The Blood and Light Series (Six Books Boxed Set)

by Rue Volley

  “Maybe I shouldn’t talk to anyone Blake. Maybe what I have is kinda like a virus… you just touch me and ‘poof’… you got a room on this floor,” I said.

  He smiled at me. Nice smile by the way.

  He bit his lip and leaned up, looking at me as he tilted his head.

  “No virus, you are…” he said as he paused.

  I looked at him, waiting for the punch line.

  “Umm, I think about you all the time,” he said.

  I shook my head and sighed. I looked at my hands again and started to rub my palms.

  He reached out and stopped me. I looked up at him; his face was soft and inviting. Like a familiar friend who truly cares.

  “You shouldn’t,” I said quietly.

  “Why do you say that?” he asked me.

  I looked at him and bit my lip.

  “Because I’m broken,” I whispered.

  He reached out and touched my face.

  “I build models of things, everything you could imagine; I have plenty of glue at my house,” he said.

  I laughed, I had to. He laughed too.

  The thought of him offering to fix me like some broken chair just had me going.

  “You should find someone out there… some normal girl, who isn’t on any meds,” I said to him.

  “I’ve been out there… didn’t see anyone,” he said to me.

  I tilted my head and bit my lip again, this time too hard. I flinched when I felt my teeth break the skin and I placed my hand to my mouth. He took his finger and wiped the blood from my lip. He looked at it on his finger, and for a moment I swear he almost placed it in his mouth.

  “Don’t do that,” he whispered to me.

  “I didn’t…” I tried to say.

  He leaned up quickly and kissed me. I didn’t fight him this time. I kissed him back. I didn’t care if imaginary boy showed up. Wait… every time Blake and I get this way that boy does show up. I grabbed the back of Blake’s hair and pulled it. Blake made a noise in my mouth, but I wasn’t really listening. I figured if I get all flustered with him, maybe… just maybe the other boy will appear. I was thinking ‘I am crazy’, and poor Blake is now something I can use to get the other boy here… the one that I really want.

  I rolled over and pushed Blake on his back. He held his hands up as I pulled on his shirt.

  “Rue… don’t… We can’t do this,” he said.

  I laughed and tilted my head at him.

  “Why not?” I asked him.

  He looked around the room and sighed.

  “Oh, you mean, because we are in the asylum?” I asked him.

  I shrugged my shoulders at him and pounced on him like a kitty on a ball. He wrestled with me as he continued to try to tell me to stop. Finally he held my hands out and shook his head at me.

  “You need to settle down now!” he said, louder than he had ever said anything to me.

  I sighed and nodded as I backed away from him.

  “Sorry,” I said as I rolled my eyes.

  “No, Rue… don’t be upset please. I just, we can’t do this here.”

  I looked at him and smiled.

  “Then you need to get us to your house,” I said to him, completely hell bent on getting him to do me.

  Well, to try to do me… so the other boy could come and do me.

  Geezus. I was now a whore too on top of being crazy.

  He stood up and started to pace back and forth.

  I watched him. I looked like he was actually considering it. Awesome.

  He stopped and looked at me.

  “I don’t want to do that to you,” he said to me.

  I looked at him and stood up. I placed my hands on my hips.

  “What do you mean?” I asked him.

  “No… I mean, I just,” he said, looking all nervous.

  “Okay I get it… you don’t want to do the crazy girl… I don’t blame you,” I said as I rolled my eyes at him.

  He stepped up to me… placing his hand on my face.

  “I want it to be perfect… I have never...”

  I looked at him and suddenly realized that we were in the same boat. I mean, the only boat we had in common. He was a virgin, just like me.

  OMG.

  “Oh,” I whispered to him.

  “Yea, I hope that doesn’t make you feel, I don’t know… weird or something,” he said all sweet and quiet.

  I looked at him and cleared my throat.

  What do I say to that? I guess I should comfort him in the fact that I am too.

  “Listen, I don’t care,” I said to him. Hoping that would be enough.

  “Okay,” he said as he looked at me weird.

  I guess that wasn’t the right thing to say. I guess that I suck at comforting anyone.

