“It’s not funny, Emrys, I don’t want you ending up like your father or like Idris.”
A second later I realized I’d hit a nerve. He grimaced and said, “I will never end up like either of them, and that is a promise.”
“I sure hope this is one promise you can keep.” I shivered as a memory flashed before me: After Emrys’ father, Ambrose killed the evil vampire, Idris; he was forced to send his own wife away. Emrys lost his mother, and then Ambrose lost his mind.
“I don’t want to end up alone for all eternity,” I said, touching his face with my fingertips. He turned his head and kissed my palm lightly, and then ran his hand through my hair starting at the back of my neck. His touch sent electrified goose bumps down my spine, and, I forgot what we had been talking about before the vision.
He looked into my eyes exactly as I wanted him to, peering deeply within my soul, promise, and truth written all over his face. “You shall never be alone. I love you, my wife.” He pulled me to his arms with an urgent tenderness, and held me for a few moments. The lights suddenly flickered on again.
It seemed the worst of the storm had passed; though hard rain still pelted the glass doors and thunder sounded off in the distance. Emrys stood at once, turned off all the lights, and came back to the sofa, reaching out to me. “Let us retire to the bedroom, shall we?”
I took his hand and allowed him to guide me to the bed. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away, hunger or thirst couldn’t stop me, and I whispered, “As you wish.”
CHAPTER 5
ISLAND OF DREAMS
I awoke with a start, unsure of my surroundings, my heart racing, and my mind whirling in panic. Where am I? This time the dream had seemed so real. As I lay there under the covers listening to the rain and the hammering of my heart, I heard soft snoring from the other side of the room. This sound gave me a sense of relief. At least I wasn’t alone in this pitch darkness. I had the strangest feeling then, that even though I wasn’t alone; I also wasn’t the only one awake in the room. Straining to see what was beyond the darkness or within my hearing, I hoped this was just a feeling, remnants leftover from the dream. Gradually, my eyes adjusted to the dark and I saw a small speck of light through the curtains. In the far distance thunder rolled into the night skies. I felt a gentle breeze, which really seemed strange and impossible, since the window was shut tight and the curtains pulled closed. I noticed a slight sweet scent, disturbingly familiar, yet nothing I could name.
Slowly, my heart returned to a normal rhythm, and I thought about the dream from a logical viewpoint. It could not have been anything but a dream. At this point, I was sure I was in my dorm, not my childhood home where the dream had started.
I tried to go back to sleep, but the eerie feeling kept me awake. I wanted to reach out and turn on the light, but decided against that idea. I didn’t want to wake my roommate and sister. The lightning flashed again, lighting up the room just long enough to let me see a shadow standing near the foot of my bed. I froze, staring silently into the darkness. The intermittent flashes of lightning allowed it to become visible for only seconds at a time.
There was no fear this time though, as I always had in my dream. Instead, I felt exactly the opposite, a gentle peaceful feeling came over me and I was suddenly sleepy.
And then I had another dream. I dreamed I was at the mall with my sister and best friend. There was a man with long black hair that flowed gracefully down his back, and he was tall, statuesque, and beautiful. But he walked away from me, and I didn’t want him to go. I thought I would faint as I stood there in dismay, watching him leave.
Then I heard another huge, deafening crack of thunder. Bright flashes of lightning lit the entire room just seconds later and another crash and rumbling boom. It reverberated so loudly that if felt like I was inside of the rain cloud. I sat straight up startled first by the noise, and then again by someone tugging on my arm. A voice whispered in such a soft tone, that I could barely hear the words.
“Elizabeth, it is alright,” he said, clearly now. “Go back to sleep.”
At first I was completely disoriented. I couldn’t get my bearings. Both dreams were so fresh, the feelings so real, I thought I was in my dorm. And then Emrys pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead whispering softly in my ear. His sweet aroma engulfed me and everything came back to me at once. We were still on Prince Edward Island in our chalet by the water and, the rainstorm still raged all around us.
“Emrys,” I sighed. I plunged deeper into his embrace and thought about my dreams. “I had a dream about the mall. I saw someone...I saw you. Except... it really did happen! It was real, wasn’t it?” I felt groggy and wondered if I even made any sense. “Why did you keep walking?”
“It was real. You did see me.” His arms around me were warm and safe, his voice subdued. “That was a few hours after I put my Sign on you.”
“What? Oh, that’s right!” I remembered the day clearly now, and the dream I’d had during my transitioning. It happened in the movie theater.
“Yes the movie, just before it ended,” he whispered in my ear. “That was the first time I touched you.”
“You bumped into me from behind my seat. Something sharp poked my neck. You even said you were sorry when I pretended to be hurt. Don’t get me wrong. It was sharp, but it really didn’t hurt,” I confessed.
“Yes, I am aware of that.”
“So this thing you did to my neck, you mentioned that it looks like a tattoo. What does mine look like, exactly?”
“A raven with my initials,” he said, nuzzling my neck from behind - soft, warm kisses and a few nibbles.
I sighed. He had a wonderful way of calming me down.
“And you touched me, and it appeared magically?”
