Large arms plunged into the water, grabbing her arm, and yanking her up in the air. She flew out, landing in a limp heap over soft white sands. Her vision was fading as she looked up, and a dark, ominous shadow loomed over her. They’d found her. The queen had sent her shadow demons to return her to Baal.
Tears spilled from her eyes as the last bits of her consciousness began to falter. Her last thoughts trying to cling on to the image of her love, a man with the most vivid heterochromic eyes. She’d been mesmerized by those eyes once upon a time. Jarron.
Chapter Twenty Nine
January 30th, Bimini Island
“Pa! Come on! Mariana’s waiting,” Fawna yelled from the back door. “Where have you been?” She started for him, getting ready to help him with his load from the boat. “Mama’s forehead is knotting.”
He laughed nervously at his daughter’s warning. He was in trouble. He hadn’t called, only texted that he was running late. That was last night. The sun was now breaking over the horizon. “So, how mad is she?” he whispered cautiously.
Fawna’s eyes brightened as she laughed at him. Dancing jewels, that’s what they’d always reminded him of. One blue, one green, but deeply colored with flecks of gold around the iris.
“You may be sleeping with Mr. Snow’s rooster.”
He groaned. He couldn’t leave the strange woman from the whirlpool until he knew for sure she was all right. She almost died. She had been in and out of consciousness, murmuring a man’s name in her delirium. If it hadn’t been for a spirit animal, a raven, the woman surely would have passed over. He figured the raven was the woman’s familiar, there to protect her, and it would finally be okay to leave.
Surely, Sabine would understand. It was a matter of life and death, literally. He gulped as her delicate figure appeared within the doorframe of their home, her hip jutting out, her arms crossed stiffly across her perfect breasts, her bottom lip protruding out a little too much for her beautiful face. “Ay, Mi Fuego. Your mother is about to kill me,” he whispered fretfully.
“You won’t be that lucky, Papa.” She elbowed him in the rib as she took the rest of his things, and ran to the back of the house.
“You’re no help. Ay, Fawna!” he called after her as she scrambled to get out of the way. “Mi Corazon. Mi Corazon,” he sang and held his hands together as if in prayer.
Sabine was glaring at him, the spears coming out of her eyes were directed straight at his heart.
He froze in his tracks. God, he loved this woman, but she was a force-of-nature when she was angry. “Sabine.” He kept his distance from the door. He was no idiot. “I should have given you more information.” He was watching for the ice to melt around her shoulders. He swallowed. He had to choose his words wisely. The moment she heard about another woman, she would turn him into a toad. “I didn’t want you to worry.”
She took a deep breath, and seemed to expand in the doorway.
“I was patrolling the west side.”
Her eyes narrowed. She was well aware of the reports coming from that side of the island.
“Something happened.” He took a step forward. He saw her catch a breath as her eyes widened. Worry was erasing some of the anger.
“What ‘appened? Demons?” She stepped out of the door frame, moving quickly toward him.
“Papa! Mama! Let’s go! Mariana is waiting!” Fawna called from the car.
He could hear the car engine start, and the car door slam. “I’ll tell you at the Sanctuary, with Mariana.” Fawna had great timing. He was about to get to the part about the woman. Sabine would be more objective if Mariana was around. Breathing a sigh of relief, he led Sabine to the car.
Fawna was behind the wheel, her head bobbing in time with the radio. “Fawna!” He winked. He could hug her right now. Whether she timed her call on purpose or not, he didn’t care. It was a gift that he would credit to his daughter’s brilliance. “Get in the back, Mi Fuego.” His daughter drove like a maniac. Island roads were small, narrow, and curvy to follow the lines of the island. He loved it, he always felt the roads were designed to slow you down, to enjoy the ride, and the scenery. Fawna did not get that message.
She shrugged and hopped to the back without protest.
Sabine turned to Fawna. “You and Mariana are gettin’ alon’ better?”
“Much. You were right. I really like her.”
