The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  I leaned back resting my head, keenly aware that I wasn’t the slightest bit tired even after staying up most of the night. We couldn’t have napped for more than an hour between our sessions of lovemaking, though with my newfound sense of not caring about time, who knew.

  When I glanced up and saw Emrys coming down the stairs with the bright sunlight behind him, he had the look of an angel. Of course I’d never seen one and nowhere had I ever read about angels wearing all black, but regardless, he looked angelic. A golden glow radiated all around his head and shoulders like a halo or an aura, and his black hair shone bright and thick as he stepped closer. Once he was out of the sunlight, he appeared normal again, but I knew I would never get over how handsome he was; in sunlight, in candle light, or in darkness - he was a resplendent sight.

  “Thank you my beautiful Elizabeth. I believe you are quite resplendent to look at yourself!”

  I knew he heard every thought in my little head, and I smiled at him and said, “Funny, I won’t ever be able to lust after you without you knowing, will I?”

  “Never! And that, my lovely Mrs. Bertrand, shall be better for all concerned. I will be able to meet your every wish, your every need!” His smile was enough to melt me in my tracks, and then he had to go and say all these romantic things on top of it.

  “Well, Mr. Bertrand, I hope you don’t get tired of listening then!”

  “Impossible.” He took my hand and after another round of perfect kisses and sweet nothings in my ear, we walked hand in hand to the door. We hadn’t even left yet, and I couldn’t wait to come back.

  * * *

  I tapped lightly on the door where my sister lay dreaming, I supposed, about her maker. They called it the quickening, and I wondered if during the course of the evening anyone had explained to her what to expect during this transition time. Without an explanation there would be no way she’d realize what the dreams could possibly mean. For one moment I questioned whether or not she would even get to experience Gavin’s memories during her transformation, wondering if her body might be too busy repairing itself to dream at all.

  As we waited for the door to be opened, Emrys put his arm around my waist and said, “She will still have the quickening. Her body will heal in no time at all. Do not be surprised at the miracle you are about to witness.”

  The door opened, barely giving me a chance to think about his words. It was obvious that Gavin was far too preoccupied to spend any time in idle chatter. Standing to the side, he gave us a silent, one-handed motion to enter; his other hand held the large goblet, only half-full now. He turned and hurried back to Lindy’s side to let her finish her drink.

  We quietly crept into the room, but even with the forewarning Emrys had offered me, I could hardly contain my gasp of amazement. Lindy was propped up on two pillows, her hair splayed out, softly framing her perfect, unmarked, pink face. Her eyes were closed, but she reached for Gavin’s hand and the cup he held, pulling it to her mouth with a familiar urgency. I caught the scent coming from her cup, and I was instantly reminded of the taste and the smoothness in my throat. My own thirst returned in strange ways, causing me to draw in a rather loud breath. Imagining the fresh blood flowing over my tongue, I wondered if I’d ever experience it again. Though in all reality, I knew nothing could ever match the taste of Emrys, so lush, warm, and rich. A small part of me now understood the attraction to those few who refused to abstain from seeking humans. It definitely would be a constant battle of the will to keep ahead of the need for new blood, even though they said there was always a full supply of the refrigerated stock on hand. It didn’t take a genius to know that freshly drawn blood would always be a dark temptation.

  “Is this her second or third dose?” I asked, licking my lips. I must confess - I was more interested in the amount she had consumed than the state of her being, and was instantly filled with waves of guilt. Since I’d lost all sense of time, I had no idea how long we’d been away. But the whole truth was that I experienced a hungry envy as I watched her drink. And these selfish kinds of thoughts would be the ones I’d be ashamed having to share with Emrys; and at that moment I clenched my teeth down hard hoping my desire wasn’t too visible. I trusted he’d understand and not think less of me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look into his eyes just then. At least I remembered to whisper. The pain during my transformation was still quite clear in my mind.

  Gavin held the cup as Lindy drained it completely, and he turned to us and whispered, “Third.”

  Feelings of guilt welled up again. We were gone longer than I had planned, and by now, I assumed Gavin had explained everything to Melinda.

