Free Resurrected by Erika Knudsen Page A

in the warm
air.
    Any confusion she had been
experiencing was quickly overcome by the welcome feeling of being
at home. Eme soaked in the heat of the sun–warmth she hadn’t felt
in nearly four thousand years. But all too soon she was interrupted
by a male voice calling her name. Her eyes flew open and standing
before her was her immortal brother, Ezra. He was dressed similarly
to Eme, in a white wrap skirt. His auburn hair swayed in the hot
breeze and his hazel eyes glistened in the sun. Eme’s eyes filled
with tears as her body began to shake.
    Her voice was filled with
shock and confusion, “Ezra? My dear brother, is that really
you?”
    Remaining silent, Ezra
lifted his right hand to Eme’s face and grazed it gently. A warm
smile spread across his features.
    “Oh, it has been so long
since I have seen you.”
    Mute Ezra
turned and began walking slowly towards the Nile. Eme followed
behind her brother, watching him curiously. The closer they came to
the river, the greener and lusher the land
became. The fertile earth that flanked the river seemed an oddity,
for the rest of the surroundings consisted of sandy
desert.
    Ezra knelt down at the
riverside and dipped his hands into the water, his palms cupped. As
he raised his hands the water ran down his arms. He turned to Eme
and extended his arms to her, letting the water fall to the ground.
Eme shook her head in confusion. She pleaded with her eyes for him
to explain what he was trying to tell her.
    Ezra’s demeanour was peaceful. He gestured
north, pointing towards the river. Moments later her vision began
to blur again and the surroundings wavered. Once the confusion of
the changing scenery had dissipated, Eme discovered that she was
bound with iron chains at her ankles and wrists. She could feel the
searing pain of the torn flesh on her back and she knew she had
been beaten.
    This was the time in her
life when she was utterly alone. Elijah had long ago left her side
and the pain of Ezra’s departure was still fresh in her mind. With
unfortunate luck, she allowed herself to befriend a coven of
vampires who turned out to be trouble. These vampires had been
searching for what most thought was only a myth about the origins
of their kind. But to their delight, Eme was who they hoped she
was–one of the first vampires. Unable to disguise or contain their
sinister desires, the elder vampires within the coven raped her for
her blood, leaving her debilitated. Once they discovered that Eme’s
blood did not make them any more powerful, their anger was swift
and severe.
    Eme loathed that her mind
had taken her back to that place, to her worst memory. She closed
her eyes, hoping that when she opened them that she would find
herself elsewhere. But alas, once her eyes were open, she was still
bound but now placed in a cage outdoors. Darkness surrounded
her.
    Out of the black abyss came
Ezra walking up to her. Clothed in fur and leather, he looked down
at Eme. Again her vision blurred, the surroundings wavered and Eme
soon found herself standing free beside Ezra. Dressed in a fine
short-sleeved cotton chemise with an ankle length over-dress, the
gentle breeze played with the dark green cloak that hung over her
shoulders. Snow fell gently around them and the clanging of swords
in battle rang in the air. Eme knew then she was in Denmark at
another pivotal point in her life she had tried to forget. Staying
silent, Ezra now pointed south. Slowly he lowered his arm and
mouthed the word Rome. Eme looked at him questioningly.
    “Why Rome? I don’t
understand!” Eme felt unusually vulnerable.
    Ezra mouthed the words,
“you must retrieve him.”
    Almost instantly after he
gave Eme his instructions, Ezra and the background faded into
black. A feeling of claustrophobia began to set in and Eme reached
out into the darkness only to realize she was immobilized by dirt.
Eme pushed and clawed her way through the earth that she had
covered herself with at dawn. Once she was above ground she