Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
Acouple weeks later, Alessia had enough control over her fangs to return to Nightfall. Carina had loved having her partner in crime back. The two women had sipped cocktails and danced the night away.
“What time is it?” Alessia asked, pushing herself up to sit on the couch.
She remembered Titus and Marcus carrying her and Carina into the small gathering room off the private hallway as Nightfall employees closed the nightclub.
The two had chatted for a few minutes before stretching out to rest their eyes.
“Oh? Where’s Carina?” Alessia asked Titus when she spotted him sitting where her friend had been earlier.
“Marcus came to claim her a while ago. You were sleeping so soundly, I let you doze longer,” Titus told her.
“Really? We should go home, and we can both sleep, right?”
“We need to do something first, Little mate.”
“What’s that?”
“The clan is ready to welcome you. Now that you’re a vampire, you will need the support and protection of an Elder and a clan,” he told her solemnly.
His demeanor underscored how important this was. A shiver zinged the length of her spine. So much was changing so fast. Was she ready?
“You mean Alaric and the others? They want me to join your club?”
“It’s more than a club, Little mate. These people are my family.”
Tears filled her eyes. In the last few years, Alessia’s family had valued her as a way to lock in Frankie’s fidelity or as an expendable spy to infiltrate Nightfall. The concept that the vampire clan wanted to welcome her as one of their own overwhelmed her. She blinked hard to keep from bawling.
“Little mate. You’re hurting my heart.” Titus picked her up and sat in her spot. He kissed her sweetly before cuddling her to his chest. “What is scaring you? How can I help?”
Sobs burst from her. Alessia hid her face against his hard chest. She mumbled, “I’m not sad. I’m overwhelmed that they want me.”
“Of course they want you. You are courageous and brave. You are a sweet friend to Carina and my mate. The clan celebrates growing stronger but only welcomes the right vampires.”
“And I’m one of those?”
“You are,” Titus spoke with reassuring confidence that erased her worries. More than anyone else in her life, Alessia trusted Titus.
Sitting up straight, Alessia wiped away her tears. She gathered her dignity around her like a cloak. If the clan wanted her, she would be worthy of that position.
Titus held his handkerchief to her nose. “Blow.”
She didn’t hesitate. Titus took care of her in many ways. She’d learned not to question that he truly wanted her to do as he instructed.
“Ready, Little mate?”
Alessia nodded. “Let’s go.” She didn’t ask him for any description of what would happen. Somehow experiencing whatever ritual the clan had devised without insight seemed most appropriate.
“Good girl.”
Titus lifted Alessia to her feet and rose to stand next to her.
He guided her out of the room and down the hallway through the public area of Nightfall.
She glanced around, remembering all her favorite memories she’d made here, from her relief in squeezing in that first night, watching Titus make his first Alessia, that impressive shimmy on the bar top, and meeting Carina and the vampires. She smiled at Titus.
“That’s a happy face,” he said.
“Best night ever when I got into Nightfall. Thank goodness the bouncer let me in.”
“That was Alaric. He never overrides Marcus’s routines. That night he directed the security at the door to allow you inside.”
“Really?” she squeaked. “Why?”
“We never ask Alaric why.”
A warm spot kindled inside her. That knowledge made Alaric less scary. Well, maybe not totally, she reconsidered. His blazing power was definitely intimidating. A thought popped into her mind.
“Does Alaric have a mate?”
“He does not,” Titus answered as he guided her through a dark doorway Alessia had never noticed.
A shadowy passage stretched out in front of them.
As they walked, dark red glowing symbols appeared on the walls.
Alessia tried to read the squiggles but couldn’t decipher them.
Did vampires have their own language? She inhaled the primal scent deeply.
Her fangs descended. Those deep crimson decorations weren’t made of blood, were they?
She squashed her curiosity, not willing to interrupt the silence. They moved through a series of hallways that disoriented Alessia. Soon she had no clue whether she was facing the front of Nightfall or the back.
