Mystic Embrace (20 page)

“
I’ll help you with anything that can. What do you need me to do?”

“
What do you know about angels? I’m wondering if these could actually be mine and Eliza’s guardians. We’ve known that we are witches for almost two years now and we still have never seen any sign of our guardian yet. Now I know you said he or she will come to us when we need it most.”

Matt goes to get some of his training books and begins to look through the pages as if he knows what to look for.

“
What is it you’re looking for Matt?” I ask sitting down next to him.

“
I just remember learning about angels. They don’t usually show themselves or make their presence known. There’s got to be a reason that they’ve come to you,” Matt explains as he continues to search his notes.

“
What would an angel possibly want with a vampire witch?” Eliza asks.

“
From what I can find in my notes angels appear to those that can help them. They must believe that you are able to help them with something. Now we just have to figure out what it is they need help with.” Matt closes his books and puts them on the table.

I decide it’s a good idea to put all our concerns aside and enjoy the rest of the night with friends. Eliza and I can try to contact Grams later.

“
So Nate, how’s your mom feeling, and how far along she anyways?” I ask.

“
She is actually feeling pretty good. She’s getting huge.” He laughs. “Turns out she is due the middle of November. Mom and Dad wanted to wait until they were sure that Mom wouldn’t miscarry. She’s like five or six months now, to be honest I don’t really pay much attention, I’m happy for them, but come on, I’m a guy, how excited can I get?” he jokes.

Sophia gives him a little slap. I think it’s so funny how she tries to keep him in line. It’s amazing how less than two years ago, I felt like such an outsider. Matt and I had just started dating when I received my powers. I didn’t think anyone could accept me and I tried to push him away. When Sophia showed up, I was terrified that everything was going to go down the toilet. Looking around the room at those who mean so much to me, I’m flabbergasted at how things have changed and how I’ve not only grown to love them as friends but as family too. I would’ve never thought of myself as lucky before, but how can I not? When I see my wonderful husband, our daughter, my sister and her true love, and my two best friends all around me, I feel completely blessed.

“
I think we all better go and let the three of you enjoy your first night here,” Alexander suggests.

“
Thank you so much for trying to help me figure all this out. I guess we’ll have to try and come up with another plan to fight the Cerberus again.”

As others see their way out, Matt and I get ready for a nice cozy night on the couch with some movies on.

“
So now that the others are gone, can we try to figure out what these angels may want from me?” I ask while pulling my knees close to my chest, and turning to look at Matt.

“
I’ve been trying to remember my lessons and all I can really say are angels are complicated.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
There are many different kinds of angels. There’s guardian angels, arc angels, fallen angels and even something called Nephilim.”

“
A Nephilim, what the hell is a Nephilim?”

“
A Nephilim, is the offspring of an angel, most commonly a fallen angel and a mortal. They appear to be mortal, until their eighteenth birthday. At which that point, they began to gain powers.”

“
What kind of powers, do they get?”

Matt takes a deep breath, “Well, that is where things get really complicated. They get their wings, for one, which gives them the power to fly. They also gain all the powers that angels have. Now sometimes this is good, but just like anything else a Nephilim can be good or bad,” he tries to explain.

“
So you’re telling me there are people walking around with wings under their coat?”

“
Not quite, their wings are concealed unless they need them. And don’t be fool by the color of their wings. Black does not always mean evil or male, and white does not always mean good or female.”

I crawl up next to Matt and rest my head on his shoulder trying to ponder what the angels could want from me, and how I’m going to help them. My mind is starting to work overtime, wondering why all these supernatural beings are coming to me. I guess I’m just going to have to wait for them to come to me again.

Chapter
Twenty-Eight

Dinner Plans

The Cerberus hasn’t attacked as quickly as last time. This concerns me. Although we have more time to train I worry about what they’re up to. With everything going on, all of us from the group that graduated decide to put off Collage for a year. With the Exception of Nathanial, since he’s receiving a scholarship, there is no choice but for him to go. I know that Sophia feels he’s safer at Harvard with Luke. I know it’s hard for him to leave with his mom having the baby in only two months. Sophia plans to drive up to visit him quite often, and he also drives home on the weekends when he and Luke aren’t training. It’s only been three weeks since he’s been gone, but at least we don’t have to be concerned about him when the Cerberus attacks again.

