Blood and Light

by Rue Volley

  I started to stand up. I could feel the binding trying to pull me back down, but I fought through it and continued to rise. I straightened up and looked at Caine. He backed away from me. I wanted to kill him, I could taste metal in my mouth and I could see energy pulsating through Caine"s body. I was so hungry and he suddenly looked like a meal. I looked at my mom and dad and around the room. Everyone was frozen in place. I had no idea how I looked and I didn't care.

  Suddenly a large mirror came sliding along the floor from behind me, it knocked Caine off his feet. I looked back and saw Johnathan and Josh standing in the doorway.

  “Send him through it!” Josh yelled.

  Grace lunged forward and jumped on top of Caine. She rolled him over, light flashing from both of their bodies. William ran to the mirror and started to scribble symbols all over it. Sam ran to where Caine and Grace were fighting on the floor, she grabbed him and tossed him on top of the mirror. She started to chant, the mirror started to waver under him. He stood up on it. Grace waved her hand and started to scream “Bind!” but Caine knocked her out of the way, with his hand. He looked at me and reached out grabbing my wrist.

  I released all the energy in me and he stumbled away from me. The energy left my body with a sonic boom, knocking everyone down in it's path. All the Valon guards who were still standing fell where they stood. Crying out, light escaped their bodies as they slumped to the floor. Caine had shielded himself with a bubble of light. He cried out as the wave of energy from me almost 173

  penetrated through it. He stood up before me…light glowing from him. “Such a shame to waste such a creature as you Rue Volley.”

  I closed my eyes expecting to die.

  Grace knocked him down on the mirror and cut her palm. She sliced the blade across his chest and slammed her palm against it. She started to chant.

  My father cried out, “Grace!”

  He lunged forward, cutting into his own palm and pressed it to Caine"s chest... He started to chant with her. They threw their heads back and Caine started to cry out in pain. I started to run to them and I was knocked down in a flash, Josh rolled on top of me. A bright flash bellowed up in the room, the wind was hot as fire, I tried to look in the direction of my parents, but the light was as bright as the sun.

  I felt myself get lifted off of the ground, Josh was carrying me towards the door. Suddenly a wave of energy slammed into us and threw us forward, I hit the concrete so hard I saw stars in my eyes. I looked back, just to see all the windows blow out in the building. It rained down like water on us and I closed my eyes, I could see my mother"s face... Was it the last time? My whole body relaxed and I could hear Josh yelling my name at me, but it sounded like he was in a tunnel…then it just faded away.

  ******

  I woke up laying in the grass. I sat up, no light, no blades. I have been here twice before. I stood up smelling the fresh air and looking into the blue sky. I knew it was a dream, it was so quiet and peaceful. I just wanted to stay. I started to walk across the field. A flock of birds flew over me, I saw their shadows race across the ground and I looked up at them. I waited for a whisper...maybe my mother or Johnathan calling me to them, but nothing. I didn't feel sorrow. I didn't feel anything. I kept walking. My stomach growled, I smiled. I looked across the field and saw a girl picking apples from a tree. I started to walk towards her. She raised her hand and waved at me, I waved back. I didn't recognize her, but I felt like I knew her. I made it to the tree and saw that it was bursting with fruit. The girl turned to me. She had a kind face. She reached out and placed her hand on my face.

  “You look like your Mother,” she said to me.

  I smiled, “My name is Rue.”

  “I'm Elin. Your Mother is a friend to me… Therefore you are a friend also.”

  “My parents...where are they?” I asked her.

  She placed her hand gently on my face. “They are here Rue, all around you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They are the earth you stand on and the air you breathe.”

  I looked towards the sky, clouds were floating over me so slowly, white and beautiful.

  “I...I don't know what you mean Elin.”

  “You will Rue...in time.”

  “I want to see them... Can you take me to them?” I asked.

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  She smiled and turned away from me and kept reaching for apples. My stomach growled again. She looked back at me and smiled, “You are hungry?”

