The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  “The winter sunsets in the Hebrides are absolutely magnificent,” Emrys began, “although sometimes the early morning lights can be just as surprising. The windy weather in December and January is beautiful. If you can, imagine the power of thirty foot waves crashing over twenty foot cliffs.” He had a faraway look in his eye, and he added, “The most spectacular and exciting views take place in winter. The temperature rarely falls below freezing, and when it snows, it is short lived. Believe it or not, I think you would enjoy a winter holiday.” The way his eyes glazed over as he remembered the views, I believed he was right. And now, I couldn’t wait.

  I brought our vegetables out into the kitchen, cut up the tomato and tossed our salad as Emrys warmed our thick, creamy potato soup. With the help of two large trays, we managed to get all of our food up to our suite without spilling anything, and as we ate our quiet little meal together at our very own table, Emrys told me more about the beauty of the Hebrides. Now and then he’d lean down and take a spoonful of hot soup and chew the chunks of potatoes thoughtfully.

  “When will we go?” I asked, stabbing a chunk of cucumber and dipping it into the remaining smear of salad dressing on the bottom of my bowl.

  “I think we should plan an extended holiday of sorts, perhaps try a winter cruise.” Emrys took another spoonful of soup, blowing first on the steaming mound, watching for my reaction, though he knew without me responding anyway. It sounded like an adventure I wouldn’t want to pass up. The cold aside, I was never one to say no to a vacation.

  “I will keep you warm enough, you know that.” He gave me a suggestive grin and raised an eyebrow. “And to answer your other question - the one you are wondering about just below the surface of our conversation here - I told our young friend, Royal, that he was free to ask Kelsey to turn him, but that was where his interest in her must end.”

  “I thought you had to call the council together for their approval first.”

  “I took care of that at our last meeting.” His look gave me strength somehow, and his words that followed gave me even more confidence. “I believed your vision of Royal and Kelsey to be true.”

  “You did?” I was overwhelmed with gratitude, and I hoped my warm smile conveyed my feelings as he went on.

  He continued, “Yes, and your vision enabled me to be prepared ahead of time, so I was ready with the answer when Royal asked me. Besides, it is actually just a formality to keep everyone informed. I could have made the decision on my own, and no one would have questioned me.”

  “Oh…really?”

  “Yes. That is the way of it; we try to keep a balance of power, even though I have the final say. I would not want to step on too many toes by taking things into my own hands all the time. It is better for keeping the peace, you see.” He brushed his hair back to prevent it from falling forward into his bowl, and took another spoonful.

  “What about the romance thing? Would you be able to overturn that rule as well?” I knew I was barking up the wrong tree with this one, but I couldn’t stop myself.

  “Elizabeth. Some rules are set in stone and some are in sand. The ones in stone must be obeyed at any cost; the others can be manipulated to a degree, and then only with full knowledge of all the Elders and full consent by unanimous vote. If I make a decision to allow someone to be turned without full approval of the board, no rule has been broken. If I allow a relationship to take place that is not legal, to use a human term you can understand, now that would be breaking a rule, and my position as Regent might come into question. The Guardians may then take action against me, exposing my disregard to the Fellowship of Regents, and I could potentially be voted out with a unanimous decision.” He raised his eyebrows at me. “I have never seen this action take place, nor have I ever voted against a fellow Regent.”

  I mumbled under my breath. “That’s what I figured.”

  “It is something I will consider bringing up next year.”

  “Why wait till next year? It’s just not fair, Emrys. Did you know that Kelsey refers to herself as ‘damaged goods’? It’s ridiculous. And to think that he’s running around the whole planet with other women on his arm; it just makes me sick. Remember the one we saw him with at the gathering? I bet he used her for more than just a snack!”

  He ignored my rattling on about Rohan and his escapades with women, but I could see he was thinking about it as he narrowed his eyes and became pensive.

