Enlightened (Love and Light Series) (27 page)

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I know, Loti. I’ve told Justin. He’s getting the message to Calisto right now. He’ll get Fiamette and Guided too.”

Loti looked from Wolf to Korinna. Justin, the young blond, must be her bond mate? They set her on her feet, and a shadow crossed her face.

“Why Fiamette?” The woman was not exactly pleasant the last time she’d seen her. Fiamette’s warning, “you have no idea what kind of trouble you’re stirring up” came back to Loti. How had she known?

“She didn’t know anything, Loti. She was just—” Wolf held her close while Korinna reached for towels on the wall shelf. Wrapping her in the blue terry-cloth Korinna handed him, he pushed her toward the door. “Go get dressed. I’ll get this mess cleaned up.”

Loti gave him a quizzical look, but he waved her on.
You didn’t answer my question.

Wolf sighed. “She specializes in supes. She can heal supes best.”

Korinna held a matching towel out to him, eyebrows raised as he wrapped it around his waist, tucking the ends in. He grabbed another towel and knelt down to sop up the water

 “Yes, we can hear each other’s thoughts.”

Korinna’s nostrils flared, but she said nothing as she turned and left Wolf to his chore.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with you,” Fiamette declared.

Loti and Wolf looked at each other and back at Fiamette. A small smile played at her lips as she organized her healing bottles and bags in the brown leather satchel. She kept her eyes on her hands.

Quietly, she said, “I told you so.”

Loti sat back, her left eye twitching.

Wolf set his jaw. “Fiamette, I don’t understand.” He was used to controlling his emotions and his expressions, but Loti never felt things quite this strongly. Was this a vampire thing? Super-human strength? Super-human feelings? God, it was exhausting. Or was it just Wolf? Wolf feels things deeply; Wolf is a deeply feeling vampire. She giggled.

Wolf looked at her askance.

She shrugged, and he turned his aggravated attention back to Fiamette.

“Are you saying there’s nothing wrong with me, or you can’t do anything to help me?” Now his eye twitched.

Fiamette set her satchel on the coffee table, brushing some ash off her jeans, still refusing to meet his eyes. She glanced up at the tumbled bookshelf to the left of the fireplace. “This place could stand a little tidying up,” she mused.

 “Fiamette.”

She snapped her head around at the sharp tone of his voice. His eyes drilled holes through her. “Okay, okay.” She rubbed at the ash on her fingers. “You’re not sick. You don’t need me. You’re evolving.” She crossed her arms over her chest as if that was the end of matters. Leaning back into the couch, she stared back just as hard.

Guided kneaded her shoulders with his big hands. “Fia, please. What’s happening to him? To them?” She closed her eyes, tilting her head to the side. Guided massaged her neck then leaned down and kissed her cheek. She swatted at him.

“Get off me, Grizzly Adams. Your beard tickles.” But she smiled. Guided’s brown hair hung in two long hanks over his chest, restrained by a red bandana tied around his forehead.

“He’s evolving.” Flapping a hand at Wolf, she shifted forward, arms still crossed over her chest then settled back. “I’ve seen this once before. He’s changing like when he was turned. It’ll be three nights.” She peered around Wolf at Loti curled up in the other corner of the couch. Buried in the duvet, only her damp head was visible. “When did you two do it?”

Loti rolled her eyes and fought the smile. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It has everything to do with this.” Fiamette grinned. “Sex is magic. It’s a sharing of prana, and when metaphysical bonding is involved, you better believe it’s important.” She looked Loti up and down disdainfully. “You didn’t know that?”

“I know that,” Loti huffed, turning away to look at the fire Guided built while Fiamette examined Wolf. It crackled merrily as if mocking them.

“Okay, let’s work through this.” Guided squeezed Fiamette’s shoulders. She fidgeted under his ministrations. “You’ve seen this before? When?”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, looking down at her hands, twisting a silver ring round and round her index finger. “I’m not really this much of a bitch.” She peeked up at Loti, and then braved a look at Wolf. He stayed quiet during the whole uncomfortable exchange. “I can’t tell you who it was. Patient confidentiality and all.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Wolf. I know you must feel miserable. I’m being catty.” She glanced up at Guided, who smiled that gentle smile of his, nodding.