  Big freakin surprise… I never comfort myself.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I tried to say.

  He ran his fingers across my cheek and stared at me, the kind of stare that tells you that there is a problem. The problem being… he likes me a lot… a lot more than I do him. Oh crap. I closed my eyes and felt a kiss on my forehead. I expected it to be on my mouth… nope. I just got the ‘dad’ kiss. Well, not like I think of him in that way. Gross.

  He took his lips from my forehead and leaned his forehead on mine. Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet…a sweet moment, but I was wound up from the previous boy in my room. I leaned up to kiss him on the mouth and he stepped back, hanging onto my hands. I looked at him and waited for something. He let my hands go and started to walk to my door.

  He stopped, with his hand on the handle. He looked back at me.

  “Tomorrow,” he whispered.

  I tilted my head.

  “Tomorrow, what?” I asked him.

  “My house, I will take you there tomorrow,” he said.

  I grinned and watched him leave.

  Hell yes.

  ***

  Johnathan sat in his padded cell staring at the walls. Suddenly his door opened up. He stared at it wondering when demon teddy was going to trot in and drag him out again. Nobody came in. He tilted his head and pushed himself up the wall. Suddenly Sam popped in and Johnathan sighed and dropped his head.

  “Oh thank god, Sam!” he yelled.

  Sam placed her hands on her hips and shook her head.

  “Oh for crap sake,” she muttered.

  Johnathan looked down at his straight jacket and grinned.

  “I don’t know,” he said... knowing that nothing would sound good to her.

  “Bet you don’t… Come on,” Sam said.

  Johnathan started to walk and stumbled on the padded floor.

  Sam caught him and grunted as she held up his weight.

  “Did you eat everything here?” she said.

  Johnathan sighed. “Yes…I did.” He said.

  Sam pulled him out of the cell and looked down as Kai came out of another room with Brooke in his arms.

  “Oh my god… is she okay?” Johnathan asked him.

  Kai nodded and Johnathan looked at Sam.

  “We have to get to the third floor, Sam,” Johnathan said as she pulled the straps on the back of his straight jacket and he pulled it off.

  He stretched his arms out and clinched his fists. Sam looked at him and shook her head.

  “There is no third floor,” Sam said.

  “That is ridiculous, Sam… Brooke and I were on 3… Rue is on that floor.”

  Sam touched his arm.

  “Well, not now,” she said.

  Johnathan started to walk towards the elevator; he stepped in and looked at the panel.

  He read all the numbers out loud.

  “1, 2, 4, 5. What the hell?” he asked Sam as she stepped in with him.

  She looked at the panel.

  “You see what I mean...? No three,” she said.

  Johnathan scratched his head as Kai stepped in with Brooke in his arms. Brooke laughed and muttered something as she waved her hand out and hit Johnathan in the
side of the head. He grabbed her hand and laid it on her chest.

  “You okay?” He said.

  She looked at him all glossy eyed and he touched her face. Sam watched him and tilted her head at him. Johnathan noticed that Sam was watching him and stopped, clearing his throat.

  “Okay,” he said as he turned back to the panel. “There has to be a third floor,” he said.

  Sam leaned up and looked over his shoulder.

  “Well, it doesn’t want us to go there…if there is one,” she said.

  Johnathan looked at her.

  “We need to find another elevator, or stairs,” he said.

  Sam shook her head at him.

  “You need to get in the mirror… band her,” Sam said as she pointed at Brooke.

  Brooke laughed about something and started to talk.

  “I think that you should lick my shoes,” she said as she looked at Johnathan.

  Johnathan grinned and shrugged his shoulders to Sam. Sam rolled her eyes.

  “Guess everyone hooked up,” she muttered to him.

  Johnathan held out his hand to her.

  “No… there was no ‘hooking’ up of any kind,” he said.

  Sam stared him down and Johnathan stepped off the elevator and looked down the hallway.

  He looked both ways and then took off.

  “Johnathan!” Sam yelled out to him.

  Sam looked back at Kai and pointed her finger at him.

