A Vampire's Soft Embrace

by Caris Roane

  Her home was more of a cottage than a rambling house. She had one guest bedroom, a second bath and her two main living areas.

  The front living space she used as often as her sitting room just for a change of pace.

  Though small, every room of her home had become a work of art for her. She’d had the fireplace resurfaced with stone and a large pastoral scene hung over the mantel. Two couches in moss-green chenille flanked the fireplace with reading lamps at each end.

  Opposite the fireplace, thick panels of burgundy silk framed a bank of windows that was divided up into antique-looking rectangles. More bookshelves had been built into the adjacent walls at either end. She supposed the room looked more like a library than anything else.

  The living room faced the cul-de-sac. She had one of the few homes in the development with a gate leading to the woods and stream from her side yard. In front, a spreading mulberry tree was leafing out and had been pruned low enough to block a view of the dwellings opposite. The quiet street was inhabited by a number of very artsy fae, elves and trolls. Most of her neighbors had planted lots of trees to continue the woodland feel from the nearby stream.

  Turning back to the large stack of books, she thought this might be a good time to begin. Her life had taken an abrupt turn now that she was a blood rose and it would help to have her house in order as she began her new life. She had a tough decision to make in the coming weeks.

  Wait, that wasn’t right.

  More like the next few nights.

  She smelled something odd suddenly, like rotten eggs. A terrible sensation came over her as well, a fae warning so strong, she didn’t dare turn around. Someone had invaded her home, or was attempting to, and was very close to succeeding.

  She quickly raised her time-traveling energy. In a flurry of focused intention, she slipped inside the continuum.

  Only then did she pivot to face the wide, arched opening that led to the stone foyer.

  Through the blurred walls of the time-path she saw the scarred vampire, Mastyr Leonus, with a woman that had to be Mitrana, the dark fae. They were frozen in time.

  Mitrana was beautiful. She wore her red hair in a single very long braid down her back and was dressed in sleek black leather pants and a matching vest.

  The dark fae were practitioners of poisons and all kinds of spells. In earth terms, she was a witch. That they’d appeared from nowhere meant Mitrana could use the time-path.

  She tried reaching Vojalie telepathically to alert her to the intruders and call for help, but nothing returned.

  The same with Devyn.

  Her heart began to beat almost painfully in her chest when she realized she couldn’t reach anyone. She’d never been in more serious danger than in this moment. It was clear to her the dark fae was blocking even her ability to communicate.

  She needed to understand what this couple knew and what they intended to do. She focused on Mitrana and the time-path carried her a few minutes into the past and to a subterranean dwelling. Intricate roots travelled the ceiling. Mitrana and Leonus were both there in what appeared to be a kind of cellar.

  Mitrana ground several herbs together using mortar and pestle. “We’ll find Emily in her home. You’ll see. Then we’ll bring her back here and you can bond with her.” She gestured to a worktable scattered with herbs, roots and fungi. Beside a brew pot was a hypodermic filled with an amber liquid. Mitrana picked it up. “This will put her in a catatonic state. All is ready. Once near her home, I will be able to block all communication. The blood rose will be yours.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Mitrana rested her pestle in the stone mortar, capped the syringe then slid it into her pants pocket. A moment later, she touched Mastyr Leonus and took him into the time-path.

  Emily returned to her home, almost to the present, though still in the continuum. The couple was right there, in her foyer, frozen in time.

  Mitrana’s words had sent a chill straight through Emily. So, she was right. This particular dark fae could time-path and she had the power to create some kind of shield to prevent Emily from using her telepathy.

  Goddess help her.

  Vojalie had said there were dark fae trying to make inroads in the continuum. But she’d never heard of any of them being able to do it.

  Until now.

  Suddenly, both the dark fae and Leonus disappeared. Emily had no doubt she’d slipped into the time-path and she knew she had to leave immediately. She might even need to keep moving until she could figure out what to do.

