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Chapter 154
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Leesa smiled. How well he knew her—the knots of worry in her stomach had not yet completely disappeared. A quick walk would be just the thing.
“Come with us, Dominic,” she said. “You can tell us what-ever it is you learned while we walk.”
“You sure you don’t mind? It can wait until tomorrow if you would rather concentrate on enjoying your walk.”
“No, please come,” Leesa said. “Otherwise, I’ll just be worrying all night about what you need to tell us.”
Dominic nodded. “Okay. I can understand that.”
“Let’s go, then,” Leesa said.
She linked her arm around Rave’s and the three of them started down the sidewalk, heading toward the center of campus.
This late, there were only a few other students outside, especially with the night being so cold—cold if you didn’t have your arm linked around a volkaane’s, that i
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 155
The rest of the week passed uneventfully, for which Leesa was very grateful. Way too much stuff had been happening lately and she needed a chance to settle down and catch her breath. Of course, uneventful did not mean nothing was going on. There were classes and a growing amount of homework, and she was practicing passive magic almost every evening with Dominic.Today, they were heading out on another road trip. She couldn’t wait until they reached whatever destination Dominic had in mind, because he had said he was going to teach her to cast her first spell today!They had already driven farther west than they had ever gone, skirting the northern suburbs of New York City and crossing the Hudson River on the gigantic Tappan Zee Bridge. The three mile long bridge was by far the longest and highest Leesa had ever crossed, and she was a bit nervous driving across it. She vowed to be less nervous on the return trip and to enjoy the spectacular view.After leav
Leesa's Advent Chapter 156
Dominic nodded. “I always check a place out before I bring you to it, to make sure it’s safe for whatever I have planned.” When he found the section he wanted, he started looking through it more carefully, occasionally lifting his eyes from the book and checking something alongside the trail. Leesa watched him closely, wondering what he was doing. “Okay, got it,” Dominic said. He closed the book, marking the place he had selected with his finger. “I’m going to teach you a growth spell for plants. Unfortunately, I cannot demonstrate it for you, or the black waziri will sense my magic. When you are ready, we’ll use the book to give you a visual.” Leesa nodded, wondering what kind of plant growth thing it would be. “First,” Dominic continued, “I have to teach you the in-cantation. I cannot say the parts all together or they will trigger the spell. So I’ll give it to you in pieces. Once you have them all, you can put them together. Okay?” “Yeah. I
Leesa's Advent Chapter 157
The next few days passed in a wonderfully boring way. This week’s big activity was a normal college thing—a Valentine’s Day party at Andy’s fraternity tomorrow night. At first Leesa didn’t want to go, but Cali had talked her into it. Once Rave agreed to come along, Leesa was happy. Almost anything she did with Rave was romantic, but being with him at a Valentine’s thing would be extra special. The only problem was she had no idea what she should wear. Once again, Cali had come to the rescue. They were going shopping today at a resale clothes place on campus called Second Time’s A Charm to try to find something “valentiny” as Cali called it. Cali already had her own outfit picked out, but she was keeping it a surprise from everyone, including Leesa.“You ready to go?” Cali asked from Leesa’s doorway. She was wearing her gray jacket with the pink accents, but since it wasn’t all that cold out she was
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Cali thought for a moment. “Yeah, that would probably be all right.” She grabbed a pair of black boots from the shelf. “Let’s try your stuff on with these, just to see how it all looks.” They threaded their way between the racks to a row of dressing booths fronted by long purple curtains. “In you go, girl,” Cali said, handing Leesa the boots. Katy Perry was singing “Last Friday Night” as Leesa ducked behind the curtain. She hoped Friday night’s party was not going to be quite as wild as the song. She hung the shirts and leggings on plastic hooks and dropped the boots onto a narrow wooden bench. Feeling just a bit nervous, she took off her jeans and pulled the leggings on, then slipped the silk shirt on over them. Not a whole lot of light filtered in from the top of the dressing booth, but she didn’t think the combination looked too bad, at least not in the grimy dressing booth mirror. She had to admit, the combination of the long shirttails over the tight leg
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Josef strolled southward along the side of the highway in north central Vermont, in no real hurry. Twice now, once in Canada and once here in Vermont, a driver had stopped to offer him a lift. He graciously accepted the ride each time. When there were no rides offered, he was content to walk. This stretch of road was not very heavily traveled at night, but dressed all in black as he was, whenever he saw headlights approaching he simply edged farther to the side and let the car pass. There was some snow along the edges of the shoulder, but it had been plowed pretty far back, giving him plenty of room to remain safe. He did not begrudge the tiny delays caused by each passing vehicle.When there were only four of you hunting a man of wisdom and experience who did not want to be found, you learned to be patient. Unless Dominic made a mistake or was forced to employ his magic, they would need to be very lucky to find him. Time was on their side, though. The longer Dominic remained
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Friday afternoon at two o’clock, Dominic showed up at Leesa’s room. Since she was going to the Valentine’s Day party tonight, they had agreed to squeeze in some practice beforehand. Leesa had been catching up on some studying while she waited for him to arrive, but was happy for a reason to close her books.As soon as she got up from her desk, she could see that Dominic’s face looked more serious than usual.“What’s the matter?” she asked.Dominic took off his jacket and hung it atop Leesa’s parka in her closet.“What makes you think something is wrong?”“The look on your face. You look concerned.”Dominic smiled. “I didn’t know it showed. You are getting very observant.”Leesa returned his smile. “So? What is it?”“It’s Josef,” Dominic said. “He’s getting closer.”&ld