“You’re going to be fine. You’re evolving. Have you ever heard of the warm-blooded vampire legends? Out of Australia?” She shifted under Wolf’s cold stare. “Well, that’s what’s happening. I’ve seen it. After three nights, you’ll be fine. Only you’ll have a beating heart and warm blood.”

“What will that mean for me?” Wolf came to life; his mouth softening and eyes alert.

“You’ll still be vampire, only warm-blooded. You’ll have the same powers, as far as I know, and you’ll still need to feed on blood. I’m not sure what the ramifications are. The vampire I saw only stuck around for a few more days.” She swallowed, her eyes darting to the ring. “I never saw him again.” She was quiet for a moment and then shook herself. “The one thing I do know is that you’re vulnerable to heart injury now.”

“Like a steak to the heart kind of vulnerable?” Loti sat up straighter.

Fiamette held her gaze nodding. “Exactly like that, but I can’t be sure that other materials wouldn’t do the trick.” She looked off into space as if considering something. “I don’t know about bullets. I think as long as they don’t hit the heart, and they’re not silver, of course, you should be okay.”

“What else does this mean?” Wolf sounded calmer. His shoulders eased, and he settled back into the couch as he put his arm around Loti.

“I don’t know, Wolf. I just don’t know,” she conceded. “I told you, I didn’t see the vampire this happened to ever again.”

“Why haven’t you told us this before?” Calisto spoke from the stool beside Korinna.

Fiamette gathered her bag, not looking at him. “There wasn’t any reason to.”

“We should get going,” Korinna piped up. “Dawn is less than an hour away.”

Wolf looked alarmed. “You can’t leave her alone with me.” He looked to Guided and Calisto, but it was Fiamette who reassured him.

“It’ll be fine, Wolf.” She emphasized fine. “You won’t hurt her.” She patted his leg. “It’s okay.”

“But tonight I . . . ”

“You what? Attacked her?” Fiamette leaned over his lap. “Are you scared of him, Loti?”

“No,” she exclaimed, wiggling her arms free of the blanket. “I don’t know why he’s so worried. He didn’t hurt me.”

Fiamette’s smile deepened as she leaned back in her seat. “See? She’s not afraid.”

Wolf scowled. “Help me out here, Calisto. I have been oscillating between violent outbursts, fatigue, obsessive impulses, and . . . ” He glanced at Loti.

“Sex. He wants sex. A lot. That’s what he won’t say,” Loti chimed in.

He let out an exasperated sigh. “And blood. I could drain you.”

“No, you won’t. And you wouldn’t say
sex
because you thought it would
embarrass
me. It doesn’t embarrass me, Wolf. Sex is the last thing in the world that would embarrass me.”

He threw his hands up and rose from the couch. “Fine. Have it your way. Stay. Alone with a sick vampire. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He stalked toward the bathroom, his irritation buzzing in her head.

“It would be worse if she left, Wolf. I do know that. She’s the only thing keeping you remotely calm right now.” Fiamette swung her satchel over her shoulder as she stood.

Calisto cupped Korinna’s elbow, guiding her off the stool and toward the front door.

“What do you mean?” Wolf stopped with his back turned to everyone.

“I mean if she were to go with us right now, you would lose your shit. In a matter of minutes. Tell me—” Fiamette cocked her hip out.

Seems to be her signature pose,
Loti thought.

 
It is
. Wolf’s voice echoed in her head.

“What have you been thinking about this entire time we’ve been talking?”

Wolf stared at his bare feet, as everyone waited for him to answer.

“You don’t have to say it. I will. You’ve been thinking about her: her blood, her sex, her safety, her body, her gorgeous eyes—”

“Enough. You’ve made your point,” he growled.

Loti rolled her eyes. He couldn’t see it, but he knew it. Adjusting the waistband of his hemp pants, he pivoted around to face them.

“If she wasn’t here, you’d tear this place apart and fly off into the sunrise looking for her.” Fiamette picked up two items she hadn’t put back in her bag. “Here.” She tossed an amber vial at Loti, who caught it deftly. “Feed him. Sleep with him. It will keep him calm.” She stepped up to Loti. “Well, calmer. Keep your strength up. Do you have enough food?”

“I just brought her more than enough for three days.” Korinna held the door open.

“Good. Take three drops of that tincture in water three times a day.”

