Forbidden Embrace by Charlotte Blackwell

hurt when you bit me.”
    “ I’m so sorry…I couldn’t resist, and it was only my love for you that stopped me. Your blood is the most amazing I’ve ever tasted! Now we need to be careful that nothing happens to you, and under no circumstances can you be near any vampire blood, or the Embrace will begin.” I still don’t really understand what happened. I assume it was the act of becoming one with Nathanial, sharing his blood while we made love. The exhilaration from having sex with my one true love must have increased my natural instincts and my senses to his blood. I know I was thirsty and he offered, but still I shouldn’t have bitten him. I place my hand over his wound and completely heal the bite marks, as if nothing had even happened.
    “ How long will the venom stay in my system?”
    “ Only a few days, maybe a week at the most; it just needs to circulate and your liver and kidneys will help to clean it out.”
    “ I knew you could stop…I told you I trusted you,” he says with a smile. “The connection between us that you drinking from me added, I just can’t believe how amazing it was. I felt like for that brief moment we were truly one.”
    “ You did? I was just so scared, not knowing what to expect from it. I mean, I’ve bitten people before, but it was nothing like what we shared; I’ve never felt like this before. It must be the amazing connection and love we share for one another.” I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. It’s so fast like it’s about to jump out of his chest, and I can smell every ounce of his blood pumping through each heart chamber. What amazes me most is that I’m okay with it… I’m not craving his blood. In this very moment I know I’ll never intentionally hurt him, because his love means so much more to me than his blood. I have finally found Heaven, and it’s in Nathanial’s arms. As we lay there in each other’s arms skin to skin, just holding each other for a while, I begin to daydream again of what could have been if I was only mortal. We start to talk a little about our hopes and dreams for the future. “I’m so blessed to have you. My biggest dream is that we could be together forever.”
    “ I know I promised not to bring it up again, but we can be. The power of our future is in your hand,” he replies.
    Is my family right? Will I turn Nathanial? Because now more than ever I want to be with him forever, more than I ever thought I would.
    “ But.....”
    “ Sweetie, don’t worry about it now. Just enjoy the moment we just shared.” He instantly calms me as he kisses my forehead.
    I’ll stay with him until he falls asleep; I can tell he is going to have a poor sleep. He’s tossing and turning and keeps repeating the word ‘NO’ and ‘I love you!’ I leave a note on his night stand explaining that I’ll call him as soon as I can and to keep his cell close at all times. Reviewing the plan in my head, I remember that Nathanial and Matt will wait together with Danika; this might also keep them from coming to the clearing...we hope. If one wants to come the others should be the voice of reason. Florence called the McCords earlier with an excuse about going away and asked if Danika could stay with them; of course they agreed. Naturally they wondered why Danika wasn’t joining us on our little vacation; Florence just explained that she had a few important exams and an oral presentation. She told the McCords that we had a death in the family and the trip couldn’t wait, but since Danika is newly ‘adopted’ she didn’t know the deceased very well, making it alright for her to be excused from the funeral. It really is the perfect story to cover our absence; although she is not one for lying Florence, does accept that it is for the best in some cases. She also added we will be helping with details and could be gone for a week or two. Mrs. McCord assures Florence that Danika would be well cared for and to take our time. I assume