Setting Moon Ch. 05

Ericka stood on the roof only five feet away from Firina, the woman who turned her into a vampire. "Why now have you come to collect did you feel I was getting close?" Asked Ericka.

Firina, who had been looking towards the setting sun, turned to face Ericka. "You know why, you found the girl. I either take her or the key." She said smugly.

"We had no such deal; the only deal I made with you was if I ever saw you again, that I will be the one to take your life." Ericka said and started to move towards her.

"You know what I speak of, you vowed to kill me. Therefor I vowed to take everything you love, and I started by cutting up that pretty little thing of yours. Why didn't you save her, like you didn't save your children? I killed them slowly as they lay in their beds so close to their families." Firina said with a grin on her face.

Ericka lunged towards her tackling her to the ground. Her eyes red, fangs bared she elongated her nails and tore into Firina's chest, Firina returned the favor by tearing into Ericka's back. Ericka was able to get up on her knees and punched Firina in her face with her left arm. Firina swung sinking her nails into Ericka's right side. Ericka fell onto her left hand, but with her right hand she grabbed Firina's right arm piercing her skin with her claws. With the other she grabbed Firina's left shoulder digging in.

"You should have never made me or threatened my family. I have always been faster and stronger than you. I told you I would be the one to take your life." Ericka moved her left hand to enclose over Firina's throat, digging her nails into her neck and started to severe her jugular slowly. Firina clawed into Ericka shoulder and side with her free hand but Ericka would not break, she would not let her live. Once her jugular was severed, Ericka slashed at what was left of Firina's remaining neck. Finally she watched as the light left her eyes and her body went limp. Ericka grabbed Firina's lifeless head and moved it away for the body. She then grabbed the key from Firina's dead body with her right hand and looked it over as she lay down on the hard roof. She put the key in her left hand and held her left arm close to her body and waited.

Suddenly Eric was by her side, pulling her into his arms. "Are you ok?"

"I am much better now that you're here. We've got to get the key to Lilliana she needs it to live. We have to go." She said trying to get up but found that she didn't have the strength. Instead she raised her right arm to touch Eric's face. Eric leaned down and kissed her lovingly.

"I'm not healing." She said as a tear rolled down her face.

"I can heal the outside, but I don't know how much it will help." He took off her tattered shirt and laid her down. He knelt over her and started to lick her wounds and cleaned up her blood. He stopped for a moment and asked "How does that feel?"

"So good, if it wasn't for me being in pain I'd have you already." She exclaimed.

He continued to lick her wounds and spoke through their link 'You taste amazing, your skin, your blood it's like a drug I never want to give up.' She smiled.

Once he was done licking her wounds. He stood pulling Ericka up with him into a standing position. She cringed at the movement and clung to his body. They stood face to face now, staring into each other's eyes. He kissed her lovingly for several moments before they heard footsteps coming towards them.

Eric turned growling but Ericka stopped him "She one of the witch's." He stopped growling and apologized.

"I am Trisha, Lilliana sent me to get you." She said nervously as she walked towards them. She walked up to them and asked for their hands. They did as she asked and watched as sweat beaded down her forehead. After a few moments the earth moved beneath them and a second later they found themselves in Lilliana's hospital room.

Ericka spoke to the room warily when she said "I have the key." Eric then helped Ericka over to where Sam sat next to Lilliana. The witches gathered around Lilliana as Ericka said to Sam.

"If you are holding her hand when she is healed you may lose your wolf." She paused "For this to work Lilliana and I need to be holding the key."

Sam then moved letting Ericka take his spot kneeling next to Lilliana. Eric went to move away but Ericka stopped him. "Don't forget to catch me if I fall." She smiled as he moved away to stand next to Sam.

Ericka then placed the key into Lilliana's hand and wrapped her own around Lilliana's. She waited for the witches to start because Lilliana had to be awake. When they took each other's hands Ericka leaned up painfully with her left hand and gently caressed Lilliana's cheek but she did not wake. Ericka then laid her arm back down and closed her eyes. She felt Lilliana's thoughts and found her thinking about her son.

