Part 9 (2/2)

I finally realized that the alcove that I huddled in was lit. I looked into the store's window. It was a Wiccan store with a beautiful Yule display. A small evergreen was decorated with silver pentagram. Holly branches dotted the boughs of the tree with tiny red and green lights. I heard tiny bells jingling; it had to coming from the display. I sat there just starring at the splendor of the tree and the season. I had been so busy since Halloween, my Samhain. I hadn't realized Winter Solstice was so close.

Magick tingled along my skin. I could sense the Dracae close, which p.i.s.sed me off. The creature rescued me only to turn me over to Palmira. Was he working for her? I would say that was a definite yes. If he thought I was going to help him after he turned me over to the psycho witch from h.e.l.l, he was nuts.

I was finally angry. h.e.l.l, I was p.i.s.sed off, and p.i.s.sed was good. I tried to use a sensing spell to see just how close the Dracae dared to come. My magick locked on to someone but something was wrong. I couldn't break the hold they had on me.

I felt my muscles start to spasm. I knew this feeling I'd had it before. Whoever it was, was trying to give me a power overload. I raised my hands and whispered a spell. I sent the jolt back times three, than silently said another spell, which put up a protective field around me. This spell would use a lot of my energy and I didn't know how long I could hold it.

I heard a vehicle in the distance. Slowly it made its way down the unplowed road. I guess the road crews didn't bother trying to keep up with the storm any longer. This storm seemed to be driven with an endless supply of magick. I was already sick of snow and technically winter hadn't even started yet.

Everything was covered in a blanket of white and it sparkled like glitter. The air was so fresh and clean. I have to say it did make the night seem peaceful and I wished it were true, but looks are deceiving. There was definitely something brewing in Little Rock and we had to find out what.

At long last I could make out the outline of Paris's SUV. I dropped my s.h.i.+eld and felt all my energy drain away. I put my hands down to help myself get up. They sank into the cold snow. I tried to get up, to be ready, but my body was numb. No matter what I did, my muscles failed to respond. All I could do was sit there and watched the dark form drive closer.

In the dark Paris's Explorer looked black, but I knew it was a deep green. The SUV pulled up next to the store. The smell of exhaust cut the crisp clean air. Alex drove and Rafe sat in the back, still in fox form.

Paris jumped out of the vehicle. Without a word, he scooped me up and carried me to the Explorer. Ronan helped him get me into the back seat. I ended up sitting on both of their laps.

”You're ice cold. We need to get you warmed up, but slowly.” Paris was stating the obvious but he had some basic medical training, which was a good thing.

”Is Rafe okay?” I said, my teeth chattering so hard it hurt.

Rafe laid his head against mine over the bench seat. We stayed like that for a few moments. My body slowly began to warm up. I felt nauseated and my muscles started jerking uncontrollable. The men elected Alex to drive back to the Realm. He drove as quickly as the weather would allow. For once he was keeping his mouth shut, I guess there is first time for everything.

With every jerk of my body came a moan. I was so cold it hurt to move. Paris and Ronan held me close, as if trying to cus.h.i.+on my body from the violent spasms that made me feel like a Mexican jumping bean. Doc probably would be at the Realm when we arrived, more to tend to his King than me.

”Why is she jerking like this?” Paris asked, panic in his voice.

”I believe it is due to being in the freezing temperatures for such a long time,” Ronan answered, sadness in his voice I'd never heard before.

”I've never heard of anyone reacting like this,” Alex said. ”They usually go into shock and fall asleep.”

”If you don't have anything constructive to say shut the f.u.c.k up and drive,” Paris yelled. ”It's your fault she left in the first place.”

Silence hovered in the air like a heavy fog. It was Alex who opened his big mouth and broke the silence first. I never thought he was too smart. ”It was Logan with her magick... thingy. That's how all this s.h.i.+t started.”

Anger and heat filled the air like a hot summer night, and it smothered out the silence. I lay there, my body still jerking, but the spasms were becoming less frequent. Ronan and Paris held me close. I could hear Paris's heart beating so fast. He was p.i.s.sed about the comment.

”We can discuss this at a more appropriate time,” Ronan said. ”Alex, please control yourself. Or I will be forced to help you.”

”We're almost at the Realm, Logan. Just hold on a little longer,” Paris said, rubbing my head.

I closed my eyes and tried to let the tension out, allowing myself to sink into both the men's bodies. I listened to the mantra of breathing and the drumming of Paris's heart. I grabbed a handful of his s.h.i.+rt, concentrating. I could hear the rhythm of everyone's body in the SUV. The sound was musical and actually soothing to my ears.

I noticed that Ronan too was rubbing my leg. I wasn't sure if he did it absently or not but I let it go. Ronan had his own demons to worry about and I had mine. I could still feel Alex's anger and disgust over what had happened but there was more to it than I could read.

Rafe stayed close, just watching me with concern and interest in his eyes. I hovered just above the dream world. Every time I came close to a deep sleep, my body would spasm. I guess it was my subconscious's way of warning me not to fall asleep. Finally, the Explorer came to a halt, the doors flung open and everyone quickly got out. It was like being in an emergency room with its orderly chaos.