  “Lizzy?” Her soft voice was a welcomed relief, like a gentle summer breeze.

  I sat gingerly on her bedside, being sure to keep my voice low. “Yes, Lindy, it’s me. Don’t open your eyes yet. Trust me on this one.” I hoped my whispers weren’t too much for her sensitive ears, and wondered if I should touch her hand or not. I couldn’t be sure how far she had come in the process just yet, and didn’t want to inflict any more pain on her than she must already be feeling - physically or mentally.

  “Gavin told me what happened, sis,” Lindy said in a whisper. “But I must have bashed my head a good one - I don’t remember much. Don’t feel bad for me. I know you’re racked with guilt right now, being forced to make this decision for me. I’m thankful you chose life over death, Lizzy. Really I am.” Her voice was hoarse and dry. “But why didn’t you tell me about the dreams? Oh - my - God, the dreams!” She reached for Gavin then, lost in her own world of wonder. He took her hand in his and held it softly. “He is so terrific. I never would have known him this well without the dreams. It’s such a wonderful gift!”

  Gavin’s face beamed; his smile spoke a million words.

  “Melinda, I told you I will always be honest with you. It took a knock on your head for you to believe me!”

  I stood then, making room for Gavin to sit beside my sister, their hands still locked together. Before leaving her side, I bent and touched her cheek lightly, and said, “I love you Lindy. Thanks for not being angry with me.”

  “Never angry. We’ll be together forever now, just like we always planned.” There was an undertone of sadness in her voice; though I was sure I alone noticed it.

  Her next move I knew personally as our own sisterly gesture. She lifted her other hand extending her pinky finger toward me. I locked mine around hers carefully, imagining the pain she must be feeling inside, knowing she ached more for her barren womb than the burning skin she now felt.

  Grieving silently, I went to Emrys – and he welcomed me into the sanctuary of his open arms. He held me as we watched Lindy and Gavin continue to bond. They did make a handsome couple, and even though this surprising turn of events hadn’t been in the plan, I knew things would work out for them eventually.

  We visited a while longer until - it became obvious our presence bordered on being intrusive. Gavin and Melinda whispered quietly; their heads close together and still holding hands. I imagined she’d be sleeping soon again, and I had no reason to stay and watch her dream. I made a motion and pointed to the door when Emrys glanced down at me. I’m quite sure he saw the wildness behind my eyes as my sense of urgency increased; I was thirsty again. When he finally tapped on Gavin’s shoulder to say goodbye, I was more than relieved.

  CHAPTER 3

  FORGOTTEN MEMORIES

  As we rode the elevator back up to our suite, I leaned into Emrys’ shoulder, our hands locked together as usual, but my momentary relief had evaporated.

  “Can’t this thing move any faster?” I asked, feeling the impatience rise. My thirst had made me more agitated than ever, and I felt tiny pinpricks poking through my gums.

  “Do not feel badly about your thoughts. In particular, the ones you have no control over, my dear. You are still so new to our ways; it takes time to be able to keep these urges in check. After a while, your cravings will be easier to command, you shall see.”

 
His words of encouragement made me feel a little better, but I was seriously thirsty.

  How long? How long before I can taste more of the sweet red liquid?

  “I have a fresh supply of Nevar in our room, Elizabeth. I will prepare it for you as soon as we return.”

  When Emrys gazed into my eyes, I was sure what he saw was lust, and definitely not the type that would benefit him. It became obvious to me that this would take some practice and self-control. I hoped it was a lesson I could learn fast; the roller coaster feelings between guilt and thirst were overwhelming.

  Emrys pressed his lips to mine, lingering only a moment, and then said, “You are so adorable, my love. Only you could feel guilty for what is a completely natural response in your body.”

  A minute later I realized what he had said. “Nevar?” I asked. “What the heck is Nevar?”