  “Next June is the Regent’s assembly. If I can convince them to bring this idea to their own societies for a vote, we have a greater chance of our society responding in a positive way. This is one of those rules no one has questioned for centuries, including my own father.” His eyes grew soft at the mention of Ambrose, but I knew more than anything, he felt the sorrow and rejection his own mother must have felt.

  “It is a stupid rule, and one that ruined my whole family.” He put his spoon down and shook his head. “I was very young when my family was torn apart by Idris, but I am quite sure that if my father had not killed him, I would have.” His hands became tight fists of rage as he spoke, and his voice snarled, “Somehow, some way, I would have found his weakness, and when he least expected it....”

  I jumped up and went to him, pulled his head to my chest and cradled it there saying, “Shh. Let’s not talk about this right now.” I kissed the top of his head and held him until his hands finally unclenched. He pushed his chair back and pulled me down onto his lap. Without saying a word, he just held me for a long while, stroking my hair and kissing my forehead. I had no way of knowing for sure, but I imagined he thought about how close he had come to losing me - the same way his father had lost his mother. He knew firsthand how wretched it was to lose a loved one and he had witnessed his father’s slow and steady collapse after the casting out of his wife.

  I sat there wrapped in his sweet embrace, thinking about our upcoming day in London and the trip to Scotland where I’d finally be meeting our famous prophetess. In the midst of these thoughts, Kelsey and Royal popped into my mind once again. I had no doubt that Emrys would bring up the subject of changing the arcane rule which prevented them from being together, and also - somehow he would succeed. And then a feeling came over me that was like nothing I could ever explain. It came from deep inside, hidden so well that it couldn’t be put into words, but suddenly I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that it was not only a good idea to change the rules; it was inexplicably essential.

  CHAPTER 13

  THE GREAT PRETENDER

  I sat straight up from a sound sleep…

  What was that sound?

  I had awoken in a swelter of perspiration with my heart racing. Peering into the darkness, I tried to gather my thoughts and figure out my surroundings.

  Did I just have a nightmare, or was that noise real?

  I threw back the thick covers and gently removed Emrys’ arm from around my waist. I couldn’t believe how overheated I was. The sweat on the nape of my neck turned my hair to clinging, matted strands, and the dampness on my skin gleamed visibly in the dim light. Easing quietly out of bed, I tiptoed to the window and gave it a gentle tug. At once the cool gentle wind caressed my skin bringing along with it the hushed sounds of the night. I breathed deep as I stood in front of the window listening to the crickets chirping and frogs croaking in the nearby pond. A stray cat meowed in the darkness, silencing the crickets for a few moments. The breeze was not helping; I needed a cool shower. I crept past my snoring husband and closed the door, hoping to keep my noise to a minimum.

  After turning the shower off and patting my skin dry with the fluffy white towel, I thought I heard another noise in the hallway. I tried to slip my nightgown back on, but damp skin prevented me from being quick about it. I pulled and yanked it in frenzy, almost ripping it in the process. I cracked open the bathroom door and peered into our hallway. The faint amber light coming from around the corner of our entryway cast long shadows into view. I listened hard, but heard nothing but the far away sounds of the outside ni
ghtlife. Taking a deep breath, I bravely crept out into the darkness, turned the corner into the dimly lit foyer, and approached the locked door. On tiptoes, I peeked out into the outer corridor through the peephole and the sight down at the farthest end of the long hallway blew my mind. It was my old friend and roommate, Kathy!

  This has got to be a dream!

  She was wearing a pink robe with pink slippers and she was coming towards me. When she arrived at the doorway to the library she turned as though she was going in, but just before entering, twisted her head to the left and peered over her shoulder, seemingly directly into my eye. I was shocked and baffled - trying to figure out why she was even here. Ripping open the closet door I grabbed a long sweater. My damp arms prevented me from slipping into it easily, and again I found myself fighting with the fuzzy material, which now clung to me like sticky glue. I finally felt decently covered enough to exit my own doorway, but suddenly realized that Kathy could not possibly be here; something was not right. I ran back into the bedroom.

