Ember's Shadow - Into the Darkness (an Ember Summers novel Book 2)

by Nichole M. Bridges

  “What is it?” I gasped.

  Neither of them answered me either because they didn’t know or couldn’t bear to tell me. A knock at the door saved them from further grilling.

  The doctor had arrived and hurried to my side. Marek and Caden looked on sternly as the doctor examined me. When he moved his hand to my side, he confirmed what I had suspected.

  "This is more than a broken bone." He said, looking at me and then Marek.

  “Explain,” Marek said.

  "Someone laid a spell, and while some of the pain she is feeling is from the broken rib, the rest is from the spell. It is keeping her rib from healing and spreading out into the nearby tissues and bones." He said.

  "How do we remove it?" Marek asked, looking tense.

  “We need to move her to the hospital. I need to do more tests and see if we can isolate the spell so we can create a counter spell to reverse it." He said, looking concerned.

  “You said not to move her,” Caden said.

  All three men were looking sternly at each other.

  “I’ll be fine,” I said as I tried to sit up.

  They all jumped to stop me, and if I hadn't been in so much pain, I would have laughed. The sight of them all jumping was comical.

  “I’ll have my team here in a few minutes. Just lay still for now.” The doctor said then walked off to talk into his phone.

  Marek knelt next to me again and took my hand. His face was back to its usual stoic blankness.

  “I’ll be fine,” I said again as if that would make it all better.

  “Did you feel this last night? Has it been festering since then?” He asked.

  "I don't know anything about spells, Marek. How could I have known about this?" I said.

  "It has to be Asher. He is the only magic user you have been near. It could be a side effect of or part of the death curse." He said.

  He walked off, lost in thought, and grabbed the doctor. They were buried in conversation when the medical team arrived. Marek pulled Caden to the side then Caden rushed out of the room.

  Furniture was moved so the stretcher could be brought closer to the couch.

  The doctor came over to give me instructions before they started moving me. His team was going to lift me using their power instead of doing a physical lift. That would minimize the pain and move me quicker than they otherwise would be able to do. The key here was to get me to the hospital without aggravating the spell.

  To my delight, James walked through the door before they got started. The doctor clapped him on the back and motioned to me. James walked over.

  "Hey, you. Keeping us on our toes again, huh?" He asked, smiling.

  His smile was a welcome sight among all the stern faces in the room.

  "Not by…choice," I said, feeling the pain more when I talked.

  "Well, you have me now. What more could you want?" James said, smiling.

  I tried to smile. It must have been more of a grimace because his face fell.

  “I’m fine,” I said unconvincingly.

  "Stay still and focus on me. We are going to move you. Don't panic when you can't move. That is all part of the process. Ready?" He asked, looking into my eyes.

  I nodded, then winced. The pain was growing, and I was not looking forward to being wheeled over bumps on a stretcher.

  The team lined up next to the couch and on the other side of the stretcher. James moved too but stayed in sight. With one word from the doctor, I felt pressure all over my body, and then I floated into the air. It was like being put into a vice of air and lifted around.

  I moved through the air slowly until I was over the stretcher. The team dropped me down gently, and I didn't feel a thing. The pressure released, and then James was there holding my hand.

  “You okay?” He asked.

  "Yeah," I said, closing my eyes.

  “The doctor is going to give you a sedative to get you downstairs. Are you okay with that?” He asked.

  “Will I lose consciousness?” I asked.

  I didn't want to be left unaware. It was one thing to pass out from the pain, but to be medically put out wasn't something I wanted.

  James looked to the doctor, and he came over.

  "You may fall asleep, but with all the vampire blood you have in your system, it won't last longer than it takes to get you downstairs." The doctor assured me.

  I agreed, and the doctor directed one of the nurses to get an IV going while they strapped me onto the stretcher. They didn't attach the straps that would typically go over my middle so as not to aggravate my side. Once I was secure, the nurse gave me the sedative.