“Exactly. And you never knew anything was different until the day you saw me in the pub. You then felt my Sign drawing you in. It is a subconscious thing, but some deep part of you felt it. It is quite like a magnet. Have you ever tried to keep two magnets apart?” he asked wryly.
“I get it,” I said, amazed. “No wonder I was so drawn to you, even before I knew you. Come to think of it, I felt it at the mall when I stood in that hallway watching you walk away!”
“The Ravens have powers to do many things that you shall learn about in time,” he said quietly.
The thunder rumbled again, in the distance now. Emrys yawned into my hair. But now I was wide-awake and felt like talking.
“I actually had two dreams. The first one took place in my dorm and I dreamt about a stormy night that woke me up to a shadow in my room. I used to have dreams like this all the time, but this one was different. Somehow, I wasn’t as afraid of the shadow anymore.”
Emrys was too quiet. I guessed he had started falling asleep, weary of my blabbing about dreams and shadows. I forced myself to stop thinking and tried to get back to sleep too.
“Good plan, my sweet Elizabeth.” His voice trailed off, and after another noisy yawn, he burrowed deeper under the quilts.
Still, I could not sleep. I turned over, and he curved himself around my back. He put his arm around my waist and his hand on my chest. His breath was warm on my neck, his breathing heavy and deep. I was comfortable, warm, and relaxed; yet my mind would not stop whirring around thinking of dreams within dreams, feelings and reality, memories and shadows, and even magnets.
“Elizabeth?” he whispered, sounding weary.
“Yes?”
“I do not understand your sleeplessness. Your thoughts are alert, but so jumbled. What seems to be the most pressing question on your mind? Let me see if I can settle things down a bit.”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “Lots of things are coming to mind. Do you recall that date?”
“Are you asking the date of the Signatus?”
“Sure.”
“September the thirteenth.”
“I’m also thinking about my fainting spells. Wondering if they had anything to do with the...with anything going on.”
> “The first time you fainted in the Cafe, when you and Fiona had been discussing the gathering…I was a few tables over from you.”
I remembered looking around the room when I had come to, and what I had seen. “That was you in the black hooded sweatshirt, wasn’t it?” I asked, now beginning to see the pattern.
“Yes,” he said, rubbing my arm lightly, no doubt feeling the chill of it. “Not my usual attire, but I was desperate to blend in.”
“And the next time I fainted in my dorm room when Fiona and I asked Melinda about the party, er…the gathering. Where were you then?”
“Just outside of your building. Like I said, I had become somewhat obsessed,” he admitted. “I had to be sure you would come to the gathering.”
“And by following me around, you thought that would somehow help me decide?”
He cleared his throat and said, “No, but I do know that the closer in proximity I was to you, the stronger the Signatus reacted on your subconscious. It seemed to me, whenever you thought about the gathering and the possibility of being turned yourself, your anxiety level increased greatly. It was then, that you started fainting. Am I correct?”
“Ahh, yes. Every time I imagined really going through with it. Except for that time in the pub, when you stared at me but didn’t say a word. I wasn’t thinking about it then.”
“No, but you were thinking about me, were you not? I know you were definitely the only thing on my mind! We already had a very strong connection.” He gave me a gentle squeeze.
“Someone told me they saw you outside of my building once or twice too. Were you ever in the computer lab?”
“I am amazed you only saw me those few times,” he confessed. “But no. I do not believe I was there.”
“Was that you who took that boat ahead of the yacht the night of the gathering?” I shivered and pressed myself closer to him feeling the electrical current all along my backside.
“Correct. It had been much easier staying hidden from you prior to the Signatus. Once you wore my Sign, you became more attracted to, or aware of my presence.” He pulled the covers over my chilled arm, wrapping it around the two of us.
“I am surprised. I never heard of anyone fainting from the strength of the Signatus. Our connection must be very strong, indeed.”
“Another thing I’ve been thinking about is all the thirteens. You said you put your Sign on me on September thirteenth, and then you turned me on October thirteenth.”
“Yes, my lovely one, not one of those dates was by accident. I arrived in the states on July the thirteenth, just before midnight. I saw you for the first time on August the thirteenth, carried out the Signatus on September the thirteenth. Exactly thirteen weeks after my arrival your eternal life began: October the thirteenth, which as it happens, is also our wedding day. It is a very significant number to me.”
I felt the goose bumps rise up on my arms, warm as they now were under the covers.
“I suppose I don’t have to tell you my birthday is September thirteenth.”
“Of course not, and I do hope you enjoyed the gift I gave you while you watched your movie.” He laughed softly. “But, getting back to the numbers: the year I was turned was 1921, and if you add all the numbers together, you get thirteen.”
“You never did tell me when you were born, Emrys.” I whispered. “Not that it matters, but I am curious.”
He chuckled into my hair, his sweet breath felt warm on my head. “I was born May thirteen, 1893.
I started to calculate in my head 1893 from 2006, but before I finished Emrys gave the answer, “One hundred thirteen.”
“Wow,” I whispered. “That is a lot of thirteens.” I didn’t want him to think his real age bothered me. He certainly didn’t look it!
