“A true vampire’s love is forever, even in the darkest night, even if it sucks the life right out of your soul itself, even if it drains your will to live. Such is the curse of a true vampire’s love .” 

The gloomy cave grew darker the deeper she went, the cold engulfed her with every step she took. 

He was there. 

She knew it. 

Her eyes peered through the darkness, finding only rock and ice. She longed for him, yet she knew what she had to do. This was her purpose; killing other vampires that strayed. Taking out the bad weeds. Yet her heart ached at the thought. 

She closed her eyes and shook her head before taking the next step. She had to stay alert. He did not have the same affection for her as she had for him. She knew this. It did not make it any easier. 

He was responsible for so much of death. A war had been waged against him, vampires and hunters had found one thing to unite them, The Necromancer. Yet she knew him differently. She had known him as Ragnarr; her brother’s weird, but charming friend. 

It didn’t matter. 

Right now he was alone. Isolated. Weak. An easy target.

“Ragnarr? Are you here?” She called out, announcing her presence. 

Silence. 

Her frozen hands wrapped tightly around her sword and she breathed out calmly. She needed to keep going. No matter what happened she had to kill him now. Before he could regain the power and the following he once had. This was her purpose. 

“I’ve been expecting you.” His voice cut through the icy air. 

Her eyes shifted from side to side, “Show yourself,” she said sharply. 

“I am right here, my dear Katherine,” he whispered from behind her. 

She turned around swiftly, face to face with the man she had to kill, with the man her heart ached for, “You know why I’m here, right?”

He gave her a light nod, his bright green eyes gazing at her, “But first why don’t we sit down and have a talk, like we used to?” He gave her a gentle smile. 

She breathed out, “I suppose we could, one last time.” 

Ragnarr started walking further into the cave, his hand gesturing for her to follow along. Her eyes were glued to him, still, after all these years, she loved him so deeply. Even though he did not love her, she couldn’t stop her heart from feeling what it felt. 

Tragedy was their destiny. She felt it deeply. A true vampire’s love was unbroken, unwavering, a curse if not reciprocated. 

Tragedy. 

She had been told that before. When she was young, a vampire who could see the future told her this. That her life would end in tragedy. 

She wanted Ragnarr to end her life, to end her pain. If she killed him, this is what would happen anyway. The madness of a true vampire’s love. It would kill her if she killed him. Surely he knew this too. 

She breathed out again. Regaining her calmness. 

As they entered a side chamber of the cave she felt the warmth of a fire burning brightly, “I’m glad there’s a fire, I am so cold,” she muttered as she sat down before it. 

“Heidmork is a cold place during the winter. I am used to it, but I suppose you are not,” he smiled at her again. 

She felt her heart melting at the sight of his smile, “Let’s talk then,” she said as her eyes met his. 

“You are here to kill me, and I want you to. I can’t go on like this, I’m slipping further and further into the dark, Kat,” Ragnarr said softly, inching closer to her. 

She noticed the softness in his voice, his defeated eyes, “I- I’m not sure if I can kill you,” she admitted. 

His hand wrapped around hers, “I have a proposal. Why don’t we both die? You kill me, and I will surely kill you as well,” he said as he lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. 

“W-what? How?” She questioned in disbelief, half intrigued by the idea. 

“I will give you what you want the most, closeness, intimacy… One night together,” Ragnarr whispered into her ear. 

Her eyes widened, her heart beating faster at the thought, “B-but how are you doing to kill me?”

He leaned in, whispering soundlessly into her ear. Her eyes widened even further as a yes escaped her lips. 

He caressed her cheek, drawing her nearer to him. His lips against hers, she felt herself melting into him completely. This was everything she had longed for. Was she a fool for accepting? For once she was doing something she wanted, not something that was expected of her. 

“Ragnarr… I love you,” she mumbled under her breath. 

“I know… I cannot say the same, but I do care for you, Katherine.” His kiss deepened and his hands wrapped around her gently, “At the end of this night I want you to plunge that sword into my chest.”  

She ignored his words, her heart ached no longer, and she felt perfect bliss. One night together. It was everything she had dreamed of. Her heart betrayed her mind as the two of them intertwined that night. As the flames of the fire danced brightly beside them, it was the perfect moment for Katherine. 

Her moment had to end. 

He lay there with his arms open as she held her sword high. Katherine sat on top of him, tears dripping down her cheeks onto his chest. She didn’t want to. Her heart was saying no. The no was so loud. Yet she knew if she did this, then she would find peace later. Her own death would come. 

She smiled down at his bright green eyes, his long black hair fell against the floor as he gazed back at her. 

“You can do it. Like we talked about. My life has been long. I do not want to fall deeper into the darkness, and I will not let you fall either, my old friend,” he muttered, “I have done a lot of terrible things. Forgive me, my dear Katherine.” 

She couldn’t hold back her tears, they poured out as she raised her sword even higher. 

The blade shone in the light of the fire. 

“No. Forgive me,” she whispered as she guided the blade straight into his heart. 

Blood stained the floor of the cave. He kept his gaze on her, his hand firm around her left ankle as he let his soul slip away. 

He attached himself to her, like a snake slithering up her ankle, waiting for the moment to be free again. To spread his wings against the open sky once more. His soul was tied to hers, until he could have life again.