The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  “So my mother and father would be Ravens, if not for the fact that my mother was already pregnant?” I asked, with my head starting to spin.

  “I do believe the original plan was for your father to be turned first, to then have a child - a hybrid, who is automatically sealed for change, and then to turn your mother.”

  “Wow! And did you know about all of this before you chose me?” I asked.

  “I knew about the situation, but I did not put it all together at first, that you were their daughter. It is plain to see that your mother had plans for you long before I knew who you were.”

  I shook my head. Not so much in disbelief, but more so in a mixed feeling of wonder and reflection. All the ‘what-ifs’ that went through my mind at warp speed were enough to drive me crazy.

  “So I’m here because of a choice my parents made, more or less.” I stated my question as a matter of fact, not really wanting an answer. “And you have chosen me.”

  Emrys took my hand in his and leaned closer again.

  “Yes, my sweet Elizabeth,” he said, whispering so close to my ear that his breath sent chills down my neck. “You have been chosen to be immortal from before your birth.”

  “And you?” I asked with a shiver.

  He faced me again, holding me with his eyes. “I transitioned before the gatherings began. With me, it is familial.” I was right: a vampire family. “My family name, Bertrand, means bright raven - from where our society gets its name. Emrys, as you know,” he gave me a quick smile, “means immortal.”

  I hadn’t mentioned that I had looked up our names the other day, but it was apparent he already knew. He squeezed my hand in his, his thumb gently kneading back and forth.

  “I know my sweet one. I know everything.”

  “Can you read everyone’s mind? Or am I the only one?”

  His smile warmed me like a soft blanket. “Only yours.”

  I had a sudden thought, but wasn’t sure if I should ask. “What is it?” he asked quickly.

  “Well, if you do know everything about me, as you say, then can you explain why I have felt so strange lately? Things haven’t been normal ever since Fiona asked me to come to the party. I’ve been having dizzy spells. I even fainted a few times and I am usually steady on my feet. Does that have anything to do with all this?” I asked with a wave of my hand.

  “It has to do with me.” His smile turned playful. “The physical force you have been feeling has drawn you to me. Every time I was in the general vicinity, you felt the strongest pull.”

  “And then I’d faint dead away?” I sat there stunned for a moment, recollecting all the times, all the places when I had experienced them. “So,” I said, struggling to take this in. “You were there all those times, but I...”

  His lips on mine stopped me. Perhaps I had been reminiscing too long for him because the kisses came on strong and passionate. I was swept away like a whirlwind of fire, and embraced the storm of infinite possibilities. He was a thousand volts of electricity; I became a violent tempest – spinning like a windstorm, and together we became a unified force – white hot, yet frozen on the edge of eternity. Heartbeats like hurricanes. Time and space would have no boundaries as we thundered toward infinity.

  We both reeled back for air, almost laughing. Either I was invigorated by all the negative ions we had just created, or that was pure joy. And Emrys – his eyes flashed as bright as lightning! The sheer force of his presence was majestic.

  “Emrys,” was all I could say.

  But somehow speech had not eluded him. “Being chosen,” he was saying to me through my euphoria, “like you and I are, is most rare. You from birth; I from the Raven lineage. It only happens every few centuries. I have never seen this type of match in my own time, but I am told it is exceptionally strong. Surely you must feel it.”

  I nodded. “I do, I really do!” It was more than just strong; it was more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced in my life. It was full-blown mystical.

  He smiled and said, “I, too, had been skeptical like you first were. Sibelle gave me a riddle that I had to solve before I could look for you. I humored her and came to America, though I believed her prophetical powers had gone awry. I first saw you at the pub about five months ago.” His eyes were afire with me. “I felt the same electrical power surge through me that you feel when we touch.”

  “Just by looking at me?” I marveled.

  “Yes,” he chuckled. “Just by looking at you. This ‘electrical charge’ will weaken somewhat after you transition, but will never go completely away.” He touched my cheek with a soft tenderness. “I have never loved anyone as I do you, my sweet, beautiful, lovely, Elizabeth.”

