The opera. My favorite thing to see. Ruby sits next to me, her eyes scanning the audience below us.

“Looks like Matt stood you up,” I say, she looks at me her blond curls twisted into a bun.

“I’ll go check outside,” she says, fear flashing across her eyes for a spilt second.

“While your out there,” I call, “Look for Amara.”

Ruby chuckles, “Brother. Did someone stand you up?” She says jokingly. Although when I had said Matt stood her up I wasn’t joking. She knew that right?

I shake my head, “Not until five.”

She rolls her eyes, “You and your schedules  will be the death of us.”

“And look how much I care,” I say as I hear her heels clicking on the newly polished hard wood floor.

I lean back in my chair. Amara wouldn’t stand me up. I didn’t doubt that for a second. Mainly because she’s basically me. What with her crazy times and how everything has to be. It drives me insane sometimes. And plus she’s basically my daughter. Basically.

“I just love the operas. It’s something about the tragic endings that always seems to touch me.”

I stiffen, it can’t be. My heart starts racing, my head starts spinning.

I turn back in my seat, Mom.

She gives me a crooked smile, “Miss me?”

I turn back to face the stage. No, no, no!

I can’t run, I’m stuck. I’m stuck. I’m stuck.

“You know,” she whispers her hot breath on my neck, “Children like you aren’t suppose to have a terrible life. I’m making an exception.”

I feel it now, the coldness of her voice creeping in. She’s going to kill me, or worse.

“Maybe you should have been a nicer boy. Would have payed off in the end. Like how you are with that girl of yours. Adopted but family by heart-or wait no. It’s just a pathetic attempt to change,” she leaned closer, her black hair brushing against my shoulder, “Always and Forever is just a lame excuse to-“

She’s cut off by a small gasp.

Ruby is behind her, “Mother?”

Mom leaves my shoulder and I literally feel a weight lifting a huge one.

“Ruby, don’t tell me your still clung to that boy. Mark was it. Your not worth it-someone should tell him before it’s too late.”

Ruby is frozen behind me. I can here her breathing.

“Oh and enjoy the show,” Mom whispers, “I made it special just for you, Malachai.”

Mom get up and leaves. I wince at the sound of my full name. No one calls me that, no one expect Mom. The sound of her light footsteps sounds so relieving I can’t even begin to describe it.

“I thought she was dead,” Ruby says, her voice so little.

“So did I.”

Music starts playing and we’re both frozen.

The curtains are drawn.

I hear a scream, Ruby is covering her mouth. I see it, it’s Amara and Matt. Their laying on the stage blood covering their clothes.

We run to the stage the audience laughing they think it’s part of the show. Mom must have compelled them.

“Matt!” Ruby screams, ropes are wrapped around their arms.

“I can’t get it undone!” Ruby shrieks, her hands working at the knot.

Matt groans, his shirt covered in the deep dull blood.

Then I see it, a bright flame rising from the curtains.

“Ruby, we have to go!” I yell, Amara cries out in fear.

“We need to save them!” Ruby cries.

I grab her arm and pull her away. At least one of us knows when to give up.

“Let go of me Kai!” She screams, “Matt! Please,” she crying now, “Please, don’t go! I need you.”

She’s never done that before. Said when she’s needed something. It’s always been her weakness.

I let her go, she stumbles quickly falling to the ground next to Matt.

And I let her stay. She doesn’t try to untie the knots she just lays next to him. Holding his hand.

She’s going to stay isn’t she. And I’m going to let her.

I walk out of the building the fire building higher and higher. The one thing that kills vampires, is killing my sister and I’m not doing anything.

I’m outside now, I cross the street my suit covered in Amara’s blood. I cover it up, hoping that they don’t think I was the cause of it all.

I sit on a bench and watch it burn. I watch as my sister leaves. It’s her time, it has to be. Or this would feel wrong. It feels like fate. Like either way this would happen. If I saved her from the fire then she’d get hit by a car.

This is fate.