The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  Amrita suddenly stepped closer to Kelsey. The sunlight shone on Amrita’s slicked back hair causing the copper streak to glimmer and when she turned to face Kelsey the light glinted off of her medallion making the owl’s yellow eyes appear to blink… twice.

  And then surprising us all, she asked, “Did you know my mother very well, Kelsey?”

  I caught Melinda’s fleeting look of disbelief, and assumed she had wondered the exact same thing as I did.

  How could decades go by without these two ever having this conversation?

  Or did it take the words of a very wise and honorable man, one who was also kind and understanding, generous and fair, for this type of exchange to take place? Or, was it just the fact that Kelsey and her mother were finally recognized as part of the Raven society now that their contract was over? The only other option, which I refused to believe - was that Amrita thought herself too far above a servant to have a real conversation. Although, that seemed quite unrealistic; even though she tried to portray herself as a dark, Goth type, tattoos and piercings to boot, she was actually a kind-hearted soul herself, so much like her brother.

  I strolled away from the conversation at hand, gazing at all the flowers, listening to the crunch and crackle of the colored leaves underfoot, trying to be nonchalant, but picking up bits of Kelsey’s explanation. I wasn’t quite sure how comfortable she felt talking about the past.

  “Mum kept me away from everyone for a long time. I only saw your mother when I cleared the table. She always smiled at me, but, we never really spoke much. One thing I remember about her though is when she smiled, her eyes lit up like bright golden nuggets. She was very pretty. And I know she had a kind heart too. Phoebe didn’t treat the servants as if she was better than they were. She was the one person me mum trusted. After she…left, mum went into a long quiet time; as if she was in mourning.” She sighed and added, “All I had then was my garden. Until the day Rohan came strolling in and told me he liked my flowers.”

  I made such an abrupt turn that Kelsey was startled, took a step back and gave a quick gasp. “Well, that’s another story,” she said crouching down to pick a weed, trying to busy herself. As pristine and perfect as this place appeared, I imagined she spent every waking moment, or all her time away from the house - picking weeds. Her sad brown eyes shifted to me, probably wishing she could take back the comment about Rohan, and she asked, “Would you like to see anything else out here? Oh, perhaps we could all sit more comfortably in the gazebo out in the side lawn!” It suddenly seemed like she wanted to get me away from the garden, and any lingering memories of Rohan.

  We agreed to sit in the gazebo, and meandered back through the maze of plants, flowers, and yard ornaments toward the arched flower trellis. Once on the walkway that circled around the estate, we followed it to the south, passing the half-moon shaped patio I had seen in one of my visions. From here I could see the big pond with the black swans floating about aimlessly. I started wondering if we might have to stop at the patio and duck under the umbrella table; the breeze was gentle and the sun still peeked out from the small clouds that drifted by, but I could definitely smell the rain coming. As a vampire, my sensory faculties had become quite sharp.

  From the vantage point in the gazebo, far out past a long and wide-open area of green grass, looking down a softly sloping hill, the sea was visible. Looking dark and foreboding, it appeared almost black. Thick, dark clouds, which I assumed contained the rain, seemed low enough to touch the water. Directly above us and to the north, the sun still peeked out intermittently, but the wind was beginning to pick up. As we sat and chatted, I kept my eyes on the approaching storm, and after another half hour or so, Royal came strolling down the pathway, looking for us.

  All of a sudden, an unspoken but mutually embarrassing moment occurred between my sister and me. Being the newest Ravens in this small group, we still had not gained full control over our never-ending need to quench our thirst; and now Royal’s tempting human scent had preceded him. Sitting right beside me, it was easy to hear that familiar click coming from Lindy, just as my fangs made an unwelcomed appearance. We glanced at one another, quickly gained control, and by the startled look on Lindy’s face, we both hoped no one else had noticed.

  “Miss Elizabeth, I’ve been sent to collect you for your fencing lesson,” Royal said calmly. I was thankful he hadn’t noticed the clicking sound. At least I hoped he hadn’t.

  “Miss Amrita, Larkin requests your presence in the library, and Miss Melinda, Gavin said he would be ready for your trip within the hour.” He tipped his head to the side and glanced at Kelsey for only a moment. It was obvious he wanted to speak with her, but kept silent.

  “Thank you, Royal,” I said with a nod. I turned to Melinda and Amrita as we all stood, adding, “I hope they’ve figured out how to make this place more secure. I’m not sure I can take any more surprises.” Not that there was any use in worrying, I knew Emrys would protect me, as long as I stayed near to him and didn’t wander off foolishly like I had done that night. This latest event seemed to be more than he could take. After all, it certainly wasn’t a common occurrence to be kidnapped. The very thought made my stomach roll into a knot.

  Shaking the dreadful feeling off, I turned to say goodbye to Kelsey and to thank her for the tour, but I saw that Royal had finally gained a bit of courage, and was sitting next to her - they were already deep in conversation. He looked more intense than he had a moment ago, and I didn’t want to interrupt, especially once I noticed the smile erupt on her face. I had my lesson to contend with and, before that appointment, I hoped to corner my sweet husband and get some information out of him. And now, after that brief sweet-scented moment, I was so thirsty.

