The Blood and Light Series (Six Books Boxed Set)

by Rue Volley

  I jerked my arm from her grip and looked at all of them. “Oh yes we are. We will go there and get him back,” I said.

  Theodore stepped up to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You cannot enter Valon Rue… none of us can. Sophia has bound us I am sure. To enter would be instant death.”

  “You don't know that!” I yelled at him. “You cannot be sure, and if there is a chance that we can go... we are. Josh would for any of us, he would!”

  “No... Josh would cut his losses. He would not sacrifice himself or any of us... for one, he would not,” Theodore said to me.

  “But we went there, we got Johnathan out!” I said, as I turned to look at Johnathan, who was leaning against my wall.

  “We went to the outskirts of Valon to retrieve him. If he had been within the city he would remain there,” Sam said.

  “What...? So what are you saying… that we just let Josh go? We don't even try then?” I yelled out.

  “For every end there is a beginning love,” Theodore said to me.

  “Don't give me that crap! I don't want metaphors right now. I want to go and kill everyone in our way until we reach him and bring him home!” I said as I felt a vibration welling up in me.

  “You need to calm down,” Sam said.

  “Really?”

  I lowered my head and felt my feet getting heavy, the wind started to whip through the room. I could see the core churning in front of me, twisting and melted. I drew everything I could from it and my body started to glow the brightest blue I've ever seen.

  “Please, listen to reason Rue…” I heard Theodore's voice, but it sounded like it was in a tunnel.

  “I love all of you, but if you will not help me, I will do this alone,” I muttered. Theodore raised his hand and I could see a glow coming from him...

  “Sleep” I thought and he fell to the floor. Sam yelled out and ran to him.

  “He is fine Sam... come with me,” I whispered. She stood up and started to chant, I thought of the word sleep again and she fell to the floor.

  I turned around to Johnathan, who stood there lit up in blue from the glow coming off of me. “And you?” I said.

  “I will follow you anywhere,” Johnathan said to me.

  I reached out my hand and he fell onto the bed.

  “I just wanted to know,” I whispered.

  ***

  I looked around the room and flashed out of my bedroom window, I knew Kai was okay and he would take care of them for me.

  I raised my hands up towards the sky and blue mist left my fingers, it reached the clouds and blue lightening flashed. I closed my eyes and focused on Josh. I could hear his heart beating. He was alive... for now. I needed to find him as quickly as I could… and I will.

  I flashed through the forest as fast as I could travel. I heard cries from animals as I passed them by. I knew I would have to eat at some point, but it didn't hit me until I came to a stop, grabbing at my stomach. The pain was welling up so bad that I felt light headed. I looked around and heard a rustling in the trees. I knew something was out there that I could feed on, but I didn't know how to find it. I was not a hunter. Well... I didn't know what I was, but I did know that I had to eat something soon or the mission was going to be over before it started.

  I looked up and saw that the air was laced with color, I reached out and it swirled around my hand. I cupped my hand around some of it and pulled it to my mouth. I could taste the energy and breathed it in. I opened my eyes and knelt down. I pressed my hand into the earth and spread my fingers out. A trail opened up to me and I took off after it.

  My stomach ached with every step I took. I finally reached the edge of the forest and looked out of the clearing. A house stood there, only one light on downstairs. I watched as the color swirled around it. My heart fluttered. I hoped there was an animal somewhere close by. I was not feeding on a human. I was not going to do that. I looked out across the property and noticed a barn, the swirls were also settling around it too.

  I stood up and flashed to it. I leaned against the outer wall and felt heartbeats on my back. I sucked in my breath and pulled on the door. I stepped in and closed it behind me, as quietly as a barn door would close. I looked out into the darkness and followed the heartbeats, strong and steady. I stopped at a neck high door and looked inside.

