Finding Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book One

Chapter 40. Welcome Home*

Chapter 40. Congratulations by Blue October

Running her tongue experimentally over her front teeth, she could not believe fangs just grew from her mouth when she decided to feed. Her teeth did not feel different. As she remembered feeding moments ago from the dying homeless man, her mouth watered and her tongue got caught on one of her now ready fangs. She could not help but smile at the response of her new body. 'Like Pavlov's dog,' she thought.

Evan stretched her limbs experimentally as Emil led her on a trek through a new Saint Louis. Never before had she felt so vibrant and alive. She believed Emil's story that he was in terrible pain and had an insatiable thirst for blood when he was first transformed, but her experience was so different. She couldn't help but believe it was because of the very different circumstances around her change. Not only had she already been beaten to within an inch of her life, and in excruciating pain but also Emil had been so very gentle with her. He had not viciously ravaged her, nor was she left thirsty. Evan felt her face tingle in what she assumed was her new version of blushing at the thought of how Emil had managed to make what sounded like an awful experience into a thing of beauty.

"Emil, where are we headed?" Evan asked as he led her to yet another rooftop. She was definitely going to need to make a new mental map of her city.

"I thought it was perhaps time to meet the rest of our family, Tourneau and Nathan," Emil said as he leapt across the void between two brick buildings. He turned to her when he landed and held out his hand. "Come on, you can make this one. You are amazing me with how you've already adapted to some of your new abilities."

Evan backed up about eight feet and took a run toward the roof's edge, pushing off with her toe when she felt it under her foot. The sensation of sailing through the air was invigorating. She chased Emil across rooftops, into empty lots, and across highways, reveling in the new speed she had attained. When they came to the river, Emil smiled seductively and quickly shucked his clothes off, then jumped in. Evan was taken aback momentarily until she saw him surface half way out.

"Come on, you are strong enough to resist the current. We can come back and get your clothes later," Emil encouraged. "The sun will come up soon and we will need to be on our way."

Evan didn't need to be asked twice, a little surprised at how uninhibited she had become with Emil, but then when she thought of all the sexually charged moments they had shared, it was apparent that they were perfect together. Soon her clothes joined Emil's and she stepped tentatively into the water. She expected the icy bite of the early spring water, but was surprised when it was more like stepping into a tepid bath. Spurred on by this finding, Evan dove into the water and relished the feel of water sliding over her body and her ability to see in the darkness. When she surfaced, Emil was nowhere to be seen, but Evan knew he was near, she could sense him. Suddenly Evan was grasped around her middle and pulled tight against Emil's rock hard body. Even though she no longer needed to breathe, the air caught in her lungs as Emil's hands wandered over her body in the water.

The current was pulling their twined bodies down stream, and Evan was surprised when they bumped into the river bottom on the opposite side of the river.

"Let's swim back and fetch our clothes, I left my cell on the bank," Emil said with a smile, "Race you!"

Evan had always loved swimming and set off with powerful strokes back to where their clothes lay. Emil met her there a moment later.

Evan grinned at him as the water ran in rivulets down her body, and she was amused to find that her hair was frozen.

"Well, not all of us is impervious to the weather," Evan observed as she crunched the strands in her fingers.