Emmett watched as Iliana knelt on the side of the couch where Anala lay. Anala's eyes were closed and he honestly could've thought she were asleep. However she wasn't, not entirely. Carlisle watched with rapt attention and the rest of his family hovered around the room. Iliana leaned in to murmur in Anala's ear but again, it seemed she was asleep. Her chest rose and fell slowly and she was still, eyes closed. Emmett watched the woman beside her, instinctively wary of this stranger around his mate. Night had fallen, and Iliana was concerned that whatever had brought Anala back had attached itself to her, was using her as a vessel. She wanted to make sure it was all Anala in there. Anala said she didn't remember her death and had no answer as to how she came to be alive today.

"What are you going to do?" Carlisle had asked her upon hearing her concerns.

Iliana explained that it was a bit like the practice of hypnosis used in modern psychology, only she could delve deeper since the Oracles shared a spiritual link. She was going into her subconscious while feeling to see if there indeed was something else inside her, something Anala was not aware of, which made Emmett exceedingly nervous. The last time something was wrong with her, Nolan had been carving into her with a knife and her eyes had gone black. Emmett was uncertain but he too was curious to see if she would tell them where she had gone in death. Iliana pressed a hand against Anala's forehead, the orange of her eyes melting into brick red. Emmett watched every motion, searching for any sign of discomfort. Anala still lay there, tranquil with her eyes shut.

"Anala can you hear me?"

"Yes," she murmured in response.

"Anala, how did you return here?"

The reply was soft, distant. "I don't know."

"I want you to take me back, to before you awoke here, before your return." Iliana paused. "Where are you?"

"The light . . ." Anala's voice was no higher than a whisper. "It's gone."

What light? Iliana's voice remained calm and steady as she asked again, "where are you?"

Anala said nothing and Iliana continued unperturbed as her own eyes shut. "What brought you back?"

"The flowers," Anala shifted a bit. "They're dying."

"It's alright."

Anala's head turned slightly, brow furrowing. "No," she murmured. "no." her body shifted restlessly and her heart began to quicken, each beat coming faster and faster, causing her breath to become uneven. "No . . .

Emmett took a step forward.

"Why are you fighting Anala?" that made him pause. Emmett frowned, not understanding. Anala's eyes were still closed but the look of distress was unmistakable. She was trembling, whimpers falling from her lips.

"No, no."

She was repeating it, shaking her head. Shadows shifted and the lights flickered. Anala was becoming more and more distraught and Iliana's calm voice was not getting to her. The shadows rippled and Anala suddenly arched, screaming. Emmett heard the sound of an electrical surge before various lightbulbs in the house burst. He went to the couch and in a flash he scooped Anala into his arms before moving away from the others in the room. His defensive instincts had been triggered as he hunched over her protectively, ready to defend against any threat. His gaze traveled down as he felt Anala shift and emerald pools looked up at him.

"Did it work?" she asked. Her head tilted. "Why are the lights off?"

"It worked." Iliana raised and sat on the couch. "Well, I did not get the opportunity to see anything, I wasn't able to bring anything to the surface. Nothing has attached itself to you. Whatever force brought you back wasn't using you as a vessel."

"What brought me back?"

"I don't know. Even I could not reach it. Trying to go any deeper would have harmed you."

Emmett put Anala down but didn't release her, his demon still uneasy. Iliana was looking at him again, her toffee gaze scrutinizing him. He looked down at Anala, searching her face. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah. So, the lights?"

He grinned. "You blew them up."

"Very funny."

"No seriously. The whole Vulcan mind meld thing made the lights go out."

"Oh . . . what?"

Emmett shook his head. He needed to make her watch more television. He listened as Nolan entered the yard with what sounded like Zain.

"Do you wish to leave now?" Iliana asked. Emmett looked to Anala questioningly only to find her shaking her head. Nolan was walking through the kitchen.

"I can't leave yet. There's something I have to do first. It will take me a day or two."

Nolan flashed past them and grabbed his sister. He twisted and in the next instant he slammed her into the wall. He placed his hands on either side of her and his blue eyes narrowed. "Really now? I wasn't aware I said you were able to do anything."

