Everlasting Embrace

by Amanda Ashley

  Alex closed his eyes, sighed as he swallowed his sire’s ancient blood. It moved through him like liquid fire, burning away the pain. It was like nothing else in all the world, and yet, he wished it was Rylee’s blood coursing through his veins, chasing away the cold.

  “Rylee.” He whispered her name as he fell into oblivion.

  Rhys stared at the wound. There was no change. “Shit!” Lifting Alex into his arms, he transported them to the penthouse, then sent a message to Daisy. I need you.

  Daisy knew a moment of panic when she read Costain’s message.

  “What is it?” Erik asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. Rhys needs me.”

  “That can’t be good,” Erik muttered. “I’ll come with --.”

  But she was already gone.

  Daisy materialized in Costain’s penthouse. The scent of fresh blood drew her toward the bedroom. She paused in the doorway to stare at Alex, who lay as still as death on the bed. A blood-stained sheet covered him from the waist down. “What’s happened?”

  “I have no idea. I was hoping you could tell me.”

  “How should I know?”

  “Magdalena found us. They fought. She ripped a hole in his stomach. If he was human, he’d be dead now.” Rhys lifted the sheet. “As you can see, it’s not healing. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I mean, it’s deep, but not that deep. My blood should have healed him.”

  She wrinkled her nose as she moved closer to the bed. “Dragedrepe,” she murmured. “No wonder he hasn’t healed.”

  Rhys shook his head. “I don’t smell anything.”

  “It’s an ancient Norwegian poison. The name means dragon slayer.”

  “Poison! What the hell?”

  “It’s very rare. Most vampires can’t detect it, but I’ve seen it used by hunters. Magdalena must have dipped her hands in it.”

  “The other wounds healed. Why not this one?”

  “Cuts and scratches and bites are just surface wounds. The poison has to penetrate deeper than that.”

  Rhys stared at the bloody sheet, his brow furrowed. “Is there an antidote?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know where you can find it, unless you know an Elf.”

  “An Elf?” What the hell?

  “It’s Elf magic.”

  Sylvi. “Stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Where are you --?”

  But she was talking to empty space.

  Rylee paced the floor. She had stopped at the first motel she’d seen. There was no way she was going home to L.A. Not now. She wanted to be close by in case…well, in case they needed her. Unable to rest, unable to think of anything but Alex, she paced back and forth. Why hadn’t the wound in his belly healed? The others had. Was he all right? Was he…she refused to even think the word.

  She paced for another five minutes, then grabbed her phone and called him.

  It rang several times and then a woman answered.

  “Who is this?” Rylee asked.

  “It’s Daisy. Rylee, is that you?”

  “Yes. How’s Alex?”

  “Not good, I’m afraid.”

  “I need to be there.”

  “Where are you?” After listening to Rylee’s directions, she said, “I’m on my way.”

  Rylee had barely ended the call when Daisy knocked on the door.

  CHAPTER 41

  A horrified gasp escaped Rylee’s lips when she saw Alex. His face was beyond pale. He wasn’t breathing. The sheet that covered him was wet with blood. She prayed that he was only resting and not…

  She shook her head. He couldn’t be dead. She would feel it if he was. But it was still dark outside. Why wasn’t he awake?

  “Where’s Rhys?” she asked. “Shouldn’t he be here?”

  “He’s gone off to find an Elf.”

  “An…an Elf?”

  “We need an antidote.”

  “An antidote? From an Elf?” Rylee stared at Alex’s sister. Vampires were one thing, but Elves? Was she dreaming?

  With a nod, Daisy quickly explained what had happened.

  “What if Rhys doesn’t get back in time?”

  “He will,” Daisy said adamantly. “He has to.”

  Rylee blinked back tears as she sat on the edge of the bed. Closing her eyes, she took Alex’s hand in hers. “Don’t leave me,” she murmured. “Please, don’t leave me.”

