Alexa couldn’t help but admire the old woman’s strength. Witch or not, she was still human and she was thoroughly putting one of the most powerful vampires in existence in his place.
“My son, just allow us a few moments,” Jo said softly, resting her hand against Ethan’s forearm. “Chloe needs to eat, and you should spend a little time with her and your father. Do not worry, you will have Alexa all to yourself soon enough. Elijah and I have a great deal of grandparent time to catch up on,” she whispered winking at him playfully.
“Mama, please,” Ethan huffed trying to sound exasperated. The truth was, that while he was eager to spend some time getting to know his daughter, he needed to be alone with Alexa. Since the moment she walked into his father’s office, his body had been practically vibrating with need for her. The draw to her was like a call from his soul, and now that he had her back in his life, the thought of letting her out of his sight, even for a few moments, ached all the way down to his marrow.
Alexa was just as reluctant to leave his side, but when Josephine held out her manicured hand, she took it without protest and followed her down the long hallway, away from the two loves of her life.
✧
Ethan watched Alexa’s back longingly as she followed his mother down the hallway to her private parlor which he already knew to be soundproof. There would be no listening in, even with preternatural vampire hearing. He was suddenly gripped by fear as he worried what would be revealed when the two were alone. Would his mother tell Alexa the entire prophecy? While he had been honest with her, there was one particular detail that he had omitted. How could Alexa love him once she knew?
He nodded and smiled as Barb and Elijah talked and fawned over Chloe, who seemed to be eating up all of the attention, but his focus was trained directly on Alexa and his mother as he strained to hear anything that passed between them before they entered the parlor.
Nothing was spoken between the two women until they reached the door, when Josephine turned to Alexa holding out her hand. “Please remove your necklace, Alexa,” she requested softly.
Alexa instinctively grabbed the large diamond, as she often did when she was nervous or anxious. “I can’t, I promised Ethan I would never take it off.” She declared, determined not to break her promise.
“It is to block your future from the enemy, but this home is protected by one of Barb’s spells. You will be safe within these walls without it. I wish to look at your future and I cannot so long as you wear it. I am sure Ethan will consent to its removal for this, and since he is listening intently, you need only look at him for confirmation,” she explained smiling slightly. She knew her son well.
Alexa turned back to see Ethan whose eyes were fixed on her hand over the necklace he had given her. He quickly looked up at her eyes and nodded, reluctantly giving his consent.
She reached back to unclasp the chain, but before her hands reached it, Ethan’s were there. He quickly undid the necklace and tucked it into his pocket while he kissed her neck in the same way he had done when he gave it to her.
“I will keep this for you, and I will put it back on when you are finished with your discussion,” he breathed against her neck, ignoring that his mother was watching the exchange.
He just hoped she would want it, that she would want him, by the time they were done.
Alexa thought to turn and wrap her arms around Ethan, feeling his anxiety and wanting to comfort him. Before she had the chance she felt the swift breeze that signaled his departure back to the company of those who were now in the kitchen. So she took a clarifying breath and passed through the door that Josephine was holding open.
CHAPTER 17 - AB Negative
Ethan waited for what seemed like ten lifetimes while his mother spoke privately with Alexa. Barb and Elijah chatted lightly while she made some eggs and grits for Chloe. After Chloe scarfed those down, Barb let her take some blood from her wrist, while Ethan stepped outside. It had been far too long since he had blood and he feared his response to the smell of fresh blood in the air.
Elijah joined him. “My son, how long since you last fed?” He had eaten some human food just that afternoon, a grilled cheese and tomato soup, but he knew that wasn’t what his father was asking. “I can see it has been too long in the color of your face. You have grown pale.”
Ethan looked at his father. “It has been quite a while, I have only fed a handful of times since I first met Alexa. It just feels so wrong. I do not understand how you can do it, loving mother, but feeding on another with all the feelings it evokes. I never considered it before since my heart was free and I could do as I pleased. But now, the thought of drinking from another woman turns my stomach far more than my hunger.”
Elijah clasped his shoulder firmly as he chuckled. “There are ways around that feeling. Have you never thought of feeding from a man?”
Ethan considered for a moment. No, honestly, it had never crossed his mind, the instinct of the hunt always focused him on females.
“No, I suppose not,” he admitted.
“Well, never mind that now. You will be able to feed from your love tonight, and I have a large supply of stored blood available. While it does not offer the same thrill from the bag as it does from the vein, it will sustain you. Perhaps you should have some now, before you are alone with Alexa. You do not want your hunger to override your judgment and cause you to take too much from her.”
