AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Egrend . . . Egrend . . . I command you to submit your will to Kaylin. You are no longer in control. Merge, and become one.”
Kaylin’s eyes jerked open, glowing with a pale yellow light, and he struggled, but after a moment the light faded and he slumped on the floor, breathing softly. I looked for any sign that the creature was playing possum, but I was fairly certain the spell had worked.
Chatter gathered him up and laid him on the bed. “He’s exhausted, I think. Being ridden by a demon can drain a person in no time. And when his demon woke, it rode him like a horse.”
“Yeah,” I said, staring down at the bed. “It was out for blood, all right. I wonder how this will change the Kaylin we know.”
“There’s no telling. Not yet. We just have to hope for the best. If we hadn’t done this, Cicely, he would have faded and never again been able to wake. You saved his life.” Chatter placed a hand on my arm, and I smiled gratefully.
“Then why do I feel so strangely guilty? Like I’ve just altered him forever?”
“Because you have. But we had no choice. Come on, let him rest. He’s no longer unconscious, just asleep. I can feel the difference.” Chatter led me to the door and, with a backward glance at Kaylin’s slumbering form, we left the room.
Leo and Rhiannon were both looking terrified, although with Leo, an undercurrent of anger ran through his worry. We told them what happened, and he just shook his head in disgust.
“I thought we were working together on this—why the fuck did you shut us out? Or at least me. And you put Rhiannon in danger.” The muscles on the side of his neck tensed and his ears were turning red.
I had to nip this attitude in the bud. “Listen to me, Leo. I did as Lainule asked. She told me to take Chatter and Peyton with me, that you and Rhiannon couldn’t handle the journey, and she was right. Until you get up to speed on your fighting skills, deal with it. You’re a healer—we need you in the background. You are vital to the continued health of our group, and that’s not a front-line job. If you get hurt, it hurts all of us. Got it?”
Though I’d started off trying to appeal to his ego, I realized that what I was saying was true. If Leo got hurt, none of the rest of us could work healing magic or knew what to do with the herbs that my aunt had so carefully cultivated.
I led them into my room, away from Kaylin’s door, and dropped onto the bed. “Listen, I’m exhausted. I have no doubt Peyton is, too—and even Chatter is looking worn out. We had a long trip and haven’t slept since we left.”
“Don’t try to make me feel better,” Leo grumbled.
“I don’t have the time or energy to patronize you. What I’m saying is true. You’re the only one who knows what to do with that huge stash of herbs down there. We can’t rely on anybody else. Who knows where Myst has sent her feelers through this town? And the vampires aren’t going to give a fuck about our health. You know that.”
He bit his lip, glancing over at Rhiannon, who nodded, then plunked himself down on the window seat. “Whatever. I never thought about it that way.”
“No, you didn’t.” Peyton stretched and yawned. “You just tripped over your ego like most guys. But she’s telling the truth, you big goofball. So accept that you have a vital place in the group and act accordingly.” Peyton wasn’t particularly verbal, but when she did speak, she usually had something to say.
“Honey,” Rhiannon said gently, “they’re right. They aren’t shutting us out, they’re protecting us. I’m not all that competent either when it comes to fighting—I’m still learning the ropes. I can handle short skirmishes like with the goblin the other day, but I couldn’t have taken on this trip. I know it. We’ll be up to speed soon enough.”
A smile broke over Leo’s face and the gloom lifted. “Yeah, yeah . . . okay. Quit making me sound like some pathetic basket case. I’ll quit being such a jerk. Now that Kaylin’s back . . .” He stopped. “He is back, isn’t he?”
I shrugged. “I hope so. I did what the shaman of the Bat People told me to do. And trust me, that was one freakshow of a trip. If someone will go fix us some dinner, Peyton and I will take showers and then eat and then sleep for a week.”
“Not a week.” Leo frowned again. “As I said, Lannan’s been asking for you. He’s pissed that you up and disappeared. I’m worried about what he might do to you for running off like that.” He gazed at me, a bleak expression on his face. Leo knew what Lannan wanted from me. What Lannan had already done to me. And he knew the vampires better than any of us.
I swallowed the lump that formed in the bottom of my stomach. “Nothing I can do about Lannan’s wrath right now, unless I want to drag myself over to his place, and in this condition, there’s no way I can face him.”
“No, but you’ll have to confront him soon. And . . . as I said, I’m afraid what he might do to you.” This time, Leo’s words were soft, almost consoling.
“Crap. Yeah. Well, I’ll deal with that when it gets here. Meanwhile, some eggs and ham and waffles or pancakes would be great, before I crash. Peyton, you should stay here. I don’t trust you driving. Why don’t you call your mother and let her know you’re home and then use the downstairs shower?”
She smiled. “I already called her—while you and Chatter were busy with Kaylin. But thanks anyway. I’ll definitely take that shower and a place to crash. I’m starting to feel the lost time catching up with me.”
She wasn’t the only one. My body was suddenly aware I’d been on my feet pretty much for two days and had walked for at least forty to fifty miles. Not to mention the cold that had set into my bones, and the adrenaline rush from the entire journey and the blow from our fight with Kaylin.
I waited till Leo and Chatter withdrew, then took off my clothes. Rhiannon and Peyton gasped as they eyed the bruise blossoming across my midsection. My wolf paced—or would have if the tattoo could have gotten up and walked off my stomach—and I knew that Grieve had felt the blow to me and that he was angry and feeling helpless.
Be cautious—he may be out tonight and he will surely be looking for whoever hurt you. Ulean swept around me, a gentle cloak against the raw nerves that jangled.
Hell, I can’t let him in here. If he got hold of Kaylin while he’s sleeping, Grieve could eat him alive—literally. And if Kaylin’s awake, then they might do each other irreparable harm. What should I do?
May I suggest you calm your wolf down and take a mild sedative to relieve the pain?
I laughed. Leave it to my Wind Elemental to think of the most practical course of action. Good idea . . . thank you.
