Authors: Erika Trevathan
The Crimson Bond (8 page)
"Shouldn't we have brought a flashlight?" I asked Alex.
"Hardly necessary. I can see perfectly fine in the dark. You'll be able to as well once your turned." He kept one hand behind my back to guide me and held my hand with the other. Just the pressure of his hand on my back sent little tingles running down my spine. I was doing pretty well walking in the pitch dark until my foot caught on a branch and I stumbled, nearly falling forward. Alex smoothly caught me and then to my complete surprise, easily swept me up cradling me in his arms and continued walking. He never even missed a beat. I looked up at him, barely able to make out his handsome features in the small amount of moonlight breaking through the trees. I couldn't stop myself from sighing. I laid my head against his chest and hoped we had a long walk ahead so I could enjoy being carried in his arms. Strength was obviously another one of his vampire powers because I seemed to be practically weightless in his arms. Too soon, he placed me gently on my feet and I was standing in a clearing next to a large pond. The clearing was covered in thick green grass and surrounded by trees. The moonlight twinkled over the pond and a small lit pier jutted out into the water. Next to me sat an ornate looking rod iron and wood bench and a light post stood close by. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Alex guided me to sit on the bench and I glanced around me in wonder.
"Alex, this is beautiful."
He sat down next to me and we watched as two geese glided over the moonlit pond. "I come here all the time. Mostly at night. I'm able to go out during the day obviously, but I can't tolerate staying out in direct sunlight for very long. Our skin is extremely sensitive and will blister if we're out in the powerful summer sun for more than an hour. In the winter, when the sun is not as strong, we can stand it for even longer. I love the outdoors though, so I had this created here on my estate."
I watched his profile as he stared out over the pond, deep in thought. Perfect is the word that kept popping up as I looked at him.
Suddenly he turned to me, his blue eyes glowing in the darkness. On anyone else this would have been terrifying. On him, it just seemed to increase his appeal.
"Brooke, from the moment I laid eyes on you that first night, I have felt you deep in my being. Not only does my blood crave to mingle with yours, but I can not seem to get you out of my thoughts. I have lived many, many centuries and I have never seen anyone with such beauty. It radiates out from you and is mesmerizing to anyone who crosses your path." When I made to protest he raised a hand to stop me. "Trust me Brooke; you have no idea of your appeal to both mortals and immortals." He was absolutely right. I had no notion of anyone falling over themselves for me. My own aunt and uncle could barely tolerate me. I had only had one serious boyfriend in my life. Granted, I did have lots of admirers, but I maintained my distant demeanor, not wanting to let anyone into my emotionally grueling home life. I was pondering this when he stood up and moved in front of me. I glanced up at him wondering what he was doing and felt my heart plummet to my feet when he dropped down on one knee and pulled out a black velvet ring box.
CHAPTER 10
This can't be happening
. The most dazzling man I had ever met, way too successful and gorgeous to be with me, was down on his knee with a ring in his hand. Even though he had asked me before, I could barely believe what I was seeing. There was something solidifying about an actual ring. Still in denial of what was happening and too scared to believe it was really true, I just stared at him wide eyed and frozen.
He opened the box and took the ring out, never taking his eyes off of mine. When my eyes locked with his, I felt his cool hand slip into mine as he finally said, "I didn’t really do this the correct way the first time, so let me try again. Brooke Ashcroft, will you do me the honor of spending the rest of eternity with me?" He slipped the gorgeous dark red ruby onto my ring finger. The band was gold with an intricate design. A large blood red ruby sat atop it, sparkling in the moonlight.
In a flash of electricity, I felt a wave of visions go through me so fast that I couldn't quite grasp any one in particular. It was glimpses of him and I in each other's arms, me by myself in an unfamiliar room, flashes of bright lights, wind flying through my hair, a baby girl and the smell of baby powder, and a kaleidoscope of other visions too fast to remember.
I gasped and finally again focused on Alex's concerned face. I knew that the visions were a glimpse of what we would go through together and any residual feelings of doubt that had been plaguing me over my future had dissolved by the time the visions had dissipated. This was meant to be- him and I. It was bigger than us and I already felt power within me just waiting to break free.
"Yes, Alex. Without a doubt in my mind, yes."
Alex pulled me into his arms and I could feel sparks of power and want and need bursting between us as we sealed our existences together with a heated kiss.
With the sparkling ruby engagement ring snugly on my finger, we walked back to the house. Alex opened the large wooden front door and we stepped inside a foyer with shining wood floors and a black chandelier hanging overhead. He led me into an expertly decorated living area to the left and knelt to start a fire in the enormous stone fireplace. The October night air had turned chilly as we had made our way through the woods back to the house. I curled up on the loveseat closest to the fire and admired Alex’s lean, muscular body as he built the fire. When he stood up and turned around, the corner of his mouth quirked up letting me know my perusal had not gone unnoticed. I glanced away quickly, embarrassed to have been caught in the act of drooling over him. He sat down next to me and slipped his hand into mine, lifting it up to gaze at the deep ruby ring on my finger. After a minute he looked up meeting my eyes. “Something happened when I put this ring on your finger. Feel like telling me what it was?”