  His words brought tears to my eyes. His love for me held so much strength and depth. His presence radiated such commanding warmth, safeness, sureness. And then I knew: I was home. Nodding slowly, I looked up into those beautiful, dark, adoring eyes.

  Incredible as it seemed with everything happening so fast, I had to say it. I put a hand on his cheek and whispered, “I feel exactly the same…I love you too, Emrys - my immortal one.”

  I couldn’t believe I’d just said those words out loud! I was in complete control and knew that this was not a dream. Amazing myself once again, I truly believed what I was saying, absolutely certain this was what I wanted, and altogether aware that this was the night I would die.

  CHAPTER 10

  FAMILY TREE

  Larkin and Amrita had slipped noiselessly into the room where Emrys and I sat, hearts entwined. Larkin cleared his throat to warn of their approach as they strolled toward us, arm in arm. The way Amrita glided over the antique area rug was silky-smooth, eerie as an apparition; I half imagined she drifted in on some ghostly cloud of ice and Larkin pulled her around with an invisible cord. But that was ridiculous; no doubt my own ethereally charged evening had affected my perception.

  “Elizabeth and Emrys! I am so pleased to see that your destiny has found you!” Amrita’s smile was genuine; her voice warm and soft. Finding it difficult to figure her out, I stared. What I saw and what I heard did not match.

  They stood directly in front of the chaise lounge, and Amrita surprised me by saying, “Elizabeth - my sister!”

  She reached out to me, and just as I was about to take her hand, I spotted a scorpion stretched across it. I hesitated a moment while the realization sunk in that the creature was only a tattoo. Tiny bits of lightning warmed my hand as we touched.

  “Please say hello to my husband Larkin,” she announced. Her voice was sultry and low.

  Husband? I never would have expected this: they were complete opposites. He looked so different from her, so clean-cut. There wasn’t even one visible tattoo on him.

  As he shook my hand and gave me a quick nod, he said, “It is a great pleasure to finally meet you face to face. We have heard much about you these past few months.” Larkin smiled at me as he spoke, but his pale blue eyes turned to his wife moments later.

  Amrita and Larkin’s arms were still locked together, and, after our brief handshake, his hand immediately went back to hers, as though he had to be sure she did not release his arm.

  I said, “Hello.” I managed a few words of politeness, but my mind whirled with all the unknowns that my future now held.

  “Amrita, I owe you an apology,” Emrys said as he stood and faced his sister, reaching for her free hand. “You were correct. I was far too skeptical about tonight’s outcome. I do apologize for being so moody and argumentative these past few weeks.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek and his hair fell forward from his shoulders catching the candle light just right so that it moved in black metallic waves. I couldn’t believe how beautiful he was in every way possible. And, he was in love with me!

  “My brother, you need not apologize. Just let me say - I told you so! As usual, Sibelle was right: our Elizabeth is a true beauty, inside and out, and she is meant to be with you now and forever. I felt it the minute I saw her on the dock. I had
everything I could do to keep from hugging her myself.” She looked at me and smiled. Her lipstick was so dark, and I couldn’t help but wonder if her lip piercing hurt when she moved her mouth.

  Could that be why she seemed so standoffish during our first meeting? She had to pretend she wasn’t glad to meet me! I had to chuckle at this thought - which I did, out loud. Maybe I had her pegged all wrong. Just because she dressed as she did – wearing the dark makeup, so many tattoos and piercings, didn’t mean she was one of those gloomy, antisocial types at all. She seemed happy and friendly.

  Emrys turned and joined me on the sofa, taking my hand in his electrified warm hand. He spoke to Amrita, but his eyes stayed on me. “I know, my sister. I can barely contain myself, even more so, now that she has consented.”

  He gazed at me with those mesmerizing eyes again. Did I look even remotely as in love as he did? He bent forward and kissed me just then. I guess I got my answer!

