by Terra James
"Sadie, first of all, English please."
"Take all pain away making her pain free. Heal this broken heart that has been detected. Mend and make the bond stronger. That is what it means in English. What language it is and how I know it ... your guess is as good as mine."
"Oh my God, Sadie, so much has happened since you have been captured."
"Well since we aren't going anywhere anytime soon, we have plenty of time to catch up. They are gone, Em. I heard them talking about some battle and a few of their crew being killed."
"Are you sure you’re ready for this? It is completely crazy. I think you may not believe me."
"From what I’ve heard in here, these guys are vampires, for real, or they think they are anyway; so at this point nothing is surprising me. Em, when have I ever not believed you?"
"Sadie these guys are for real vampires. I am going to give you the quick version of the story. I am not sure why they want us, what is happening, or what is going to happen. What I do know is that I think everything will be okay. My gran is a witch."
"Yes, I know that Em. She practices Paganism as her religion."
"No, Sadie, a true witch that possesses magical powers without a spell being cast. It has been in our bloodline for generations. I am a witch, and I am the Chosen."
"Yeah, I heard Jasper say that, but what does that mean?"
"I’m not sure about all the details as of yet, but the Chosen is supposed to save the supernatural race from total destruction. I have to be bound to four people. My Soulmate, My Keeper, My Protector, My Healer, and then well all have to be bound together."
"Bound together?"
"Yes, by magic, and for life."
"Holy crap, Em, can this day get any more unbelievable? I have missed a lot, but who are these people you have to be bound to?"
Sadie is taking this better than I thought she would. I am guessing being kidnapped, held captive for days, and the people holding you captive being vampires helps you to believe anything. She is being very receptive to what I am saying.
"You are taking this well, Sadie."
"Em, you have never lied to me. I have a feeling in my heart that everything you are telling me is true. I can't explain it, but it seems natural what just happened when I made you feel better, and knowing that language. I sound like I am nuts, I know; so if we are going nuts, at least we’re going together, sista. We’re riding the crazy train."
I smile a little knowing that Sadie is back and that I can hear hope in her voice. One way or another, we will get out of here. If it is the last thing that I ever accomplish in my life, I will at least get us out of here.
"The people that I am to be bound to have already been revealed and some of the ceremonies have already taken place. Gran is my Keeper, and she was the first person I was bound to. You already know she is a witch. Dravon is my Soulmate and a vampire. He was the second. James is my Protector and a werewolf or wolf shifter. We were in the middle of that ceremony when chaos broke out, and I was kidnapped. I don't know if the others made it out alive."
I feel tears streaming down my face, and I hadn't even realized I had been crying. Sadie reaches over and squeezes my hand reassuringly. She always has had a way of making me feel better, and I am so glad that I have found my best friend. I reach over and hug her. I can feel her cold body, and she flinches from my touch. I know she is hurt, but I won't ask her about that just yet. I know she is trying to be strong for both of us. That is what Sadie does. It's her way of dealing with things, and I will let her do just that.
"Hold up! Stop the crazy train! James is a wolf? Oh my God, Emmaline!" she says, and her voice lets me know she is panicking.
"Listen Sadie, he’s still the same person. Being bound to me gives him the ability to only phase when needed. You will never know that he is even a wolf unless he lets you see it. Why does that bother you so much? I thought you said you could care less about James," I ask with a smirk, and add that last statement to meddle a little bit.
"Em, please don't tell me, you don't know that I am head over heels in love with that boy."
"I guess this is a good thing because once you are bound to me. James and you will be soul mates for life."
"Whoa ... slow down ... wait just a minute ... come again?"
"Well, what you just did by healing me, let's me know that you are my Healer. The Supernatural Immortals History Book says that once bound to me I give you both the ability to be someone's Soulmate and that my Protector and my Healer will be soulmates."
"Okay, for one, Emmaline, I need that book. For two, what makes you so sure I am a healer much less your healer?" she asks disbelievingly.
