Twilight's Eternal Embrace (11 page)

Bram
ignored his brother
'
s remark. Loreto puffed out his chest, lording over him how big and strong he
'
d become after the blooding. Bram didn
'
t worry. He would have his day next year. He was next in line to go through the blooding. His eyes already blazed red at times and he felt his limbs ache with the need to stretch. The hunger proved the worst of it. Blood called to him and his teeth would lengthen at the thought. He
'
d bit his lip numerous times.

With Adryanna, his fangs showed more times than not when he was around her. He found even breaths kept him in control. He knew it would not be the case once his body was primed for the change. They would bleed the impurities trapped from his veins. He would be weak, but once he fed off the chosen Lathe Sith, his body would respond to the new blood like an aphrodisiac, triggering the blood lust as well as the need to mate.

He had longed for the day until now. His triumph into manhood would mean the death of a young woman like Adryanna. And if the chosen lived, it would mean he was bonded to that Lathe Sith for life. He would no longer be able to see Ad
r
yanna. Both scenarios didn
'
t sit well with him.

"
Brother, where does your mind wander?
"
Loreto strode beside him, more to irk him than of concern.

"
Have you ever met a Lathe Sith who did not want to be chosen?
"

"
What talk is this?
"
His brother
'
s dark brows furrowed over the bridge of his nose.
"
It is
an
honor. We pay their families handsomely.
"

"
The one you took to your bed, did you…
Were you gentle with her?"

"
Ah, I see. You worry about your first time
.
Do not
fret
, you will please the one chosen for you.
"

"
Please her? Most likely I will leave her dead.
"

His brother frowned.
"
You must drink her blood or you will not make it through the transition. Her blood gives you life. Without it, you will perish.
"

"
But must we take all of their blood? Is there not a way for the female to live?
"

His brother
'
s gaze slid over him with concern.
"
You will not be able to judge when it is time to stop. It is better you drain her than stop too soon.
"

"
But it could be done,
"
he insisted.

Loreto shook his head.
"
The tales of the Lathe Sith surviving have been few, but there are none who live among us now. It makes me believe it is a faery-tale the Lathe Sith created for their own comfort.
"

"
If they go willing into our arms, why would they make up such a tale?
"

His brother chuckled and shook his head.
"
Bram, you always did think too much. Let it go, brother. Our way of life has been this way for decades. It works for both our clans. Do not worry yourself over fanciful tales.
"

His brother spotted one of his friends and made an excuse to leave his side.

It was just as well. He would not find the answers he sought from
Loreto
. He would seek out his cousin, Sheerin
,
for the truth.

Chapter Seventeen

Adryanna
stood near the window for better lighting and inspected
her arm. Bram used his blood to heal her. The process had burned with warmth,
but it did not
caus
e
pain. She could only assume it was Bram
'
s blood at work knitting the skin together.

Her gaze traveled over the unmarred flesh.
''
Bram
'
s saliva could close wounds, but now
they
knew his blood could do
so much
more.
"
It is a miracle,
"
she murmured. Her body would have taken days to heal such a gash. Within minutes
,
his blood closed the wound and left her flesh smooth to the touch.

Bram believed Oiche Sith
'
s blood could heal the chosen. She couldn
'
t help but wonder if maybe he was onto something profound.

The blood had healing properties. Maybe it was what kept them young also. The Lathe Sith did not drink blood and they weathered as the years went on.

She wrinkled her nose at the mere thought of drinking blood. Even if it were possible, would it really help? Would her kind grow strong and thrive as the Oiche Sith did? She didn
'
t have the answers, but maybe they could experiment.
"
Surely Bram is right. Blood was the answer.
"

In memory of her sister, she would volunteer. If they were wrong, and if her drinking blood caused harm
,
no other would suffer. All she would have to do
wa
s convince Bram to use her for such a project.

Her gaze shifted to the open window where the light filtered in warming her room. She prayed for the day to be over
as s
he was anxious to tell Bram of her plan.
Then s
he stifled a yawn behind her palm. Working all day and staying up all night would soon wear her down. She must think of a way to rest without giving up her time with Bram.

She dressed with haste
,
knowing she was late to help prepare the morning meal
, and then
hurried
into the kitchen. Her mother and father were already breaking fast. She sat down and reached for the warm bread and tore off a piece.

