Embers

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  “Don’t you want him to like you?” Ember asked in an edgy voice.

  “It wouldn’t bother me in the least if this dog didn’t like me, as long as he doesn’t bite me,” I said calmly.

  Ember and her aunt both looked at me as if I had leprosy. I knew there was no sense in even trying. Dogs had been repulsed by me ever since I was awakened. I’d always liked dogs and it did bother me deep down the way this one was reacting to me.

  “Well, I can’t guarantee the dog won’t bite you, but we’ll see what we can do to keep you safe,” Ila said in a mocking tone that wasn’t expected coming from a woman her age. “Let’s go up to the house, I’ve had dinner ready for a while now.” She looked directly at Ember. The girl shrugged, quickly glancing away.

  Ivan immediately went with Aunt Ila while I lingered with Ember on the path. The wind picked up and there were goose bumps on her arms. I wanted to pull her into my embrace and warm her with my body, even though I’d probably overheat if I did. Given her hot nature, maybe the goose bumps weren’t from the stiff breeze.

  “Perhaps you should get some dry clothes on before you do get sick.”

  She nodded. Angus stayed cemented in place watching my every move until Ember called the dog. He reluctantly jogged to join her, but he kept peering back at me the entire way up the path.

  I hoped Ember would leave the dog outdoors while we ate, but no such luck. She let the dog trot into the cabin when she held the door open for me. Her face held a wispy smile. I wanted to know what had put it there.

  The cabin was as cute and cozy as a mountain home could be. While Ila was working in the kitchen and Ember had gone into the other room to change clothes, I wandered to the bookshelves. It was interesting that most of the books appeared to be ancient. I was used to the old books in the compound library, but I hadn’t seen such a collection of antiquity since my last visit to a museum.

  One book in particular caught my eyes, its cover was worn, but I could make out the title, The Power of Angels. I was about to reach for it when the air splitting laughter behind me forced me to whirl around. Ivan was on the floor with the dog playing a game of try-to-get-the-biscuit. Ivan must have stolen it off the table. Or maybe it was the dog—he was definitely tall enough to do so.

  Ivan’s behavior didn’t surprise me. The Growlers spent much of their time on the ground wrestling. At least for Ivan, this time it was a more even match. He usually had to deal with an enormous bear or a mountain lion.

  Once again, I knew Ember was back in the room before I even saw her. Her heat and the lovely warm scent of her skin gave her away. When I glanced up, I stared at her for a long second. She’d changed into sweatpants, and the black t-shirt she wore was just a little snug, outlining her curves. I’d been calling her a girl from the start, but she was one hundred percent woman. I wanted to cross the room, pull her into my chest and invade her mouth with my tongue. But I restrained myself. After all, she was guarded by Cujo, a tough as nails old woman and a Growler. I reckoned Ember would enjoy the experience though, before blood splattered the walls.

  Ember’s gaze finally caught mine and I tried to keep her eyes locked with mine, willing her to pay attention to me. For a second, I thought I had her. Then she blinked. She turned away with an aggravated sigh before she breezed into the kitchen, her ponytail swishing on her back.

  What was I going to do about her? All the bizarre feelings I was experiencing were a moot point. Our kind could never be with a human.

  As I watched her flit around the kitchen helping her aunt set the table, indecision crept in. Maybe if I was very careful, I could keep her safe. Then the voice at the back of my mind whispered, even if you didn’t end up killing her, why would she ever want you? If she knew what you really were, she’d run away screaming.

  A happy bark by the dog showed he’d won the game. He jogged to where Ember was standing and plopped down. He held the biscuit between his paws in victory.

  Noticing that I was watching on him, his attention fastened back on me. He growled again.

  “He really doesn’t like you, Sawyer.”

  As if I needed Ivan to tell me the obvious?

  “Come and sit down boys. I hope you like macaroni and tomato sauce casserole.” She placed the large dish in the center of the table while Ember poured four glasses of milk. I hadn’t had milk in decades. I usually drank water or wine with my meals. But the milk wouldn’t hurt me, so I took a sip.