  Minutes that seemed like hours crawled by. Daisy lifted the sheet that covered him to check the wound. Bile stung Rylee’s throat as she glanced at the hideous gash in his belly. Blood—thick and so dark it was almost black—continued to seep from the ugly wound. The skin around the edges looked like it was rotting.

  He was going to die, Rylee thought, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. She stilled when his hand squeezed hers. Blood. Her head jerked up when she heard his voice in her mind, as clearly as if he had spoken aloud. And then she heard it again. Need. Blood.

  Did he mean hers? “Daisy?”

  “What?”

  “I heard his voice. In my head. Saying he needs blood.”

  “He means yours,” Daisy said.

  “But…you’re a vampire. Wouldn’t yours be better?”

  “No. We rarely drink from each other.”

  “Alex drinks from Rhys.”

  “That’s different.”

  “Why? Because Rhys is his sire?”

  “And because he’s a master vampire. But in this case, I think the mortal kind might work better.”

  Rylee glanced at her arm, then held it out to Daisy.

  Smiling faintly, Daisy bit into Rylee’s wrist, just deep enough to draw blood. “Hold it to his mouth. Alex will do the rest.”

  Rylee did as bidden, trying not to be sick as she watched her blood drip onto his lips. One drop, two, and he reached for her arm, his mouth fastening onto her wrist as though he would never let go. Feeling a sudden panic, she looked at Daisy. “You won’t let him take too much?”

  “No.”

  It was the oddest sensation, having him drink from her arm. True, he had taken her blood before, but it had seemed sort of romantic when he nibbled on her neck, filling her with a sensual pleasure. There was nothing the least bit romantic about this. She was not lover now, but prey.

  Just when she thought he would never stop, he released his grip on her arm. Hoping for a miracle, she glanced at the wound in his abdomen, but it looked no better than before.

  Where was Rhys? What was taking him so long?

  Costain knocked on the door of an apartment in the Village. The Elf hadn’t been kidding when she said she wanted to get as far away from Los Angeles as she could, he mused.

  “Sylvi! I know you’re in there.” He pounded on the door again. “Dammit, open this door or I’ll break the damn thing down!”

  He heard the sound of cautious footsteps, the turn of a lock, and the door opened.

  “What do you want?” she asked. “Do you know what time it is?”

  “I need your help.”

  Yawning behind her hand, she gestured for him to enter.

  “My friend is dying,” Rhys said curtly. “Your former mistress attacked him tonight. Apparently, she had some kind of poison coating her hands.”

  “Dragedrepe. She’s used it before.”

  “What’s the antidote?”

  She hesitated a moment and he knew she was thinking of refusing to answer.

  Rhys summoned his power until it filled the room. “You owe me a favor, remember?”

  “I remember. How long ago was he hurt?”

  “Twenty, thirty minutes. Does it matter?”

  “Yes. You still have time, but not much. You need the blood of a friend, the blood of an enemy, and the tears of a loved one.”

  Rylee guessed she was getting used to vampires coming and going when she didn’t even blink when Rhys appeared in the room with a young woman in tow. He didn’t waste time with introductions except to say, “This is Sylvi.”


  “I need a glass,” the woman said.

  Daisy didn’t ask why, just left to get one. She looked at Rhys askance when she returned and offered it to the woman.

  “The blood of a friend,” Sylvi said, looking at Rhys. “I assume that’s you?”

  “Yeah.” He bit deep into his wrist and held it over the glass.

  “That’s enough,” Sylvi said, when the glass was about a third full. “The blood of an enemy?” She glanced at Daisy and Rylee.

  Rhys cursed volubly. “How much do you need?”

  “Not much.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Rylee glanced at Daisy. “Where’s he going?”

  “I have no idea.”

  He returned a few moments later, a blood-stained stake in his hand.

  Sylvi shuddered. “Is that…?”

  “The stake that destroyed Magdalena. Daisy, get me some water.”

  She quickly did as bidden, then watched as Rhys dipped the bloody end of the stake into the water, which quickly turned dark-red.

  “That might do,” Sylvi said, and poured the contents into the other glass. “Tears of a loved one?”