She then pushed a thought past Lilliana's own 'Wake up.' She yelled. She opened her eyes to find Lilliana staring back at her.

The women started to hum, concentrating on pulling Lilliana's power into the fold. Lilliana now spoke weakly to Ericka "You must find him." Was all she said as the magic started to envelope the room and Lilliana started to fade. Ericka talked to her about the life they would live once this was all over, trying to keep her awake. Lilliana smiled but only for a moment as pain started to surge through her body. She cringed, grunting and screaming painfully over and over until light filled the room.

Eric had to hold Sam back from returning to Lilliana's side.

They had removed Lilliana's bandages before starting and now Sam watched as the long cut on her back started to heal. Eric watched Ericka as she shook in pain and light filled her every pore. She arched her back and screamed.

Now Sam had to hold Eric back from reaching Ericka. "I know." Was all Sam said and Eric looked into his eyes.

"You know?" He said looking back to Ericka but no longer trying to reach her.

"Later." Sam said and turned back to watch Lilliana.

Lilliana lay still on the bed, the only part of her that showed life. Was her arm desperately clinging to Ericka trying not to let her go. Ericka was now a beam of light blinding everyone in the room except her and Lilliana. Lilliana moved towards her on the bed, "Stay with me." She said and her voice vibrated through the room. Ericka screamed again and the light started to dissipate. Lilliana watch as Ericka fell to the floor and Eric caught her.

Eric looked up to Lilliana "Is it over?" he asked.

"Yes" Lilliana said. She felt someone touching her back and turned to find Sam standing next to her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better than I've felt in a long time how do I look?" she smiled as he looked over her body.

"You are stunning." Sam smiled.

Lilliana went to move and found that she was naked, she looked to Sam and asked "Is it possible for me to get some clothes. And maybe a shower."

She pulled her sheets around her as Sam went to find some clothes. She got off the bed next to Eric and Ericka, kneeling down next to them she looked Ericka over. Ericka lay unconscious in Eric's arms; a worried look marred his face. "Put her on the bed." Lilliana said.

Eric did as she said and watched as Lilliana grabbed her arm and focused on Ericka. Suddenly she opened her eyes and stared at Eric, "She's...she's no longer a vampire. She has a pulse." She exclaimed. Eric looked shocked and placed a hand on her chest feeling her chest rise and fall and the low thump of her heart beating with in.

"She probably needs time to recover, that was a big transition for her." She said and then turned towards the bathroom. Sam had grabbed the bag with her clothes and followed her. Once in the bathroom Sam dropped the bag and closed the door, she then turned towards Sam.

"Say it again." he said staring deep into her eyes without touching.

She moved closer to him pressing herself against him still looking into his eyes. "I love you." She said pulling the sheets away

from her body. "Your turn." She said moving towards the shower and turning on the hot water.

He stepped towards her wrapping his arms around her waist and whispered into her ear, "I love you." in a soft sensual voice. He turned her to face him and kissed her deeply for several minutes her arms wrapping around his neck.

When they broke the kiss, he spoke, "Unfortunately, I can't join you I have responsibilities to deal with." He kissed her again and left the room but only after grabbing the sheets to bring out for Ericka.

Lilliana turned and stepped into the hot stream of water; in the shower she slowly washed the caked blood from her body. She washed her hair and then let the hot water massage her back and neck. After about ten minutes she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling herself off and she saw the bag that Sam had left on the floor. She finished toweling off and dropped the towel to the floor. She noticed her left hand started to hurt and looked down at it, seared into her hand was a burn mark from the key. She decided to dress it once out of the bathroom and set to finding something to wear.

She pulled out a set of lacey underwear with matching bra and then she found a pair of black skinny jeans and black tank top. She put them on before looking back into the bag finding a pair of brown high heeled boots that went over her pants and a matching belt. The belt had a leg holster for her gun and two small bags just big enough to hold two clips each. She put the shoes and belt on and strapped the gun holster to her leg. Once on she dug through the rest of the bag finding two brown leather wrist bands, which she set aside to wear. She also found some metal dangle earring and set them aside with the wrist bands. She also found some other jewelry but left it in the bag.