  “Nevar is an acronym for the Latin words: Nectaris- élan-Vital-Ambrosiae-Recupero.” Responding to the blank look on my face, he explained: “Nectaris is a sweet drink and élan vital means life-force. Ambrosiae is a healing juice, and recupero means restore to health. It is one of our watchwords for the blood we collect from our donors. Latimer came up with the term, although I believe he may be mistaken on some of the endings and verb forms. He is quite unique and one of our oldest Ravens; everyone respects him too greatly to correct him.”

  I was only mildly impressed. All I could think about was satisfying my thirst, and the sooner the better...whatever it was called, and I nodded my head while he spoke.

  “Elizabeth, not only is it an acronym for our private drink, it is our name: who we are.” He smiled at me as though I should understand this new revelation, but my mind was completely blank.

  “Spell it backwards,” he said, grinning, waiting for me to catch on.

  “Oh!” I said, spelling it aloud, “N-e-v-a-r. I get it! R-a-v-e-n! That is cool! And it was all Latimer’s idea, huh?” I was a bit more impressed now that it made sense, but still impatient and antsy - and thirsty!

  Emrys was aware of my distraction, but still patiently added, “In truth, most of us still call it Ambrosia. The name has been around a lot longer. In classic mythology Ambrosia is considered the food of the gods, and if mortals drink it they will become immortal.”

  I would call it whatever they wanted me to: Nevar, élan vital, ambrosia...It didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was the door to open and to partake of this secret, sweet nectar already! My thirst was intense. And now I could feel my fangs emerging.

  The elevator doors finally opened, and after we stepped into our suite, I sat down on a chair and grasped the armrests. I was afraid I’d run to the refrigerator if I didn’t hang on tight. I scowled as Emrys strolled over and opened the door.

  Why the flaming hell is he moving in slow motion?

  As he pulled out a sealed container, he glanced over his shoulder and gave me a raised eyebrow and a grin. He poured the red liquid into a glass, set it in the microwave, and pressed a button. The next thirty seconds were the longest half minute in the history of time. I felt like a little child waiting for my candy to be unwrapped, or like a drug addict waiting for my next fix. I wasn’t sure which feeling was stronger: the need or the excitement.

  Emrys handed me the warm glass and said, “Enjoy, my love.”

  My first inclination was to gulp down the entire thing like the dehydrated desert I was, but then I decided instead to sip gingerly, savoring every single drop.

  “A most excellent decision!” Emrys said, smiling at me with pride. “I knew you had it in you: self-control with flair.”

  His dark eyes penetrated into me then, deep within my being. I began to feel my need for the sweet liquid diminish as another need started to emerge. I set the half-empty glass down on the table and went to my husband. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me to our bed.

  Our lips met with a heated passion, as did our bodies. Nothing seemed as important as the two of us right now, not food, or water, not even the sweet ruby-red life force that I had thought I could not live without for another second. My mind and my body were his, and nothing else mattered. He was wonderful - twice.

  Sometime later when we lay entangled together bathed in the sweet afterglow of lovemaking; I remembered my glass sitting on the table. Emrys jumped up and retrieved it without a word, and then stretched out beside me again. Taking slow deliberate sips, savoring each crimson drop, I began to wonder about a few, as yet unanswered, potential problems regarding the very near future. While forming the questions in my mind, I was a bit surprised that Emrys had not already started to answer me, although when I took a closer look, it was apparent he had fallen asleep. I felt so renewed and alive, and could not imagine sleeping just yet.

  “Emrys,” I whispered, knowing my voice would wake him.

  “I was just thinking about my roommate, Kathy. How on earth do I even begin to explain this to her?”

  He opened one eye and peeked at me with a grin, but didn’t say a word.

  “We’ll have to say something, won’t we? And I’m sure that Melinda and Fiona will feel the same; we’ll have to pick up our things, you know, before we leave for good? And when will we leave? Didn’t you say next Friday?” My mind buzzed with all the things that needed to be done before moving, at least, letting the university know we wouldn’t be coming back. I didn’t want to worry anyone; surely they would notice three missing college students.

  “All the loose ends will be taken care of by the time of our departure. You need not worry your pretty little head about it. All of your belongings, as well as your sister’s and Fiona’s, shall be collected. The university will be notified. There is nothing for you to do, unless you wish to bid farewell to anyone.”