  Interestingly enough, Ember waited until I sat down, then she took the chair next to me. Maybe I was reading more into her seat positioning, but I couldn’t deny that the gesture pleased me immensely.

  Angus had taken his position at my feet, a low rumble still emitting from his throat.

  “Angus, hush now.” Ember had lost some of the honey sweetness in her voice.

  The dog obeyed and dropped his head on his paws, but his steady gaze didn’t leave me. I ignored him and handed my plate to Aunt Ila who filled it with the steaming casserole. After all our plates were heaped with food, Ila said a short prayer of thanks for the food and for the health and safety of everyone at the table.

  This was definitely a day of firsts for me. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d said grace at a meal. It was before my awakening, that’s for sure. After the change had occurred it didn’t seem right to pray anymore. Monsters didn’t pray.

  Aunt Ila must have sensed my suddenly glum mood because she lightly began asking me and Ivan questions. I let Ivan do most of the talking. He was doing a good job and besides, since our conversation in the Hummer, he was speaking in entire paragraphs now.

  I’d occasionally catch Ember glancing my way, but when our eyes met, she’d quickly look elsewhere.

  “How are Mr. Hammond and his beautiful wife, Sarah?” The question snapped me back into the conversation as I repeated the old woman’s words in my mind. How could she know Garrett? I was sure he’d never mentioned the woman. The fact that we’d heard from the locals that an old woman lived on top of the mountain by herself wasn’t of any interest to Garrett or anyone else in the compound. She’d asked it casually enough, but there was something in her voice that put me on high alert.

  I looked her directly in the eye, and said. “Garrett and Sarah are doing very well. I wasn’t aware that you knew them. Ember hadn’t mentioned that to me.”

  I glanced at Ember. Her face was pale and her mouth gaped. She didn’t know this tidbit of information either.

  “Oh, it’s been a very long time since we met. It was in Ireland actually, way before your time.” I knew then that this woman was more than she led on to be. The way she’d stressed ‘long’ was enough of a hint, especially since she couldn’t have known Garrett before my time. I’d been with him for one hundred and forty six years.

  Thoughts about Watchers sprang to mind again. As I sat across from the steely gaze of the woman, I didn’t feel threatened. But I did recall Sarah once saying something about Watchers being enemies to our kind and how they’d sprang from the angels to destroy us.

  If this old woman was a Watcher, then how did Ember fit into the picture? Was she one too? She certainly didn’t appear to be, but I didn’t know much about Watchers. I’d never met one before. They were way before even my time, a relic of the far distant past. At least that’s what I’d always believed, until this moment.

  Now, I wasn’t so sure.

  The conversation turned lighter again, about the weather and Aunt Ila’s garden. Ember didn’t seem to quite recover from the startling news and remained silent.

  The food was very good and I was feeling uncomfortably full when Ila placed a two-layered chocolate cake on the table. Ivan’s eyes popped wide in happiness as she cut the cake. She handed him the first slice and it was huge. Wasting no time he began to scarf it down.

  Ember seemed to enjoy her slice as much as the pup. She breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly through her nose when she tasted the first bite. It was very sensual the way she responded to the
chocolate. Her display caused a vibration to rock through me. The feeling was pleasure and pain mixed together. I desperately tried to clear my mind of any randy thoughts and focused on the piece of cake in front of me. I took a bite. It worked somewhat. The cake was the most wonderful thing I’d tasted in my long life. Maybe this recipe was proof she really was a Watcher.

  “This is delicious. I don’t believe I’ve ever had anything quite like it before,” I complimented Aunt Ila with unrestrained honesty.

  “It’s an old family recipe,” she replied, watching me.

  “You have to teach me how to make it,” Ember pleaded as she took her last bite. “Now, I know what you did with the candy bars.” She grinned at her aunt.

  After the table was cleared, we retired to the front porch where we rocked and watched the sun dip down behind the hills. This was my favorite part of the day. Dusk held a hint of promise that was almost tangible.