She stood picking up the bands and earring's she placed them on the side of the sink and set to putting them on, she then brushed her hair leaving it down mostly because she had nothing to put it up with. She then picked out a long spaghetti strapped black dress from the bag and walked out of the bathroom. She walked over to the bed where Eric still stood next to Ericka's unconscious body. She reached under the side of the bed and grabbed the bag that contained the gun in it. Ericka must have taped it there while Lilliana slept. The only reason she knew it would be there is because that's where Ericka always keeps her gun.

She walked over to the side table and dumped its contents. She found her gun, four extra clips of ammo and her phone. She clipped her gun in its holster and put the extra clips in the bags and placed the phone in her back pocket. She then went back over to the bed. "We should change her clothes and clean her up." Eric agreed and they set to stripping her clothes.

"How long do you think she will sleep?" Eric asked as he wiped Ericka's naked body down with wet towel cleaning up the caked up blood.

"I don't know I'm going to go talk to the witches in a moment and see what I can do." She said removing the key from Ericka's hand, it was caked with blood and her hand was also burned in the shape of the key. She walked over to the nurse's stand and brought bandages back to the bed. She wrapped Ericka's hand, then her own. She then helped Eric put the dress on Ericka. Once done she went to the bathroom and cleaned the key and chain it was on. She placed it around her neck and headed out of the room to talk to the witches.

Everyone had cleared the room after she got in the shower, so now she headed into the hall and found the witches standing in a group the right of the door.

She walked up to them "We need to find out what is happening to Ericka now that she is no longer a vampire, what can we do?" she asked.

"Well, we've been discussing it and have come to the conclusion that if you can enter her mind with the help of the key you may be able to bring her back. But be aware if you should do this you can get lost in her memories and be trapped there. It's best to do it when you are fully rested physically and mentally." Said one of the women, Lilliana nodded.

"Now what are you planning to do now?" Lilliana asked.

"Well we hoped to stay with you. We have nowhere else to go and you are the strongest of us. It takes to reason we should stay close to you." The same woman said.

"I am planning on going to live with my mate and his pack. I assure you that everyone will be safe there. But it is your decision to make." Lilliana said. All the women nodded in agreement. "Good then I will go make arrangements." Lilliana turn to find Sam and found the other pack members watching her. She strode down the hall proudly with one hand resting on her gun. She found Sam talking to three of his security members, and stopped next to him looking at the men as they finished talking. Sam noticed and once he was done sent the men off to do their work.

He turned to Lilliana and smiled, "Do you look stunning all the time or is it just me?" He said as he started to walk slowly back down the hall.

Lilliana walked next to him. "Well I guess we'll find out now wont we." She said with a smirk.

"I guess that means you'll be coming back with me." He said a little nervously.

"I would have it no other way." She said, he smiled wide but waited to speak.

"But I need to talk to you about the women." She said pointing towards the witches, who were looking around nervously. "They wish to stay with the pack and I wish it to. They can help me learn all I need to know about the witch's history."

"Anything for you, but..." He paused "are you willing to mate with me?" He said stopping in the hall and turning towards her. She stopped next to him with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes, if I was given this power to do some great good than it should not be taken from me just because it is challenged by love." She spoke with ease and elegance in her voice, turning towards Sam.

"So then you're not afraid that the change will take your magic?" Sam said as Lilliana noticed the witches watching their conversation but still only spoke to Sam.

"No, if my wolf takes my magic than I will accept that it was my fate and trust in my mate. I have no doubts about this, but if I'm correct I have nothing to worry about. For example for a vampire, their body dies and therefore the magic would die. The way I figure the wolf will work is that the magic will blend. But it does not matter I will be happy with you either way." She said and moved towards him into his embrace.

They kissed each other lovingly, "Good, now how do we wake up Ericka?" Sam asked.

"The girls and I have an idea." She said walking towards the room that held Ericka. Sam followed standing behind Lilliana as she went to stand next to the right side of the bed. Eric stood on the other side holding Ericka's hand.