Anala frowned. "You can't be serious."

"I told you Anala. I decide."

"And how would you do that?"

A wicked smirk curled his lips, looking uncharacteristically harsh. "Nothing too extreme. I just have to make sure death hasn't made you soft. First Blood."

"No."

"No?"

"I know how you savages are. I won't draw blood needlessly."

Nolan sighed. "Then how are you supposed to play?"

Anala crossed her arms over her chest. "That's not my problem. It was your idea, not mine."

Nolan straightened. "Really? You're going to be difficult?"

Anala ducked under his arm and stepped away. "I'm not being difficult."

"Fine. I'll think of something. Give me an hour." Nolan walked from the room, back toward the kitchen. "And change your clothes."

Anala entered the house and headed up the stairs. Emmett was at her back, feet completely silent on the steps. The house was quiet. It seemed they were the only ones there. She entered her room, pulling off her shirt as she did so. She kicked off her chucks and sighed, annoyed by Nolan's bossiness. Anala then stripped out of her jeans and kicked them away. Emmett was looking at her, large frame standing near the door.

"What was that about?"

Anala turned to him. "I offered to help him but he's paranoid. He feels the need to test me." Jerk.

"Help him with what?"

"I have to visit one of the clans. They are having doubts and things aren't going very smoothly for Nolan but I have a feeling they're just scared. I don't know, it feels wrong somehow." Their unease had to originate from somewhere. The Vai'aro were kin, just as all of their people were. Not only as the last woman in her familial line holding the title of Seirye, but as Oracle. Anala had a duty to do whatever she could. These were her people, and she and Nolan were the last with the power to truly help them.

"Is that why you told Iliana we aren't leaving yet?" She nodded.

"So when are we leaving?"

"When I get back."

Emmett's brow raised. "I?"

"I won't be gone long." She assured.

Emmett moved towards her with a growl. "I'm going with you."

"Emme—"

"No. I told you, I want to go with you."

Anala felt a fight brewing in the air and she rested her hands on his arms, wanting to avoid it. His hard jaw was set determinedly. "Em, I told you I'd take you with me and I'm not going back on that. I just need to do this before we go."

"Fine, go ahead. But if Nolan thinks it's dangerous then I'm coming with you."

Annoyance prickled at her. Great, her brother had made her man paranoid. "I'm not helpless!" she sighed. "I can't bring you with me. These are affairs that I have limited power in. I'm doing this to help Nolan. Not simply as my brother but as Ahrahn, the duty of the Royal family is to take care of our people. The essence that runs in our blood is the only reason our kind hasn't gone extinct. Not only that but as Oracle I will do what I am able for them, it is written in the sacred vows. I'm doing what I've always done, what I was marked for." Emmett was still glaring, albeit less angrily, and Anala cupped his face. "Nolan is being my usual overprotective brother. I'll be fine. I need you to trust me."

After a long pause Emmett sighed and pressed his head to her own. "Fine," he muttered. "But I won't like it."

She stroked his pale cheeks and smiled at the slight poutiness in his demeanor. He rested his hands on her sides and his dark gold eyes met her own. "When are you leaving?"

Anala wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his fully-clothed one. "The sooner I leave my love, the sooner I can come back to you."

A low rumble moved through his chest. Hot hands moved along her skin, giving her goosebumps. "I like the sound of that."

Anala was backed against the dresser and lifted to sit on the edge. Emmett's lips mapped her skin, trailing down her neck as his fingers made quick work of removing her bra. She gasped as his hands cupped her breasts and her nipples hardened to sensitive points under his touch. His teeth nipped her collar before he began to suck her nipples, flicking his tongue over them provocatively. The shots of sensation went straight south. There was no flirtation, no introduction. Emmett's intentions were clear and her body picked up the signals seamlessly. Her hands went to his shoulders, gripping the material of his shirt. Anala shuddered. "I—I have to meet Nolan."

"We've got an hour."

