Aris Reigns (26 page)

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. She rose to open the door. Standing in front of her were her two Immortal friends and she hugged them in welcome.

Gabriela and Jane sat patiently while Sarah finished her coffee. Chatting aimlessly, each woman knew the only thought on any of their minds. Sarah's changing.

Unable to delay any longer, Sarah slipped her feet into the soft shoes she chose to wear as she began her last human journey. Wrapping the long blue silk ceremonial robe more securely around her, she,
Gabriela and Jane began their long walk through the corridors to the palace. The streets of the underground village were empty as if in tribute to what the inhabitants of the Catacombs knew would be her coming ordeal. Each of them knew first-hand the excitement and the fear of the changing day.

The palace gates were flanked by a waiting honor guard who accompanied them to the bathing chamber, a large room lit only by hundreds of candles. A huge tub carved from solid rock and polished until it glistened in the candlelight sat in the center of the room. The walls were hung with the finest of tapestries. Flowers filled every corner. Sarah felt she was in an hypnotic trance of her own as the three women moved toward the scented water of the bath.

They disrobed their human friend and began to anoint her nude body with an overpoweringly fragrant oil. It was both heady and calming. Their hands on her skin soothed her frightened mind and her breath slowed, at peace as she stepped into the water. Lowering her body into the warm perfumed liquid, she was sure she must be dreaming. How could she, Sarah Hagan, who had never truly faced the complexities of human life, be stepping forward to embrace human death? Her breath grew short as her fear returned.

Gabriela sensed her anxiety. She began to comb through Sarah's golden curls. Jane massaged her neck and shoulders until all of her muscles relaxed and she sank gratefully to her chin in the water. Her mind drifted and she felt so serene that she almost slept.

After a time, Jane touched her shoulder. “It is time, Sarah. Here, let me help you from the bath.”

Her damp body glistened in the candlelight as her friends, once again, massaged scented oil into her skin. This was different. Her skin felt strange, slightly numb. Her hair was combed and her beautiful blue dress slipped over her head. Once again, she stepped into her shoes ready to go before Queen Akira, ready to see her beloved and join him for eternity.

Walking on either side of her, Gabriela and Jane accompanied her into the great audience hall where the chosen one hundred Immortals waited to welcome her to the changing ritual.

Aris' boots echoed on the stone outside the audience chamber. Sebastian held back a smile. He had never seen his friend so agitated.

“But what if I am unable to stop? What if I kill her?”

“Be calm, my friend. Your love will keep you from being overcome with blood lust. You will not kill your soul-mate. Good God, you have waded through time and space to find her. You have wooed her and won her. Do you actually think that after all of this, you will drain her dry?”

The pacing stopped as he turned to face Sebastian. “I only hope. I have not tasted human blood for centuries. Before my life as an Immortal, I was a brutal warrior. I killed with a heart overflowing with joy. Sebastian, what if that warrior returns? I fear my own nature. I was a killer as a human, a killing machine as a vampire. Only you and the Immortals showed me a different way. Oh God, what if that nature is not gone, just in hiding?” He buried his face in his hands in torment.

“Aris. Enough. Your nature is not evil. The Spanish vampires are evil, not you. You took the Blood Oath and have lived by it since the day you swore you would never take another human life by drinking blood. You have lived in honor. Even in your rage against those who killed the man who lived in your host body. When you took their wicked lives, you did not drink their blood. Please, brother, be calm. On this day your devotion that lasted over five hundred years is returned by the human that grew to love you now. Be at peace. This is your wedding day.”

Aris threw his arms around Sebastian's shoulders, thanking him
for being such a friend. Sebastian patted his back then turned him to face the door to the audience chamber as it slowly opened. Richard stood in the doorway, smiling. “Come, Aris. It is time to greet your bride.”

Chapter 36

T
hey entered the audience chamber through opposite doors. The one hundred Immortals chosen to attend the ceremony parted, stepping aside to form an aisle for the lovers to walk through. Sarah's eyes glistened with anticipation as well as something else. He knew it was fear. Compassion filled Aris' heart as she drew near. He knew his own terror. Could he stop once he began to drink from her? How could he bear to see her suffer by his own hand? Would he be able to continue her torture for three days? If he was unable to complete the transfer of blood to venom, he would lose her forever. He was torn by his own quarreling emotions; deepest dread for the pain he would cause her, abject joy at eternity with her by his side. It was another moment since he had known her he was sure he was going mad.