It's like fate answers her, because at this point in the conversation my body is wracked with pain. I let out an agonized scream, and my body feels as if it's being pulled apart by some invisible force. Again, as soon as Sadie's hands touch my skin I feel warmth from head to toe. The pure blackness is lit up by Sadie's glowing fingertips, and due to so much pain, it was only later I discovered the bruising on her face and the blood caked in her hair. Sadie's fingertips are sparkling with pink, blue, purple, green, and red light. The light spreads through my entire body this time just like it spread through the makeshift cell. She rubs her hand over my heart.
"Tome toda a dor de distancia facéndose a libre de dor. Curar ese corazón partido que foi detectado. Fixar e facer a conexión máis forte. Curar esta fermosa alma, fortalecer os lazos."
Immediately every ounce of pain lessened to just a miniscule nuisance. I am positively sure that she is my Healer, and again I am in awe of what just happened. I should be used to these things by now but they will take some getting used to. This world never ceases to amaze me so far. The silence tells me my screams have stopped, and I am able to continue the conversation.
"What was that last part you said?"
"Heal this beautiful soul, strengthen the bonds."
"Umm, you know a language you have never spoken before just out of the blue. And you have a problem with believing you are a healer?"
"Point taken," she says.
I can hear a smirk in her voice. "Anyway, being bound has its perks. I received the gift of telepathy and I can communicate that way with Dravon, but I've yet to hear anyone else's thoughts except James’s at the Ceremony. I am guessing I need more practice. Gran will teach me, guide me, and help me learn to use and control my gifts."
"You said you were bound to your Gran?"
"Yeah."
"What gift did she give you?"
"She gave me the gift of psychokinesis/precognition. I don't know exactly what that entails, but as I said before I have yet to be able to use any of my magic, except I have been able to communicate with James once at the Ceremony and Dravon, since this morning."
"What? And you didn't tell me."
"Oh, I guess I should have told you the most important part. You can't tell a mortal these things or it is punishable by death. The supernatural race will have to kill them to keep the secret."
"You guess!?!? Holy shit, Em that should have been the first thing you told me; and Em, why are you explaining all this when you should be communicating to Dravon?"
"Because Sadie, I needed you to understand."
"You can explain the rest later, please just tell Dravon where we are at, so he can get us out of here."
"The problem is I don't know exactly where we are, because I was knocked out the entire ride here."
"Let me guess, chloroform?"
I am feeling deflated, and I don't know what I’m going to do to get us out of here. I was knocked out the entire trip here. What could I tell Dravon? Will they be able to find us before Dravon's blood is out of my system? I don't want another person's blood in my body. I love Dravon. He is my life. He is my world, my soul, my heart, and everything now. These feelings are so strong I can't dismiss them, nor do I want to. It was true when the book stated that my heart would beat for us both. It is pounding out of my chest right now at the thought of having another ma
n's blood inside my body. I feel dirty and violated at just the thought of it.
“You have just told me the best thing that you could have ever said to me. I love you too, Em, with all of my heart, body, and soul. What other person are you talking about? I will kill him if he so much as lays a finger on you. I will find you, Em. If it's the last thing I do. I won't let him hurt you. Is there anything that you can tell me about where you are?”
“Thank God, Dravon, I wasn't trying to communicate with you, because I wasn't sure I could. I just know that we are in a makeshift cell. That is what Jasper said. It is completely dark here. They can see but we can't. I am assuming they are all vampires.”
“Em, who is we? Who is this Jasper?”
“Sadie is with me like I said before, and we are in the cell together. Jasper is the vampire that kidnapped me, and he was the one carrying me when I thought it was you. I am so sorry, Dravon. I should have known.”
“Em, shhhh ... it's going to be okay, babe. You couldn't have known. Baby girl, this is so new to you. Are you hurt? Is Sadie hurt?”
“No, I'm not hurt. I think Sadie is though, but she hasn't said anything true to normal Sadie fashion. She winced when I hugged her. I can't see the extent of her injuries because it is too black in here. I don't understand why she can't heal herself.”