His lips pressed to hers in a deep, probing kiss. Anala moaned, running her hands over his broad, solid frame as she parted her lips and felt his tongue rub against hers. She could feel each bit of thick, banded muscle under his clothes, feel the power in him as he shifted between her thighs. His body was hot and every cell in her being was drawn into him. Teeth bit her bottom lip as a strong hand slid into her hair, pulling her head back. There was a flutter in her womb and heat pooled in her sex. They really shouldn't. Anala had to meet Nolan and get this over with so she could leave peacefully. Giving in would most likely make them late. Emmett's eyes were bright as they watched her, eyes scanning over her body as he tugged lightly on her nipple. Tension crackled between them, burning away the valid excuses her mind was giving her. The hunger had never faded. The intensity had never lessened. Her body reacted to Emmett just as violently it had the first time she met him, the first time their bodies joined into one and she realized she would never love another this way. Anala reached his waistband and pressed her hand against the dense ridge of his hardening cock.

But I want him, came the heated thought.

"Fuck it," she groaned helplessly.

Emmett growled, kissing her again as she unbuttoned his jeans and pulled out his length, wrapping her hand around as much of him as she could and stroked firmly. The head glistened with dewy pearls of precome. The vampire pushed into her hand and suddenly straightened, pulling away from her. In a rapid motion he grabbed her off the dresser and spun her, bending her over the black wooden surface. Emmett's hand gripped her ass, smoothing over it as it traveled lower. Anala arched and pressed into his seeking hand as he touched her through the thin material of her underwear, tracing her folds, making her spread her legs and gasp as he found the wetness there and moved to circle her clit. Her underwear hit the floor and the mushroom shaped head of his member was sliding along her sensitive folds, making her tremble. Anala's breath caught in her throat with anticipation and Emmett's hands on her hips tightened. She could feel herself falling into a whirlwind of Emmett. Her body was only too aware of his looming presence behind her, the sensations he invoked as his cock pressed against her aching flesh. She pushed up on her toes, arching further as she pressed to him wantonly. What was it about Emmett that made her this way? He had the power to cause her mind to blank and make her want to rub against him like a cat in heat. He breached her entrance and Anala let out her breath in a rush. She stretched open around his girth, feeling him slide deep and fill her completely.

"Oh god love." He groaned, moving forward until she felt she were on the brink of overflowing.

Emmett began to thrust with quick, hard plunges. Involuntary moans and cries escaped her between breathless gasps of his name. His hips slammed into her and Emmett's hand slid up her back as he groaned deeply. Anala cried out, walls clenching around him. She didn't think she'd ever get enough of him. This immortal man made her feel things she never had thought possible before meeting him. Her entire body responded to him. The feel of his vast cock moving hot and hard inside her was euphoric and in these intimate moments with him she felt whole. Complete and utterly consumed. Emmett leaned over her, shifting the angle, kissing her nape and shoulder blade and spine, hand gripping her hair roughly. The possessiveness was unmistakable and her body knew it. She could feel her wet arousal sliding down her thighs. Hot bursts of need radiated through her pelvis as he hit a sensitive spot over and over again. It was driving Anala mad. Her bangs fell into her face, fluttering with the exhales of her breathless gasps. Emmett moved a hand beneath her and delivered teasing strokes to her sensitive nipple. Her clit throbbed, bumping against the edge of the dresser and her legs shook unsteadily as the heat building inside of her was threatening to make her fall apart. Anala reached back and gripped Emmett's curly hair tightly.

"So hot," he breathed against her heated skin. "So damn tight."

"Em!" she could do little more than anchor herself to him. "Please, don't stop."

Emmett hissed lowly, murmuring against her shoulder. "Never. . . I love you . . . my Angel." Anala's mind went blank and all she knew was Emmett and the inexpressible pull on her heart as her body climbed higher until he threw her right over the edge, leaving her calling out wordlessly, contracting around his pulsing erection as Emmett emptied himself inside of her, a long purr rumbling through his frame.

Anala had simply been trying to avoid a fight but she ended up with a much better example of conflict resolution than she'd been expecting.