Untamed (Vampire Awakenings, Book 3)

by Brenda K. Davies

"Yeah it would," Emma agreed.

  "What are you going to tell your parents?" Mandy inquired.

  "For now, not much. Only that I met the man of my dreams while on vacation. I'm sure that will go over about as well as a lead balloon and they'll probably think I'm crazy, but they have to meet Ethan. It will still be a few years before they become curious about anything. I'll have to decide then if I'm going to tell them the truth or if it would be best to change their memories. I don't think I could play with my parent's minds in such a way, but I can't inadvertently place them in danger either. It's bad enough that you two were almost killed because of this and that you could still be one day."

  "No we won't. No one is ever going to know that we have this knowledge," Mandy assured her. "I'd like to keep my head and you know we would never do anything to put you at risk."

  "I know," Emma said, but she was still worried about them.

  "Don't worry about your parents now. Like you said you have a few years to decide."

  "You're right," she agreed. She wasn't ready to let the reality of those thoughts intrude on the happiness she'd just found right now anyway.

  "I can't believe our vacation is already over," Jill moaned.

  "Neither can I," Mandy said.

  Emma dropped her suitcase on the ground and sat on the bed beside Mandy. "It's going to be so strange not to be with you guys every day."

  "We'll see each other all the time," Jill said cheerfully.

  Emma really hoped that Jill was right, but she also knew how life could go. Though, now that she would be living in Oregon, they would at least all be on the same coast. "Are you nervous about meeting the rest of his family?" Mandy asked.

  "Terrified," she admitted. "It's going to take me forever to learn all their names. I just hope they like me."

  "Well it's usually normal to meet the family before forming an eternal bond with someone, but you were never much for normal," Jill said with a laugh. "And they'll love you."

  Emma laughed as she leaned against Jill's side and savored in the warmth of her friend. She could hear the steady beat of Jill's heart but it didn't spark her hunger. Over the last two weeks she'd gotten used to the flow of human's hearts and the enticing aroma that they emitted. It didn't mean they didn't entice her still, but Ethan kept her fed well enough that she was able to keep it under control.

  She was anxious about being on a plane, enclosed with so many people around her, but Ethan had assured her that she would get through it. In order to prepare they'd been going into crowded areas over the past week to help her adjust to the influx of people. Last night she'd been able to stay in a packed bar all night and she'd been fine. Ethan had made sure she fed well this morning, and she was still rather stuffed.

  "Are you ready?" She'd been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't heard Ethan approach, something that hadn't happened since the change. She knew where he was all the time now, could sense him as easily as she sensed her own fingertips. His mind brushed against hers constantly. The open stream of consciousness that now connected them was still something she was getting used to, but it was so comforting and intense that she relished in the security and love that enveloped her because of it.

  "We are." Emma rose and grabbed her suitcase from the floor. She didn't make it to the door before Ethan was taking it from her. He kissed her cheek and took a step away.

  She turned back to her friends as they gathered their bags and walked over to join her. Though they'd taken most of their things over to the other house, they'd still had a few things in Mandy's grandparent's house that they'd had to gather before leaving. All the damage to both houses had been repaired over the past couple of weeks by a couple of handymen who would never remember that they'd even been to either house.

  She wasn't looking forward to separating from her friends but at least they would all be flying into Atlanta together. From there their journey together would end. She and Ethan would continue to New York to spend a couple of weeks with her family before going to meet his. Mandy was returning home to Boston until it was time for her to leave for Stanford, and Jill would return to San Francisco. Ethan's family planned to return to Oregon and Brian had left the day after Tristan was killed. Even though Brian had left without even saying goodbye, Emma had a feeling that he would be popping into their lives again.

  Emma followed Ethan to the front door and paused to take in the home that she'd started this amazing journey in. Her eyes lingered on the spot where she and Ethan had first made love. There were some bad memories here, but most of them were good and she wouldn't have changed one thing about this trip. What had started as a simple, fun-filled vacation had brought so many changes to her life, and given her the greatest gift ever in Ethan's love. She didn't like leaving the place where it had all started but she was looking forward to starting the next journey of their lives together.

  She didn't look back as Mandy closed and locked the door.

  EPILOGUE

  Three months later,

  Emma laughed as Ethan spun her in a circle around the newly assembled dance floor. The flowing skirt of her wedding dress billowed out around her before he pulled her back against his chest. A radiant smile lit his face and caused his eyes to twinkle in a way that warmed and melted her heart. She rested her hand against his chest and leaned closer to him as the music switched from upbeat to slow.