  Wow, did anyone besides Melinda notice how sweet Royal smelled today? He certainly would be quite delicious.

  I quickly tossed that notion aside and stepped down off the gazebo. Sandwiched between my two sisters, one by blood and one by marriage, I strolled along, keeping an eye on my footing. Some of the bricks in the walkway were uneven and jagged and not easy to step on with any grace. Later on, it occurred to me that no one had said anything; perhaps neither of the girls saw him either, but out of nowhere Emrys appeared directly in front of me, and I rammed into him headfirst. He reached out grabbing my hands to prevent me from tumbling backwards.

  “Oh! I didn’t see you!” I said with a start.

  His hair glimmered like black iridescent silk in the fading sunlight; his adoring eyes warmed my heart. His grip sent waves of electricity coursing through me from my fingertips to my toes.

  Will I ever get used to this?

  His smile was contagious, and once again I was captivated by his gaze. Amrita and Melinda kept on walking, calling out their good-byes for the day. I nodded in their direction, but the words caught in my throat, and within moments I heard the back door closing with a crunch.

  “Hello, my wife.” His voice was a sweet melody to my ears. “Did you enjoy your walk about?”

  “Hello, my husband. Yes, I did.” I nodded affirmatively, our eyes still locked together.

  He let go of one of my hands and pulled me toward him, saying, “I would love to kiss you.” Our lips met with an electrical link, much like a live wire. Electric cherry kisses followed.

  “You taste delicious,” he said, pulling back and licking his luscious lips. “I do not think anyone could surpass you.” The slight crinkle in his forehead made me think he implied something more. At first I didn’t catch on, but then I realized he had been standing outside waiting for us to return from the gazebo, eavesdropping.

  Could he feel a bit insecure after hearing my private thought about Royal’s delectable scent?

  “And no one could surpass your sweetness either, my love,” I said, giving him an understanding smile.

  “You caught me,” he said with a sly grin. “You must be thirsty.”

  “I am. It does seem strange though. I thought we could feed every three days or so, and that would
be enough. Why do you suppose I am so thirsty already? You gave me such a large amount only last night!” I didn’t want to be one of those greedy vampires who needed to have an endless supply of blood on a daily basis. That couldn’t be good for a group of Ravens who were trying to remain inconspicuous.

  “I believe the fever depleted you,” he said. “It appears to be quite similar to human dehydration; you may need to replenish yourself more often until you are back to normal.”

  I wondered then how different my kidnapping might have gone if not for that fateful fever. It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It had been during my delirious dreaming that I realized how to get away from Rohan. I remembered Emrys had called it fever dreams. It was the one time in my life that being sick actually ended up saving me.

  Catching the look on Emrys’ face as he picked up my fleeting thought, I gave him a quick smile and asked, “And during this time of extreme thirst, is it normal to be so keenly aware of the human scent?” I wasn’t trying to make excuses, but it was obvious my senses were at their highest.

  And it certainly wasn’t my fault Royal smelled so damn good.

  After all, it was no different from having someone walk past you with buckets of perfume on; impossible to miss the waves of sweet fragrance drifting haphazardly in the air behind them.

  Emrys grinned as we started strolling back toward the building, his arm around my waist, leading me gently along. “It is normal. Come; let us go feed you before you find another human to devour.” I knew he was kidding, for the most part anyway. But deep down inside, I hoped I would never be that tempted.

  CHAPTER 2

  THUNDER STORM

  As Emrys poured and warmed our drinks, the rain I had smelled earlier arrived with a loud crack of thunder. I was beginning to think that we’d never get to practice outside before winter set in completely. I stood at the window watching the wind blasting the rain sideways like tiny clear shards of glass. I shivered, thinking of the chilly rain outside, and was happy for the warmth indoors, but especially happy at the sound of the beeping microwave.

  After a satisfying glass of Ambrosia, a change of clothes, and a walk down to the lower level of the estate, we started exercising in the fencing arena. Thinking back to my first lesson, except for the addition of more French words, this one was a carbon copy. The only difference was that I was in a much better place in my mind, which made everything seem easier - both mentally and physically. I imagined that this sport could be very helpful to me in more ways than one. It certainly beat the boredom of walking on a treadmill, and most likely worked many more muscles in the process. Toward the end of our practice session, with many aching muscles, I found myself eagerly looking forward to a long, hot soak in our hot tub. And that is exactly what we did. That - and a few other activities took place; these now being the normal consequences whenever we found ourselves either in a state of undress, or within close proximity to a bed. Our connection was once again much like an electrical storm: hair-raising, thunderous, and wet.

