Made to Forget (Nepherium Novella Series)
Page 11
“I wanted to see.” A familiar voice dripped with honey as she sauntered to him, wearing a black tank top with black cargo pants and boots. Her blonde hair was pulled back. She peeked over her shoulder, wiggling her fingers at me before turning back to Alexander. When she reached him, she pressed her lips against his in a long kiss. Then she faced me, pulling on a silver chain with a small, silver vial attached. “Looky what I got.”
“Jenna,” Alexander reprimanded. She pouted to him then stepped to the other side of the chairs, next to Noah.
“What’s that you’re wearing, Jenna?” I asked. “A vile of your own venom?”
“That,” Alexander answered, “is the ingredient list to concoct an antidote. Make one more sarcastic remark and she’ll turn it to dust.”
I raised an eyebrow, not believing him. Was he planning on keeping someone alive? To what purpose did he have in mind?
My sight fell to my family. Each one was important to me in different ways. I knew the likelihood of any of us coming out alive was very slim. Not knowing how much longer we had to wait until the others showed, I had to play his game. Win or lose.
And played, I did.
I dragged the game out for as long as I could before it became too much to bare. Charred flesh scented the air, making me nauseous. Even though some of the humans in the room had already vomited or passed out from fear, I held on to what strength I had remaining.
My poor dad and Justin were a mess. For whatever twisted reason, Alexander left my mother and Noah unscathed. I refused to answer any more questions and continued refusing to pick a person. Then he stepped behind Noah.
“I’m warning you, tell me what he means to you.”
I looked into Noah’s gaze. Was that worry in his eyes?
“Mea lux, cor meum. Sum vestrum aeternum.”
Noah’s eyes widened as I publicly spoke my affections for him. I rarely did that. Though, I couldn’t remember why. The weight of my words fell on the room like iron rain.
I had one chance to remember what I was about to do correctly. One chance alone, to pull off Illumináre. The gift Noah’s love had given me, and the gift of my blood. I shut the world from my sight, hoping the others would follow suit. I focused my energy, letting it vibrate through me and gain enough force to knock Alexander and Jenna out.
Light. Aagrarians hate it, especially the pure kind.
Screams filled the room. Loud, crashing sounds came from all around me, along with intense heat. I had to hold on as long as I could. I would save them. All of them.
Alarms erupted, bringing flashes of that terrible night to my mind, causing me to waver in my concentration enough to feel the heat and smell the burning structure. It was too much to handle. I let go of the light and let the world return to me, along with it my dad’s burned body.
I screamed. Not because I thought he was dead but because he was alive. I lifted from the chair, feeling the ropes fall slack around me, and ran to his side. He struggled to breathe and shook horribly. Alexander must have set him on fire along with the rest of the room. Why did he choose my dad?
“Dad! I’m so very sorry! I’m sorry!”
He gasped a few times. “I … sor-ry … save … your … mother…”
I tried to shush him and calm him as best I could. I couldn’t touch him and help ease some of his pain or give him something soothing to die with. There was no skin left. Just raw meat with charred clothing.
“I love you…” His final words failed to have sound. He could only mouth them before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his lids slid shut. And then, I felt his heart give out.
I searched the room for Alexander. He was gone. Jenna was gone, too … along with the antidote. I moved to Noah and Justin, untying them and then my mom. I gave a fleeting glance to my dad, knowing there was no point in untying him. He was no longer in the shell that his body had become.
We moved toward the door as it exploded, rocking the building and sending me flying back against floor at the foot of the chairs. Noah came to my side immediately, helping me stand.
Soldiers rushed into the room. Some running toward the humans, who were passed out on the floor, and some running to the rest of us. I blinked back the smoke and fire that burned my eyes and forced myself to focus, knowing things were going to be okay when the rest of the Vanguard came into view.
Relief filled me. Even more when Bear took up the doorway. Noah shouted commands, helping me to the door, following my mom and Justin. His arm was around my waist, supporting my weight. I tried to push him away until I discovered a massive cut in my calf. I couldn’t support myself.
“Let me help you,” he pleaded.
“But the poison,” I tried to argue.
He pushed me against the wall, pinning his body against mine. “I’ll be fine. I don’t feel the effects yet. Let me help you.”
His eyes gave away much more than he realized. They were completely dilated, the flecks of silver and gold nearly consumed by the black. Only a thin band of blue was visible. Within them was also a silent plea. He felt responsible for the events around us. I felt it within him.
I pressed my lips together, giving a firm nod and trying to make the strain on him as little as possible. I was losing a lot of blood. My strength ebbed with each step until I stumbled. When I looked up, Noah was unconscious.
“Bear!” I called.
He ran to me, checked Noah’s neck for a pulse then shouted, “We need a transport now.”
My heart pounded furiously in my chest. I helplessly stared at his face as if he just fell asleep in the midst of chaos. A deep, peaceful sleep that left his eye lids with a purple hue and his skin more pale. I reached a trembling hand to him before my blood loss made everything fade to black one, final time.
…TO BE CONTINUED…
About the author
A Kansas native, Samantha LaFantasie spends her free time with her husband and three kids. Writing has always been a passion of hers, forgoing all other desires to devote to this one obsession, even though she often finds herself arguing with her characters through much of the process. She’s primarily a fantasy writer but often feels pulled to genres such as sci-fi, romance, and others.
Among her writing credentials, she’s a board member of the Kansas Writer’s Association and has founded her own critique group, lovingly named, The Fighting Hamsters.
Samantha loves to take time to enjoy other activities such as photography and playing her favorite game of all time, Guild Wars 2.
Want more from Samantha? Keep up with her at any of her digital hangouts.
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