Embracing Ember

by Astrid Cielo

  “Mija, I think it is time we talked. I would let you avoid this, but you need to face something in order to receive proper medical care.”

  “I don’t understand, Abuela,” Maria said even as her stomach roiled with the truth that had whispered in her mind for weeks now.

  “Now, mija, you know I didn’t raise you to be a liar. You are a nurse, una enfermera, mija. Usted sabe que está embarazada, mi nieta.” You know you are pregnant.

  Maria took a deep breath and let it out as her tears began to fall, but her Abuela was there to hold her as she cried, “Lo siento, abuela. Yo no sabía a dónde ir. Hice algo estúpido y entonces pensé que me amaba.” I am sorry, grandma. I didn't know where else to go. I did a stupid thing and then I thought that he loved me.

  Maria’s grandmother took her by the hand and took her into the living room laying her on the couch, to cradle her head in her lap. Her abuela sang softly to her until she fell asleep her worries melting away at the hands of her abuelita.

  “Que le hizo esto a mi nieta.” Maria’s abuela stared up at the red-skinned male that stood within her living room looking down at Maria with tenderness in his eyes.

  “I know and I apologize, but it was a misunderstanding. I am here to make her understand.” Silvius said as he peered down at the woman he had searched for tirelessly. He now understood that she had no idea how much she meant to him. Silvius realized this after Ember fled from Ceylon from a simple misunderstanding. Now Maria would know not only that she was precious to him, but that she would be his mate. Maria had met her match.

  Character and Location Profiles

  Salin’s Salvation

  • Serenity: Earth ER Nurse claimed by Eon in Surrender Serenity. She is a seer. Best friend of Anna.

  • Eon: High Councilor’s son. Sent to Earth with best friend Kylan to determine Earth females’ viability as mates. Serves as a Pilot and astronomer on Salin. Serenity’s mate.

  • Anna: Earth Labor and Delivery Nurse claimed by Kylan in Surrender Serenity. Best friend of Serenity.

  • Kylan: Son of a counselor. Sent to Earth with Eon to determine Earth females’ viability as mates. Serves as a Healer and Scientist on Salin. Anna’s mate.

  • Ceylon: Healer on Salin that is chosen as part of the diplomatic team sent to Earth to entice females to become mates. Suffered loss of his mate, Ashwin and became apathetic until meeting Ember in Embracing Ember.

  • Ember: Earth artist. Abused by husband and saved by Ceylon. She is Ceylon’s mate

  • Silvius: Apprentice pilot to Cedwin. Has his sight set on Maria. Has dark red skin almost scarlet with blue eyes and hair that is straight hanging in layers to his chin that is blue-black. He has a lean muscular body.

  • Maria: Latina Army Nurse on Earth. Drafted by US government to spy on visiting diplomats, Salinians. She runs in Embracing Ember because of the secrets she learns that she doesn’t want to divulge.

  • Lindsay: Earth female who is a counselor to abused females. Works in the local Women’s shelter. The crew of “Volucris Ignem” literally translated to mean Bird of Fire, immediately recognize her as a seer of souls, one who delves into others souls and knows their secrets and dreams instantly. Is very short with blonde hair that is cut into a pixie cut.

  • Secundus: Chief Scientist on Ceylon’s ship crew. Often times considered ornery and doesn’t play well with others. He scared Maria upon their first meeting, but Maria holds him in esteem for an unknown reason. He possesses grey eyes and pale red skin with hair that is short and close to his scalp

  • Dais: Part of diplomatic team and another ship crew. Eerie eyes and hair mark him as a tracker, making him able to find things that are considered lost. He is also a seer of souls, very rare for a male. His coloring is indicative of an albino Earthling, (White hair and Pale blue eyes) his deep red coloring a side – effect of the reddish minerals on Salin.

  • Dr. Langston: Chief of Staff at Trinity Heart hospital and part of the team set in place to spy on the Salinians.

  • Linette: Chief Nursing officer at Trinity Heart Hospital and part of the team set in place to spy on the Salinians

  • Merrcum: Apprenticed Healer to Ceylon.

  • Lysander: Apprentice Scientist to Secundus

  • Cedwin: Chief Pilot of Volucris Ignem

  • Aurum: A Malmunian, Prisoner keeper upon the source ship. He meets Cekayda, the only prisoner who survived the last Prisoner keeper and a Salninian female.

  • Cekayda – Salinian female who was abducted by the Malums and experimented on with the Blue Death to ensure its effectiveness. Her experimentation has left her immune to the Blue Death.

  • Salin – Planet around the size of Earth that has many of the characteristics of Earth. One of the planets the Ancestors sent refugees to when their planet was dying. Serenity states it looks like a cross between Earth and Mars from space. The reddened mineral in most of the edible plants of Salin has ensured its inhabitants turn a reddish color due to the mineral binding to their natural pigments and reddening them.

