Into The Light (Immortal Hearts Book 1)

by Katherine Hastings

  “I have no idea,” I said, realizing I didn’t know what current food tasted like and where to begin.

  “I do.” Emilia smiled and stepped to my side. “Do we have a car?”

  “A car? He’s not going to eat a car, Emilia.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “No. I want to take him somewhere. Do we have cars here or only the helicopter?”

  “We have cars.” I waggled my brows. “Lots of cars.”

  “Where are you going?” Mark asked.

  A coy smile lifted one half of her lips. “We. Where are we going is the question. And McDonald’s is the answer.”

  “McDonald’s?” Mark shrieked, his voice hitting notes high enough to shatter the windows. “His first bite of food in centuries and you’re taking him to McDonald’s? That’s like shopping at Walmart when you could be at Bergdorf! He can have anything in the entire world, and you want to take him to McDonald’s? I won’t have it!” Mark stomped a foot.

  Emilia just waggled her eyebrows and looked to me. “Do you trust me?”

  I nodded my head. “Of course. Mark, we’re going to McDonald’s.”

  He tossed his hands in the air. “Fine! It’s a tragedy to corrupt his tiny little newborn baby taste buds with peasant swill, but if you insist, then let’s go.”

  Emilia squealed and grabbed my hand pulling me behind her through the house. I hated feeling the sun leave my skin when we disappeared into the darkness of my house. “I need more windows,” I said before Mark led us through the door down the stairs to the garage.

  “Sweet Jesus,” Emilia said when we stepped into the garage and Mark turned on the lights. Dozens of luxury cars stretched out through the expansive underground garage, each glistening under the lights suspended from the concrete ceiling. “It’s like Grand Theft Auto in here! How in the hell did I not know we had these?”

  Mark shrugged. “Aiden collected them, but we didn’t drive them much.”

  “Which one should we take, Emilia?” I turned to her. She scanned the room and then settled her stare into the corner. A big smile stretched across her face as she pointed. “That one.”

  Mark and I followed her finger to the Hemi Cuda convertible. She pulled me down the stairs and we wound through the endless cars until we arrived at its side. Soft blue paint wrapped around the contours of the classic muscle car, its flawless sheen glistening in the bright lights.

  “The 1971 Hemi Cuda,” I said, stepping back to appreciate the sleek lines that had first caught my attention five years ago when I’d bought it.

  “This little beauty set us back over a million,” Mark said. “And he’s never even driven it.” He rolled his eyes. “I have to hire someone to exercise the cars every few months.”

  “This is the one.” Emilia slid a hand along the shiny metal and peered inside at the leather seats.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to take the Ferrari or the maybe the Aston Martin?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. This one. I want the convertible.”

  The thought of riding at her side with the wind blowing in my hair and the sun beating down on my face sent my human heart racing.

  “Hold on, let me grab something.” Mark ran through the cars and up the stairs, returning a minute later holding three sets of sunglasses. “We’re gonna need these.”

  I took the sunglasses from him and examined them. “Never thought I’d be needing these.” I laughed.

  “I’m driving!” Emilia hopped over the door and landed in the driver’s seat. With a grin, I did the same, reaching my hand across the divide and letting it settle on her leg.

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this!” Mark hopped into the seat behind us.

  “Ready?” Emilia looked at me and slid the key into the ignition.

  Squeezing her thigh, I nodded. “Let’s do this.”

  She turned the key and the Hemi V8 rumbled and roared through the garage. She slid it into gear, and we crept forward to the ramp that wound out from the underground garage. When we reached the top, Mark pressed a button on his phone, and I squinted as the sunlight poured in through the lifting door.

  I looked at my sunglasses then slid them on my face, turning to smile at Emilia and Mark as they did the same. Emilia revved the engine and stepped on the gas. We tore out into the sunlight, Mark screaming with his hands in the air as we launched out onto the driveway.

  “Whoooo hoooo!” Emilia mirrored his shouts as we skid around the corner.