Loti turned the plain glass vial over. “What is it?”

“Nettles, Vitamin B-12 and something else. I forget, but it’ll counteract the fatigue from blood loss and help regenerate blood cells, too.” She slipped a leather thong over Loti’s head. Loti fingered the tear-dropped shaped glass vial that hung from it, tucking her chin to get a better look.

“That is pixie glass. It’s got a blend of essential oils and a spell for calm in it.” Fiamette winked. “Shake it and you’ll smell it.”

Loti did. “There’s sandalwood in this.”

“Yes, and other stuff. Lavender, blue tansy, a few others.”

“Thank you.” Loti sniffed the vial, turning a beautiful smile on Fiamette.

“Yeah, well, you’re welcome.” She spun on her heel and sauntered toward the door. “Face it, Wolf.” Looking over her shoulder, her voice was syrupy. “You need her.”

Wolf’s hands balled into fists. “Two more nights?” he said through clenched teeth.

“Yes. Two more nights.” Fiamette tempered her tone.

With a visible effort, Wolf eased his hands. “Thank you, Fiamette. I’m sorry I was rude.”

“No, you’re not.” She hooted with laughter as she passed Korinna.

Guided shook his head with an amused grin, shrugging his shoulders at Wolf in a watchya-gonna-do gesture. “You two are like oil and water, ya know?” He slapped Wolf on the back then gripped him in a bear hug. “You’re too much alike.”

Wolf hugged him back, unabashed. When they separated, they shared an appreciative look. Wolf’s love for his friend mixed with his exasperation for Fiamette in Loti’s chest, and she sighed. He glanced at her, still curled up in the corner of the couch, blanket now around her waist. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Finally,
she thought at him. Stepping up to the couch behind her, he held her shoulders. Patting Wolf’s back and pecking Loti on the cheek, Guided walked over to Korinna and took her hand, kissing it like she was Snow White and he was Prince Charming. She laughed and they left, shutting the door behind them.

“Someone tried to kill her, Calisto.” Wolf didn’t turn around.

“What did he look like? What was he?” Calisto came up beside Wolf.

“A shapeshifter. I didn’t recognize him.”

“He was outside my house the other night as a raven,” Loti added.

“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Wolf asked in alarm.

“It didn’t come up, and I’m telling you now.”

“How do you know it was the same person, Loti?” Calisto leaned his hands on the back of the couch, his aura too tight to his body.

She puffed up her cheeks and blew out her breath. “I don’t know. I just . . . know it. Like the way I know you haven’t fed well enough tonight.”

Calisto’s eyes widened. When he recovered, he came around the couch and sat down close to her, taking both of her hands in his.

“Precious woman.” He planted tender kisses on each of her knuckles.

Loti glanced astonished eyes up at Wolf, but his eyes were closed.

“When this is all over, we’re going to take you to see Dayalananda. He will be so delighted to meet you.” Calisto kissed her cheeks one at a time, and his eyes shone when he pulled back.

“The sun is coming up, Calisto,” Wolf said.

Calisto nodded and got up, lingering, still holding her hands. “What I don’t understand is why he tried to kill you. I thought whoever wants you, wanted you alive. Wanted you for your abilities.” He gazed off into the imaginary distance. “I don’t understand.” He shook his head, inhaling through his nose noisily, letting it out in a gush. “I will look into it, Wolf.”

“You might want to contact our old friends from the revolution.”

“You think so? It’s been awhile since we’ve had contact with them.”

 “Just a thought. They might know something. Or at least could help us identify the body. It’s still at the bottom of the mountain.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Calisto floated to the door. “Take care of yourselves.”

 When he was gone, Wolf brought her hand to his mouth, kissing each finger.

“You didn’t like it when Fiamette said you needed me.” Loti lowered her voice.

He averted his eyes, instead pressing his lips to her palm. He was good at not thinking, so there were no thoughts to read. His mind may have been blank, but he couldn’t hide the frustration and affection or the apprehension filtered through sheer wonder. Anger laid low in his belly, ready to pounce on anything that threatened. Loti stood up on the couch, making her a few inches taller than him.

“I’m not a threat, Wolf.”

 Heat radiated off his evolving body. Fisting a handful of her golden brown hair, he buried his nose in it.

“I know.” He breathed in her scent.