Mystic Embrace (24 page)

“
You sure you don’t mind? That would be amazing.”

Instead of returning to the manor, we drive back to the Pierce residence. Elyn will have her own bed and toys there. I run to my room and get changed for a night out with my husband.

***

“
I’m really glad we got a night out, just the two of us. It’s been a long time since we’ve just gone out and had fun,” I say as Matt drives us home.

“
I agree, I think we should do it more often…”

“
MATT, LOOK OUT!!!” I scream with all my might, and grab the wheel. Trying to turn the car out of the way of the oncoming semi-truck headed straight for us.

The tires screech and the car swerves as he slams the breaks, but it’s not enough. The truck strikes us right in the driver side door, flipping the car several times and throwing me out the window. My vampire abilities have left me unharmed, with the exception of a few minor abrasions. Once the car stops rolling, I run, to check on Matt. The car looks as though it’s been crushed by a trash compactor, Matt’s arm is all I can see hanging from the window. Using all my strength, I try to rip the metal from the car. The metal flesh of the sedan begins to creek but the metal is twisted too much and I can’t move it. My emotions take over and I can barely function anymore, collapsing to the ground hysterically crying. “No Matt, it’s too soon, it’s too soon,” I bellow. The sirens from the emergency response vehicles wail through the air. The moon shines bright through a clear sky tonight, as I hold on to the only piece of my husband I can see. With his hand in mine I sob like never before.

“
Matt, it’s okay, help is on the way. Matt, honey, I’m not ready for this. You can’t leave Elyn and me yet,” I cry.

I see a great beam of light from the moon shine directly in to the small hole of crushed metal leading to Matt. I see an iridescent silhouette of Matt leaving the car and floating within the beam.

“
I love you, Ebony. I will be back one day, I promise,” his spirit says as he joins the great ones above.

A paramedic runs up to me, “Are you okay ma’am, are you hurt?”

“
No, it’s my husband he’s trapped in the car, help him. Please,” I beg for help even though I know in my head they can’t help him, but my heart doesn’t want to let him go.

He waves over his partner, who takes me by the arm. “Why don’t you come with me and my partner can work on your husband? The firemen will come and help get him out of the car. I need to look at you and make sure that you are not injured.”

The rescue workers take me to the hospital, and behind me, Matt’s body follows in a second ambulance. Isaac and Constance are both on duty and waiting at the emergency room doors. Constance quickly rushes me off to a private room, where most of the family is already waiting.

“
Florence and Elijah have gone to get the Barton’s, they should be here any moment.”

Over the next few hours we go through the exact same motions that we have done so many times already in the past year. How much loss can one group handle? I will be happy to never see this hospital grieving room again.

Chapter
Thirty-Four

Giving In

The Pierce family decides it will be better to move me and Elyn back into the main house, since Matt’s passing. I know they are worried about me, but I can’t worry about what’s happened. I need to concentrate on the future on him returning. We won’t be able to have a life here in Wenham anymore. Everyone knows about Matt’s death, and when he comes back, we will need to find someplace new to live. I can’t believe he didn’t even make it long enough to see Elyn’s first Yule, our Christmas celebration, and her birthday.

Sophia comes into my room and sits on the bed next to me. “I made a decision, Ebony.”

“
Decision about what?” I ask, with little interest.

“
About Nate, I’m going to do it. I’m going to Embrace him.”

She sparks my interest with this revelation, “What made you change your mind?”

“
In just over a year, we’ve lost your Grams, Mr. and Mrs. McCord, and even you; if it wasn’t for Constance Embracing you, Eyln wouldn’t have her mommy. Now Matt is gone, I can’t lose Nathanial, I can’t stand to lose one more person that I love. He has shown me what it means to love and enjoy the life that I live. I thought Wenham was an amazing place to live, but although I’ve gained so much here we have all lost so much too,” Sophia confesses.

“
So, what is the plan, does he know or when are you going to let him know?”

“
I’m going to tell him tonight.”

“
And how do you know that you’ll be able to resist feeding from him?”

“
Because, he has donated some of his blood to Isaac and Isaac has been feeding it to me for months now. With us becoming closer, Isaac though it would be a good precaution. I’ve also bitten him before, during our first night together.”

“
I don’t understand, why on earth are you guys doing that?” I ask with complete and utter shock. “I would have thought that would make you crave it more.”

“
We did it in order to ensure that I will be able to resist the temptation. That’s how Caspian killed Daniella. They were in a moment of passion and he got too caught up in the moment and bit her. When making love, the act of biting completes the connection. I can’t even explain what it’s like, but it is the most amazing feeling. We share the physical connection and a complete and total emotional connection. You experience every feeling the other is having and vice versa. It is like enhancing the connection and experience. When he bit Ashley, it was too much, Caspian wasn’t able to stop, and I never wanted to be in the same situation as him. Even with all we’ve been through, I have to be careful and that scares me.”

“
I think it may be a good idea to have the rest of us around, just to ensure that nothing happens.”

“
Agreed.”

Later that night we all gather in the family room for Nathanial’s Embrace. Nathanial removes his protection watch, and passes it to his brother Luke.

Eliza faces Luke and puts her hands on both shoulders. “Are you sure you want to stay for this?”

He nods. “It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, because I do. I need to be here, to ensure that both of my brothers are safe, and that things don’t get out of hand by accident.”

Eliza and I prepared a freezing potion, in case Sophia does get carried away. We can throw at her and stop her from feeding any further.

“
Okay sweetie, are you ready? I know I am,” Nathanial says with a smile.

“
Ready as I’ll ever be,” Sophia says as she takes his hand in hers.

