Jude Stephens (30 page)

Roberto came over and looked down at him. “Nice
right.”

I smiled at him. “I told you I’ve been training.
Let’s get out of here.”

Roberto took off his shirt and helped me put it on.
He began buttoning it up and I said “Roberto, thank you for helping
me.”

His hands stilled and he looked up at me, “Oh
Piccolina, do you not realize I would do anything for you.”

He began doing up the buttons again. “We don’t have
time to talk. We’re still in danger here, but we will eventually
have to talk.”

I knew he was right. There were too many revelations
tonight. Ever since my life changed last spring everyone had been
telling me everything is not as it seems. They of course were
right. Roberto wasn’t mated. He loved me. Alex loved me. What was I
going to do? I couldn’t worry about it right now. Right now we had
to get out of here. I asked Roberto “Have you any idea which way is
out?”

“
No. I’ve been kept in this room
the whole time.

They’ve been bringing me blood to drink.”

“
Okay. Let me try and project
myself. I’ll see if I can find the way out.”

“
You can do that?”

“
Yeah. It’s pretty easy to
project. Walking between the different planes of the spirit world
is another story. I haven’t mastered that yet.”

Roberto took my hand. “You know I’m really proud of
you. You have come so far from the timid woman who walked into my
hotel last spring.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just squeezed his
hand in thanks. Letting my hands drop to my sides I took a few deep
breaths and cleared my mind. My mind was like a clean blank slate.
Slowly images began to appear, a bedroom, a hallway, a kitchen, a
large den. Draco was in the den. The two Manticoras were patrolling
the grounds. At least there was no obstacle for us getting out of
the house.

Coming back into myself I told Roberto what I
learned.

“
Once we get outside it’s going to
be tricky to evade the Manticoras. Because of the damn white fungus
I don’t have my normal speed.” Roberto lamented.

“
It’ll be okay. I’ve become pretty
adept at evading my Sensay trainer.”

“
Well in that case lead the way.”
Roberto moved out of the doorway to let me take the lead. I was a
little surprised because the Roberto I remembered wouldn’t have let
me take the lead.

The house was situated on a deserted beach. In front
of us was the ocean and behind us was a pretty vast expanse of
beach with little or no place for concealment.

About a hundred yards from the
house there were some sand dunes that would help cover our escape,
but until we made our way there we were pretty much sitting ducks.
We made our way down the hall, through the kitchen, and were
quickly out in the cool night air. I immediately hunched down and
Roberto followed my lead. “When we get to the sand we need to stay
low. The Manticoras are patrolling.”

Crouching low we made our way to the sand. The dunes
appeared to be about a hundred yards in front of us. Not a huge
distance but it would seem like an eternity while trying not to get
spotted. Low crawling on sand was not easy. I wondered how the guys
in the movies always made it look so easy. I was in good shape yet
my arms and legs began to ache after a few minutes.

I motioned for Roberto to stop for a second. I
turned my head left then right and spotted the Manticora about
fifty yards away. Using military hand gestures that Mark taught me,
I pointed to my eyes and then in the direction of the Manticora to
let Roberto know we had company. My senses went into alert as I
heard the other Manticora approaching from the left. He was quickly
nearing us.

I had to make a quick decision,
and I said a little prayer that it was the right one. I stood up
and said to Roberto, “GO… RUN…Alex and the others are close. I will
lead these two away. They want me after all.”

I was off and running back toward the house even
before Roberto shouted, “NO!”

I could hear the Manticoras
chasing me. They emitted a low growl as they ran. Damn they were
fast. I had an idea. I skirted around the house and headed to the
water. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of going into the ocean, but
if these guys were evolved from the feline family they just might
not like the water.

Throwing myself into the water I
was hit by a hard wave and knocked under. The water was cold. I
looked back to the beach to see the two Manticoras standing there
arguing in Turkish. Not understanding the language I could only
guess at what they were saying, but it appeared they were arguing
who was going to go into the water to kill me. Great! They weren’t
afraid of water. They may not like it but they would come get
me.

