Immortal Embrace (13 page)

Chapter Thirty

Distress

Alexander hops over the seat; he was hiding in the back. “That went very well.” he cheers.

“Yeah, he handled it very well. I don’t think it could have gone any better,” I reply happily.

We both sit back to listen to the conversation going on inside the McCord house. I decide to drive away a little to stay out of sight. Our super hearing allows us to hone in on a conversation up to a mile away, more if we try and the conditions are right. We just want to make sure Nathanial was honest with me and will keep the secret. We are able to tune out the noise from the surrounding houses and zero in on the McCords. We can hear the family’s approving words. Although they caution Nathanial to take things slowly, he has never been in love before. Nathanial admits he is indeed in love with me and tells them it was love at first sight. He also says he knows he wants to spend his life with me. In that moment, his parents seem to understand, as they to fell in love at first sight over twenty years ago and still remain happy today.

I can trust him with everything. He did not even hint to his family that anything is different. I realize that in his mind, the new information will not change anything. This makes me so happy, until I remember that we don’t have forever. Nathanial is going to go to college, grow old, and die. I am never going to change, never going to grow old.

How can we stay together?

“Let’s go home, Alexander. I’ve heard enough.” My heart is breaking because he loves me and I love him, but it will never work out. It is like a battle raging between my head and my heart.

***

I drive faster than normal and when we arrive, the whole family is waiting.

“What is it, dear?” Florence asks.

“I can’t do this. I just can’t. I love him too much.” I sigh.

“Can’t do what? Was it too hard being there at his family’s home? Did something happen?” Florence’s concern is growing, and I can see the distress in her face.
Do they all
think I did something?

“No, nothing that hurt anyone or that was dangerous,” I confirm.

“So what happened? What has got you so upset?” she asks in a motherly tone.

“Florence he told me he has two memories of the night he was attacked. When he dreams, he sees the real memory. Why didn’t your implantation work fully?”

“I am not sure. Maybe it was because he was meant to know the truth,” she defends.

“Sophia, it is meant to be. I can’t give you all the details yet, but he will one day be a part of our family,” Constance insists once again.

“No! I don’t want this for him. Being around him is too dangerous not just for him but also for his entire family. His mother cut herself tonight, and since I have not fed in days, it took everything in me not to attack her. I had to leave the house for a bit. I became extremely agitated and upset because I am thirsty. He knows everything now.

He saw a picture of our family from when we saved Constance. I told him, and he does not care. He said he loves me and nothing can change that,” I explain.

“Sophia, the two of you are soul mates. You and Nate belong together like no two souls I have ever seen before. You need to accept it, or both of you will be miserable,”

Matilda encourages.

“I just need some time to think, but most of all, I need to eat.”

“I have dinner almost ready. Why don’t you set the table for us, Danika? Everyone else can get cleaned up for dinner,” Florence suggests. “You will feel much better after you have fed,” she reassures.

After a delicious dinner, we all enjoy some lovely blood sherbet, and I admit I do feel better now. I explain that Nathanial is coming to the house tomorrow. I have a great family, and they are very concerned about me and are trying to make me feel better.

“Who is up for a race?” Isaac challenges.

We all jump up from the table and head for the door, already starting to run. Isaac always wins because he is the fastest, but Alexander is sneaky, reading our thoughts and ruining our technique. He is able to get ahead of Isaac and trip him up. The two of them fall to the ground and begin to wrestle a little. This gives the rest of us a chance to get ahead of them. We all stop at the same instant when we hear something beyond the trees: a couple of wolves. We are all surprised, as wolves have been extinct in the area for many years.

Alexander links us telepathically. “There is something different about these wolves.

I think it is best if we return home,” he informs us.

“You are right, Alexander. I see their souls differently than most animals,” Matilda agrees.

“What do you mean you see their souls differently?” I question.

“Well, under most circumstances I don’t see a soul on an animal; it is more like an aura. These wolves though are giving me much more of a human feel to them; I see the good in them. I can’t explain it.”

