Forbidden Embrace by Charlotte Blackwell
It’s been a long night and the boys are meeting us at the house. Alexander and Isaac suggest to Cato that they go scouting to make sure no other Cerberus are around the area. “I will go, please go home with your clan...or family as you call it. I will suffice alone,” Cato offers. This is perfect because we don’t want him to know of the mortals knowing our secret. He would insist that they be destroyed, or he could destroy us for breaking the first law.
Chapter 10
Security
With Cato away it’s safe again for the boys to come around. Cato said he would spend a few days scouting up and down the coast, and will call us nightly to report. If he finds nothing in a few days he plans to return home to Transylvania. This will be great; we have not spent quality time with Nathanial and Matt in a few days, and now because of a day off school we have a long weekend to see them before we return to school.
Nathanial and Matt are already waiting at the house when we arrive, and Ebony and I can’t get to their open arms fast enough. It’s wonderful to be wrapped in Nathanial’s arms again. We have been inseparable since we started dating even though it has only been a few days since we saw each other, and even that seems too long.
We all head inside. It’s nice to be home with a sense of relief following us. We all go into the family room, lighting the fireplace before we get comfortable. Nathanial and Matt are both anxious to hear all the details of the Cerberus fight. Even more, they want to see it through Alexander’s eyes, through his memories of the fight.
Alexander relaxes and begins to show them as the rest of us watch their reactions. They don’t quite react the way we had expected. Typical boys...it’s if they are watching the best action movie ever made, or the Super Bowl. They’re on the edge of their seats jumping and punching the air. Ebony and I can’t help but laugh…they are so cute.
Once Alexander is done showing them every aspect of the fight the boys jump to their feet cheering, high fiving, and chest bumping as if we just won the big game. “Whew! That was awesome–they never saw it coming! Man, I wish I could have been there,” Matt shouts.
“You’re all okay though, right? I saw that Sophia had to heal some of you,” Nathanial says with concern.
“We are fine and it is all over now,” Florence reassures.
Danika congratulates us, but I can see she is upset about something. I assume she’s only pouting about not being a part of the fight. Why does she have to be so childish all the time? Can’t she realize it’s not all about her, all the time?
I can feel Nathanial’s hand trembling under mine. “Nate, you worry too much; really this should prove that we can take care of ourselves,” I insist.
“I can’t help it. I found you and have become extremely attached to your entire family; I feel the same as I would if you were all my own family. I never expected anything like this nor did I want it, but here it is and I never want to lose any of you,” he babbles.
Elijah walks over to Nathanial and sits on his other side. “Nate, we feel the same way about you. However, we can protect ourselves; we have for over a hundred years, more for some of us. Now you need to let us protect you and your family. That is why we had to do this, to keep the townspeople safe.”
“I know. I just can’t help it. It’s in my nature to be a protector. I’ve always wanted to help and protect the ones I love. It’s just like my mom and wanting more children. Completely different scenarios in one sense, but in the other sense they’re the same. I feel completely useless and helpless when it comes to her, and the same when it comes to your family,” Nathanial sighs.
“Nate, I know you feel responsible for your mother not being able to conceive, I just never knew how much it bothered you. I might be able to help your mother,” I suggest.
“I couldn’t ask you to do that, it would blow your cover.”
“Not at all. I can do something like that so easily. I would sneak in and do it while she slept, or I could hug her from behind and just touch her abdomen. There’s lots of ways I can heal her, and no one would know anything, she would just end up fertile,” I explain.
While Nathanial, Elijah, and I discuss this matter everyone else is abuzz with celebrations. Florence join our conversation, “Now is not the time; you do not want to do something like this without making certain that they still want another baby. Nate will graduate next year and leave home. The McCords may be ready for their empty nest; they have had many years to deal with infertility. I just think this should be looked into first. For another thing, we need to celebrate tonight; we’re all okay, and have eliminated the danger.”
As everyone is laughing and enjoying being back together, Nathanial and Matt fill us in on the school gossip. It has only been a week since we have been in school, but the rumors that are flying are so funny. The entire student body is assuming that Nathanial and I split up; he informed them that we just went on a short family vacation, no need to elaborate any further.
After a few hours of chatting away, we all decide we need to have some down time. Ms. Edwina and Eliza return to their manor. Ebony and Matt are spending the night here; we have several guest rooms that they can stay in. I think everyone just wants to be alone with their loved one; I know that’s what I want. Nathanial and I have not seen one another since we made love for the first time and I’m longing for him; I long to be held in his arms and hold him in mine. To feel him next to me will prove the fight is over.
Nathanial and I agree that we want to go for a swim; we grab some suits and head to the indoor pool. Turning on the stereo, we run towards the pool, jumping in cannon ball style. I think every window in the pool room gets hit with the splashing water. We are goofing around and splashing playfully and just having fun. It’s perfect and very enjoyable, just the two of us, two people in love enjoying our time together. Nathanial is so incredible, his perfectly chiseled bodice dripping with the water, and his hair wet and all slicked back. I didn’t realize how much I did miss him over the last few days. I was so involved in the fight I didn’t have time to realize my feelings; he was always on my mind but I was preoccupied. Now I have him all to myself and I’m not about to let him go. I swim over to him and wrap my arms around him, holding him so close, feeling like I belong right there in his arms. I’ve never felt the need to be protected, but have the most incredible sense of safety in his arms; it’s perfect, just the way it should be.