  I nodded. She reached into her basket and pulled out an apple. She handed it to me.

  “Here...eat,” she said.

  I raised the apple to my mouth and took a bite. Juice from it ran down my chin. I started to chew and then I stopped. It tasted like metal. I raised my hand to my mouth and wiped the juice from my chin. I looked down at my hand and it was covered in blood. I dropped the apple to the ground and looked up, Elin was gone.

  ******

  I sucked in my breath and sat straight up in my bed.

  “Ahh...I see we are awake.”

  I focused in on a boy standing next to my bed. He looked familiar, but not, at the same time. I moved away from him.

  “No need to be frightened Rue. I am Theodore, Sam and Josh"s brother.”

  “Where am I?”

  Theodore grinned. “Why my dear, you are in your room...in your house of course.”

  I started to try to get up and I stumbled, almost hitting the floor. Theodore reached to me and held me steady, helping me onto the side of my bed.

  “It would be best if you just take it easy for awhile.”

  I sighed and scooted back onto my bed and leaned against my headboard.

  “How long have I been out this time?”

  Theodore sat on the edge of my bed. “You make a habit of sleeping long periods of time?”

  “No…no, not really...anyway how long?”

  “A month... Well 31 days this morning.”

  “Oh my god,” I whispered.

  I looked up at him, “What did I eat?”

  “Very odd... Your first question to me is, what did I eat?”

  Theodore stood up... “Well…we had to feed you…otherwise you would of wasted away.”

  “You my dear, would not take any food... None at all.”

  “What did I eat?” I asked again.

  “You fed...Josh mainly. Although I must say Johnathan wanted to do it himself…

  but with human blood, he may be at risk, we didn't know… So Josh took it upon himself to make sure you fed.”

  “How did he feed me?”

  “Why Rue…with his blood of course... May seem archaic, but with you in the condition that you were, we really had no choice. Messy business really…I thought he would die… I spent day after day healing him myself.”

  “Why Josh…wait…he almost died.?”

  175

  “Ohhh, yes, no need to worry… It was quite ugly at first… You have a tenacious appetite, for such a small thing.”

  I looked at him in confusion… “Why did Josh do it?”

  “Well…as I said, Johnathan could not…and Samantha is a girl...and I well...I am of a different kind.”

  “Different?” I asked.

  “Yes…my dear. I like boys...and feeding another protector…well it comes with some side effects, that I simply cannot accommodate.”

  I pushed myself off of my bed and stumbled past him, towards the bathroom... He tried to stop me but I jerked myself away from him… I reached my toilet, dropped to my knees and started to get sick.

  Theodore came to my bathroom door... “Well that's a new reaction...curious... Do you not like my choice in lovers…?”

  I pushed the door closed with my foot. “No... no, it's not that... Leave...

  Please, just leave,” I said in between lurches. I pushed myself up, drenched in sweat. I grabbed at the side of my sink and pulled myself to my feet. I started the water and splashed it on my face.

  “I will get Josh in here for you
dear.”

  I stopped and looked into the mirror. “No…no, just let me, I don't know... I need a moment.”

  My eyes looked darker…blue, like a coral reef. I had dark circles, that looked like they were fading. I'm sure at some point, the circles under my eyes were darker then they are now. I reached for my shoulder, remembering the searing pain I had felt from Caine. I rubbed it and breathed in hard.

  I walked out of the bathroom and stopped. Josh was standing there looking at me. I passed him by and sat down on my bed.

  “No…„It's my room"?” He asked.

  I looked up at him and then back down at my hands. My mouth felt dry.

  Josh came to me and sat down on my bed.

  I could feel him…the heat coming off of his body…

  “I'm glad to see you awake Rue... I really am.”

  My stomach growled.

  “If you are hungry, I can get you some food.”

