“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that, Guided,” someone piped up.
She twisted back around to see who it was and the part-fae guy smiled at her, holding the hand of a pretty brunette woman. Loti studied her for a moment. Human. Definitely human.
“Yes, Hammer, I think we already know she’s a healer,” Calisto said from the back of the room. A healer? No, no way I’m a healer. Loti cleared her throat and twirled her hair. A healer would have been able to do something about David’s cancer. Or save Calla.
Guided nodded and said, “Yes, we’ve seen a little evidence, but the rest of the tribe hasn’t, Calisto. That’s one reason we’re here. The other is to determine if there’s more to this story.”
“Get on with it, Guided. It’s not like you to be so formal.” Someone jested and the room broke out in good-humored laughter.
He smiled, waving his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. So sue me for having a little fun.” Pressing his hands together in front of his heart, he bowed his head. The laughter morphed into guffaws and howls. Guided opened one eye and peeked up at the crowd. “But I think we’re about to witness something very unique.”
The crowd quieted so fast, Loti spun around to see what happened.
“Loti? Will you stand with me?” Guided held out his hand to her, and for what seemed like the millionth time, Loti glanced at Wolf. What did she want from him? To make her talk and sing and dance and turn her into a real girl? Annoyed with herself, she jumped up and seized Guided’s hand.
“Loti, who is what in this room?” he asked.
She turned to the little crowd, took a deep breath, and drank them all in. “Do you want me to say it out loud or just to you or . . ?” Her voice faded away. She didn’t want to out anyone.
“We all know each other. It’s okay to say it.” Guided patted her arm. “And if you’re hiding anything,” he addressed the crowd with a smirk, “you’re about to be called to task.”
She was a little surprised to find that half of the healers were not all human. Squaring her jaw, she tried to ignore the crazy buzzing in her spine as she walked over to Hammer and his girl. Softening her focus, she allowed the feeling to guide her thoughts.
“This one is human, but half fae,” she said about Hammer, and he nodded gamely. Turning to the sweet-faced woman—“Human.” The woman nodded, a false seriousness crinkling her nose as she played along with the game.
“He’s part fae, but not half, maybe third generation removed,” She smiled at the older man next to her, who smiled up through a dense, black beard and mustache. Did none of them shave?
“She’s human.” She gestured at Mitch who stuck out her tongue.
“Ha,” someone called out. He was followed by spurts of laughter and little humphs around the room. Their good-humored attitude and impish nature, especially during what might be considered a serious occasion, won Loti over. The buzzing softened as she relaxed into what she was doing. She identified a shapeshifter, another part-fae, and then stumbled on one she couldn’t identify at first. She knelt in front of the curly-haired woman, studying her freckled face, but Loti’s eyes were never what told her. She relaxed and stopped trying to see it, stopped trying to name it. An odd thought occurred to her.
“I keep thinking ‘deva’ but that must be wrong, it’s just out of—”
“Devata.” The woman interrupted her with a touch to Loti’s hand, grinning. “You’re right, you’ve just never heard of us, so the word made no sense.”
“We’ll save the explanations for another time—” Guided started.
“You’re a protective element. Your kind believe you are here to keep balance—to protect the balance of the universe.” Loti’s eyes flicked back into her head, her eyelids fluttering and the woman yanked her hand away.
Loti’s spine vibrated harder. “I’m okay, Wolf,” Loti called out, holding up her palm behind her. He was halfway across the room, but stopped at her voice. Inhaling through her nose, the light in the room dimmed and the crowd murmured. She exhaled, and the light in the room brightened. But it was the clean light in her blue eyes that caused the group to “Oooooo.” Every eye followed her, their bodies tense with excitement as she greeted Calisto’s nest.
