Page 83 of Awakened Light

“I will not.” Liùsaidh looked at me, piercing me with those gray eyes. “No bloodsucker will be with my daughter. I forbid it.”

“What?” Catrain and I echoed.

Liùsaidh closed her eyes and lifted her hands. They glowed blue as she held them over me. Her immense powers surged through my body, and it felt like my blood boiled in my veins. The pain searing through me dropped me to my knees, and I heard Catrain screaming my name and begging her mother to stop. As the pain reached unimaginable depths, I clawed at my exploding head and rolled in the sand, desperate to make it end. When I didn’t think I could withstand even another second, the intense pain vanished as quickly as it had started.

“What did you do?” Catrain shouted at her as she dropped beside me. “Thorne? Are you okay? Thorne!”

Too stunned to answer, I just rolled over onto my back and struggled to catch my breath.

“What did you do to him, Mother?” Catrain demanded as she kneeled over me. “Tell me! What did you do?”

Liùsaidh looked down her nose at us. “I returned his original powers. No daughter of mine will be with a bloodsucker. Now he doesn’t need to drink blood again.”

My original powers?

Stunned at the words I’d just heard, I looked down at my hands. They looked the same, but as the pain left my body, I realized everything inside me felt completely different. I felt like I had after the first time I’d transitioned over six hundred years ago. And for the first time since then, I felt hungry... and not for blood.

“Are you saying—” I whispered as I rose. “Are you saying I’m the way I once was? I can eat food, go in the sun, and live an immortal life?”

Liùsaidh gave a sharp nod of her head.

“I can’t believe it,” Catrain whispered as she lifted her hand to her mouth. “You... you’re like Aiden now.”

It was almost impossible for me to comprehend that I’d no longer have to live in the dark and survive on blood. I’d be able to enjoy a life at her side, tasting the foods she loved and sipping on piña coladas with her. The joy surging through me erased the last of the pains from the spell.

“Thank you, Liùsaidh,” I said as I crawled to my feet. “Thank you so much. I’ll never forget this kindness.”

She pursed her lips and arched an eyebrow as she looked away. Even though I knew it killed her inside to help me, and she wouldn’t be welcoming me anytime soon, I tossed my arms around her and hugged her tight. She struggled against my embrace but gave up and stood still while I squeezed her a little tighter.

“I promise I’ll take care of her,” I whispered into her. “Always.”

Her stiff body softened with the words, and I felt her head nod against my shoulder. Before she changed her mind and dropped me with a lightning bolt, I released my grip on her and stepped back to Catrain’s side.

“Thank you, Mother. I love you so much.” Catrain pulled her in for a hug before letting go and slipping her arm around my waist. “Alpia really will be a better leader. And she and Uradech are going to make you the most beautiful grandbabies.”

Alpia and Uradech glanced at each other, a pink flush traveling across Alpia’s cheeks as she stared up at him.

“You go now,” Liùsaidh said, gesturing to the boat.

Catrain glanced at it, then looked back at her mother. “Will I be welcome back?”

Liùsaidh nodded. “Always, child.”

With a wide grin, Catrain tossed her arms around her mother one last time. She then hurried to her sister, squeezing her tight before moving to Uradech.

“Take care of my sister,” she warned with a finger in his face.

“I love her. I’ll always protect her,” he answered with a smile. “Thank you for doing this for her. For us.”

“I’d have done it sooner if I’d known how you two felt about each other. I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”

“Hey, none of these long goodbyes,” Alpia said. “I’m getting married next month, and you’re going to be here.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Catrain kissed her sister on the cheek.

“Go on. Go back to the world and ride that dirty bike, or whatever it’s called.” Alpia gave Catrain a little shove. “I’ve got things under control here.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Catrain said with a wave and jogged back to me.