  James held my hand as they rolled me toward the door. I felt the sedative kick in, but the pain was still there. I just didn’t care as much about it.

  I felt heat coming down my arm from James and realized he was sending his healing power into me as we moved. I smiled up at him, then my eyes started to droop, and I fell asleep.

  I fell into a vision where I heard screaming and saw Asher Sanz chained to a wall bleeding from several wounds. His arms were stretched out in a straight line, and his skin was covered with what looked like plaster. It must have been to keep him from touching those runes he has tattooed all over him. His stomach was smeared with plaster, and more wounds gaped and bled along the surface. He was in rough shape.

  Marek was in the room with him, and Asher was giving him a death stare. If Asher could kill Marek with his eyes, it would have happened right then. It was clear the torture portion of the interrogation had begun.

  "Tell me about your death curse. How is it counteracted?" Marek said.

  "It wouldn't be much of a curse if it could be counteracted," Asher replied.

  Marek struck him in the face, and blood sprayed against the wall and across his right arm. He looked up and smiled.

  “Were you supposed to kill her?” Marek snarled.

  Asher looked confused, “What are you talking about?”

  “Your death curse is going to kill her! She triggered it when she burned you.” Marek yelled.

  "That was not intentional," Asher said, furrowing his brow.

  He appeared to be deep in thought for a moment then looked up.

  "She isn't dead already?" He asked, looking suspicious.

  "No, she lives," Marek said.

  “I don’t understand. My death curse would have killed her instantly. And there is no counter curse. Are you sure the spell has my signature?” Asher asked.

  Marek went still, “You were the only magic user near her to have laid the spell. I felt it myself when she triggered your death curse.”

  "I may be powerful, but if she isn't dead, then she beat my curse already," Asher said.

  “Who hired you?” Marek asked.

  "I don't reveal my clients, Marek. You know that better than anyone.” Asher said.

  That was an interesting tidbit. I filed that away for later.

  Marek hit him again, and more blood poured out of his mouth. It dribbled down his chin and onto his chest. It made my stomach queasy.

  A sudden jolt woke me, and the pain in my side became unbearable. I cried out, unable to hold it back. Tears poured from my eyes, falling down my cheeks.

  "Shhhh, it will be okay," James said, holding my hand.

  I opened my eyes to see him sitting next to me. I was in an ICU bed with nurses running around moving tubes and drawing blood. I was hooked up to an IV of blood.

  "Whose blood is that?" I asked, reaching to pull the tube out.

  James stopped me before I could do anything.

  "That is keeping you alive. Don't pull it out." He said, chastising me.

  “Explain,” I said.

  James told me the doctor was able to see the spell, and it had attached itself to my DNA. Vampire blood was the one thing that could hold the enchantment back for now, but it was only effective at keeping it back. There was no progress toward removing the spell.

  “How long was I out?” I asked.

  I gr
abbed for the IV again. Whatever was in there with the blood was making my arm itch.

  “About 15 minutes,” James responded.

  I thought about my vision while I was asleep and all the events of the past few days. This didn’t feel like something Asher did. It was more personal.

  “Asher didn’t do this,” I said.

  "How do you know?" James asked, confused.

  "He told Marek, and I think he is telling the truth. A death curse would have killed me immediately. This happened long after I fought Asher, and I have an overwhelming need to get that vampire blood out of my body." I said, gritting my teeth.

  "I can think of only one vampire who wouldn't want you having someone else's blood and who would do something like this," James said.

  "Exactly. What is our newfound friend up to right now? I think he should be the one in interrogation with Marek, not Asher." I said.

  James went silent for a moment, and then I heard Marek coming down the hall. He wasn't happy, and I almost felt sorry for the one responsible.

  Marek entered the room and ordered everyone out except for James. He came over to me and took my hand.

  “How are you doing?” He asked.

  I looked at him like he was an idiot. He knew exactly how I felt because I was too weak to block him.

  “Where is Viktor?” I asked.