Titus squeezed her hand, reassuring her as they stopped in front of a glowing pad. “Press your hand on the panel, Little mate. Do not remove it until you receive the sign.”
Alessia followed his urging hesitantly. It wouldn’t shock her, would it? To her surprise, the glowing rectangle was warm—alive.
“Welcome, Alessia, mate to Titus.”
The sound wrapped around her, sliding over her skin. Alessia savored the sensation. The disembodied voice seemed to come from all directions simultaneously. The impact of this powerful greeting reinforced her impression that this was life-changing.
Doors opened in front of them as the pad under her hand cooled and turned black. The dimly lit interior of a room beckoned her forward. As Titus urged her forward with a hand at the small of her back, Alessia stepped inside.
Dark paneling covered the walls, and sconces held flickering bulbs. She jumped as the doors sealed behind them. Alessia eased herself closer to Titus as an eerie chill and an unsteadiness settled into her bones. Several seconds later, she blurted, “Are we going down?”
“Yes, Little mate.” He pulled her into his arms. “You are doing well, Alessia. I am proud to have you as my mate.”
She didn’t understand why, but she loved knowing that he approved. Titus threaded his fingers through her hair to cup the back of her head. He kissed her fiercely, as if staking his claim. Alessia squirmed closer, savoring his flavor.
When he lifted his head, his eyes glowed red. “Mine,” he growled.
“Yours completely,” she agreed and rose on her toes to press her lips to his once again.
A soft thumping sound registered on her senses, growing louder. Alessia put her hand on his chest, checking if she heard his heart. Under her touch, his pulse slowed to the beat surrounding them. Titus shifted her hand to rest between her breasts. She gasped. Hers matched as well.
“It is time,” Titus announced and gestured toward the doors, which now stood open.
Stepping out, Alessia studied the scene in front of her.
An aisle of heavy iron candlestands held flickering thick white candles, illuminating the pitch-black darkness.
The knowledge of a rocket scientist wasn’t required to understand she needed to walk between them.
Gathering her courage, she followed her instincts and moved into the lighted corridor.
Titus shifted to her right and placed her hand on his bent forearm.
She looked up at his attractive shadowy face, picturing herself as a medieval princess advancing with her knight errant.
He patted her arm. Two dark figures emerged from the shadows to follow them, and his fingers tightened when she automatically turned.
Their presence wasn’t threatening but had surprised her.
At the next set of candles, a single cloaked figure stepped into the light with a whisper of sound and fell in behind the duo trailing Alessia and Titus.
The whisper of the cloaks and the footsteps behind them sounded louder, revealing that the procession grew longer as this pattern continued.
She lost track of the number of candles they had passed.
How many vampires were part of the clan?
With each step, the importance of joining the clan registered on Alessia.
She would be part of something this powerful.
Glowing symbols flared into life above her, revealing that the ceiling was rounded.
She glanced around, noting that the corridor had opened into a large, circular room.
The figures behind them flowed along the walls, filling the space.
A spotlight flared ahead, drawing her attention to a single man who stood behind a massive table.
Altar, Little mate, Titus shared in her mind.
A metallic ring pierced the silence, drawing her attention back to the center of the room.
As the figure lifted a shining silver object into the air, Alessia was confident that a man stood in front of her.
Male vampire, she clarified to herself. The sensation of overwhelming power provided his identity as he struck the cup against the altar. Alaric.
Everyone in the room dropped to their knees as one. Titus locked his hand over hers on his forearm, stopping her from following their pattern. He led her forward as the heads of the observers turned to watch them.
Alessia didn’t know how she stayed upright as they moved further into Alaric’s power. She dug her fingers into Titus’s skin.
Flashes of red ignited above her head, drawing Alessia’s attention.
While they did not remain long enough for her to distinguish the differences between them, she could detect the ceiling was a high, curved dome over their heads.
A second metallic ring brought her attention back to the one who stood before them.
He struck a large, silver chalice twice again on the altar.
“Who brings this addition to our clan?” Alaric demanded.
