Sapphyre: Rise of an Angel (Sapphyre Saga Book 3)

by Felicia Leibenguth

  He looks up to me. His eyes look different, aged, but still holding tears.

  I hug him tightly. “I love you.”

  He hugs me back. “Love you too.”

  “Are you okay?” He doesn’t seem himself.

  “I will be. I just need time I guess.” He tries to smile, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I know he will never be the same happy go lucky boy he used to be.

  “Let’s get her home,” Kasey said. “She needs some immediate medical attention.”

  Everyone nods and quickly leaves the clearing where history… and a miracle has been made.

  Looking back at this open field, I would have never known what happened here. It looks peaceful and quiet with no trace of the devastation that occurred here today. Only those who were involved would look at this place and see the horror it once held.

  I shake it all from my mind as I turn around and follow everyone from the woods. Lexi needs help and we refuse to lose her again…

  Cure

  Twenty-four hours later and still not much change in Lexi. It’s a good and a bad thing at the same time.

  Once we return home, Garcia immediately takes care of Lexi. She needs all the help she can get. I help her being the only other woman. I want to help and I certainly wasn’t going to allow one of the guys to care for her. She would kill me!

  We get her undressed and in the tub for a good bath. She is covered in dried and fresh blood. It’s the first time I get to see her wounds.

  The dagger Malvent threw, landed straight into Lexi’s heart. Her whole chest is black around the daggers entry point. It reminds me of Bree’s wound, the one she died from…

  It’s solid black at the center and spreads out like a spiders’ web. The one on her forearm is the same.

  Garcia has to stich up the ones on her cheek, back and thigh as they are all incredibly deep and shockingly not full of poison. But we are grateful none the less.

  The whole time we take care of her, during the bath, dressing her wounds and getting her into bed, she stays pretty out of it. She opened her eyes a few times, but would go right back out. We know she has to be exhausted and completely drained. We all hope she will come around after getting some much needed rest.

  As I walk back into her room, Zach is sitting beside her bed, holding onto her hand. He hadn’t moved or spoken really since we got back home. His eyes stay glued to Lexi.

  I stand on the opposite side of the bed holding Lexi’s hand. Zach doesn’t like to talk much, but I talk to him anyway.

  “Hey Zach? I start out.

  “Hmm?”

  I don’t want to ask, but it’s something I need to know. “What happened in the field? You were both gone… then you came back.”

  He is lost in thought for a moment. “Harmony gave us a second chance. Lexi wouldn’t come back unless I got my human form back.” He heaves a sigh.

  “That’s so like her…” I trail off.

  He nods.

  We are both lost in our own thoughts as we watch over Lexi. She just lays there so fragile and pale. I’m terrified she won’t survive, but I have to hold onto that hope. But with Zach telling me Harmony gave them a second chance, I’m a little more hopeful that she will survive. Why would she have brought her back just to leave us again? That doesn’t make sense.

  Lexi starts coughing some. Zach stands on red alert ready to fix whatever the problem is.

  She finally opens her eyes. She looks so exhausted and worn out.

  “Lex, how are you doing?” Zach asked quickly. “Can I get you anything?” He lays his hand on her face.

  She shakes her head no. “Just… so… tired.”

  “I know. I’m sorry my lovely Lexi.”

  She gives a small smile as if it’s all the energy she can muster. “I’ve… missed… hearing… your… voice.” She raises her hand shakily and touches his face. “I’ve… missed… this,” she speaks again as a tear falls down her cheek.

  “I’ve missed this too.” Zach places his hand under her chin gently and leans in, kissing her gently on her lips. “I love you more than life itself.”

  She smiles again. “Same… here.”

  She groans in pain and squeezes my hand. I grimace in discomfort. She certainly doesn’t look that strong.

  She looks toward me. “Sorry… didn’t… mean… too.” She frowned.

  I smile. “It’s okay. Makes me feel better seeing you get a little strength back. You could break my hand and I would be happy about it.”