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Leesa stood with her back to her mirror, her head twisted around so she could check out her outfit from the back. The tapered tail of her new black silk shirt was long enough to easily cover her butt, yet the V-cut on the sides revealed plenty of her long legs. The black leather boots and the tight dark red leggings really did make her legs look hot. The diamond pattern on the leggings looked good, too, though Cali was right—hearts really would have been perfect for tonight. Considering that the outfit had cost her less than fifteen dollars—not counting the boots, which she already owned—she certainly couldn’t complain.She turned around and faced the mirror. Her long blond hair curled loosely over her shoulders and she wore just enough blue eye shadow to make her crystal blue eyes really stand out. A bit of mascara lengthened and darkened her lashes.Leesa was amazed at how far she had come since September. She had arrived at Weston a shy, some
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The evening air was crisp but not uncomfortable. Leesa, Cali and Rave walked three abreast down the sidewalk with Rave in the middle, heading for Fraternity Row. Streetlights fashioned to look like hundred-year-old gas lamps poured golden light onto the sidewalk and onto the tiny piles of snow along the edge of the street that were all that remained of the big snowstorm.Leesa and Rave held hands while they walked, and since Cali knew about Rave’s volkaane nature, he let out enough of his heat to keep her warm as well.“This is so cool,” Cali said. “It’s like walking with one of those portable quartz heaters beside me.”“Only this heater is touchable,” Leesa said, rubbing up against Rave’s side.They heard the festivities before they even turned the corner onto Fraternity Row. Thumping dance music seemed almost to vibrate the sidewalk, and the tumult of voices and laughter was nearly as loud. No one wo
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Serena awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. She rolled over lazily, reaching out for Raphael, but the space was empty. With eyes still closed, she frowned. Where is that man? That man had probably been out of bed since the crack of dawn, beside himself with nerves for today’s big event, she thought regretfully. They were to be married today. Their lives intertwined for all of eternity. What man wouldn’t have cold feet at the prospect? And they’d known each other such a short time, too. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, and frowned again. She had awakened in the safe house. Last night, she’d killed a man in her own home, and knew she could never go back there ever again. She didn’t care how good the Brethren’s cleanup crew could restore her home. It would never erase the vivid memories and horrors of what had happened there. She and Raphael would have to find themselves a new home, together. Until such time, this place would be it, th
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It’s going to be a long day without Raphael, Serena thought, as she washed and dressed. But she carried on. With so many loose ends to tie up, final checks to be made, people and places to coordinate, she scarcely had time to think about anything else. Except for her father. In the quiet moments between the bedlam of planning a wedding, she reflected upon him and her heart ached. She had arranged for a nursing home staffer to drive him and his wheelchair to the Chapel of the Holy Cross for the wedding. They didn’t usually allow weddings there, but somehow, Raphael swayed their decision. Kemuel promised to wheel her father down the aisle beside her, and she loved him instantly for that. But her dream was to have him walk her down that aisle. A sob caught in her throat, and she quickly shook her head to whisk it away. None of that nonsense, Serena. Don’t be greedy. At least he is alive and here to be a part of it all. As the day waxed on to evening, Serena felt unsettled. She hadn’t s
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Raphael spent the next few days cloistered with Serena, away from everyone and everything, like a honeymoon before the wedding. But every morning he made creative excuses to tear himself away from her for a little while and work with Fred. To make sure she didn’t visit her father, he dropped her off at her shop first so she could plan a small wedding with Callie and catch up on the mountains of paperwork.The healing sessions with Serena’s father went spectacularly, and with Raphael’s charisma, he convinced the nursing home staff to keep any improvements secret from her. They thought it romantic that he came to help with his fiancée’s father’s rehabilitation. Everyone there rooted for him, amazed at his miraculous awakening. All of the therapists worked their tails off during his therapy sessions, wanting to see their severely stroke-damaged patient beat the odds and walk his daughter down the aisle.On the morning of the fifth day, Raphael got Fred walking without any assistance.“Co
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Raphael grabbed her hands. “Do it!” he demanded. He placed them on his temples and spoke to her through their bonded connection. She felt every thought he had had of Sirona over the years straight to the present down their threaded connection. She heard every thought he’d had of her, including every word he had spoken while holding her in his arms at Dr. Chappo’s estate. He sent her everything that filled his heart and soul about her, and finally, at last, she knew.She knew. And knowing was everything to her. He gently brought her hands away from his face, kissing her fingertips as he eased them down, and she took a few steps backward, looking at him as if for the first time. No one before had ever felt about her the way he felt about her, let alone express so strongly all he’d expressed when she’d lain dying in his arms.“You’re in love with me.” She gasped, astonished. Tears welled again in her eyes, but this time, for a very different reason.“Yes.” He took a bold step toward her.
