Read Online Love's Eternal Embrace by Karen Michelle Nutt - Free Book Online

to the cemetery to stop her two
friends from making this horrible mistake. Seeing the two facing
each other with swords and—”
    “Excuse me, did you say swords?” She’d always
assumed it was guns.
    “Why yes. This was 1767. Didn’t I say as
much?”
    “Uh…no, but go on. They were dueling with
swords.”
    “Mary didn’t think of her safety. She ran
right into the foray, putting herself in danger. Samael didn’t see
her until it was too late. He swung the sword, intending to end
Michael’s life, but Mary jumped in the way and the sword pierced
her heart.”
    Clarity knew Mary died tragically, but hadn’t
realized it had been by sword. “How terrible.”
    “Oh, it was and rightly so. Now, Mary lived
with her elderly aunt, Sophie Peabody. She was a woman known to
practice the arts.”
    “Do you mean witchcraft?” Now this part of
the story she knew from the tales her grandmother had told her. We’re related to a witch. Her grandmother would say and tell
the story of how the witch avenged her niece’s murder. As Clarity
researched the story, she began to question the validity of the
story, wondering what was truth, and what had been fabricated
through the years to make the story more interesting.
    “Yes, witchcraft. As soon as Sophie learned
where Mary had gone, she went after her, hoping to stop her from
putting herself in harms way, but she’d arrived too late. Mary
already lay dead at the feet of her suitors. Sophie was so furious
at the two men and their foolish pride she cursed them both. Samael
in her mind was the devil and with his blind love, he murdered the
woman he had adored. She cursed him with a wave of her hand,
turning him into a stone effigy, a devil’s chair, so he may sit
there through eternity and mourn the woman he lost.”
    “And Michael?”
    “She cast her spell and turned him to stone
as the Archangel Michael. He was Mary’s avenging angel, but he
failed to save her and for that he would pay with his life. For, if
he had stepped away from the relationship completely, Mary would
still be alive.”
    “But didn’t you say he respected Mary’s
wishes?”
    “Yes, but he didn’t stop seeing her. If he
truly loved her, he would have allowed Samael to cool down after
his rejection, but Michael didn’t do that. Michael kept rubbing it
in Samael’s nose, how his affections were still welcome at the
Peabody’s home.”
    Clarity couldn’t help but feel sorry for
Michael. Clearly, Samael was the one responsible for Mary’s death.
In her opinion, Michael also suffered at Samael’s hand by
witnessing the woman he loved slain in front of him. “Are the stone
chair effigy and the angel statue still there in the cemetery?” She
hoped they would be, but vandals had a way of destroying history
and she didn’t know what condition the cemetery may be in.
    Hester nervously licked her lips. “They both
still stand. If anyone sits upon the chair, Samael tries to keep
them there.”
    “I read about this. There were a few people
who claimed the devil’s chair held them hostage.”
    “Hmm, yes. Stupid kids, thinking it’s good
fun on Halloween to sit in the chair. Samael’s spirit or whatever
he is now, tries to seep into their heads, wanting to know their
dark secrets, feeding off the ominous deeds as if those thoughts
made him stronger.”
    Clarity humored the receptionist. She was
intrigued with the paranormal, but it didn’t mean she believed
every tale told to her. The story made for good entertainment and
that was what she needed for the ultimate spin to the article.
“What made them think the spirit fed off their thoughts?”
    “They could feel the invasion like hot pokers
in their brains.”
    She cringed at the mental image this brought
forth.
    Hester picked up a paper and pen and
scribbled on it, making a list of some sort. Then she handed the
slip of paper to her.
    “These are names. Who are they?” Clarity met
her gaze confused why she’d given them to her.
    “Those are