Authors: Kelly Varesio
Insperatus (33 page)
A sudden howl came from Campbell’s lips. He immediately stood and ran almost blindly at Traith, who hardly had time to react. He put his hands out as if to catch the beast. She saw how wounded his face was from the claws’ backlash. But then he teleported just as the blow of a bestial fist smashed into the already-destroyed cabinet. Traith was standing, swaying, behind the werewolf. Two hind legs shoved back and slammed into Traith’s abdomen, throwing him back again, this time into a dining room table on the far side of the room. Traith groaned and slid to the side of the floor.
Rein glanced down at her ankle; the wound had stopped burning. It was healed. A fear she had never felt before began to settle inside of her.
The werewolf had just turned his yellow, bloodshot glare at her. She dove at him and grabbed his calf, twisting it. The beast crashed to the ground. When she landed, she couldn’t see where he or his elongated jaws full of massive teeth were. She was scared out of her mind that she would feel those teeth in only a moment’s time.
But then there was nothing. She glanced up. Campbell seemed himself again, though still inhuman. He tried to speak, his voice terribly altered.
Rein couldn’t try to listen to him. The smell of the blood that stained the sofa and her leg began to haunt her so terribly. She couldn’t touch it. She craved it, but she couldn’t. The restraint she used to distance herself from it was antagonizing.
The wolf turned at the sound of Traith scrambling out from under the wreckage. He jumped toward him, landing and rolling on the floor, but Traith was holding the wolf’s jaw between his strong, rough hands. They had blood everywhere; she saw how bloodied Traith’s face was, and it turned her stomach. He let go of one side of Campbell’s snout and raised a fist to it. It cracked against the brute’s face, thrusting him into the flooring. Traith rolled to the side and pushed himself up with his hand, shaking the other, which had been severely cut during the blow.
A new yet hauntingly familiar feeling overwhelmed Rein; strange, ethereal. She wanted the werewolf to become tame. It was the same feeling that had risen in her on the ship, just before she killed the captain…
“
Stop,” she said, her voice suddenly fused with the doctor’s. “Be still.”
Clairvoyant
.
She was a
clairvoyant
.
clairvoyant
.
Minds were hers to control.
She stopped. Her eyes, which had felt wider and different, felt regular again. She watched the beast lay motionless on the ground. Traith was standing, now. He was staring, not moving, not even blinking. Just staring at her. His handsome eyes shifted from her to Campbell when a shriek sounded from the beast. Slowly, horrifyingly, the monster altered back into his regular self.
What had she done?
Chapter 44
Traith walked to her and held her, his face concerned and smeared with blood. But there were no more wounds on him. He drew her back from the faint man lying on the floorboards. Traith’s hands moved upward softly, and he held her cheeks, staring gravely into her eyes in question.
“
My God,” she said, gazing at him and taking in his movements.
My God,” she said, gazing at him and taking in his movements.
“
Rein,” he said gently. “Rein, don’t think about it. It’ll make sense; give yourself time.”
Rein,” he said gently. “Rein, don’t think about it. It’ll make sense; give yourself time.”
She felt her hands begin to tremble wildly. “Are
you
all right?” she asked. “How could you even stand after what he just did to you?” She felt the side of his face and spoke gently.
you
all right?” she asked. “How could you even stand after what he just did to you?” She felt the side of his face and spoke gently.
“
I heal,” he said. “And unfortunately, though I heal, I feel all the pain no differently.” He clenched his teeth and smiled. “Rein, your ankle…I’m sorry I let go of you; I didn’t mean to.”
I heal,” he said. “And unfortunately, though I heal, I feel all the pain no differently.” He clenched his teeth and smiled. “Rein, your ankle…I’m sorry I let go of you; I didn’t mean to.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
A low moaning sounded. He let go of her and turned, taking a few steps around the sofa to get a better look at the doctor. He was lying quietly on the floor, with ripped and tattered clothes hanging off his body. His hands were fists, his back was wet with perspiration, and he was panting rapidly. Rein figured he probably couldn’t, or didn’t want to, get up to face the both of them. The mortification…
She scanned his home. Although it was only a warehouse, he had made it his own. It had a large sitting area that was scantily decorated. Its only décor was china cabinets and chests, a sofa and some other minor things, but most of it had been ruined by the impact of Traith’s body. Broken glass and furniture was scattered everywhere.
“
Kill me. Please. Kill me.” A soft voice sounded from the floorboards in the silence that lingered.
Kill me. Please. Kill me.” A soft voice sounded from the floorboards in the silence that lingered.