  • Malum- Home world for Malumanians. The Ancestors dispatch of these refugees was mistakenly sent to a flawed planet, effectively altering their genetics to predispose them to certain characteristics. Malumanians have an increased number of psychopaths and sociopaths and other mental disorders that are not kept in check by medications available on Earth. Their skin has become a sickly green color that reminds Serenity of pea soup due to the environment on Malum, which must have affected each individual on a genetic level since Malum has been uninhabitable for at least a century.

  • Alric – Eon’s father and High Councilor of the Council.

  • Noctae – Kylan’s father and member of the Council.

  • Kaysar – High lord of the Planet Malum

  About the Author

  Astrid Cielo lives in a small community in Mississippi with her family including two puppies named Alice and Baby Girl, a stray kitten named Little Bit and the spoiled kitty cat named Bella. She enjoys reading and does so at every spare opportunity. After her night shift as a nurse at the small town ER, Astrid unwinds by spilling her imagination out on paper.

  You can contact Astrid at astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com.

  Also by Astrid Cielo:

  Surrender Serenity: Salin’s Salvation, Book 1

  Their planet was dead and their race doomed…

  When the elders of their civilization realized they had overtaxed the resources of their beloved planet, they sent ships with members from their race to other planets in the universe that could support life. They died with their planet with the knowledge that their people would live on.

  He came across the Galaxy searching for the answer to a dying race…

  Eon’s people always took care of their planet of Salin, having learned from their ancestors mistakes. When a virus ravages the female population leaving most females dead and those who survived infertile, their people search endlessly for a way to save their people from disappearing from existence, but nothing seems to work. Out of hope and desperate, a seer gives them one last hope, EARTH. Chosen by the council, Eon and his lifelong friend Kylan embark on a journey to the planet which may hold the key to their race’s continuation. He doesn’t expect to find her, a girl he dreamed of as a child.

  She was just a nurse content with her job but always feeling as if she were missing something…

  Serenity doesn’t understand why she is so attracted to this alien and why she isn’t hysterical when he kidnaps her and her best friend, Anna. He touches a part of her long dormant. When he takes her to his planet, the virus that their people thought had been defeated threatens to steal her life. In those moments between life and death, dreams plague her, telling her that all is not as it seems.

  Enjoy an excerpt:

  Serenity turned slowly then looked up into a stranger’s face. His skin was a ruddy reddish color. He stood tall. Serenity never was good at gauging size, but she knew she and Anna were around 5’ 3’’, and
he was tall. If she had to guess, she would say 6’ 4’’ or taller. He had the lean muscles she associated with swimmers or basketball players, which meant for her his reflexes, were pretty damn fast. He looked human, but she had never seen such a skin color. His golden eyes were studying her, as if waiting for something. When she realized that she had been staring with her mouth open she slammed it shut. She did drool on occasion which was quite embarrassing.

  She flinched when he reached for her, but to her amazement he just placed his fingers under her chin and raised her gaze to his once more. She just stared at him. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t freaking out. Maybe it was because he hadn’t moved to hurt her. He released her chin, and spoke. She didn’t understand him, but she did think his voice was nice, soothing even. She finally found her voice when he stared at her expectantly. She cleared her throat, “I’m sorry, but, I didn’t understand what you just said. I mean, I speak English, and some passable Spanish, I even know a song in French.” She finished lamely. He appeared amused. She had a nagging suspicion he was trying not to laugh at her. She tilted her head to the side and studied him for a few seconds. When he reached behind him as if to grab something, she jumped backwards and tripped over Anna who apparently was scared stiff. She fell backwards and landed on her rear with an “oomph.” She looked over at Anna and asked, “Are you okay?” Anna looked back at Serenity like she had lost her mind and just shook her head no. Serenity got to her knees and gave Anna a hug, stating, “It’s gonna be okay, Anna Banana.” She looked up and finally noticed the male had come closer to her. He looked at them from a short distance away. He had crouched down. In his hand he had a thing that looked suspiciously like the IO drill at the hospital. She thought to herself, “He better not be thinking about drilling a needle into Anna’s or my bones. I’ve been pretty docile so far, but I’ll turn on the hellcat before he can blink.” She must have delivered one hell of a look because he just held the thing out to her. She hesitantly let go of Anna, and reached for it. When she placed her hand on it, he moved like lightning and grabbed her wrist, jerking her from the floor and holding her plastered against his chest. She flailed her legs because she couldn’t move her arms that he had pinned between their chests. She was getting pissed off. She felt his other arm place the IO drill thingy behind her ear and she went wild. She pulled her head to the side before he could depress the button. He cried out in what seemed like frustration, before he dropped her to the floor. She landed on her feet and went to punch him with her newly freed fist. He caught her fist, effortlessly. He buckled her knees easily with a slight kick from his feet and followed her down. He pinned her hands between them and used his legs to hold hers prisoner. She tried to buck, but he was immovable. With his free hand, he turned her face to the side, exposing the flesh behind her ear. When she tried to bite, he growled and placed his hand over her mouth. He carefully left her nose open for breathing. She began to cry with fear and anger, the tears pooling on the floor. He gently pulled the hair away from her neck and placed the IO drill against the skin behind her ear. She closed her eyes waiting for the pain. When she felt a small pinch then felt him remove his hand from her mouth, she turned her face to look up at him. He smiled at her, and then said, “Now, that was not so bad was it?”

