Free The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) by Eve Newton Page A

back in four bloody jagged slashes that appear to be made
by some sort of very large claw or talon even.
    “Hm,” I say distractedly. “Why is it not healing?” I ask of
no one in particular. I turn back to face the three Vampires standing in front
of me, all staring at me in various shades of horror. Cole, who has now pulled
his pants on, crosses over to me, my robe in hand. My back screams in protest
as I shuffle into it but I know he needs me to be covered up in front of the
other two.
    CK clears his throat, “Well certainly, we don’t need to ask
what you were doing to cause this, but why such a significant change?”
    Cole shrugs, partly embarrassed at everyone knowing our
business.
    They all turn to me as if I know the answer: my turn to
shrug and then wince. “We set our wedding date, for tomorrow at City Hall,” I
say starting at the beginning. “This is going to sound crazy but it’s almost
like the Power approved. It’s like it is a separate entity and I am just the
vessel. It wants this union to be…” I trail off, not able to find the right
word. There’s silence.
    I glance up from my musings to find CK and Devon looking
pained. “Tomorrow?” Devon asks.
    I nod. “Will you be our witness?” I ask as if it’s the most
important thing right now.
    Looking taken aback he eventually nods, “Err sure. Yes of
course.”
    I nod, relieved that is cleared up.
    CK looks murderous until I catch his eye and he adjusts his
features. Too distracted to be intrigued by his reaction, I try to find my
trail of thought.
    He helps by prompting, “This union to be…?”
    “Whole?” I struggle to explain. “So it can be whole. A
proper part of me. It has a mission.”
    “A mission?” They all question in unison and then glare at
each other.
    “I don’t know what. All I got was flashes and feelings.
Fire. Lots and lots of fire.” My thoughts all jumbled, I ramble on, “The Power
didn’t take hold right away. It took control after it accepted Cole, us, after
he embraced his true nature.”
    “What do you mean?” Devon asks and Cole looks perplexed, but
when I take his hand he remembers what we shared and he understands: he had
embraced and accepted his Vampire self, truly accepted me as his sire and his
subordinate role as my charge, but also the leeway I gifted him as my
husband-to-be.
    “Ah, Vamp sex,” Devon says in his usual glib way and CK
grimaces.
    “Back to this mission!” he snaps.
    “I told you, I don’t know!” I snap back and he sighs at me
as though I am some frustrating child, as he runs his hand through his short
hair in a very un-CK like gesture.
    “Can you tell me more about it being separate from you?”
    “It’s hard to explain,” I whine.
    “Try, la mia dolce , it’s important that we understand
as much as we can,” he says now kindly.
    “It took me over. I was still there but the Power wasn’t
coming from me. All these feelings: approval of Cole and me; anger at someone
or something; triumph or relief. And the fire. And the pain,” I add. “That’s
all I can tell you.”
    “How do you know about the mission?” he coaxes.
    “Again it was a projection of…” I click my fingers
repeatedly scrambling for the right word, “not feeling… knowledge!” I say
triumphantly and pointing at him.
    “If you say it approves of your marriage to Cole, maybe you
will find out more tomorrow, afterwards,” Devon muses out loud, ever a step
ahead.
    “Agreed,” CK says and shifts uncomfortably, not unnoticed by
me.
    “Do you still feel it?” I ask.
    ”Don’t worry about me, cara . I am concerned only for
you. That it is not healing.”
    “I’ll live. I hope,” I say jokingly and they all glare at me
not amused.
     
    XXXXX
     
    Shortly thereafter, CK left with reassurances that we would
call if anything happened and Cole and Devon – to my surprise – agreed to take
shifts to watch me as I sleep. I am unusually tired and settling on my front to
sleep is uncomfortable,