[Dennis]Being called to Master Nightshade’s home had worried me. I knew I was doing everything right with Sybil, but it was a strain. I loved her before she died and loved her more with each passing day. There were times she even seemed like herself.In those times, I could almost imagine that she was my Sybil again. Something in her was different from what a childe should be. I talked to some other vampires who had made children before and they described behavior that I hadn’t seen in Sybil since the first week of her turning. At the second week mark, she stopped having trouble with calling me Master and only called me Dennis. I thought I had gotten through to her, but others felt it was too soon for her to have gotten over the respectful inclination to call me by my title. There were times she tried to convince me she was remembering her life, but I couldn’t believe that. It seemed like wishful acceptance when I did. She didn’t seem to be lying, but I didn’t have any proof of it and I couldn’t let my hope for her memory cloud my judgement. I needed to be a stern, yet understanding sire. Sybil took my orders well and obeyed each of them, so when I ordered her to stop telling me about her false memories, she did. It felt like she grew further from me after that. I knew I was doing what was best for her, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to believe her and to love her as I had when she was alive. That was impossible, though. There were laws against it and I wouldn’t break any laws if I could avoid it. Sybil could be taken away from me and I could be punished. I wouldn’t risk someone else taking my Sybil from me. Never again. It was why I sent her away a couple weeks ago in the club. I wanted to get her away from the men who were staring at her and that wolf who tried to get her to go with him. Yes, it was just dancing, but Sybil was mine. I couldn’t let her go off with anyone, even if I knew she would be coming back to me. Master Nightshade’s orders echoed in my mind. I was to listen to Sybil. She was supposed to tell me everything she told him tonight. Apparently, she told him she was remembering her life as well. It made sense, he was questioning her and she answered him. But if they were false memories, would he be upset at both of us for wasting his time?Once we reached the house, I took her into my office and sat her on the couch. I sat next to her and took her hand in mine. Sybil gripped my hand tightly. “Tell me what you told Master Nightshade tonight,” I requested. “I really am remembering my life, Dennis. I remember meeting you and falling in love with you. I remember the night you asked me to go to dinner at Master Nightshade’s home. How I thought you were a werewolf and how you comforted me. I remember realizing you were a vampire and what that meant. I remember you agreeing to be my boyfriend. “Dennis, I’m not scared of this, but you seem to be. I don’t want you to be scared. I loved you. I still love you and I will always love you.” She proceeded to tell me all of the memories she had. When I questioned how she remembered so much, she told me she dreamed it. That seemed unlikely, as I was the only vampire I knew of who dreamed in their rest. Still, I listened. It all seemed so real. There were things she knew that she couldn’t have heard from someone else. She showed no signs of lying or of disbelieving any part of what she said to me. When she was done, Sybil pulled my hand and clasped it over her heart. “There was another dream. One of my first ones. I met the goddess in that dream and she told me I had no Solus Amor and I never would. She told me I had her blessing to be with you. If the High Council gives their blessing too, I want you to bind your soul with mine and be mine forever,” she said softly. With my free hand, I caressed her face. If this was true, I wanted that. Then I fully processed what she said. “The High Council? What do you mean, Sybil?” I asked. “Master Nightshade listened to what I had to say and I told him about the dream with the goddess. I told him I wanted to be given the freedom to be yours before I reach my thirtieth year after death. I remember the whole of my relationship with you and a month before that. “I remember the loneliness and monotony of my life before I found you. Dennis, you changed my life before you ever changed me into a vampire. I wanted to be with you for a very long time and was even thinking of going through the change into a vampire once I knew this was something that could be forever. “Dennis, I didn’t want to trap you. I only wanted to love you. If you don’t think you want me now that I’m a vampire, I’ll understand, but I want you to give me a chance. I think you love me, too. I wake up in your bed every night. You give me more attention than you give Franny or your work. Tyler watches you with such a sad expression. “It’s because you lost me, or you thought you did. I remember you. I love you. Please tell me you love me still, too. Tell me this didn’t change your love for me,” Sybil pled with tears in her eyes. She petitioned for a hard and fast rule to be set aside for us. Sybil was always bold in life, according to her brother and friends at the memorial they had for her. This seemed to be exactly in line with her personality. She didn’t realize how dangerous it could be to get the attention of powerful beings. “I do still love you, Sybil. I missed you so much. I thought I would never see you acting like yourself again, but it’s dangerous to petition the High Council like this. We could have waited until you were thirty. I know it seems like a long time when you’re so young, but it goes by faster than you’d think,” I told her. Sybil shook her head. “It’s not soon enough, Dennis. Every memory I gain about the time before I knew you makes me ache for you even more. I don’t just want