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A bundle of nerves, that’s what she’d turned into. Since leaving her father’s, Serena had been nothing but a bundle of nerves, rehearsing over and over again what she would say to Raphael up on the Rock. Looking all around her now, frightening memories kept popping into her mind, making her think that at any moment, Steve or Wheezer were going to jump out and nab her. Unfortunately, she had gotten to the summit way too early, and now paced like a caged bobcat. It had to stop. The bad guys are dead, Serena. Think positive, and let go the past. So, finding a suitable rock to sit on, Serena decided to do a little meditation to soothe her worried heart. “When I see him, I’ll know the right words to say,” she notified the birds. It may sting for a bit, but it’s for the best.****Raphael showed up at the base of the mountain with time to spare, and noticed Serena’s Jeep already parked. Perfect, he thought. He checked his pocket for the millionth time, making sure the ring box hadn’t fallen
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Raphael watched Serena leave the nursing home from behind one of the bushes in the front. She seems in good spirits, he thought. Only when he saw her disappear down the street did he dare to venture out of his hiding place. He walked into the nursing home and headed straight to the reception desk.“Hello, I’m here to see Mr. Sikes.” He smiled amiably at the receptionist.“Wow, two visitors in one day. Fred’s a lucky guy. Sign in right here, please. You’ll sign out before you leave. Take this badge so we know you belong here. Room 103 is down the hall, make a left, and he’s at the end on the left.”He looked at her name tag, and winked. “Thanks so much, Judy.”Walking down the hall, he found himself fidgeting with the badge in his hand. Am I actually nervous? Hell yeah! Raphael, the man, is about to meet the father of the woman he loves. Raphael, the man, is about to ask for this guy’s daugh
Leesa's Advent Chapter 721
Great! Just great! There’s a leak in my bedroom ceiling. Wait a minute, that’s not right. I’m not in my bedroom. I’m locked away in Dr. Chappo’s house. She remembered more. Being bound to a gurney, her body broken and dying. But I’m not lying on a gurney now, and I actually feel great. How could she be dying and still feel great? And what’s with the rain shower on my face? Slowly her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped.It was raining. Angel’s tears. Raphael’s tears, to be exact.She lay in his arms, and from the way he shuddered and sobbed, she thought maybe he didn’t know she lived. To be honest with herself, she’d only realized this fact just a few moments before. Iridescent wings were outstretched and trembling though no breeze made them flutter so.She gently raised her hand to caress his cheek and whispered softly. “Shh…there now, Raphael, shh. It’s all right. I’m ok
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Raphael noticed a knob on the box. It made sense to dial it to its lowest setting. He followed the tubing to its clamp on Serena’s side and decided to completely clamp it off. Now, no more blood could flow. But he still needed to get the needle out of her arm. He found gauze and tape on the tray stand and proceeded to extrude the catheter from her arm carefully so as not to injure her. He replaced it securely with the gauze and tape. His hands shook. I can’t fall apart like this right now! He quickly shrugged off the threat of paralyzing fear.“Hey, Raphael, this guy says his name is Steve. Isn’t that the name of one of guys who assaulted Serena?” Gabriel asked.“Yes, yes it is,” he said through gnashed teeth. Rage filled him and he clenched his fists, trying to gain some semblance of control. “Bind him, tightly. Make sure he can see Dr. Chappo. I’d like him to see what happens to assholes like him when they choose
Leesa's Advent Chapter 719
Searing hot pain shot like lightning throughout every inch of Serena’s body. Well, every inch she could feel, which left her very disturbed indeed, because she couldn’t feel anything past her waist. She could barely breathe without severe pain ripping through her chest and back. She knew what that meant—broken ribs. But what about her legs? Where were they? And why did her wrists feel shackled? Oh, dear God! What’s become of me? Her shallow breaths quickened. Her heart raced and fought for freedom behind her aching chest. Tears burst through her closed eyes and flowed untapped down the sides of her face.A voice sliced through the whooshing sound in her ears. A voice she knew all too well, and had come to despise with every molecule in her being.“Uh, Doc, I think she’s coming ’round. What do you want me to do?” Steve asked.“Hmm? Oh, nuffin. Nuffin, Seeve. Jus’ keep watchin’,” Dr. Chappo sl
