by Rue Volley
He pulled me back... “Sure you’re okay Rue?”
“Yea, better than okay,” I lied.
I turned away from him and ran to Sara’s car. They were all waiting for me, engine running.
I did not want to go home. This was going to suck!
***
Grace had sat next to Elin’s body for hours. She didn't have any tears left to cry for the poor girl. She lifted herself up from the floor and started to look around the room. All the symbols were glowing like fire. She approached the wall and started to trace each one with her finger dampening their glow, with the tips of her fingers. Sharp pain welled in her temples but she pushed on, out of anger. She backed away from the wall and lifted her arms. She started to chant in Latin, old fluid words probably not spoken in centuries. Light started to glow in her palms, she fought through the searing pain in her head then ran over to Elin and rolled her onto her back. Grace placed one hand over Elin’s heart and one over her own. She leaned down and gently kissed her lips, as she pulled away from Elin traces of blue mist trailed from Grace’s lips to Elin’s. Grace started to lift her hands away from her heart and Elin’s and blue mist flowed from Grace to the still body. Grace began to tremble, her breathing became erratic and with one last gasp she fell to the floor on her side. Elin moaned. She started to move, trying to push herself up, she was disoriented and everything was out of focus. She noticed Grace lying still on the floor. Elin turned Grace’s face toward her and her eyes were closed.
“Grace?”
Elin started to panic and began to shake her.
“GRACE?” she repeated.
The door flew open so hard it cracked the wall.
Caine entered the room and looked at Elin in surprise.
“What have you done?” he yelled.
“Nothing my lord... I did nothing! I woke and she was here just like this!”
Caine waved his hand and Elin flew across the room hitting sideways on the wall.
“Not you!” He came to Grace and knelt down, “Grace...? What have you done here? So foolish!”
Elin started to move, groaning from the impact that had knocked the air out of her.
“I should kill you again!”
Elin began to sob, “I swear to you I did nothing my lord... nothing.”
“Be silent!”
Caine lifted Grace up to him and pulled out a knife slicing it across his hand, he pressed it against Grace’s mouth.
“Drink of me Grace.”
Grace did not move.
“DRINK OF ME!” Caine screamed at her.
Graces mouth began to move and she fluttered her eyes.
Caine drew in his breath and threw his head back. Grace reached up and grabbed his hand so tightly that she drew blood from where her fingernails were digging into his skin.
“Stop Grace you have taken enough,” Caine whispered.
Grace pulled his hand from her mouth, blood dripping from her teeth, and looked at him.
“I will kill you myself Caine,” she muttered.
She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her mouth continuing to feed.
Caine gasped and trembled, falling to his side. The light began to fade in his palm.
Chapter 6
Blue
Grace jumped up and flashed to Elin’s side and held out her hand. Elin grabbed it and they ran from the room. Grace ran as fast as she could dragging Elin behind her. They passed many doors. Grace wanted to stop at each one to see if they held more prisoners. Elin did not know that Grace hadn’t killed Caine, only wounded him.
To kill him she would have died herself because one protector cannot drain the life of another that way without sacrifice. She wished she had but her thoughts were of William, Kai, and Rue so she went as far as she could, feeding on him until she felt her energy start to drain.
They passed a large room, filled with mirrors and Grace jerked Elin back to her side. Elin stared in, her eyes wide, out of breath.
“What... what is this?” Elin whispered.
Grace turned to her.
“A way out of here. Come.”
Grace dragged her in and turned to her.
“Elin, trust me, close your eyes.”
Elin looked at her and pressed them closed. Grace waved her hand over her face and said, “Sleep”.
Elin started to drop. Grace caught her and picked her up in her arms. She began to chant in front of the largest of the mirrors in the room. She watched until the mirror started to wave like water. She looked down at Elin and chanted a protection on her and stepped through.
***
We pulled up the house and Sam and Josh jumped out of the car heading for the door.
Sara leaned out the window yelling in Josh’s direction. “Okay Josh... I'll come by tomorrow?”
The door slammed shut on her last word. She looked at me.
“Well, you know what Rue, I don't know if he likes me very much.”
I sat still then decided to let her get a good night’s sleep knowing no one here would... well maybe Kai.
“No I think you got him right where you want him Sara.”
She smiled at me... so pretty.
“Really...? Oh Rue that would be awesome, I really think he’s cute ya know?”
I looked back towards the house.
“Yeah I know Sara.”
I hugged her and got out just knowing that what waited inside was that side of suck bad… really bad.
I walked up the steps and I could hear voices before I even opened the door. Great. I went in and hit it mid swing. Everything in the living room was moved against the walls. Kai was on the stairs like he was ringside some match. I shot him a look of disgust but he didn't care. He was a gamer and he was about to experience some world-class virtual reality.
“Josh... listen, you need to calm down right this minute!”
He started laughing but it wasn't a ‘ha-ha’ laugh, it was a defiant one.
“Really Sam, I need to calm down, THAT...” he pointed off in the distance towards the woods, “Was bullshit!”
