�����The bus journey to the city was rough. Sapphira was bumped around for hours, cramped by a window and squashed by the rather large man sitting next to her. Her long, dark brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Her bright sapphire eyes shone with happiness, she was going to see Ebony!
�����Ebony Blackthorn was Sapphira's soulmate. He was a 19 year old Lamia Vampire with jet black hair and sparkling emerald eyes. Last Samhain he had risked his life to save her when Hunter Redfern took her and two other members of Circle Daybreak and tried to kill them on Samhain as an example to the rest of the Nightworld. Unfortunately, they rarely saw each other for fear of discovery by other Nightworlders. This meeting in the city was the only way they could make sure that no one they knew could see them together.
�����Such arrangements were hard on both of them. They could never publicly show their love and often they found it quite a strain. It did not damage their relationship however, soulmates did not fall out often and they found that they could live with the situation, even if they did not like it. It would only last until Sapphira finished her education anyway. Then they would be able to get a flat together, probably shared with another soulmate couple though, and then they would not have as much trouble in being together.
�����It would have been a lot easier if Sapphira allowed Ebony to make her into a Vampire, but he understood why she did not want that transformation. If she became a Vampire then she would not be able to have children; this would be possible between a Lamia Vampire and a Witch. Sapphira wanted children badly. The other reason she did not want to become a Vampire was that she would be giving up a part of her, the part that was a Witch and in a way it would lessen Circle Daybreak. If everyone with a Vampire soulmate was changed into a Vampire then it might solve their problems in being together, but it would cheapen what Circle Daybreak stood for.

�����Ebony was there to meet her at the Bus Station. He lived in the city and came to visit her regularly. This time it was her turn to visit him. He had a house on the edge of the city, it was quiet and there were no other Nightworlders in the area. They would be save from prying eyes there. Sapphira had lied to her parents about where she was going; they were strict about Nightworld law and, as Witches, were not very keen on Vampires. They would kill her if they knew she was going out with a Vampire and was a member of Circle Daybreak!
�����They were only friendly as they walked to Ebony's car. They both knew that there were other Nightworlders around and they had to be careful to be seen as 'Just friends'. They both hated this act they had to put on. They were only free to be themselves when there was no one else around, they were in private, or they were at Circle Daybreak. These times were so few that they made the most of very precious second they had together.

�����The house was magnificent. A six bedroomed, detached with a large garden and heated outdoor pool. Ebony's parents, like most Vampires, were very rich and gave their only son anything that he desired. All he really wanted was peace, quiet and Sapphira, but they sent him money all the same. The driveway was gravel and the house itself was at least a hundred years old. Sapphira loved old buildings and was astounded by the beauty of this one, with its elaborate stone fronts and ivy almost totally covering the front of the building. It looked like something out of a fairytale!
�����"The house is beautiful!" Sapphira whispered, almost breathless with excitement. "I always wanted to live somewhere like this!"
�����"You can if you like. This place is far enough away from other Nightworlders to keep us safe. When you have finished your studies, we could live here. The two of us, alone at last and the rest of the world cannot interfere!"
�����"It's perfect! Give me a few years for studies and this place will be ours, yours and mine with no one else to impinge on our privacy! Oh, Ebony, It's fantastic!" Sapphira hugged her soulmate enthusiastically. He grinned, knowing that this was a perfect place for them. Someday they would be together always. This was exactly what they had wished for!
�����"Come and see the inside! You're going to love it!"
�����"Oh, Ebony, I already do!"

�����The next few hours were taken up with examining all the rooms. Sapphira looked over every inch of the place. This was the house of her dreams! Ebony knew that of course, they were linked in ways that even they did not fully understand. In Ebony's arms she had love and security. Every time he held her she felt as if she was home, every time they kissed was electric and even more wonderful than the last. Their love was eternal, nothing but death would tear them from each other. Soulmates. It was a beautiful word for a beautiful bond.
�����It was in the kitchen that Sapphira remembered the song. It was from a musical, The King and I, if she remembered correctly. "I just remembered this song. It is a really sad love song from a musical. I was thinking how similar it seems to our position. Do you want to hear it? I'll sing it if you like."
�����"Go ahead, I love to hear you sing, you sound like an angel."
�����"Flatterer! Okay, here goes. It's called "We kiss in a Shadow."

�����"You're right it is like our situation. But it won't be that way forever, I promise you that! Anyway, what happened to these lovers? Did they have a happy ending?"
�����"I'm afraid that theirs was a tragic ending. The girl was a present for the King of Siam and she was in love with the man who brought her to the King. They ran away together but they were found, Lun Tha, the man was killed and Tuptim, his lover, was heartbroken."
�����"We have had the almost tragic part of our love story. Now we are together and we will stay that way! No one is going to come between us again!"
�����"I agree. Soulmates forever! Love everlasting! At the moment we have some hurdles to our relationship, but together we will leap them! I love you more than there are words to express it! We have all the years ahead together, and perhaps I will even come back in another life! Then we will have forever. I hope I have forever with you!"
�����"So do I, so do I"

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