Forbidden Embrace
by
Charlotte Blackwell
World Castle Publishing
http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
World Castle Publishing
Pensacola, Florida
Copyright © Charlotte Blackwell 2011
ISBN: 9781937085674
Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2011931980
First Edition World Castle Publishing September 1, 2011
http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com
Licensing Notes
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.
Cover Artist: Karen Fuller
Photo from Shutterstock
Editor: Rhonda Klassen
Dedication
To my wonderful family, friends, publisher and readers that have all supported and encouraged me through this process. Thank you and I love you all; because of your support I have found myself and what I truly love to do.
This is for all the vampire lovers of the world, because only a vampire can love you forever.
Chapter 1
Clubbing
A quick journal entry seems wise before leaving for the big New Year’s party at Club VC. It has been a very eventful week; I have been spotted by at least two of my estranged family members, and while doing a checkup on my family, I noticed Danika, the newest member of the family, conversing with a member of the Cerberus, making plans to celebrate the New Year at Club VC together. Young Danika still remains unaware of who she is dealing with, and it appears the family is unaware of her power to block others. This is how Danika is able to keep her secrets. This is only a little tidbit I learned at the club; I’m not even sure if she is aware of her power yet.
I’m concerned about Sophia seeing me in the park a little more than a week ago. I know that girl. She is as stubborn as a mule, and she will not give up on me. I need to be more careful now that Sophia is aware of my presence. I’m sure she has divulged the information to the family by now. I expect her to look for me.
It’s getting late–I should get ready and head for the club, in case Danika does go there. I want to keep an eye on her and keep her out of too much trouble. I have been attempting to disguise myself so Danika will not recognize me from pictures, and the Cerberus will not recognize me if they see me around.
***
Walking into the club, I look around for familiar faces–either Danika or the guy she has been meeting with. I find a few of the cult members I met during my previous visit here.
“Hey, Caspian. It’s nice to see you back here,” greets Cyrus.
I look at the older vampire who had welcomed me nights earlier. “Hi, Cyrus. Thanks. It is good to be back. Please call me Cas. I feel so free here…no hiding,” I respond with little truth.
“Are you up for a drink?” he points to the bar.
“Sure. That’s why I’m here. I’m always up for a little fun.”
He leads me through the thick crowd of vampires dancing to the pounding tunes blaring from the speakers. Hundreds of rebellious vampires fill the club; some appear to be fresh out of the wastes. I notice cages occupied by very attractive young vampires, scantily dressed. Tight leather and small tops appear to be the ensemble of choice. I could never understand how women can walk in heels that high–they must be at least four inches–although it does make their legs look very nice, shapely and luxurious. Even in the eternal life women can be so vain; every little detail must be perfect. They have to look their best no matter the cost. I just assume it must hurt to walk in shoes like that all day long, let alone a hundred years or more. Many of the patrons are very interesting to look at, especially the ones with crazy hairstyles in an array of odd and unnatural colors. I start to think how much fun the club seems to be. Unfortunately, I know what type of vampires the owners are.
“You wanna tap or shot?” Cyrus asks when we reach the bar.
I look at the bar and see a young woman lying there. Vampires walk up to her and bite her in various spots, enjoying a drink from the poor soul that is barely alive.
“Let’s try a shot,” I respond, attempting to remain collected.
“Hey buddy, two shots please!” Cyrus shouts.
The bartender turns to the back of the bar, where a man lies motionless except for the shallow movements of his chest. There is a type of intravenous needle in his carotid artery. The bartender grabs two shot glasses in one hand and holds them to the needle cap. He opens the cap and drains the man’s blood into the glasses, which he then hands to us. “Here you go boys. Enjoy.”
“Cheers!” We clang glasses and take the shot.
I can’t help but wonder what happens to the ‘donors.’ “I have to ask, how on Earth do you get the donors, and what do you do with them once they are drained?”
“We find transients, homeless people, addicts, and prostitutes. They are promised a good meal and a night of partying at a hot V.I.P club. Once we get them here, we clean them up and feed them. We use a sedative so they do not fight us. Some we Embrace, and others we throw back in the streets. The ones we Embrace become our cage dancers. This is our way of keeping control of them until they learn some discipline and won’t get themselves destroyed,” Cyrus explains. “You should go mingle with some of the others a little. We are always looking for new members that have eternal experience.”
“Thank you, I will,” I reply before I begin to roam the club.
I continue to look around and inspect the place. I didn’t get to see much last time I was here; tonight is the time to familiarize myself. As I look up to the balconies above, I see Danika: the little brat. She is with the same vampire that has been trying so hard to recruit her. It looks as if the upstairs area is where the top cult members party. Even with my impeccable hearing, I can’t zone in on what they’re talking about over the crowd and music. I need to find a way to get invited upstairs. At least now I know where she is so I can keep an eye on her for my family’s sake.
