Intuition

by Jennis Slaughter

  Jenny was already opening the kit while handing Kasey a damp cloth that she had thought to bring along with them. “Del...can you hear us?”

  “Yeah, I can hear just fine. Where’s Rae?” Del rasped as Kasey started wiping the blood off her face with a warm cloth.

  “She’s still at the casino...she couldn’t teleport you, Ariel, and herself at the same time. Teleporting you probably left her as weak as one of Tasha’s kittens. She said that she would try to get herself out in about an hour or so.” Jenny gingerly picked up one of Delaney’s wrists and began to apply some antibiotic before she wrapped them up.

  Del hissed at the sting and tried to sit up. “What and you guys just let her go? We need to get back there and get her out. If she’s as weak as you say, she’s defenseless.”

  “Sorry Del, you aren’t going anywhere. We need to get you cleaned up. She’s going to try to get herself to the spring and I promised her we’d be there. Jacobs has a small team ready to crash the party at the casino so don’t you worry about that,” Kasey said, cleaning the gash on the blonde’s lip.

  Jenny leaned down to stare the blonde in the eye. “Delaney, you need to give Rae the chance to do what she does best. She gave us very specific instructions and we’re gonna do exactly what she said.” Without breaking her gaze, she reached beside her and grabbed a bottle of water to give to her friend. “Drink this; it will help you feel better.”

  She grabbed the bottle and took a couple of sips. Jerking her head away from Kasey’s poking and prodding, she sputtered. “If she isn’t at the spring in an hour, I will drive to Canal City and crash that casino myself. Jesus, what is in this water? It’s like drinking a Red Bull.”

  “Let’s get you to the house and into some real light so I can do a better job on those cuts. Can you walk?” Kasey asked.

  Del shook her head. “I can still feel the effects of the drugs they kept giving me. It will take me a bit to get my legs in working order again.”

  Jenny leaned close. “Raelin is in that water. Basically, she pulled up a shit load of power when she heard you being beat up and when she couldn’t release it back into the ground, she jumped into the spring and released it in there.”

  “Yeah, I can tell. This is the clearest my heads been in the last day or so. Just wish my body would follow its lead. Is Ariel okay? I don’t think they touched her. I tried to protect her but they shot me with a tranquilizer.”

  “Jessie has her at the house. I’ll take a look over her when we get you back there. I’m going to carry you on my back okay?” Kasey said, dumping the dirty cloths into a plastic baggie. “Jenny, can you help get her onto my back?”

  Reaching out, Jenny took one side of Delaney, and Kasey took the other to help her stand. Slowly, the threesome got upright, and stood there for a few moments while the blonde balanced herself.

  Squatting in front of the blonde, Kasey hefted her up onto a piggyback. “Well, it’s a good thing I have all that practice lugging you around, then isn’t it?” She said to Jenny with a significant look.

  “Okay guys, I love you, but can we keep the eye sex to a minimum? Or at least until my wife is back,” Del mumbled, groaning when Kasey shifted her weight. Her whole body ached from sitting in the chair for so long and she could not wait to curl up into their nice big bed with Raelin and sleep for eternity.

  Jenny quickly picked up the first aid kit along with the bloody cloths and then led the way out of the glen and towards the house. She stayed close to her fiancée making sure that she didn’t trip and drop their friend. “You doing alright babe?”

  “I’m fine, she weighs practically nothing,” she walked a few more paces and then glanced over her shoulder. “Is she asleep?”

  “I’m awake,” Del mumbled without opening her eyes. “My eyes just hurt like hell.”

  “Why do your eyes hurt?” Jenny asked reaching out to steer Kasey away from a root.

  “They kept shining lights into them every time I started to drop off. They would shoot me up with some kind of sedative and then try and keep me awake just to amuse themselves,” she growled a definite warning in her tone. “I am so going to have their asses for lunch...just as soon as I can walk again.”

  They were now at the back porch, Jenny held open the back door. “There’s three steps, so be careful.”

  Jessie opened the back door to the kitchen and the light from the room lit up the porch. “How are you doing Del?”