  I thought about Lindy’s friend, Mark. He was expecting to take her on a trip this weekend. He must be notified, too, before he becomes frantic and decides to report her missing or something.

  “Let me tell you about Amrita,” Emrys stated. He took my empty glass and placed it on the side table and folded his arms across his chest. “Her talent is called memory displacement.”

  I raised my eyebrows in complete ignorance, having never heard of anything even close to what he said.

  “Memory-what?”

  “She has the ability to erase details from people’s memories. It comes in quite handy when we have to deal with too many rumors about missing humans. It is utilized only when completely necessary, and never without permission from the object of displacement.”

  “Meaning?”

  “You would have to give Amrita permission to erase all memories of yourself, say from your roommate. It is possible, too, for her to displace just specific memories of relationships, where the individual is left with only a vague knowledge of said person, but cannot remember having a close friendship or any deep conversations. It would be as though they knew you only as an acquaintance, or someone they met long ago.”

  “That is just plain weird. I don’t know if I could stand having Kathy not know me. We’ve been roommates for so long!”

  “It is completely up to your discretion. I have a suggestion for you, if you would like to hear it.” He began to play with my hair, running his fingers through it and taking the ends and tickling my cheek with it.

  “I’m all ears.”

  “If you wish to say good bye to your roommate, you might tell her you have decided to finish your education in England. You could have Amrita accompany you to watch Kathy’s reaction, and if it becomes too negative, she could take care of things for you then.”

  “Or I could just tell Kathy that I met the love of my life and got married this weekend, and that we’re moving at the end of the week. Oh, and I’m taking Fiona and Melinda with me. And by the way, Fiona is married now too, but Melinda’s just coming along for the thrill of seeing new places.” I sighed. “Ugh, no matter what we say, it all sounds ridiculous. I don’t suppose I can tell her the complete truth, can I?”

  “If you do, Amrita would be fo
rced to displace Kathy’s entire memory of you and anything to do with the Ravens. That is the one time she does not need permission. I would not recommend that plan of action, my sweet.”

  I closed my eyes; I didn’t want to think about it at all right now. “Let’s talk to Lindy and Fiona and see what they think. I can’t stand making this big of a decision on my own. Let’s face it - I can’t even pick out my own wedding dress.” I opened my eyes when I felt the bed move. Emrys was on his way to the refrigerator.

  “Would you like anything to eat, my love?” he called over his shoulder.

  “Sure, whatever you’re having.”

  I watched him again as he walked away. His long black hair flowed down his bare back - wide and strong at the shoulders, narrow at the waist. The muscles in his legs were defined and well developed. I especially enjoyed how they flexed with each step he took. As he leaned forward his hair fell to the side, and I noticed for the first time another tattoo high on his back, just below his neck. It looked like a Celtic knot of some sort – a blue circle with four knots intertwined throughout like a rounded cross.

  “It is called an eternity knot,” he answered my silent query.

  I had already discovered all of his other tattoos during the course of our mutual explorations. He had a black raven on his right forearm and a raven’s head on his left, very detailed, and dark blue in color. On his upper right arm were two black kanji symbols, which he had told me translated to black raven, but they just looked like a bunch of lines and strokes to me.

  He turned around then, arms full of snacks, and I was afforded with the front view of my Greek god. His chest wasn’t nearly as hairy as I would have expected, seeing how he had such thick dark hair on his head. It covered the top of his torso and a bit around his nipples; his flat stomach was smooth and bare and very muscular; a small amount of hair circled his navel and traveled downward from there. My eye caught the tattoo he had showed me the other day - was that just yesterday? It seemed an eternity. My name - arched over a perfect black rose, nestled inside of a red heart, just above his heart. This one looked new compared to the others, the colors bright and fresh. He still wore his medallion, which shone brilliantly against his creamy skin; the raven’s red eye flickered in the light, reminding me of my touch that night in the pub, and how the onyx had turned to a ruby. It was hard to believe that was only a few days ago. So much had happened since then.