"
You slept in late.
"
Her mother broke the silence.
"
Are you not well?
"

She chewed the bread and swallowed before she answered.
"
I am fine.
"

"
You should sit where I am sitting.
"
Her mother
'
s gaze
linger
ed over her
features with doubt
.
"
You have dark rings below your eyes as if you have not slept.
"

She cleared her throat.
"
I am well, mother. I cannot help the way I look.
"

H
er father paused in his
eating to stare
at her. Worry shadowed
his
features as he took in her appearance.
"
Truly, do not worry for me.
"
She pushed back her chair, the legs scraping the wood floor.
"
I am off to secure our evening meal. I will not be long. The hares are a plenty in the meadow and I should not have trouble bringing one or two home.
"

She grabbed her bow and arrows and headed outside before there was another onslaught of questions. The day hit her face, making her tired eyes squint in protest.

With sure strides, she made her way toward the hunting ground. She supposed Bram slept now
,
while
the sun
arced
high in the sky. She knew nothing of where he lived in Dungannon. Was his dwelling one of the wood structures within the gates or was it one of the dwellings near the loch? He never told her. In truth, she never asked.

Reaching the meadow, she stretched out on her stomach and waited for one of the family hares to reveal themselves. As the minutes dragged on without a sight of a single animal, her eyes grew heavy. She couldn
'
t avoid what her body craved and it needed sleep more than meat for the evening meal.

Chapter Eighteen

Bram found Sheerin in his workshop stationed at the top of the turret stairs. The Oiche Sith never fell ill like the Lathe Sith, but they still suffered from ailments such as head and body aches and an occasional lack of energy if they had not fed. In those cases
,
they came to Sheerin for a remedy.

His cousin was not the most liked male of the clan with his odd hobby of making
most of his
concoctions for the Lathe Sith. He helped to keep the daywalkers healthy. Bram supposed his clan should thank Sheerin for his services
,
rather than ridicule him. If the Lathe Sith succumbed to an illness, they would not have their pick of servants and chosen brides. Bram was surprised at the bitterness he now felt for the way they lived. Acceptance of their way of life proved a sin he could no longer indulge
in
without guilt
. He wanted more. He wanted a way to be with Adryanna. If he continued his life the way he
'
d been taught, he would never achieve his goal.

Sheerin was Dougal
'
s son, his mother
'
s brother who had perished in a fight with the Draugr Clan over twenty years ago.
Sheerin's
mother could not b
e
ar life without her mate
. She
walked out into the sun and perished.

Bram was only five years old when Dougal died. He only remembered his uncle as tall, lean
,
and with a crop of light hair. Sheerin, he supposed
,
took after
his father
in that respect
. His blonde hair was long and thick. His eyes were a light color
,
resembling a gray over green.

His cousin was seated behind his worktable
where he
measured a powdered substance before he added it to a container holding some kind of liquid. He then stirred the substance with a long stick. He glanced up for a moment before resuming his work.
"To w
hat do I owe the honor of your visit, Bram?
"

Bram glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone
had
followed
him
. With the coast clear, he closed the door.

Sheerin sat back in his seat. His light brows rose high on his
fore
head.
"
Now I am curious. Do we meet in secret?
"

Bram wasn
'
t sure how he should broach the subject. His gaze wavered over his cousin
,
who looked
every bit the
warrior with his broad shoulders and fierce bone structure. Yet he preferred to spend his time behind the table with his concoctions.

Bram scanned the shelves filled with books and scrolls. He wondered if he would find what he sought in an ancient script of long ago. He raised his hand to a scroll aged with time, but before he could put his fingers on it, Sheerin was at his side.

"
Stop.
"

Bram
's
hand f
e
ll away and
he
turned toward Sheerin, surprised at how fast his cousin had moved.
"
Are you hiding something?
"
He
gestured toward
the shelf.

Sheerin hissed.
"
I am protecting the ancient writings. I cannot have you
handling
the scrolls
at a mere
whim. They are fragile and must be preserved.
"

His cousin was the warrior of books. Bram wanted to chuckle, but suppressed his mirth. He would not win his cousin over if he ridiculed him.
"
I apologize. I was not aware. I meant no harm.
"

Sheerin
'
s brows furrowed.
"
Again I ask
:
W
hy are you here?
"

There was no other way to say it.
"
What I tell you must stay between us only.
"

Sheerin
glowered at him
with
both interest and
suspicion
. His curiosity must have won out since his cousin didn't demand he leave at once
.
"
Go on.
"