  “You go now; take Brooke… I am going to get that idiot; then we will come through the mirror,” she said.

  Kai stared at her and adjusted Brooke in his arms.

  “I guess… listen be careful!” Kai yelled as Sam disappeared out of the elevator.

  Kai sighed and looked down at Brooke.

  “You are hot too...! God you are all just hooottt,” Brooke said as she let her head fall back.

  Kai smiled and adjusted her again.

  “Thanks,” he said as he looked up at the mirror on the ceiling.

  “Well… get ready for a ride,” he said to her.

  The doors closed and the room started to tilt. Kai leaned against the side until the room tilted enough for them to both be on their backs. He picked Brooke up and jumped through the mirror.

  ***

  Josh sat there and held his head in his hands. He looked up and saw Caine leaning over Sophie’s body, holding her wrist.

  “Hey,” Josh said as he stood up and took a step towards them.

  Caine dropped her arm and looked at him.

  “I was not going to eat her,” Caine said.

  Josh sighed and stepped back as Caine stood up and looked out into the forest.

  “I think that we should split up and look for a mirror,” Caine said.

  “Split up...? How do we do that...? You are in my head,” Josh said.

  Caine flashed to Josh and knocked him on his back.

  He pinned Josh to the ground and pulled his blade.

  “God damn it!” Josh yelled out.

  Caine held up his free hand and cut his palm. Josh watched as blood pooled in his palm. He let it drip on Josh’s face. Josh turned his head, but some got into his mouth. He felt a vibration well up in him. A familiar one, when one protector tastes the blood of another. He rolled his eyes and spit the blood out.

  Caine flashed up off of him and stood there with his blade in his hand, still wet with his blood and light swirling on its surface. Josh pushed himself up quickly and bent over… coughing up the blood and spitting into the grass.

  “What the hell?” he yelled at him.

  Caine grinned and licked his blade, letting it cut into his tongue.

  Josh staggered a little and reached out at him.

  “What did you do?” he asked him.

  “I am showing you that I am as real you are, you fool,” Caine said.

  Josh fell to his knees and rolled to his side. Drinking the blood of another protector is not an easy thing to do. It is used for healing or bonding. He grabbed his stomach and hurled. Caine waited patiently as he inspected his blade.

  “Oh god,” Josh muttered.

  He broke out in a sweat and took a deep breath as he rolled onto his back. Suddenly he knew… Caine was flesh and blood, real. He was there, with him… oh shit. Josh pushed himself up from the ground and steadied himself. His heart raced and the hatred within it made it hard to focus on the task at hand.

  “Are we better?” Caine asked him.

  Josh pulled his blades and stared at him.

  “You would not be wise to take that route, Joshua. I tried to tell you that I am trapped here… just as you are.”

  Josh took a step towards him and Caine squared his shoulders.

  “Do you not realize that you are in a game...? Sophia put me here as your final test. Do not allow her to win you,” Caine said as he lowered his head.

  Josh waited. New for him, normally he would have been mid battle by now. He weighed his options. Killing Caine would be a monumental task, possibly ruining any chances he would ever have to escape here. Rue came into his mind and he closed his eyes. He could feel her on him still… her touch burning his skin. He opened his eyes and looked at Caine.

  “Alright,” Josh said quietly.

  Caine tilted his head.

  “In love’s grip, I see,” Caine said.

  Josh placed his blades on his back and stared at him with all the hate he had for him.

  “Shut up… I do this for her, not you and not myself.”

  Caine started to walk away from him.

  “Whatever the reason, so be it. I will search, as you should, for a way out.”

  Josh stared at him and yelled out to him.

  “How will I find you?”

  Caine raised his hand and waved it.

  “I will find you,” he yelled back to him.

  Josh looked over at Sophie on the ground. He sighed and walked to her.

  She looked like an angel sleeping there. He picked her up and shook his head.

  “Of course you don’t care about her, you ass… she is human,” he muttered as he threw her over his shoulder.

  He looked back and Caine was gone.

  He turned back around and Johnathan stood there, with his arms crossed on his chest.

