I didn't know how to explain what I experienced. I thought I was done having visions since Eretria wasn't projecting her memories to me anymore. Now I was seeing Julian's?

He thought I was beautiful.

I blinked away the thought when I noticed her staring at me expectantly. "I don't—I'm not..." I couldn't form the words, still entranced by the vision.

"Claire... Your eyes... They glazed over like Julian's do when he sees things," Eretria explained, still staring at me with concern.

"They did?" I asked, still shocked.

She nodded. "You had a vision? What happened?"

"I—I thought about Julian, and all of a sudden, I saw him. I think it was a memory because it was of him taking me back to the castle after he found me in the woods," I explained, trying to gather my thoughts. "It was weird though... I think I was able to read his mind. I didn't experience that with you. I thought maybe you were projecting memories again."

Eretria's expression went from concerned to curious. "That wasn't me. What did it feel like when you thought about Julian?"

I thought back to how it felt when I was being pulled into that vision. I remembered how it was like a string that connected me to Julian was in my head, and I could follow it. Somehow that imaginary string led me to his subconscious.

"It felt like there was something in my mind that connected me to Julian's. I followed it, and I suddenly was able to see that memory," I tried to explain what I felt, but saying it out loud made me doubt what happened.

I looked up to see Eretria's brows knitted together. A few seconds passed before she responded, "Claire, I think what happened to you is your vampire ability."

My eyes widened. "I—Vampire ability? Like Julian's or yours?"

I had a power?

"Yeah! It's like you have Julian's ability of reading minds, but you can access their memories and subconscious too. This is incredible! Julian has to touch a person to see their past and has to be near them to read their mind though. It's like you just have to think about the person to be able to access their subconscious." She was beaming at me excitedly.

A sudden thought popped into my mind, kind of like the last piece to the puzzle. "Eretria, do people get their ability based off of how they were when they were human?"

Maybe I had this ability because of Eretria too.

"Uh... It's not really clear about how or why you get a certain one, but I was always a daydreamer, and my mind was always wandering. Maybe that's why I have the ability of astral projection; it allows me to be able to explore and go anywhere I want." She shrugged, and then picked another flower.

I smiled fondly at the small flower. "I think my ability has everything to do with your connection you had with me, especially when I died."

"What do you mean?" She plopped herself on the floor and patted the ground next to her.

I sat down on the damp grass and watched as Eretria picked at the blades, morning dew still bubbled on them.

"You said fate was funny. I think that the reason we had such a strong connection was because maybe I had that connection in my head to you like I do now. A two way road maybe? I don't know..." I laughed at the idea and shook my head.

"Maybe," she half whispered. "Whatever it was, I'm happy I found you."

"Me too."

Eretria gave me a meaningful look and then turned her head away, causing her her black hair to whip around her face.

I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had an ability—a superpower. I couldn't help the grin that grew on my face. The shock of it all was wearing off. I am a vampire, meaning that I am going to live forever, and I have a soulmate—the bond like Tristan and Eretria had. It's what I longed for.

I went from dreaming about boys and the wedding and life I didn't think I would ever have, to being loved unconditionally by a self-obsessed vampire that knows how to make me laugh and feel loved. It was truly magical—unbelievable.

I had friends and a family now. I had Eretria, Tristan, Celine, Aurora, and even Olivia. I was content; I have everything that I've ever wanted.

I heard footsteps approaching with my new hearing; it was Julian and Tristan. As they approached, Eretria got off the ground and ran into Tristan's arms. He twirled her around and kissed her like she would disappear if he didn't.

Julian was behind Tristan, his presence already sending shock waves down my body. My eyes immediately met his, and we both instantly smiled. He gave me his hand to help me up and pulled me into a hug. His face rested in my brown hair.

"Julian."

"Hmm?" he mumbled, his voice muffled.

"You are amazing and deserve everything," I said.

I heard him chuckle before he moved to face me. "What are you on about?" He asked while tracing his finger along my cheekbone.

"When you put me on the hospital bed when you found me, you thought you didn't deserve me. Well, you were wrong."

"How did you—? I didn't say that out loud." He looked surprised.

I cleared my throat. "I saw it. I thought about you and saw you lay me down. You thought it, but I heard you. I found out using my ability, which is kind of like yours. That's besides the point though. You do deserve me. Don't ever think differently."

He shook his head. "Okay." His eyes searched mine. "I guess I'm not the only one that can invade people's privacy now."

I chuckled, "No, I guess not."

"I think we need to set up some boundaries then, princess," Julian joked. "Like my brain being off limits."

He grabbed my hand and we walked over to some roses, where he picked one and handed it to me. The sun was now illuminating the entire sky, making the brown in his eyes look more golden, otherworldly.

"Oh, so I can't look through yours like you have mine since we've met?" I asked in a sarcastic tone and smelled the rose before walking away from him. I suddenly felt strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.

Julian whispered in my ear, "Okay, princess. You got me. I would just be careful though. You never know what crazy things you'll find in there." He tapped on his head, making me laugh, and he spun me around and kissed me, causing fireworks to ignite between us. When we pulled apart, he traced his thumb around my bottom lip.

"I love you, Claire," he whispered. "I'm not the greatest man. I've done things that I'm not proud of, but I'll spend eternity being the man of your dreams."

"I love you too." My eyes softened at his admission. "But you don't need to be the man of my dreams. Reality is so much better." I put my hand on his cheek, and he leaned into it, love glistened in his eyes.

Tristan approached us and tapped on Julian's shoulder. Pools of blue danced between me and Julian.

"Hey, do you mind if I talk to Claire for a moment?"

Julian looked to me, then back at Tristan and nodded. "Yeah, of course. Can't deny the King." He bowed sarcastically.

Tristan rolled his eyes as Julian patted his shoulder. Julian gave me an endearing look before making his way to the new Queen.

"Hey," Tristan said as he bit his bottom lip and out his hands in his pockets.

"Hey," I greeted him.

The air between us felt different than it used to. All feelings I had for him were completely gone, probably the result of what I had with Julian. I still cared about him, but more like a friend now.

It was strange. It was like everything between us never happened; it was a dream.

"Claire, I'm sorry about everything. I'm sorry about my father and you not being able to choose to become a vampire. I wish I could go back..."

"No," I interrupted him. "I wouldn't change anything. I wouldn't go back because everything that happened led me to you guys—to Julian. You guys are my family now, and I wouldn't change a thing. I have freedom and am surrounded by love. It is all I could ever ask for and want."

Tristan did one of his lopsided smiles and looked over at Eretria and Julian, who were laughing about something that Julian probably said. He looked back at me, meeting my gaze again.

"I did want to apologize about us though. Our kiss... I would never have started something between us if I knew about Eretria. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Tristan," I sighed and gave him a reassuring smile. "I know you wouldn't have. You're not that type of person, and I understand the soulmate bond now. You didn't hurt me either. What you have with Eretria is something I've always wished for, and I found it with Julian. I understand completely. I also know now that everything I felt was Eretria."

Tristan nodded. I looked over at the beautiful woman with raven hair as she gave Julian my favorite, little flower.

"You were never mine..." I said to Tristan.

I focused on the man that I loved making my new friend laugh, and I knew that this is where fate meant for me to be. Everything that happened did for a reason, this reason, and I was perfectly fine with the turnout; it brought me to him. The moment that Julian wriggled his way into my mind, I was his.

"...And I was never yours."

The End