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Chapter 444
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Balin stood in the doorway of his cabin watching his visitors approach. Leesa and Rave walked side by side in front, with Ralin and Dominic close behind.
“Young Rave, what’s wrong?” Balin asked while they were still a few steps away. The worry in his voice was obvious.
“How did you know something was wrong?” Leesa asked.
Balin smiled. “Even if I could not detect the agitation in young Rave’s vibrations, a surprise visit by all four of you so early in the morning would be a pretty good clue that something is amiss. Come in, and we can talk about it.” He stepped back to allow his guests to enter.
Once inside, Leesa felt as she always did when entering Balin’s rustic old cabin—as if she had stepped back in time. The big room, illuminated by a couple of candles and a small fire in a stone fireplace, held simple, handmade chairs and a sturdy oak table flanked by split-log benches. A buckskin sleeping
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 445
This had to be a dream. Cali could think of no other explanation for why she was lying on her back in the middle of the woods, her body paralyzed from head to toe.Pretty much every muscle in her body was frozen. She had tried to turn her head, to no avail. Attempts to move her arms and legs had proved similarly fruitless. She could not even wiggle her fingers. Seemingly the only things she still maintained control over were her eyes and eyelids. She could blink, and she could move her eyeballs, giving her a limited field of vision. All she could see were the leafy branches of several tall trees above her—telling her she was probably in the woods somewhere—and a pale gray sky beyond them, indicating it was daytime. Whether it was morning or afternoon, she had no way to tell.She tried to open her mouth to yell for help, but her jaw was locked shut. In her current condition, she doubted her vocal chords would have worked, anyway. She was not even sure if she
Leesa's Advent Chapter 446
Cali's body convulsed as a frigid burning shot into her neck. The freezing pain spread swiftly through her body, ripping into her like sharp icicles speeding recklessly through her veins. After an agonizing moment that seemed much, much longer, the pain simply vanished. One moment she was engulfed in fiery agony, and the next she felt as if nothing had ever happened. Finally back in control of her muscles, she wrapped her arms around the back of Stefan’s neck and pulled him toward her. She had wanted to taste his lips for so long, and now she finally could. She pressed her mouth against his.To her surprise, his lips were no longer cold. Every time he had kissed her hand in the past, cold pleasure had flowed through her skin. She had expected to feel something similar now, but the cold was gone. His lips were not exactly warm, but they certainly were not cool, either. She realized the change in temperature had almost certainly taken place within her, not in him. He was probably as col
Leesa's Advent Chapter 447
As they raced through the trees, Cali could scarcely believe how different everything had now become. Scant minutes ago, she had been lying paralyzed on her back, unable to move anything but her eyes. Now here she was, flying among the upper terraces of the trees at impossible speeds with seemingly no effort at all. Along with her newfound physical abilities, her senses had sharpened to a degree that was almost unimaginable. Under the overcast sky, the woods were but dimly illuminated, yet she could make out tiny details that should have been invisible to her on even the sunniest of days. Her ears had also become unbelievably sensitive. She heard rabbits and squirrels moving the forest hundreds of feet away, as well as tiny insects buzzing through the air and branches creaking in the gentle breeze. She thought that had there been leaves growing and buds blooming, she might have been able to hear them, too.Her sense of smell had grown sharpest of all. Each tree exuded a scent that was
Leesa's Advent Chapter 448
Leesa and Rave sat on a pair of the wooden chairs in their backyard, watching Ralin practice his magic with Dominic. Thick gray clouds blanketed much of the afternoon sky, and the gentlest hint of a breeze rustled through the trees. The forecast had called for a fifty percent chance of rain late in the day, but Dominic had assured them no rain would be falling today, at least not where they were.Leesa’s computer search about demons had turned up mostly pop culture references—book, movie and video game characters—as well as a few more “scholarly” works on the topic. The latter turned out to be of little more use than the former.They had not heard from Balin since their visit the day before, so they knew the old volkaane had not yet found anything useful in the settlement’s archives. If he had, he would have contacted them immediately.In the middle of the yard, Dominic was putting Ralin through a series of exercises meant to enhance his control over his still-developing powers, but w
Leesa's Advent Chapter 449
This was only the third day, but already Leesa was getting sick of staring at herself in the mirror. They had not learned anything more about demons yet. Balin was still digging through the volkaane archives and Jenna had not returned Leesa’s call—she was probably traveling about somewhere in her owl form. So while they waited, Leesa was working as hard as she could on creating her avatar.She had never much liked looking at herself, but now that she was being forced to study every little detail of her appearance she saw every tiny blemish, every small imperfection. Still, she committed everything she saw to her memory, determined to end this part of the task as quickly as possible.Each day before she went to the mirror, she donned the same basic outfit to keep the details of her clothing as simple as possible. She paired a simple dark green T-shirt with a pair of knee-length tan shorts. Plain white sneakers covered her feet. She did not even wear socks.Finally, before she began stu
Leesa's Advent Chapter 450
After all this time, Rave still had not grown tired of watching Leesa sleep. Curled up on her right side in a fetal position, her head was thrown back against the satin pillow, making it almost look like she might be afraid of something, but in her usual stubborn way was ready to face whatever it was head on. That pretty much summed her up, he thought as he gazed down upon her lovely face. A lock of her soft blond hair had come loose and lay curled across her cheek and over one eye. Careful not to wake her, Rave reached over and brushed it tenderly aside.The thought of something to fear sent his mind drifting off to the oddities they had discovered up on the ridge. He wondered about the timing of it all—had the place been calling to them somehow? Such a thing did not really seem possible, but even before he met Leesa he had experienced enough in his long life to know not to rule anything out. He felt his lips curve into a grin—since he and Leesa had been together
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“He's gone,” Leesa said to Dominic without turning around. “Something’s wrong, I know it. Something is terribly wrong.”Dominic laid his hand gently on Leesa’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll find him.”Leesa turned and looked at the wizard hopefully. “How? Do you have a tracking spell or something you haven’t taught me? Volkaanes can be pretty stealthy. They do not leave tracks.”Dominic shook his head. “No. There is no tracking spell. Waziri are only good at tracking each other’s magic. And since there are no more of us left, that is now a somewhat useless skill. But I’m pretty sure Ralin can track him.”“Did someone mention my name?” Ralin asked, coming up behind them. He looked wide awake as he joined them out on the stoop. “Who am I tracking?”“Your father,” Leesa replied. “He’s disappeared.”
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They quickly crossed the highway and set off into the woods. Once inside the trees little light from the moon or the stars penetrated the thick summer foliage, so Leesa and Dominic floated golden illumination orbs in front of them to keep from tripping over any roots or being poked in the face by unseen branches. They kept their lights dim enough to not interfere with whatever trace of his father Ralin was following.Ralin moved through the forest silently, as was his wont, but Leesa could hear her footsteps and Dominic’s rustling through the still darkness. No matter, though—she did not see any need for silence, at least not yet.“What is it that you are actually following, Ralin?” she asked after a few minutes. She did not doubt that he was on his father’s trail; she was just curious what kind of trail he saw, or sensed.“Volkaanes leave a very faint blue afterglow behind them,” Ralin replied without turning around. &l
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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
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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
