Chapter 14

As JC and A'sa laid in his bed there was a knock on the door. Both A'sa

and

JC sensed Kindred and hoped it was Julian. She started to get up but JC

pulled her back. "I'll look!" he said sliding up and over to the door.

She left out a loud sigh when JC opened the door. Julian looked over at

her

and felt his heart ache. She was thinner and paler than he remembered

her. It

had only been a few days but she was just different.

"There are others in here?" Julian asked. She nodded. As she was about

to

speak Kahea and Joey came out of the bathroom. Her in his shirt, he in

his

jeans. K sensed Julian and immediately became afraid. Joey wasn't sure

what

he sensed. "K it's OK! He's my uncle he's here to help!" A'sa thought

trying

to relax. Julian watched the exchange between them. HE had always felt

she

could read his mind but never once believed it. He wasn't aware she

could

communicate with others. "It only works with us!" A'sa spoke answering

his

unspoken question. Julian looked at her. "It started at the Haven! It

kinda

scared me the first time." "With him?" he asked pointing at JC who had

taken

a seat behind her. He was resting his head on her back listening to her

breath. She nodded. He looked over at K and noticed how pale she was as

well.

"Eddie got to her! Twice." A'sa sighed. "There not going to stop until

were

dead! But I think with Eddie in on it now there going to come after you

as

well." She muttered looking at Julian. He nodded his understanding.

"So how many of you are there?" he asked taking a seat in the empty

armchair.

Joey was seated on the edge of the bed with Kahea perched in his lap.

"Seven!" JC managed out. Julian shook his head. "A'sa! You've

endangered the

other clans. We are inferior to you two." He spoke in his thick English

accent. "I'm sorry! I got scared. For the first time since they killed

momma

I felt real fear. When Lily tried to take JC from me it was like the

same

feeling. If we were never meant to meet let alone be together. Than why

did

the prophecy and God see to it that there were two of us?" A'sa

questioned

her eyes glowing. "I'm just scared! And I didn't mean to endanger them

or

you. But I love him!" she continued. Her hands clinging to JC's.

Before Julian could speak Chris and Justin entered the room. "Dinner is

served!" Chris cracked. A'sa and JC glared at him. Julian looked over

to see

the two guys with a women. She looked about 30, and trampy. It was

obvious

her reason for being at the Nsync hotel was to get in one of there

pants.

"I'm sorry Julian! But she needs to eat. Look at her!" A'sa said waving

her

hand in K's direction. "So do you! Your weak! LOOK at you." A'sa felt

herself

sick. She didn't feel well at all. She blacked out while JC was holding

her.

He felt her go limp in his arms. "Julian! She's burning up!" JC said as

he

ran his hand over her forehead. "What do we do?" he asked in a panic

with

tears streaming down his face.

Embrace of the Vampire

*****Chapter 15*****

“A’sa!” Kahea cried, trying to get over to help her,

but dizziness overwhelmed her, and she stumbled

backwards. Julian watched what was happening between

all of them and immediately made a decision.

“Take her and get her ready.” He said to Justin,

Chris, and Lance, motioning towards the woman who was

standing between them. Justin nodded and took her

hand, smiling at her comfortingly as he led her to

another room in the suite. Chris and Lance followed

in case he needed any help.

“Please do something.” Kahea begged Julian, her eyes

pleading. Julian helped JC lay A’sa on the bed.

“She’ll be fine. She needs to feed, as do you.” He

said sharply. JC looked up at Julian.

“What then?” He asked.

“Then you all need to recover, and build up your

strength. All of you are weak, I can sense it.”

Julian replied. “If you are to become a clan, you

must be strong.” He said quietly, they heard a muffled

scream come from the room. A few seconds later,

Justin appeared.

“She’s ready.” He said quietly, wiping his mouth as

he did so.

“Come with me.” He said, extending his hand towards

Kahea. She took it slowly, clinging to Joey with her

other hand. “Bring her.” He said to JC. JC nodded

and picked her up carefully, carrying her into the

room. “A’sa.” Julian said firmly, once JC had laid

her next to the woman’s limp body. A’sa opened her

eyes slowly. “If you are going to stay with him, you

need to be strong. Eat now.” Julian sighed. A’sa

nodded her head slowly. JC helped her up as she began

to feed on the woman. “You too.” Julian said quietly

to Kahea.

“Okay.” She murmured as she began to feed slowly.

“All of you. Sit.” He motioned to the rest of the

room. They found places to sit and watched Julian

carefully. “Someone explain to me what happened and

how all of you ended up being Embraced.” He said

quietly, his thick accent hanging in the air.