  “Emrys!” I whispered, shaking his shoulder. “Emrys, wake up! I think I just saw Kathy!”

  He snorted and rolled over.

  I pushed again on his shoulder. “Emrys, please wake up. I have to go see what she’s doing here!”

  He was dead to the world, this time not even a budge.

  My next move proved to be stupid, but I simply had to go see Kathy. I wasn’t the least bit careful when I pulled the door closed behind me, and didn’t worry that the loud click of the latch might wake Emrys. As exhausted as he was; it seemed nothing would rouse him tonight.

  Padding barefooted down the hallway, I found myself wishing I’d taken the time to dress properly. The sweater was too warm and heavy and it felt as though I had never showered at all. My whole body was scorching hot and my mind so fuzzy, that, for a split second, I felt almost faint. I turned into the library and saw someone sitting in the far corner, a large hardcover book hiding his face. Just above the top edge of the book I spotted a baseball cap.

  Royal always wears a baseball cap!

  Behind the reader, a roaring fire burned giving off red and orange-colored light throughout the room; it was the only light besides the small table lamp. The reader held the book up higher revealing the drab uniform that all of our guards wore while on-duty. Wondering where Kathy had gone so quickly, I thought that maybe she had gone down the spiral staircase to the lower level after she realized this room was already occupied. But then, the more I thought about Kathy being here at Ravenswynd, the more I thought I had to be dreaming.

  Stepping farther into the room, the crushing warmth of the fireplace enveloped me like an unwelcomed embrace. Feeling so blistering hot made me dizzy and lightheaded and again I wished I’d taken the time to put cooler clothes on.

  Why am I so bloody hot?

  I wiped my brow, not at all surprised to feel the perspiration. My intention was not to interrupt the reader, so I planned to inch past him to get to the stairs, hopefully without being noticed at all. I tiptoed along the floor as quietly as I could - keeping my eyes straight ahead, and just as I was about to pass his chair, a hot hand clutched my wrist. With a surprised gasp, I stopped abruptly and turned toward him, shocked that Royal would dare to goof around like this. But before I could say a word, he twisted me around, pulled me down onto his lap, and I ended up facing away from him. His hand went instantly to my mouth to prevent my attempted scream from escaping, and he held me tight in his fiery grasp. Immediately I knew… this was not Royal! Suddenly, sickeningly, I knew exactly who it was.

  I struggled helplessly, but he had a straitjacket hold on me. Exhausted and even more overheated from the struggle, and barely able to breathe, I had no other choice but to stop squirming, sit still, and wait to see what my fate had in store for me.

  He whispered into my ear, and even though I didn’t want to believe it, when he called me by his pet name I knew it was true.

  Rohan was back, and like an idiot - I had walked squarely into his trap.

  “There, there,” he cooed. “Now just relax like a good girl and no one will get hurt. Did you miss me, Scarlett?”

  His mouth was so close to my ear that I could feel the heat of his breath. I was filled with rage, but too afraid to make a move, imagining he probably had his knife close by - again. Emrys was sound asleep, I didn’t have a chance of being rescued - not this time.

  “When I take my hand away, you will not scream. Do you want to know why you won’t scream, sweet Scarlett? I’ll tell you why.” His tone had started out condescending, but turned menacing when he snarled, “Better yet, I’ll show you why.”

  He swiveled the chair around to face the back of the library. Far in the dark corner, to the right of the spiral staircase, partly hidden behind a large table, sat my friend Kathy. She was tied at the wrists and ankles with straps and ropes, mouth gagged with a long white scarf. She was still wearing her pink robe and slippers, and I could barely make out her face, but she wore a look of horror and dread as her black mascara ran in smudges down her cheeks.

  Rohan loosened his grip from around my middle for one second and snapped his fingers. Immediately a man appeared from behind Kathy’s chair. When he rose from his crouched position, I saw something in his hand glinting in the faint light.

  It was a knife. He grinned crazily; yanking Kathy’s hair and pulling her head back and then held the blade to her throat. Her eyes opened wide in sheer terror.