My mind went back to the flashes of the future that pounded through me as he slid the ring onto my finger and the feeling of power that had struck me. “I’m not really sure what they meant, but visions flew past me so fast that I didn’t really have time to pick out any one-- and they made absolutely no sense. I just had the feeling that they were visions of things yet to come; of the future….our future. And then there was this overwhelming feeling of power and strength that washed over me. Before that moment I knew that I wanted to be with you forever, but I was scared of what the future held. Now I’m not. I feel like whatever happens will be a small price to pay to share the rest of eternity with you.”
He studied me for a moment before saying, “Brooke, remember how I told you that once our blood mingles we will be stronger, more powerful?” When I nodded he went on, “Well, I had the jeweler to fill the center of the ruby with a small amount of my blood. Until we are bonded, you are vulnerable to other vampires. With our blood so close it allows you to feed off of some of the power that will come once we are completely bonded. It will also make it even easier to find you should anything happen before you are turned. I imagine that the visions you had when I put the ring on you are just a small taste of one of the powers you’ll have once the process is complete. Foreseeing the future is very rare in a vampire and it’s very promising that you’re already able to do it to some extent.”
I looked down at the ring and held it up to the light trying to see the blood in it’s center. Maybe that’s what gave the ruby it‘s blood red color. It didn’t gross me out the way I would have thought it would. In fact, I felt even closer to Alex; and he was right-- I could feel the dull hum of power pumping through me with each heart beat.
Wow, blood in my engagement ring. Not exactly the norm
. I cocked an eyebrow up at him. “How romantic.”
A mischievous look crossed his face and I knew I was in trouble. “Oh, really. I’ll show you romantic.” He reached over and pulled me onto his lap lifting my chin up and gently kissing me on the lips. A jolt of electricity so strong it nearly took my breath away hit me and I jumped slightly in surprise. He continued the onslaught of the kiss until I became almost lightheaded from the intensity. It was completely overwhelming and I was having trouble imagining how things could get anymore intense than they were now. According to Alex, it would. When he finally pulled away, I scurried out of his lap putting a little distance between us. I’m sure I looked a hot mess because I felt like I had just run a marathon. I tried to catch my breath as I eyed him warily, knowing I couldn’t handle anymore of that in my mortal state.
He glanced down at my hand. “It’s the ring. That’s just a taste of what it will be like once we’ve bonded. Still want to wait a week?”
Over the next few days I continued going to work during the day while getting some of my things together for the move to Alex’s house that night. I decided to just take a suitcase of clothing and necessities for my stay. After I was turned, I hoped I’d be able to return to my apartment until our wedding a couple months later. Anna was really happy that I planned on living with her for a while longer and it made me feel better that not everything would be changing at once. My boss Julie was disappointed that I wouldn’t be working at the Charlotte office for a while, but she was glad that I would be coming back eventually. I think she suspected that something was going on between Alex and I, but if she did, she kept her suspicions to herself. Julie and I worked really well together, but I was excited for Kara that she would be able to move up to a higher paid position. She was currently in school finishing her degree, so it would be a great opportunity for her. Alex and I decided to wait until after I was turned to let people at work know about our engagement. We both felt it would seem a little less rushed that way, though I’m pretty sure they would all still be shocked. Alex had been a notorious bachelor, going from one woman to the next with seemingly little emotional connection. I can only imagine what they would be thinking when the found out that he had chosen me. They’d probably be wondering what in the world I had that the others didn’t. In fact, I was wondering that same thing myself.
CHAPTER 11
It was dark when I strode out of the grocery store with several bags of groceries on my arm. The heels of my classic nude pumps clicked along the asphalt parking lot as I made my way toward my car parked on the side of the building. A light on one of the tall metal poles flickered several times and I hurriedly opened my trunk and slung the bags quickly in. I was regretting my decision to come alone after Alex had warned me against going anywhere solo until after we completed the bond. Stubborn as usual, I had reasoned away a quick grocery run as innocent enough. Unfortunately, the lines in the grocery store were slow moving and I didn’t get out before the sun went down like I had been planning on.
Where were all the other people who were in line with me anyway? Shouldn’t they be loading up their groceries too?
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind did I feel a sudden shudder rack my body. I felt cool air on my neck and turned around quickly. The last thing I remember was pure fear as I faced a sinister looking man a little older than myself, pale with jet black hair and eyes so dark the word evil flickered across my mind. After that…. total and complete darkness.
To say that I came back to consciousness a little confused would be a huge understatement. I woke feeling a soft bed underneath me. My golden hair fanned out on the pillow beneath my head and I was surrounded by a room so big and intricately and fancifully decorated that I began to wonder if I was even alive anymore. Perhaps this was heaven and I had woke in my new abode. The fuzzy, lightheaded feeling I had quickly diminished that thought and I struggled to sit up and check my surroundings out more closely. Suddenly, I remembered my last moments before losing consciousness and I pushed back the feelings of fear and terror that washed over me. They would do me no good. I needed to figure out where I was and get the heck out of there. Just then, the door to the bedroom swung open and a tall, lovely redhead with peaches and cream complexion and large crystal blue eyes strode in. She came to a stop a few feet from the bed and gave me a thoroughly assessing gaze before speaking in a melodic voice. I also vaguely noticed it held a slightly foreign accent.