Sophia closes her eyes, and we all watch as her fangs protrude from her mouth. Holding Nathanial’s hand, she lifts his chin bringing his neck closer to her mouth and with one swift motion, she bites down. Nathanial jumps and moans at the pain as his blood flows freely from the wound, and trickles down his neck from the corner of Sophia’s mouth. I can’t help but wonder if it hurt the last time she bit him. Adrenaline from having sex could have masked any pain. We can hear his heart race and pound harder, allowing the venom to enter his system. Alexander connects to Nathanial’s thoughts, and we all hear him repeating to himself, ‘
keep going, don’t stop
’. Sophia sit’s there with her fangs embedded into Nathanial’s jugular. We all notice that she is not actually drinking much of his blood, but only allowing her venom to enter him. She soon releases and strikes at her chest with a sharpened nail to open a wound for Nathanial to drink from. She guides Nathanial’s face toward the opening and he begins to drink from her. The Embrace only completes once venom and blood from the vampire enter and circulate the mortal’s system. He quickly takes a few more sips before her wound closes over; we all know he wants to ensure he is receiving enough. Sophia kisses him on the forehead and turns away allowing herself to retreat back to her normal state before looking at him again. I look over to Luke to make sure he is handling the situation alright. He is visibly torn up over his brother Embracing, yet understanding is also drawn across his face. My heart goes out to these two men that are like family to me.

The Embrace is taking effect very fast on Nathanial, his wound is already healing. I can’t help but wonder why it is happening so quickly. Alexander looks at me and says telepathically, ‘
because she allowed so much venom to flow into him and did not remove much of his blood. It is able to flow through his system more freely and his blood supply doesn’t need to replenish. This allows the Embrace process to speed up.
’ Florence sits next to Sophia and attempts to comfort her. The tears fill her eyes knowing what she has just taken away from the man she loves.

“
Sophia my dear, he wanted this, and it is for the best. The Oolatec clan from Transylvania will be here tomorrow. They will help both Nate and Nik, get through this. The Renata said they are the best, and we do know them well.”

“
I know it’s for the best, but it is still hard taking away every plan for the future and the life of the man I love.”

***

The following evening, there is a swift, sharp knock at the front door. I can hear Elijah greeting his old friends.

“
Tryphosia, Azubah, it is great to see you again. Thank you so much for coming. Please come in.” Elijah welcomes them.

“
It is nice to see you again Elijah, two centuries is far too long to go without seeing friends,” says the man.

“
Yes, I apologize for that. I’ve been working on keeping a civilized clan.”

A beautiful female voice that sounds like a musical instrument says, “We understand it took us many years as well.”

“
Please, make yourself at home; shall we take a seat in the family room? Florence will be out in a moment with some refreshments. She has done wonderful job of increasing our meal choices.”

“
Thank you for your hospitality, but I would love to learn more about the day walker you said is amongst you,” inquires the man I assume is Azubah.

“
Of course, my daughter for all intense purposes became involved with a mortal; his mother was with child then attacked by a member of the Cerberus. She died, but the venom was able to cross the placenta and infected baby before he was born. He is now well over one month old, we call him Nik. Since both of the parents are gone, Nathanial decided it was best if he became one of us and Sophia Embraced him, in order to care for the child. Nathanial was Embraced last night. Nik and Nathanial’s oldest brother, Luke, has remained mortal. Since the baby is half vampire, and half mortal. The brothers felt it would be best to have one of each raising him.”

“
That is very unique and interesting story Elijah. We have dealt with half-bloods or day walker as you call him, in the past. We can work with both boys and have both trained within a week. It will be very difficult and hard work for both of them.” Confirms the woman with an angelic voice.

“
In a week, intense training? I can understand for Nathanial, but how is this possible for the baby?” Elijah shows some concern.

“
I have power that is difficult to understand, I am able to transfer anything I have learned to another being. I am able to train others by implanting only the knowledge I wish for them to have. I leave out a lot of my past experiences, as well as my own personal experiences, giving them only what they need to successfully survive as a civil vampire.”

“
Azubah, that is the most amazing power I’ve ever heard of. I understand why you don’t share what you can do with many. If any rogue vampires found out they would attempt to steal it from you.”

“
That is correct, Elijah. And some have made their attempts. But none have succeeded. Shall we meet the boys and the rest of your clan?”

“
Yes, of course, but we consider ourselves a family, not clan.”

“
Our apologies my dear friend,” the woman says.

One by one, we file into the family room and Elijah introduces us, “You remember my wife Florence I assume, and this is Isaac and Constance they have been with us the longest and are like siblings to us. Both of them are medical doctors, and very talented. You wouldn’t believe the work Isaac has done with blood and blood products, developing a new way for us to feed. He has used expired blood products from the blood banks to invent a synthetic whole blood. It is also currently in the testing phases with the FDA for medical use with humans,” Elijah begins. “Next is one of our sons, Caspian. He was absent from the family for many years but has recently returned. Danika has been with us just over three years now. She was Embraced and left in the streets. We took her in, and just as with any teenage child we have dealt with her rebellion, but she is becoming a wonderful addition to our family. This is Matilda, we Embraced her in the early 1900’s, she was being persecuted by witch hunters and our son Alexander knew he couldn’t go on without her. That brings us to our twins Alexander and Sophia. They were attacked by Cerberus in 1894 and left for dead, we Embraced and trained them. Ebony has been with us, for approximately six months now. Her and her sister are the magnificent ones, the witches born to help save the world. Constance Embraced her as she was dying from a medical procedure. Her daughter, Elyn, is also a witch and her husband, Matt, just passed on and is completing his training to become a guardian. Elyn is staying with her aunt and Nathanial’s brother for the night. Then of course, there is Sophia’s boyfriend, Nathanial, whom as you already know was Embraced last night and this is his baby brother, Nik, our little day walker.”