“I’m always right.” Her brow raised as she quirked her head toward Dex.
He started humming as he pulled away from the driveway, trying to ignore the weight of Sabine’s stare boring into the side of his face like a jackhammer cracking open a sidewalk. It was going to be an uncomfortable ride. Thank the Creators, it was a short one.
He glanced toward the sea, and toward the caves where he had left the woman. He took a deep breath as his insides tightened with worry. He had no idea who she was or where she came from, but she needed help, and that responsibility had befallen him. He wouldn’t have left her, but had he stayed out much longer, Sabine would have come looking for him. He couldn’t take that chance.
He had seen power burst from the woman. He felt the raw strength of it. It sent him crashing against the cave walls, and he had the bruises to prove it. He had to be careful not to get pummeled all night. He prayed she was okay. She was stable when he left thanks to the bird. So long as her familiar stayed near, she should be fine.
“Are you okay?” Sabine cut into his thoughts. He hadn’t realized he stopped humming.
“Of course, Mi Corazon. I’m with you.”
She rolled her eyes, but it was playful, not angry.
He reached for her small hand.
She didn’t pull away, though she kept her head turned toward the window. “We’re getting close,” she announced.
Heart beating a little faster, he parked the car across the Sanctuary. He shouldn’t be nervous, he hadn’t done anything wrong, but the mysterious woman was going to cause concern; especially for their Elder, Mariana. He swallowed as his family exited the car and headed for the Sanctuary’s main entrance. He delayed for a couple of seconds to ensure no one else was there. It was early in the morning, and the avenues were clear. So why were goose bumps crawling over his arms? Maybe it was his nerves. “Fawna.” He’d better make sure it was absolutely clear.
She ran back to him. “Yes, Pa?”
“Do you feel anything or anyone?” he asked quietly while he swept his gaze over either side of the road.
She stilled, letting her energy expand out. He felt rays of her energy shoot through his body, scan him, and move on. She was getting better with her skill. “It’s clear.” She confirmed. She looked at him with curious shining eyes. “Is there...” She didn’t finish her question.
“Good. Go on inside. I’ll catch up,” he said quickly, nudging her to get going.
She walked away with annoyingly slow steps, keeping an eye on him as she headed for the door.
“Go!” He shooed her on.
Her brows furrowed in the middle. She was definitely her mother’s daughter.
A deep lowly croak overhead caught his attention. It was a raven. He looked at the large bird, it’s solid black eyes gleaming with wisdom. This was not just a raven, this was the raven. The same one he left with the woman.
“Why are you here?” he whispered through clenched teeth.
She needs help. He heard in his mind. The familiar was male. You must return to her.
“I can’t. Not right now.” He really needed to work with Fawna on her scanning. Why didn’t she pick up on the familiar?
Now. The spirit animal insisted. She cannot die.
His heart thundered. Worry washing over him. He felt responsible for the stranger. He couldn’t let her die. Not on his watch.
The bird landed on his shoulder. Its talons wrapping around his meaty shoulder. Thank you.
That was the last thing he heard before he felt pulled into a vacuum, and reappeared in the cave with the woman. The bird hopped off of his shoulder,
and landed next to his ward. The bird squawked excitedly, its feathers ruffling, making it look unnaturally puffy. The familiar was in a panic.
Dex rushed to the woman, feeling her skin, checking her pulse, watching for signs of breathing.
She was cold, grey, and gasping for breath.
He needed to help her, but how? He wasn’t even sure how he got there.
The raven squawked again, grabbing his attention. It was hopping towards the mouth of the cave. He scooped up the woman in his arms where she sagged like a wet rag. She was dying and he needed to hurry.
The sky looked beautiful, a rosy pink coloring the edges against the turquoise of the sea. It was still early in the morning, and Martino should still be on patrol. He was the only other Other who patrolled with a boat. He tightened his grip around the woman to take her outside. Finding a patch of dry sand, he set her down gently.