  My grin was so wide I thought my newly fragile human skin might tear. When we spun out onto the road and hit top speed Emilia took her hand off the shifter and twisted her fingers into mine. Our matching smiles lit up brighter than the sun beating down on us. The wind twisted and twirled my hair and I squeezed her hand tight, never having felt so alive in my life. If this was living, I was ready to suck every last drop of joy from this world. And I was going to do it at her side.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Aiden

  “WELL?” EMILIA ASKED as Mark’s stare burned into the back of my head. I closed my mouth around the burger she had given me and felt my human teeth cut through the layers. Warm juice flowed into my mouth and I moaned when it mixed with the other flavors all somehow piled into one bite.

  “Mmm...” I mumbled, my mouth full of my first bite of food in six hundred years. “This is amazing.”

  “See!” Emilia laughed and slapped Mark in the arm. “I told you McDonald’s was the way to go!”

  Mark rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Just wait until he gets his first bite of Kobe beef. Then we’ll see who wins.”

  I couldn’t believe the sensations the flavors sent through me. I started making noises that mimicked Emilia when she ate, and I realized now why she made them. “This is so much better than I ever expected food to taste.”

  Sitting in the convertible outside McDonald’s under the baking sun, I devoured the burger and felt the newfound hunger rumbling in my belly subside.

  “Here, a milkshake next.” Emilia pushed the paper cup with the straw into my hands. Looking it over, I furrowed my brow while I studied it. “Just put it between your lips and suck.”

  “That’s what she said,” Mark whispered and chuckled behind me.

  Emilia shot him a look and then doubled over in laughter. “Well played, friend.”

  I wrapped my lips around the plastic tube and drew a long suck. I could feel the resistance at first, and then the cold substance moved into my mouth. It startled me, such a sharp contrast to the hot blood I had consumed all these years. The shock of the temperature subsided, and I got a trickle of the incredible sweet flavor on my tongue. I’d never tasted anything like it.

  Closing my eyes to appreciate the incredible flavor, I took another sip. “So, this is chocolate?” I said, savoring the way it tasted on my tongue. “It’s better than the burger if that’s even possible.”

  “Our baby is all growed up and drinking a milkshake,” Mark teased and touched my shoulder.

  “Shut up, Mark. You should try this. It’s incredible.”

  He shook his head violently and sat back in his seat. “Hell. No. I’ve worked too hard to get my body in ‘Forever Vampire Mark’ shape before I change. And I won’t throw it all away for a taste of that sludge.”

  I took another sip of my milkshake and turned to face him. “So, you’ve decided?”

  He nodded his head. “I want it. I want to be a vampire.”

  I don’t know why it shocked me as much as it did. This was something he had wanted for so long I shouldn’t have been surprised he hadn’t changed his mind based on my decision.

  “If that’s what you want, I’ll see to it that it happens.”

  “Thank you, Aiden.”

  Emilia’s lip trembled, and I saw the pain flash through her eyes. “I don’t want you to die, Mark. I just got you both all to myself now. Alive. And now you’re going to leave us.”

  Mark shook his head and leaned forward, touching her shoulder. “I’m g
oing to change, yes. I’m going to be forever frozen in this impressive body with this perfect face.” He waved a hand over himself with a smile. “But I’m coming back, Emilia. If Aiden will have me, I don’t see any reason he and I can’t just swap bedrooms and I’ll take the light-tight one and spend weekends and summers with you guys. It will be like summer camp! But with only really cool kids!”

  Emilia nodded and took his hand. “You’d better. I will miss you if you’re gone too long.”

  “Oh, I’ll be back often. Between compelling people to give me their riches, seducing supermodels and actors, and basically living like a rock star, I’m going to need lots of R&R. And pool time.”

  “If you leave us, who says I’m letting you come back?” I arched an eyebrow.

