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Chapter 192
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2024-10-29 19:42:56She was standing in the sprawling parking lot of a large suburban mall. She didn’t recognize the place, but it was not unlike other malls she had visited. The sun hung high in a cloudless blue sky and the breeze blowing against her cheeks was cool, but not really cold. From the leafless trees in the distance, she knew it was winter. Glancing down at her arms, she saw she was wearing a dark red sweatshirt.
The parking area was jammed with cars. A steady stream of shoppers snaked toward the mall’s entrance. Most wore winter coats—maybe it was colder out than she realized. Some of the men sported heavy, bright red Ohio State sweatshirts. She didn’t know why, but the sight of the sweatshirts gave her a feeling of satisfaction. She was unsure what day of the week it was, but from the number of cars and people, it had to be either a weekend or a holiday. For some reason she did
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 193
Forty some miles to the south and east of where Leesa finally closed her book of magic, Kristi Brolen could not believe how different everything had suddenly become. Just a little while ago, she had been lying on her back, for who knows how long, unable to move anything more than her eyes and eyelids. All she could see were branches and the sky directly above her. The only thing she could remember hearing during all that time was the silver-haired woman’s voice. And her sense of smell had been even more useless.Now here she was, racing through the trees at impossible speeds with seemingly no effort at all. She ran half a step behind Marcio, with Dara and Genevieve following behind. Her senses, so limited for so long, had heightened to a degree that was unimaginable. She knew it was night—she had never seen so many stars in the sky—but she could see details that previously would have been invisible to her on even the brightest of days. Her hearing had also b
Leesa's Advent Chapter 194
“I have an idea,” he said at last. “You only have to feed on human blood but once. It must be soon, though. Do you think you could feed upon someone who wasn’t so nice?”Kristi thought for a moment. “You mean, like a gangbanger or something?”“Yes. Someone evil. Could you do it then?”Kristi nodded. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I could do that.”Marcio smiled. “Then let’s go find one.” He glanced toward Dara and Genevieve. “Or a couple of them,” he added.The four vampires turned away from the park and headed south, where a soft yellow glow over the horizon told them they would find a town. Any place with more than a few hundred humans in it would certainly contain at least a couple of bad ones, of that they were certain.They didn’t even need to go all the way to town, however, stopping instead outside a rundown roadside bar. The gray brick
Leesa's Advent Chapter 195
The four vampires headed back toward their cavern. With several hours left before dawn, they were in no particular hurry, especially Kristi and Marcio, who trotted side by side. Dara and Genevieve were not in any rush to leave the cool, fresh open air either, so they did not begrudge the slow pace of their companions.Eventually, with less than an hour before the gray fingers of dawn began to paint the eastern horizon, they arrived near the entrance to their sanctuary. Marcio drew to a halt a few hundred feet from the opening, out of sight of anyone who might be watching from inside. The others stopped beside him.“We’re here,” he told Kristi. “The entrance to our cavern is just ahead.”“You live underground?” Kristi asked, surprised.Genevieve grinned. “Where did you think we lived, in some beautiful glass house in the middle of the woods? You’ve been watching too many movies.”“I, uh, hadn&r
Leesa's Advent Chapter 196
Sunday night, it was all over the news. Just as Leesa had foreseen in her dream, zombies had attacked people in a mall in Columbus. Fortunately, the police managed to destroy the creatures before they hurt too many people. At least one of the cops had known enough to shoot for the zombie’s heads, and the other cops had followed his example. At first, the officers had tried to stop the things by pulling them away, but after one policeman got his arm ripped open by a vicious bite, the police had turned to their weapons. The wounded officer was being held under close observation at a local hospital. The media had not been allowed to see him.Only one person had died—an Ohio State football player who had been at the front of the group of shoppers trying to hold the door closed against the zombies. The authorities were not calling them zombies—the official line was they were people who had been ravaged by some fast acting flesh-eating bacteria—but the most
Leesa's Advent Chapter 197
The next week passed fairly uneventfully, for which Leesa was profoundly grateful. She practiced her magic every evening, caught up on her schoolwork, and even managed to somehow score an A on a history test, despite the tumultuous weekend and missed class time of the previous week. Without Dominic to help her—and without the extra magic from underground in the volkaane settlement—her progress with her magic was slow. But at least it was steady.The zombie story in Ohio had died down, at least on the television news. It was still all over the internet, of course. The bodies had been spirited away to a hidden government research lab, but that didn’t stop the bloggers and conspiracy people from posting their opinions. The most popular explanation for the creatures seemed to be secret medical experiments gone awry. Other theories included a toxic waste spill, a terrorist attack, aliens from outer space, a plague of some kind, and even global warming, though Lee
Leesa's Advent Chapter 198
The ride in Rave’s arms was much different this time. The speed was still thrilling and the strength in his arms kept Leesa feeling loved and secure. What was missing was his heat. Without his amazing warmth, she was forced to keep her face buried against his chest and her hands balled up in the sleeves of her windbreaker for protection against the cold air that whipped against her skin. Despite the cold, she couldn’t think of any other way she’d rather travel, especially with the feel of his heart beating strongly against her cheek, giving her a feeling of reassurance she sorely needed right now. She pressed her face more tightly against his breast.She was less disappointed than usual when he finally put her down on the path outside Balin’s cabin. For the first time, the ride had felt just long enough, rather than way too short. She didn’t like the feeling at all. She hoped they got to the bottom of all this quickly.The door to Balin&rs
Leesa's Advent Chapter 199
For the first time since way back at the beginning of their relationship, Leesa felt a bit awkward around Rave. That was totally normal, she told herself. Balin had just given them permission to do what she had been longing to do for months—kiss for as long as they wanted without worrying about her safety. They were both pretty inexperienced with this stuff, so it was only natural to feel a little nervous. She gave Rave’s arm a squeeze. “Talk about a silver lining,” she said, smiling. “I’m just sorry it had to be because of something like this, with your fire being weakened.” “I’m not,” Rave said. He reached up and tenderly brushed a few stray strands of Leesa’s hair away from her forehead. “I told you I would give up my fire for you. I meant it.” Leesa sighed. Even without his heat, she still thrilled to his touch. “And I meant it when I said I would never let you do that.” Rave gently cupped her head in his strong hands, his fingers entwined
Leesa's Advent Chapter 200
By the time Balin returned, Leesa and Rave were sitting in front of the fireplace, holding hands and talking quietly. The slow burning fire was mostly embers now, but neither of them had felt the need to add any wood. A pewter mug of water—half empty now—rested on the chair beside Leesa. The bearskin rug was back in its usual place in the middle of the floor. To Leesa’s disappointment, Rave had put his shirt back on.True to his word, Balin knocked and waited to be invited in before entering.Once inside, his eyes swept the interior of the cabin before fastening on Leesa and Rave. Leesa was sure he noticed some kind of change in his sleeping mat and in the position of the bear skin. If he did, he didn’t say anything about it.“I trust you two enjoyed your time alone?” he asked, smiling.Leesa returned his smile. She was pleased to discover she did not feel awkward at all.“Yes, Rave was very comforting,&rdq
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 727
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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 726
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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 725
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.
Leesa's Advent Chapter 723
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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 722
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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 720
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