“I guess I know the most…” JC said after a few minutes

of silence.

“Then please. Explain to me the rest of it.” Julian

said, his voice devoid of any emotion.

‘*****

Several hours later, Julian sat back, amazed at all

he’d heard. He managed to keep his face carefully

neutral though as he surveyed the room. A’sa was

resting quietly in JC’s arms and Kahea was sleeping,

her arm pillowed beneath her head as Joey watched her

protectively.

“You’ve managed to protect yourselves in spite of all

that happened and without you really understanding

what you’ve become.” He said quietly.

“We don’t have many choices anymore do we?” Chris

asked, his voice steady. His eyes level.

“No.” Julian affirmed. “Lily and Eddie will come for

all of you. You must remain steadfast in your powers.

You must learn to harness them.” He said as he

contemplated what else to tell them.

“What powers? We don’t know what any of us can do

really…” Lance trailed off.

“Unfortunately, this is territory unknown to me.”

Julian sighed. “I know nothing of the Daywalkers, and

the prophecy is vague.” He finished. “A’sa and JC

are the ones who must interpret it.” He said, his

gaze resting on JC.

“How do we do that?” JC asked, trying to piece things

together in his mind.

“A’sa must take you to Daedalus, when she awakens. He

is the most knowledgeable in these matters and I have

no doubt that he would be able to at least convey

information to you, the likes of which even I cannot

obtain.” He said softly. “I will do what I can to

distract Lily and Eddie in the meantime. Even that is

overestimating my own abilities.” Julian said flatly,

for once feeling old.

“What do we do in the meantime?” Justin asked,

wondering now, what he’d become.

“In the meantime, you recover. You must get A’sa to

Daedalus as soon as possible, before Lily and Eddie

find out the truth about all of you. I suggest you

stick together.” He advised as he stood up.

“What about you?” Joey asked. “Are you in danger?”

“That is of no concern to you right now. You must

worry about yourselves for the time being.” He said,

resting his hands on his hips. “I have no doubt, from

what you told me, that Lily and Eddie are nursing

their wounds, so to speak. That gives you time.” He

said quietly, looking JC in the eyes.

“Time for what?” Chris asked, watching the girls

sleeping.

“That is for you to decide.” He said quietly as he let

himself out the door.

“What the hell does that mean?!” Joey said in

frustration. JC thought for a moment.

“It means we have to figure this out on our own. A’sa

and I are the only Daywalkers, and now you five.” He

sighed, rubbing the stubble on his chin. “No one

knows what to expect from us, and neither do we.” He

muttered. “Let me think about this tonight. Everyone

get some rest.” He mumbled, looking around the room.

“Uh JC…what about her?” Justin motioned to the

lifeless body on the bed.

“Leave her, I’ll take care of it.” He said

disinterestedly.

“What are you going to do?” Chris asked, wondering how

JC was going to dispose of the body.

“I said I’ll take care of it!” JC snapped. He

immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry.” He said

quietly.

“If you need help…” Chris began.

“JC…we’re all together in this. You know that. Like

Chris said, we have no choices anymore.” Lance added.

“I know.” JC nodded. “Joey, you and Lance stay with

the girls. Chris, you and Justin help me with her.”

He said as he pulled the body from the bed and carried

her into the living room. “We’ll be back soon.” He

said as they left the room.

‘*****

A’sa saw visions in her mind, things she couldn’t

comprehend. She waded through blackness trying

desperately to follow the figure in front of her.

“Wait. Please.” She pleaded, only aware of the hand

holding hers, guiding her through a dense fog. She

heard little, except a whisper. “Where are we going?”

She asked, looking around, trying desperately to see

in the darkness. She was suddenly aware that she had

stopped moving. The hand she had been holding

released her. “Wait!” She called.

The blackness began to dissipate, revealing a dense

expanse of nothingness. She looked around, feeling as

though she were standing on a cloud. She blinked her

eyes as she became aware of a light towards her side.

She turned to see where it was coming from, shielding

her eyes as she did so. She squinted into the light,

barely able to make out a figure standing in the

darkness.

“Who are you?” She asked as the figure approached her.

As the figure came into view, she realized it was a

child, no more than a few years old. She caught her

breath as she saw the child’s eyes. They were violet,

like the eyes of Kahea, Justin, and the others.

“Where did you come from?!” She asked, shocked to see

the eyes of Kindred staring back at her from the face

of a child.

“You, Mommy.” He replied softly, reaching his hand out

for hers.

‘*****