Mystic Embrace (6 page)

“
Um, yeah, I guess I’ll come.” I wonder if I’m really ready to watch Gram’s body being pushed into an open fire. I know that it is only her physical body and not her soul, but the visual image might be a bit much for me to take.

“
Are you girls alright to do that on your own or would you prefer someone to come with you?” Constance inquires.

“
No way, you are all family. I…we’d like to have you all come with us. Of course if you are alright with that,” I declare.

“
You are asking if we are alright about joining you during the cremation. I am pretty certain that we can handle it. What about you boys?” Isaac asks Nathanial, Matt, and Luke.

“
We will do whatever our girls want us to do,” claims Luke.

“
Thank you, I guess it has been decided and we’ll go and watch from the viewing room,” Eliza announces solemnly to the attendant.

“
Yes ma’am, if you and your family would please follow me. It is just upstairs.”

Our group of thirteen enters a room with a large glass wall, as we look through we can see below us a conveyer belt at least eight feet long. A large cast iron furnace type machine meets the end of the conveyer belt. Caspian couldn’t make it to the service as he is being watched to closely by the leaders of the Cerberus and still hasn’t taken back his day crystal. Ever since he accidently killed his girlfriend Ashley, he has committed himself to the darkness. Recently he was reunited with his vampire family the Pierces, but he remains undercover with the vampire cult that we battled early in the year. It is nice to have someone on the inside watching over things for us. When I look out the glass window and bring my thoughts back to where we are, it becomes a little more than I can handle.

The tears begin to well up in my eyes, “This is not quite what I expected.”

“
Are you okay Ebony?” Sophia puts her arm around me.

Just then they open the heavy iron door a large flame shoots out.

With a gasp, “Oh lord, I hope so.” The tears that have been building from deep within me begin to sting my eyes even more.

We all watch as Grams casket is wheeled in and placed on the conveyer. Trying to choke back the tears I sniff and the tears free flow out of me running down my cheeks. Just as fast as the tears fall I wipe them away and turn to burry my head into Sophia’s shoulder.

“
Ebony, do you want to leave? Matt and I will come with you,” she consoles.

“
No, I wanna stay. It is just emotional.”

I look at Eliza who is standing strong as a rock.

Grams casket starts to move down the conveyer belt and enters the fierce fire of orange and red flames with a hint of blue at the hot spots. I can hear the instant crackling of the mahogany coffin through the thick glass wall. Everyone in the room is so deathly quiet. I can almost hear the five beating hearts begin to pound faster. We watch as the entire casket is devoured by the oven and flames. The flames begin to burn large and the crackling is unbearable. Below us they close the same iron door they opened just minutes ago. The heaviness of the door makes a loud bang like a gunshot. Moments later the attendant enters the viewing room.

“
Can I offer anyone some water? I know how traumatizing this can be.”

“
Thank you that would be appreciated,” Florence answers.

He goes to the fridge at the back of the room and removes enough water bottles for all of us. “The process of cremation takes about two hours and then another hour before the remains are ready for you to take. You are more than welcome to wait here. Another option if it is more preferable to you, we can deliver the remains to the location of your choice.”

“
I think it is best to get you girls back to the manor and a little something to eat,” Florence recommends.

Eliza puts her hand on my shoulder, “I agree with Florence, come on Ebony. Let’s go home. Grams wouldn’t want us to suffer like this.”

Matt and Sophia help lead me out of the crematorium, as seeing Grams body being burned that way affected me more than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I feel weak and nauseated, unsure if I will make it back down the stairs. Matt tightens his grip around my waist for support. With him by my side I already begin to feel my strength returning.

Chapter
Eight

Confessions

Arriving back at the manor I feel a slight release of tension. We need to set up for the requiem. Eliza, Sophia, and Nathanial decide it is time to let Luke in on our secrets. Without knowing our family history, he’ll be very confused about what’s about to happen. We go to the same family room where Sophia, Nathanial, Matt and I had the same discussion earlier this year. We all hope that he will handle it as well as Matt and Nathanial both did.

Eliza takes a deep breath and with a shaky voice she begins. “Well Luke, we have known one another for a while now and have been together for over six months. You have been here for me through one of the most difficult times in my life. I think it is time for you to know everything about me. I hate to admit this, but I have been keeping a secret from you, and hope that you will understand why I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“
Should we go upstairs so that we can talk in private?”

“
No, everyone here is prepared to help me explain.”

“
So they all know what you have been keeping from me?” He asks with a glance to his little brother Nathanial.

“
Yes Bro, I know. Just understand this was not for me to share with you. Eliza needed to do this on her own terms.”

“
Okay, I am all ears. I hope that everything is alright.’

“
Well I guess the best way has just come out and say it. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.” With a huge sigh, “My sister and I are witches. We are real life, magick practicing, powerful witches. We come from a long line of some of the most powerful witches the world. Our ancestors date back in Salem, before the witch trials took place. We only found out last year, when Ebony turned sixteen. We started to gain supernatural powers, and then Grams taught us the old ways. Since that time we’ve been working hard to help make this a better place. We fight demons and banish them deep into the underworld so that they can never return. The day Grams died, we banished a demon right here in the kitchen.”

We all watch Luke closely for his reaction, but he’s blank faced. And then he cracks a smile, “You’re telling me that you are descendants of Salem witches? And with how interested I am on the history of this town and the supernatural forces that surround it. You didn’t think you could trust me with this information.”