“You’re shocking them,” Margarite whispered in her ear as she hugged her. “They thought Calisto was overreacting. He has that tendency.” Calisto kissed her cheek and the others murmured encouragement and kudos as if they were a team. She felt like she was floating on her way back to Guided. Wolf stood where he’d stopped, waiting for a signal from her. His mouth loosened at the stars shimmering in her eyes—like a twilight sky full of midnight stars. A puff of moist breath drifted up her back between her shoulder blades to the nape of her neck. Her own breath caught in her throat, and she resisted every instinct in her body to go to him.
“There’s magic in this room, Guided. Something powerful, isn’t there?” she whispered as she approached him.
He nodded at the glowing ball of light. “Gurudev recognized this place for what it was and built the ashram here because of it. If you are who we think you are, this place will reveal your true nature. Come here.” He pointed to the black marble steps in front of the altar, and she took each step with a deliberate, careful caution.
“This light is the light of Life. There are several places on Earth like this—intersections of the channels of energy that flow through the world. Only a few are the intersections of all pathways, all channels of energy. This is one of them. It’s like a seam, a gateway, and a guide. To touch it is to touch the entire universe.”
Without further hoo-hah, Guided leaned over the water and sank his hand into the light. It flowed down his arm, filling him up to his eyes and down to his toes, straining at his skin. It flowed into the air above his head and down into the floor beneath his feet. With a gasp, Loti recognized what she was seeing—his prana. Chakras. The seven vortices of energy of different colors that spun at different points in his body. Meridians. The intricate pathways of energy flowed through his body, tiny points of bright light flashed where they intersected. He presented his hand to her.
“Hold my hand, and as I touch God, you will, too.” His voice wasn’t his anymore.
She hesitated. But this was what she was here for, right? Single-minded, she grasped his hand, and with an audible boom, her body exploded into light and sound. Hot, molten glass burned through her, and she screamed as the room filled with a ringing, like a Tibetan singing bowl. Wolf was beside her in an instant, but before he could pry her hand from Guided’s, Calisto stopped him. The moment he touched her, however, the pain dulled, and Wolf detonated into light and sound.
“Just hold on to her. Trust.” The words echoed as if down a long corridor, and Loti yelled as another surge flowed through her like lava. Wolf wrapped his arms around her from behind, and another explosion ripped through the room. The tribe scrambled back, but didn’t run away. They stood and squinted at the bright light, waiting, mesmerized, trembling with their excitement. Guided kept an iron grip on Loti’s hand while his other sank deeper, the heat and light feeding on itself like a small sun with Loti and Wolf and Guided at the center.
I can’t do this.
Yes, you can.
Wolf?
Yes.
Then it went supernova, exploding in silence outward and engulfing the entire shrine, the ashram, and more. Immediately it shrank back into its center with a little pfft, like a candle flame being snuffed out. The pain dissipated. Loti and Wolf’s bodies purred, warm and right. In the darkness, their souls were still for a split second, then light surged from a pinprick to the original size of the orb. It shot straight up to the pinnacle of the shrine where it split into several lines down the walls to touch each altar around the room. The altars glowed with symbols and words in different languages. To her utter amazement, she could read them all.
Following the Light, the sage takes care of all.
In the effulgent lotus of the heart dwells Brahman,
the Light of Lights.
God, being Truth, is the one Light of all.
On the last one, Wolf’s voice in her head read along with her:
Truth is One, paths are many.
“Holy shit,” someone yelled, breaking the divine silence. The whole room roared with cheers and laughter.
“I’ll never doubt you again, old man.” Peacemaker the flute player pounded Calisto on the back with one arm and hugged him with the other.
“Are you kidding me? I never thought I’d live to see this.” Hammer lifted and spun the pretty brunette.
Buoyant in a sea of peace, all pain gone, Loti felt a rolling warmth fill her throat and make her want to sing. It filled her head and made everything clear. It flooded her heart and made love the only real thing in the world. It filled her pelvis and made her want things she hadn’t had in a long time. It filled her legs and arms and made her strong, grounded. And she wasn’t alone in any of these thoughts or feelings.
Why?
Because.
That’s not an answer, Wolf.
It’s all I’ve got.