“I knew you would go all Rambo on the situation here, if you knew. We need answers not bodies Josh!”
“Ohhh, there will at least one body tonight,” Josh grumbled.
For a half second I thought he just threatened Sam, but then I realized he must be talking about Johnathan. I looked at Sam then at Josh.
“You will not harm him! I swear you do and you'll deal with me!” I yelled.
Josh looked at me, flashed over to me, sooo fast, I almost lost my balance. He grabbed both sides of my head and in an instant all of my memories flooded up, flashing one by one like a television channels being flipped through at supersonic speed. Sam ran to us and knocked him off of me and he slid across the floor. She grabbed my arms and I’m glad she did, because my legs were going from under me. I felt light headed and nauseous, white stars flashing at the corners of my vision.
“Josh! You asshole! You can't do that so fast...” That's all I heard, I started to fall backward and I passed out.
***
I woke up in my bed, that wasn't new anymore. I squinted my eyes, my mouth was dry. I needed to brush my teeth, really bad. My mouth tasted like metal, yuck. I started to move around and when I sat up my head felt heavy like I was getting a cold. I rubbed it... didn't help. I looked up and saw Sam sitting on a chair, she must have brought up from the kitchen table.
“Hey you,” she smiled at me.
“Hey Sam. What the hell happened?” I asked. “Where’s Josh?”
She reached down to the floor and picked up a bowl of soup. Chicken broth never smelled so good.
“Here, first things first… you need to eat some.”
She handed the bowl to me and grabbed a hand full of crackers from the package at my bedside. She crushed them in her hand and dumped them in.
“Lots of carbs in those,” she smiled at me again.
I looked at her with a ‘WELL?’ on my face.
“Josh
is fine. He's downstairs, I’m sitting here with you. Oh, and your brother is out getting steaks to grill. Well, he's not grilling them… god forbid.”
I dropped my spoon in my soup.
“What happened after I... ya know?”
Sam stood up and walked to the window.
“Well… it took everything I had to convince Josh to stay and not go on a killing spree. Truth is after he…” She turned to me and held her hand up to her head, “Ya know, with your memories, he freaked out when you passed out. He really did.”
“Jerk,” I mumbled.
“I agree, but he carried you up here to your bed and stayed with you all night.”
“What… all night?” I said slightly horrified.
Sam started to laugh.
“NO… oh god no Rue… geez what kind of people do you think we are?”
She continued.
“He sat by your bed. He felt really awful about what he did to you.”
I had only taken two bites of soup and crackers, but I sat my bowl on the nightstand.
“He should feel like the biggest turd in the world. That was not cool, by any stretch of the means Sam!”
“Well,” she continued, “That was the first night.”
“What... the first night? How long have I slept Sam?”
She came over and sat on the edge of my bed...
“It's been seven days Rue.”
I jumped up out my bed and she stood up. I swayed a little. Sea legs. I'd read about it, but I never had the floor moving under my feet. I reached out and steadied myself on the side of my bed.
“Rue… maybe, you should sit back down.”
I shot her a look.
“Yea, not gonna happen Sam,” I said, as I looked at my legs.
I started for the door heading for downstairs. I made it down the steps, but it wasn't the prettiest thing. Sam tried to grab at my arm, a couple times, but I defiantly jerked it back from her. I stood at the bottom step for a moment, things were making me just a bit nauseous, but I wasn't going to turn around now. I looked up and Josh had stood up. He had a smile on his face.
Sam looked at him and said, “I told her that jumping up was not the best idea.”
He came walking over to me. I was sooo glad that he did, because I don't think I could have made it to him. I looked up and he was still smiling.
“Rue...I…” he started to say.
I swung and hit him in the jaw as hard as I could, it rocked his head to the side... maybe more due to the element of surprise than anything. Sam stepped forward and he put his hand up to her holding his jaw with his other hand. I looked at him so mad, my eyes started to water. He stood his ground.
“I told you to never do that again, memory sucker!” I yelled.
“I... I know we went over it, but I… I didn't listen, sorry,” He had a smirk on his face.
I reared back and hit him again. Kai had just opened the front door and got to see it.
“Dude I told you she was gonna be pissed,” Kai smiled at both of us and headed into the kitchen.
I swayed this time. I had exerted too much energy on both swings. I only wished I had been full power on both. Josh reached out and caught me before I hit the ground. I was alert, but my body felt as if it were sleeping.
Josh helped me to the couch, where he sat me down. He backed up quickly… probably thought I was going to do it again. Sam had followed us over and went to sit down. Josh looked at her and told her to go mess with the food. He sat down across from me, on the chair. He set his feet apart and put his hands together in front of him.
“Listen Rue... you are right, I was mad and I had no right to do it.”
“Damn right you didn't,” I said.
“I should have thought first and acted later.”
“Go on.” I just crossed my arms waiting.
“I am a dick and I suck more than anything in the history of sucking.”
I started to grin, this was good.
He looked at me and I put my hand out in a ‘Go-On’ motion.
“I should have been thinking of you and not what I thought I needed at that moment?” It came out as a question this time. He was fishing.