“Here is one more thing to think about - since you seem to enjoy all of this math. If you add the numbers in your birthday, September being nine, plus thirteen, plus the year of your birth - 1984, what do you get?”
“2006?” I asked. And then it hit me, “Oh, the year I was turned!” I still wasn’t sure what the connection was to all the thirteens.
“No connection, really, other than it happens to be a very good number for me. I do get a kick out of playing with numbers, seeing all the similarities and what some may call coincidences.”
“What about my sister? Melinda wasn’t even supposed to be turned, and we know she wasn’t chosen. How does she fit in here?” I asked curiously.
“Just the fact that she shares your birthday, I suppose. I would say she is quite fortunate to have you for a sister.”
“I doubt she’d look at it that way. She may be lucky that Gavin is interested in her – but, not necessarily of the fact that she was turned without a real choice.” I still felt so bad for her. Although I had to admit, selfishly on my part, I was overjoyed I hadn’t lost her completely.
We talked a while longer about our plans for the next day and just when I was finally feeling sleepy again, Emrys had other ideas. His warm breath on my neck sent the kind of chills down my spine that were welcome. He rolled me over and kissed me.
His caresses were soft, exploring, and charged. It was as though we were electrically wired for one another. All circuits flowed with fiery currents and encircled us within and without: one massive arc of energy - enough to light up an entire city. It brought a whole new meaning to the term “turned on.”
When we exhausted ourselves nearly to death, if that were possible, we lay together in a heap of damp, electrified skin, limbs tangled amidst the sheets and blankets, both breathing heavily with exuberant smiles.
“It actually gets better every time,” I mused, my voice still quite breathless.
“That it does,” he replied, letting out a deep, satisfied sigh. “That, it does.”
* * *
After we showered and dressed for the day we walked a few blocks to a restaurant for a late breakfast. The sun hid behind thin gray clouds, but the temperature was mild and the air was clean and dry. It promised to be a good day for a walk on the beach.
As we finished our eggs Benedict, I asked Emrys to tell me more about his home in England, specifically where it was located. His response, though far from specific, was warmhearted and sweet, and came just as the bouncy waitress arrived at our table with a carafe of coffee.
“My beautiful wife, Ravenswynd is now your home too.” His eyes met mine with generous love and he brushed my cheek with his fingertips, reminding me of his electric touch.
The wide-eyed look on the face of the waitress made me think she may have misjudged his character, no doubt fooled by his appearance. Even though I had become accustomed to his look, I had to remind myself how others must see him. His long black hair flowed down far past his shoulders. He wore a deep blue t-shirt which left all of his arm tattoos visible. His bright silver medallion and his quite large and shiny thumb ring glowed in the bright lighting. No doubt, they noticed his dark piercing eyes, his handsome face and the elegant way he carried himself. That, coupled with the way he always gazed at me, made for quite a sight.
A slight smile formed on her lips when she realized what he had just said. He looked up at her, glanced fleetingly at her nametag, and thanked her for the refill, his accent overtly obvious.
“Why, thank you, Gretchen. We shall take the check now, if you please.”
Her smile grew larger when she realized his gentle manners, but then her cheeks flamed red when her eyes met mine. I wasn’t quite sure if her blush came because she envied me or because she spotted my wedding ring and wondered if I thought she was flirting. She must have noticed the way Emrys looked at me, and his little display of love. She fluttered away in a hurry after placing the check on the table, keeping eye contact with either of us to a bare minimum. I actually felt sorry for her embarrassment and glanced at Emrys as he nodded slightly in agreement.
I sipped my coffee as he told me more about the place they called Ravenswynd, noticing again his far off look as he spoke of the home he mi
ssed. It was plain to see, he loved it dearly.
“The grounds are beautifully landscaped with gardens and fountains,” he said. “In addition to the wooded area, one of the ponds is completely stocked with fish, and Amrita had a pair of black swans shipped in from Australia.
“The estate includes a dozen or so private living quarters and a multitude of single rooms for guests. The main level has the great hall for entertaining, the dining room, the library, a sunroom, and many other smaller rooms for quiet gatherings. There is a wine cellar in the lower level, and the top floor mainly houses our employees.
“Our wing looks out over the pond,” he said with an excited grin.
“But if you wish, once we settle in, you can explore the entire estate and decide if you would prefer to move into another wing. I also want you to feel free to decorate our suite in any way you see fit. As you can imagine, at this time there is not much in the way of the feminine touch. Also, you will have your own staff to care for the daily chores and laundry and whatever other help, should the need arise.”
“That may take some getting used to,” I replied. Although, I secretly imagined it could be something I wouldn’t mind in the least.
He smiled at me in that knowing way. Obviously, I could have no secrets from him, and he reached across the table and gave my hand a tender squeeze. “Right...”
“But Emrys,” I interrupted with a sly grin before he could say anything else, “you still have not told me where our home is.”
His smile widened and he said, “We are near the town of Folkestone in Kent, about ninety minutes from London. Have you heard of the White Cliffs of Dover?”
“Yes, I have. Isn’t that on the English Channel?” I loved maps, had seen photos, and had read about the beauty of this area, always hoping to see it myself one day.
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