When she reached his side, she looked into his eyes and smiled while reaching to take his hand in hers. The open trust she felt for him began to dissolve all his horrors. He would overcome any wildness left in his nature. He would bring her to him with all the tenderness and adoration that he felt for her. At last, she was here with him. His joy was greater than he could have ever imagined as they knelt before Queen Akira. For this great occasion, King Khansu was present. It had been centuries since any of the court had seen their King. His withdrawal had been complete until today. And there
he sat on the dais with his Queen to honor their union.

Sarah had not been expecting both the King and Queen and she gripped Aris' hand hard as she faced the royal pair. “All is well.” His whisper was heard by no one but his mate. Breathing deeply, she softened her hold on his fingers.

A beautiful young vampire male stepped onto the dais carrying a golden vessel encrusted with jewels. It rested in the center of a gilded tray. Holding the tray in both hands, he knelt on one of the blue velvet cushions on the floor. Akira took the ceremonial pitcher from him. As she raised it above the heads of the two being joined, the young man backed from the room.

Aris nodded to Sarah to kneel on the cushions before the Queen. She bowed her head as Akira drew near. Tilting the vessel, she slowly poured a few drops of the warm scented oil onto the shoulders of the waiting human. Massaging slowly, gently, she repeated the first lines of the Changing Ritual that had been used since the first human had chosen to become Immortal.

“I relieve you of the burden of the sorrow of killing to live, a life for a life.”

Sarah was grateful that she would never need to take a life to live. She was grateful for the alchemical blood that would sustain her for eternity as she lifted her face toward her new Queen. For a moment, she thought she saw compassion in the eyes of the Immortal monarch as a few drops of oil were sprinkled onto her forehead.

Akira pressed gently as she made small circles with her fingers, rubbing the oil into Sarah's human skin.

She chanted, “To open your mind to the knowledge of the millennia held in the memory of your chosen one.”

Aris reached to take Sarah's arm, raising her to her feet. She stepped from her shoes as she lifted her skirt to her knees. Akira poured small drops of oil onto her feet. “That you may walk with the pride of an Immortal through all eternity.”

Khansu rose from his throne to step closer to the couple. He reached to touch each one on their brow in his blessing; first Sarah then Aris. Akira did the same. Now joined as mates through the Immortal ritual the couple bowed, then backed from the room. The moment was now at hand for them to be joined by blood. Sarah fought to keep her knees from buckling as they walked toward their chamber.

Chapter 37

H
er hands were cold as he led her along the corridor to the changing suite. After a short walk, they stopped in front of a tall, ornately carved wooden door.

He turned to face her, taking her chin in his hands he stared deeply into her eyes. “I love you, Sarah. I will not leave your side until you are changed. I will suffer your pain as well as your ecstasy. Three days and then, Immortality.”

She stood on her toes to kiss him softly. “I am ready. Let's begin.”

Immortal light glowed softly from wall sconces that encircled the room. An enormous canopy bed, a tall backed chair and a covered tray resting on a small round table were the only articles to be seen. Sarah shuddered when she realized what lay beneath the cover. Cold stone walls were adorned with tapestries in muted colors and, while the furniture was sparse, it was regal. Sarah couldn't drag her eyes away from the great bed.

“Lie down, my darling.” Aris led her to recline on the soft white silk pillows. The bed curtains were sheer and white, a cocoon for her metamorphosis. The bedclothes were all white, a virgin's bed
prepared for her ordeal.

Slowly, she laid back. He brushed the hair from her forehead then kissed her tenderly. “Rest. When you are ready to begin, I will draw first blood.” He sat quietly staring at her. He was frightened she would change her mind and not go through with the changing and at the same time, terrified of the beast he feared still lived inside him if she did. He had never desired her more.

Tears pooled in her eyes. Her mind told her to run away. “
What have I done? What am I doing here?”
She turned to look at Aris and she found her answer. She was joining her soul-mate for an eternity of love; she was becoming a part of a society that called to her from a place so deep inside her she couldn't resist. Still frightened but just as determined, she closed her eyes as she reached to draw him to her. “Just hold me for a little while.”

He lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her tremble with fear. Stroking her hair, he whispered soft crooning words of love, his breath warm against her ear as he spoke. His lips brushed her throat, gently at first then more ardently, causing a sudden rush of desire to swell in her and transform her fear into a demanding need for him. Winding her fingers through his raven black hair, she drew his mouth to hers, her breath coming in short gasps.

Abruptly Aris pulled away from her and rose, sitting on the side of the bed; his back toward her, he held his head in his hands. “Sarah, I want you more than you can understand. It is taking all my unearthly strength to control my desire.” He composed himself before turning to face her. “Do you not see, I must maintain control every moment until you are Immortal? I must not allow any thought to enter my mind except my responsibility for your changing.”

She stared at him silently, then spoke. “I do understand.” She touched his hand. “I'm ready. Please, let's begin now.”