  She burst into tears, sobbing loudly. He carefully picked her up and put her in his lap and held her while she cried. He hugged her to his chest, soothing her with soothing circles on her back. She looked up at him and said, “I thought you were trying to kill me. That damn thing looked like an IO drill. I’m sorry I tried to kick your ass.”

  He chuckled, and then said. “I apologize for not making sure this was done while you were unconscious.” At that she looked over at Anna, who was huddled into a ball in a corner. She could tell by how she shook that she was sobbing. Apparently, Anna had reached her breaking point. She slid from the strange alien’s lap over to Anna and pulled her into her embrace. “Anna, it’s okay. He didn’t hurt me. Sweetie, look at me.” After several seconds, Anna displayed her face for Serenity to see. The tears were still flowing. “Anna, sweetie, look at me, I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me. I don’t think he wants to hurt us. I know it seems like he does, but just trust me I have this feeling. When have you ever known my feelings to be wrong?”

  Anna shakily said, “Never.”

  Serenity looked over to the male who was quietly crouched beside them and stated, “Now, what the hell are we doing here and where exactly is here?”

  Eon took a deep breath, then said, “You are on board our exploration ship known as the Fission and we come from a planet known as Salin. We were sent here to ….”

  Anna whimpered and finally found her voice to say, “Serenity, what is going on?”

  Serenity looked at Anna, and said, “Sweetie, he is trying to tell me what’s going on. I am trying to figure out why we are here.”

  Anna nodded, but then said, “How do you understand him?”

  Serenity looked over and said, “Hey, can I borrow that thing to let her understand what we are saying?”

  Eon looked at her then said, “Well, I only had the one chip. So, give me a moment to get Kylan to bring another one.”

  He moved to get up, and felt Serenity’s hand on his arm. When she looked up at him, he felt every muscle tighten with need. His mind had him bending his head and capturing her luscious pink lips and devouring them. He could almost feel her small sigh as he captured it in his mouth and deepened the kiss, to explore her depths with his tongue. He almost missed what she said, it was said quietly as if she didn’t want her friend to hear, “How many are there?”

  “There is only Kylan and myself.”

  “Am I lying to her?”

  He looked at her puzzled. She stared at him for a few seconds before sighing, and said, “Am I telling her that you won’t hurt us and really you intend to? I need to prepare her. She has to be ready.”

  Eon caressed her cheek, and stated “You have nothing to fear from us, little one. You have no idea how precious you are.”

  Serenity had no time to dwell on his words, she had to reassure Anna that nothing would happen to her, and hope like hell she wasn’t telling her a lie. She also had to process the fact that she had essentially been abducted by aliens, a couple of crazy people who hadn’t been taking their medications, or this was one hell of a dream.

  Saving Celine

  She was barely existing…

  Celine is haunted by a past that she is desperate to forget, but the memories won’t leave her alone. She has become a shell of the person she once was. She is broken.

  Until he brings her back to life…

  Reed agrees to help his Aunt with a special case. He is supposed to get close to her and help her accept the past to heal. He never expected to fall in love with her.

  But can he save her when the past becomes present?

  Just when Celine is starting to heal the threat from her past is back and it wants her blood. Can Reed save her from this threat? Can Celine save herself?

  Enjoy an excerpt:

  The bang sounded like a gun through the art room. Celine’s heart pounded and she barely stopped the scream from passing her lips. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans as she looked around, trying to see if anyone had caught her. She caught site of Ally picking up the books and files she had dropped and released the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

  No one had noticed. She took deep breaths and fought the burn of tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. She walked quickly to the bathroom, collapsing in an empty stall. The memories hit hard, her breaths coming in gasps as the panic threatened to overtake her. Her chest tightened a sharp pain that stole her breath.

  She flinched as the memory took her deeper. It unfolded around her. The sound of birds and the smell of the forest that surrounded her, and the sounds of crying that she couldn’t forget assaulted her, taking her breath from her. The sound of laughter filling the restroom brought her from the hell of he
r memories and she pulled her panic back with a silent prayer to thank whoever had interrupted her private hell. She wiped her face, and quietly exited the stall. She stared in the mirror for a few seconds, attempting to regain her composure. Her mask of apathy hid the demons that taunted her endlessly. She should probably tell her doctor that the medications weren’t working.

  She walked slowly back to her workstation with her mind blissfully blank. She was surprised to see Mr. Gardner at her office door. “Mr. Gardner?” she asked.