22. Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-two
I look out of my bedroom window to the garden as I feel the very last flow of magic leave my body. Letting out a sigh, I place my hand on the near wall. Weakness overwhelms me as a tear slides down my cheek.
Empty. That’s how I feel. Like an empty vessel.
I feel his warm breath on the back of my neck as he whispers, "Shall we begin?"
Nodding, I swallow the rock in my throat as pressure hits my belly.
I feel the sting of his fangs piercing my skin. Letting out a cry, I give in to the pleasure taking over me. His venomous bite is becoming addictive. I need more. Giving in, I sigh as I feel the blood leave my body. But all I care about is the feeling of him being this close. Shaking with excitement, my eyes flutter as he keeps drinking, taking all I can offer.
Suddenly, coldness is everywhere. It’s in my lungs with every breath I take. In my heart as its beats shallow.
I feel cold everywhere. I hate it.
I’m dying. Oh my stars, I’m dying.
The realization that I'm losing control grips me so tightly that it makes my stomach crunch as fear takes hold of me.
My body turns limp. In a failed attempt to resist, I stretch my neck a little but only cause a jarring wave to pass through me.
“John, please,” I whisper, barely able to move my lips.
Everything is dark. And cold. Until it’s not. I hear distant voices calling my name. I try to move, but I just can’t muster the power. The softness beneath me isn’t helping.
The voices change, becoming more intense.
Warmth spreads all over me. The emptiness from before is gone and, in a matter of seconds, I feel lighter. More in control.
“Hailey?” a concerned voice calls .
Fluttering my eyes open, I come face to face with a worried John. It’s kind of funny seeing him like this, so disoriented.
“Are you okay?”
This makes me angry as I recall why I am where I am.
Looking around, I notice I’m on my bed with John hovering above me. “You did this,” I say, launching at him. Betrayed, I feel my body temperature rise.
Stupid. Stupid me. I should have known this could happen. I can’t risk becoming my mother. No!
With power I didn’t know I had, I push him flat against the wall across from the bed. My right hand keeps him pinned to the wall while, with the other, I send a wave of pressure onto his neck.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that,” John says, his voice actually sound sincere, almost worry.
“You could have killed me.” Moving out of the bed, I stand in front of him.
“But I didn’t,” he replies forcefully as I apply more pressure. “I got carried away. I’m sorry.”
“This can’t happen.” It can’t repeat itself. It can’t happen again, like ever .
“I need you alive, not dead,” he bites, all the worry in his eyes washed away .
“Lucky me,” I reply sarcastically, releasing him from my magic hold. He stumbles forward before quickly composing himself.
“Don’t ever do that again.” He looks furious, and even with my power, I can’t help but feel terrified. for a moment I feel like a child next to elderly much more powerful and experienced, when I’m only in the learning.
He needs you, remember that. You are important. I repeat to myself over and over.
Finely, after a few minutes of practicing breathing, I manage to breath more easily.
Mastering a brave face, I say, “Okay, but don’t ever drink so much of my blood again.”
Making me jump, he quickly turns me around so my back is to the wall before saying seductively, “Only if you promise to not be so sweet.”
I swallow hard. “I’m not sweet.”
“Yeah, you are. It’s your blood. It’s so sweet it’s driving me crazy.”
Moving away from him, I say, “Yeah, well don’t get used to it. We have a job to do, and I need you focused.”
I cast him one last glance before getting out of the room.
** *
Standing closer to the map, I take a deep breath. Concentrating on a specific location, I place my finger on it before closing my eyes. Soon enough, images flash before me. It’s like fragments of visions attacking me all at once, but a bit clearer than before.
Everything is spinning and my eyes flutter as the visions come and go. I see grass, old houses, weird rooms.
Pushing my hand away, I try to stop the pressure in my head. Letting out a strangled breath, I recover enough to push my finger into another marked spot.
The style is different, but the fragments are pretty much the same. They’re faster, so fast that I don’t get to catch all the details. Feeling disoriented, I try another one, exhausted but still wanting to go on to the next one, and the one after.
“Hailey, stop!” I hear John’s voice somewhere behind me. Diverting my finger from the map, he pulls me towards him. “Hailey, look at me.”
I blink a few times. “I saw a tree.”
“A tree?” He pulls a napkin out of his pocket and starts wiping my bleeding nose .
“Thanks,” I say as he gently cares for me. “It’s the same tree in all the spots. It’s like the only identical thing.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know, but if we’ll find the answer anywhere, it’s in the basement.”
“Agreed. Let’s start there.”