  A beautiful black horse stood there motionless, staring me down. I opened the door up slowly and put my hand out to him. He huffed and shifted his weight. I needed to feed, but I didn't want to hurt him. He was so pretty, his coat shined like black water from the moonlight. He stared at me, like he could hear me. He leaned forward and let me touch him. I ran my hand down his head and onto his neck. I could feel his heartbeat under my fingers and my stomach growled. He shifted like he heard it too.

  “I just need to borrow some energy,” I whispered to him.

  He blinked at me and I placed my hands on him. I could feel him tremble under my fingers. His heart sped up and then started to slow, matching mine. I closed my eyes and felt his energy start to enter my body. I felt a humming in my hands as it started to radiate throughout my body. I had flashes of every color behind my eyes and I gasped as it surged through me. I fell to my knees and let my head fall forward. I opened my hands up and saw blue swirling on my skin. I looked up and he had blue radiating from him. I pushed myself up and touched him. He felt like me.

  I opened the small door and led him out. I've never rode a horse before, but I suddenly knew that he had to stay with me. Somehow we shared energy, I didn't take it from him, he didn't take it from me, but I felt stronger now. I was riding him to the gates of Valon.

  I walked him out of the barn and I ran my hand along his side. Blue waves came out from under my hand. He knelt down on one knee and I held onto his hair and pulled myself up. He stood up and my heart fluttered. I could not believe that I was on a horse. I squeezed my knees at his side and held onto his hair.

  I closed my eyes and focused on finding Josh, when I opened my eyes up a trail had appeared before us, out across the field. I looked back at the house and then leaned in the direction we needed to go. I leaned down and placed my hand on his head and whispered, “We need to go that way.”

  He started to run and I held onto him tightly as the wind whipped at my face. I started to focus on flashing forward and I felt us speed up, we were working as one. He moved so quickly that everything became a blur to the sides of us.

  We flashed up to another forest and we stopped. I didn't want him to have to run through the forest, but he kicked the ground and went headlong into it. I screamed out as he dodged every tree like he knew it was coming. Every move he made I felt it, and knew it was coming.

  We came flashing up to a pretty steep hill and he slowed. He gently placed one foot in front of the other until we reached the bottom, then he shot off again, getting us through the rest of the forest without any trouble. We cleared the forest and came racing out into an open field. The lightening bugs were thick and we ran through them so quickly they looked like streaks of light on either side of us.

  We raced ahead until we came to the top of a hill and he stopped. I sat there on top of him staring down, as the trail lead across the open grass and into the side of a mountain. I looked up and saw a white city towering against it. I rubbed my hand on his neck and leaned forward.

  “You don't have to go any further with me,” I whispered.

  He started to huff and dig his hooves into the grass, walking from side to side. He bolted forward and I held on. He had every intention of getting me to Valon.

  We made it half way across the field when I saw a flash coming towards us. I leaned to the right just as it came up, and I ducked as a blade barely missed my head. I knew it was a guard coming to stop me from entering. My horse made a sharp right as another guard lunged forward, this time the blade nicked his shoulder. I screamed out and grabbed at the wound feeling the burning pain from it. I pulled my hand away to see blood on my fingers. “Damn it!” I yelled.
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  My horse felt my urgency and pushed forward, again another guard flashed at us, my horse jumped him as he sliced his blade at his legs. The tip of his blade cut him above the knee and my horse cried out, as I did. I felt him losing his footing and we fell together. I rolled a few feet from him as he hit the ground.

  I pushed myself up as I saw the same guard racing towards us. I pulled my blades and flashed forward, jumping my horse that lay still on the ground and came down with them crossed in my hands. I sliced them across the boy’s chest before he could reach my horse. He spun where he stood and cried out, as he fell to the ground. A bright light glowed in my palm and I hurled the light at him with everything I had. He arched his back when the light hit him, and then fell still. I looked back at my horse that still lay on the ground. I grabbed at my chest as I felt a weight on it. My breathing was becoming erratic. I had to get to him, I just had to, he was dying, I could feel it. Would I die too?