  His eyes narrowed, but he answered, "With your sister."

  "You need to bring him here now," I said.

  “We think he knows what is going on,” James added.

  “Not just knows but is responsible.” I corrected James.

  Marek looked at James. James nodded and left the room.

  “What just happened?” I asked.

  “If I go get Viktor, I will kill him.” He said then sat in the chair next to me.

  “What are you thinking?” He asked.

  "I think Viktor hired Asher when he couldn't get to me himself. He also had Asher prep a little something that Viktor could use if he needed to. I saw your torture session with Asher. I believe he was truthful when he said the death curse would have killed me instantly. He also seemed to know more than he would say." I said.

  “Did you see anything that showed you Viktor is involved?” He asked.

  "No, that's why I want him here. I think he will out himself to save me." I said.

  “Why don’t you think he wants you dead?” Marek asked.

  “Because he wants me bound to him more than he wants me dead. He has been playing nice to get closer to me and get us all to drop our guard around him.” I said.

  My arm was itching, and my stomach felt queasy looking at the vampire blood in my IV. I knew it was related to whatever Viktor did to me, but I couldn’t prove it yet.

  "Leave the IV alone," Marek said, pulling my hand away from the tube.

  "I don't want it," I said, fighting him.

  “It is what is keeping you alive,” He said more forcefully.

  “It’s hurting me,” I said, feeling the liquid starting to burn.

  I felt movement down the hall and recognized Viktor’s signature aura. Marek was distracted by it, so I took the opportunity to pull the IV from my arm.

  "Ember, no!" Marek yelled and grabbed my arms.

  He yelled for a nurse, and one can running. She pushed Marek out of the way and grabbed some gauze to staunch the blood seeping out of my arm.

  “I don’t want it. It’s burning me.” I said through gritted teeth.

  At that moment, Viktor walked through the door and saw me fighting them. He smiled, and I knew he was responsible. Why else would he be pleased by me refusing the blood of another vampire?

  "Tell me you know what is going on, Viktor. She just refused the only thing keeping her alive." Marek snarled.

  "Now, now, Marek. You don't have to get so testy. I'm sure Ember knows what she needs, and I'm happy to give her whatever she wants." Viktor said, smiling still.

  "What did you do to me?" I asked, then snarled at the nurse when she tried to insert a new IV.

  The nurse scrambled back, holding up her arms in surrender. Marek told her to leave, and she did.

  "My dear, I believe you know what you need. Why else would you call me here?" Viktor said, stepping closer.

  As he got closer to the bed, I felt it. An overwhelming desire to drink his blood overcame me, and I sat up in the bed. The pain dampened as he got near, and I was suddenly afraid of what I might have to do.

  "You couldn't get me to do it voluntarily, so you pushed the issue by putting a spell on me. Let me guess, to keep me from dying, I need to drink your blood?" I asked.

  "It's what you want, Ember. I can't deny you what you desire." Viktor said, but he didn't admit anything.

  Marek was fuming.

  “What did you do to her?” Marek asked.

  It looked like he could barely restrain himself from going after Viktor.

  "I just pushed her a little," Viktor said, stepping up next to me.

  I could smell him now. He had a mix of evergreen and citrus about him. It reminded me of the wine he gave me once before. The wine I knew he spiked with his blood.

  “Will this take the spell off of me?” I asked.

  "No, Ember. We will find another way," Marek insisted.

  James and Marek both looked stricken, but I knew what I had to do. I laid back down with more pain than I thought possible. I looked at Viktor.

  "Yes, ingest enough of my blood to form a bond, and the spell will be satisfied," Viktor said

  "You will not leave this room alive, Viktor," Marek said with such venom that I was shocked.

  “She is but a plaything for you, an object of your sexual desire. I will make her my queen! She deserves nothing less.” Viktor yelled at Marek.

  “I’ve got this,” I told Marek. In his mind, I said, "We practiced this, and you said I could do it. Trust me."