  This man had to be one of the ugliest and meanest looking creatures I had ever set my eyes on. He was very short and thick, and had long stringy wisps of drab, gray hair. His eyes were black, set too far apart, and protruded out like golf balls. His face was filled with red bumps that looked like small volcanoes ready to erupt at any moment. And then to make matters worse, I heard the familiar clicking sound and realized that Rohan’s companion was also a vampire - and he was ready to strike. Although she couldn’t scream, Kathy’s muffled moans revealed her horrific dread. It was plain to see that no amount of struggle would set her free as two large ropes kept her secure in the chair.

  “Now, Scarlett, if you promise to keep quiet, I will uncover your mouth and your friend will not be harmed.” He gave me a firm squeeze to show that he was the one in control. “Do we have a deal?”

  Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded, trying not to cry, although the tears began to escape.

  Giving up my freedom for my friend’s life. What else could I do under these circumstances?

  He eased his hand away slowly, and I let out a quiet sob, “Please, don’t hurt her! I’ll do anything you say - just leave her out of it!”

  “Shh. There-there.” His attempt to be soothing was phony and cruel. “If you keep your word, I will keep mine. If not, Teivel here will have your friend for dinner... and I believe he is very hungry.”

  “I promise. Let her go, please.” I pleaded with my captor. The evil, disgusting Teivel snickered, still toying with the knife. He stared at me, but his other hand pulled harder on Kathy’s hair and he yanked her head farther back with an abrupt jerk, exposing her neck. He gave me a sinister grin, licking his lips in anticipation.

  “Stop!” I whimpered.

  With a hard slap, Rohan’s hand clamped back over my mouth, and beneath his tight palm I felt my lip puff up like a balloon.

  “Be silent!” he growled. “Another word and he’ll have her.” And then, taking his time, he finally removed his hand from my mouth.

  Through my tears I could see Teivel sniffing in as though he was trying to smell Kathy. He grunted wildly like an animal and his head bobbed up and down like a crazed maniac. I wondered if he had been some sort of mental patient, deranged in personality at least, and these were the emotions he brought with him into his eternity. It appeared that his characteristics were not improved when he was turned, and it seemed he was so evil that his face had remained ugly and scarred as well. He behaved like a wild beast waiting for its food. I even saw what seemed to be a thick metal dog
collar around his neck. My next thought was that he was Rohan’s pet, and I had to stop myself from pointing this out. I recalled how sometimes pet owners, in time, end up resembling the animal’s personalities as well as their looks, and I stifled a frantic snicker. Rohan pulled me tighter into his lap, squeezing the air out of my lungs momentarily, and stifling even my thoughts about making a snide remark.

  I closed my eyes, screaming in my head for Emrys. I didn’t think that he could hear me when he was asleep, but I hoped that maybe he stirred a bit when I left, or perhaps the open window and the noises from outdoors would wake him.

  Emrys!

  Panic started to set in as it became clearer to me what was about to happen. My heartbeat was wild, and sweat poured off me like a marathon runner. I had to force myself to remain still and silent - as ordered, but inside I continued to scream Emrys’ name.

  “Much better. Now, make me proud and stand up slowly.” The tone in his voice was so mocking and condescending; it made me furious. I had barely opened my swollen lips to speak when his hand smashed down on my mouth yet again. I leaned forward and together we stood, his arm still around my middle, and after he removed his hand from my face, I licked my fat lip, tasting my own blood.

  Letting go of my middle, he quickly latched onto my wrist with a firm, scorching grip. His other hand reached inside a pocket and pulled out a small silver boxlike object with several buttons.

  “This is how I will tell Teivel it is time to partake of his sweet little dessert - if you try anything.” He held the device in front of my face. “This little button right here, see?” He pointed to a green button with his thumb.

  A remote control for the dog collar?

  “Can I speak?” I whispered in a shaky voice.

  “If you can keep your voice low, you may.” He snickered arrogantly, so proud of the control he had over the three of us.