The tribe surrounded them, pulling Guided away from the light, who was letting go of Loti’s hand. When his grip released, Wolf was gone from her soul, but still holding her. Although she couldn’t feel him inside of her anymore, she had a new sense of his presence—like she could feel him there without touching. But the place inside her, where he had been so briefly, was cold now.
“Wolf?” Shameless tears streamed down her face as she spun around. “Where are you? What’s happening?” She sobbed.
Bloody tracks ran down his face. “I’m here. Guided had to let go or it would have taken him. We couldn’t stay like that forever.” His voice was strangled.
“But . . .” But what?
He buried his head in her hair, and she pressed her face into his chest, fisting his robe in both hands. The gathering tribe and Calisto’s nest wrapped their arms around the pair until they were all together in one big pile. No one noticed the others gathering at the archway. One by one, they entered the room, gawking at the glowing shrines. When Guided withdrew his hand from the orb and let go of Loti, the light hadn’t gone away.
They gathered at the Travelers’ winter campsite, which looked more like a small village. Their unlit, little cabins were strung along a large circular pathway amidst a few empty, three-sided shelters. At the central campfire, Loti sank into Wolf’s side, grateful it was all over. Wolf pressed his cheek to her hair. Snippets of conversation swirled around them.
“Never seen the shrine light up like that”
“Did you feel it?”
“What was that?”
“Wish we could bottle it.”
Soft laughter and shuffling feet blended with the murmuring voices and the popping fire. According to the folks who showed up afterward, the explosion of light spread across the entire ashram. Tribe members who stayed behind at the campsite were describing what they’d seen in eager voices.
“I’ve heard of one other light walker, but she was gone before I became vampire. She was remembered well. There hasn’t been any like her since.” Calisto’s voice rose above the gentle cacophony.
All voices stilled and bodies turned expectantly.
“According to the stories, she was extraordinary. She healed in new ways and taught the other healers some of it. She was bonded with a vampire named Acacius.” His eyes were bright and wistful as Calisto regarded Loti who was still nestled against Wolf. “The story tellers said she had the power to heal hearts and minds, as well as bodies. How much of that is real and how much is legend . . . ” He shrugged his shoulders.
“All healing starts with the heart,” Margarite said, snugging a knit beret over her ears.
“What happened to them?” Loti asked. “What was her name?”
“Her name was Jyotika,” Margarite said.
Mitch handed Loti an insulated mug that she took with a smile of thanks. “So, what happened to Jyotika and Acacius?”
Calisto stared at the fire and the others shifted. “They died, of course. Even the undead can’t live forever, can we?” Calisto’s voice was far away, and Margarite placed a gentle hand on his arm. “They had enemies who mistook their healing potential as a threat. My maker told me they were separated, and Acacius was forced to meet the sun.”
Loti’s heart jumped in her chest, and Wolf’s arm tightened around her.
“Jyotika died of grief and loneliness,” Margarite finished, a wisp of melancholy in her voice. “Once a healer bonds with her mate, she won’t outlive him.”
“Is that true of all bond mates?” Loti bit her lip. “Even if a regular human bonds with a vampire?”
“No, just healers—maybe witches?” Margarite glanced around the fire ring for confirmation.
“It depends.” Korinna looked over at Justin.
“I think it has to do with how powerful the two are, and how long they’ve been bonded,” Justin added.
“Do all healers bond with a mate?” Loti sat up, curiosity and worry itching at her.
Margarite slid her arm around Calisto’s waist, who closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to her cheek. Margarite smiled at his curly head. “No. It’s a choice. Sometimes there are benefits; a vampire’s magic can enhance the healer’s abilities and extend her life span.”
“How?” Loti sat up straighter, the photograph on the stairs on her mind.
“Well that’s the million dollar question.” Calisto chuckled. “If we knew that, think what miracles we might be able to work.” The brightness was back in his wide open eyes, and his mouth was taut with eagerness.
