Everlasting Embrace (Embrace Series) (30 page)

Constance is so good with the babies; she gets right down to their level and plays for hours with them. As she plays with them today, I notice an odd expression on her face, almost terror. I can
’
t help but wonder what she sees. Constance has premonitions; she can
’
t control them
, and
usually needs some kind of contact with the subject. The fact that she looks so concerned while with Nik and Elyn concerns me. I have to know what
’
s wrong
.
I can
’
t take any chances with these two little ones.

“
Connie, what
’
s wrong?
”
I ask
,
kneeling down to her.

With sad eyes filling with tears
,
she looks at me
.
“
T
hey want Nik.
”

“
Who wants Nik
? W
hat are you talking about Connie?
”
Panic takes over,
and
I pull Nik into my arms in a protective cuddle.

As a tear falls from down her porcelain cheek
,
she mumbles,
“
T
he Cerberus. They know about Nik
. T
hat
’
s why they came back this time. They hoped to catch us off guard
and get him. Drake wants to raise him as his own
and groom him to the dark side, so to speak.
”

“
How the hell do they know about Nik?
”

“
I would have to guess
from one of their powers. None of us know what powers they have. The good thing is
they don
’
t know our powers either, and now we know what they want. Maybe that
’
s why he wanted Danika.
”

“
How could Danika help him get a
day walker
?
”

“
Well maybe
,
because she
’
s such a new vampire, she can still have a chance of conceiving. I don
’
t really know, but we aren
’
t dead, we are just immortal. So maybe there
’
s a possibility that the reproductive organs still work
,
and we
’
ve just never heard about it.
”

“
I guess it would make sense, but how could a vampire nourish a baby?
”
I question.

“
It might be something worth researching; maybe we can
’
t carry to term because of the decreased blood flow through the body. A baby requires blood and nutrients to grow
. T
hey couldn
’
t get what they need
ed
,
because we have slower blood, less oxygen and don
’
t eat food. Maybe this is the only reason vampire
s
can
’
t have children. It could be possible
i
n someone as young as Danika, because her body hasn
’
t completed detoxifying and still
carries something to make childbirth viable.
”

“
So now that Nik is here, they don
’
t need Danika. Wait though
;
why wouldn
’
t they just create a new vampire of their own?
”

“
I don
’
t know kiddo
.
I
’
m just bouncing ideas around. The important thing is protecting Nik
. W
e have to figure this out
,
”
Constance says with determination.

“
Maybe it
’
s time we leave Wenham
. I
t may be the only way to save him.
”

“
It won
’
t help Sophia
. T
hey
’
ll keep looking for him.
”

The tears roll down my face as I look at the little baby I love as my own. Looking up at Florence, I plead to my mother figure with my eyes. My family joins me on the floor in an attempt to comfort me. I just don
’
t know how much more I can handle. In the few years
,
since we returned to Wenham, the people I love have faced so much adversity.

“
Sophia, it hasn
’
t all been bad here
; think
of the good. You
have
found love and friendship. You have a husband now
,
and together you
’
re raising his brother. Wenham has taught our family more
,
in a few short years
,
than we
’
ve learned in a century
,
”
Alexander responds to my inner thoughts.

Although I curse him most of the time for peering into my head, he does make sense. I wouldn
’
t have Nathanial, Ebony or Nik
had we not come here.

“
My sweet Sophia, every family faces their share of challenges
. O
urs are far different from those of mortals, but nonetheless they are challenges. We will find a way to keep Nik safe
;
just have faith in those of us around you. We love him too
,
and
we
won
’
t let anything happen to him.
”

I know everything my family is saying is true
. T
he Cerberus would have to kill us all before they could get to Nik. We have much better odds in
a
battle against them
,
too. Three fights
and they have lost hundreds,
while
we have lost three
,
and had two other severely injured. I have to keep that thought close. They may be older and harder to destroy, but we are a much tighter unit
,
and have heart behind our fight. Together
,
we will figure this out.

A New Hope

Ebony and Eliza have been searching for hours
for
a magickal way to cure Nik of his conditio
n
,
i
f that
’
s what we can call it. At the same time
,
Constance and Florence have been flipping through Elijah
’
s journals in hopes of finding more information on
day walkers
—
or destroying
elders
. We have been working on this for a few days now
,
and
are
deep in
to
our research. Everyone
’
s concentration is broke
n
by a knock at the door. We all look around
,
wondering who it could be. Alexander smiles as he stands to answer the door. With a quick flip of his sandy blond hair, he
opens
the door to a new friend.

“
Michael, it
’
s great to see you again. We wondered if you would be gracing us with your presence again. Thank you for all your assistance in the fight the other night
,
”
Florence says as
she
walks
towards the handsome angel.

“
I told you that I
’
d help, and I will continue to do so. Just understand
that
I have other priorities that I need to ensure have been taken care of
to my standards.
”

“
My apologies
;
please come in. I
’
m sure Caspian will be glad to see you
, as will everyone else
. We recently lost a student who succumb
ed
to her injuries sustained in the battle.
”

“
I
’
m here so
,
maybe I can give them a lesson
,
”
Michael responds
as he walks through the door.

“
You okay
,
man? You seem kinda pissy.
”
Alexander pats him on the shoulder.

“
Yeah, sorry
;
y
ou know how it can be. Sometimes you just have to follow orders
,
no matter how much you disagree with them.
”

“
You know we appreciate your help, but if you don
’
t wanna be here
,
it
’
s okay. We can manage on our own.
”

“
No,
no
,
it
’
s not that...it
’
s...ah, never mind.
”

“
Michael, I hope you know we are here for you
,
just as you are here for us.
”

“
Thank you Alexander
;
ma
ybe some other time. Is Caspian in the school?
”

“
Yeah, I
’
ll take you down,
”
Eliza offers.

As the two walk over to the area of the elevator, Eliza says a chant
,
and the magickal elevator appears before them. We decide to follow them down
.
Michael may have something to teach us all.


  

  


As Michael steps off the elevator
,
many students come running to greet him. A small smile forms across his face. I
’
m pretty sure it
’
s the first time I
’
ve seen a genuine smile on his face. Maybe one day we will learn his story
;
or even better, maybe Alexander can fill us in a little later. I notice Alexander look me in the eyes and shake his head, telling me he
’
s sharing my thoughts
,
and he can
’
t get a read on our new ally.

“
Hey Michael, good to see you again. I was wondering where you took off too,
”
Caspian greets his new friend.

“
Yeah, I had to check on someone. I told you I had other obligations
,
and I needed to ensure they were being handled to my specifications. That was
quite
the battle the other night
,
and I also needed to recharge myself
.
”

“
Okay
,
everyone
,
why don
’
t you get settled in the auditorium
?
We
’
ll be in there shortly. Have your Mac-book ready to take notes
,
”
I suggest to the students in order to allow Michael and Caspian so
me
time away from the students.

“
Thanks Sophia,
”
Caspian says.
“
Now Michael, I can tell you
’
re a nice guy, but something has been bothering you. My family and I are here for you
. D
o you care to tell us what
’
s been bothering you?
”

“
Thanks Caspian
. T
hank you
,
all of you. I really don
’
t mean to be
standoffish
.
I
’
m just having a difficult time dealing with some of the decisions those above me have made.
”