Awoken By Passion

Chapter 20

  Free

  There was no direction. No up. No down. Just fog. I was standing, but I could not see what I was standing on. Fear was deep in my body. Where was I? What was happening?

  “Kera.” His voice was faint, far away.

  Ethan. I wanted to yell, to scream for him; to call out, but my voice whispered to the layer of fog. Twirling it around as though it was caught by my whispered voice and carried it on. There was no reply. I took a step, the fog shifted. Not touching me, not moving away, but not letting me know, which way to go. It reminded me of a tilt board.

  “Kera?”

  It was not Ethan; it was the soft sweet voice of Melody.

  From the fog came a light, dim at first, but then brightened.

  “Kera!”

  “Oh, Melody!” I cried with happiness, seeing her. Melody was there. “Mel, what’s happening, what’s going on?”

  “You’re in the in-between,” she said. “You are dreaming of the in-betweens. The darkness is gone Kera, you stopped the darkness. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most.”

  “Oh, you were Mel; you were there for me.”

  Her almond eyes shone with sadness, dropping her gaze, she spoke. “We didn’t know we were Fae and we were destined to be sisters forever. We were to use our powers against darkness and danger, to aid us where others can’t, and to protect all from the darkness. You have done so much good this day.”

  “What happens now?”

  “You need to make a choice. You are Fae by blood, and your power can be removed if you so wish.”

  “What will happen if I don’t keep it?”

  “You will be normal, you will be as normal as everyone else.”

  “And what if I keep it?”

  “You will always be guided by the light, you will always be called to destroy the darkness, and your power will aid you in stopping the darkness if it should stir.”

  “Oh, will I have Ethan, will I remember everything?”

  She tilted her head. A look she had given so many months ago passed. The kind that was amused and softened by her words. “Yes Kera. You will remember. You are your own mind. My dear best friend. My love for you is strong. Our time was too short, but a time I will remember always. I wish I didn’t have to leave you; the fog calls to me now, they need your answer.”

  I stared into Melody’s hazel eyes, her face. My best friend. What will I do without her? She is my light, she is my friend. “I miss you.”

  “I will always be with you, always.” She stepped closer, a breath from touching my chest. “In here.”

  “I will keep the power,” I whispered to her.

  “I must go Kerr, take care. You are strong and you are loved. Take care of Ethan; he needs you more than you know. My friend, my sister. The light is yours.” She held out her hands holding them up, like we did when we played the mirror game. Our palms barely touched and she smiled. The bright light passed into me; a rush of breath and my vision was clouded. Gone was Melody. Gone was the fog world.

  Into darkness.

  Into emptiness.

  “Kera?” The velvet voice whispered.

  Ethan, I whispered.

  Cool hands stroked my cheek as his arms wrapped around me. My eyes fluttered open. I was in his room, on a bed of deep brown, spreads of grey and black with drapes of the same hue on the window hangings that were at present, wide open. I had never been in here, but I had imagined what it was like and here I was. Inside the Coffer Manor. The sunlight lingered through large windows and in the haze around me. I wasn’t sure if it was rising or setting and part of me didn’t care. All I saw was his face, so torn with pain and worry, creased, now with love.

  “Kera, my love!” His lips brushed my cheek.

  Ethan, I remember, I remember it all.

  “Oh, Kera! I was so worried.” He held me, bathing me in soft kisses and constant murmurs of his love. The moment his finger graced the mark, I trembled with a knowing sensation. “My love.” He kissed the mark with a gentle touch of his lips.

  It’s okay, Ethan. I’m here now. I stare into his eyes. Kissing him, losing myself with his touch. Waking further as my body trembled with his love. A knock at the door made us both pause.

  “Can we come in?”

  “Yes, you may,” said Ethan.

  Erika, Marcus, oh Judith, Caleb, you’re okay. You’re all okay?

  They nodded, entering into Ethan’s room; they stood at the foot of the bed. I breathed with deep happiness. Leaning into Ethan’s arms, my head resting on his chest as his hands held mine.

  “How are you feeling?” asked Caleb.

  Fine, I feel fine. What happened? I remember Ethan and I killed the Master, but I thought vampires couldn’t be killed.

  “It isn’t an easy task. Fire can do the trick, though he was healing moments before you used the sword. The power of a Fae is what made it possible.”

  Oh, what about the students are they okay?

  “Yes,” said Caleb, “We brought them all here and had their memories altered for them.”

  Marcus shifted, the amused look held his features. “It seems they all got lost after drinking too much at their dance; found themselves stumbling outside our house,” added Marcus, who smiled warmly.

  What about the others, Mavrick’s gang? Tristan?

  “They ran off, though short about half of their coven,” said Caleb.

  Did you find the other hostages? Stacy?

  “Yes. We stumbled onto them on our way to you. Stacy was there, healed and returned safely to her loved ones as are all the others.”

  What about mum? Is she okay. Does she know anything?

  “All is okay with Elizabeth,” said Judith. “She is looking forward to hearing about your sudden camping trip.”

  Oh, that’s nice. I bit my lip. Doubt I could tell her any of it. Especially the part about wolves and lions attacking vampires. You were a lion Caleb. You were so beautiful. I gasped at the memory.

