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Chapter 468
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Leesa watched as Leah and Kai emerged from the portal. As they crossed the boundary of the pulsating sphere their bodies seemed to shimmer for a moment, but they quickly solidified. The pair looked exactly as Leesa remembered them. Kai’s face bore his usual stoic expression, but Leah was smiling in friendly recognition.
Behind them, the portal vanished as Ariandre let her magic go.
Leesa stepped forward and wrapped her friend in a warm embrace. Leah hugged her back just as tightly.
“It’s good to see you both again,” Leesa said when she let go of Leah. “Thank you for coming,”
“Of course. Ariandre said it was important, so here we are.” Leah looked to the centaur. “How is it that you find yourself in this world, Ariandre?”
“Leesa summoned me. I gave her the means to do so in gratitude for her help in saving my world.”
Leesa held the starburst pendant away from her chest. &
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 469
The others in the company followed Dominic’s gaze to the east. For a moment, even Rave and Ralin’s keen eyes saw nothing, but then a dark spot appeared in the sky above the ridge inhabited by Lamashtu. It continued to grow and blacken, until it was visible to them all.To Leesa, it appeared to be a dark cloud, but not like any cloud she had ever seen. As it grew, it extended vertically, rather than horizontally, reaching up into the sky, its top widening while the bottom remained a narrow point. From this distance she could not be sure, but it seemed to be spinning. It looked almost like a tornado, though with no other clouds in the sky she knew this could be no natural phenomenon.“What is it?” she asked.“A magical vortex of some kind,” Dominic replied. “I think it’s a gateway.”“It’s hard to make them out against the darkness,” Rave said, “but I think there are shapes spinnin
Leesa's Advent Chapter 470
“Oh, no! You didn’t!” Cali exclaimed as the claws of one of the horned demon’s hands tore through her shirt and scratched into her flesh. The demon sneered and reached for her with its three other arms, but once again Cali was too quick. Before it could grab her with its remaining hands, she pivoted and spun around behind it. With one hand braced on its bony shoulder and the other on its head, she bent its neck back with her vampire strength and sank her fangs into the leathery skin of its thick, gnarled neck. As she held it in the grip of her jaw, the freak batted at her with its arms while violently jerking this way and that, attempting to throw her off. Cali sank her teeth in deeper, feeling the tendons of its neck tighten as she bent its head back until she heard ligaments and sinew ripping and popping.Cali released her bite and spat. “Yuck! You taste as disgusting as you look.”Grabbing the demon with one hand on either side of
Leesa's Advent Chapter 471
The rushing winds inside the vortex started to slow, and the volume of the sound they created decreased as well. Inside the whirlwind, a winged, human-shaped form began to slowly take shape, hovering several feet above the ground. As the figure grew darker and more solid, the winds continued to abate, until they seemed nothing more than a slight breeze circling round and round.While the company’s attention was focused on what was happening within the vortex, a single serpent demon slithered silently up behind them. Whether this was part of some plan, or was simply an unhappy accident of a stray demon trying to join its fellows around the vortex did not matter. The serpent’s path took it straight toward Leah. At the last moment, the thing’s movement caught Kai’s attention. He whipped around and threw himself at the demon, two arrows still gripped in his hand, but he was a split second too late. The serpent’s poisoned fangs sank into the back of L
Leesa's Advent Chapter 472
Before anyone else could act, a shimmering silver sphere began to envelope Ariandre. Before Lamashtu could stop her, she vanished, returned to her world. A moment later, the portal winked out. Leesa hoped that back in her magical forest, Ariandre would be able to heal herself.“Teleportation…” Lamashtu mused. “I must admit, I was not expecting that. If any others of you possess such an ability, I suggest you make use of it before it is too late.”Leesa took a small step forward. “Why do you do these things?” she challenged. “Why must you destroy everything? Why must you turn everything horrible and ugly?”“Why?” Lamashtu parroted. “That is a foolish question. I do it because I can. It is simply my nature. As soon ask the wind why it blows, or fire why it burns.” The demon’s gaze turned skyward for a moment, fixing on Jenna’s eagle form gliding gracefully on the air current
Leesa's Advent Chapter 473
“Welcome back. How do you feel?”“Like I’ve been beaten up and down my body with a big stick,” Leah admitted with a grimace. “What happened?”“You were bitten by a demon serpent,” Dominic replied, keeping his voice low. “Its poison nearly killed you, but I think you are going be all right now.” He glanced over his shoulder. He could still hear Leesa and Lamashtu talking, though he could not make out everything they were saying.Leah pushed herself up to a sitting position. Kai shifted his grip to her upper arm, helping her.“It seems kind of quiet,” she said, looking from side to side. All she could see were the backs of her comrades and the upper section of the vortex, which had grown still. “Are we still fighting demons?”Dominic nodded. “We are. The battle has reached a temporary lull, however.”“And Lamashtu?”“S
Leesa's Advent Chapter 474
Leesa awoke slowly, her thoughts groggy, as if aroused from a very deep sleep. She was lying in a strange bed on her back, covered by a soft white sheet. A thin rubber tube ran into her nose, while a thicker tube snaked from her arm into a plastic bag filled with clear liquid hanging from a metal stand. As her thoughts grew clearer, she realized she was in a hospital. She had no idea how she had gotten here.She looked up from the bed and saw her mom and Bradley sitting on chairs beneath a long window. Behind them, she could see the sun beginning to set.“Mom?” she said.Her voice came out only slightly more than a whisper, but it was enough to cause her mom to bolt out of her chair, her expression a mixture of shock and delight.“Sweetheart!” she exclaimed as she quickly crossed the room and took Leesa’s hand in both of hers. Bradley was only a step behind to the side of Leesa’s bed.“What happened?” Leesa asked. Memories slowly came back to her. “Did the demon do this? Did we destro
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Leesa let her head sink back down onto the pillow. The doctor’s name had left her stunned. Not just the Dr. Rave part, but the last name as well. Volcanemershtom…volkaane… Had her subconscious really grabbed all these details from around her and created a fantastic, highly realistic dream? Who was she going to see next, Nurse Necromancer? Maybe she should turn the whole thing into a book—it certainly had all the needed elements.And what about Ralin? Her heart ached as she pictured his smiling face. She wanted to ask about him, but was not sure if she could bear to hear the answer, not right now, anyhow.Dr. Rave held out his hand. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice for a long moment, but then she lifted her free hand and softly shook his hand.“Let’s give you a quick check-up,” he said.He pulled the sheet covering Leesa down to her waist and placed his stethoscope against her chest, listening first to
Leesa's Advent Chapter 476
Alcatraz Island, December 21, 2021A single keystroke changed the world forever.Three men huddled in front of the computer monitor. The guy pecking at the keyboard appeared young enough to pass for a college student, and his jeans and black T-shirt with a dripping red peace symbol on the front did nothing to disabuse the notion. The other two men—one in his mid-fifties, the other long past sixty—stood behind him, each dressed in a white lab coat. Their hunched postures betrayed their eagerness for this last task to be completed. The big moment was nearly at hand—the moment they had devoted eight years, countless man-hours and millions of dollars toward.All three men were universally acclaimed to be among the top people in their respective fields. Ask the CEO of any tech giant to list the top five computer programmers in the world and Briggs Brennan—the man typing at the keyboard—would show up on every list. He had joined the project two years earlier, at the ripe old age of twenty-f
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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