  She focused on the stream behind her house.

  Once there, on the north side, she stepped out of the continuum. She raced into the woods and hid behind the trunk of an old beech tree. Still acting on her instincts, she accessed the part of her that was vampire and fell to an invisible stillness.

  She waited a full minute then she felt movement nearby. Her vision sharpened and she watched the dark fae as well as the vampire step from the time-path and onto the grass a few feet from where Emily had originally emerged.

  Mitrana had tracked her.

  Emily kept herself in her vampire state, watchful but to a large extent invisible to most realm-folk. She might not have fangs, but she could invoke stillness.

  A few seconds later, the vampire saw her. “So there you are.” He chuckled. “Your ‘stillness’ skills are significant even though you are fae. But they won’t work on me.”

  Again, she slipped into the time-path.

  She didn’t know where to go but the destination didn’t matter. She just had to leave and hope this pair wouldn’t catch up with her before she could get help.

  This time, she travelled to the top of a mountain near her friend Holly’s home. As by the stream, she moved to the edge of the forest and waited. It was such a great distance, maybe this pair wouldn’t be able to find her.

  Even so, she began to plot the destination of her next time-path.

  Her heart beat so hard in her chest, she could barely breathe.

  A minute passed, then two. As expected, the pair eventually stepped from the time-path. Leonus lifted his nose, sniffing the air. He immediately turned in Emily’s direction.

  So that was it. He could smell her blood rose scent.

  Great.

  Vojalie’s mist might have provided protection against a roaming mastyr vampire. But not a time-pathing dark fae who could somehow figure out each of her destinations.

  She needed help and there was only one person she could think of that made sense.

  Dev, she pathed. I’m in trouble.

  His voice came back strong and steady. I’m almost through the mist at your house. I had difficulty finding the keyhole again.

  You’re at my house? You came back?

  Yes. I’ve made some decisions.

  Well, I’m not there. And I have to get the hell out of my current location or Leonus will get me.

  Emily, come to the Wild Boar. I’ll meet you out front and I have an idea.

  On my way.

  ~ ~ ~

  The moment Emily said she was in trouble, Devyn’s shift in purpose settled deeply into his bones. He’d never flown so fast in his life as he did making his way back to the Wild Boar.

  By the time he got there, she was standing near the door, on the cobbled sidewalk. He flew straight to her and caught her up in his arms. She was shaking, head to foot and clung to his neck.

  Devyn, Leonus is working with Mitrana and she’s able to follow me in the time-path. They’ll be here any second.

  He released her but only enough to look into her eyes. “Then I’d better say this quick. I love you, Emily, and I want to bond with you as a mastyr to his blood rose. I want to marry you and I don’t care in which order we do either of these things. Just say you want the same thing.”

  She stared at him, her eyes wide, her hands pressed to his chest. “Yes, of course. You know how I feel. But wh-what happened? What in all the Nine Realms changed in the past few minutes?”

  “
Kyle. Kyle is what changed.”

  Mastyr Leonus suddenly appeared with a dark fae in tow, just as Emily had said they would. Devyn turned to face them, while at the same time thrusting Emily behind him to keep her safe.

  “You come here for a fight, asshole?”

  Leonus sneered. “Why the hell not? I could take you with both arms strapped behind my back.”

  “I’d like to see you fucking try.” The truth was, Leonus was a significantly more powerful mastyr than Devyn. But Devyn had Emily and something else. He had a community that would support him. Warped men like Leonus might link up with a woman like Mitrana, but otherwise, he worked alone.

  But Mitrana didn’t give Leonus a chance to make good on his fighting promise. Instead, the dark fae touched Leonus’s shoulder and the two of them disappeared, no doubt to regroup.

  Devyn immediately turned to Emily. Her eyes were still wide and glinting with adrenaline. “Mitrana took him into the time-path.”

  He dipped his chin. “Looks like it, which means, we’d better get ready. No way he’s not coming back for you.”