  There was no need for chatter. It was quiet except for the squeaking of the rocking chairs and the calls of the birds settling down for the night, and the noisy cat. Ember had picked the chair beside me again. She had the company of a fat tabby sitting on her lap. As her hand stroked its back, it purred. The trilling sound was so loud that it seemed as if the cat was pressed against my ear.

  Angus was in his usual place, at my feet and looking suspicious. At least he’d stopped growling every few minutes. I had the urge to reach out and rub his head, but I knew how Ember’s guardian would react to that, so I kept my hand to myself.

  I couldn’t deny my desire to stay on the porch with Ember and Ivan, even the old woman. I dreaded the thought of going back to the compound and what would happen the next day. The shipment would arrive and evil chaos would break loose.

  I hadn’t come up with a plan yet. And I was beginning to feel weaker, not so much that I couldn’t go on a while longer without feeding, because I knew I could, maybe even a couple more weeks. But, slowly, I would begin to die without a fresh soul. I’d have to feed again. And that made a relationship with the beautiful girl sitting by me impossible.

  With resolve I stood up.

  “Ivan, we need to get going. Thank you, Missus Ramsey, for the wonderful dinner and cake.” It must have come off as being abrupt, but I couldn’t hide away in paradise. I had to get back to the real world.

  “You’re very welcome, Sawyer. Do come back again.” She held out her long, slender hand. I hesitated before taking it for a quick shake. Her skin wasn’t blazing hot, like Ember’s. There was nothing in the simple handshake that told me anything about her true nature, except that she was strong for an old woman.

  Ivan and Ember followed me down the pathway just as the lightening bugs began blinking in and out around us. The light show in the pasture beyond the yard was spectacular. There must have been thousands of the tiny sparkling insects dancing above the grass. But none of us enjoyed the moment.

  Ivan’s head hung low, as if he was a dog that had been kicked in the butt. Ember prowled slowly beside him without her usual vigorous, ground covering stride.

  I didn’t want to leave either. Darkness was pushing to cross the land, and I was glad for it. I could hide the torment on my face from Ember’s eyes.

  “I will see you in school tomorrow,” Ivan told Ember before he got into the Hummer.

  I hated to burst his bubble, but I felt compelled to say, “Ivan, don’t you remember, we have that project at the compound that you have to help with. You did turn in the school request letter that I gave you to miss a couple of days, right?”

  “Oh. I forgot…I did turn the letter into the office. The lady at the desk said it would be fine.” He sounded totally deflated.

  Poor kid, I knew how he felt.

  Reluctantly, I turned to Ember. She was standing further away than I wished. I thought about trying to use the power to draw her into my arms, but quickly dismissed it. I wanted her to come to me willingly, or not at all. I would not try to force her again.

  She looked childlike standing on the path in her casual clothing and pony tail, but certainly not defenseless with her guardian dog beside her. She was absently running her fingers through Angus’ fur. I had no doubt that the dog would give his life protecting her. Reading the dog’s eyes, I suddenly felt a kinship with him.

  “Maybe we’ll see each other on Friday.” I was still amazingly hopeful that somehow I could hold this young woman in my arms.

  “Probably not, I’m spending the night with a friend in town. We’re going to the homecoming game. I don’t really want to go, but my new friends talked me into it. I guess it’s a big deal at the school.” Her words trailed off. She looked down at her shoe, pushing dirt around with it in lazy circles.

  Jealousy swelled within me. The emotion that caused my throat to tighten was sadness, though. I wouldn’t be the one caressing this intoxicating creature. Some football player would probably have the pleasure.

  I jumped into the Hummer. “See you later then,” I said briskly.

  I drove out of the driveway a little too fast, spitting up gravel in my wake. By the time I reached the twin trees, I’d already made up my mind.

  I would see Ember again.

  I had too.

  Luke 20:36

  Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

  Ember ~ Twenty-Three

  After Sawyer sped away in a cloud of dust, I ran to the cabin and flung the door open. Ila was sitting in her favorite chair by the empty fireplace. She held a cup of tea in her hands and wore a frozen smile.