The doors were still wide open, and the warm shore breeze blew quietly throughout. It blew her hair into her face. She looked outside; the moon was covered with heavy rain clouds, so it wouldn’t be shining again that night.
Traith shuffled to the door and looked up at the sky. He let himself fall onto the doorframe, his hair blowing to the side powerfully. His muscles were tense and noticeable through the rips in his shirt.
Rain was starting to fall rapidly, pitter-pattering on the metal roof. The tall cattails were blowing hard, and a loud, whistling noise came with the wind.
Then she heard Campbell’s moaning from the floor again. “Kill me. Quickly.”
She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “Are you
mad
?” she said. “Kill you?”
mad
?” she said. “Kill you?”
Traith turned his head to her, and for a moment, she thought she saw amusement in his eyes.
“
Please, quickly—”
Please, quickly—”
“
Dr. Campbell, you have no right to blame yourself for what you’ve just done,” she said. “I cannot kill you,
nor
will I do so quickly.”
Dr. Campbell, you have no right to blame yourself for what you’ve just done,” she said. “I cannot kill you,
nor
will I do so quickly.”
“
Y-You must!”
Y-You must!”
“
No, honestly…”
No, honestly…”
He began to wriggle himself up to look at her. More at her leg. “Your ankle,” he murmured. “Is it all right?”
“
We can heal ourselves, doctor,” Traith said faintly from the doorway. “You went after me more than her anyway.”
We can heal ourselves, doctor,” Traith said faintly from the doorway. “You went after me more than her anyway.”
“
He did say he would,” Rein said. She could only barely see him smiling.
He did say he would,” Rein said. She could only barely see him smiling.
Campbell glared up from the floor at Traith. “You sound, dear Mr. Harker, as if you do not
care
about how badly I could have…how badly I did hurt her. She’s your confidante, is she not, and you treat her
like
—?”
care
about how badly I could have…how badly I did hurt her. She’s your confidante, is she not, and you treat her
like
—?”
Traith turned on him furiously. “You have
no
right, old man,
no right
to question
my
intentions
regarding
her
! I think I know she’s my—”
no
right, old man,
no right
to question
my
intentions
regarding
her
! I think I know she’s my—”
“
Traith,” Rein cut in front of him.
Traith,” Rein cut in front of him.
He was becoming threateningly angry with the doctor.
“
Leave it alone,” Rein said to him quietly. “Please, don’t lose your temper now.”
Leave it alone,” Rein said to him quietly. “Please, don’t lose your temper now.”
Traith wouldn’t look at her, but he backed down and turned back to the rain outside the doorway. He swore under his breath. “Lucky I want you alive, you—”
“
Dr. Campbell, please use reason,” she said. “I’m fine, and he knew I would be. This isn’t what we’re here for. We need you on our side. Please. If you don’t come with us, there’s a chance that someone could force you to go with them. Isn’t that right, Traith?”
Dr. Campbell, please use reason,” she said. “I’m fine, and he knew I would be. This isn’t what we’re here for. We need you on our side. Please. If you don’t come with us, there’s a chance that someone could force you to go with them. Isn’t that right, Traith?”
He didn’t turn, but he more or less grunted. “Yes.”
He was acting cold and emotionless, now. She knew that between the beating he’d just received and the way the doctor was talking to him, Traith wasn’t too happy with the man.
“
I can’t go with you,” Campbell said. “I can’t. I almost…”
I can’t go with you,” Campbell said. “I can’t. I almost…”
She noted how tightly focused his eyes were on her leg. She glanced down and saw that there were five small, light scars left there. But they were too light for him to see. So why was he…?
He pulled himself up with the assistance of the torn, bloodstained sofa next to him. “You saw what I did,” he began, clearing his throat and finally looking up. “If I can’t control it, how could I possibly be used for good? It’s evil, so how could any of what you’re saying be possible?”
“
It’s not evil, Campbell,” Traith said angrily as he left the doorway to get his coat and hat from the fallen rack. “But it’s hungry—ravenous. It knows no good
or
evil. It’s more like a wild animal than a monster. Rein and I came to help you, but if you’re not going to at least try to bloody work with yourself, you might as well give up. The only thing left coming for you is something much worse than what we have to offer, I assure you.”
It’s not evil, Campbell,” Traith said angrily as he left the doorway to get his coat and hat from the fallen rack. “But it’s hungry—ravenous. It knows no good
or
evil. It’s more like a wild animal than a monster. Rein and I came to help you, but if you’re not going to at least try to bloody work with yourself, you might as well give up. The only thing left coming for you is something much worse than what we have to offer, I assure you.”
Traith looked down and buttoned the sides of his coat sleeves, wiping off dust and blood. He took his hat from the stand and put it on his head.