  She tries a small laugh but starts coughing.

  “I thought I heard you talking in here.” Garcia comes in the room with Zach’s lunch. He refuses to leave her side. “How are you feeling sweetheart?”

  “Doing… great.”

  Garcia gives a small laugh. “Glad to see you feel good enough for sarcasm.”

  Lexi smiles.

  “Is there anything you want? Food, water?”

  Lexi shakes her head. “Too… tired.”

  “Get some rest and we will see how you are later. Okay?”

  She nods and looks back to Zach.

  Garcia leaves the room and I decide to give Zach and Lexi some space. They need time together while she is awake.

  I follow Garcia down to the kitchen. “Where is everyone? I haven’t seen them in quite a while.”

  “I guess they are all off dealing with things their own way. I know Donavon went out into the woods with Thomas. Kasey has been in and out. I am not quite sure what he is up to. As far as Thatch, he has spent all of his time in his computer room trying to research a cure for Lexi. Nothing I have describes her type of wound and I don’t have a cure for it. She is far from out of danger and she has to be strong enough to fight this on her own until we can find something. Bree only lasted a few days…” She shook her head ridding her mind of the thought.

  I don’t have much to say. I know Lexi is far from being okay; she has a long way to go.

  “I understand now that my vision was about Harmony, but wouldn’t I have seen Lexi too if she wasn’t meant to be here? I mean if she was meant to die, Harmony wouldn’t have sent her back, right?”

  “I guess Zach told you about that. Harmony may have sent her back, but her heart is in bad condition and if the poison spreads as fast as it did with Bree… we don’t have much time. I know we want to believe she is going to survive, that we need that hope… but…” She shakes her head and sighs.

  “I know.” I sigh. “She’s my best friend, my sister and I don’t want to lose her. We have been through so much and to come this far and lose her all over again… I can’t even think about it. I don’t want to feel that emptiness again.”

  “I know what you mean. A light left this world when she died. We can’t let that happen again. We will do everything we can.” She hugged me. “Do you want something to eat?”

  I nod.

  After a quiet lunch, I head back up to Lexi’s room. I try to be quiet as I walk in her door so not to disturb her. When I step inside I see Zach is laying in the bed with her and she is nestled into his chest, sound asleep. Zach seems to be resting his eyes, but I squeaked the floor and he looked up at me.

  “Sorry,” I whispered.

  He nodded.

  “How is she?” I asked.

  “In more pain than she lets on. She can barely talk because she can hardly breathe.”

  “Your dad is trying to find a cure for her.”

  “I’ve heard,” he sighed.

  “I’m sorry Zach. Had I known, I could have stopped this to begin with.”

  “Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault this happened. I saw it coming toward her the same time you did, but yet I couldn’t get there in time.” He shakes his head angrily. “I was supposed to protect her.” He holds her possessively.

  “Zach, don’t. It’s not your fault. Don’t put that blame on yourself.”

  He doesn’t say anything.

  I know it doesn’t matter what I say, Zach will always blame
himself for this.

  Lexi’s condition doesn’t change too much during the night as Zach and I watch over her. Garcia comes in a few times with water and snacks for Zach and I. He refuses to eat and leaves the trays full of food. I, on the other hand, have some. My stomach keeps growling and Zach keeps looking at me.

  Without Lexi, I don’t know how Zach will move on with his life. I’m afraid he never will. Their lives are so intertwined with one another, that when one is hurt the other feels the pain. The bond they have even surpass the one Donavon and I have. Zach is not himself when Lexi is sick or missing. He loses himself and the only one to bring him back has been Lexi. Who would bring him back if she is no longer here? The world would never be the same without both of them in it and that scares me.

  I woke up about 9am. I must have fallen asleep holding Lexi’s hand. I look to see how she is doing. She seems a bit worse. Her breathing is a little different, slower. It scares me. We might not even have the few days we had with Bree.

