RBC05 - Bloodline (21 page)

      “I want everyone to leave now, she needs to rest,” Sarah said as she came forward and started to help the other girls up.

Cathos leaned down and whispered, “I’ll be back.”

“We’ll all be just outside. We’ve asked Allwain to come and Niranjana is sitting with Amparah,” Letta said.

“I’m all right everyone, really.”

Damien came over, sat beside me and silently pulled me into his arms. He then kissed my cheek, stood and walked out the door followed by Cathos. I used my acute hearing to monitor their converstation.

“Thank you for saving her. Can you stay for a little while? I think we still need to go ahead with the party. Meil has accepted our invitation and you may be the only one that can tell what gives him his power. I found out that Meil has been in the government for years. This Belnovus must have taken over a real human identity.”

“I know his power is demonic. I just don’t have any idea where it comes from. Yes, I can stay. I can’t interfere with normal world of light affairs, but in this situation the rule doesn’t apply because this demon
is
already
interfering.”

“With Allwain and Niranjana here with you, there should be something that the three of you can do to offset his power.”

“The time is so short, but yes, I’m sure we can come up with something. I still have Katrina’s memory of him before he realized he was being looked at by someone else with power. I can transfer that to the others.”

“What is your best guess?”

 “The Arnaunt brothers were pets of Belial, the demon queen Cain helped kill. I think a rival of hers is probably the power source we’re dealing with here. I told Katrina that Cain may have to kill this one the same way he killed Samael’s double. Where is Cain anyway?”

“He’s sitting with Amparah and Niranjana is with him. He hasn’t left her side since this happened.”

“Do you want us to send for Quinn?” Sarah said as she wiped my forehead with a cool wet cloth.

“What? No. There is nothing he can do.”

“It is good to see your real face for a change.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize. Poor Charmaine, I can’t believe it. She was so happy to be able to help. And Yanna…”

 “Liridon is very upset. This has been a very bad three days.”

“Three days! It’s been three days?”

“Yes, I am afraid so. Cathos said if you hadn’t had Jinn power of your own he doesn’t think you would have survived. He told us that Jinn power has changed your physical make up.”

“I remember putting my hands directly on Charmaine because I thought it would be more powerful than going through Amparah.”

“We have no way of knowing now. But you did survive, barely. How do you really feel?”

I thought about that for a moment. “I feel weak, but not as weak as when I first woke up and I’m really hungry.”

“Oh, that’s a good sign. Your parents were frantic, but didn’t dare come. Your mother is in Sangustae.”

“I asked her to convince the elves to install the new queen and unite the sanctuaries once again. I’m glad she went. If anyone can charm the elves, it’s her.”

I pushed myself up to a sitting position and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

“Help me stand. I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Take it slow, Katrina,” Sarah insisted as she supported me from the right side.

My knees shook at first. I took in a deep breath and we slowly walked into the bath. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and was horrified by what I saw. I looked terrible. There were dark circles around my slightly sunken eyes. My hair was dull and matted from days of fever and my complexion was a sickening color of grey.

“I look like I didn’t make it. I’m glad that I feel better than I look,” I said turning my face side to side hoping something would change and I would start to look better. When I didn’t I moved away.

“Actually, you do look better than you did,” Sarah said sheepishly.

“My goodness, I don’t know how that could be. I think I better take a shower instead of a bath, is there one?”

Sarah smiled, “You just have to ask.”

I took of my simple dressing gown off before Sarah helped me step into the tub and I asked, “Rain shower please!”

Sure enough a nice cool rain covered me from a single cloud that had formed above me. It felt so good I just tilted my head back and enjoyed concentrating on the soothing feel and sound of it.

Sarah started to hum as she lathered up my back and arms with a soft, soapy sponge, finally handing it to me to finish scrubbing the rest of me while she washed my hair.

As she finished I let the water once more cascade over my newly clean body for a few minutes longer.

“That’s enough, thank you. May I have a warm towel and a soft robe, please?”

They appeared as if hanging on invisible hooks next to the tub. I dried off with the towel before wrapping it around my hair. I then put on the robe and Sarah helped me back out of the tub.

“That was simply amazing. Crimson, please.”

A goblet instantly hovered in front of me. I picked it out of the air and greedily gulped down its salty, sweet contents.

“I really need to hunt,” I said as I finished a second helping.

“You look much better already, look.”

“Anything would be an improvement,” I grumbled as I went back to the mirror.