“
My life is about over anyway,” the doctor said, standing straight.
My life is about over anyway,” the doctor said, standing straight.
“
Someone I know can help you greatly,” Rein said, turning to see where Traith had disappeared to. “Please come with us, Doctor.” She crossed her arms tightly. She was cold. “This is all new to me, too,” she finished quietly.
Someone I know can help you greatly,” Rein said, turning to see where Traith had disappeared to. “Please come with us, Doctor.” She crossed her arms tightly. She was cold. “This is all new to me, too,” she finished quietly.
The doctor looked deeply at her, and then walked over to a lamp. His hand trembled as he picked it up and put on the lampshade. He brushed himself off. Rein was surprised that as neglectful as he seemed to be, he was clean-shaven and had been well kempt. He was so thin, however, that it seemed as though he would break if touched.
He dropped his head in agreement. “Then I will go.”
Rein nodded her head, smiled, and walked out the door. “Come with us, then.”
“
You are a…blessed couple,” he said apologetically.
You are a…blessed couple,” he said apologetically.
“
I’m sorry?” Rein replied.
I’m sorry?” Rein replied.
Traith turned and looked at the half-dressed man.
“
It seems to me that God Himself must watch over you both quite closely,” he said.
It seems to me that God Himself must watch over you both quite closely,” he said.
“
Yes,” she replied quietly, with a strange expression.
Yes,” she replied quietly, with a strange expression.
Traith laughed in his throat, but she could tell his mind was elsewhere. He was probably thinking about his sister…where she had gone, and why she had even tried to kill them that day in the first place.
His own sister had tried to kill him.
And he loved her so dearly.
Chapter 45
“
Thank you,” Mistress said.
Thank you,” Mistress said.
Traith did not reply. Rein knew he was still angry with the woman for sending them after Campbell in the first place.
“
He is in the recovery with some others.”
He is in the recovery with some others.”
Traith shook his head and laughed as if her comment was stupid. “May I go back home now and be undisturbed for a little
longer
than a day?” he asked.
longer
than a day?” he asked.
The woman glared at him, but it took her only a moment to lose her fury. “As much as I am grateful for your loyalty, sometimes I wish you were—”
“
Stop
wishing for me,” he said with an unkind smile. “It’s never worked before, and I doubt it will
ever
.”
Stop
wishing for me,” he said with an unkind smile. “It’s never worked before, and I doubt it will
ever
.”
Mistress sighed. Then Rein’s vision blurred, and the woman was gone.
The next thing she saw was the inside of the castle foyer. Traith immediately hit the wall and yelled a curse to his superior, and then he walked into the library, scuffing his feet. He was furious.
For a moment Rein felt very alone. She had never seen him so upset, and he’d left her in the entry. But a month had already gone by since they had gotten off of the ship. Somehow still, she wasn’t independent enough yet to be without him. She knew that she had to begin to be.
She didn’t follow him, for the first time, as he walked into the library. Instead she began to walk up the stone steps to begin her way to one of the gallery rooms. But as soon as her heels hit the stone step, she heard her name.
“
Rein?”
Rein?”
She smiled to herself. She was quick to leave it behind, however, when she walked into the library. There was a fire in there, now. His shadow was elongated on the stone. Shadow flickered on his face as he turned to her.
“
I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t talk like that. I can’t help it.”
I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t talk like that. I can’t help it.”
She smiled. “That’s all right. I love you anyway.”
His eyes lit a little, and she knew he had regained his equanimity. He rubbed his chin and shook his head. “She just shouldn’t do that. I have no true freedom, Rein. Being hers to command like that.”
“
Why are you her First Hand? If you don’t want to be?”
Why are you her First Hand? If you don’t want to be?”
He sighed. “I was in debt to her, and I did anything and everything she needed, or wanted, me to do. After a few years, she asked me if I would serve her. I acquiesced, and I’ve been here ever since. But lately she’s been so harsh, and I’ve only just gotten off of the ship I was on for…”
He always stopped as if he couldn’t say aloud how long he had been stuck there. She didn’t press him.
“
Are you interested, now, to see your sister?” he asked without motive. “I’ll take you to see her whenever you want. She’s your sister and you’ve yet to even meet her. I of all people should know the desire to see…” He sighed and stopped. “I suppose it would be nice to see your sister and not have to worry about her trying to
kill
you.”
Are you interested, now, to see your sister?” he asked without motive. “I’ll take you to see her whenever you want. She’s your sister and you’ve yet to even meet her. I of all people should know the desire to see…” He sighed and stopped. “I suppose it would be nice to see your sister and not have to worry about her trying to
kill
you.”
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