  She inhaled his enticing scent as he slid his arms around her waist. Emma turned her head to take in the small crowd that had gathered around them. It had taken her a good week to get the names of all of Ethan's siblings straight but they had all welcomed her with open arms. Their exuberance had been a little overwhelming at first but they'd also made her feel at home in a world that was still a little strange to her.

  She glanced over as Sera and Liam danced into view. It was amazing how much Ethan looked like his father and just how young his parents appeared. So young in fact that she'd told her parents that Liam was Ethan's brother and that Sera was his sister-in-law. She hated the lie but there was no other way to explain them as parents when they both appeared to be in their early twenties. She'd also had to tell her parents that Ethan's parents had passed away in a car accident and left the property, and money, to their children.

  Even still, her parents had thought she was marrying into some sort of a cult when they'd first seen all the homes on the property. After meeting everyone though, they had decided that Ethan's family weren't religious fanatics, doomsday preppers, or trying to kidnap her.

  "Can I step in?"

  Emma broke into a radiant smile as Ethan handed her over to her father and stepped away. She watched her husband as he weaved his way through the small crowd to where Ian and Mandy stood next to the dance floor. Mandy was wearing a pretty, yellow bridesmaid dress that emphasized her dark coloring and brought out her brown eyes. She was sipping on a drink as she watched the dancing. It was the first time Mandy had been able to visit them, but Emma spoke to her every day through skype or texting. Plus she'd made it down to visit Mandy a couple of times when she'd been too swamped with classes and studying.

  She'd also been fortunate enough to find a job at the historical society in town. The pay wasn't much but she loved being able to dive into the old documents, homes, and events that they worked on preserving. Even if she didn't like lying to her family, and her job wouldn't last forever, she was the happiest she'd ever been in her life.

  Ethan sipped at his champagne and smiled as he watched Emma and her father dance around the floor he'd built with Ian and Aiden last week. "It really is beautiful up here," Mandy said.

  "It is," Ethan agreed as he turned away to look over the lake.

  The setting sun shimmered across the surface of the water and reflected the oranges and reds of the changing leaves in the trees surrounding it. The gazebo he'd built was ten feet away from the shore and they'd been married beneath it. This place was his home, and by the middle of next month, the home they were building for him and Emma would be c
ompleted and they could move in. Stefan and Isabelle's new home was being built next to theirs; Aiden and Ian were thrilled to finally have the house they'd built last year to themselves, even if they weren't there for most of the year.

  "So are you planning on having the same kind of brood as your parents?" Jack asked as he stopped before them.

  "Not right away," Ethan told him. "And I think we'd both be ok with only two or three."

  "Thank God, I'm tired of building houses," Jack told him.

  Mandy laughed and turned back to her conversation with Ian. His family had been a little hesitant about the fact that they'd allowed Mandy and Jill to keep their memories but as the months had slipped by, and nothing had gone horribly wrong, they'd become more accepting of the decision. They also liked Jill, a lot, especially The Stooges as she fit in well with their carefree and party going demeanor. She'd been to visit numerous times since they'd returned home.

  His focus returned to Emma. She looked stunning in her off the shoulder white dress, with that smile on her face and a vibrant light shimmering in her eyes. Love warmed his heart and he couldn't tear his gaze away from her as she moved elegantly around the floor with her father.

  Across the way, he spotted Jill in her bridesmaid dress with Mike and Doug. They were gathered around the bar that had been set up on the patio, talking with each other as they waited for the bartender to refill their drinks. His younger siblings squealed as they darted in and out of the dancing people. David yelled at them to stop running but they'd already disappeared around the side of the house toward the woods.

  "It was a beautiful ceremony." Ethan turned at the sound of his mother's voice and smiled at her. Tears shimmered in her eyes when she hugged him. "You're so grown."

  "We're still going to be here, mom. Your birds keep returning to the nest," he told her.

  She laughed and stepped away from him. "That's just fine by me, but you're all starting to find your own way and it's wonderful."

  He smiled at her and turned away as his father approached. "Congratulations son," he said as he shook Ethan's hand. "She's a great addition to the family."

  "She is," Ethan agreed as he turned back to where Emma and her father were stepping away from each other. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to reclaim my bride."

  "Ugh I give them three more months before they're adding onto this already extremely extended family," Jack muttered.

  Ethan laughed but he wasn't about to disagree with Jack as he walked away to reclaim his bride. She grinned up at him and returned eagerly to his arms. Tilting her chin up, he kissed her tenderly as the comfort she always gave to him stole through his soul. Her love had helped to tame the savage monster that had resided within him his whole life and had brought him a peace he'd never dreamed of being able to experience. She had given him a gift that he'd never expected to receive and because of that he was going to spend an eternity showing her just how loved and cherished she was.

  The End.

  Look for book four in the series coming 2015!

  Where to Find the Author

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