  “Mine,” Rylee said. It took little effort to summon her tears. Blinking rapidly, she added them to the mix.

  Sylvi murmured a few words in a foreign language and as she did so, the bloody water hissed and boiled and turned black. When it settled, she lifted Alex’s head and held the glass to his lips.

  “Drink!” Rhys commanded.

  Alex took a swallow, grimaced, and then gulped it down.

  “What now? How will we know if it worked?” Rylee asked, then let out a cry of mingled joy and relief when Alex opened his eyes.

  “Rylee?”

  “I’m here!” Laughing and crying, she threw her arms around him.

  “We’re even now, Costain,” Sylvi said. “Take me home.”

  “Thank you!” Daisy exclaimed. “If there’s ever anything I can do…”

  “Not necessary,” Sylvi said. “I want nothing more to do with vampires.”

  Grinning, Rhys wrapped one arm around her waist and they vanished from the room.

  “What happened?” Alex frowned when he saw the bloody sheet that covered him.

  Rylee’s gaze searched his. “Don’t you remember?”

  “I remember staking Magdalena…” He took a deep, shuddering sigh. It was over. Paula and the baby had been avenged at last. “After that…” He shook his head. “I don’t remember a thing.”

  “She had some kind of poison on her hands,” Rylee explained. “It kept you from healing and then you passed out, or whatever vampires do. Rhys went after an Elf, hoping she’d know the antidote. Lucky that she did.”

  “It tasted vile,” Alex said, grimacing. “But it did the trick. What the hell was in it?”

  “Some blood and the tears of a loved one.”

  Lifting his hand, he wiped a single tear from her cheek. “They must have been yours. And the blood?”

  “Some was Costain’s. And some was Magdalena’s.”

  “A friend and an enemy.” Alex glanced at Daisy. “We’ve seen this before, haven’t we?”

  “Yes.” She shuddered with the memory Years ago, during a hunt, they had found a vampire dying from the same poison. They hadn’t known about the antidote back then. Alex had staked the vampire to put him out of his misery.

  Alex grunted softy as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “Good thing you were here, Daisy Mae. They never would have known about the antidote without you.”

  “It was a close call,” Daisy said, throwing her arms around him. “We almost lost you.”

  “Naw, he’s too mean to die,” Rhys said, materializing in the room. “Now that all the excitement’s over, I’m going home. I’ve spent enough time away from my woman.”

  “I guess I’ll go, too,” Daisy said, sending Alex a knowing wink. “Keep in touch.”

  Moments later, Rhys and Daisy were gone.

  “Alone at last,” Alex murmured.

  Rylee nodded, her mind whirling. So much had happened so fast, she didn’t know what to think, what to feel. Vampires and Elf magic. Life and death.

  “Rylee?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I seem to be asking this all the time, but…”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips, and then kissed him. “Yes,” she said, “In spite of vengeful vampires and never knowing what bizarre things might happen from one day to the next, I still want to marry you. But right now, you need to take a shower.”

  A week later, Rylee stood in front of the mirror in the bride’s dressing room, her heart pounding with nervous excitement. She was getting married! She had asked Daisy to be her maid of honor; Alex had asked Rhys to be best man.

  “You look beautiful, dear,” her mother said as she straightened Rylee’s veil. “Like an angel.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Are you sure about this? It’s not too late to change your mind. Maybe take a little more time to think it over.”

  “I’m sure.” Rylee squeezed her mother’s hand. “I know you’re worried about me and you don’t approve, but I love you for being here.” It hurt that her father still refused to speak to her, that he wouldn’t bend enough to walk her down the aisle. “Alex is so good to me, Mom. I know you don’t trust him, but he’s kind and sweet and he’s not at all the way you think he is. He’s not a killer. He’s never hurt me. I know in my heart that this was meant to be.”

  Blinking back her tears, Margaret took her daughter in her arms and hugged her close. “I’ll always be on your side,” she said. “If you ever need me, or need anything, I’ll be there.”