When I went back into the cold air again, my body jerked uncontrollably. Paris hurried me down the stairs to Ronan's living quarters. I heard people shouting all at once, and they sounded far away. I could feel movement around me and I opened my eyes to see an older man standing next to me. The scent of pipe tobacco hung in the air and I knew it was Doc. He had treated me once before.

”Tend to your King first,” I whispered.

”Rafe is fine, but you're not. Put her down on the floor and I'll get my bag,” Doc said, walking out of my view.

Again the talking between Doc and Paris started. Paris laid me on the floor gently as he talked. He and Ronan knelt next to me and with their hands on me, it dulled some of the impact my body was taking, but not much.

I was in and out of consciousness so I didn't catch everything that was going on. I opened my eyes again and saw Doc. His long hair hung past his shoulders, white with dark streaks on the sides. His beard and mustache was a nice mix of salt and pepper. Doc looked like he should have been on a Harley, with his blue jeans and a black faded Grateful Dead t-s.h.i.+rt, not tending to the wounded and sick.

”You need to get her out of those wet clothes and then we have to get her temperature up slowly,” Doc said, looking at Paris. There was a look in his eyes as if he were trying to say something without actually saying it.

I don't do naked very well, but if this was going to warm me up I could bare it. No pun intended. I could hear fabrics ripping and hot hands against my skin. They felt warmer than they should have. Again, darkness took me, but I didn't care who saw me naked anymore. The dark was like a living thing that moved and pooled around me, but there wasn't any way I could free myself of this blackness.

Then there was the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and I reached the end of the darkness. I peered out and it was a bright sunny day. I walked into the daylight. A warm breeze blew my hair and I took in deep breaths of heather. Somewhere deep inside, I kind of remembered being here before. It was one of those de javu moments. I walked through the tall gra.s.s. The land rolled in its emerald brilliance, trees dotted the land here and there. In the distance, I could see two people having a picnic. I walked closer. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Ronan sat laughing with a woman. He was dressed in the clothing that I'm accustomed to seeing him in. My best guess said it was from before he was magickally turned into a vashon. Most vashon refuse to talk about being turned. Some didn't even remember.

I stood about ten feet away from them, but still I went unnoticed as if I were but a ghost in their time. The woman's black hair was done up in extensive ringlets on her head, her skin was pale white under the bright sun. She wore a pale yellow gown with the skirt spread out around her. They laughed, talked and ate, but mostly they enjoyed each other. I didn't have to see her face. I knew it was Katherine, me. It was disconcerting as h.e.l.l.

All of a sudden, I was ripped away. Now I was back in my own jerking body. I opened my eyes and I was sitting in a large, deep tub. It was big enough to fit at least four people comfortably. I leaned against someone's chest. I didn't have to look to know it was Paris. No one else made me feel so safe.

I felt like I was going to lose my cookies and tried to stand so I wouldn't puke in the water. Anything would be better than having floaties in the water I was sitting in. I got to my feet but I wasn't very steady, my legs refused to hold me and I started to fall. Paris grabbed me around the waist, but it was Ronan who appeared in front of me with a waste-can.

I puked until my stomach ached and my eyes watered. Paris slowly sat back down into the water. I leaned against him; feeling like a Mack truck had hit me. I was so tired. Sleep called to me and I didn't fight it. I didn't want to.

Once again, I stood in Ronan's time as if I had never left. The darkest clouds I'd ever seen rolled in and it started to pour with rain. The storm had the familiar feeling of magick, vashon magick. Ronan and Katherine ran into what looked like a castle. I followed. Maybe a stupid move on my part, so here's hoping I don't die in my sleep.

I walked through the door. The smell of dust and a hint of mold clung to everything. The castle looked like something you would see on some doc.u.mentary about haunted castles. As it goes, it wasn't Windsor, but it was a nice size. I didn't follow Ronan and Katherine immediately. I wandered around from one amazing room to another. The things I saw would be in museums today, all ancient and priceless even back then.

A woman screamed and I ran toward the noise. There was a charge of vashon magick in the air. When I got close enough, I heard shouting. I tore into the room to find several vashon. A couple of large men were dragging Katherine - 'me' - outside. Ronan was on his knees pleading with who I thought to be the leader.

”If you kill her, I will not willingly become a vashon. I will create as much trouble for you as I can,” Ronan said, his accent the strongest I'd ever heard it.

Again, the woman screamed in the distance and Ronan echoed her in his anguish. The vashon dragged Ronan in the same direction as Katherine. The leader wanted Ronan to see what was about to happen, which screamed not good. Scientifically this was very interesting, to view things from a spirit's point of view. But, to see my past self being killed was too much. I tried to follow but I could feel my projected self pulled away again.

I opened my eyes and looked around. All the men I had touched with my magick stood or sat around the room. The air surrounding me was filled with such an overwhelming sadness; I had a hard time getting a deep breath. I could sense all the men and each one had their own scent from floral to woodsy.

”Who died?” I asked in a scratchy voice that was barely audible.

Everyone jumped as if they had been shot. The men gathered around the large bed and looked at me like I had just appeared or grown a second head. I couldn't decide which.

”Can I have some water? What happened and the complete story, please,” I muttered.

Alex walked out. Maybe he thought I wasn't going to like what I was about to hear, and he wanted out of firing line. I slowly raised myself. I could feel my body slide along the white silk sheets. Something told me that I didn't want to be laying down for this.

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