  Mark lowered his sunglasses and leveled me with a stare. “Oh, you’ll let me back in when I use my new vampire superpowers to compel your human ass to do whatever I say.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” I lowered my own sunglasses. We held each other in a frozen stare before letting our fake glares soften into matching smiles.

  “Of course not.” He pushed his sunglasses back into place. “But you’re not kicking me out, though, right?”

  Taking another pull off my milkshake I shook my head. “Not a chance. You’re stuck with us. And we definitely expect you to push us around in our wheelchairs and change our diapers when we’re all old and gray.”

  Mark’s face pulled into a sour pucker. “Eww. For the first time since I met you, I’m not attracted to you. That image will be burned into my brain for eternity.” He shuddered.

  Plucking a French fry from the brown bag, I popped it into my mouth and smiled while I chewed. Chewing itself was a strange sensation. It was something I’d done countless times as a human without thought. Now I paid attention to every movement of my jaw while I savored the flavors the action produced. “The French certainly do know food it seems.”

  “These are not French food, Aiden.” Mark groaned. “We’ll go to France and then you can find out what real French food tastes like.”

  “First, we’re going to Wisconsin for fried cheese curds,” Emilia said with a huge grin.

  “Fried cheese curds?” Mark’s voice hit that high note again. “Are you trying to give him a heart attack? You do know he’s human again and can die?”

  “A few cheese curds won’t kill him.” She rolled her eyes. “We’ll head up to Milwaukee where I grew up. There is this restaurant called Sobelman’s that has the best cheese curds ever! They even wrap them in bacon!”

  “Bacon?” I tipped my head.

  “Yes. And they put them in the Bloody Marys along with like a whole assortment of crazy garnishes. Like little cheeseburgers, meat sticks, and you can even get one with a whole rotisserie chicken. So good, Aiden. So good.”

  “A whole chicken? In a drink?”

  Mark faked a gag. “I’m going to be sick.”

  Emilia spun in her seat. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! Sobelman’s is famous for their crazy... and delicious creations. I can’t wait to take you guys there.”

  “I vote for France,” Mark argued.

  Emilia huffed. “They’ve got a full bar you can get other drinks at.”

  He pursed his lips. “I do love drinks. Fine. We’ll go eat the curds, drink the Bloody Marys, and give Aiden a heart attack. But then... France!”

  “Do I get a say in all this?” I asked, glancing between the two of them.

  “Do you have any ideas what kind of food to eat?” she asked.

  With a shrug, I shook my head. “Not a clue. You’re right. You two lead the way.”

  We all shared a laugh before Emilia turned the key and started up the engine again. “Home?” she asked, and I nodded.

  We turned through the town and I stared in wonder at the world basked in light. People walked down the streets with dogs on leashes, pushing strollers in front of them. Children played in their yards and the sounds of their laughter pricked my ears as we passed them by. You didn’t see many children in the wee hours of the night. It was then I realized when I focused, I still had my special hearing. I furrowed my brow and tuned it in, listening to a child giggle as they slid down a slide a block away, but it sounded like it was beside the car.

  “Whoa.” I turned to Emilia.

  “What is it?” she asked, letting up on the gas.

  “I think I still have my powers.”

  “Seriously?” she and Mark asked in unison.

  I couldn’t feel them as readily available as they were before, but when I closed my eyes and focused, I could feel them crackling beneath my skin, faded now, but still there. They felt exactly as they had when the Picts first bestowed the gift on us. They were there, but not as powerful as they became when we drank blood and transitioned to vampires.

  “Yeah, they’re there. My hearing is at least.”

  “Well that’s unexpected,” Mark said.

  “Let’s get home and see what else still works.” Emilia pressed her foot back onto the gas. We surged forward and turned down the road that led to home. I had come to terms with the loss of my powers and strength, but knowing they were still here sent a warm feeling through me. Was it possible I could have it all? I looked over to Emilia and knew no matter what, with her at my side, I already did.

  After we parked the car and went into the house, I stepped out the back door to the pool area and back into the sun. I didn’t want to waste a minute without it on my skin.