Walking into the manor, Eliza comes running and throws her arms around me.

“
Hey, you okay, Sis?” I ask.

“
Yeah, I am great; I just miss having you around. Plus I miss my beautiful little niece.” She winks as she grab Elyn’s carrier from me. “Come on Elyn, let’s get you out of the seat.” Eliza takes Elyn to the family room and begins to unbuckle the harness straps.

“
Um….Oh never mind.” I prepare to warn Eliza, but chuckle at the thought of letting her see for herself.

She gets the straps off Elyn’s shoulders and prepares to lift her from the seat. “Come here aunties little peanut.”

Elyn reaches her arms up and floats right out of her carrier, circling Eliza. I can’t help but to burst into laughter watching Eliza’s mouth hit the ground as she swings around.

“
What the…?” she screams.

“
Oh, I guess you haven’t played tag with Elyn yet,” I say barely able to get the words out.

Matt walks in, lets out a hearty chuckle and says, “Elyn, stop teasing your auntie and give her a hug.”

Elyn smiles and lands right in Eliza’s arms. “Your daddy was right when he called you trouble, even before you were born.” Eliza kisses her. “So, is everyone else on their way?”

“
Yeah, Sophia and Nate should be here shortly, as well as the rest of the Pierce family. Is Luke here yet?”

“
Oh yeah, he is helping me cook dinner. It’s nice having him back. I know school has only been back in for a few weeks, but I really miss having him around,” Eliza admits.

“
Will the McCord’s be joining us as well?” Matt asks.

“
Of course, I couldn’t steel both their sons and not invite them to come for dinner.”

Sophia, Nathanial, Alexander and Matilda arrive shortly after us. I can’t help but wonder where the rest of the family is. I notice they are fairly somber.

“
What’s wrong, where is everyone else?” Eliza questions with concern.

“
It is time, the Cerberus are just on the out skirts of town. The rest of the family is setting up a perimeter. The Williams’ have taken their forms and are patrolling, keeping close to the Cerberus. Alexander has an open connection with them, but I think we better gather supplies and go as well,” Sophia answers.

“
What? Not tonight!” Luke shouts.

“
I’m sorry Luke. We have to do this so that the innocent people of Wenham don’t get hurt,” Matilda apologizes.

“
I was hoping to have a nice dinner with all our families. I wanted things to be special,” he admits.

I notice Alexander look at Luke with wide eyes, and Luke shakes his head. I can’t help but wonder what is going on.

“
Luke, I think you should continue dinner with your family and Matt. You boys will need to keep an eye on Elyn while we fight. This is the safest place for all of you,” I insist. Because of the protection spell we’ve placed on the manor, this is the safest place in town.

“
And what do you suggest I tell my parents when they get here, and none of you are here?”

“
Hun, I am sorry to put you in this situation. You can just tell them we had an emergency. That way you are not lying to them.” Eliza looks devastated putting Luke in this situation.

“
Okay, I can’t fight it so don’t worry about us. You better go get everything you need.” Luke hugs Eliza, “and please stay safe. I want you coming home to me.”

We go to the closet and collect all the supplies we had packed and prepared. I quickly give Matt and Elyn a kiss. It’s hard to leave as Elyn is showing signs of her empathy powers and starts freaking out.

Matt takes her in his arms. “Don’t worry about her. I’ll calm her. You have to concentrate on the fight.”

“
We gotta go, now! They are in the town and attacking. They caused a car accident on Main Street,” Alexander yells, as he grabs a bag. “Mati, you drive Eliza, the rest of us will go on foot. It will be faster.”

***

We run out the door, and head to the scene of the accident.

