Free Cherishing Destiny (A Dangerous Destiny) by Noelle Blakely

the feeling that something was coming.

 
    Twelve
    In the morning, Alex opened his eyes to narrow shafts of
light stabbing between the boards of the loft wall to land on his face.  How odd
to sleep at night and wake in the day, he thought.
    He heard the women talking softly below and he bypassed the
ladder and jumped lightly to the floor below, landing on the balls of his perfectly
healed feet, like a cat, almost silently. 
    “Show off,” Aurora commented looking thoroughly
unimpressed.
    Sara looked a little impressed, however, and he flashed his
brilliant smile at her and said, “Good morning, Ladies.”  He shook his head a
little. “Do you know that I can’t actually remember the last time I wished
someone a good morning?  Morning! Just think of that!”
    “Alright,” Aurora said. “I admit, It is pretty great.”
    “It would be a little better with some breakfast. I am
starving!” Sara informed them.
    “We are definitely going to have to come up with a plan,
something more substantial than squatting in a neighbor’s barn.” Alex rubbed
his chin thoughtfully.  “Sara, did you say that the radio interference was
supposed to be temporary?”
    “Radio interference is supposed to be temporary, but
earthquakes and blinding auroras aren’t supposed to be part of the deal either,
so don’t count on it,” she replied.
    “I think that I should go back to the house this morning
for the CB just in case.  Also, I would really like to bury old Nate.” His lips
drew into a grim line. “I don’t think that the funeral homes are picking anyone
up for burial just now, and I don’t want to leave him like that.”
    “We could go with you.” Aurora offered. 
    “I think it would be better if you stayed here.  I won’t be
long. Maybe you can come up with some ideas while I’m gone.” He squeezed her
shoulder.
    When he rode off, Aurora decided to have a look around the
property.  The house was literally burned to the ground, but she decided to
take a look anyway.  At the edge of the yard, she spotted a cellar door.  The
wind, which had picked up considerably since yesterday, had covered it with so
much dirt that she almost missed it because it blended in with the yard around
it.  She pulled open the door and revealed a set of steps leading into the
darkness below. 
    Darkness was not a problem for her Vampire sight, so she
went in to explore.  The cellar was small, maybe 12’ by 12’, but had a half
dozen sets of shelves lining the walls.  Each of the shelves held dozens of
glass canning jars that appeared to be filled.  It was too dim even for her
eyes to see what the contents were, so she pulled a jar from the nearest shelf
and muscled it open.  The odor of peaches filled the little room. 
    Aurora grabbed a few jars and carried them back to the
barn.  When Sara looked up at her, she made a little curtsey and said, “Breakfast
is served m’lady.” 
    Sara was thrilled. She sniffed at the open jar of peaches.  “Do
you think they are okay?” she asked hopefully.
    “I would be able to smell it if they were bad,” Aurora
assured her. “Eat what you want; there must be hundreds more. 
    The jars were not labeled, but Sara could see that Aurora
brought two jars of peaches, one of something that looked like possibly apple
butter and another that looked like pickled green tomatoes. She decided to
stick with the peaches for her breakfast, and she ate a whole jar in minutes,
even sipping at the sugary liquid they were floating in. She laughed at herself
when she dribbled down her chin, and Aurora laughed with her. 
    Sara wiped her chin, feeling so much better for having
eaten.  “Aurora, what about you and Alex? How long can you go without feeding?”
    “I’m hungry,” Aurora said, “but it will be several days
before lack of blood actually starts to affect us in any significant way. At
least, I think so.  Obviously, something is happening to us.  You know that we
can walk in the