  Zach still lays in the bed with her. He looks like he hasn’t moved at all. He looks toward me with reddened, sorrow filled eyes. So I’m right. She has gotten worse.

  I gaze at Lexi again as Garcia comes into the room. She has what she needs to change her bandages.

  She starts with her arm, which I hold. Pulling back the bandages, I want to look away. I don’t want to see how bad it has gotten. But I force myself to look, I have to know for myself.

  When I turn my head, everything changes. I’m standing with my grandma in a room. It has been a while since she came to me.

  “Grandma? Are you okay?” I’m concerned. She looks upset.

  She walks over and hugs me tightly. “I’m sorry for everything you have lost sweetheart. But this is important. I need you to pass this on as soon as you return to yourself. You understand, don’t you?” she questioned seriously.

  I nod. “What is it?”

  “It’s your friend. There is only one way to save her. Even then she may not make it. But the living world needs her.”

  “I know, but how can we save her?” I plead.

  She takes a deep breath. “It will not be easy for anyone. But the blackness needs to be removed. It is the only way to keep it from spreading through her system. Get out as much as you can. Do you understand sweetie?”

  I look at her horrified. “We need to cut the blackness from her? But what about her heart? There is already so much that has turned black. She won’t survive it!” I cry.

  She smiles gently. “You forget who you are. You hold powers within your blood that was able to heal her once before. You are not just a human my granddaughter. One day you will realize that. But Lexi needs you now more than ever. No one else can save her. Do what you can, help her fight.” She hugs me tightly again. “Now go on. She needs you.”

  “Thank you grandma!” I yell as she fades away.

  My eyes refocused on the current situation. No one noticed I wasn’t paying attention.

  Looking at Lexi’s arm, the blackness is much the same. It hasn’t spread much from the wound, for which I’m extremely grateful.

  “Garcia, I spoke with my grandma.”

  Her hands stop working as she and Zach look at me with surprise.

  “We need to cut away the blackness, as much as we can. It’s the only way to stop the spread, or at least slow it.” I take a deep breath before I say the next part. “I need to give her my blood, to help her heal.”

  Garcia thinks as Zach looks horrified.

  Garcia finally speaks after a moment. “She won’t survive that type of surgery, nor do I have the equipment to do anything that extensive…” She trails off.

  “Give me your knife will you?” I ask her.

  She hesitantly hands me the small knife she holds in her hand. I take it and brace myself for what I’m about to do.

  “Zach, you may need to move a bit.” I tell him as I cut into my wrist, causing an inch gash across my vein.

  “Katrina, what are you doing!?” Garcia whispers harshly.

  “Listening to my grandmother.” I whisper back. I reach for Lexi’s mouth, and with some help from Zach, I’m easily able to put my wrist to her lips.

  At first, she resisted in her unconscious state. But once the blood seeped into her mouth, she starts to suck the blood. I flinch when I feel her fangs pop my skin and into my wrist, causing me to bleed a little more. I’m actually glad I have experience with being bitten.

  Thirty seconds pass and Lexi doesn’t seem to want to stop. Garcia pulls my wrist from her. “We don’t need you passing out Katrina. You will be no good to her if she takes too much and you can’t recoup fast enough. That is good for now.”

  I nod. Before I let her bandage me up, I allow some blood to drip into Lexi’s arm wound. Not sure if it will help, but it certainly can’t hurt.

  Pete

  Garcia is very busy in her own mind after she bandaged me up. She watches Lexi with sadness.

  “How can I possibly help her?” Garcia asks herself. She looks toward Zach and I. “I cannot do something that extensive on the kitchen table. I do not have that kind of experience or equipment for that matter. I don’t know what I can do…” She trails off.

  She thinks for a moment but doesn’t say anything. She seems like she’s confirming something within her mind before she speaks.

  “It’s the only way… Her only chance…” She stands up with determination. “Her father is her only hope.”

  I nod a bit surprised.

