Vowed (The Vampire Journals, #7) - Morgan Rice Page 0,1

and Caitlin turned to see Ruth charging around the corner, right for them. She was overjoyed to see that she had made it back, too, and amazed to see how large Ruth had grown, now a full-size wolf. Yet Ruth still acted like a puppy, wagging her tail excitedly, as she ran into Scarlet’s arms.

“Ruth!” Scarlet screamed, peeling away from Caitlin, and hugging her.

Ruth could barely contain her excitement, charging her with such force, that she knocked Scarlet over.

Scarlet bounced back up, screaming with laughter and delight.

“What’s all the commotion?” came a voice.

Caleb.

Caitlin wheeled, feeling a thrill at the sound of Caleb’s voice. He was standing over her, smiling.

She couldn’t believe it. He looked so young and healthy, better than she’d ever seen him.

She jumped up and gave him a hug, so grateful he was alive. She felt his strong muscles as he hugged her back, and it felt so good to be in his arms again. Finally, everything was right in the world. It had been like a long, bad dream.

“I was so scared you had died,” Caitlin said, over his shoulder.

She leaned back and looked at him.

“Do you remember?” she asked. “Do you remember being sick?” He furrowed his brow.

“Vaguely,” he answered. “It all feels like a dream. I remember…seeing Jade. And…feeding on you.” Suddenly Caleb looked at her, eyes wide. “You saved me,” he said, awestruck.

He leaned in and hugged her.

“I love you,” she whispered into his ear, as he held her.

“I love you, too,” he answered.

“Daddy!”

Caleb lifted Scarlet in a huge embrace. He then reached down and petted Ruth, as did Caitlin.

Ruth couldn’t be happier with all the attention, jumping up and whining, trying to hug them back.

After some time, Caleb took Caitlin’s hand and together they turned and looked out over the horizon. A soft, morning light filled the endless sky before them, mountain peaks punctuating the horizon, the rose-colored light swirling through the mist. The peaks stretched on forever, and looking down, she could see that they were at an elevation of thousands of feet. She wondered where on earth they could be.

“I was wondering the same thing,” Caleb said, reading her thoughts.

They surveyed the horizon, turning completely in every direction.

“Do you recognize it?” Caitlin asked.

He slowly shook his head.

“Well, it looks like we only have two options,” she continued. “Up or down. We’re so high up already, I say we go up. Let’s see what’s to be seen from the top.” Caleb nodded his approval, Caitlin reached out and took Scarlet’s hand, and the three of them began to hike up the slope.

It was cold up here, and Caitlin was barely dressed for this weather. She still had on her black leather boots, her tightly fitting black pants, and a fitted black long-sleeved shirt, from her sparring time in England. But it wasn’t warm enough to shield her from these cold, mountain winds.

They pressed on, climbing up the slope, grabbing onto boulders and pulling their way up.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, just as she was beginning to wonder if they’d made the right decision, finally, they reached the highest peak.

Out of breath, they stopped and surveyed their surroundings, finally able to see over the ridge.

The sight took Caitlin’s breath away. There, spread out before them, was the other side of the mountain range, stretching as far as the eye could see. Beyond that, an ocean. Far out into the ocean, she could see a mountainous, rocky island, covered in green. A primordial island, jutting out from the ocean, it was more picturesque than anything she had ever seen. It looked like a place of fairytales, especially in the early morning light, covered in an eerie mist, and in an orange and purple glow.

Even more dramatic, the only thing connecting the island to the mainland was an endlessly long rope bridge, which swayed violently in the wind and looked hundreds of years old. Beneath it was a drop of hundreds of feet to the ocean.

“Yes,” Caleb said. “That is it. That island is familiar.” He surveyed it in awe.

“Where are we?” Caitlin asked.

He looked out at the sight with reverence, then turned and faced her, excitement in his eyes.

“Skye,” he said to her. “The legendary Isle of Skye. Home to warriors, and to our kind, for thousands of years. We are in Scotland, then,” he said. “near the approach to Skye. Clearly, that is where we are meant to go. It is a sacred place.”

“Let’s fly,” Caitlin said, feeling her wings