While the thought of cold blood from a bag was not at all appealing, the thought of hurting Alexa in any way was unbearable.
Ethan followed his father to the basement and into the walk-in refrigeration unit
✧
They entered the cold room and Ethan looked around, seeing a variety of bags lining the shelves of the cold room.
“We have all blood types, I would recommend the AB negative, it is the least bitter in the cold state. It is also the rarest type and was quite difficult to come by, but I believe there is enough to temper your thirst for now, my son,” Elijah said.
He plucked a bag from a nearby shelf and handed it to Ethan. “I will give you a moment alone and go enjoy some time with my granddaughter,” he stated before ducking out of the room and pulling the door just short of closing to give him some privacy, but not wanting to trap Ethan in the air-tight room.
Ethan sniffed the thick liquid through the plastic, even with the barrier, the smell was quite pungent and caused his fangs to erupt from his gums. He considered trying to procure a pair of scissors to pierce the thick bag, but instinct overrode conscious thought, and he bit down on it roughly, his sharp teeth easily penetrating the barrier.
The taste was cold and bitter, evoking no emotion or excitement like fresh blood. Still, as the thick coppery liquid slid down his parched throat, Ethan felt his hunger begin to dissipate. The stored blood satisfied his physical need for blood, but it did nothing to quench the burning desire in his heart, the deep need to feel the pulse of his love as her warm essence coated and soothed him from the inside out.
As he removed a second bag from the shelf, he said a silent prayer, hoping that no matter what his mother revealed, Alexa would return to him. That she would still love and accept him as he was. That he would again feel her skin against his, taste the sweet liquid that pulsed in her veins and make her his in every way possible.
He had suffered greatly these many months, struggling with the truths of the prophecy that had already come to pass, and hoping beyond all things that he could still change what he knew in his heart was beyond his control. While he had accepted part of his role in the prophecy, that he would love Alexa, that he would father the child that led his people into the future, not knowing what that future would be, he refused to believe it in its entirety. He would never hurt Alexa, he would die first.
Having finished two bags of the AB negative, Ethan felt full. However wanting to be certain he was in control when and if Alexa returned to him, he grabbed the nearest bag, not paying attention to the type, and gulped it down.
✧
Ethan emerged from the basement, feeling far more in control than when he first entered, and rejoined Elijah, Barb, and Chloe in the kitchen.
Alexa and Josephine remained in the soundproof study down the hall and Ethan tried to keep his focus on the conversation around him.
“I’ll return to the clinic, explain the sale to the other staff and gather up Chloe’s records,” Barb stated. “Now you know you’ll need to come back and say goodbye to everyone soon if you expect them to believe you’ve decided to retire. It won’t do for you to just disappear into thin air all of a sudden.”
“Yes, I know, but we need to close down for a few days first. If Lucias has discovered our location we cannot risk the employees being there when his men come looking. I need you to call everyone before we are scheduled to open, tell them that I am ill, that they can take the next few days off until I am well again. That will give us some time to come up with a reason for my sudden retirement.”
“We could say it’s cancer, that is a common affliction among humans these days and they will understand your needing to focus on your own health for a while.”
“What would I do without you, Barb?” Elijah said, his eyes full of affection and admiration.
She chuckled before responding, “I surely don’t know. Let’s not find out just yet, but you know the time is coming soon, don’t ya? I have been clinging on to this life for far too long, my old friend. My soul is weary and I am ready to move on.”
An expression of pure sadness covered Elijah face, and Barb’s last words even pulled Ethan’s attention from the door he had been singularly focused on for the last few minutes.
“Now, now, don’t you boys fret.” She said gently patting each of them on the sides of their faces. “I have lingered in this world with you far too long and you know it. I’ll stay until the job is done, but you’ve gotten spoiled having me around to fuss over you all these years. Humans aren’t meant to stay here like this and you know I’m so very tired. I feel like one of those rubber bands that’s been stretched a little too far for just a little too long so it can’t bounce back again. Of course I’ll miss ya’ll too, but we’ll see each other again someday. You know you boys have plenty left to do on this side first.”
She looked at both of them sternly. “I expect you both to see this thing through, ya hear? You be strong for these three girls here, understand?” she said gesturing to Chloe and then down the hall where Josephine and Alexa were still shut away.
Both men nodded and Ethan felt a chill spread over him. So much was still uncertain. Alexa could come out of that room hating him. He didn’t know if he was strong enough to face everything that lay ahead without her. But he would try, he would do everything he could to fulfill his promise and to protect Alexa and his daughter, even if that meant forfeiting his own life.