  “Mom…” Zach voice is shocked. “How are you going to tell him? What are you going to tell him?”

  “Everything. All of it, the full truth.” She nods to herself. “It’s her only chance, and I would rather burn in hell for the rest of eternity before I let her die!”

  “Then you’re going to need this…” Zach pulls a paper out of his pocket. It’s an envelope that has Mom and Dad written on it. “Let him read this before you explain anything.”

  “What is this?” Garcia asked curiously, taking the envelope in her hands.

  “Lexi wrote everyone a letter and put it in her bag. Just in case. I believe that is what he will need to hear.”

  Garcia kisses Lexi on the hand. “I’m sorry child, but I will not let you die without a fight…” She practically runs out of the room yelling to us, “I will need you when he gets here.”

  I take in a ragged breath. This is going to be the most difficult discussion any of us have ever had. I’m sure he will want to know everything from beginning to end and also about Bree….

  My stomach churns in knots… This is something I never wanted to do. I’m not sure how Lexi will feel about this, I know she’d probably yell and beg not to tell him. But Garcia is right. We are not letting her go without a fight!

  Zach and I sit in our own world for a few minutes before we are startled with a yell coming up the stairs.

  “He will be here in twenty minutes. Get everyone gathered in the living room!” Garcia commanded.

  Zach looks me in the eye with complete defiance. “I’m not leaving her.”

  “I know. Don’t worry. The rest of us can handle this.”

  I stand giving Lexi’s hand one last squeeze.

  “Thank you Katrina.”

  I smile, “No problem. Yell if anything changes.”

  He nods and refocuses on Lexi.

  I quickly descend the stairs to find everyone already in the living room.

  Garcia says without looking, “Where’s Zach?”

  “He won’t leave her side,” I tell her.

  “Okay. We can take care of this without him then. Besides, someone needs to watch her.” I can tell she is stressing.

  “Garcia?” I call to her as she moves quickly around the room, picking some things up. Everyone just watches her.

  “Yes?”

  “I can do this on my own. You don’t need to worry about it. I can handle this. Besides, so many people being in here is just going to freak him out more. Especially when
he learns the truth about everyone.”

  She stops dead in her tracks and looks at me, then to everyone around the room.

  “You are right. But I will not put the burden of this on you. I need to be present and handle this with you. As far as everyone else, stay close, but unseen. If we need you, we will call for you.”

  Everyone nods and disappears, except Donavon who sits next to me on the couch.

  “Are you sure about telling him? Do you think he can handle this?” Donavon asked me.

  I think for a moment. “Lexi is his daughter. I believe he will love her no matter what or who she is. I just think he will be so happy that she’s alive, he won’t hear anything else. He will love her no matter what.”

  “I hope you’re right,” he takes in a deep breath. “Garcia… He’s here.”

  She spins around. “Already!?” She calms herself quickly.

  “I’ll be around if you need me.” Donavon kisses me gently and disappears into the shadows.

  I take several deep breaths, calming myself. Garcia lays the letter on the coffee table, facing the couch across from me.

  I hear the car door slam and the crunching of gravel. Then a knock on the door.

  My heart races as I do not want to have this conversation.

  Garcia opens the door.

  “Pete.” Garcia greets him and steps aside, allowing him to walk inside.

  I look at Lexi’s father with shock. I haven’t seen him in a long time and he’s changed so much. He’s aged… His normally bright eyes, are dark as if he is one of the walking dead. Large bags formed under his eyes and he looks like he’s lost way too much weight as his clothes are practically hanging off him. His hair is listless and almost all grey. He has no life in him. I’m glad Lexi is not able to see this. It would destroy her.

  When he finally speaks, his voice is raspy like he has been sick. “You have something for me?” he asked with sadness coating each word.

  “Please, have a seat Pete. I will get you a drink. I’ll be there in a moment,” she motioned to the couch.

  He walks over and I stand up to hug him. He wraps his arms around me a squeezes.