Crimson Sunrise (17 page)

As I walked along this gorgeous path of creation, I rejoiced in the wonder of the earth and the power that emitted from it. Each step brought the sun closer, and the comforting waves of heat warmed my skin. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, drinking it in.

When I reopened them, my heart hammered in alarm. I stood between two places—one light, the other dark.

To my left was the lush world of creation, full of life. To the right was the crimson I had struggled through to find it. One step would decide which path I followed, left or right, back or forward. But I knew once I made my choice, the other would disappear, and there was no going back.

I hesitated, uncertainty suffocating me.

Lifting my eyes, I strained to see ahead in the distance, struggling to focus in the gray area between light and dark.

Then, I saw her.

John’s grandmother approached, no longer slow or restrained. Her strides were purposeful, strong, and confident. Her form flickered between the two lines of light and dark, coming closer, until she stopped before me.

“Welcome child of the earth. Walk with me.”

She reached for my hand, pulling me along with her. We walked the line together, our footsteps falling into an easy rhythm. Her fingers drifted up, surrounding my wrist, and touched the skin where Decimus had bitten.

“He comes for you,” she said, looking forward, eyes focused on the gray path ahead.

I lowered my face, whispering in response, “I know.”

“That is good.” She bobbed her head in approval. “To be prepared is to accept that which you cannot change.”

“I don’t want to die,” I confessed softly, regret for all those things I didn’t want to miss creating a heavy weight in my chest.

She smiled at that. “The cold one fears his death as well.”

“I don’t want to kill him.” I gently tugged my hand free and pulled it into my chest.

“That which we want, and that which we must see to”—she lifted her hands into the air on either side of her body—“do not always go hand in hand.”

“Can you stop speaking in riddles?”

Eyes growing wide, she shoved close, grabbed my head in her frail hands, and pulled my face down to hers. Her onyx eyes seemed endless as they stared deeply into mine. An elated smile appeared on her face, lifting the lines around her eyes and mouth. She let go of my face, clapping her hands together, and released a hoot of laughter.

“The cold one knows he has met his equal, and he is right to quake. You will find your own path, and you must trust in your decisions.”

“What can I do to stop this?” I asked desperately.

She shook her head, her old eyes warm and seeking to comfort. “One cannot stop that which has been set into motion. You can only play the hand you have been dealt.”

“I can’t do this,” I told her, fear striking like a knife deep inside my soul.

She stepped toward me and reached up to skim her fingers along my face.

“You will come to see me when you are ready.” She patted me gently on the cheek. “Fear not, child. You are alone no more.”

She turned, walking away, and I hurried to keep pace. My feet felt laden and I couldn’t move them quickly enough. I pushed harder, sloshing through grass that felt like thick mud.

“Wait!” I cried out to her departing form. I had so many questions to ask, so many things to understand.

She continued on her journey without hearing, and I felt my chest heave as I drew air into my lungs to call for her, but no sounds emerged. Warm hands gently surrounded my face, brushing hair free from my cheeks and creating a tender path across my jaw.

“Emma.” Caleb’s voice pulled me from the oblivion.

My eyes fluttered open and I blinked rapidly as I brought his face into focus. Blue irises, so like crushed velvet, flickered back and forth between my eyes, his lips hovering directly over mine. His face was covered in a dark shadow, and I knew the hair would be as lush as the most expensive cashmere.

“Caleb.” Pressing my lips against his, I grasped his arms with my hands.

The smells of forest entered my nose, the strong scent of pine, dirt and leaves raging under my skin and out, ravaging all of my senses. I shoved closer to him, desperate to feel his body locked against my own, to feel his weight pressing against me.

Thrashing, I managed to shove the blankets free of my legs. I urged him to place his body over mine, inviting him to merge into me. I wrapped my hands around his back, guiding him to my body. His weight was not nearly enough, I wanted more.

He opened his mouth and his tongue ran along my lips. I mirrored the movement, enticing him to do more, and when he did, I lost myself in the sensation of kissing him. My hands came around to the back of his head, and I ran my fingers through the silky strands. Tugging on his neck, I shoved my breasts into the cotton T-shirt covering his chest.