  I looked at him... I could see his energy swirling on his skin. I felt a pain in my stomach. I grabbed at my stomach and pressed on it. Josh knelt down in front of me… I could taste metal in my mouth. I looked up at him.

  “What have you done to me Josh?”

  Josh placed his hand on mine, “You had to feed Rue... I had too give you my blood.”

  I put my hand on his face, “I need to feed Josh…my stomach is killing me…”

  I grabbed and squeezed it.

  Josh got up and closed my door. He looked back at me, “It will pass…”

  I stood up and started to walk towards him. I got far too close to him and looked up.

  “I can taste you in my mouth,” I whispered.

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  “It's just a residual Rue... Normally blood is shared with a mate…not to heal… but I had no choice.”

  I could not control myself…it wasn't passion…it was need. I reached out and took his hand, I placed it to my mouth and let the heat from my breath caress his palm, kissing it gently.

  He looked at me. “Rue, this isn't real, I've fed you for nearly a month… You don't know what you"re doing.”

  “I know exactly what I'm doing…” I pulled him toward me, I walked backwards to my bed and pulled him down onto the bed. He jumped up.

  “I know you want me Josh. I can see it on your skin.”

  He grinned at me, “Trust me I'd love to take advantage of this…but it's a no go.”

  “Do what you want with me Josh... I'll let you.”

  He looked down at me.

  “You will regret saying that…you need to get some food in you now.”

  I got up on my knees.

  “You remember the motel?” I grinned.

  He started to laugh, “Yes I do.”

  “Well…there's no box for quarters, but I don't think you'll notice.”

  “You need to settle down Rue.”

  I started to take my shirt off. He lunged forward and grabbed the bottom of it, pulling it down.

  As he leaned down, I whispered in his ear, “I'm gonna mess you up… fun time.”

  He stood up laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall over. “Okay…that's when I say, I gotta leave.”

  I jumped up and started pressing against him. He kept backing away, until he was against the wall. I tried to reach up his shirt to touch his chest, but he grabbed my wrists. The whole time he had a huge grin on his face.

  “Rue Volley…if this was any other time, any other girl, any other circumstances I'd „mess you up".” He was laughing, “…but you don't know what your doing.

  Blood is a drug...my blood is in you, that's the only reason you want me.” He said it, trying to keep a straight face. It wasn't working.

  I turned and walked back to my bed. I thought I'd try one last thing.

  “You don't want me?” I looked at him, I lifted my shirt over my head and leaned back. I only had on my bra and panties.

  He looked at me, from my feet to my head.

  “You are a naughty girl… I see what Johnathan has to deal with.”

  I blinked, “Johnathan?”

  “Yes, you remember Johnathan...? Rue?”

  I grabbed at my sheets, pulling them up to cover me. I looked at him…

  The room started to static... I started to get flashes of memory in my mind...

  Johnathan's face...the green grass, biting the apple...my parents.

  “Oh my god…Josh, I don't know what I'm doing.”

  “I know...that's why I said no.”

  “Where…where are my parents?”

  Josh looked at me… I think for the first time, with sympathy. My eyes started to tear up. I put my hands up to my face and started to feel a weight in my 177

  chest…heavy and empty, all at the same time. I started to gasp for air. Josh ran to me and I threw my arms around him and just sobbed. I cried a lifetime worth of grieving, I felt dizzy and nauseated.

  “Are they dead?” I choked out.

  Josh put his hand under my chin.

  “Death isn't a word we really use… Energy is a constant circle Rue...it's never ending. As a protector, I do not grieve… We celebrate the release...back to the creator.”

  I wanted to find solitude in his words, but my selfishness caused me to sob even harder. I held close to him as tightly as I could. I looked up at him and I kissed his lips. He didn't pull away, maybe he felt sorry for me. He put his hand behind my head and returned my affection, I knew he probably wanted to stop…

  so I pulled away from him. We looked into each others eyes and he wiped my tears from my face. His hand left traces of vibration on my cheek and I grabbed his hand and pressed it to my mouth, kissing his palm. I lowered his hand.