  “Only in times of need. I don’t want a family member of mine in jeopardy.”

  And you Judith, you were a lioness, oh and Erika you were so elegant as you fought, you are an Elvan goddess.

  “Oh come now,” said Erika teasingly “It’s nothing compared to you, you had wings.”

  What?

  “It’s true?” said Ethan, brushing my hair around my shoulders and tucking a stubborn lock behind my ear.

  “Yes, it was interesting to see,” said Judith.

  I had wings? I turned to take a look at myself. There was nothing different about me.

  “You were an angel,” said Judith, patting my hand. “Fae power, the ability to show us your true self.”

  “I have to admit, you were something,” said Marcus. “Standing there glowing, and then, poof, white wings. Your pulse towards the black wolf knocked him out cold.”

  Is it true, I did that? I don’t remember wings?

  “It’s okay. They were beautiful. You stopped the darkness.”

  Darkness? My dream—Melody asked me if I wanted to keep my power.

  “Don’t tell me you gave it up,” scoffed Marcus. “The power of Fae is connected to the angels. You would be mad to do that.”

  No, I kept it. I want to help, and I want to stop the darkness if it comes again.

  “Well, that’s good,” said Marcus.

  Thank you, everyone. I think I would have worked it out in the end.

  “Are you kidding,” said Marcus, “We haven’t had a fight like that in over ten years. It was great, and yeah. You’re right.”

  About what.

  “Erika is an Elvan goddess.” He pulled her to him, kissing her boldly and lovingly.

  Ethan brushed my blushing cheek with his cool fingers, and smile amused.

  What happens now?

  “Whatever we want.”

  You mean. It’s okay that me and you … are … one.

  “It’s more than okay. It’s perfect.”

  The room of o
nlookers, smiled warmly. Judith embraced me and murmured that she would cook some breakfast. Erika kissed my cheek, with a wink from Marcus, they dashed from the room. Caleb dipped his head and escorted Judith away. We were alone. I relaxed on the bed, thinking over all that happened. My memory of Melody filtered through me. How we had tried to battle a force we knew nothing about, and yet we tried.

  It was her.

  “What was?”

  The reason I went to the garden in the woods, where you found me. It was her idea; I just didn’t realise it that’s all.

  “You were at peace in the garden. It was there that I started to fall in love with you.”

  It seems so long ago. A life time that I was hanging out in the garden telling a wolf all my secret feelings about a guy I liked. I smiled, rolling my head and teasing my hand on Ethan face.

  He kissed me gently. “It was when I realised I wanted to come out of the shadows. To stop hiding, to live. I wanted to reach out and hold you; perhaps a wish came true in the end.”

  I didn’t mean to get you mixed up in all this Ethan. Your brother hurting you like that, was wrong. Are you okay?

  “Yes. About that. How did you heal me?”

  I don’t know. I just had to heal you. You were in pain. I didn’t want you in pain.

  “Thank you Kera. It worked wonders.” He lifted his shirt showing his perfect contoured form, taking in his defined six pack with light fingers. Not even a scar was visible. He shied a at my touch chuckling at the sensation as I rolled onto him, tangling on his bed.

  Vampires don’t scar, I said, taking in the flawless form of his body. How come the Master did?

  “Your spell, the first time was his curse. Magic of a Fae can make it possible.”

  So now that we have each other. Does this mean every time we share a lusting, a darkness is going to wake up?

  “I hope not. Otherwise we’d be battling one every day.” He kissed me with promise. To be with him always. All the time. “There would be too much darkness and no time for us.” He smiled amused. “I have a gift for you.”

  He moved from the bed with me by his side. He guided me into the larger room, to a painting area; a sheet covered a large canvas with paint supplies. Once the sheet settled on the floor, I was in awe. Before me, was a painting of Melody. “I wanted to give you something of Melody, and so I painted her for you.”

  Her cream-peach face, her almond hair, her hazel eyes. Beautiful. My best friend Melody, standing in the woods with butterflies and autumn leaves around her.

  “Do you like it?”

  Oh Ethan, I love it. It’s perfect, but how did you?

  “It was your image of her, which held so strong. I decided to release it from you so that now you can see her as she was, and as she is now; free.” He cupped my face, brushing his lips on mine. The tremors and tingles of passion ignited by his touch across the bite mark had us both smiling. “You’re mine,” he whispered.

  I gazed to the painting, marvelling at the detail in which he painted. It looked so real as though I could reach out and touch her. He was right; she was free.

  It’s such a pain that that other vampire stole my voice, I was hoping as the doctors said; once I revisited that day, I would start talking.

  “It doesn’t bother me. I like you the way you are. You’re the beauty who has tamed my beast. You’re my angel.”

  You’re my Spirit. I kissed him with passion, melting together as lovers should.

  He cupped my face, his fingers cool and soft caressing along my neck.

  So, when can I mark you as mine?

  His eyes widen. He didn’t answer; instead, he captured my mouth with deep passion. His velvet lips moving with mine, pulsing with our love and the bite of lust within; and I was awoken by passion once more.