A Vampire's Desire

Chapter Thirteen

Rose

The coven gathered in the forest of Gabriel's property for the vampiric rites, with my mother as special guest. The ceremony to join a coven involved a collective bloodletting into a chalice from which everyone drank. The moonlight filtered down from the canopy to trace the golden cup with silver light as it was passed around our circle. Each member sliced their palm and spilled into the vessel until we had all contributed.

Then Gabriel took the cup and raised it above our heads. We stood in the center of the circle, our eyes locked. A smirk curled the ends of his lips as he spoke, "On this night, we welcome Rose Beaumont into our family. With this drink, we will all be forever bound together as one." He lowered the cup and tilted it towards my lips. "Drink," he commanded, and I obeyed, sipping from the blood of my brothers and sisters.

A cheer rose up from the circle as my gaze found my mother's. Despite this macabre ritual, she couldn't have been happier. Joy hovered around her like a golden cloud.

Gabriel handed the chalice to Fabien, who sipped then passed it to Monique, and so on.

I felt Gabriel's warm hands cradle my face. "Welcome to the family, my love," he whispered to me.

"Thank you, Gabriel."

"Don't thank me," he replied. "I should thank you. Because of you, we've vanquished our enemies, strengthened our bonds, and..." His smirk broadened. "And you've reawakened my heart."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his face towards mine. "And you've helped me find mine," I said before pressing my lips to his. As we kissed, I could feel his love transmitted through his touch, like a radio signal beamed from his soul. It was intoxicating, invigorating — seductive.

"Come," he said, taking my hand in his and racing back through the forest. We left the others as we morphed into shadows that passed over the land, sweeping the forest floor until we arrived back at the mansion. We ascended, then snuck in through our open bedroom window and finally coalesced back into our bodily forms. Only, now we were disrobed. Gabriel laid a trail of kisses along my arm as he led me back to the bed, where he laid me down into the satin sheets. He joined me, and for the rest of the night held me amorously in his arms, making an unspoken promise with his body to hold me forever, two immortals in love for all time.