I can’t help but wonder who’s been hurt in the accident, and also worry about being revealed to the town people. If this fight is going to take place in the middle of town someone is bound to find out about us. I guess we’ll have to deal with the repercussions after. Sophia, Alexander and I arrive at the scene of the accident within minutes. As we arrive a Cerberus vampire is feeding off one of the accident victims.

Sophia begins to freak out, “Oh my god! I know that car, it’s…” She runs faster towards the car.

Alexander chases after the Cerberus; I notice one of the shape shifters flying above in his eagle form. He swoops down and grabs a satchel of wooden stakes in his claws. Then he disappears into the moonlight. Sophia, Matilda and I race to the car and the victims. Pulling them from the car, I realize it is the McCord’s. No wonder why Sophia is so frantic.

“
I have to heal them,” she cradles Nathanial’s expectant mother in her arms. “NO!” Sophia buries her head in Nikole McCord’s chest.

“
What is it, why can’t you help her?” I ask.

“
She’s gone. Her life force has left her and once that happens you know I can’t help.”

“
The baby too?” I gasp.

“
Yes…wait…I can sense it. Call Isaac now!” She orders.

Matilda and Eliza arrive, Matilda calls Isaac and he arrives in a blink of an eye. Scooping Mrs. McCord into his arms. “I will get her to the hospital and perform an emergency cesarean section, and try to save the baby.” He’s gone just as fast as he arrived. He is going to have to move at lightning speed to make it on time. Without performing CPR on Mrs. McCord, the blood won’t circulate through her body, this causing the baby to also die.

“
Oh no, what about Nathanial’s dad?” I remember.

“
I sensed he’s gone the moment we pulled up. He must have died right away. What am I going to tell Nathanial and Luke?” Sophia worries.

“
I’m worried about them too, but first we need to roast the assholes that did this,” Eliza says with a fire in her eye I’ve never seen before.

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

Changes

Rouge vampires begin surrounding us. Elijah, Florence, Constance and Danika all arrive taking out a few by surprise as they join us. There must be at least fifty vampires closing in on us. I notice the town’s people taking cover, at least the few that were left on the streets. Eliza pulls out the potions from her bag. This is Danika’s first fight, she was too new the first time around, but since her experience at Club VC, everyone agreed she has matured enough. I guess they figure because of my mystical powers and how well my training is going that I will be alright.

“
That one there, he’s getting closer.” She points and he bounces off a force field.

“
What the hell was that?” I ask.

“
I have no idea; I guess I am finally getting a new power,” Eliza suggests.

“
Okay, let’s use this to our advantage. Try to place a force field around our group,” I suggest.

The vampires come closer; we need to ensure that we can still attack through the shield. Elijah throws a stake aiming at one of the vampires; it penetrates the field and stakes one right in the heart.

“
Okay, this is good, but we don’t have enough stakes,” Danika notes.

“
And I can’t hold this much longer,” Eliza admits.

“
I have an idea. Elijah, Florence, I need both of you throw a stake, as hard and fast as you can,” I order.

As they each throw a stake I use my telekinetic power to move the stake through as many of the vampires as I can. It penetrates through each vampire completely moving on to the next one with full force.

“
Ebony, you just took out over half of the Cerberus with only two stakes,” Danika says with surprise.

We watch as the staked vampire turn into dried up corpses ready to be beheaded and burned. Then Eliza collapses to the ground and the force field retracts. Isaac returns with six shifters. Caspian is right behind them. I pick up the protection potion and throw it down at Eliza, as we run and physically attack the remaining Cerberus. Sophia is out for vampire blood. She wants to destroy them for taking her boyfriend’s parents. I can’t help but think the boys are going to be destroyed. As we fight we all hear a cell phone ringing from the McCord’s car. The boys must be trying to call and find out where their parents are. Alexander connects to Nathanial and tells him to stay at the manor. He explains that the boys’ parents are at the hospital with Isaac, and no one can leave. We all look at him, knowing it’s not really a lie, but a stretch of the truth that must be told to protect the others.