“It’s the same for me, I normally don’t hear animal thoughts, but I’m picking up some kind of gibberish from them. As if they are part human.”

“I wonder if Ebony knows anything, we should mention it to her later and try to figure out what is up with these animals.”

On that note, we all turn and leave the wolves in peace to return to our own dwelling.

***

I am feeling much better. The fact is, I cannot continue on without Nathanial. I do not have the strength to stay away. I will just enjoy him and the love we share and go from there. What is meant to be will be, as long as he remains safe. I finally succumb to the full weight of my feelings. Nathanial means everything to me, and there is no hiding it. His family is just as amazing. I always wanted to be a part of something so normal and special. My family is great, but they are all I have, and after so many years, I think it may be time for more.

When I was mortal, the family I had expected too much from me. I was expected to save our family name and honor. It was too big a burden for such a young girl.

Growing up back in Italy, I was raised knowing it was my responsibility to keep the family. I recall how my birth mother would explain my duties to me. I was expected to marry a wealthy and powerful man that would increase our royal stature. I was the firstborn daughter to the Suvanto family in over ten generations.

I remember back to the 1800’s when I was alive, only a woman who married a royal improved the family’s worth. Our family had been stuck at the same level forever. I was the one to improve that and bring more money to the family. I was to marry up the social ladder and reproduce for the royal family. Once I was married to someone of proper standing and I produced a male heir to become king, my family’s standing in society would have been solidified. I sometimes feel as though the vampire that attacked me actually saved me because he led me to the Pierce family, my afterlife family. I am grateful to them for saving me from a tragic life. All I ever wanted was love, and finally, after over a century, I have found it, and I am not about to let it go. My mind is finally made up, and I will fight for Nathanial.

***

My family and I thought now would be good time to tidy the house. It is nearly immaculate, but Florence insists we maintain a proper and presentable home at all times.

“Our home is the one true thing we have in our existence that we can be proud of.

We never know when someone may stop by to say hello.”

“Yes, Mother. We know,” everyone grumbles at the same time.

While cleaning, we put the local radio station on, crank up the volume, and dance around our beautiful home. After so many years, we have a pretty good system and get it done in no time flat, even without using our super speed. We all enjoy the perks of being a vampire, if you can call them perks, but we enjoy being as normal as possible even more.

Our time together is enjoyable, and now that it is winter break, we have all kinds of plans to explore the area and learn even more about this little town we are beginning to call home. It has been a very interesting day, and the events have taken a toll on me.

“Where is Danika? I don’t recall seeing her since we returned from the forest,” I make known, thinking that like a normal teen, she is hiding in her room avoiding chores.

Isaac runs up to her room and back down again. “She is not there,” he says with concern.

We do a quick search of the house, but she is nowhere to be found.

“My Lord! I hope she did not get caught up with those wolves. We better find her,”

Florence says with a slight hint of fear in her voice.

“You stay here, Florence, in case she returns. The rest of us will go look for her,”

Elijah suggests.

We all set out to look for Danika, running at top speed and tuning in to all the sounds we can find.

Chapter Thirty One

Caspian’s Watchful Eye

December 22,

My formal family has been keeping me busy the past few days. I worry about Sophia, the girl
I once called a sister. I can only hope her relationship with that boy–Nathanial–does not end like
mine and Ashley’s did. I almost blew my cover the night of his attack. If Isaac had not shown up
when he did, I would have been forced to help Alexander defeat the rogue Cerberus. I continue to
log my mission in my journal. It was difficult to stand back and watch Sophia and her mate get
attacked by the Cerberus. I wanted to warn her that he was in the area and that there are more
heading their way. I sense them.

My ability to sense others of supernatural force would be very helpful to my family in the
coming weeks and months. Constance’s gift of premonitions will help as well, but only if she has
contact with something or someone involved. She has no control over what she sees. Another
problem I have learned is that the leader of the Cerberus cult has the ability to block mental
abilities of others. This is something he can use to his advantage, and he may have blocked all
mental abilities in the area. There is no way of knowing.