  “Fine, fine, I just want to get to the spring. I’m worried about Raelin,” she sighed as Kasey set her down at the kitchen table. “How’s Ariel? I promise you Jessie, I did everything I could to keep her from getting taken, but they’d shot me with a tranq.”

  Jessie stood in front of her oldest friend with her arms crossed. “I have to admit that I was furious with you and Raelin at the beginning, but I knew deep down that you wouldn’t let anything happen to Ariel if you could help it. I love you Delaney, and if you ever scare me like this again I’m going to let Raelin kick your ass all the way to Canal City and back.”

  “I know I’m sorry,” the blonde said sincerely. She looked up into the deep blue eyes of her best friend. “She’s okay though right? I tried to keep their attention on me as much as I could. I don’t think they touched her.”

  “Del, hold still.” Kasey sighed, trying to clean the cut above her eye.

  “She’s fine. She’s already asleep in her bed with her blanket in one arm and Dudley in the other. She doesn’t have a scratch on her.” Jessie reached out to hold onto her friend’s hand. “Thank you Delaney for keeping her safe. Now let’s get your wife home.”

  “Did Raelin mention anything else?” Del asked, flexing her fingers and trying to get the feeling back into her legs.

  Handing the blonde some orange segments, Jenny shook her head. “She said for you to eat some fruit and drink the water to regain some energy.”

  “I really don’t have much of an appetite,” she said, turning the orange pieces over with a disdainful look.

  “Del...you need to eat. Raelin is going to be here soon and you’re gonna want to take care of her and you won’t be able to if you don’t have any energy.” Jenny pushed the fruit back in front of the blonde.

  With a scowl, Delaney reluctantly nibbled on a few pieces of the orange. “At least I can feel my legs again. Kasey, you almost finished?”

  “Yeah, just let me put a bandage over the cut on your cheek,” Kasey replied as she taped a piece of gauze over Delaney’s eyebrow. She quickly placed a bandage over the mentioned cheek and regarded her handy work. She hardly looked like her usual self, with one eye swollen shut, a badly split lip, extensive bruising and various bandages over her cheek and eye. “It’s not pretty but it will do for now. Jenn, when you wrapped her wrists, did you see exactly how bad they were?”

  “Rubbed raw actually,” Jenny admitted. “I put some antibiotics on them. Maybe when Rae gets home, she can heal you.”

  “Okay, so we can go to the spring now right? I just want to get Rae, come back here and take care of her until she’s up to speed again. Then I’m going to take her on a honeymoon of sorts and forget all of this ever happened.” Delaney sighed. She stood from the chair and was pleased when her legs held despite swaying a little unsteadily.

  Kasey reached for the phone to call Jacobs, as Jenny hung her head for a moment before she walked over to open a drawer to pull out the envelope that Rae had given her earlier, turned, and held it out to the blonde. Sighing, she said. “Raelin asked me to give this to you after the spring, but I think that you might want it now.”

  Del looked at the redhead in confusion for a moment before taking the letter, and unsealing the envelope. She pulled out the paper, and began to read the words.

  Delaney,

  If you’re reading this, it means that I have gotten you and Ariel away from Bisanti, and you’re safe at home.

  She smiled as her eyes ran over the words of love and devotion in the second paragraph, but it faded as she ca
me across the third.

  I want you to know that being your wife is the most important thing that I have ever done in my life, and it was what I was put on this earth for. Loving you is as easy as breathing, and being without you is as painful as anything I have ever experienced.

  My Love, getting you and Ariel away is going to cost me something, and I’m not sure of the extent of the payment. Whatever it is, I give it willingly to make sure that you are in this world for as long as Ariel may need you. Please don’t think less of me for what I am giving up. Any price that I pay is worth it to have you in this world.

  Her hand reached up to clutch at her chest, her throat tightening.

  I must go now, but please remember that I love you more than words can say.

  Your Wife,

  Raelin Delacroix

  “She wrote it like she’s saying goodbye,” she whispered.

