.” Klaus sighed “Elijah, we have walked the earth for centuries and we have had to learn to be patient. Trying to disrupt her life by having us entwined in it would only cause her pain. In what, forty or fifty years she will need us, she’ll call to us and we’ll be there to love her.

After they’d left Derek cried, not for himself but for the pain he knew Alys would suffer watching them grow old and leave her one by one.