When I left my family thirty years ago, I swore I would protect them and I have succeeded–at
least until now. I am helpless when it comes to Sophia’s dealings with this mortal, although she
has always been emotionally stronger than I was back when I was with Ashley. I still worry
about her. I need to trust that the family learned from my mistakes. I felt a slight moment of relief
when I was watching Sophia tonight. Nathanial is now aware of what Sophia and the family is,
and this alone protects all of them. I should have been honest with Ashley, but I cannot concern
myself with that at the moment.

It is the new vampire Danika, I must worry about. She is trouble and quickly headed down
the wrong path. I will do everything in my power to keep my former family safe, even if it means
destroying their newest member. I have been watching the Cerberus approach her, attempting to
draw her to them. It is difficult to watch, as I know her actions will affect the family I care about.

I fight the urge to shake some sense into that young head of hers. I have no other choice but to
join the cult undercover. I can’t go back to my family, not after what I did, they deserve better
than me and I still must atone for my mistakes. Leaving them was the greatest punishment I
could ever receive. Now I must remain at a distance if I want to help them. They almost have her
convinced to join them, to live as a vampire was created to live. I have watched as they taunt her
with the feel of a fresh kill and the taste of blood as it pumps warm and juicy right out of its
artery. They are after my family, and she is leading them directly to them. My family? I guess
they always will be.

I need to be more careful. I have become sloppy and am sure a few members have seen me
creeping around recently. They must not know I am here. I will go to the underground vampire
club and offer myself. This will give me insider knowledge and keep me away from the family.

Tomorrow I, Caspian Pierce, will become a member of the Cerberus cult in order to protect the
ones that once protected me.

I finish my journal log for the night and place it in the safe in my hotel room. I have heard about Club VC before. There is one is Boston, and this is where I will find the Cerberus. I remember when I made some vampire friends up north, they used to party there. I recall their explanations about Club VC and what I overheard from the cult members. VC is an underground vampire club, run by the Cerberus cult. I recall it being compared to Studio 54 from the early 1970’s. Humans have been persuaded to work there. From my understanding, the cult searches for humans that are lost, runaways and the homeless, and then they use the power of compulsion to have them agree to become living blood banks. I will need to see the extent of this myself, so I try to find something funky to wear tonight. Locking up, I decide to take a quick pass through the woods by the house occupied by those I am trying to protect.

I watch from high in a tree as they all run by. In the distance, I can see two wolves. I thought they were extinct in the area, yet I get a supernatural feeling from them. That gives me one more thing for me to look into. The family stops and turns around to head back home. Some things never change, for Isaac is still in the lead. I notice Danika is a fair bit slower than the rest. As I watch her, the alarms within me begin to go off. I search the woods, sensing the Cerberus nearing. As I prepare to warn my family, I notice Danika winding off the path. I quietly follow her to where she meets the same vampire she has been talking to at school. I still need to figure out how is he able to survive in the sun, without a day crystal. Thanks to technology these days, I have equipment set up all over so I can watch my family during the day on my computer.

I watch the vampire pressure Danika: “You told us you would come and party with us after your formal.”

“I know, but my sister’s boyfriend was attacked that night by some cult member,”

she naively replies, not knowing he is a member of the cult and is all too aware of the attack.

“That is horrible. Why don’t you come tonight?” he tempts in a snarky tone.

“I will soon, but my family has lots of holiday plans. Soon. I promise.”

I make note of the sincerity of her voice.

I am realizing she really is not aware of whom she is getting involved with. I sense the family heading back to the area. They must have noticed her missing. The cult vampire takes off quickly.

“There you are, Danika. We have been worried about you. What happened?”

Constance asks as she approaches.

“Sorry. I was just exploring the woods a little. I thought I was close enough to home that the wolves would not come near,” she answers, trying to hide her plans.

“You can’t be out here like this by yourself. You are not skilled enough if another vampire attacks, and we know they are around now,” Elijah reasons.

“Sorry. I was not thinking. I will be more careful from now on.”

The family heads back to the house, and I move on my way to Boston. I need to offer myself to the cult at the club. It is the best way to protect my family.