  Del looked up, and saw the sad looks on all three women’s faces and shook her head. “No, it’s not goodbye and I won’t let it be. I’m going to the spring,” she stumbled into the hallway; her feet still unsteady, and swiped the keys to the Jeep off the hook near the door.

  Jenny grabbed a bag that she made up ahead of time with towels, and a change of clothes while Kasey grabbed the first aid kit. “Jessie, we’ll be back as soon as Raelin gets there.”

  Del continued straight to the Jeep, jumping quickly into the driver’s side. She had to pause a minute, the walk to the Jeep combined with her aching body caused her to groan as she waited for the world to stop spinning. Shaking her head, she tried to stick the keys in the ignition, missing twice before sliding it home and turning it on the third try.

  “Whoa there Del. You are the last person who should be driving right now; you’re upset and pretty banged up. Why don’t you hop down from there and let me take care of the driving,” Kasey said, opening the driver’s side door.

  The blonde regarded her partner for a few minutes before relenting and sliding across the center console and waiting impatiently as Kasey slid into the seat adjusting the seat for her longer legs. “God Del, you’d be about the only person who could possibly fit in here,” she mumbled.

  “Well, you best make do and drive like your life depends on it,” Del said evenly.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  It had taken Raelin close to a quarter hour before she could uncurl from the fetal position and she forced herself to stand up. Groaning, she twisted her torso, trying to work out the kinks. “Jacobs, if you can hear me, Delaney and Ariel are safe. Kasey should be calling you anytime.”

  Reaching into the satchel, she guzzled two bottles of water and ate an orange. She felt the energy returning, but was scared that it wasn’t returning fast enough. Looking into the bag, she saw only two bottles remaining, so she drank one more and opened the other as she waited for the energy to take effect.

  Bisanti stormed down the hallway, intent on figuring out what the hell had happened. He’d gotten a phone call he couldn’t avoid taking, and had only heard about the mess from Gino now. He slammed open the door to the room and saw that Ariel and Del were both gone and he yelled at Trey in anger. “Where is she? Where did you put the bitch?”

  The young man took a step back in fear and just pointed towards the closet. “Uh, Gino had me put her in there.”

  “Then what are you just standing there for? Get her out here,” the Italian growled, his hands shaking with the force of his anger. “Now, before I decide you’ve worn out your welcome and do away with you.”

  Hearing Bisanti in the other room, Raelin realized that she had just ran out of time so she poured the last bottle of water over her head and said a quick prayer to her Goddess before starting the incantation. The door was opening as the witch finished, and threw the spell.

  Trey cursed as the flash blinded him, knowing things were about to get rough. He turned away; shielding his eyes, and saw Bisanti doing the same. Once the spots cleared, he looked back to the closet and his eyes went wide. It was empty and that didn’t bode well for his well-being. His fears were confirmed when he heard Bisanti’s enraged roar behind him and knew his night had just gone from bad to worse.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Kasey had actually managed to navigate the small Jeep through a thin stand of trees so she could pull up to the spring proper and they were just breaking the tree line when the clearing exploded into a flash of light, followed by a loud splash.

  Del cursed as the light seared through her still sensitive eyes but still had enough sense to jump out of the Jeep and run into the spring, despite her tired body and still spotted vision.

  Swimming to the center of the spring, she took a deep breath, and dove as deep as she could and felt fabric under her hands. She quickly grabbed a hold of what was Raelin’s arm and pulled her against her, struggling against her own exhausted and battered body to pull them both to the surface.

  Kasey had swum out to her friend and reached Delaney just as she was breaking the surface with Rae’s body. She grabbed at Delaney’s shirt collar and Raelin as she treaded water. “Del...get to the shore. I’ll bring Rae.”

  “No, she’s not awake; I need her to wake up,” Del spluttered, struggling to keep herself afloat. She hated swimming and wasn’t exactly a strong swimmer on the best of days, but she was reluctant to release her hold on her wife. After only a few short minutes of her slipping under the surface she relented and managed to drag herself halfway out of the water before her own body gave out, and she collapsed on the sand at the edge of the water.