  “So what do you have in mind? You said you knew what we needed to do.”

  At that, he caught her arm gently then guided her to the door of the Wild Boar. “There’s something here I want you to see.”

  Once inside, all eyes turned their direction. Several vampires stood up. Some were Guardsmen. A few were law enforcement. But not one set of eyes was focused on him. No surprise there.

  He heard her intake of breath and felt her tremble.

  He supported her with his arm around her waist. They’re all mastyrs and they’re here for you. Word got out. This is one of the reasons I made up my mind fast. He sent his mating frequency straight to hers and wrapped her up. He turned and met her gaze. Will you let me in? We can start the bonding process and put these mastyrs out of their misery. But it’s up to you.

  He watched as tears filled her eyes. Of course I will. But are you sure?

  Yes, I’ve been a fool. But there’s something more. Kyle was here with a lot on his mind, a lot he needed to say to me.

  Her brows rose once more. What do you mean?

  You were right when you said you heard him. I think he’s been working for us both because what he told me earlier has set me free.

  You’re no longer afflicted with guilt over his death, are you?

  He shook his head. Kyle admitted that the night he died he’d been full of arrogance. He chose to battle Leonus even though he knew he couldn’t possibly defeat him alone.

  Wait a minute. Are you saying Leonus, the scarred vampire who’s been after me, killed your brother?

  According to Kyle, Leonus was there looking for me. He settled for killing Kyle.

  And Kyle told you all this?

  He did. The brief conversation gave me hope like I’ve never had before.

  Slowly, her concerned, frightened expression gave way to a smile that squeezed his heart hard. She’d looked exactly like this when he’d first met her in the coffee shop five years ago.

  Do it, she pathed. Start the bond.

  With that, he felt her frequency open. His own rushed in as though taking possession of something that had always belonged to him, a home that was as familiar as his farmhouse in Boylbury.

  The bar disappeared. All he could see was Emily, the sparkling beauty of her green eyes, her sweet, lovely face, the emerald glinting at the point of her ear.

  Kyle had done this for him, had made this possible. He could love Emily now, freely and without reservation. He’d wanted to be with her for five years. Now he was here.

  His mating frequency held hers in a gentle grip, nothing rough, never for Emily.

  A smile touched her lips and a mist filled his mind. Before he knew what was happening, he was back in the coffee shop in a time-convergence only she could arrange. She slung her arms around him and kissed him.

  Time had linked them from the beginning.

  He returned her kiss as he had back then.

  Their frequencies moved faster and faster.

  Suddenly, it was as though a light exploded in his mind. He knew the bonding process was different for every couple. But it was beginning right now, in the Wild Boar, before the Goddess and a dozen mastyr vampires. He doubted, however, that right now anyone in the bar could see them since they were essentially in the time-path.

  The full completion of the bond would be fulfilled in private, when they could be joined physically. But right now, what needed to happen in order to locate and bring down a dangerous mastyr and his companion dark fae, was taking place inside the time-convergence.

  She drew back with a sharp intake of breath. They were still within the continuum as she blinked several times and stared at him. Then her whole body relaxed. “Devyn.”

  He nodded. His chest felt tight like it was too small to contain what he felt. “We’ve bonded. Can you feel it?”

  “Yes. It’s amazing and my entire system is vibrating with the change.”

  “The power that comes from the blood rose bond.”

  “Exactly,” she whispered.

  The bond was secure. As blood rose power began to flow through his mating vibration, as his mastyr power increased, and as his battle energy revved up, he was ready to take on the vampire who had killed Kyle.

  “You can take us out of the time-path. We’re ready.”

  He took her hand in his and a split-second later they returned to real-time.

  Little by little, the tension emanating from the mastyrs eased from the room. Nothing needed to be said. The bond was clear to all.

  After a moment, the mastyrs began to cheer. The shifters joined in. Some whistled, clapped their hands, shouted.

