Twilight's Eternal Embrace (30 page)

"
I can
manage
—if you do not mind the ruse.
"

His lips curved.
"
You underestimate your attraction. I would enjoy your company. Who knows, perhaps you will come to love me yet.
"
He reached for her hand again and bestowed the gentlest of kisses, his lips brushing over her knuckles.
"
Until tomorrow.
"
He turned and strode away.

She watched his retreat, admiring the man he
'
d become. For the first time it saddened her to think she could not be what Fergus wanted. 

Chapter Thirty-Six

Adryanna walked with Fergus to hold up appearances the next day and the next. She thought she would dread the deed, but in truth
,
she found Fergus
'
company pleasant
.
B
ut her heart still yearned for Bram.

As soon as the sun
would
set in the sky, she hurr
ied
to the edge of the forest to wait for Bram, but her hopes were dashed
,
time and again. Bram had not returned since he pledged to keep his distance. Damn him for his unfounded chivalry. He would no
t
come for her as long as he thought he would put her in danger. But he was the one in danger. Sheerin had claimed so. If Bram w
ere
changing, he would need her. He would need her blood, but she could not force herself on him. She needed a plan, but what?

The sun
'
s rays shone in through the window
,
lighting its way across her bedding. She pulled back the covers with a sigh. She needed to do her chores. She had no time for staying in bed and feeling sorry for herself. She barely had time to don her leather-laced shoes around her calf when her mother slipped into her room. Her face was creased with worry.

"
What is it, Mother?
"

"
The council sent a runner to let us know they will be visiting us as soon as the sun sets.
"

Her stomach flip-flopped. The council had found out about Bram. Were they trying to figure out who he
'
d been with?
"
What do they want?
"
She was amazed at how calm her voice sounded when her heart slammed against her ribcage as if trying to escape.

"
They have asked to interview every eligible young woman. Even those who would never be chosen for the blooding.
"

Maybe this was a godsend and not a curse. Surely the reason the elders sought out their clan was because Bram needed a Lathe Sith
'
s blood. Bram wanted to be noble and keep her safe, but she would not let him face his fate alone. She was at fault too and she would not let him take the fall for her. Adryanna nodded.
"
We must do as they ask then, Mother.
"

Her mother
'
s gaze slid over her with suspicion.
"
You do not fear the Oiche Sith as you once did.
"

"
It would prove useless, do you not think? They are a part of our lives. I cannot ignore their existence.
"

"
The elders are not ones for casual talk. They are in search of someone
in particular
.
"

Adryanna reached for her brush. When her mother kept staring at her, she paused in her attempt to put her unruly strands in order.
"
Well, do not look at me. I do not know who they seek.
"

Her mother took a step closer, low
er
ing her voice.
"
I have known for weeks you left the comfort of your bed late at night. Your father knows the truth, but he keeps your secret. Did you meet with an Oiche Sith?
"

She opened her mouth to deny it, but her mother held up a hand.

"
I know it has been our relationship in the past for you to shield me from the truth, but now I have no wish to be shielded. What are we up against? Are the elders searching for you?
"

Her mother had given her the opening
. Adryanna wanted to confide in her
, but couldn
'
t. She didn
'
t want to endanger her mother with the knowledge of what she
'
d done. The less she knew
,
the better it would be for her.
"
Truly, how should I know who the elders seek? Now if you do not mind.
"
She nodded toward the door.
"
I have work to do.
"
She
hurried past her mother and out of her room. She grabbed her bow and arrows by the door on the way out of the house.
T
he sunlight hit her like a slap in the face, making h
er cringe
. Her arm went up to shield her
eyes
from the hot rays.

"
Are you all right?
"

She turned to see her father standing there staring at her curiously. He held a bucket with fresh milk in his hand.

"
I am fine.
"

Her father didn
'
t
appear
convinced. Luckily, he didn
'
t push the matter.
"
You might want to take a cloak. The clouds give the promise of rain.
"
He went inside the house, leaving her to ponder what he said.

She glanced overhead, squinting her eyes toward the sky filled with dark clouds. Why did the sun seem so bright with the clouds shielding it?

She strode toward the woods, needing the shelter the trees would provide. Her hands shook as she quickened her pace. It had been four days since she drank Bram
'
s blood. Was this a reaction from the neglect?
"
I am a Lathe Sith.
"
She said the words as if to remind her of the fact.