“I’ve told you, Calisto, its simple physics. Vamps are like antennae and healers are transceivers—able to receive the energy vampires draw in and transmit it.” A goateed tribesman joined the conversation, rocking forward in his camp chair.
“The Professor thinks he’s got magic all figured out.” The black-bearded tribesman, Sensei, who Loti identified as part fae tossed a stick into the fire.
“Hey, why complicate things? We know how radio waves work. And everything is an emitter—absolutely everything. The intelligence community has huge databases cataloguing everything’s signature from a 1992 Jeep Grand Cherokee to a GM toaster with a blown element.” He wiped his forehead with a well-worn bandana. “We know each person has their own unique energy signature. So it’s the next logical conclusion.”
“Prof used to work for the Department of Defense in signaling intelligence.” The lady next to him patted his knee.
“Actually, I dabbled in electronic warfare, of which signal intelligence was a part,” the Professor patted Peacepipe’s knee.
Chuckling, she tugged on his goatee. “Yes, dear.”
“Moooommmm!” A young boy’s voice bleated from a ways off.
“Duty calls.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m Peacepipe, by the way.” She shook Loti’s hand, a smile on her face as she squeezed by. She pecked Wolf’s check, and he patted her arm. “What now?” she yelled as she jogged off.
“And the designs of antennae are like magic; have you seen some of the weirder ones? Sometimes there’s no rational reason why one works and the other doesn’t.” Prof settled back into his chair.
Yawning, Loti curled her gloved hands around her mug, her eyelids too heavy to keep up.
“The sun will be up soon.” Wolf yawned. “We need to finish this.”
Guided slapped his hands against his thighs. “Time for the vision quest.”
Loti sloshed hot tea in her lap. Drawing air through her teeth with a loud hiss, she wiped at it with her black fleece gloves. “A what?” She dusted her hands over the fire.
“You’ll need to do this alone.” Guided looked at Wolf, who’s eyelids drooped at half-mast. “There’s a path we’ll take you to after the vamps settle down for the day. You’ll take nothing but the clothes on your back. That’s the Traveler tradition. All of us have taken this journey, so even though you’ll feel alone, you won�
�t be in spirit. We’ll all be with you, including Wolf.”
Loti felt like she was floating above, looking down on the conversation. Had she really been in the car with Rachel on her way here less than 24 hours ago? Was she ready to walk out into the mountains with nothing? No water, no food, no compass.
“All healers do this?” she stalled.
Mitch leaned forward, elbows on her knees, steaming mug in her hands. “No, not all, but we do. It’s necessary to wake up to your dharma.” She sipped.
“To your life’s work?” Loti rubbed the back of her neck that suddenly prickled.
“Mmm hmm.” Mitch held the mug between her hands and nodded, her face pensive. “Do you know why we live out here? Why we worked so hard to keep the trail system from being sold off?”
“A little, I think. It has to do with being close to nature. Night Eyes taught me that a healer’s magic works better when the healer is pure, unadulterated by modern life.”
“Something like that, but don’t think of it as segregating ourselves. It’s the opposite. It’s about staying connected to the Mother, to life.” Mitch took another timid sip.
Guided leaned back in his camp chair and pulled on one of the straps, tightening it. “And the trail system is protected now, so there will hopefully always be wild places without power lines and hotels.”
Calisto clasped his hands. “Not that those things are bad, per se. They interfere. The signal gets disrupted. Healing is vibrational—”
“Everything’s vibrational, that was my point,” Professor interjected.
Calisto nodded respectfully. “Yes, of course.”
“I brought that up,” Mitch spoke, “because our life work, our dharma, is about how we live and who we live with, as well as what we do. Some folks define themselves by what they do, but that’s only a fraction of who we are.” She gestured widely around her. “This is as much who we are as anything we do.”
They lapsed into silence. Wolf shifted so Loti adjusted in the double wide camp chair they shared, like a folding, nylon loveseat.
Enlightened (Love and Light Series) Page 12