  “Come over, sit down and drink your tea. I’m sure you’ll need it tonight,” she chuckled.

  I ignored her twisted humor. Placing my hands on my hips, I demanded, “Why didn’t you tell me you knew those two Demons from the compound?”

  “You never asked me,” she said slyly.

  She had me there.

  “But why didn’t you volunteer the information when we were talking about Demons?”

  “It wasn’t important for you to know at the time. My goodness, your poor mind can only take so much fantastical information at once.”

  “Will you tell me about them now?”

  “I don’t see any reason too. It was just a brief encounter a long time ago.”

  She said it in such a nonchalant way and that I immediately gave up. I was exhausted physically from the mad dash through the rainstorm and mentally from dealing with Sawyer’s smoldering eyes. All I wanted to do was collapse on a soft bed.

  I took the cup that Ila offered and drank until it was empty. It warmed my throat with a thick, honeyed taste. Immediately my muscles loosened and my mind became hazy. I didn’t want to talk. I made it to the bed without remembering how I got there and fell into a dreamless sleep the moment my eyes closed.

  *

  On Wednesday morning when I drove past the fort, it felt especially ominous. My body reacted so violently that I thought I’d throw up as I pressed the gas pedal harder. Once past the compound it took several minutes to breathe normally again. The queasiness took a few more minutes to pass. Sawyer had never made me feel that horrible. There must be some horrible Demons in there, I thought, which made me wonder all the more about Sawyer and Ivan living among them, and that Ila knew some of them, too.

  I moved between my classes in a semi-depressed state. The fact that I wouldn’t see Sawyer or Ivan for a couple of days bothered me. Even though I’d only known them for a short time it felt as if they’d been in my life much longer.

  The time I’d spent at the falls with Sawyer had caused more confusion than before. I’d almost kissed him. What was I thinking? He’s a Demon, stupid girl, I told to myself once again.

  Ever since he had shown up in my dreams, he’d been on my mind constantly, waking, dreaming, it didn’t matter. It was as if I was addicted to him.

  I wasn’t ruined, yet. I could control my destiny. I didn’t want to have a romance with a Demon, even if some Watcher h
undreds of years ago proved it could be done. I had no interest in a relationship with a male of any species, actually. I had more important things to do, like riding my horse and learning from Ila.

  While my inner self was going on its tirade, Maddie put her arm around me and squeezed. I wasn’t used to being girl hugged—Piper knew better. When I glanced at her face I saw scheming there.

  “Ember, guess what?” she asked with a broad smile.

  “No idea.”

  “Preston asked for your phone number.” She said it as if she was informing me that I’d won the lottery.

  “You didn’t give it to him, did you?” I must have sounded like I was about to punch her face the way her eyebrows shot up and her mouth dropped open.

  “Are you kidding? I would never give out a friend’s number until I talked to her first. Really, you should give me more credit than that.”

  Maddie was appalled. How was I supposed to know there was a giving-out-a-phone-number etiquette that all honorable cheerleaders followed?

  Lindsey, of course, gave her point of view on the matter. “Are you crazy, girl? Preston’s the cutest guy in the school!” Maddie cleared her throat loudly, but Lindsey ignored her, “If he aims to go out with you then you should go for it.”

  Lindsey turned to Maddie, saying, “Well, maybe I should’ve said he’s one of the cutest guys in the school, right, Maddie?”

  “Personally, I don’t like blondes much. But really, he would be a catch. And he and Randy are best buds—we could go out on dates together. When Lindsey gets Colby to ask her out, we’ll all be a gang.”

  “I’ll be working on that this weekend at the bonfire. Did you tell Ember yet?” Lindsey asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  We made it half way around the track while Maddie described the bonfire that was taking place Saturday night at the lake near the base of Raven Mountain. I passed the park every day before turning up the gravel road and had thought about stopping by there to check it out. My chance might just have arrived.