I pointed my finger out at him...
“You EVER pull that again and I will never ever talk to you again, no matter what.”
Kai leaned in from the kitchen...
“Dude you might wanna put your hand on her head.”
I shot him a look of ‘I hate you’. Josh put a hand up to his mouth, lowering his head. I knew he was trying not to laugh, but I wasn't ready to play.
“I mean it...! I will go a million years ignoring you, I swear!” I yelled out.
He smiled at me, then cleared his throat, swallowing his smile.
“Deal,” he said.
Sam carried a bottle of water over to me...
“Drink Rue.” I took it and chugged it down, I was sooo thirsty. Sam and Josh reached for the bottle, at the same time.
Sam stammered, “Uh... honey listen you may want to...”
Too late. I folded forward and hurled all over Josh's shoes.
He jumped back, Sam started to laugh.
He looked down...
“I guess I deserved that,” he muttered.
I looked up with ‘sorry’ on my face.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” I asked.
Josh walked out the front door, I was sure, to burn his shoes. Sam sat next to me.
“Listen Rue, when Josh did his... you know… thingy, he was angry, did it full throttle on you. It really wrecked you energy wise. He was frantic when you fell, he really was. I know he'd take it back if he could.”
“Nice,” I said with a sigh.
“Yea, well you hit him twice and puked on his favorite shoes, so now maybe you’re a little closer to even.”
She smiled at me and placed a hand on the side of my face.
“Maybe you should lay down for a bit,” she added.
“No Sam! I slept for a week. Trust me I'll be fine, really I will. I feel better now that I hurled... especially on him.”
She laughed.
“Okay, but lay off the boxing today, K?” she said as she touched my face.
“I'm Mike Tysoned out. I promise you,” I muttered.
Sam got up and went into the kitchen and I lay my head back, staring at the ceiling.
The phone rang. I reached over and picked it up before anyone could get to it.
“Rue?”
My eyes went wide with shock, I looked in the kitchen and saw Sam standing next to Kai so it couldn't be her tricking me again.
“Mom...? Is that you?”
“Yes honey listen, I am Okay, I just wanted you to know that.”
“Oh my God Mom where are you?”
“I can't tell you right now baby, just listen to me… Sam and Josh will help you, please listen to them... I know how stubborn you get.”
I gripped the phone, hanging on her every word.
“Mom, there are so many things... things I have to tell you, questions I have,” I said breathless.
“Honey listen to me, I don't have enough time to explain right now... please just let them help you, until your father and I can get back to both of you.”
“K Mom...” I whispered.
Tears were welling up in my eyes and started to run down my face.
I looked up and Josh had come back in and reached for the phone. I did not want to hand it to him, but I did. I was muttering “I love you” as it left my hand.
Josh sat down …
“Yes Grace... I understand. Trust me, we have it under control here.”
He paused.
“I will Grace... goodbye.”
He pressed the button and she was gone.
He looked at me and said, “She said to tell you she loves you Rue… both of you.”
I sat motionless staring at him... I couldn't think clearly. I could not believe that I just heard her voice, it had been so long. One
year and twelve days to be exact. I could have just crawled through the phone, onto her lap and slept forever.
Josh rose up...
“Samantha, you need to go to Valon immediately.”
Sam came into the living room.
“Grace... just called,” he said.
Sam looked at me, then to Josh... She walked up to him and he placed his hand on the side of her head... she closed her eyes.
“Okay... I'm on it, be back, maybe two days,” she said.
“Be careful Sam,” Josh said to her, in a gentle voice.
They hugged each other and she ran upstairs to grab her things. Kai came in.
He looked at us both.
“Whats up?” he asked.
Josh stepped towards him…
“Listen ,Sam is going to Valon...” Kai tapped his head, giving Josh permission to touch him.
Kai smiled, “Just do it dude, I trust you.”
“That's okay, I can just tell you man.”
“No really,” Kai said as he stepped toward him.
Josh reached out and in a split second he stepped back.
He looked at me...
“You TALKED to Mom?” Kai asked, with a look of shock on his face.
I nodded...
“That’s soooo cool Rue!”
Kai looked back to Josh... “So we’re just hangin for the moment?”
Josh smiled. “Looks like it.”
***
William woke in a bed. He stirred and stretched. His muscles felt strained, aching, and he remembered slamming onto the mirror that bound him. He sat up and rubbed his wrists, the red marks were still visible and his skin was tender, but all things considered things could be worse. He looked around, realizing he was in a house. He slipped his legs off of the bed and felt the cold floor under him. It was stone. He crept to the door. He could see light underneath and wondered if the door would be unlocked, so he carefully turned the knob. He opened it and peeked out, to find that he recognized the room. It was Theodore's house, right back where he started. He stepped out and saw food on the table. Truth was, he was starving. Sophia had not fed him and he needed something to help him regain his strength. He looked around and didn't spot Theodore so he sat down at the table and began to shove down bread. He grabbed the meat on the plate and took a big bite. His stomach growled. The front door opened up and Theodore came strolling in. He dropped the food and stood up from the table.