“Em, how long did it take you to get to where you are? Did he carry you the whole way? What do you mean heal herself?”
“He carried me to the SUV hidden near Gran's house. I don't know how long it took to get here, because he used chloroform to knock me out. She's my Healer, Dravon, and she is keeping the pain under control. She was able to just lay hands on me, say some words, and then everything got weird. Her fingertips lit up with a multicolored light, she said the words and my pain subsided to just a minor discomfort. She doesn't know what language she is speaking but she can translate it. The second time she did this she added a few words and I had just a miniscule amount of pain left.
“Pain? Why are you in pain? Your Gran has a plan. I will get back to you.”
“Dravon, please stay with me. I am scared. I don't know why I am in pain or where the pain is coming from.”
“Em, I will never leave you. I will always stay.”
“The answer is yes.”
“Huh?”
“Yes, as soon as we make it out of this alive I want to marry you. I want the world to know you are mine. I know this is happening so fast, but I love you more than I have ever loved anyone.”
“Emmaline, you don't know how happy that makes me. I want to have that forever love with you. You will make it out of this alive. This is promise to you and Sadie too.”
After that it's like I lose connection with him. I can feel an overwhelming pain, and then he is just gone, like he put up a telepathic wall. I don't think he would shut me out in my time of need. Would he? He just promised to stay with me. Something had to have happened. I am lost in my own thoughts and don't notice it has become very quiet in the cell.
She's not going to be able to tell him where we are being held. We are going to die in here and if we don't, what happens then?
"Sadie, I’m going to do my best to tell him where we are; we are not going to die in here. We will figure out all of this once we are free," I say back to her, oblivious to the fact that I have just heard her thoughts.
"Em, you do realize I didn't say any of that out loud right?"
"Well, I didn't until now. I hear something."
"Quickly Em, you need to start screaming in pain. I don't think they realize that I can heal you without us being bound. We can use that to our advantage, and the telepathy needs to be kept secret as well. If you can read his thoughts, maybe you can get that information to Dravon."
I hear footsteps getting louder, and I begin to scream as if I am in pain. It is not all a show either because the pain is starting up again. I know Sadie senses the screams are not all put on, but she can't help me while they are watching. I don’t tell Sadie, but I don’t think she can heal fully, yet. I’m not sure why she can heal me without being bound to me. It’s a mystery.
A woman enters the cell and I can't see her, but I recognize her smell. It's the same woman that was chanting over me when I woke up earlier. She hands me a bottle of liquid.
"Drink it yourself this time. Don't make us hold you down! My patience is wearing thin with this whole ordeal," she says with an anger-laced tone.
So I do as I am told, but this elixir must be stronger because I can feel my eyes getting heavy almost immediately. The last thing I hear before I drift off to sleep is the woman's thoughts.
“That should keep her asleep for a little while. I’ll go out my mind if she screams any more. What a bunch of damn weaklings.
And then I hear Sadie's thought, which breaks my heart.
“I'm her healer. I am not supposed to be broken, but he has broken me. Will I ever be the same? I have to be. They're depending on me to save her, but what If I can't. I need someone to save me, but who will that be?”
Chapter Thirty One
Dravon
"James, she is communicating with me," I say between screams and sobs.
"Are they okay? Are they hurt?" he asks worriedly.
"Emmaline is not hurt, but she says that Sadie might be. She said that Sadie flinched when she hugged her, but it is so dark she can't see the extent of her injuries. Sadie is her Healer. She was able to confirm that much. She said she was able to take her pain away by saying words in a language, she nor Sadie know."
I am not able to say anymore, and I think James senses as much. He doesn't ask any more questions. I am becoming weaker, and I know I need to feed as soon as possible. I need Emmaline like I would need air to breathe. She is becoming my whole world, my reason for existing, and when she told me yes that she wanted to marry me it almost took the pain away. We have to make it through this, because the Goddesses can't be cruel enough to rob me of my life once again.