  Emily squeezed his hand. This is for you, she pathed. They know you’re worth.

  Her words hit him hard. He’d believed for so long he’d failed his brother that he hadn’t thought himself worthy of a damn thing. Those who knew him had a different opinion and expressed it now.

  He gave himself a moment to take it in. Thank you, Kyle. He whispered the telepathic message. Though nothing came back, it was no longer necessary. Kyle had done his part, his brother, his beloved twin.

  The cheering went on until Devyn waved a hand. He then took a few minutes to tell them what Leonus and Mitrana had been up to. “Any of you game to help us locate and bring down this pair?”

  Another cheer went up. The men rallied around them, eyes vampire fierce. A few pairs of fangs sat heavily on lips.

  Chapter Eight

  Emily loved the warrior community. It was one reason she’d stayed with Kyle as long as she had. She loved the men who served Tannisford by putting their lives on the line every night.

  She also loved that she’d be playing a part as well. Maybe not as a warrior, but as a powerful, bonded fae. Right now, though, she wanted guidance.

  She let Devyn know she was contacting Vojalie, then opened up her pathing frequency.

  When Vojalie responded, Emily told her what was going on and that she and Devyn had completed a large portion of the bonding process.

  That’s wonderful to hear. You’ll find all your abilities are now heightened and you’ll be able to block Mitrana in the time-path. But there’s something I’d like you to do.

  If possible, Vojalie wanted Emily to detain Mitrana which meant she would have to block the dark fae from using the time-path. Vojalie would then bring several members of the Sidhe governing council to arrest the woman. Together, they would have enough power to overcome her dark skills.

  Vojalie also made it clear they wanted her captured, not dead. This is critical, Emily. We must find out from Mitrana all she knows about the time-path inroads her kind has been making.

  Emily grew very still, almost making use again of her latent vampire abilities. It was strange to be both fae and vampire especially since in this moment she was both, more than ever.

  Maybe it was the bond, she wasn’t sure. But she could feel something terrible loo
ming on the horizon for the Nine Realms. Though they’d just gotten rid of the Ancient Fae, they weren’t free from others of equal power also obsessed with domination.

  Vojalie had been warning her all along the way. During her training, she’d spoken often of forces unseen, some to help, some to hurt. The fae time-pathers under her tutelage would each need to help at some point. Emily had thought her role would involve going back in time to search out antidotes for dangerous dark fae poisons. She’d never thought she’d be caught up in the need to capture a dangerous vampire and his dark fae partner.

  Emily? Are you still there? Emily?

  She drew a deep breath. Yes. I’m here.

  You can do this. Begin by luring her out of the time-path. Once she appears, go inside and block her from reentering. Battle her if necessary. That way we can capture her in Millerell. But you’ll need Devyn to do this, to support you while in the time-path. Do you understand? This is most important.

  I do.

  Good. I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be as fast as I can.

  Emily felt Vojalie end the conversation.

  She relayed Vojalie’s instructions to Devyn and the mastyrs grouped around them. She felt the need, however, to hold back on Vojalie’s reasons for wanting Mitrana taken alive. But these fighting men had been around a long time. Each was more aware than she could possibly be of the dark forces at work in the Nine Realms. “She definitely wants Mitrana alive.”

  Devyn squeezed her hand. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

  One of the mastyrs asked. “But how will you get either Leonus or Mitrana back to Millerell?”

  Emily had the answer. “My fae instincts tell me he’s still here and I can be the bait. I’m what he wants.”

  Devyn frowned. “Won’t Leonus know you and I are now bonded?”

  Emily shook her head. “A vampire like Leonus won’t care. He’ll make it his mission to destroy you. Once you’re dead, I’ll be free game again.”

  Devyn frowned. “Bait, huh?”

  “Yes. I can do this.”

  She watched Devyn meet the gaze of every vampire present, then her own. “We’ll make it work.” He glanced out the window. “And I think the alley’s the place to do it.”