CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE

PROMISE

LEAH LUCIER:

How delightful it was to be back in Etienne's strong arms. How I had missed him. I decided I would never be parted from him ever again! Equally delightful was the joy seeing Embry and Kat reunited. Embry was filled with an inner glow which lit up intensely whenever he gazed as his pregnant fiancee. His hand never left hers, not for a moment. Even when Carlisle was performing blood tests and other medical stuff, his large hand held her small one. I was eternally grateful to see Katherine Constantine alive, happy and well. She seemed otherworldly now. Meeting an angel had given her a new meaning and purpose to life. She was calm and serene with the knowledge that angels existed and miracles happened. She was blooming. My prediction was right. They will be blessed with a son in approximately six months time. Initially I had felt a small pang of jealousy as I dreamed of Etienne and I having a family. If only things had been different and we had been a normal boy and girl meeting and falling in love. But that wasn't how it was and I still wouldn't trade this new life with my beloved for anything in the world. Embry and Kat would be parted by Death someday ( not now thankfully!) whilst Etienne and I would be together for all eternity.

I always knew deep down that I wasn't meant to have an ordinary life. Etienne was all I needed and more. Currently, at this moment in time, my dearest husband was not speaking to me. He had flown off at high speed out of our window in an almighty sulk. The reason? Daniel wanted me to make good on my promise to him. He had awakened Kat, that meant I had to change him. Etienne was not happy about this and only found out after Daniel performed his miracle on our sleeping beauty. Hence the sulk. Daniel wanted to be like us. He wanted me to change him. Etienne reckoned I shouldn't do it, not under any circumstances. He said Daniel would make a powerful and possibly ruthless new born. I argued that it was his choice and I had promised. Etienne questioned the authenticity of my promise which he believes was made under duress. I guess he is right because I was so desperate to bring Kat back to Embry that I would have promised Daniel the moon and stars. I was a strong powerful vampire with an equally if not stronger powerful vampire for a husband. We did not have to do anything we didn't want to do. Daniel certainly couldn't force us. But although I liked and respected him, there was part of me that didn't trust him either. His clairvoyant abilities were frighteningly accurate and real. He tracked me down in London to warn me about the whole Quinn situation. It was spooky how he'd found me, how he'd known a lot of things about me, especially about vampires. Most humans dismissed vampires as folklore and fairy tales. The stuff of books and the silver screen. Not Daniel. My new friend had his own view on the matter of my promise. He was 99.9% certain that he was alerted to my presence in London that first time because he was meant to become one of us. I really couldn't find an argument with his logic. So I was in a bit of a quandary.

Etienne was back. I felt his presence and smelled his unique scent before I felt his arms envelop me. "Sorry " he whispered against my hair. I could never stay angry with my beloved for long. I turned to kiss him, our cool lips easily sensing and connecting in the darkness of our room. It was lovely to feel the familiarity of my surroundings again. We had returned home for some well deserved alone time. "Am I forgiven then?" he asked as his fingers trailed through my long hair. I nodded with a smile, "Yes my love, I forgive you." His hungry passionate mouth found mine again in a thrilling long kiss. Arguments between us forgotten now. Etienne could always distract me this way. How I loved the feel of his lips, the scent and taste of his skin and my hands plunging deep into his unruly dark curls with passionate abandonment. Nothing compared to our times alone together. Even if we were just talking he mesmerised me. Even in silent contemplation he never failed to excite me. Just gazing at him made me happy. He was simple perfection. Soon we would need to leave here and make our way to Daniel's hotel. I didn't want to make a final decision yet so I pulled Etienne closer to me, running my hands down his bare back and letting my teeth graze his smooth neck. I knew this was guaranteed to keep his interest and avoid him asking me questions about my promise. I didn't want to talk about it any more, I just needed to be close to him again. He moaned seductively as my mouth moved over his neck and down his hard marble chest. Everything else was forgotten for now as we possessed each other over and over again.

The orange light of the early morning sun was shining in our window bathing our pale bodies in it's happy glow. I sighed as I prised myself from my lover's arms. I pulled back the curtains and the light hit my body causing cascades of rainbows to dance on my skin. Etienne lay on the bed, his chest bare leaning on one hand as he gazed at me in total admiration. "Come away from the window my love. Your magnificent body is for my eyes only!" he smirked with a cheeky wink. I smiled wryly as I closed the light out with the heavy velvet curtains. I grabbed my discarded clothes from the various pieces of furniture they had landed on last night. Etienne frowned as he watched me dress. "We need to get to Forks and see Daniel" I announced. Etienne sighed and rolled his eyes. "Not this again Leah!" he growled. He looked so delicious with his tousled hair and full pouting red lips. I could easily discard my clothing again and lustfully leap on him. I shook those wicked thoughts from my head as I brushed my long dark hair roughly. "I have made a decision Etienne. Now listen to me before you make any judgements!" I commanded. He nodded and grinned sexily. He loved it when I was dominant. I tried not to be distracted by his naked perfect marble white body just out of sight under the silk sheet. "I am going to change Daniel. You don't have to help me. I wouldn't want you to be part of anything you aren't happy with. I truly believe he was meant to be something more than a mere human. If I can give him that gift then I am happy to. He knows too much about us and our friends Etienne. I must admit I don't fully trust him so the best thing to do is give him what he wants. Keep up my end of the bargain so to speak." I sat down on the bed, feeling emotionally drained after my speech. Etienne took my hand and kissed it gently. "I respect your wishes, Leah. I also owe Daniel. He helped you make the visions bearable. For that I can't thank him enough. Do it, my love. Change him. Let him have the gift of immortality." my husband said softly as his lips rose to meet mine in a gentle sweet kiss. My hands wound into his hair, roving through the wild curls, excitement building again as his tongue flicked against mine insistently. Would we ever get out of this room today?

Midday sun now shone through the small crack in the heavy luxurious velvet curtains at our bedroom window. I needed to achieve willpower when it came to Etienne and our glorious love making! We had spent too long apart in the last few weeks. We were certainly making up for it now. Etienne said he would only let me disentangle myself from him if I promised that we would go on a very long vacation soon. More promises! He wanted me all to himself somewhere secluded and beautiful. Maybe Isle Esme if Carlisle permitted it. I sighed and agreed that yes we needed time for us, with no problems or people; whether super-naturals or humans in the way. It would be bliss. Whilst we had been in Forks for awhile I had been meeting up with Seth. He hadn't changed his opinion of me at all. I might be a vampire now but I was still his sister. He was still my baby brother and I loved him. I spied on my Mom from afar. Sometimes I think she saw me but refused to acknowledge me. It was sad. It was my new reality. It seemed I couldn't have everything. Etienne always warned me to keep my distance from humans after the change but it was hard. Especially when they needed saving like Kat and Embry. We dressed quickly and left the sanctity of our old Vancouver house to make our way to the Pacific Inn Motel in Forks. Luckily the day had turned cloudy so we could go out amongst the mortals without fear of dazzling them and drawing unwanted attention to ourselves. I always wondered what would happen if we were ever discovered by a mere ordinary human. Of course Etienne would be able to control their poor weak mind should that situation arise so I didn't really worry too much. We were travelling conventionally today in a hired Jaguar. Etienne never purchased vehicles, he preferred to swap and change as his mood saw fit. We sped past the Forks sign, soon we would arrive at our destination. Tonight Daniel would leave his human life behind. He would become one of us.

I crossed my fingers as I prayed fervently and silently that I was doing the right thing in keeping my deadly promise.