Molly comes over to the sofa changing out the cold wash rag for an even colder one to catch the sweat that is now drenching every inch of my body. She gives me twenty drops of potion this time instead of fifteen, and I know that her potion bottle is running very low. The pain is becoming unbearable and I am hanging on by a thread, and the entire string is made of Emmaline. The pure beauty of Emmaline, my soon to be wife, my love, my reason for living and my reason for holding on is what has me fighting for my life. I would have given up by now if it hadn't been for her.
"I need to go replenish the potion for you. I also need to find reinforcements, and give our dead a proper burial. I will be back soon," Molly says.
"James, there are at least four more doses in this vial. I just gave him twenty drops, and you need to give him twenty five at the next dosing, in an hour. After that add five more drops to each dose that you give. You should have four hours of doses, and I should be back by then with reinforcements and a plan. Please text me immediately, if something happens to go awry or if Dravon gets any vital information about Emmaline." She picks up her purse, memoire, some ingredients, and a crystal. She leaves with sorrow-filled eyes.
Grayson just left a few minutes ago to help Lily with his pack. He also said that they would be back in about four hours. They don't have dead to bury, but they are all still in the healing stage, or already newly healed from the attacks on them. Wolf's bane rendered them unable to change, and they have been detoxing their bodies of the poison with the help of the pack healer. Grayson and James have taken a potion Molly gave them, and they seem to be doing well. Grayson spoke to James before he left, but I don't know what was said between them.
"Son, I must locate Asher, Chloe, Jameson, Seraphina, and Aryanna. They may know how to locate and defeat the people that have Emmaline and Sadie. Emmaline has much to learn from Chloe and Molly, Molly from Seraphina, James from Jameson, Sadie from Aryanna, and you my son have much to learn from Asher and me. I must go now and bring them here. Be well my son," Ren says somberly and ben
ds down and places a kiss on my forehead.
James and I are alone now. The pain has subsided some from the potion, but my body feels as if it has been put through a meat grinder. James is sitting in a chair next to me reading the Supernatural Immortals History book trying to appear as calm as he can, but I know that he is just as worried as we are. I am about to start up a conversation with James when I’m interrupted.
“Dravon, my telepathy gift has manifested itself, further. I know I can only communicate with you, but I was able to hear James’s thoughts at the Ceremony. I am able to hear Sadie's thoughts, now. We have decided to play it off as if I am still in a lot of pain so that they won't figure out that Sadie can already heal me to an extent. I need to tone back the screams next time though. They gave me a lot of the elixir and it knocked me out. They think I am still asleep.”
“Alright baby girl, can you tell me where you are now?”
“I heard them talking, and all I can tell you are that we are in the woods, in a cabin that is hidden, and that it is 30 minutes from the center of town. I smell maple trees. I hope that is of some help.”
“You are doing well, Em. I love you. I just wanted you to know that.”
“I love you too Dravon, but you are making it sound like this is good-bye. It's not. I need you to fight for me, because you are the only one that can save us.”
“I am fighting for us, Em.”
“Dravon, are you in pain, too?”
“Do you know how many of them there are left, Em?”
“Jasper seems to be the boss. Kaleb seems to be second in command. There are maybe nine other vampires. They have a wolf, two witches, and I think a witch coven coming in to help with the Ceremony in 48 hours. Why are you ignoring my question?”
“What Ceremony?”
“They are going to wait until your blood is no longer in my body and reverse the binding that Ella and Gran did; then they are going to do their own making me exchange blood with Jasper. If they succeed in binding me to their Keeper, Soulmate, Protector, and Healer I won't be able to become the Chosen. We will cease to exist. Now, no more questions until you answer mine.”
“Yes, Em, I am in pain. I have not fed, and since I am bound to you I can only feed from you. You are my life source, but the pain isn't that bad. You need to focus on you baby girl. Em, can you tell me their names. The four they want you bound to.”