It looked as if the guy on the right lost the
argument because he waded into the water. I swam out a bit more but
it was useless. I would rather drown than let these guys tear into
me. Doing the only thing I could think of I began to sing, “I’d
like to be under the sea, in an octopuses’ garden in the
shade.”

Both Manticoras stopped and were
staring at me and then each other so I continued, “He’d let us in,
knows where we’ve been in his octopuses garden in the
shade.”

My singing had only bought me a
minute because the Manticora in the water began moving forward
again. Luck was not on my side as another large wave came and
slammed me into him. He grabbed hold of my hair.

What the hell was it with these guys and hair, I
thought as pain split my skull. He began dragging me back towards
the beach. I guess he didn’t do his best killing in the water. He
dragged me out of the water and threw me down on the wet sand,
cursed and then kicked me in the ribs. I guess that was for making
him get his shoes wet. The two spoke something in their language
and then the dry one moved over and knelt beside me.

He gave me a nice little chilling smile and placed
his hands around my neck. Immediately my air supply was cut off. I
fought against the panic rising up within me. As Cheve had taught
me I weighed my options. The only viable solution I could come up
with was to walk in the spirit world. It may just buy me the time
for the others to get here.

I could feel Alex was close. I
didn’t connect with him because I didn’t want to distract him with
my dire situation. I released my mind from my body, and I drifted
out of this plane and into the next. As I drifted I could see the
two men who were trying to kill me. I hoped that the guy with his
hands around my neck would soon release me. Even if my spirit was
outside my body, he could still kill my physical body. He didn’t
seem to be letting go. All of a sudden a blur from the left caught
my attention. It was Alex! He was racing towards my body. YES! I
saw the other Manticora look his way. I wanted to warn him but
couldn’t.

They came together in a blur of
fists and snarling teeth. It would have been fascinating to watch
except that my physical body was dying fast. For crying out loud
why wouldn’t the asshole let go already? I saw another blur coming
down the beach and it took me a few seconds to realize who it was.
Bullet! Yes! I saw him launch himself through the air and knock the
Manticora off of my body.

I watched in awe as he pinned the
huge man down and bit into his throat. He was dead before Bullet
lifted his muzzle from his neck. I turned back to Alex and his
fight just in time to see Alex do the same to the other Manticora
and fling his body to the side. Both he and Bullet ran to my body.
I saw Alex lift me in his arms and sit down on the sand cradling
me.

He thought I was dead! Tears streamed down his face.
It was heart wrenching. Bullet was licking my face. I saw the rest
of the gang, Mark, Cheve, and Roberto running up and skidding to a
stop in front of Alex and me. Roberto put his hands over his face.
They were all so heartbroken. I looked out to the sea and saw a
fishing trawler out several miles. I bet that would be interesting
to go watch them pull in some fish, I thought.

“
Sensay! Sensay!
Focus.”

I turned my head and saw Cheve standing next to me.
I smiled at him. “It’s a beautiful night isn’t it Cheve?”

“
Yes it is Wren, but your friends
are waiting for you.”

“
I know, but it’s so peaceful
here. No problems, No decisions.”

Cheve came over and took my hand, “It’s the fucking
vampires isn’t it?”

I frowned at him. I didn’t like him calling them
that. “No. It’s not the vampires. It’s me.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
It’s as if everyday I lose more
of the person I used to be. I see myself fighting, strategizing and
making life and death decisions; it’s so far from the simple life I
lived just six months ago.”

Cheve took my chin between his thumb and forefinger,
raised my head to look into his eyes and said, “Sensay, you have
always been the same person. Before you became aware of your powers
there were people hunting you, hating you and loving you. You just
weren’t aware of it and now you are. Which would you rather have,
knowledge or ignorance?”