  “What?” Josh said as he rolled his eyes.

  “I can’t believe you… You should have sent him to memory,” Johnathan said as he started to follow Josh.

  “We are in memory you, ass… I mean, I am,” Josh said.

  Johnathan looked at him and grinned.

  “You were afraid that you would lose.”

  Josh stopped and laid Sophie down in the grass. He turned to Johnathan.

  “What?” Josh said.

  Johnathan shrugged his shoulders.

  “Well, that’s what it looks like.”

  Josh pulled his blade out and flipped it in his hand.

  “I think it’s time that you die,” Josh said as he stared at his blade.

  “You don’t want to do that… remember?” Johnathan said as he stood there and looked at his nails.

  Josh stared at him and at his hands.

  “Are you checking out your nails?” Josh asked him.

  Johnathan looked up and grinned.

  “Yes, you should do that sometimes; your nails are dirty… You look like a pig.”

  Josh laughed and sat down on the ground. He threw his hands up and let them drop.

  “I am a clean person, you dick. I take showers all the time.”

  Johnathan rolled his eyes.

  “Rue thinks you are filthy.”

  Josh lay onto his back and put his hands over his face. He yelled out as Johnathan inspected Sophie. He lifted her arm and let it fall, watching it flop back to the ground.

  “Is she dead?” Johnathan asked.

  Josh sat up and looked at the two of them.

  “No, she is not.”

  “She is human, right?”

  Josh pushed himself up.

  �
��You know she is.”

  Johnathan stood up too. Josh pointed his blade at him.

  “You carry her now,” he said.

  Johnathan looked at her.

  “I have a back thing,” Johnathan muttered to Josh.

  “You are gonna have a ‘dead’ thing if you don’t pick her up and follow me.”

  Johnathan rolled his eyes and picked her up. He grunted, and Josh looked back at him.

  “She isn’t even heavy,” he said.

  Johnathan started to walk with her in his arms.

  “Yea, right,” Johnathan whined.

  ***

  I am so excited. EXCITED… EXCITED… EXCITED. I was going to get out. I might even stay out for good. Who knows? If Blake and I got along… I guess I could just pretend that he was imaginary boy, right? No, how unfair to Blake. ‘Sweet Virgin Blake’, all nervous… not wanting to upset me.

  I sat on my bed looking at my hands, thinking about just how evil I might be and my door opened. I looked, expecting for one of two people. Blake or Holly. I leaned on my bed when I realized no one was there. I crinkled my eyebrows and stood up. Who opened my door, and why? I started to walk to the door and it opened a little more.

  “Okay,” I whispered, as I tilted my head and stared at it.

  What did Blake say… that I walk in two plains or some crap? Awesome, maybe it’s a crazy ghost, come to steal some of my great meds. I guess that wouldn’t be so bad. I stopped when I thought I heard someone running in the hallway. I took a breath and leaned out quickly, just in time to catch the sight of someone going around the corner. I popped my head back in. Oh crap… was that some crazy here, running free? Awesome.

  I walked back to my bed and reached over to my tray. I picked up the death fork and gripped it in my hand. I sighed as I looked at it… I mean, come on… how great of a weapon is this? One of the forks teeth was even bent... fantastic.

  I shook my head and walked back to my door. I heard all doors slam on the floor except mine and I jumped, almost peeing my pants. Holy crap…really? I steadied myself and shook my free hand. I had to get it together a.s.a.p. Maybe I was punishing myself for having naughty thoughts? No, come on, Rue… really? I heard my name called out and I bit my lip. You have got to be kidding me. Whatever it was, it knew me. Well, of course it would…right?

  I decided to step out of my room. I took one giant leap for insanities kind into the hallway and turned to my left. I saw someone flash by at the end of the hall, dressed in white… long hair. I sucked my breath in and decided to walk. I slowly moved down the hallway, waiting for one of the doors that I was passing to pop open and spew out someone grabbing at me. I continued to walk anyway, fear kinda gripping me so I sped up; I couldn’t stand the scary thought of that happening. I made it to the end and realized that now I had to go around the corner. Awesome.