Jonathan tapped his foot impatiently against the tiled floor while he leaned against the wall in mock coolness. The concept of impatience should be irrelevant to an immortal being like him, but he figured his human mind still had not fully accepted that fact yet. Uniformed policemen walked into the building and gave him occasional glances, but nothing too much to elicit a response from him. It was obvious that those who were staring for a little too long were the inexperienced ones. And those who didn’t, obviously recognised the ex-informant.

A familiar clacking of boots drew Jonathan’s attention. He ended his little game of ‘Spot the newbie’ and turned to the beaming woman walking down the stairs. They took a walk along the busy streets.

“So?” he asked her expectantly.

“Case closed!” she piped. “And I’ve got better news. I just quit the force.”

Jonathan’s eyes widened.

“Chief wasn’t exactly happy about it, but nobody cares.” Anya flipped her hair carefreely. “I figured I’d have a better place somewhere that appreciates my services instead of selling me out to their system.”

“Good call, buddy.” Jonathan grinned as the two of them turned into an empty alley. “Wait, doesn’t this mean that you’re going to move to another police station?”

“Close.” She giggled. “I’m moving to The Scottish Witch Market permanently as sheriff and paranormal investigator. I made quite a few friends while you were away, and they taught me some magic too. It’s so refreshing, the way it functions. Your payment is used to power what you paid for.”

“Gee, you never run out of surprises, Detective Anya.”

“The apartment is yours, if you’re wondering. Though I have a feeling you won’t be staying in it for long.” Anya’s voice dropped a little. “You’re going to have to contend with so much trouble, like changing identities and keeping a low profile. How do you intend to live your immortal life from now on?”

“One day at a time, one thing at a time,” Jonathan replied with a wry smile.

“Hey, Jon.” Anya tilted her head down shyly. “Don’t… don’t forget about me, alright? Come visit me. I… I’m going to miss you.”

“So will I.”

Anya looked up at Jonathan, and gasped as she felt his lips interlock with hers. They embraced each other tightly for a few minutes, until Jonathan finally pulled away. Anya panted heavily, her cheeks completely flushed as her eyes darted away from his.

“I… I…” She paced around, fanning herself frantically. Anya raised her trembling fingers in an attempt to create a portal, but only sparks appeared in the air. She clasped her hand harder, getting increasingly flustered, until Jonathan held them.

“I’ll always be there for you, Anya.” Jonathan smiled warmly at her. “Thank you for being here for me all this time.”

Anya nodded shyly and pressed her face against his shoulder.

“I’m not in a rush to leave. Let’s stay like this for a while longer.”

----------------------------------------

Two months later…

“Will you tell me what’s the occasion already? It’s nearly midnight.”

“It’s not like you need to sleep anyway.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes and continued strolling the deserted walkway with his companion. Frogs croaked in the distance while dried leaves rustled along the pavement. It was not like he had ever envisioned himself hanging out with a vampire before, but something this cliché was definitely not what he would have anticipated. Lucy stopped abruptly and plopped herself onto a nearby bench.

“Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…” she sang quietly to herself, holding a raw steak in her hands. Jonathan’s eyes widened at the slightly rocking lady.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“It’s your birthday today? You should’ve just told me,” he mumbled. “We could’ve gotten ourselves a couple cuppa bevvies.”

The vampire sank her teeth into the meat and chewed contently. A barely noticeable bell rang in the distance.

“Not anymore. Thank you for spending the evening with me, Jon.” She smiled. “I hope you don’t mind; I very much like to spend my birthdays quietly these days with someone I trust.”

“Happy nine hundred and ninety, granny.” Jonathan teased her. Lucy chuckled and rubbed his head affectionately. She froze as an intense expression crossed her face suddenly. Her ears pricked as they slowly began to sharpen into something resembling a bat. Jonathan glanced at her glowing irises and flicked his head around.

What’s wrong-

There.

The duo stood up, facing the small group of people walking almost silently towards them. Their faces were hidden in the dim moonlight, but they were well dressed. Some were in suits, and others dressed themselves in antique looking dresses. Jonathan and Lucy remained stationary, until the streetlights shed their weak light onto their faces.

“I wasn’t expecting to see so many of my kind tonight…” Lucy whispered.

“At ease, Warner.” A teenage boy walked in front of his entourage. “You are among friends now.”

“I don’t recall making any of your acquaintances,” Jonathan replied, clenching his fists hostilely.

“Mayhaps not my associates, but surely you know me?” The boy smiled sinisterly. “Or has your age finally caught up with you? Getting a little tired from scurrying around?”

Jonathan let out an audible gasp in realisation. “No way… But how?”

“Oliver Harred was many things, but never a human,” the boy said. “He was merely one of the many vessels I possessed in my eight hundred years in the mortal realm. Yes, Oliver Harred was a changeling. Or to be more precise, I am.”

“What? But I thought changelings were fairies who swapped bodies with children?”

“No,” Lucy said quietly. “They swap souls, not bodies. Fully grown changelings have the ability to stay immortal by transferring their souls to different bodies after death, as long as the original owner consents to it.”

“That is very correct, Mistress Carpenter.” The boy nodded. “My fae name is Angus, and I officially bid you welcome to The Immortal Association.”

“Pardon me if we’re not so trusting.” Jonathan folded his arms. “You must understand. We were duped into joining ‘The Immortal Paranormal Association’ not too long ago, which caused us a whole lot of trouble.”

“Ah yes, allow me to apologise for the actions of our ex-member, Boris Lopez.” Angus flashed him a professional smile. “He has been found guilty of the betrayal of our express command and renounced for his disgraceful crimes.”

“I still have no reason to trust you.”

“No, you don’t. But she does.”

A man stepped forward, flashing a fanged smile at Lucy. Jonathan could her breaths quicken as she moved towards him.

“Lestat? Is that really you?” her voice trembled.

“That I am. Long time no see, Westenra.”

“Wait, ‘Lestat’ as in ‘Lestat de Lioncourt’?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “I thought that was just a story.”

The vampire chuckled heartily, his voice ringing into the night. “No, that name was made up. Although it probably drew inspiration from my first name. As with Lucy here, am I right?”

“And there you have it, stonekeeper,” Angus said. He raised a placating hand at Jonathan tensing up instinctively.

“Don’t worry, we have no love for The Lily Noir. The stones are safe with you, I trust. We offer you nothing more than membership to our association. Be rest assured, it is against the rules of our establishment to coerce anyone into their personal affairs. There will not be a repeat of what happened. So what say you, Warner?”

Jonathan looked up to the sky. The moon was full tonight, smiling down ethereally on the world. It had been one hell of a ride, but he was grateful for the second chance in life he had been blessed with. And if it was his destiny to guard the stones under the cover of darkness, then so be it. He glanced at Lucy, who was already mingling with her long lost vampire friends. The immortal smiled.

Why not? After all, he was going to have company for a long, long time.

“I accept.”

Jonathan Warner followed his new companions and disappeared from the world. He was the new warden of The Lily Noir. He was the immortal stonekeeper.

And his life had just begun.

THE END.