I sighed. What was the old saying, ignorance was
bliss? I guess it was but wasn’t knowledge power? I didn’t want
others controlling my destiny. I wanted to be in charge. I looked
down on the scene below me, all of them grieving for me. The two
vampires were the worst. I had a connection with both of them now.
I took Roberto’s blood and I could feel the string between us.

I looked into their minds. One of the vampires
already decided that he would cease without me because his love for
me was so great. He was thinking how he would do it. The other one
was lost. He didn’t know what to do with the void that I’d left in
his heart.

My choice was clear, but it had been clear even
before this. I loved them both. Onatah once told me, “Open your
heart to the light and all will be well.” When I looked down at my
vampire my heart sang and a light surrounded him.

Chapter 31

Cheve led the way back to my body.
Maybe one day I would get better at walking though the spirit
world, but for now I was glad that Cheve was around to help
me.

I opened my eyes to see relief shining in Alex’s
gorgeous green ones. “Oh thank you, God,” he said as he buried his
head in my neck. I could feel his tears on my skin. I reached up
and stroked his hair. I looked over at Roberto who had come to
stand by my side. His eyes were bright with unshed tears. I lifted
my other hand and beckoned him to take it.

He knelt, took my hand and kissed it. “Piccolina you
scared me to death”

“
I’m sorry. I still have trouble
returning from the spirit world.”

Mark said, “Only you would apologize for being
choked to death.”

I laughed. “I guess you’re right.
I shouldn’t apologize. You all should for being so
slow.”

Alex, thankfully, looked to be back to his old self
when he raised his head “Slow? You don’t know what you’re talking
about. Did you not see my speed and agility as I wiped the beach
with that stinking Manticora?”

Roberto, however, dropped my hand. “I’m afraid I
wasn’t much help at all to you, Piccolina.”

I gently extracted myself from Alex’s arms, went
over and wrapped my arms around him. “You’ve got to be kidding me
Roberto. Without your help with Seamus my plan wouldn’t have
worked. I know it wasn’t easy for you.”

Roberto stared into my eyes,
“You’re wrong about that, it was very easy. Loving you is the
easiest thing in my life.”

I really didn’t want to have this conversation out
here on the beach in front of everyone, so I said, “Can we go back
to the hotel? I would love to shower and change and get something
to eat.”

Everyone began walking. Alex wrapped his arm around
me to keep me warm. Roberto kept shooting glances at us. The ride
back to the hotel was just as uncomfortable. I hoped to put this
conversation off for a while, but I could see I would have to tell
them of my choice right away.

We pulled up in front of the hotel with a good five
hours until dawn arrived. That should give me enough time to speak
with Alex and Roberto.

As soon as I got out of the car Mr. Tun was there to
greet us. “May I speak privately with you Ms. Sherman?”

“
Anything you have to say you can
say in front of my friends.”

“
Of course. May we all go
somewhere more private?”

“
Sure,” I said as our weary group
followed him. He led us into a small conference room of sorts and
we all sat.

Mr. Tun cleared his throat and
began, “I must of course apologize for my daughter, Myaing. I am
aware of what she did. We Chianthe’s are jealous by nature, but
what she did is unforgivable. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but
I am begging for your understanding. Myaing’s twin sister is
missing and it has been a terrible strain on the family. We suspect
The Guardians are involved with her disappearance.”

My heart broke for the man. “I’m so sorry. Are you
still searching for her?”

His face fell and he said, “No. She has been gone
for a few weeks and with The Guardians the chance for survival is
not so good after a few days.”

Alex and I looked at each other remembering his time
with The Guardians. He wouldn’t have lasted a few weeks under their
microscope.

The more I knew about The
Guardians the more I hated them. Who did they think they were
playing God the way they were? I stood and went over to Mr. Tun and
lay a hand on his shoulder. “Your family is forgiven. I hope your
pain eases, and I promise I will do everything in my power to put
an end to The Guardians. If ever you need me don’t hesitate to call
on me.”