  I stumbled forward and watched as a guard flashed to his side and plunged her blade into his chest. He screamed out, or as close to a scream that I have ever heard come from an animal. I screamed too, and grabbed at my heart. I felt the burn in my chest. I spat up blood and looked at it in my hand.

  Oh my god, I cannot die. I just can't. Josh is right there, just beyond those walls. He is, I can hear his heart beating.

  I pushed myself up and started to flash towards the guard, who was about to slam her hand against his chest for the final blow. I screamed out… “Get away from my horse, you bitch!”

  I hit her from the side and we rolled a few feet together. I lifted my blade and grinned at her, plunging it into her chest. She trembled under me and choked out some words I did not understand.

  “You should not have done that,” I whispered.

  My hand glowed and I pressed it against her chest, she struggled for a moment and then went still. I took a breath and it hurt, my chest was on fire. I pushed myself up and crawled to my horse that was lying so still. I pulled myself up next to him and felt the warm blood coming from his chest. It flowed over my hand and I raised it in the moonlight. It looked black, black as his coat... shiny. My stomach growled and I hugged him.

  “Thank You,” I whispered. “I have to do this to survive, it will be quick I promise. Hopefully I will see you again.”

  I pressed my lips to his chest and drank in his blood. It was warm. I could feel his heartbeat in my throat. I drank until his heart stopped beating and I staggered back from him and cried out. I looked down and saw that I had blood all over me, I must look crazy. I wiped my hand to my mouth and more blood, it was everywhere.

  I started to feel a humming in my hands and it worked its way through my entire body. I started to shake and it knocked me to my knees. A fire started in my stomach and radiated outward. My arms were pulled to my sides and I looked at my blades. They were glowing bright blue, with traces of every color in them. I jammed them into the earth and pushed myself up, as I pulled the blades out I saw colors race from around me, they radiated out in a circle then raced towards the outer gate to Valon. I stood there just knowing that I was going in. I just didn't know if I'd make it out.

  ***

  Kai stood at the bedroom door and bit at his lip. “I told you she was pissed,” he said to Sam as she pushed herself up and shook her head. She looked at Theodore, who was also coming out of his stupor.

  “What happened?” Johnathan asked as he pushed himself up on the bed.

  “What does it look like?” Sam said as she stood up. “Damn it,” she said as she rubbed at the back of her head. “I told you that you needed to bind her hardcore Theodore,” Sam said as she walked towards the door.

  “I did Samantha,” Theodore said as he pushed himself up to.

  “No... you did not... obviously,” She said as she waved her arm around the room.

  “I swear to you that I put the strongest binding on her that I ever have.”

  Sam grumbled, “Fine... Well it doesn't matter, she's out there, like a cowboy, trying to save Josh!”

  Johnathan pushed himself up off of the bed. “I'm going after her, you guys stay here.”

  “Yeah... that sounds good. Let’s all just go one at a time, until we are all dead... Sounds great!” Sam said as she flailed her arms.

  Johnathan flashed past her and too the front door. He opened it and tried to pass through the doorway, a bright flash hit him and he flew backwards across the room. Kai moved out of the way just in time to not get hit by his body.

  Johnathan hit the wall and slid down. “Damn!” he yelled out. “Why the hell can't I leave?”

  Theodore and Sam stood there staring at the door.

  “Oh shit…” Sam muttered. She walked up to the door and gently placed her hand up to it. A small spark went off under her fingers. “Tricky,” she said as she turned around.

  “What?” Johnathan asked as pushed himself up off of the floor.

  “Looks like our little one has put a binding on the house,” Theodore said as he sat down on the chair.

  “What? We can't leave?” Johnathan said as he walked towards the door.

  “I would not suggest that you do that,” Theodore said.

  Johnathan walked to the door and yelled out, as his hand caused a crack of electricity. He stood there shaking it. “God Damn it!” he yelled out.

  “Oh my god... you grabbed stuff on the stove when you were little, didn't you?” Sam said as she laughed.

  “This is not funny Sam. Rue is out there!” Johnathan said as he pointed to the door.

