Not only was Gabby's visit unexpected, it was also greatly appreciated and Sterling certainly couldn't have been more grateful the female vampire had decided to stop by his old Victorian estate. It got lonely at times and there were many days when the empty halls and rooms haunted him. He wanted so desperately to hear the squeals of Lily again as she rushed through the house, toys in her hands. He tended to scold the girl at times like these, angry she was disrupting his writing and she'd sulk for a few hours until Sterling- or Robert, as he was known back then- went to comfort her. If he'd known he would lose her, perhaps he would have never grown angry at her.
Again, he thought back to Gabby and how she'd followed him inside after they'd talked for a while. It came as a surprise, as he usually never had anyone inside. Still, his house was in pristine condition, as if he'd been expecting company. He constantly kept it that way, though, just in case. They talked, just like any coven members normally would, and by the time she'd left Sterling couldn't help but grin almost ear to ear.
The morning after, he was still in a very cheery mood and decided that it gave him a wonderful excuse to wander outside of his home, his comfort zone, and stroll around Bellingstone. For a while, he was able to occupy himself by weaving in and out of stores. Nothing, besides a few books, caught his eye so he continued his walk, moving further away from town. Eventually, he found himself outside of town, walking along a dirt and gravel pathway that he knew he'd never set foot on. Why should he have, really? The only time the author left town was to hunt and, even then, he was only journeying out into the woods to hunt down a few animals he would suck dry. There were times when he thought it would be best to simply starve himself. That way, he would die and wouldn't have to deal any longer with this painful existence he led.
On the other hand, though, he'd heard stories that vampires were condemned with neither Heaven nor Hell. This idea concerned him greatly, for all he wanted was to be with his wife and child again, who were most certainly in a heaven of some sort. He stopped suddenly as he found himself in the driveway of a decent sized, cabin-style home. It was one he didn't recognize until he saw the cop car in the driveway, along with the pick-up truck. It was obviously Bellingstone's lovely (he used the term loosely) sheriff, for he'd seen the man in the same truck countless times around the town.
He was going to turn and go back the way he'd come, but he couldn't help but notice the toys scattered on the front yard of the home. Some of them looked pointless and odd, but he easily noticed the jump rope and a bicycle, for his own daughter had had them too. The thought made him frown, his stomach turning at the thought. His own yard had once been littered with objects just like these...not anymore, though.
He hadn't been aware the sheriff had children, but he was never really out and about, was he? Awkwardly, he took a few steps toward the toys and the house, just to look at them closer as if doing so could create the illusion that they belonged to his daughter and not some random child he'd never met before.