***
Danika has been here for a while now, and I continue to mingle as I keep a watchful eye on her. I notice her walking down the stairs and decide to test my disguise, so I walk toward her and advertently collide with her, making it look like an accident. “Oh! Please excuse me.”
“No worries. My name is Danika, this is my first time here,” she replies, proving she doesn’t recognize me.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Cas.”
“Well, Cas, I hope to see you again. It’s time for me to leave. I have a little travel ahead of me,” she explains.
“I understand. Sunrise will be upon us soon. I think they’ll be clearing the place out soon. Have a great rest. Maybe we will run into one another again,” I say as we both leave the club.
It’s been difficult hiding from my family…thirty years on the run is too long, even when you have eternity. I can only hope they forgive me for draining and killing my girlfriend Ashley. I just couldn’t face them and had to leave. I didn’t deserve to be a part of their family; I had failed them all. But I’ve always kept a close eye on my estranged family and it is finally paying off. I’m hoping to prove to them that I can handle my bloodlust. If I can help protect them against the Cerberus, the rogue vampire cult heading to the area, they may forgive me and let me have another chance. Last year when my family, the Pierces’, moved back to Wenham, Massachusett
s, they never expected to fight with some of the most dangerous of our kind, the Cerberus. The area is supernaturally charged; the magic from the area can attract evil of all kinds seeking more power. The rich magical history is leading the Cerberus directly here. Now if I can only help steer Danika, the newest vampire in the Pierce family, in the right direction, I will be able to move on to more important matters. Protecting and regaining my place in the Pierce family is the only thing that matters to me since Ashley’s death.
Chapter 2
Worry
I just knew it! I knew Danika would be trouble! This is going to be bad for each and every one of us. I wonder if anyone went missing from the News Year’s party? We were all having so much fun getting to know more of the town’s people, and now this. If she kills some innocent party guest, we’ll all be affected. If she leaves them alive and is unable to compel them properly, we’ll be discovered. I’m going to beat the crap out of that little brat, I think as I pace the room in frustration.
“We will find her and deal with the ramifications of her actions. Then we’ll deal with the Cerberus. I don’t want anyone to jump to conclusions.” Elijah looks directly at me with his eyebrows raised, knowing that I have already done so.
“I agree, a member of our family is missing and danger is heading this way. We’ll feed and then go look for Danika. At this point we don’t know what has happened; all we know is that she’s missing,” Isaac points out.
It’s nearly four in the morning, and we still don’t know where Danika is. Florence prepares something for us to eat before we go and try to find her. None of us enjoy the meal Florence prepared, as we’re all too worried about what is to come. We decide it’s best just to go now and search for Danika, but at that same moment we notice her walking up the drive towards the house.
Opening the front door, my rage takes over. “Are you freaking kidding me? You take off without telling anyone and just walk up the drive like nothing even happened?!” I scream.
“Look, I'm sorry; I should’ve left a note or told someone I needed to get out of here. It was just too much for me to handle,” Danika defends.
“Danika, I'm sorry, but if the party was difficult for you, you should have come and talked to one of us. That is what we're here for…that is what family is for,” Florence says as she opens her arms and wraps them around Danika.
“I'm really sorry to worry you. I’m not used to having anyone care about me. I really didn't think anyone would notice I was gone. If you don't mind though, I'd really like to take a shower. Can we talk more about it tomorrow maybe?” She tucks a strand of hair from her little red bob behind her ear, looking at us with childlike eyes.
“Can you at least tell us where you were Danika?” Elijah questions.
“I was just exploring the woods; I needed to get away and be by myself.”
“We will talk about this tomorrow. I think we all need to get some rest. We have a lot to talk about in the days to come,” Elijah insists. It is obvious that the upcoming threat is weighing heavily on him.
***
I’m restless and want nothing more than to wring that girl’s neck. Pacing back and forth in my room, my anger continues to consume me. I always knew she would be trouble, but I never thought it’d be this bad. How can she do this to us, after everything our family has done for her? What a selfish little brat to put our secret, our family, in danger like that. Something could have happened; someone could have seen her. That girl thinks about nothing but herself and she needs to smarten up before she brings all of us down with her. Eighteen months ago, Danika joined our family after being newly Embraced and left by her maker for dead or to ravage. Constance found her behind the hospital she was working at. My siblings Matilda, Alexander and I were forced to return to high school…to babysit. I’ve had a bad feeling about her since that first day, but it’s because of her forcing me to return to school that I met my soul mate Nathanial and my best friend Ebony, a young witch. I guess I can be grateful for that.
With a knock at my door, Alexander asks, “Can I come in?”
“Of course you can,” I answer.