  Without hesitation, Larkin advised, “Amrita, my dearest, let us leave these two alone to continue their first evening of the rest of eternity.”

  He turned toward us. “I know it doesn’t have to be said, but I wish you the best and dearest kind of love imaginable, and may your timeless existence together be blessed.” Something in his voice sounded a little envious.

  Both Emrys and I glanced up at the mismatched couple and said in unison, “Thank you.” And we all said our goodbyes.

  As they exited the door, another couple entered and strolled through the room - far slower than necessary. It was Rohan and a young woman, though once I caught his eye I didn’t look at her at all. He seemed to glare at me through squinted eyes. Emrys never glanced their way; he kept his eyes on me. I could not figure out why Rohan seemed so angry, so full of fury, and I averted my eyes as fast as I could. The couple went straight to the patio doors and walked out, but as I took another brief look, Rohan glowered at me, wrinkling his forehead as if to signal his disapproval. Could he be jealous?

  After they were out of sight, my mind turned back to Amrita, and my eyes back to my beautiful man. “Are you and your sister close?” I asked, thinking back to their disagreement earlier.

  “Yes, we are. I promised our mother that I would make sure Amrita was raised within this lifestyle and given the guidance to become one of us. Her one other request was that we try to remain together - always. It was even more important to mother after her decision to remain human.”

  “Why wasn’t your mother turned?” I asked, frowning.

  “How crucial is it for you to hear the entire story now, my sweet? We do have the rest of eternity to discuss my family’s history. I cannot stop thinking of the immediate future, myself,” he said with a quick raise of his eyebrows.

  He kissed me again. Electrified cherry-flavored kisses.

  A bit later, and delightfully dizzy, I pulled back and sighed, “Well then!” Composing myself, I looked into his eyes and said, “Actually, I would like to hear the whole story. I don’t know much about my mother, and I’d like to know everything about you and your family.” I gave him a bashful grin and added, “If you don’t mind.”

  He took both of my hands in his. The warm currents made my hands tingle. He nodded, and his genuine smile told me he was agreeable.

  “My mother had been very poor and she sold herself - her life-force, to my father.” He started slowly. “She lived with the Ravens as a donor for many years, enjoying the lifestyle we are so fortunate to have. My father was a solitary Raven and he fell in love with her the old-fashioned way, before the new rules you see, and this is how I came to be. Sometime later, before I was old enough to be turned but old enough to understand the ways of the Ravens, my mother was assaulted by a rogue vampire. The problem was - he wanted much more than just her blood. This is how my sister came to be.”

  My jaw dropped, my eyes opened wide in shock. He hesitated.

  Taking advantage of the moment, I jumped in saying, “So Amrita is your half-sister.” I wondered if she knew that she was a product of rape. This could explain a lot, and my heart softened toward her even more. “But what happened then?”

  “My father killed the rogue vampire...but he had to put my mother aside -he had no other choice.”

  “What do you mean, he had no other choice?” I asked incredulously.

  “It is an abomination for a Raven to touch his mate if she is defiled by another.”

  Stunned to silence, I just stared, waiting for him to continue.

  “My mother suffered from a broken heart and decided to remain human. She wasn’t able to fathom an eternity without the love she so desired from my father. She said she’d rather die. She stayed on for a few months to give the baby her nourishment, though my father could never bear to look at her again - or the child.” He frowned as he said, “Then she left. I never saw my mother again.” His voice trailed off painfully, revealing his heartache.

  “How old were the two of you when your mother left?”

  “I was nearly eighteen, Amrita a few months old.”

  I shook my head feeling all the sadness he must have felt and said, “I don’t understand how she could have left you and your sister.”

  “It was not her choice. Amrita belonged to Idris, and I belonged to my father. Even though Idris was dead, it was still up to the Raven society to raise her until she was of age. After all, she had the blood of the Ravens flowing through her as well as the human who mothered her. Even though we are hybrids, the rules are the same.”