CHAPTER 18 - A Proposal
When Alexa finally emerged, with Josephine following closely behind, Ethan kept his eyes down, taking a deep breath to prepare himself for the fear and rejection he expected to see in her eyes.
Steeling his nerve, he looked up and met her gaze. Instead of fear and rejection, all he saw was love and understanding. His glance immediately moved to his mother whose face revealed nothing.
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn’t tell her. I still have time.
In an instant he was down the hall sweeping Alexa into his arms and wrapping her in a warm embrace. “Te amo, Alexa,” he whispered in her ear casting a grateful glance at his mother who looked back at him with a knowing smile.
He placed Alexa back down on her feet and pulled her necklace from his pocket, quickly placing it back around her neck with a kiss. He then took her hand as they walked back to the kitchen to where Elijah, Barb, and Chloe were waiting.
“I take it it was a good discussion,” Elijah said, a broad smile covering his handsome face as he approached his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Yes, an excellent discussion, mi vida,” she stated casting a quick glance at Alexa. “Hold on to this one, my son. She is a remarkable woman.”
“Mother, father, I think you two should spend some time with your granddaughter tonight,” Ethan said, his eyes on Alexa. She blushed slightly under his gaze which was already darkening with desire at the thought of being alone with her.
“An excellent notion, my son,” Elijah added as Josephine scooped Chloe up into her arms. “My dear wife has been dying to get to know our sweet Chloe for quite some time.”
Alexa looked uncertain. “I’m not sure if that is such a good idea just yet. Chloe still needs to eat, and she has never slept away from me before.”
“We already fed her, child,” Barb chimed in, “and she looks mighty happy in her grandma’s arms don’t you think?”
As if to ease her mother’s mind, Chloe giggled and wrapped her arms around Josephine’s neck.
“So, it is settled then. Chloe will sleep with us tonight,” Josephine stated as she turned to walk towards the bedroom she shared with Elijah. “We even have a crib ready for her in our room, Alexa. Every mother needs a night off,” she tossed over her should as she disappeared around the corner, brooking no refusal of the arrangement.
Seeing that she had no choice in the matter, Alexa conceded and turned to Ethan for direction as Elijah followed Josephine and Barb chuckled heading away from them down another hallway.
✧
Ethan led her down yet another hallway, to a separate wing of the large home where his bedroom was located.
As they stepped through the doorway to Ethan’s room, Alexa felt like her body was buzzing with emotion and anticipation. There was the fear and confusion of the prophecy and what was happening with Chloe, the excitement and hesitancy about Ethan being back in her life, the fear of losing him again, and the love for him that was once again consuming her heart and soul. But now that they were alone, something far more urgent began to take over. Pure, unadulterated, lust.
Alexa contemplated simply attacking Ethan and ripping all of his clothes off, but before she could fully form the thought he had sped across the room faster than her eyes could register. As her mind processed his action, the room filled with a beautiful sexy beat that was all too familiar. Alexa’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I searched everywhere for this song. I can’t believe you remembered. How did you find it?”
Ethan looked at her from across the room, his eyes smoldering. Even from such a distance his intense stare took her breath away. In a flash he was beside her, his arms around her waist pulling her against his body.
He whispered in her ear, “How could I possibly forget the first song we ever danced to, Amor? I found it the day that I-,” he closed his eyes and sighed heavily, “the day that I left. I am sorry, you must know how truly sorry I am.”
Alexa’s heart ached at the pain and regret evident in his voice. She placed her hand on his cheek, pulling his face towards her and forcing him to look into her eyes. “Ethan, I’m not going to pretend that I fully understand why you decided to go and I won’t deny that it was a very dark time for me. At first, I drove myself crazy trying to find you, I was convinced if I could just see you I could make you see that we needed to be together. After a few days I-“
Ethan placed his finger against her lips.
“I know, Amor. I was always there, I saw it all. Please do not speak of it. Every day, watching you in so much pain, it broke my heart into a million pieces. So many times I wanted to rush to you, to hold and comfort you.” He gently stroked her cheek as he spoke.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You were watching me?”
“Yes, Amor. I wanted to do what was right, to keep you safe, but I could not stay away. I had to see you even if I could never have you.” He leaned down and gently placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “As hard as those first weeks were, it became so much worse as I watched your belly swell with my child. You looked so beautiful, so alive. I would have gi
ven anything to touch you, to feel our child moving inside you. Then there was the day downtown that you tripped and fell on the curb. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to run to you. Then that man appeared to help you. When he reached out and grabbed your hand, I was at once grateful to him and filled with rage that he dared to touch you.”
Choices of Fate (Fate Series) Page 16