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“Cicely! Are you okay?” Once again, I was being shaken awake, but this time it was Kaylin, his eyes dark and flashing with an inner light.
I struggled to sit up, both terrified by the dream and leery of him. “Kaylin, what are you doing here?”
He sat down on the bedside and put a light hand on my shoulder, pushing me back against my pillow. “You were having a nightmare. I came to wake you.”
When I realized he wasn’t going to clobber me again, I stopped resisting and scooted back against the headboard. “Was I screaming?”
“No, but I could feel your unrest.” Once again a flash of light echoed through his eyes, and I felt a sudden rush of apprehension. “When you summoned my demon to wake, you created a connection. I can feel your dreams now.”
Hell. I hadn’t seen that coming. Nor did I want it—I already felt bound to too many people. Grieve, through my wolf; Lannan, through blood. Now Kaylin, through dreams. What would this mean?
“How far away can you feel me when I sleep? I have some pretty . . . interesting dreams at times.” I blushed, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“I don’t think distance is a factor. I don’t know if it will last, and don’t fear—I won’t intrude,” he said, leaning in, his voice husky. “Not unless you want me to.”
And that was not an innocent remark. Of that I was sure, but I decided to ignore it for now. “Um, okay. Listen, how are you? What time is it? How long was I asleep?”
Kaylin glanced at the bedside clock. “It’s five in the morning. I’ve been awake since three. I have no idea when you went to sleep.”
“Around nine.” I stared at his face, searching for signs that the night-veil was in control, but all I could see was Kaylin. After a moment, I blurted out, “I dreamed about Lannan, and Crawl. He was taking me to see the Blood Oracle. Dragging me, rather. And Crawl was saying that I’m a fulcrum in the war and their victory depends on me.”
Kaylin considered my words, then gave me a slow nod. “I think your dream was predictive. It sounds like something that may come to pass.”
I cringed, thinking of Lannan’s part in it. I didn’t want it to be predictive; I wanted it to be a nightmare. I decided to keep my mouth shut about the rest of it—no use getting everybody stirred up over something that might not happen.
But a voice inside whispered, You know what Lannan wants, and you know he’ll stop at nothing to get it. And that was worse than thinking Crawl wanted to see me.>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.