“
It wasn’t that I can’t trust you. It was that…well I was scared of how you would react. Having an interest in something and knowing that it is real is completely different.”

“
And Nate how long have you known this for?” He turns to his brother.

“
I found out around Christmas time last year,” Nathanial answers.

“
So you felt that you could trust everyone in this room, including my brother more than me. I can’t believe you told my brother, before I even knew you.”

“
The sisters did not tell Nate, I did,” Sophia confesses.

“
And what gave you the right to share Ebony’s and Eliza’s secret with him? If they share something like that with you, my little brother being your boyfriend does not automatically give you permission to spill everyone’s secrets. Now on the same note as my brother Nate you should have told me.” Luke starts getting upset.

“
Well, see my family has a secret of our own. And in telling him my secret, their secret eventually came out,” Sophia defends.

“
So you guys are witches too?” Luke assumes.

“
No, we to have supernatural powers, but we are not witches. My family and I are vampires.”

“
You’re a what?” Luke is startled, “And you are not concerned about this Nate?”

“
Not at all, the Pierce family has everything under control. They do not attack, kill, or feed off of mortals.” Nate smiles and holds Sophia’s hand.

“
Okay, this is a lot to process. Nate you said you found out around Christmas, when exactly did you find out?”

“
Do you remember when you first met Sophia and had pulled out your history books?”

“
Yeah, now that you mention it I do. There is a picture of the family at a witch hunt in the area. You thought that looked like Sophia in the picture.” The expression on his face proves that he is putting two and two together.

“
It was me and my family. That picture is the day that we found Matilda. And that is the night that I admitted what I was to Nathanial,” Sophia confirms.

Luke sits in shock that his brother has accepted a vampire to love. “How do you know you can trust them?” Luke questions.

“
The night of winter formal, when I was attacked the Pierce family saved my life. It was a rogue vampire that tried to kill me. Alexander destroyed my attacker, and Sophia, healed me. If it wasn’t for them, I’d be dead.”

Luke sits back in his chair, an attempt to process all the information he is getting. The silence is overwhelming for the second time today.

Luke stands up from his chair, walks over to Eliza, and kisses her on the forehead. “This is all a little shocking. But, Eliza Triggs, I love you and accept you for who you are. Sophia you and your family have been amazing to my family and if my brother can trust you. So can I.”

The tension in the room dissipates as we all breathe a sigh of relief.

“
I would love to hear more and learn more, but today is not the day. Today is about Ms. Edwina and honoring her. You can tell me more about your supernatural lives later. Thank you for finally having the confidence to tell me,” Luke says with dignity.

Chapter
Nine

Summerland

The doorbell rings and Danika, the newest member of the Pierce family rises to see who’s there. Constance found Danika about two years ago, outside of the hospital she worked at in Canada. Constance knew the Embrace had already begun and the young girl had been left by her maker. The Pierce family welcomed her and began to train her to assimilate amongst us mortals. That is when they moved to Wenham in hopes of getting her a blessed day crystal. I know Danika still feels sometimes like she doesn’t belong. She’s had her share of tough times since becoming a vampire, but should feel lucky to have a family like the Pierce’s. They’ve been there for her and helped her through her Embrace, and the mistakes she has made since the day. Danika just like any other teenager rebelled not long ago, easily influenced by Drake. Drake is the new leader of the Cerberus and wanted her for his queen. He lured her, the same way drug dealers lure teens, with the promise of feeling better on fresh blood. Caspian was able to help rescue her from the underground vampire club Drake was holding her in. Sophia and Danika have never seen eye to eye, although Sophia has been trying hard to make things work. She doesn’t want to push Danika away again.

A few moments later Danika re-enters the family room, holding Grams urn. She looks around the room. “It was the crematorium, where should I put Ms. Edwina’s ashes?”

Florence gets up and takes the urn; she takes it to the kitchen and places it on the apothecary cabinet.

“
Okay girls, I think it is time that we prepare for your grandmas ritual,” Florence adds as she comes back into the family room. “What do you need us to do?”

Ebony opens the book of shadows to the
requiem
ritual, “We need to gather white candles, a white altar cloth, and white flowers.”

“
I thought white was for weddings?” Luke asks.

“
White is the color of death and mourning in many countries,” Elijah points out.

“
As a witch we believe it is also a reminder of rebirth. During this ritual we will focus on that,”
Eliza adds.

“
It all sounds very interesting; I can’t wait to learn more. Thank you for deciding to share this with me. Now, what else do you need me to go and get for you?” Luke gives her a hug.

“
Okay, we need a picture of Grams. There is a nice one right there on the fireplace mantel. Also a vase full of flowers, with enough for all of us, which you can find on the kitchen table.”

Luke begins to gather the items from house as the rest of us begin to clean. In order for us to perform any ritual, we have to cleanse the area, before we cast a circle. We go about sweeping and dusting the area all in a clockwise motion. I take a dried sage wrap, light it and cleanse the area by brushing the smoke around. I can hear Eliza, calling out items to Luke, along with the thumping of his large size thirteen feet, running across the hardwood floors.

“
Next we need a
pitcher of water and a basin, to be set up just outside the circle for ritual hand-washing.” Eliza then takes the urn with Grams ashes and places it on the altar. Our altar is very beautiful, handmade with our triquetra on the front door which opens to reveal a storage area for our ritual items. On the top two triquetra symbols with small circle carved into the center makes the perfect place for candles. The triquetra is a special symbol to our family and a symbol of our magick. I’ve always wondered who made this altar; today it is an extra special part of our ritual.