“You better be good luck, bird.” He dug in his cargo pockets for his phone, hoping Martino was somewhere close. It rang only once. “Martino. I need help. I’m at the Healing Pools.”
There was no hello or goodbye. There was no time. He needed to get back to the woman and keep her warm. The sun was out, but the morning sun was too gentle, too mild. He took off his shirt, happy he had a tank top underneath. His shirt was big enough to act like a blanket for the woman. He tucked her in, as best he could as he started to call for his magick to come forward.
Immediately, warmth rose to his skin, heating his fingers and his palm. He tempered the heat; he needed to heal not harm. Chanting an ancient call to the gods, he hovered his hands over her head, down to her chest, then to her abdomen and legs. All the while envisioning his healing flames wrapping around her muscles, bones, and organs and deeply warming her from the inside.
He could see her insides, despite her injuries, she was healthy with strong muscles and bones, no disease of any kind. She shouldn’t be dying. He dug deeper wanting to understand his ward’s predicament. He gasped as his vision allowed him to see beyond her physical health. “What happened to your essence, girl?” Perhaps, he had made a mistake? The essence of a person, their spirit and their soul would be enormous, occupying a person’s entire vessel, sometimes more. Maybe he was rushing.
He calmed himself, taking deep, full breaths as he began to chant. His voice rolled from his throat, deep and melodic, carrying the somber drone of the prayer he was calling forth. “Impossible.” His hands trembled, his heart and his mind unable to reconcile what he was seeing. “There is nothing left of your essence, but a small spark… How?”
The woman groaned. Soft, barely audible, reflecting how weak she really was.
Dex studied her, trepidation threatening to pull him from his desire to help her. “That you are alive, is a miracle.” He blew out, convincing himself to continue. “Demons are not miracles.” He needed to trust his gut about this stranger.
He looked up at the sound of sputtering water coming close. “Ay, Martino!” He waved feverishly for his friend. “I need help!”
“Are you hurt? What is going on?” Martino had dropped anchor, and was bent over the side of the boat, assessing the area.
Dex lifted the woman easily, his steps lumbering over the soft sand.
“Is that Fawna?!” Martino was scrambling alongside the railing, matching his pace.
“No! Get ready to take her from me.” Dex sloshed through the shallow water to get to Martino. Heaving the unconscious woman over his head with the utmost care, he handed her to his friend, like a delicate offering.
“Ay, Dex. Where did you fish this one from?” Martino was setting her down on the boat’s wooden deck, taking care not to drop her.
Dex pulled himself over the railing, his pants wet up to his knees,his forehead beaded in sweat. He slumped down next to the woman, catching his breath. Trudging through sand and water was hard work, but carrying a load, that got his heart working. “A whirlpool spit her out last night. I kept her at the Pools. I hoped the healing water would revive her.”
Martino tossed him a small towel as he looked down at the woman, and then at him. Martino was contemplative. “Nothing happens on this island for years, then all of a sudden, weird energies, and now a beautiful woman from a whirlpool.” Martino rubbed the morning grizzle on his jaw. “Is she a mermaid?”
“We need to hurry, my friend. She needs help. More than I can give her. I need Sabine. We need to go the Sanctuary.”
Martino pulled up the anchor manually, the thick cords of muscle working in his forearms made the task look easy. Martino and Dex could have been brothers, both dark haired, both thick with muscles, though Martino was not as tall as Dex.
Without glancing back, Martino was back at the wheel of the boat, leading the small vessel with expert precision out of the shallow bank and through a small channel only known to the locals. Not too many boats could pass through the narrow channel, it was tricky to navigate, and boats could easily end up beached on the sands. “We need to get to the Sanctuary quick. This will be the quickest way,” Martino called out as he weaved his way through the deceptive track of water.