The color was starting to come back into my cheeks and the zombie looking eyes had faded somewhat.

“I must have lost quite a bit of weight being dormant for three days, but that will come right back. What day is it then?”

“Wednesday.”

I pulled the towel off my hair and started to comb it out.

“I want to go and see how Amparah is doing. Slippers, please.”

      When I went back into my room Damien was waiting for me.

He smiled, “You look so much better, how do you feel?”

“Weak, but much better than I did when I first woke up. I’m going to go see how Amparah is doing. She was going to do the decorations for the party. I feel bad thinking about things like this when she’s so ill, but I need us to go ahead with our plans and Friday is the day after tomorrow.”

“She’s better. She woke up about the same time you did and Yanna changed back too. Cathos and Niranjana’s power together did what no one else could have done.”

“Except saving poor Charmaine.”

“Yes.”

We went across the hallway and into the room where Amparah was resting.

“You look better than I do, Amparah.”

“At least you’re up and walking, I’m still so weak.”

“You both are very lucky to be alive,” Niranjana said.

“I don’t think luck had anything to do with it, their destinies have not been fulfilled,” we heard from behind us.

“Allwain!” I said excitedly.

He opened his arms and I gladly walked into them. I was almost as close to him now as I was with my own father.

“They killed Charmaine,” I said and started to sob.

“Shhh, I’m here now. We’ll figure this all out together. Now you get back to your room and rest. I’ll be in later to see you.”

“All right, but…”

“No buts, Katrina. Go,” he insisted.

“I’ll bring you up something to eat. I made all your favorites while I was waiting for you to wake up,” Sarah said as we all left Amparah’s room.

“Good, I’m starving.”

I was feeling better with every passing hour and finished off everything that Sarah put in front of me to eat and drank another full glass of crimson.

Damien started to laugh, “Can I get you anything else? I may have to go out to get it. I think you’ve eaten everything in the house.”

“No, I’m good for now,” I said while licking my fingers clean of the sugar glaze that had covered the strudel. “You don’t have to sit with me. I think I’ll sleep for a while and then I am going to get up.”

“I don’t mind, I always loved watching you sleep.”

“You should take Cain and go home. What will those that are watching us think?”

“We didn’t come by coach and we’ve been going back and forth with Jinn power so they will think we are still at our apartments. Ivan had instructions that we were not to be disturbed. But if you don’t want me here…”

“If you want to stay, stay. I’m fine now that’s all.”

“Then I’ll stay.”

“Fine.”

I fluffed up my pillow and laid down with my back to him. I had to smile to myself. He was pretty adorable, not that I was going to tell him that any time soon. This was the same conversation that I had been having with myself for almost a year. I love Quinn, don’t I? Soon I drifted off to sleep.

“Katrina, Katrina,” I heard a voice call to me.

“Who are you? Where are you?”

“It’s me, Charmaine.”

CHAPTER NINE

I
woke not being able to catch my breath and my frantic gasping frightened Damien.

“Cathos! Something is wrong with Katrina,” Damien called.

Instantly Cathos appeared and Sarah and Allwain came running in.

I raised my hand to try to calm them.

“It was a dream,” I gasped. “At least I think it was. I heard Charmaine calling to me.”

“Really?” Allwain said.

“But she died, it was just a dream.”

“Just because her body died doesn’t mean her spirit did,” Allwain said, seemingly deep in thought. “It’s easier for spirits to contact you in your subconscious. Much harder for them to be heard and seen in this world, but it is done all the time. Charmaine, if you are here you will have to practice and concentrate very hard using all the skills I taught you before you came here. I know you can do, try harder.”

Nothing happened, “Allwain, maybe it was just a dream like Katrina said.”

“No, I think Allwain is right. I can feel her presence,” Cathos added as he looked around the room for any evidence.

“Don’t get frustrated, Charmaine.”

“What’s going on?” Nira asked as she joined us.

“Oh, Nira, good. We feel Charmaine’s spirit is here and she is trying to contact us.”

Nira closed her eyes. “Yes she’s here.”

She kept her eyes closed raising her hands in front of her with the palms of her hands facing up.

“Look!” I said pointing to a spot at the end of my bed.

A figure started to appear, we could see the light through it, but it was definitely Charmaine. Nira continued to raise her arms and as she did Charmaine became more and more solid looking until the light no longer penetrated her figure. She was smiling bravely.