  I couldn’t understand their strange ways and my eyes became blurry with tears.

  “That’s horrible, Emrys! If your father loved your mother so much, how could he do that to her? Why couldn’t he just...” Choking on emotion, the words lodged in my throat and I couldn’t finish my thought.

  “This is the way it has always been, and to this day, it matters not whether you are human or Raven, have The Veinvedia or not. The fate remains the same: if another touches you the bond ends. It is irrevocable.”

  I remembered the short explanation we had gotten earlier from Larkin about the transitioning humans mating with a Raven - the part about the possibility that they may be less inhibited. This idea alone should cause one to make a wise choice. But this was another aspect that was not mentioned earlier. Flaming hell! I should have read the damn pamphlet!

  Trying to make sense of it all, I asked, “So if anyone mates with a Raven, it’s for life - regardless if they stay human or are changed to Raven. But if they have sex with another they’re discarded?”

  He nodded, saying, “Yes.”

  “Were your parents married?” I asked, shaking my head.

  “Yes. But even without a ceremony, the act itself is what mates you for life. We are like the bald eagles and the swans.” He smiled.

  Having so many new emotions running through my body, my questions were getting me deeper into unchartered territory. Feeling unsure and shy, I asked, “Are Ravens often intimate with their chosen human before transformation?”

  He held back his smile as he raised an eyebrow and said, “It is highly frowned upon but it does, on occasion, happen. And, even if you were so inclined to allow that to happen - which I know you are not… I would be obligated to wait until the proper time.” His smile was sweet. “The example I set for my fellow Ravens must be honorable - I must remain faithful to the rules. I am held to a higher standard because of my place in our society.”

  “Although, if I had my way...” He leaned down and started kissing me again. The currents flowed even stronger, and I began wishing the rules didn’t exist at all. But, Lindy was right; I was a Puritan at heart. I had determined a long time ago to wait until marriage before having sex of any kind. And now, I was so glad I had saved myself for him. My beautiful immortal man. Now, he would be my one and only for all eternity. If only Lindy could know how wonderful this felt.

  Emrys pulled back a little, his face inches from mine. His eyes pierced into my being, his fragrant breath on my face, “You wish
to find your sister, do you not?”

  “Yes, I’d like that.” I reached up and stroked his inky black hair, feeling not only the softness of it, but also the electrical current that streamed out on my fingertips.

  “One more question before we look for her,” I felt a sudden braveness well up inside of me, and for the first time, surprised him. I didn’t think - I just spoke, “Will you marry me?”

  It was the first time I heard Emrys laugh out loud. I hoped he wasn’t laughing at my bold proposal. My cheeks flared red-hot.

  He took my face into his hands making my cheeks even hotter and explained in a loving and soft voice, “My dear sweet Elizabeth. What do you think The Veinvedia means? The Veinvedia has drawn us together for more than just you becoming a Raven. It is our sign that we are to be married, to be mated for all eternity. If it was not for the Sign, I would only be changing you, not bonded to you forever. I told you this is different from what others have. Your friend Fiona has also been chosen, but there are many others here tonight who came for other possibilities at hand. Some are here for the enlightenment, or simply to become donors and perhaps decide in the future to be turned. And some wish to make a home for their future children. There are many reasons. My sister and Larkin have come to reunite with old friends. Some,” he said clearing his throat, “like Rohan, are here for selfish reasons. Perhaps searching for another donor to use and abuse. He will, no doubt, continue his roaming about from society to society - never settling down in one place for more than a few decades. Never contributing to the greater good.”

  “I considered asking him to turn me earlier tonight,” I said with a slight shiver.

  Emrys stood up in a flash and a frozen look settled on his face. The swishing of his cape glowed with iridescent spots of silvery light. The very air around us felt chilly.

  “Please try to stay away from him.” His teeth clenched, his eyes turned to steel, and there was a definite iciness in his tone.