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Chapter 296
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The following morning broke gray and damp. Leesa stared out the living room window, waiting for Dominic to come pick her up. A light drizzle peppered the glass with tiny drops of water, but the dark, heavy clouds promised heavier rain to come.
Leesa really didn’t care about the rain — unless it messed up whatever practice Dominic had planned for today. She wore a dark blue ball cap atop her head and a carried a waterproof windbreaker draped over her arm. Her hair was gathered into a ponytail she had stuck through the opening at the back of the cap. Waterproof hiking boots would keep her feet dry even if she and Dominic hiked into the woods somewhere.
The silver SUV eased to a stop in front of the apartment. Leesa slipped into her windbreaker and grabbed an umbrella from the urn beside the door. Outside, she popped the umbrella open and walked down to the car. The rain was already starting to fall harder.
The driver’s side window slid down, reve
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As they approached Balin’s cabin, Leesa saw Rave standing in the open doorway. She loved how he always knew when she was near—the touch of vampire essence in her blood assured that it would always be like that. She wondered if there would ever be a way that she could sense his presence in a similar manner.“If I was the rain,” Rave said as Leesa neared the doorway, “I’d be very frustrated at not being able to touch you.”Leesa let her air shield dissipate and ran the last few steps into Rave’s waiting arms. She loved when he said things like that.“Luckily, you don’t ever have to worry about that,” she said as she hugged him tightly. “I’ll always make sure you can touch me.”Pressed against Rave’s warm chest, Leesa could feel herself beginning to dry. Rave ran his hands across her cheeks and then down her ponytail, quickly drying her with his magical heat everywhere
Leesa's Advent Chapter 298
As Leesa floated in the air with her head near the ceiling of Balin’s cabin, she had to fight to keep from laughing at the absurdity of all this. Below her, Rave stood with his eyes closed. She watched his chest slowly rise and fall as he performed the intricate breathing exercises necessary to begin Rammugul, so he could decrease his inner heat. She had levitated herself so she could implement her heat resistance spell without risking awakening the mysterious power that slumbered beneath the earth in this region.She wondered if any two people in the history of the world had ever needed to go through so much preparation just to kiss each other. She didn’t see how anyone could have. It was always worth it in the end, though, when their lips finally met.“Tempus resiti,” she muttered, activating the heat resistance spell and then allowing herself to float back down to the floor.A moment later, Rave opened his eyes. Balin placed his finger
Leesa's Advent Chapter 299
“OF COURSE RAVE CAN STAY HERE,” Judy said. “From what you’ve told us about how sharp his senses are, he’ll be better than any home security system.”Leesa grinned. “That he will, for sure.”She was sitting on the couch beside Rave. Judy was nestled into the easy chair, while Bradley still sat at the dining table. Most of the dishes had been put in the dishwasher, but Bradley was still working on a big piece of the blueberry pie Leesa had brought home from Aunt Janet’s.“I don’t know how comfortable Rave will be sleeping on the couch, though,” Judy said. “He’s pretty tall—I’m not sure how well he’ll fit.”“I’ll be fine, Mrs. Nyland,” Rave assured her. “I don’t sleep all that much.”“Really? Do you have trouble sleeping?”“No, it’s just a volkaane thing. My people do not require
Leesa's Advent Chapter 300
The days flew by as June slid peacefully into July. Except for the one blissful week she and Rave had spent alone in the mountains of New Hampshire a few months back, they had never been together as much as they were now. Leesa loved every minute of it and wished it could go on forever, though she knew it would have to end one day soon. She took comfort in knowing that eventually she and Rave would be together for hundreds of years. She could not even begin to imagine the details of what that was going to be like, but she knew it would be amazingly wonderful.The only times they separated during the entire period was when Leesa drove Dominic to wherever they were going to practice her magic, which they did once every day. Rave could not come with them in the car, of course, so they always told him the general area they were heading for. No matter how deeply into the woods they ventured, the tinge of vampire in Leesa’s blood allowed Rave to easily track and join them.
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Agter brief stopovers in England and then Newfoundland to refuel, the jet carrying the Necromancer, Viktor, Andre and Jordan landed an hour or so after sunset at a small, out of the way airport some miles north of Bangor, Maine. Also aboard the aircraft were three servants from the castle. Awaiting the Necromancer and his followers on the edge of the tarmac was a custom-made, oversized brown and white Winnebago RV. Behind the RV sat an empty black SUV.The jet taxied as near to the RV as possible before the passengers silently disembarked. The Necromancer came out last, his huge bulk threatening to bend the portable metal stairway before he lumbered safely onto the ground. The secluded airport combined with the cover of darkness to insure that no one witnessed the evil mage and his followers climb aboard the RV, while Jordan slipped behind the wheel of the SUV. A powerful spell cast by Andre caused the two pilots and three nightshift airport workers to remember the flight as ju
Leesa's Advent Chapter 301
THE SUN WAS BRUSHING the tops of the trees on the western horizon when Leesa saw Cali threading her way through the crowd that filled the park above the river. Families and groups of friends sat on folding chairs and blankets spread out on the grass, waiting for the fireworks display that would be shot from a pair of large, flat barges anchored out in the water. A sizzling hot day had given way to a warm, muggy evening. Thankfully, a soft breeze now blew in off the river, providing at least a little bit of cooling. Near the edge of the water, a band from the local high school entertained the crowd with patriotic songs. At the moment, they were performing a rousing rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.” Leesa sat in a canvas chair, with Rave on one side of her and Dominic on the other. Her mom hadn’t been feeling well today and had decided to stay home. Bradley had chosen to remain at home with her. For some reason, he had never been much of a fan of fireworks, even
Leesa's Advent Chapter 303
Once a year, on the second weekend of July, the otherwise sleepy little town of Lisbon Falls, Maine comes alive with fun and festivity. Normally home to only four thousand or so residents, on this weekend the population swells to two or three times that. The cause of all this activity is the annual Moxie Festival, a three-day celebration of Moxie soda, one of the first mass-produced soft drinks in the United States. The somewhat bitter, cola-like drink was invented in Lisbon Falls way back in the late eighteen hundreds and maintains an almost cult-like following in New England.Among the many activities spread out over the three days are dances, races, contests, a fireworks display and the centerpiece of the Festival, a big parade.Peter and Laurie Thibout locked their bikes to the metal pole of a street sign and found seats on the curb along Main Street. For twenty years, the forty-something couple had been attending the Moxie Festival without fail. The parade was one of
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Leesa watched the television in horror. The story was being reported on almost every station, replacing regularly scheduled shows. The broadcasts contained much more speculation than hard facts, but the gist of it was that a horde of what appeared to be zombies had attacked a crowded festival in southern Maine. Most people hearing the story would be flabbergasted or disbelieving, but Leesa knew better. Her mother and brother, watching with her and having suffered at the hands of vampires, also suspected the reports of zombies were probably true. Unlike Leesa, they did not know that the powers behind the attack were moving closer to Connecticut. She pushed the thought from her mind and listened to the somber-faced anchorman report what details he had.“In a scene that seems straight out of the television show The Walking Dead, a crowd of people attending the Moxie Festival parade in Lisbon Falls, Maine were attacked this morning by what appeared to be several dozen actual
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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.
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