The sun should not bother me.
You drank an Oiche Sith
'
s blood. Did you believe there would not be consequences?
A voice in the back of her mind taunted.

If she was having difficulties, what was Bram experiencing?

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Bram
'
s head felt like it had been pounded with fists. He forced himself to sit up. A groan escaped his lips as the world spun around him.

"
You are awake.
"

Bram tried to focus on the figure seated in a chair beside his bed.
"Mother?"

"
Aye.
"
Her hand touched his with warmth.

"
What is wrong with me? What has happened?
"

"
You are going through the change that all Oiche Sith go through once they drink a daywalker
'
s blood. Their blood is richer, stronger…
"
She let out a long sigh.
"
It changes us. It is why we wait so long to indulge.
"

Anger quelled in the pit of his stomach.
"
The elders knew what would happen, but they never warned us.
"

"
They felt
too much information would lead certain among us
to test the theory. The Oiche Sith clan is dying, my son.
"
She chuckled, though her mirth was not meant for humor.
"
For all our strength and with our way to ward off diseases and live long lives, we are the weaker species. No babies are born to our kind any longer. There are no children. If we are killed in battle, there are no heirs left to sing of our warriors
'
feats.
"
She leaned near the bed, resting her arms on the mattress.
"
We had to find another way to survive. If we could not have a baby born from our females
'
wombs, there had to be another way.
"

"
So you made the deal with the Lathe Sith clan. Aye, I know, but the females do not live long enough to carry a child. If we feed off them they die or become vicious animals like Gareth
'
s creation.
"
He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea hit him. He felt like he was dying—and death was a series of spasms meant to disable the strongest warrior.

His mother patted his arm.
"
We will have a female for you soon.
"

He leveled his gaze on his mother.
"
What do you mean? What have you done?
"

"
The elders will find the Lathe Sith you drank from.
"

Fear made his stomach roll again, but he swallowed back the bile.
"
No. I will not endanger her.
"

"
You have no choice, son. You cannot complete the change without blood. There are no
more
females of our kind who have not been mated. You must take a Lathe Sith to your bed.
"

He wanted to say he would choose any other than Adryanna, but the thought of another female
'
s death on his hands didn
'
t sit well with him either.
"
Is there no other way?
"

"
None we have come up with.
"
She stood now. She rested her hand on his.
"
We have hope one day a Lathe Sith will survive.
"

He grabbed hold of his mother
'
s hand.
"
Tell the elders I have no wish to go through the ceremony. Let the death be my own.
"

Her brows furrowed.
"
You would die to save this Lathe Sith?
"

"
I would die a thousand deaths to save her.
"

Compassion etched her features.
"
I have not thought to see it again.
"

"
See what?
"

"
One of our kind falling in love. I think we have forgotten how,
"
she said wistfully.

"
Then you will speak to the elders.
"
He held onto
the
hope he could
yet
save Adryanna.

"
It would pain me to lose you, my son.
"
But she nodded.
"
Aye, I shall speak on your behalf. I cannot promise you they will listen, but you should have your say on the matter.
"

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Adryanna stood near her parents as the
two representatives from the Oiche Sith clan
made their way to the center of the village. A large bonfire befitting of one of their honored festivals was lit in welcome. Adryanna thought it an oddity when the
blood drinkers
meant to choose one of their females as a sacrifice.

Her clan was meek when it came to the Oiche Sith. They handed over their youth in exchange for the Oich Sith
clan's
protection from other blood drinkers who sought to pillage. One life a year was nothing when hundreds could be saved from the next onslaught. Only now
, they
sought a second life for this year.

Two
blood drinkers
stood before the clan, but
only the light, brown-
haired
Oich Sith was an
elder
.
She remembered him. He was the one who had taken her sister to the castle.

The
other Oiche Sith stood
to the right of
the elder. He
was handsome with strong features and a warrior
'
s
physique
. His hair was golden in color
,
more blonde than brown. He wore it long and tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were different than the other Oiche Sith
'
s eyes. As his gaze shifted over the crowd, it made her think of a predator in search of its next meal. She shivered at the thought.

The blood drinkers
were dressed in their finery of rich velvets and silk.
A story about the Tuatha de Danann came to mind as she stared at the two figures. They appear
ed ageless with their smooth skin and lustrous hair, but they had to be older than her parents, perhaps centuries older. Bram
shared many tales about his clan and she knew t
hey lived long lives. They were god-like in that respect,
like the Tuatha de Danann,
virtually immortal since they could not be easily killed.