After swimming we relax in the hot tub for ten or fifteen minutes; it’s just the right temperature at 104 degrees. We sit side by side, his arm wrapped around my shoulder and my head resting on his, my legs draped over his lap. We don’t say much…there’s no need to. Just being together, that’s all I need. I can tell that it’s all he needs as well.
Getting out, we help one another into the softest robes you can imagine. We head upstairs to my room; I have the urge to talk, normal kind of stuff, so I pull out my scrapbooks and pictures. “I want you to know so much more about me, so I think it is time to show you my life in the last century or so.”
“That’s great! there is so much more I want to learn about you.”
We spend the next few hours going through all my pictures; I don’t have any from my life before the Pierce family, so we start where my life as I now know it began. I’ve only a few pictures from our first days in Italy–we were very busy and left shortly after I was Embraced.
“These are amazing; I would love to go there one day. Have you ever been back?” Nathanial asks.
“We’ve been back a few times; most recently was in the 1980’s. We lived there for a few years. It was nice but we felt too much pressure from the Renata; they wanted us to join them and lead the vampires that occupied Italy. We wanted to follow their traditions but also wanted to be free; they still feed from humans and that is not how we wanted to live, so we left again,” I explain. “I don’t think it is that easy to move on with your life once you have joined them either. It is kinda like a monarchy; if you are born to receive the throne one day, you have no o
We file through all the pictures, life and times. Nathanial asks questions about where we were and how I enjoyed it, and everything seems very normal. We go through all the years and continents as if it had all happened in only a few years, the only difference being that I didn’t age; sure, the styles changed, but I always remain the same. Nathanial makes a crack about the pictures being from a carnival where they dress you up and take an ‘old time’ photograph. I guess it is kinda what it looks like.
I find it so relieving and relaxing to finally share this with someone. I can’t wait to sit down with Mrs. McCord and go through all of Nathanial’s baby books. To see his life through their eyes would be amazing. I know how much he means to them, even if he doesn’t realize it. To see him grow up through his mother’s eyes would be miraculous experience. A mother’s love for her baby is something I will never get to experience. Due to my super healing as a vampire, if I were to ever get pregnant my body would reject the baby as if it is a foreign object or an invasion, like a disease. I suppose male vampires can reproduce with mortal women, but not the other way around. I have no idea what would happen to the baby either, a half mortal, and half vampire baby. I shake off my thoughts and watch Nathanial as he flips through each and every page that now documents my many years. His eyes just light up! I’m amazed at how me being a monster truly doesn’t ever faze him. He loves me for me and I still can’t believe it. I’m truly the most blessed creature in the world.
Once we finish perusing my scrapbooks we decide to go see what the others are up to; neither of us wants to sleep…we need to make up for the few days we spent apart. Downstairs, everyone is just relaxing and enjoying the down time. Ebony and Matt join us as we go to the art room. I decide it’s time to show those closest to me my other love.....the arts.
They each take a seat and I grab my guitar, and once I get it perfectly tuned I begin to play for them. I start by strumming mine and Nathanial’s song, “Never Gonna be Alone” by Nickelback. They appear blown away. “Sweetie that is awesome; I knew you played, but I never expected that!” Nathanial praises.
“Thanks, but that one is easy.”
“I bet you kick butt at rock band. You’ll never beat my high score,” Matt jokes.
“Is that a challenge? ‘Cause you’re on mister.” I put his challenge to the test.
From there we head over to the entertainment room, and I get everything set up. “Let's see how you do at ‘Band Hero’ my friend.”
“Great, I want the sticks,” Matt shouts.
“Can you sing sweetie? I can play the guitar, but my voice would kill small children,” Nathanial laughs, passing me the mike.
“Sure; Eb, do you want to sing or play bass?”
“Bass all the way, I am with Nate on the killing small kids if I sing,” she laughs as she grabs the controller and instrument.
Matt picks a Taylor Swift song, and sets it to expert for his drums. Nathanial and Ebony both go with the medium level, I also choose expert. “Okay, let’s rock this joint,” I joke while doing a little impersonation, banging my hand through the air.
Everyone starts playing and when it’s my turn to start, I belt out every note in perfect tune and pitch. They all stop playing and their jaws drop. “What? I didn’t think I was that bad,,” I defend myself, not often having this feeling of self-doubt or embarrassment.
“No, it is just the opposite. We had no idea you could sing like that,” Matt mutters to get the words out, still in shock.
“You have the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard,” Ebony adds.
“Yeah I have nothing to say...everything about you is amazing,” Nathanial says in awe. “But of course I always knew you were perfect although a little clumsy from that first day, when you ran me down in the hallway.
