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Chapter 355
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 356
Three days later, Leesa and Rave found a new practice spot only a few miles from home. Having moved away from the territory occupied by the fell power, they no longer needed to travel far to find places for Leesa to work on her magic. They still visited some of their favorite old spots, especially those on this side of the river, but they had also started looking for new locations, farther to the west.As usual, they had gone deep into a large wooded area. The trees were barren of leaves, but Rave had carried Leesa far enough from any trails that they weren’t worried about being seen. Rave’s volkaane eyes and ears assured them they would know about any wandering hikers long before the intruders could get close enough to witness something that might be difficult to explain.This new spot was north and west of their new home, halfway up a gently sloping hill that rose from the far side of a large reservoir about halfway between Middletown and Meriden. Peering through the leafless trees,
Leesa's Advent Chapter 357
That, Leesa dreamed again.A familiar darkness enveloped her, a deep, murky purple so rich and dark as to be almost black. Testing the darkness, she held her hand in front of her face. As before, she could see it clearly, but as soon as she extended her arm, her hand nearly disappeared into the void. She squinted, trying to see beyond her outstretched arm. The same familiar, very faint white ovals appeared at the outer limits of her vision. How far away or how near they floated was impossible to determine—they might be just a few yards distant, or they might be a hundred times that. She simply had no way to tell, no scale for distance. Whenever she tried to focus on one for a better look, it became lost to her sight, so she gave up trying. Instead, she listened as hard as she could.Once again, this terrible, chill place was completely and utterly silent, so deathly quiet she thought she could hear her own heartbeat. She still had no me
Leesa's Advent Chapter 358
Leesa could feel Rave’s eyes on her as she dug into a heaping plate of frozen blueberry waffles she had heated up in the microwave. A big dollop of creamy butter and a healthy serving of maple syrup atop the waffles made for the kind of delicious breakfast she had been unable to enjoy in their previous home. Having electricity and a few appliances were nice features of their new cottage.She loved how Rave still enjoyed looking at her after more than a year together, and she liked the protective aspect she often felt in his gaze as well. She sensed there were more than those two things in his look this morning, however. Guessing he might still be worried about last night’s dream, she decided to try to lighten the mood. She looked up at him from her plate and flashed him a big smile.“What? Are you worried your wife is going to get fat, eating all this yummy food? I’m dining for two now, you have to remember. And one is half-volkaane and growing
Leesa's Advent Chapter 359
Solstice morning dawned clear and cold. As soon as Leesa woke up, she kissed Rave on the mouth and then padded into the living room and over to the large picture window. Pulling aside the curtains, she gazed outside. She knew she was being foolish, but she half-expected to see some kind of sign in the sky heralding the arrival of the solstice. Much to her disappointment, the pale blue early morning sky looked like it always did. The lawn out front, however, did not.The biting cold had brought a layer of frost with it, and the tiny ice crystals coating the dormant brown grass glistened in the slanting sunlight like thousands of tiny, sparkling jewels. Leesa had seldom seen anything so beautiful. She wished there was a spell in her magic book she could use to prevent the frost from melting as the sun rose higher. If there was, she would have used it immediately to preserve the beauty.Rave came up beside her and slipped his hand up under the back of the T-shirt she had
Leesa's Advent Chapter 360
By the time Leesa and Rave headed outside, the sun had melted the frost from the lawn, returning the yard to its barren, light brown color. The air remained bitingly cold, though, carried against the exposed skin of Leesa’s face and hands by a stiff northerly breeze. Instead of using a warming spell to ward off the chill, she simply hopped up into Rave’s arms. No warming spell was needed when he cradled her against his chest like this—and it was much more fun, besides. Leesa had considered skipping magic practice today because of the unpredictable effects of the solstice, but she hated to miss even one day of working to improve her skills. In the end she had decided to go ahead with her practice, but not to try anything too new or too dangerous, and to pay careful attention to any sudden changes in the way she felt. She was determined to be doubly attentive to the baby in her womb, though she had to admit she was intrigued to see if their son might conjure up anything as spe
Leesa's Advent Chapter 361
Leesa awoke to broad daylight. She was stunned—how could she have slept in so late on Christmas morning, of all days? Rave was sitting on the edge of their sleeping mat, watching her. A hint of annoyance at him for not awakening her earlier flashed through her, but the smile on his face and the loving look in his eyes chased it away. “Good morning, darling,” he said. “How are you feeling?” “I feel great.” Leesa stretched her arms up into the air above her head and yawned. “But how could you let me sleep so late?” Rave’s smile widened. “I didn’t really have much choice.” “What do you mean you didn’t have much choice?” Leesa started to roll onto her side so that she was facing Rave, but she got stuck halfway there. For a moment she didn’t understand what had happened, but then she looked down at her stomach. She couldn’t believe what her eyes were telling her. Her belly was plump and swollen now, big enough to make rolling over difficult. She wa
Leesa's Advent Chapter 362
Leesa met Ralin for real on a sunny afternoon in mid-April, almost six months exactly from her wedding day.Knowing the baby could arrive any day, she and Rave spent their time at home in the company of Balin and Kaila, a volkaane mid-wife almost as old as Balin who had delivered scores of volkaane babies over the centuries. Kaila looked enough like Balin to be his sister, with the same gray hair streaked with dull copper highlights and a similar lanky build. Since no one knew precisely what to expect from the magical human/volkaane hybrid child, they thought it best to be prepared for anything. Balin and Kaila did not mind sleeping on mats spread out on the floor of the living room, when they slept at all. If Rave’s nocturnal habits were any indication, Leesa suspected that most evenings the three volkaanes probably spent a significant portion of the night watching her sleep. She felt self-conscious at the thought, but there was also comfort in knowing they were there
Leesa's Advent Chapter 363
“What's wrong?” Kaila asked. Her voice was calm and matter of fact, disguising any anxiety she might be feeling inside.“It’s my shield,” Leesa replied. “It’s preventing Ralin from going where he needs to go.”“What do you mean?” Balin asked. “Preventing him how?”Leesa drew another deep breath. “It’s wrapped around him, keeping his magic inside, but it’s also keeping him where he is. I’m not sure I can explain it, but I don’t know how to adjust the shield so that it will slip out of me with him.”Rave’s fingers stopped moving on the sides of her head. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asked, his voice heavy with concern.Leesa nodded. “Yeah. As long as I keep the shield in place, Ralin’s not going anywhere. I have to remove it.”“But you can still feel his heat, even throug
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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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 724
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
