Twilight Embrace (Completed)

Chapter 33

Lyell spent the day pacing backwards and forwards from the Lake to his cottage until he was so hyped up he decided he had to find where Annjelica lived so he could see her.  He needed to find out if she was alright and make sure she knew she was not just a one night stand, a fleeting moment of emotions and passion. He wanted to tell her how he felt, how she had moved him, that he loved her. He needed her to know she was the missing piece of the puzzle that was his mundane life. She brought an electricity of emotions to his world that shocked him into the realization that in some uncanny way she was the reason he kept coming back to the cottage.

In the middle of the afternoon he found himself standing at the edge of the lake for the umpteenth time straining his eyes towards her side and without thinking it through he waded into the water fully dressed and swam across to her side of the Lake.  Being a strong swimmer who worked out in the gym every morning before work and swam every evening after work he quickly found himself on the other side. It was then that he felt his wet clothes sticking to his skin and noticed he’d lost one of his sandals somewhere in the Lake.

“Damn, I’m going to look like a real ragamuffin if I do find her home. My clothes will dry in this hot sun, but ….. Only one shoe ….. Crap …. Oh well, nothing for it but to take the other one off too.” Lyell chastised himself for not thinking ahead and dumped the sandal on the ground. “Maybe if she sees how desperate I was to find her she will know how serious I am about her.” He said to the sandal as he threw it down.

Lyell picked his way carefully taking into account he was now barefoot and finding his way back into the wild rose patch he decided to pick a few roses to give to her when he found her. The yellow roses were significant in their relationship, it was how they met, their calling card.

Having walked for over an hour he was already beginning to feel hot and flustered as the sun blistered down on him. His clothes were already bone dry and beads of sweat prickled on his skin. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and wondered what a sight he must look, sweaty, bedraggled and barefoot.

“I really hope her parents or any of her family aren’t around, they really won’t approve of me looking like this.” Lyell spoke out loud to himself while trying desperately to find some sort of road or pathway that would indicate a route to her home.

The sun began to dip behind the mountain when Lyell suddenly found what looked like a narrow path, but it did not appear to have been used frequently and decided to follow it having not found anything that remotely resembled a route that had been used recently, in the last two hours of his wondering around.

~~~

The golden sunset shone through the castle windows making all the glass in the ballroom shimmer with prisms of rainbows reflecting on the walls. Annjelica was speechless as she gazed round the room.

“OH Mama, it’s all too beautiful for words.” She turned round and with tears in her eyes gave her mother a hug.

“Sweetheart it’s your special day; not only your birthday but the day you supposedly receive your gift of powers according to Lycan legend.”

“Ahhh yes, my little girl will be all grown up and very powerful I think.” Wolfe interrupted as he came into the ballroom, “And now that you are rested and I have your undivided attention I need to speak to you about the gift we will give you at the hour of your birth.”

“Gift? What gift?” Annjelica said excitedly.

“Come; let’s go to my study so we can talk undisturbed.” Wolfe took her by the hand and led her out the ballroom followed by Alexandria.

Seated in the comfortable Victorian, red velvet armchairs Annjelica waited patiently for her father to explain. It wasn’t often that she entered her father’s study and was always fascinated by his collection of artifacts, paintings and books that lined the granite walls. A huge ornate open fireplace crackled as the flames curled around the logs. Behind his desk was an impressive bay window opening onto a magnificent view of the mountain. The old oak desk with ball and claw legs was always so neat and tidy even when he was working there. Her father was a lawyer and dealt with all the Lycan clan legal issues near and far. Some even travelled days to seek his expertise.

“When your father is finished Annjelica we need to go through the dress collection the seamstress has for you to select your dress.”

“Yes Mama. I do have an idea in mind as to what I’d like to wear. Nothing too stuffy and fancy though.”

“Well, she has quite a few for you to choose from and I’m sure you’ll find something you like.”

“If you ladies have finished discussing fashion, maybe we can get down to the serious issues at hand.” Wolfe said smiling.

Alexandria smiled and gave her husband a wink, “Sorry darling, are we taking up your talking time?”

“Harrumph!” Wolfe growled softly. He knew this gentle sound teased his wife’s senses and used it often when he wanted her undivided attention.

Sensing the secret vibe between her parents Annjelica coughed, reminding them she was still in the room. ‘I hope one day I will share a love like this with Lyell.’ She thought to herself.

“Right,” Wolfe said, clearing his throat, “Annjelica you need to take what I going to tell you very seriously, your future depends on it, especially if you wish to walk amongst people during the day unnoticed.”

“Yes, Father.” Annjelica nodded, giving her all her attention.

Wolfe stood up and went round to his desk, opened the drawer and pulled out a red velvet box. He pulled his chair closer to Annjelica, sat down and gave her the box. She lifted the lid slowly and was stunned when she saw the ring. She was about to take it out to put it on when her father placed his hand over hers and stopped her.

“No, Annjelica you can’t wear it till the hour of your birth. I have no idea to the extent of its powers or what effect it will have on you.”

Annjelica was surprised by this statement and looked at her mother for confirmation. Her mother nodded.

“But Father if you don’t know how it’s going to affect me why should I wear it?”

“Annjelica, it was given to me by a Gypsy whose life I spared.”

“You spared her life, how?”

“Annjelica, please don’t interrupt till I’ve finished then you can ask me all the questions you want.”

She nodded and sat quietly listening to the tale in amazement.

“When I spared her life she gave me the glass ring and told me to give it to my daughter on the hour she comes of age. Bearing in mind at the time I was young, single and had no intention of taking a wife or having children. The ring does however come with a very intense warning. It’s a glass ring and once you put it on it can never leave your finger. If it does it will shatter into a million pieces and so will your life, you’ll lose all your strength and powers.” Wolfe studied his daughter’s face, “I can see you’re wondering why I would ask you to wear such a ring that could possibly ruin your life.” Wolfe hesitated for a moment, “Wearing the ring will protect you from those who may discover who you are and use it against you. You don’t realize how very special you are. You have the blood of three different species, you carry the genes of shape shifters as me, human as your mother once was and of the living dead, who knows what powers will become yours when you come of age or which species will be the more dominant in you.” Wolfe stopped speaking and quietly watched his daughter’s reactions.

“Not forgetting that we have now noticed how lightning affects you and takes control of your body.” Alexandria interrupted, “the incident at the lake was mind numbing the way that bolt of lightning lifted your body out of the water and suspended you in the air, almost like you were connected to the heavens.”

Annjelica remained silent, trying to digest all that her father had said. ‘How will this affect my relationship with Lyell?’ she thought, trying to find some sort logic to all that was now unfolding in her life.

‘I don’t honestly know how all this is going to affect your relationship with Lyell, Sweetheart, but for the fact that you have imprinted on him and we all know it’s a life-long commitment.” Alexandria instantly picked up her daughters thoughts and replied.

“Father I ….. This is all so much to take in, I’m not sure I …..”

Just then the door burst open and a family member blurted out, “A man is at the gates, a human”