“Well in case you all forgot I am a vampire, and we are perfect at everything. So can we get back to the game? Oh, and I’m not clumsy…I’m just coordination challenged,” I laugh. “And Nate, don’t think I missed that comment about running you down, mister.” I playfully kick him in the leg.
We continue playing, having a blast, laughing and such, taking turns on various instruments. Nathanial and Ebony aren’t nearly as bad on vocals as they had made out. This is what friends should be doing together on the weekends, not fighting evil vampires.
After we finish almost all the songs we decide that maybe it’s time for bed. Ebony and Matt each go to their separate rooms and Nathanial follows me to mine. I duck into the bathroom to change into my PJ’s, and then crawl into bed beside him. He plans to sleep in his shirt and boxer briefs. I snuggle into him just like I always do when we cuddle, kiss him goodnight and we lay back to watch a movie. Nathanial is out almost instantly; I’m pretty sure he didn’t sleep much the whole time we were out of contact. Tonight I’m here in his arms and we both know the other is safe from harm. It doesn’t take long before I’m out like a light as well, not realizing how exhausted I actually am from the fight and all the emotions that came with it.
***
Morning comes and I let Nathanial sleep a little longer. Downstairs I go into the kitchen to put some of those culinary skills Florence has taught me to use. I make hash browns, bacon, pancakes, and eggs for our mortal guests to enjoy. Back upstairs I wake Ebony, Matt and Nathanial to all come down for breakfast.
“Wow, Sophia where did you learn to cook? It’s not like you need to or anything,” Ebony asks.
“Hey, it is just a basic life skill; you never know when the ability to cook will come in handy.”
I assume I’ve done a good job, because they finish it all. Everyone takes turns in the showers and dresses for the day. We decide it will be fun to head up to the mountains for a day of skiing and snowboarding. Elijah, Isaac and Alexander are already loading up all the necessary equipment.
Eliza shows up all ready to go, and since Luke came up from Harvard for the weekend, he will join us as well. Eliza and Luke run straight to one another’s arms the minute their eyes meet. It’s so nice to see that they’re still becoming close even though they have a little distance between them, with Luke going to Harvard. In the short time since our New Year’s party where Eliza and Luke met, they have been speaking and growing closer every day. Luke always comes home for Sunday dinner with his family and Eliza has been joining the McCord family as well, giving them a little time together.
Once we are finally ready we leave for the ski hill, and it turns out to be another great day. This is a total blast, with the warm January air and relaxation the snow brings us. Who could ask for more? When everyone else is preoccupied, our family decides to take a quick run down the back side of the mountain, for just a little out of bounds fun. It’s nice because we find some great mountain animals to quickly feed on. No one even realizes we were gone since we beat them all to the bottom of the hill. What a great day with family and friends. I wish life, or the afterlife, could always be like this.
Today really reminds me of the last place we lived, Banff. It’s a beautiful little town nestled right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. I loved it there. The streets were always full of tourists and the most amazing music scene. Lots of people are transients of sorts; not homeless, but passing through. They get jobs, live there for a short time and then move on to the next place. I hope to go back there sometime, and even more so I hope to share the beauty of the area with Nathanial. He would love it there; the clearest lakes, the tall snow capped mountains, and full green forest. Who wouldn’t love it?
Continuing the day with all kinds of winter fun, we have hot chocolate at the chalet, snow ball fights through the mountain trees, and just enjoy everyone’s company. It’s all very normal…we even run into a few other students from school who decide to join us for the remainder of the day. They’re very nice and it’s a ton of fun getting to know them better; its different interacting with so many people though. I am not used to being around so man
Once we finish at the ski hill we figure it will be nice to take our close friends for dinner. Luke and Eliza offer to go pick up the McCords and Ms. Edwina to join us. They seem excited for the ride as it gives them a little time alone together. The rest of us stop at home to change and will meet them at the restaurant for a great night out with close friends and family.
Chapter 11
Deception
I sometimes find it hard to believe what a wonderful group of people we’ve found here in Wenham. For us, a family of vampires, to have the ability to enjoy a meal in a restaurant, with an entire group of mortals, amazes me. Now I finally have some alone time with Nathanial, and I think he might actually stay awake tonight. I just feel like it has been forever since we just chatted, even though it has only been a few days. Last night was down time, tonight is us time.
“I can’t believe how much I missed you during all this.”
“Me too gorgeous, but it is finally over and things can go back to normal now. I don’t know if I would have lasted another day with Danika.”
“What did she do now?” I question with a hint of frustration.
“I don’t…well I…she kissed me,” Nathanial stammers.
“SHE WHAT? I’m gonna freakin kill her!”
“Sophia, it’s okay. I’m pretty sure she got the hint this time.”
“Yeah well I’m gonna make sure she got it.”
“It meant nothing. You’re the only one for me,” he tries to calm me.
“I’m sure that it meant nothing to you, but that isn’t the point. What the hell was she thinking? She knows damn well that we are a serious couple. Real smart way to get me to trust her…I mean, I always knew she had a little crush on you, but to kiss you?” I rant and storm out of my room on a mission to beat the living hell out of Danika. While normally light on my feet, tonight I storm through the house like a herd of elephants.