  He looked at me with raw pain and vulnerability that made my heart hurt. Having another vampire's blood was going to crush him, but it was what we practiced. Viktor didn't know I could roll a master vampire. If we were to create a bond, it was going to be on my terms. I would make Viktor my bitch.

  “Let’s do this before the pain makes me pass out,” I said for effect.

  “Yes, my darling,” Viktor said and sat on the edge of the bed.

  He lifted my wrist to his lips and tilted his head, asking for permission.

  “Just a sip, enough for the bond only," I said.

  He struck without hesitation and took a large mouthful of my blood. Unlike when Marek drank from me, I didn’t feel a thing. He swallowed then reached out his arms for me to come to him.

  "You have to come down here, I can't sit up again," I said, patting the bed next to me.

  Viktor was going to have to either kneel or lay down beside me. I wanted to take from his neck to make sure I got enough blood.

  Viktor laid next to me, and I was closer to him than I ever wanted to be.

  “Do you have a knife?” I asked him.

  He pulled a pearl-handled blade from his pocket and opened it. He handed it to me then moved his head to the side so I could reach him easier.

  If I could have taken a deep breath, I would have. Instead, I steadied my breathing and plunged the knife into Viktor's neck. It felt good to stab him, and I made sure to dig the knife around to cause more blood to flow. He winced but didn't say a word.

  His blood pooled and then started dripping. I didn't have to force myself to do it. My body decided his blood was what I needed without my permission. I latched onto the flow and swallowed the first drops. The pain in my side subsided a bit, and I knew this would work.

  Still gripping the knife, I pulled Viktor in closer and sucked hard on his vein. He moaned as I drank his blood mouthful after mouthful. I could feel his emotions rising to the surface of my mind the more I drank. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer so that his entire body was pressed into mine.

  As I felt the bond start to form between us
, I also felt my bond with Marek dulling. Tears formed as the final strings that bound us pulled and finally split. I heard him call out. It was painful for him to feel it. Viktor let out a small laugh. He must have felt it too.

  I wrapped a leg around Viktor so he could feel me closer and get his guard to drop completely. He pulled me into his body and rolled to his back with me on top of him. I straddled his hips and bit into his neck to get the blood flowing faster. I could feel the rush of the bond and of Viktor’s power. It was a heady mix of ancient wisdom and power.

  He was older than Marek but also infinitely crueler. I could see his real character now that we were so close to the bond. It was just seconds away from forming, and I felt him pool his power so that he could make me his. The rush was pleasurable but lacked the bliss that I had with Marek. I fought to keep that thought to myself.

  Right before Viktor took control of the bond, I reached out and grabbed it from him. Viktor gasped when I took it from him. I used his surprise to my advantage and pulled ob the bond harder than I ever had with Marek. I wanted no mistake that Viktor was mine to control. He cried out when I took control and I felt the bond snap into place.

  I pushed the knife I still had in my hand to his throat and pulled my lips away. As I licked the remaining drops of his blood away, his eyes followed my tongue with longing. I could feel the press of his erection between my legs, and I was glad for all the clothing between us.

  I didn't anticipate feeling anything for Viktor, but the bond allowed me to feel his emotions. He wanted me something awful. The sexual tension ratcheted up too high, and I had to stop myself from grinding into the hard bulge in his pants.

  I didn’t feel anything in my side anymore, so I risked my next move.

  "Get up, Viktor," I said, moving off of him.

  "What for my darling? I believe I am right where you want me." He said, grinning.

  I brushed away a wave of desire. Then I pulled on the bond again, this time making him bend to my will. Viktor cried out in pain and grabbed his head.

  "I said, get up!" I pushed power into the command.

  Viktor still struggled, but he did as I said. He stood next to the bed, shaking.

  "Now, on your knees," I said.

  I didn’t need the knife anymore, so I lowered it and stood up beside Viktor. He fought me a little more, but another push of power had him on his knees.