+ 1.16: Could've

A week later

Sitting in the airport’s coffee lounge Azaria mulled over that fateful morning’s events. She was finally free from Davrin’s control; free to live her life as she pleased. She should have been virtually bouncing off the walls with happiness. But there were to be no celebrations. Her mind kept straying wildly; she imagined the billowing clouds of black smoke creeping into the nursery and suffocating Troye; his tiny lungs, no longer able to bear it, surrendering hopelessly to death’s hand. I should have taken him with. I’m so selfish. She thought.

She ran her finger along the rim of the coffee mug: untouched. Normally, the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans was enough to lure her into a state of repose but right now she couldn’t stomach a thing. She could feel Jared’s eyes watching her nervously; afraid she may snap at any moment. He had extended his stay for a week to help her out. She mustered a brave smile but he wasn’t buying it.

 “I know I said I felt nothing for him; that he felt more like an alien than my own son but he was only a baby; an innocent child whose life was cut so short. I wouldn’t wish this kind of thing on anyone.” She shook her head. She felt Jared’s hand reach out and touch her hand; warm but hardly comforting. “Look on the bright side.” He spoke softly, careful not to upset her any further. “He won’t be used as a pawn by his rotten father for some evil plan.”
She shrugged.

The past week had taken a toll on her. The inside of the mansion was burnt to ash and firemen said they weren’t able to tell if human remains had indeed been scattered among those of the furnishings. She needed proof not assumptions. The police weren’t very helpful either.

Not long after the sirens had been switched off had a well-dressed man appeared on the scene. He spoke with the chief of police briefly; they exchanged nods, shook hands – in a very strained fashion – and then the man left. Having endured more than a year with Davrin Azaria didn’t need to look twice to see what he was. His reluctance to stay in the sun any longer than he needed to was a dead giveaway. She had made numerous enquiries about his identity but each officer had replied with the same rehearsed answer: “I’m sorry ma’am but that information is strictly confidential.”

She supposed they had also known what he was and as a preventative measure didn’t divulge the whereabouts and identities of the vampires: she had learnt that vampires were common but not entirely accepted in modern Bridgeport. She was still adamant that the man had answers. However, being the elusive creatures that vampires were she wouldn’t have had much luck finding him. She eventually gave up.

Jared was still looking at her. She glanced over to the paper lying on the table. The front page read: Up in Flames: the Downfall of a Vampire Legacy. Reporters were all cashing in on the story, and as each day passed the articles became more sensationalised. They too had swarmed to the mansion like ravenous vultures that day. A mansion, once owned by vampires, restored by vampire-rights activists and reclaimed by the fugitive heir, burnt to the ground and the bloodsucker had probably burned with it - ending his family bloodline. It was the kind of news that would send ratings rocketing through the roof and papers flying off the shelves as sales soared.

Azaria laughed to herself. She could have been one of those reporters bombarding the police and firemen with a canon of questions; she could have been part of the sensationalism; she could have been speculating with her colleagues in the cafeteria as to whether Davrin had been the monster behind the recent slayings. Surprisingly though no one had put those pieces together. Of course she knew. But she wasn’t about to sell herself out like that. She could already see the headlines: Inter-species Relations; Murderous Vampire Keeps Human Lover; Beauty and the Beast – a Vampiric Adaptation.

Jared caught her eye and snatched the paper away.

“Just be glad they hadn’t palmed an arson case on you.” He said. Both suspected that the mansion was purposely set ablaze and not an electrical fault like the papers had reported.

“They had readily accepted my alibi. It was so strange.” Again she was sure that other vampire had something to do with it. After all, from her point of view she had a motive and an opportunity.

“Well they didn’t even know you were living there specifically.” He reminded her.

“Hmm. He must have known everything.” She said after a while.

“Who? Davrin?”

She shook her head. “The other vampire; otherwise it makes no sense.”

“He must have planned this with them.” Jared scoffed.

“No. He worked on his own. I could tell. He never mentioned others. They must have decided to put an end to his terrorism. You’d be surprised at the extent of their powers.”

“Flight TB365 to Twinbrook is now boarding at gate 7”

They heard the boarding call and set off toward the boarding gates.

“Well forget about all that. He’s gone now; out of your life. This is your chance at a new beginning.” Jared assured her. She nodded in mild agreement.