your body. I want all of you. “I want to sit with you. I want to go to sleep in the morning being held in your arms. I want to kiss you when I’m happy or sad or just when I need a kiss. I miss your kisses. You only kissed me once when I first woke up and I haven’t had another one since then.”Pulling her into my lap, I held her to me. I hadn’t been giving her affection because of how it hurt me and I had totally ignored that a young vampire needs physical reassurance from their sire from time to time. Sybil was more than just my childe. She was my heart.I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly. The scent of her invaded my senses. Somehow, I’d forgotten how good she felt, even though that was what I was trying to avoid. I guess it worked. Nothing had ever felt like holding Sybil. Nothing had ever made me feel more contented. “I love you and I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. You’re my first childe, Sybil, and I don’t know what I’m doing. I was trying to follow what the books and all the other vampires said without considering that you could be different,” I murmured into her hair. “Don’t leave me alone again, Dennis. I don’t like it. I want to be yours. Really, totally, and completely yours,” she whispered. “I want that too. We have to wait to see what the Masters on the Council say, but I would give anything if they would grant me your love and your hand. My Solus Amor rejected me and you were the only one to fill my heart in the same way. If you’re really okay with it and they approve it, I would like to soul bond with you,” I told her. She wrapped her arms around my chest and squeezed. I kept my tight hold on her. Even if they didn’t approve, there were things we could do to alleviate the pain for both of us. I would do everything in my power to keep us both happy until she turned thirty and we could really be together. We spent most of the evening talking about plans for the future and about our shared past. Sybil stayed in my arms while we talked. When she first woke up, I was more affectionate, but Tyler reminded me I couldn’t have a relationship with Sybil until she was thirty. It had all stopped and I could see the hurt in her when I kept our contact brief. “What happened to all of my things?” she asked. “Most of it is in storage, but I brought all of your books and notebooks here. I have them on that shelf over there.” I pointed to the shelf. Sybil climbed out of my lap and went to the shelves. She scanned over the spines of all the books there and finally pulled one out. Coming back to the couch, she sat beside me. The book looked like a journal. “Before I died, you offered me a job with your company. I spent time every day of the two weeks between then and my death writing. I had so many ideas about what I wanted to do with your club I almost filled the entire book in that short amount of time.” She opened the notebook and handed it to me. I accepted it and began looking through the pages she’d written on. There were some great ideas and some that wouldn’t work, given the nature of some supernaturals. Others were more human geared. With each page I read, my esteem for her grew. I knew she would be perfect for the job, but I had no idea just how perfect. Looking up at her, I found her sitting closely, reading along with me. A smile graced her face and I couldn’t resist kissing her. Sybil returned my kiss, but pulled away before I was finished. She looked into my eyes in a searching fashion, as if she were looking for something. Biting her lips together, she looked away. “We can’t do that until the result comes back from the council. We don’t want to get used to it and have to stop,” Sybil whispered. “You’re right. I’m sorry. In light of what you’ve shown me, would you like a position in my company? The same one I created for you. I never filled your office or that position. With your memories and this notebook, I think you could still do the job.” She gripped my arm and sat up straighter. “You mean I could really work with you? I love that idea! I want to do that more than I want to read those musty old books.” “You will have to finish reading the books. I’m sure you can see the issues with some of your plans given what you’ve already learned. You will start after you’ve finished with all of the books you’ve been assigned. Since the sun sets earlier, we can shop for items to fill your office and you can have it decorated however you wish,” I replied. “That sounds great. Thank you for finally listening to me, Dennis. I promise to make you proud of me as your childe and as your girlfriend.” “Perhaps, if things go well, as my wife….” I suggested. Tears welled up in her eyes and she turned away, wiping them furiously. I turned her face back toward me. Sybil didn’t fight my gentle control of her. “Never hide your tears from me, my love. Not if they are happy, not if they are sad. I always want to see every expression on your beautiful face.” “What if your ex shows up? Will you still want me if your perfect match finds a brain cell and realizes what she missed out on?” she asked. “A rejection is a very final thing, Sybil. Even if she regretted what she did, which I doubt, there is nothing binding us any longer.”“Promise? No one will steal you from me if we have to wait?” “I promise, Sybil. You are the only vampire I love. Even if we can’t be together, I will only love you,” I vowed. “And I will only love you, Dennis. Since I don’t have a Solus Amor, you never have to worry about losing me. I am only yours for the rest of time.” Again, I couldn’t resist her. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her passionately. Sybil wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back. I missed kissing her so much more than I thought I would. It was as if I was empty inside when I couldn’t have her sweet mouth on mine.