  “Well?” Emilia asked.

  I looked at the horse stable down below and clenched my jaw. With a burst I was there, and with another I was back at her side.

  “Holy shit,” she breathed.

  “Holy shit,” I responded.

  “You still have your powers. How?”

  “I don’t know. But they’re there. They aren’t as accessible as they were before, I need to think about it to make them work, but I can still use them.”

  “That’s amazing, Aiden.” She reached out and took my hand. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but it’s incredible.”

  “So, are you still invincible?” Mark asked, stepping into the doorway holding a pair of plain back shorts.

  “I’m not sure,” I said as I examined my hands. “Bring me a knife.”

  “Aiden,” Emilia said with concern.

  “Just a little nick to see if I bleed.”

  Mark disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a knife moments later. He placed it in my hand, and we all took a deep breath when I pushed it into my skin.

  “Ouch!” I grimaced as the skin ripped and blood trickled out.

  “Well, that answers that. You’re no longer the Invincible Man.”

  “That was so strange,” I said, examining the cut on my hand. I hadn’t bled since before I’d turned. “It stings.”

  “Here.” Mark pushed the swim trunks into my arms. “As requested, plain black, very ‘Aideny’ swim trunks with no pink and no animals. Put them on and take your lady for a swim. I’m taking a nap. Hoisting that axe around earlier took a lot out of me.”

  I chuckled. “Thanks, Mark.”

  “And be careful.” He shot us a look. “He’s fragile now, Emilia. Don’t let him do anything stupid.”

  She nodded and smiled. “I won’t.”

  Mark yawned and sauntered back into the house.

  “I’m going to go put my suit on,” she said, but I caught her by the arm as she turned to walk in.

  “Why?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m only going to take it off.”

  The pink flush moved to her cheeks, and it made me smile to see it again. I had been in agony not seeing her face or feeling her touch while I’d been locked in the basement this last month.

  She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Mark had gone in, then pulled her pink sundress up over her head. I watched with my heart racing as she undid the clasp of her bra and released the breasts that I wanted to take in my mouth again. My cock hardened against my pa
nts when she stepped out of her underwear and stood naked before me.

  “Your turn,” she said, arching an eyebrow before diving into the pool.

  I threw the shorts to the ground and ripped my shirt up over my head. Hopping on one foot and then the other, I pulled off my pants and jumped in after her. She squealed when the water from my entrance splashed in her face. Giving her no time to recover, I pulled her into my arms and crushed my lips down onto hers. Her body responded by wrapping around mine, and I moaned from the feeling her touch evoked in me. It set my skin on fire and I wondered now if she felt the same way when I touched her.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy her touch before, God knows it was the most incredible feeling in the world. But this... this feeling was one I didn’t even realize was possible. I didn’t know her touch could feel any better, and yet now, as a human, I felt every nerve in my body come to life beneath her fingertips. With no desire for her blood dulling my senses, it allowed the rest to spring to life. The need she conjured in me built until I could no longer stand it. I pushed her up against the pool, turning her from me and pressing my lips into the back of her neck. For a moment I waited for my fangs to spring forth, but when they didn’t come, I let my tongue trace its way along the length of her neck.

  Glad she’d told me she was on birth control and we no longer needed condoms, I pressed her legs apart and grabbed my throbbing cock, plunging it up into her without warning. She cried out, and I wrapped my arms around her and drew her into me while I moved inside of her. Colors exploded in my mind as the intensity of my feelings for her reached impossible heights. Grabbing her breasts, I continued my desperate assault on her body, my need for her increasing with each thrust. The hot sun beat down on my shoulders and only amplified the heat engulfing me from the inside. If my human life ended tomorrow, in this moment I knew it was all worth it, if only for this one day. I felt her body shudder as she whimpered out her sweet sounds, and my own release crashed through me and exploded out of me in a guttural moan. I held her close while my body trembled, the last of the waves subsiding while I held her still in my arms.