“
Emma
,” he groaned against my lips.

He wanted this as badly as I did. We both wanted to feel each other. Being apart had been devastating, but the reunion made it all worthwhile. I’d forgotten just how good he felt and just how delicious he tasted.

“Where’s Sarah,” I asked huskily, remembering she had slept on a pallet in his bedroom the night before. As he was leaning over the bed with his feet on the floor, I was sure she was gone.

“She’s with Derek.” His voice thickened, his lips finding my ear and blowing warm air inside, creating a wave of heat that wound inside the canal and traveled down my spine.

“Lock the door,” I panted, uncaring about where we were or who was downstairs. I pulled away and looked into his face. He looked breathtaking like this, his short hair spiked around the temples by my fingers, the full stubble that had been left to grow pervading the contours of his face.

“We can’t.” He lowered his mouth and groaned against my throat, pressing a soft kiss at the sensitive hollow just below.

“Why not?”

I tried to tempt him, reaching through his arms and lifting his shirt. When my fingers met the hot skin along his back, I raked my fingernails up and down his shoulders.

“Remember my built in birth control?” He lifted away and peered down. “The alarm is sounding.”

“No.” I groaned against his chest, pent-up sexual energy demanding release with nowhere to go.

“I know,” he grumbled in agreement, brushing his soft, whiskered face against my neck. “I’ve missed you too.”

He pressed his face into my nape, breathing deeply. His entire body stilled and he abruptly moved way, staring at me strangely while shaking his head. He cleared his nose in a snort, lowered his face, and tried again.

“What’s wrong?” I laughed at his perturbed expression. He looked mildly confused, as well as a tad unnerved. Deep pools of blue took me in, flickering anxiously across my face and neck.

“You smell different.”

“Is that a polite way of telling me I stink, Caleb? If it is, you really need to work on your approach and delivery. Otherwise I might get offended.” I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed but finding myself totally amused.

“I’m serious, Emma,” he said in obvious concern. “It’s so faint, but it’s there, and it’s different.”

“I did share a crap load of energy with Sarah yesterday.” I stopped, remembering my dream. I looked at the window. The sun was shining outside. It wasn’t
too
early to call, although it might piss John off. “I need the phone!”

“What—”

I couldn’t push past Caleb’s solid body, so I used another method. Climbing around him and scurrying off the end of the bed, I hauled ass from the bedroom. I ignored his confused request that I come back, striding quickly down the hallway. My socked feet slipped on the wooden flooring and I righted myself at the stairs, tumbling down them frantically while making a beeline for the kitchen.

After dashing to the phone, I pulled it free from the receiver and scrolled through the memory. John’s number was there, it had to be. I clicked down until I scored pay dirt. There it was, stored on redial. Exhaling in relief, I pushed talk and pressed the little button that would dial his number. I listened as it dialed out, pressing the phone against my ear.

Caleb appeared in the doorway, his broad shoulders nearly as wide. He was still frowning at me, but his face was lovely nonetheless. He looked incredible in his wrinkled black T-shirt and blue jeans, exactly as he was the first time we met, and I knew I wouldn’t have him any other way. I gave him an impish grin as I raked my eyes up and down his frame.

“Who are you calling?”

I lifted my hand, listening to the rings on the other end of the line. After my dream, I knew I had to meet with John’s grandmother. I felt silly for allowing Sarah to get the better of me. Next time I would put my foot down. I was tired of being treated like a child.

Caleb narrowed his eyes and delivered a brash snort, reminding me of an angry bull in a ring facing a blazing red flag. I giggled at him and he sighed in annoyance, crossing the kitchen and walking to the refrigerator. He pulled open the door just as John answered.

“Hello?”

“John? It’s Emma Johnson. Haven’s friend. Remember me?”

Caleb peeked around the silver refrigerator door and our eyes met. I lifted my eyebrows in a silently mocking “what” and shrugged. He shook his head before vanishing behind the door again, shuffling things around.

John coughed, clearing his throat repeatedly, as if he couldn’t find his voice. “I remember. What can I do for you?”