  Eventually we made our way to the bedroom and flopped down onto the bed in a heap of exhaustion. I finally had a moment to ask Emrys how the meeting had gone, but his answer wasn’t exactly what I had expected: “We will have two guards on duty at all times, and they will take turns patrolling the perimeter of the estate both day and night. All the locks will be changed and an electronic security system is set to be installed next week.” He rolled sideways facing me, holding his head up with a hand, gazing into my eyes. “Until then,” he went on, “someone will be with you at all times, and a guard is to be posted right outside of our quarters whenever I am not here. I shall also put the word out to all the other societies. Everyone will be vigilant to keep you safe, my lovely wife.”

  “No guard dogs then?” I asked, reaching over and gently stroking his face, feeling the scruffiness of his perpetual five o’clock shadow.

  He grinned at my touch and said, “That is one subject we must continue to discuss. It seems we would need to hire trainers first. No one here is well versed on the intricate details of how to handle the vicious beasts.”

  This made me laugh. Vampires worried about dealing with guard dogs; that was just too much. “Are you worried someone might get bit by one of the beasts?”

  “More likely, the animals would end up much like Teivel’s dogs. Apparently, they sense our own brute strength and then become docile, and more afraid of us than we could ever be of them.” Lying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, he said, “I recently recalled an incident which took place not long after I was first turned, where I came upon a pack of wild dogs out in the forest. And even though my first impulse was to run in the opposite direction, I decided to simply hold my ground. I stood firm and solid as they came closer. Their growling turned to whimpers as I reached out with a closed hand.” Emrys held up a fist and smiled.

  I shot straight up to a sitting position, shocked by his story, and said, “You punched one of them?”

  “No, no. I let them smell me, just as you did. As soon as they were aware of my scent, they became afraid of me and turned docile. And now, I believe that is exactly what happened to you the other day. All this time, I had mistakenly assumed it was just me. Obviously, guard dogs would not work on Rohan either, unless there was a way to train them to attack specific individuals, regardless of their scent.” He pulled me back down into his arms as he caught my recollection of the events that unfolded that fateful night. They were not pleasant memories, and I tried to shake them.

  “It’s true about the dogs, but I really don’t want to talk about the rest of it.” I tried to roll away from him, but he held me tight, and I sensed a new urgency in him.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, surprised. We were now on our sides facing each other and I felt a nudging on my thigh. I glanced down between us, amazed by his never-ending ability to be so easily aroused, and so soon after our hot tub escapades.

  He was not amused by my amazement, and asked, “You do not want me?” He caressed my backside and pulled me even closer, pressing himself to me. The electrical surges began at once all over my body; tiny tingly pin pricks at first, and then rushes of energy that came in waves. I kissed him fully on the mouth as I was now astounded at how my own body erupted in response to his.

  I rolled forward pushing him back and sat on top of him and in a voice not quite my own, whispered, “Oh, I want you. I want you very badly.”

  His eyes flew wide open when I managed to guide him effortlessly in one swift movement, and he let out an excited moan.

  Within moments we were both struck with billows of electrical energy; our shared excitement more of a physical phenomenon than just the joining of two. His breathing came hard as he grasped my hips and we moved together. It was exciting and electrifying. And fast. What shocked me the most wasn’t the fact that our meeting culminated simultaneously, but rather the scream that came forth from my own mouth, both quite unexpected and loud. Immediately afterwards, we couldn’t help but to laugh hysterically. If nothing else, I had high hopes that the laughing proved to anyone who may have overheard, that all was, indeed, well within our ridiculously happy home.

  And then, exhaustion took over and we slept. For reasons unknown to me, thunderstorms always seemed to cause me to dream. And not just any dream – my unusual and recurring dream which happened to be a most frightening one. This particular day it returned once again, and seemed more real than ever:

  I was sixteen again, just a few years past the time Fiona had first told us about the vampire legends. Melinda and I were in our room upstairs. Even though it was after midnight, we weren’t worried that our giggling and music playing would wake our foster parents since our room was far enough away from theirs. We had been listening to our favorite music on the radio, talking about school and friends and boys, and taking turns brushing each other’s hair. The window was open and gentle warm breezes blew in, along with sounds of crickets and far away train whistles.
We polished one another’s nails, played a game of checkers, and finally turned off the lights a little past one o’clock.

  Within a short time I could tell Lindy had fallen asleep by her steady and slow breathing. Having a difficult time falling asleep, I stared at the alarm clock; the numbers glowed just past two and I was frustrated with my inability to relax. The streetlight just outside of our house kept our bedroom slightly illuminated, but the sweet breeze kept me from closing the drapes to block out the irritating light. I closed my eyes and wished for sleep to come, tossing and turning for what the clock told me was another hour. When I opened my eyes again, in the reflection of the mirror, I saw a dark figure standing just outside of our bedroom door. My heart lodged itself in my throat as I yanked my head to look over my shoulder toward the doorway. But I saw nothing. When I turned back and looked into the mirror, the figure was not only still there, it seemed to be inside the doorway about a foot closer than the first time I saw it. My loud gasp woke Melinda. She sat straight up in bed and asked me what was wrong in her most annoyed voice.

  “I saw something in the doorway, Lindy,” I whispered. I kept my eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see if it was closer still.