  “That she is... and by choice. She left us here to wait and that is precisely what we will do,” Theodore said.

  “Well… whip up something! You’re a wizard right?” Johnathan said as he stood there arguing his point.

  “Oh I appreciate your enthusiasm and your belief in my ability's but I am afraid that this is not something that I can just wave my hand at,” Theodore said as he headed for the kitchen. “I would suggest that you calm down and remember that this is a girl who put us all down without saying a word. I have never seen that done... not in a thousand years.”

  Johnathan walked to the edge of the couch. “What is Sara doing here?” he said.

  Kai smiled. “Umm, looks like she is Rue's partner in crime, probably didn't know it though.”

  “Well that's just awesome... Wake her up Theodore, let's see what she knows, if anything,” Sam said as she waved a hand at her.

  “Ah, yeah…I wouldn't do that. She's highly strung, she's gonna freak out.” Kai said.

  “We can handle it Kai... she's a teenage girl.”

  “Yeah… you couldn't even handle Rue,” Johnathan said as he sat down.

  Sam flashed up to him. “This entire thing would not even be happening if you had not left to begin with Johnathan,” Sam said as she pointed her finger at him.

  Theodore stepped in. “Now... Samantha, let’s not place blame. We need to calm down.”

  Sam laughed out loud, not funny ha-ha, but “whatever” ha-ha.

  Johnathan pushed himself up. “No, she's right… I'm at fault here. Theodore you say you can't get us out, but if you could just try. If you are able I will go to Valon and trade myself for Josh.”

  Sam crossed her arms. “I think that's fair,” she said.

  “Now Samantha… listen.” Theodore started to say but Sam interrupted him.

  “No… Johnathan is right. He should trade himself for our brother Theodore. Josh should not die because of this, let Sophia have her grandson here.” She waved her hand behind her at Johnathan who stood with his head down. “He has caused this and now he wants to make it right, let him.”

  She walked out of the room and slammed her bedroom door shut. Kai walked after her and tapped on the door. He muttered something and she let him go in. Theodore sat back down on the chair.

  “Listen to me, I have seen a lot of bloodshed these last thousand years. A lot of humans who simply have no respect for life, many lost for no good reasons.
Rue loves you Johnathan. I cannot allow you to do this. Although I respect your intentions, I will not hurt her… I cannot.”

  Johnathan sighed and headed for the stairs. He walked up three steps and turned back to Theodore. “She may die Theodore, Josh may die too. If I can stop that I have to. I couldn't live with myself if that happened.” He turned and ran up the stairs.

  Theodore waved his hand over Sara's eyes and she started to stir. She blinked and pushed herself up on her elbows.

  “What am I doing here?” she said, as she rubbed her head.

  “Oh dear,” Theodore whispered.

  Chapter 15

  Valon

  I stood outside the city for three hours before I saw any movement. I thought for sure that an army would come down on me. I had traced my fingers on the invisible bubble surrounding it and pushed on it with my hand, it had give but I could not enter. I finally placed my blades on my back and looked behind me. The sun was just starting to break the horizon and the light slowly crept across the field. It lit up the body of the guard I had killed, who lay a few feet from my horse.

  I sucked in my breath as I noticed my horse started to move. I could not believe that he was alive or maybe he had been holding on. Maybe his heart didn't stop beating, maybe it was my own from pure sorrow. I ran to him and fell down, gently reaching out to his face. He blinked his eyes and I burst into tears. I hugged him around his neck and he started to huff as he rolled off of his side and pushed himself up. I rubbed his chest, where I had drank his blood and saw that there was a white scar in its place.

  Had I healed him while I drank? I didn't know, but all I cared about is that this majestic animal stood before me, breathing. I didn't feel anything for the guard that I plunged my blade into, but the thought of this horse dying here, after helping me, just had broken me into pieces. I wiped the tears from my eyes and rubbed my hand along his side. Blue rings rippled out from under my hand.