"You might want to let go until I'm done." Lilliana said as she pulled the key from her neck and placed it in Ericka's hand. Eric backed away and watched as Lilliana closed her hand over Ericka's with the key in between.

"Whatever happens don't let me let go of her hand or we could both be lost." Sam nodded and stood close but without touching. Lilliana then took a deep breath and placed her other hand on Ericka's forehead and closed her eyes.

She entered Ericka's mind searching for her friend, "Ericka." she called but no answer after searching for a couple of minutes she entered a memory Ericka was walking through a field towards someone. But she couldn't see who, she called to her but no answer. Now Lilliana stood in the field walking towards her. "Ericka." she called and still she did not turn. An idea came to her and she called again "Hellana.", Ericka turned to see who would be calling her.

"Who are you?" Ericka asked.

"I am your friend, you are sick and need to wake." Lilliana said.

"But I don't feel like I'm sleeping. I am going to go see my children, but I have been walking for a long time." Ericka looked confused. "If I am dreaming, how are you here?"

Lilliana thought for a moment, "In the place I come from, I have the magic to help you come home; you are so far from home Hellana, the ones who love you are waiting." Lilliana pleaded.

"But I can see them just there," She pointed towards the horizon "Gabriel is calling for me." Ericka said assuring her.

"They are not there, if you go to them only death awaits. Give me your hand I will show you something that will show you I speak the truth." Ericka held out her right hand. "I can only show you the truth, if you chose to see it." Ericka nodded and Lilliana took her hand within her own. "Open your hand." Ericka did as she asked and saw the burn mark from the key. Lilliana then opened her own, showing Ericka her own mark.

She looked at the mark on their hands "Why didn't I notice this before, shouldn't it hurt?" She asked looking up at Lilliana.

"You didn't notice it because this place isn't real, it doesn't hurt because this is a dream. I have to take you home, otherwise we will both die. Hellana, you and I have fought too hard to survive to just let go now. The key can save you, it saved me. Please come home." Sweat was beading off her forehead now she could not stay here much longer.

"Will you be there?" Ericka asked.

"I will be holding your hand." Ericka nodded and took Lilliana's hand.

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Sam noticed the sweat forming on Lilliana's forehead and caught her as her knee's started to give in. It had been half an hour and still no sign of progress. Until suddenly Ericka's eyes opened and Lilliana fell against Sam but still held Ericka's hand. Ericka sat up and looked around the room, her eyes stopping on Lilliana.

"This is home?" Ericka questioned.

"No this is where people get healed, we are going home soon." Lilliana said standing back up. "Do you remember me?" Lilliana asked.

"I remember you from the dream but I do not know how you are my friend." Ericka said looking at Sam and Eric.

"My name is Lilliana, this is Sam and Eric." Lilliana said motioning to them.

"Your name it sounds familiar but I do not know. Have you tricked me, where is Gabriel? You will not have my magic." She said jumping from the bed landing several feet away. When she landed a light blinded them and when they could see again. They all stood in shock, Ericka stood with bright wings expanding eight feet on either side protruding from her back.

Eric moved towards her slowly "Ericka, I am yours without end." He said exposing his neck to show her the scar that laid there. She lowered her wings and looked at the man before her. He seemed eager for her to understand. She looked at his scar then he moved towards her, she didn't move just looked at him curiously. He touched the matching scar on her neck and she thought for a moment.

Then everything came pouring back to her and she threw her arms around Eric's neck and said "And I am yours until the end." Then they kissed passionately for several long moments until finally Ericka remembered they were not alone.

Her wings vanished as if they were never there and after a few moments Lilliana spoke "You're an angel?" Ericka smiled

"No, I was an angel for a very long time then I was reborn on earth with instructions to influence the human race in the right direction. While on earth I was to be half angel, half human but then...well you know what happened then." She was standing very close to Eric and he had is arms around Ericka's waist. Eric was staring at Sam waiting for his judgment.

"And you two are together now?" Lilliana asked.

"Yes" came from Ericka.

"Good" Said Sam and Eric relaxed.

"Will you mate even though you are finally human again?" asked Sam. Eric looked at Ericka a bit worried.