Winter Legacy -31-

"If I'd come with him in the first place, this never would have happened." Jaylee cursed herself again. The sun beat down on her pale skin mercilessly, but she would endure it a million times over to save her husband's life.

Jaylee went to Tahiya Shalut's house, if anyone was obligated to help her save Claus it was this woman. She knocked on the door but got no answer. As she was turning to leave she caught sight of the dark haired woman standing in the window. 

"Tahiya, hi, my name is Jaylee, I'm Claus' wife. Please open the door, he really needs your help."

Tahiya's eyes shifted from side to side. "I do not know of whom you speak."

"You're shitting with me!" She hollared and began pounding on the door, "You open this door right now Shalut!" 

When the woman still refused to allow Jaylee into her house Jaylee easily tore the door off the hinges and strode into the house. Tahiya tried to run, but Jaylee moved with inhuman speed, blocking off all of the woman's exits. "You listen to me Tahiya Shalut, if you ever contact my husband again I will come back for you and separate your head from your body, do you hear me!"

Tahiya was so terrified she couldn't answer, Jaylee went full vampire on her, baring her fangs and allowing her eyes to turn blood red with anger. Tahiya had never seen such a creature. Jaylee tossed the woman across the room for emphasis. 

Jaylee wandered around all day, there was no one she could ask for help, she did not know these people and when she tried to chat with them they ignored her.

Darkness fell and the people left the market. Jaylee located a snake charmer's basket and plopped down. She had no idea how to play the flute thing but she was determined to learn. She played the instrument for hours until she learnt it well enough to make the snake dance for her. She even managed to kiss the creature on the head. But she did get her snake's poison.

Jaylee went to one of the pyramids and just wandered around until she found what she was looking for. A mummy came out of a sarcophagus moaning. "That's right come to Jaylee you son of a bitch."

Jaylee sucker-punched the long dead pharaoh, then with a sweeping kick sent it to the ground. She sat on the mummy and proceeded to tear away at the bandages until she revealed the stinking dusty interior.  She took what she wanted from the mummy then completely unwrapped it so that it couldn't harm anyone.

Jaylee caught the next flight out. Her heart broke when she returned home. Claus was lying in the same position, still wearing the same clothes. She set up the vile smelling powder, mixed with the poison on the incense holder and lit it. 

The stench intensified. Jaylee folded her legs beneath her and began to meditate to distract herself from the vile odor. 

Jaylee felt Claus' consciousness return, soon he was stirring and groaning. "Ow!" Claus moaned, his muscles her cramped up from remaining idle and in the same curled position for years. 

"What is that smell?" He croaked after rolling all the way over.

Jaylee pranced onto the bed and wrapped herself in Claus' arms. "Claus I was so worried."

"About what?"

Jaylee smiled. "Claus, you stink, go take a shower, I'll do something about the smell inside this room. And then maybe we can work on a little hybrid don't you think?"

"Sounds good to me."

The next day, in a house across town, Frederick finally built up the confidence to do something he had wanted to do for a long time. "Erika honey, I know we've been trying to have a baby for a while now and maybe it hasn't happened for a reason. I've been thinking that I want to do this thing right. I don't want to bring a child into this world unless we can all carry the last name Gunderson. Erika Darling, love of my life, mother of all my future babies, will you marry me?"

Erika had been content with just waking up beside Frederick every morning and kissing him goodnight every night. This was a big step, but she was ready and willing to take that with Frederick holding her hand. "Yes." She breathed, her vision clouded with tears that came from nowhere.