Dex held on to the woman as the boat sped up. He was thankful he was sitting down on the deck and couldn’t see what Martino was driving through. He kept his eyes closed, chanting softly to keep his magick flowing through the woman’s system. She was still grey, but not as much, though that could be hope making him see things. He could hear Martino calling on the radio asking for immediate transport. They would be docking in just a few minutes. “Help is near,” he whispered.
Chapter Thirty
January 30th, Bimini Island
The Sanctuary doors flew open as Dex trudged up the street with his mysterious cargo. Sabine came running out, her face awash with relief to see him. “What ‘appened?” She was holding back from crying. “You disappeared. I thought a demon...” she choked back.
“I’m so sorry, Mi Corazon. But enough about me. She’s starting to get heavy.” He dipped his chin pointing to the unconscious woman in his arms. “Inside. Please. I need your help.”
Sabine quickly recovered. “Dearest Creators.” She pushed Dex toward the courtyard where Mariana was blocking Fawna from running out. Both women seemed to sag with relief as he approached.
“Fawna. Inside. Get a blanket,” he ordered.
His daughter took off quickly as did Mariana to clear the couch for his ward. He laid her down carefully, and stepped back to let the women tend to her.
“Who is this?” Mariana asked hurriedly as she began to check the woman for injuries. “She’s not from the island.”
Sabine was rummaging through the office cabinets looking for something. “Mariana where are your ‘erbs?”
“Bottom left.” Mariana turned to him. “What is wrong with her?”
“Lots of injuries. Bruises everywhere even inside. Broken bones. She may have an internal bleed, but I’m not sure. She’s dying.” He swallowed, the next bit of information he was about to share was hard for him to comprehend. “Her essence is damaged.”
Mariana and Sabine both stopped, and looked at him. Fawna had come back with several blankets piled across her arms. “Is she all right?”
Sabine was walking towards him, that crook in her eyebrow raising. “’er essence? ‘erbs cannot cure the essence.”
“Can it be restored?” He chuckled nervously.
Both women almost leapt in his direction.
“What do you mean?” Mariana snapped.
“She has none. She has a little. A small spark, but certainly not enough to sustain a life. Or is it?” He wanted answers too. Mariana and Sabine were the smartest people on the island. They would know.
Sabine was shaking her head, her voice straining to get out one word, “No.”
Fawna finally approached, his daughter’s curiosity getting the best of her. “Is she a zombie?” she asked guardedly.
“No. She’s something else.” Mariana had her hands over the woman again, reading her, attempting to get infor
mation. The Elder was starting to breathe hard, her chest rising and dropping too quickly as her color began to fade.
Dex lowered to the floor, next to Mariana, ready to catch her should she fall.
Mariana was swaying, her voice shaking as she pushed the words of a chant through gritted teeth. “Help me!” she cried before she fell into Dex’ arms.
He lifted her quickly, “Fawna, the chair.” He placed Mariana carefully, not wanting the Elder to fall out.
Mariana fidgeted a little, but regained her composure. She bent over, resting her arms on her thighs as she took deep breaths. Gradually sitting up, her eyes were glued on the woman laying on her couch. “She’s a spawn.” She was breathless. “This woman has gone through more horror than I could imagine,” she said quickly.
“There’s no such thin’,” Sabine spoke up. “Spawns are only in stories. Fairy tales.”
“What is a spawn?” Fawna asked.
“A bein’ whose only purpose is to serve their master. They ‘ave no soul, no spirit. They live by sheer will of their creator,” Sabine explained. Her tone was flat, factual, but it gave Dex the creeps. That would explain the missing essence.
“Only the strongest dark magic can create such a creature.” Mariana added. “A body cannot survive without its essence. That is not the Creators’ will.”
“Is that why she’s dying?” Dex asked. He didn’t want to give up on her. There had to be a reason he found her. That her familiar asked for his help. “Can we save her?”
“Perhaps.” Mariana nodded. “But should we? Spawns are soldiers of the dark.” She was studying the woman. “Her master must come from great evil. To have done this! To blaspheme the very laws of nature and life!”
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