  “Thank you for saving me Josh...”

  “I told you I would die before you. I meant it Rue.”

  I looked at his face and traced my fingers over his lips.

  “I need for you to do something for me Josh.”

  He breathed out in a sigh, “I can't do…”

  “No…no, it's not what your thinking... I want you to take my memory, the memory of my parents away from me.”

  He cupped my face… “Rue,” he whispered.

  “Please...please take my grief, I can't do this.”

  “Rue…it would be best if you feel now… Why delay it?”

  I had tears starting to stream down my face. “I…I don't think I am strong enough to do this. I feel empty inside. I need for you to take it from me.”

  “You are much stronger then you think you are,” he whispered.

  “Please…I'm begging you Josh.”

  He stood up. “I can't do that...I'm sorry. Memories have a way of finding their way home Rue… You need to own this...not me.”

  I looked up at him… “You?”

  He ran his hand through his hair and cleared his throat.

  “When I take memory, it lives in me… You would be giving me your grief and I would have to deal with it… I'm not being selfish. I just have enough grief I already live with… ” He walked towards my door. “I would do anything for you...

  but that I cannot do. I am sorry.” He walked out and closed the door behind him.

  I slumped down onto my pillow and buried my face in it. I cried harder than I ever cried before... I reached a point where you just can't go any further. The moment you realize that to live, you have to stop feeling so much pain.

  ******

  I rolled off of my bed and walked into the bathroom. I started to run hot water in the tub. I turned and caught my reflection in the mirror. I looked awful.

  My face so tired, eyes devoid of any light. I can't do this forever. I just can't. I 178

  shed what little I had on and slipped into the tub. I sank into the water, it felt great, like a warm blanket in winter. I sunk under the water with my eyes closed tight and listened to the distorted sound it causes in your ears...then I thought I heard a voice. I popped up, rubbing my eyes and looked out, expecting to see a boy invading my bathroom again…but no one was in
the room. I sank back under the water. I held my breath until my lungs started to burn…and I heard a voice again...“Rue.” I swear it was my mom"s voice. I opened my eyes, hoping to see her but nothing... I felt myself getting tired... Bubbles started to trickle up from my mouth, but I had to wait...to hear her voice again...my eyes fluttered and things started to grow black...

  “Breathe!”

  My eyes started to roll open... I felt a huge pressure on my chest.

  “God damn it Rue... Breathe!”

  I was rolled onto my side and someone was slamming their hand against my back, it forced the water from my lungs. I spit it out and sucked in as much air as I could. My lungs burned in protest and I gasped for more air to fill them. My eyes rolled and started to open…everything looked blurry and my chest hurt really bad.

  “What the hell happened Rue?”

  I blinked a few times and pushed up on my elbows, looking up.

  Josh was staring down at me, with a wild look in his eyes.

  “I…” my voice cracked, my throat burned. “I was taking a bath… I thought I heard…”

  “You heard what...?”

  “I heard my mother"s voice… She said my name, I just wanted to hear it again.”

  Josh backed away from me and sat on the floor.

  Johnathan ran into the room and fell to the floor next to me. He cupped my face in his hands. “Rue…are you Okay?” he asked me. I looked at him and coughed. He lifted me up and carried me to the bed, sitting down next to me. He started to run his hand across my face…pushing my hair out of the way. He turned to Josh.

  “What the hell happened?”

  Josh stood up and and placed a hand on his neck, rubbing it.

  “Well I don't think it was an attempted suicide, Johnathan.”

  “Real funny...” Johnathan said with anger.

  “You need to settle down.”

  Johnathan stood up and got in his face.

  “I told you that feeding her your blood was a bad idea.”

  Josh pushed him in the chest.

  “You need to back off of me now.”

  Johnathan squared his shoulders… “Get out of her room now.”