  Jenny ran forward until she was knee deep in the water and helped Kasey pulled Raelin to shore. Laying her on the sand, the young woman brushed the wet hair away from the witch’s face and leaned down to check for a pulse. Her head shot up. “Kasey...she isn’t breathing?”

  Jenny leaned over to make sure that her Aunt’s airway was clear and while pinching Raelin’s nose closed she blew two quick breaths of air into the witch’s lungs.

  Kasey immediately went to work. She landmarked her hands just below Raelin’s breastbone and counted off a good fifteen compressions, nodding to Jenny for more breaths when she was done.

  Del dragged herself towards her wife and brushed her hair back. She knew she wasn’t in any position to have the stamina for CPR so she simply kept begging Raelin to come back to her, that she needed her and that she was loved. Her heart pounded in her chest and fear clogged her chest the longer Raelin laid there. She watched helplessly as Kasey and Jenny worked, the seconds ticking by in her head.

  “Damn it Rae...breathe!” Jenny shouted. She could see that Kasey was getting tired and Delaney was sounding frantic. She was about to blow in more air when the witch coughed and rolled to her side to vomit up water.

  Kasey thanked God when Raelin had turned away from her, and started coughing up the water. She hadn’t been sure how much longer she could have continued, her arms burned as she’d worked. She quickly grabbed the blanket out of the bag and wrapped it around the witch. “Jenn, check her airway for me,” she asked since Raelin had rolled in her direction. “Clear?”

  Del had sobbed her relief at the sound of Raelin coughing and spluttering while she rubbed the witch’s hair and back, too tired to do much else but pray to God that Raelin would make a full recovery.

  “Yeah, she’s clear. She’s breathing fine, but she’s not conscious.” Jenny grabbed a penlight out of the bag and shone it into Raelin’s eyes, pleased with the reaction.

  “Okay, we need to get her back to the house quickly. If we don’t get her dry soon, she could get worse before she gets better. She’s out cold so I can’t carry her own my back because she can’t hold on. I’ll need to carry her bridal style so I won’t be able to see what’s under my feet. Keep an eye out so I don’t drop her,” Kasey said. She stood and grabbed Raelin’s limp body under her shoulders and knees, with a grunt.

  Jenny helped Delaney to her feet and got the blonde into the backseat before assisting Kasey to position Raelin in her wife’s lap.


  Del held Raelin tightly against her, pressing soft kisses to her temple and whispering soothing words in her ear. Kasey got them to the house quickly and they were soon setting Raelin into their bed Del never once leaving her side except to change into dry clothes.

  ~ Chapter 16 ~

  Del groaned as she shifted in the chair she’d set up next to the bed. It had been a couple hours since they’d settled Raelin into it and the witch hadn’t so much as stirred the entire time. They’d gotten a message from Jacobs stating that the sting had gone down well with only a minor fight being put up by Bisanti and his men. She’d been too exhausted, sore, and worried about her wife to celebrate and she had sequestered herself away at Raelin’s side hoping she’d wake up soon. She stroked Raelin’s limp hand and tried to ignore the aches and pains of her battered body.

  Ariel poked her head into the dimly lit room and spotted her Aunt Delly sitting in a chair next to the bed. Further investigation showed that the blonde had slipped into an uneasy sleep her head tilted at an awkward angle, and Ariel took the opportunity to sneak into the plush bed next to her Aunt Raelin. She’d missed her Aunt while she’d been with the bad men and she was having bad dreams about it so she hoped sleeping next to her Aunty would help. She curled up as close to the witch’s side as she could, clutching her blankie close and was sad when Raelin didn’t hug her close like she usually did. Too tired to do much else, the toddler slipped off into dreamland once more.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Slowly, Raelin became aware that she was in bed, and started to stretch, but something was pressed against her side. Turning her head, she discovered a tiny blonde headed little girl curled up to her side, holding onto a stuffed dragon. She frowned and shifted a little to get a better look at the child.

  “Aunty Raelin, you is wakies?” Ariel whispered sleepily having felt Raelin shift against her.