He sits next to me on the bed. “I can’t help but hear you freaking out about Danika. It’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be. Don’t you remember what it was like when we first became vampires?” Alexander has the ability to hear other’s thoughts and share his with them, along with memories that he can have play out like a movie.
“We were nowhere as irresponsible as she is being,” I argue.
“Really? Maybe you just don’t realize, since we were in the middle of nowhere and then were on our mission to find Miss Edwina and her mother. We were preoccupied.”
Miss Edwina is Ebony’s Grams, a powerful witch of Salem descent. Miss Edwina and her mother blessed our day crystals, allowing us to survive in the sun and live a life more similar to mortals.
“I still have a bad feeling about her. I just know she is up to something.”
“Okay, I understand that, but with the news we received today maybe we should focus on more important issues.”
I acknowledge this with a sigh. “I guess you’re right. We need to deal with the Cerberus, which is definitely a bigger threat than a teenage vampire.” Are they, I wonder?
Our family just found out the Cerberus, a rogue vampire cult, is heading this way. Elijah, our head of the family, contacted the Renata to instruct us on how to handle the situation. The Renata are the leaders of vampires.
“So please calm down; we’ll find out more tomorrow about what happened with Danika and the Cerberus. I’m always here for you and hate seeing you so distressed.” Alexander leans over and hugs me before leaving.
Alexander is right; I need to calm down. Maybe I will work on my scrapbooking a little. I have so many wonderful memories to document. I still can’t believe how blessed I have become. After Caspian, my other brother, left the family, I was torn. Wenham has brought me a new found happiness and meaning–I will really miss this place when it is time to leave again.
Chapter 3
Details
Morning comes and Danika offers no more explanations for us. Elijah makes sure that the entire family understands the ramifications of our actions. Then we all agree it is time to begin work on stopping the Cerberus.
“I’m going to spend the day with Nathanial. I think I need to do some explaining to him and prepare him for what’s coming,” I announce, nervously picking at my nails.
“That’s a good idea. Do you need some back up?” Alexander asks, with a wink.
“Thanks, I think I’d rather do this on my own. Stay here and help Elijah, there’s a lot to prepare for.”
Alexander agrees, and the men head to the office as I grab my coat. Nathanial pulls up in perfect time.
We decide to disappear for the day so we drive up the mountain to a spot I found when my family and I were out scouting animals. It’s beautiful, open yet secluded, surrounded by trees centuries old and a beautiful waterfall slowed by winter freeze. There is a lovely little hiking path with an old style wooden staircase up the hill. I imagine the area full of wild flowers in the summer with the sun shimmering through the trees.
This place reminds me of young families hiking to their favorite picnic spot. I picture the mother setting up their lunch as the children frolic in the area. I even imagine Nathanial and I in this spot with our children, although I know having children with Nathanial isn’t an option; but it is a beautiful daydream. Sometimes daydreams are all I have.
We relax, enjoying our surroundings; the light trickle of the almost frozen water fall is so relaxing, and the sound of small animals scurrying through the thickened brush is peaceful. On the cold hard ground ice flecks glisten in the sun, and looking around I realize this is the true beauty the world has to offer. But we’re here for a reason; I need to explain more to Nathanial and tell him the ugly truth about my world.
I need to give Nathanial more details about me, my existence and what is to c
ome.
“This place is wonderful!” He gives me one of those crooked half smiles and runs his hand through his truffle brown hair in the way that makes me melt.
“I know. We found it one night when we were looking for food,” I explain. “I figure now would be a good time to explain everything to you.”
“Perfect. I want to know everything.”
“Well I’ll begin with a little vampire history; what do you know about vampires? Actually never mind, I’ll just explain if that’s okay,” I mutter, nervously tapping my foot.
“Relax, you don’t need to be nervous. I’m not going to judge you–just explain and I will listen, saving all questions for after your explanation.” He soothes me within seconds.
“Fair enough, but I do want you to stop me if it becomes too much for you to handle,” I insist.
“From the beginning there has been a legend that the first of our kind was Cain, the son of Adam and the first murderer. Cain murdered his brother Abel because God preferred the gifts Abel gave to him over Cain’s gifts. It was out of pure jealousy that Cain killed his brother. God could not believe Cain had done such a thing, and as his punishment, Cain was cursed by God and transformed in to a vampire, forced to walk the earth alone night after night for all eternity. Cain was therefore exiled from the people and forced to stalk civilization. He feared the sun because it burned him and it was extremely painful. So he would come out at night to hunt the mortals; he was ravenous for blood.” I begin to pace a little.
“Cain met a powerful witch named Lilith, who some believe to be Adam’s first wife. I personally don’t understand how that could be possible. I mean if you believe in God, don’t you believe that Adam and Eve were the first humans created? If that’s true, how was Lilith his first wife?”
“Sophia, you’re rambling,” Nathanial chuckles.