  “I know,” Rylee said, smiling through tears of her own.

  A knock at the door, and Daisy’s voice asking if they were ready.

  “We are,” Rylee said resolutely.

  Because her father had disowned her, Rylee had asked her mother to walk her down the aisle. Now, as they followed Daisy toward the altar, Rylee had eyes only for Alex. Never had he looked so handsome. Or so deliciously sexy.

  Her heart skipped a beat when he winked at her.

  Standing beside Alex, Rhys also looked quite resplendent in an Armani tux.

  When they reached the altar, the minister asked, “Who giveth this woman to this man?”

  Her voice thick with emotion, Margaret Wagner said, “I do,” as she placed Rylee’s hand in Alex’s.

  “We are gathered here this evening to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Marriage is a sacred covenant, not to be entered into lightly. Alexander O’Donnell, do you take Rylee Wagner to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, cherish her, and keep yourself only for her as long as you both shall live?

  “I will.”

  “Rylee Wagner, do you take Alexander O’Donnell to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love him, cherish him, and keep yourself only for him as long as you both shall live?”

  “I will.”

  “I understand you wish to exchange rings,” the minister said. “The circle is an ancient representation of eternity. As such, wedding rings are a symbol of a love that has no end. Alex?”

  Taking the wedding band from his pocket, Alex murmured, “I will love you forever and ever,” as he slipped the ring on her finger.

  “And I will love you all the days of my life and throughout eternity,” Rylee said, blinking away tears of joy as she slipped a heavy gold band into place.

  “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, Rylee and Alexander, husband and wife, legally and lawfully joined together. Alexander, you may kiss your bride.”

  As if she were made of glass, Alex carefully lifted Rylee’s veil. Murmuring, “Always and forever,” he drew his wife into his arms and kissed her.

  Rylee hated for that kiss to end, but their guests swarmed around them, offering hugs and congratulations.

  She had met Alex’s parents briefly before the wedding. Both had welcomed her to the fam
ily. They hugged her now, insisting they come for a visit as soon as possible.

  Rylee had decided against a formal reception, since half the guests couldn’t eat or drink anything other than wine. Instead, they dropped in at the best nightclub in town where Rhys toasted the bride and groom with a cabernet that cost three hundred and fifty dollars a bottle.

  “Where are you going for your honeymoon?” Connie asked.

  “We haven’t decided yet,” Rylee said. “Tonight we’re just going home.”

  “I wish you every happiness,” Debbie said. Leaning forward, she whispered, “Girl, you are so lucky. Alex is gorgeous. If you ever get tired of him, give me a call.”

  “No way,” Rylee said. “He’s all mine. Forever.”

  Later, after Connie and Debbie had left for home, Rhys handed Alex an envelope. “I’m not good at buying wedding gifts,” he said, “so I’m giving you the Jag, even though I won the bet.”

  “I don’t know what to say. You love that car.”

  “Not to worry, Alex,” Megan said. “He’s already bought himself a shiny new red one.”

  Alex grinned as he slipped the envelope into his coat pocket. “I’ll take good care of it.”

  “See that you do,” Rhys said. “It’s parked outside.”

  “Erik and I didn’t know what to buy you, either,” Daisy said, “so we bought you an all-expense paid trip to Barrow, Alaska.”

  “It’s dark there from November to January,” Erik said with a grin. “Lots of long winter nights. Don’t forget to send us a postcard if you can find the time.”

  “Your mom and I are just giving you cash,” Noah O’Donnell said. “Spend it wisely, son.”

  Rylee blinked back a tear as Alex’s mother hugged her.

  “If you ever need anything,” Mrs. O’Donnell whispered, “anything at all, please let me know. You’ve made our happy when I was afraid he’d never smile again.”

  When Irene turned away to speak to Daisy, Rylee looked for Alex. He was standing a short distance away, talking to her mother. Curious, she drifted in that direction, hoping to overhear what they were saying.

  Pretending to be watching Erik and Daisy on the dance floor, she eavesdropped on the conversation.