“It is I, Titus, who brings my mate, Alessia, to meet the clan.” Titus’s voice announced to the quiet space, sounding fiercely proud of her. His love for her infused every word of his pronouncement.
A bit of her anxiety at this formal rite abated. Titus wouldn’t let anything happen to her. A small hand waving subtly caught her eye before a larger shape captured it and stopped the motion. Carina and Marcus. Her friend was here. Alessia relaxed a bit more.
Alaric’s movement captured her attention.
He extended his index finger. A silver tip on his nail glistened in the candlelight.
He drew that shining point across his wrist, releasing crimson blood from the wound.
Holding his wrist over the silver chalice, Alaric allowed one precious drop to land inside before lifting the cup into the air.
Above him, a red glowing symbol lit the ceiling.
The chalice appeared in Carina’s hand. Marcus helped her slice her wrist to add a droplet of her blood before including his own.
Alessia struggled to follow the cup’s movement as the vampires passed it quickly amongst themselves.
When she lost track of it, Alessia only had to check the ceiling, for with each addition, more glowing signs appeared over that vampire’s head.
Alessia’s blood hunger grew as she struggled to stand still and not respond to the temptation of the scent of the crimson life essence growing in the air. She locked her knees, holding herself in place as the red symbols above overlapped and vibrated with energy.
The cup appeared in Titus’s hand. She could see the dark liquid filling the cup.
Alessia held her breath as Titus sliced his wrist and added a droplet to the others.
When he gestured his hand out for hers, she extended her arm.
She bit her lip, refusing to cry out as he opened her vein.
Alessia quickly pushed the sting from her mind as he helped her join her blood to the others in the clan.
That droplet shimmered amongst the others before dissolving into part of the whole.
Titus lifted the cup to her lips. Drink.
When she hesitated, he tapped the center of his chest three times in their secret signal. Assured of his love, she complied.
Flavor burst over her tongue at the combined life’s blood of the clan. She tried to memorize the parts but could only focus on the comingled essence. Alessia’s gaze rose as she savored the taste, eager to see what would show above her.
The letters of her name appeared, jumbled and twisted together to form something new.
Alessia recognized the symbol as herself.
Titus’s mark merged with hers, creating a combination of the two.
She stared at it as a wave of emotion filled her.
Tracing the source of that love and joy, Alessia discovered the trail led to Titus.
Sound filled the room. A stunning combination of everyone’s voices swirled around the domed roof. The chant held a weighty impact on her mind and heart as she picked out distinct tones belonging to those she’d learned over the last few weeks. Carina. Marcus. Darius. Bram. Donovan. Alaric. Titus.
We are the children of the Night.
Hear our unity, heed our plight!
Our life essences for the ultimate reward.
The clan celebrates Titus’s adored!
The glint of the chalice caught her eye.
The last note seemed ripped from the air as Alaric drew the cup to his lips.
He drained the last of the liquid. Light exploded, hurting her eyes.
Instinctively, Alessia shielded her face against Titus’s bulk.
His powerful arms wrapped around her, and he held Alessia securely as her vision blurred and her mind took refuge in darkness.
Soft fur brushed her face when she woke. Hugged tightly to Titus’s hard body, she cradled her stuffie close. Blinking into the blooming morning light, she turned to see Titus sleeping next to her. His handsome face was relaxed in sleep.
Alessia had never expected to love anyone this much or have them feel so strongly about her. She would never doubt the depth of her Daddy’s love. He’d shown her so much about being true to herself and the care that she needed. Titus had freed her from her family and from her dangerous fate.
The participation of their Nightfall friends in the ceremony meant the world to her. She could count on their support now and in the future. The bonding with the clan had wiped away her human ties. Her heart went out to Bram, Darius, Donovan, and Alaric. Please let them find their Littles.
Warm lips pressed a kiss to her shoulder. She met Titus’s heated gaze. “Stop thinking, Little mate. It’s time to celebrate.”
Alessia nodded eagerly. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to Titus’s. Instant passion flared between them. Wrapping her arms around his powerful form, she melted against her Daddy and abandoned herself to showing him how much she loved him.