A/N: Two posts this week! Because if I ever want to finish this generation before college starts up next fall, I have to start posting more. But hey, at least I’m out of school now! Hopefully that means I can keep the posts coming. Enjoy 🙂

I just wanted to go home.

And in the heat of the moment, that was the first place my mind turned to. But it wasn’t a bad place to go. Dad and Mackenzie were here, and so were the unicorns. They could heal us.

With a flash of light, Vox and I appeared in the corner of the living room. He appeared to have lost consciousness again during the teleport. Either that or he was…

“Dad! Come here!” I whipped my head around and found Mackenzie standing in the doorway.

“Mac!” I squealed. Carefully setting Vox aside, I jumped up and ran to hug her. “I missed you.”

“Is this real life right now?” she laughed. “I can’t believe you’re actually back – wait, who’s he?”

We broke apart as she stared at Vox. Her expression wasn’t exactly approving.

“There’s a lot to explain,” I said truthfully. More than you could ever imagine…

“What is it, honey?” A tired voice spoke from the door.

Dad. Stubble covered his face now and black rings surrounded his eyes. His clothes, though dressy, were wrinkled and a small red stain sat on his left sleeve. His gaze skimmed over the room and finally rested on Vox.

He silently thought-spoke to the unicorns, then said to Mackenzie, “Get him in a bed so the unicorns can take a look.”

And then he noticed me.

“Karissa?” he gasped hoarsely. “Where have you been? I-”

He glanced back at Vox, looking thoroughly perplexed.

“Long story, dad.” As I spoke, the click of heels against the wood floor alerted me to Lily’s presence. I heard her stop short and gasp, then smiled as she yanked me and dad into a group hug.

“I told you not to give up hope,” she chided. “I knew Karissa would come back to us safe and sound.”

“Hmph,” dad grunted. He rested his head on top of mine, and I had the sneaking suspicion he was grinning.

After promising at least a million times that I would explain everything after dinner and a quick change of clothes, I headed upstairs to check on Vox. As I passed by one of the guest bedrooms, the door slammed open and a head of blonde hair came storming out.

I froze and instinctively shuddered. What was he doing here?

Duncan frowned, his eyes looking slightly unhinged and blazing anger, but he said nothing as he passed by me.

I let out the breath I had been holding and scurried down the hall.

“Why the hell is Duncan here?” I snapped to a room full of unicorns. One looked up, and I swear if she could roll her eyes, she would have.

The Prince has been looking after him ever since The Count returned to Earth, she thought to me.

“Seriously?” I groaned. I didn’t escape from Treznor just to be dumped in Duncan’s hands.

We can heal most of your friend’s injuries, but he will have to recover from the concussion on his own.

“Concussion?” I reached out and stroked Vox’s forehead, then realized I probably shouldn’t do that. “Is he still unconscious?”

“Nope.” Vox himself answered my question as his eyes flickered open and he squinted in the bright light.

“In that case, I’ll let you guys get to work,” I said to the unicorns. I wasn’t ready to face Vox yet.

“Wait! Don’t leave.” He reached out and caught the tip of my hand. His grip was so pathetically weak I couldn’t bring myself to push him aside.

“I can’t stay much longer. The unicorns have to heal you.”

“I… wanted to say that everything I said to you – all of it – was true.” He was looking at me so intently. I shuffled my feet a bit and looked away.

“Okay? What’s your point?”

His eyes lifted to the ceiling. “Remember that night… with the stars? I meant everything I did that night too.”

My heart surged. I felt a lump rise in my throat and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to cry or slap him. Snatching my hand away, I fled out the door.

***

“Hey Elubarin. Sorry about never teleporting back to your cabin. I, um… really wanted to go home.”

“Understandable.” There was a long pause on the other end of the line and I was starting to wonder if Elubarin understood the point of phones when he quietly added, “You went back for him, didn’t you?”

“I had to. But I don’t know if that was a good idea. Vox has a huge concussion and all he does is bring up stuff from the past.”

“Kinda like his mother,” Elubarin muttered. “Speaking of whom, there’s a section of the hospital that cares for mentally ill patients, so I took her there.”

“Good. Maybe once they’re both better Vox and her can work things out and go live together?”

He snorted. “I highly doubt that will-” There was a burst of static, then some muttering as the line went dead. Guess I shouldn’t trust a wizard with a cell phone…

A few days later

I was absent-mindedly throwing flakes of food in the fishbowl when dad approached. “Our visitor upstairs would like to see you – preferably today.”

“Why? Vox is confined to that bed until Dr. Unicorn says otherwise. I can’t do anything to help him.” Or maybe I was just avoiding him until I figured out if I could forgive him.

Dad smiled. “I don’t think that’s what he wants to talk about. He’s just lonely. Give him five minutes of your time.”

“We’re even now, what more do you want?” I said bitterly as I walked in. “We both saved each other so now we can go our separate ways.”

“Do you hate me?”

“What?” I took a step back.

“Do you? ‘Cause if you do, I can go find another bed to lie on so I’ll be out of your way. Forever.”

I sank on to the foot of the bed and sighed. As horrible as it sounds, it was tempting to say yes. I wouldn’t be in this mess anymore. No more vampires. But Vox looked so alone and lost. If I kicked him out, he would literally have no one else to turn to.

“Hate is a strong word…” I eventually said. “Confused is more accurate. I just need you to explain everything.”

“I don’t remember.” He spoke so quietly I could barely hear him. “I have no idea what Treznor did to me. I didn’t even remember beating you until this afternoon when the memory just randomly popped in my head.”

“Wow… Concussion’s that bad, huh?”

“Guess so. I can’t even remember what… Treznor did to…” He leaned forward woozily and rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t remember…”

“Alright, I think I’ve stayed long enough for today,” I said, jumping off the bed. “We can talk more tomorrow.”

I left the room wondering if things could ever go back to normal.