I tried to sound as apologetic as possible which, fortunately for me, wasn’t difficult. I did feel terrible about Sarah’s behavior. “I’m really sorry for the way my friend behaved. She was out of line and I wanted to apologize.” He didn’t say anything so I swallowed my pride and jumped in headfirst. “I was hoping that maybe I could take your grandmother up on the offer to come back to visit?”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

The need to speak to her overrode all propriety. “I know you’re probably angry, and I don’t blame you, but I wish you’d give me the opportunity to apologize to her.”

“It’s not that,” John corrected me. “You are always welcome here.”

I realized there were sounds in the background, quiet whispers, as if he were in a room full of people.

“Did I call at a bad time? I can call back later if you’d like.”

“No.” He sighed into the phone. “I guess there is no way to say this except to say it. The reason I say it’s not possible to see Mamaw isn’t because I’m angry or because you’re not welcome here, so please don’t think that.” He drew in a deep breath and released it, his exhale rasping into the receiver. “The reason I say it is because it’s literally
not
possible. Mamaw passed away in her sleep the night you left.”

Chapter 14—Snow Flakes

The halfbloods were gone.

Derek and Sarah returned to Haven’s cabin to find both bodies removed from the scene. The only indication that something terrible had transpired came courtesy of the bloodstains along the wooden porch and the dark puddles near the lake that had crusted into the dirt. Whoever took care of the clean up made sure to leave an empty trail.

There wasn’t even a scent to follow.

When Derek and Sarah returned to the Blackney household, they were anxious and agitated. Derek’s normally playful demeanor was absent, replaced by a seriousness I had never encountered from him before. Sarah continued to be edgy and uncharacteristically short tempered. As much as I wanted to sympathize with the two of them, I had my own problems, and they went by the names Caleb and Trent.

I had misguidedly believed they would find common ground given the circumstances and events we had been through together, but it just wasn’t in the cards. The testosterone levels were unbearable, and even though there shouldn’t have been any competition for my attention, you wouldn’t know it from their behavior or attitudes.

The current living arrangements compounded the matter. The house was beyond capacity. Sammie’s room was understandably off limits, which left one guest bedroom. Even if my mother, father, and Trent didn’t need to sleep, they did need a private space, especially with the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

I waited until Trent and Caleb were distracted and snagged Caleb’s coat off the rack. After I slipped out the back door, I walked along the tree line that extended along the back of the property. The wooded area was completely compressed, the trees making it impossible for grass to find life in the ground.

The sun couldn’t break through the thick winding branches that formed an intricate covering overhead, eclipsing the sky even as the leaves started to fall and left them bare. The temperature dipped noticeably as I stepped into the shaded cover, and I pulled the leather coat closed, wrapping my arms across my chest.

The campsite was easy to find. Trees had been cut in a round circumference, creating a space that was open, clear, and unobstructed. In the center of the numerous stumps used as seats was a fire pit. The darkened ashes had long since dissipated, lingering only along the large rocks that had been placed in the middle.

Caleb told me the family used this spot whenever the pack gathered together. He and his father had spent several weeks clearing out the trees and cutting them down, preparing an area for the masses when they hosted the festivities. Maybe this year they’d have the celebration on the farm and I would get to see what werewolf reunions were all about. It couldn’t be any worse than the ascension. At least I could wear casual clothing.

I took a seat on one of the stumps, snuggling into the warmth of Caleb’s leather jacket, and looked around. It was quiet here, a nice spot to get away from the insanity. If there was one thing to be missed about my parents’ home in Scotland, it was the huge cliff overlooking the raging water behind the manor. I missed the serenity of standing above the ocean, listening as the waves crashed into the rocky beach below and I tasted the salty air as it drifted up from the surf.

A movement caught my attention and I trailed it without moving, eyes rotating while my head remained still. It was so miniscule, nothing to take note of, and yet I couldn’t stop concentrating on it. My legs shifted and I was standing before I was aware that I had moved. Slowly stalking across the opened circle, I moved to the other side. My entire body tensed in anticipation. I listened, hearing the tiny scamper of leaves and twigs as the object scurried and burrowed, harvesting and scavenging.