Ethan woke, he could feel the sun still up; his age allowed him to get up earlier than others even though he rarely showed himself before dusk.
He showered, dressed, checked emails and readied himself for the night. His nerves getting the better of him, he had awoken many times during the day his thoughts on what tonight would bring.
Finally bringing himself to push forward he made his way to his office, he had received an email from the Ombudsman requesting a call at first dark, he could only guess that Merit had questioned her grandfather as well.
Entering his office he sat down starring at the phone as if willing it to make the call for him. With a sigh he picked it up and dialed, "Chuck." was the response as the elderly man answered his phone.
"It's Ethan, you requested a call." His tone all nonchalance.
"Cut the crap Sullivan, you know why I asked you to call me. Now what the fuck are you thinking about asking something like that of my granddaughter?" his tone disapproving but not angry. "You know what you are asking of her by performing that ritual?"
"I only offered myself to her I did not ask for it in return, there is no risk to her." He sounded petulant even to himself.
"Shut it Sullivan, do not take me for some uninformed old man!" The man's voice had begun to raise, "you didn't tell her what would happen to you if she died, that kind of pressure to ask of a person is unfair."
"Chuck, if she died I would not want to live another moment in a world without her, even if that meant sacrificing my house in the process." Ethan was nothing without her and he knew it.
"I have given my granddaughter everything on the ritual, how it's performed, costs to you and to her; she is well and truly informed and the decision is hers." with that the two men said their goodbyes and hung up.
Ethan sat back in his chair, closing his eyes he tried to rub the tension headache that was beginning to form in his neck. A knock on the door jarred him out of his thoughts, "Enter.", he said as he sat up, righting his face to show no sign of his internal distress.
"Leige, do you have a moment?" Lindsay said as she peaked around the office door.
"Of course, what can I do for you?", although he had a good feeling he knew what the conversation would entail.
"May I be frank?", with a nod from him she continued. "Merit came to me last night, I'm not gonna say I didn't see it coming because that would be a lie. I've seen things Ethan, I've seem two outcomes and all I can tell you is you need to take precautions if you share your essence with her. You will be weakened after the exchange and at that time you and the house will be vulnerable, that is not to be taken likely." She knew he knew all this but she also knew that he needed to hear it from someone else.
"Do you think she will go through with it? Will she accept it?" He knew Lindsay would be honest, she always had been brutally honest despite how it might be taken.
"I truly don't know, she loves you that much I do know but you hurt her Ethan and she's gotta be able to trust you. I've explained what very little I know about the ritual and I can tell you I don't know much. She's in the library looking it up, go talk to her." With that Lindsay left.
Ethan made his way to the upstairs library, he knew Merit could get lost in her books for hours. And that's where he found her upon walking in to the library this evening, he rubbed his fingers along the spines of the books on the shelves some soft like silk or velvet others course from years of use.
"Hello Sentinel," he dropped his voice letting it run over her skin like a soft blanket and he watched the back of her body shiver at the sound. A never ending stack of books littered the table in which she sat in front of but she didn't turn around or look up at the sound of her Cadogan title.
"Merit," His voice now husky with the need he was tired of hiding, tired of denying. His hand brushed the hair out of her face, he wanted to see her eyes. "Please love, look at me." he watched as she slowly lifted her gaze to his and he inhaled as he took in her appearance, eyes rimmed in red, dry tear tracks down her face and dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in ages.
Ethan dropped down to his knees turning her completely so she was fully facing him. "Oh God Merit this is all my fault I am so sorry, if I hadn't been so full of pride I would have never put that look on your face." He pulled her down gathering her into his lap as she began to shake with the tears that again flowed from her eyes.
A creak from within one of the stacks brought Ethan back to the reality of the situation, he gathered Merit into his arms and began the trip back to his rooms. He would not allow anyone to see her in this state, she already felt segregated from her vampire family how would she fell if she was found in such a state as this.
After much finesse and some quick thinking, he was able to make his way to his rooms unseen. He felt undignified at having to hide at one point as passing novitiate's turned a corner that he had been about to round.
Safely in the quiet of his room he made his way to his bed and laid Merit's now sleeping form down. with swift fingers he divested her off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. As he headed out his bedroom for to his sitting room Merit's soft voice stopped him, "Please don't leave."
Ethan turned around walking back to his bed, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips, "I need to make a phone call to Malik, I will be right back my love." With a small nod from Merit he left.
Ethan pulled out his phone and made a quick call to his second Malik informing him that he was too handle business for the remainder of the evening and that he was not to be disturbed unless it was deemed truly important.
He turned around walking back into his room, removing his shoes he crawled into bed pulling Merit's sleeping body to his, breathing a sigh of relief when she nuzzeled into his chest. Slowly relaxing Ethan allowed for sleep to suck him under, content with his Sentinel in his arms.