Enlightened (Love and Light Series)

by Melissa Lummis

  Guided and Professor whispered by the old tube-style television set, while Margarite and Calisto put their heads together by the couch. Family photographs lined the fireplace mantel, and homey throw pillows nestled in the corners of the couch and recliners. But like a bad dream, the familiar room didn’t comfort. The corners felt mean.

  “Loti, we need to make a plan.” Calisto’s hand rested on her shoulder. She stared at it, her brain on pause. “Without the coven . . . ” For the first time, he sounded unsure. Shadows of doubt darkened his eyes and his mouth curled down in a dismal way.

  “I can find him, but then what?” She wanted to believe in them, in herself. She wanted to trust, but life, her life had back handed her one too many times. She rubbed her face. Tired, so tired. “What options do we have? He’s going to expect me to turn myself over. We should play along with that. Then what?”

  “I don’t know,” Calisto mumbled.

  “What about the Washington friends you mentioned?”

  He shook his head. “At this point, I believe we are on our own.” He glanced around at the gaggle of healers, witches and vampires. “And we are not exactly the British SAS.”

  “I’m not as powerful as any member of Katie’s coven, but I’ve trained with them. I’ll be fire power,” Justin ventured.

  “We can act like we’re going along with Modore’s plan, and in the meantime, Justin, Marcus, and I can find a way into wherever they’re keeping Wolf.” Korinna interlaced her fingers with Justin’s. He smiled, he’s eyes brightening as they nodded at each other.

  “We’ll stay with you, Loti.” Guided cracked his knuckles. “We may not have the firepower, but we’ve got our tricks.” Ever the good-humor guy, he winked.

  Calisto clasped his hands together. “Tell me again, Fiamette, what you think his plan is?” He paced between Loti and the television set, staring at the textured carpet.

  “He wants to separate Wolf and Loti. That’s probably what he’s recruited Patrick for, to create a spell barrier that will prevent Loti from dying when he kills Wolf.” She stood alone in front of the window, holding an ivory vertical blind to the side with two fingers as she stared out at the rain.

  “At a more appropriate time, I expect you to explain how you know all this.” Calisto arched an eyebrow.

  Her eyes shifted to him and back to the window. After a moment, the slat swung back into place, tinking against its neighbors. She lowered her eyes, nodding. “I don’t think he understands that Wolf’s heart is now vulnerable.” She studied Loti. “He’ll probably time this with the sunrise.” Everyone glanced at the curved mantel clock over the fireplace. 3:00 a.m. How did it get so late? She didn’t want to sit there anymore. She wanted to get it done.

  Loti jumped off the couch.

  Rachel stood on the ice cream formation, clinging to the stalactite above it, her knees under water.

  “Help!” she screamed into the pitch black. Reaching out with her magic, she felt for the surface and ran up against the frustrating blankness. It was as if the rock was nullifying her magic. This area of the Appalachians had been a source of iron and lead during the revolution and the civil wars. As the first inches of cold water rose around her, she entertained the possibility that she was in real trouble.

  Nanny, can you hear me? She held very still, waiting and hoping, panic creeping in the utter blackness.

  Nothing.

  The water rose higher and higher toward her hips, the cold numbing her legs. It ran down the walls in a constant rushing sound that was Rachel’s entire world.

  “Somebody! Anybody!” she screamed.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~

  Katie and Richard jumped out of the Jeep Grand Cherokee into the pouring rain, followed by five more of their coven mates. Katie ran across the fire road through the headlight beams, sheets of rain reflected in the light. It had taken almost an hour to drive up the mountain, the jeep getting stuck and sliding in mud and gravel more than once. The youngest member of the coven, Daniel, a park ranger, insisted the rest of the coven ride with him in his truck full of equipment, including towing straps.

  “Around here, somewhere,” she yelled over the pounding rain. She stopped, closed her eyes and stretched out with her magic, feeling for Patrick’s signal and the blankness that would be the iron or lead deposits.

  “There.” She pointed into the woods, and they took off in the driving rain, stumbling through brambles and deep forest duff, tripping over rocks and fallen logs. She found Patrick’s marker and the surrounding dead zone. Daniel’s Ford pickup slid to a stop in the muddy road, the wheels spinning globs of the black stuff into the air. He turned off the engine and jumped out, all the doors of his extended cab flailing open as the rest of the coven joined him. Theresa peered into the woods, caught the bounce of Richard’s flashlight and yelled for the others.

  “Over there. They’re over there.” Daniel waved the rest of them on, following Theresa’s black shape into the woods. They caught up to Katie and Richard, who were standing still.

  “Can you feel her?” Richard asked.

  She shook her hooded head, but said nothing. She shivered in the rain, hands floating in front of her. She stepped a little ways to the right, reaching out her hand to Richard. He took it as she stretched her other hand out to Theresa, who stood catching her breath beside her. The coven linked up until all 11 members were beaded together, the last two completing the circle as everyone closed their eyes, rain pelting their hats and jackets. Turning their awareness to each other with practiced ease, their minds clicked together like a child’s pop beads.

  Focus on me, all of you.

  They directed all of their energy at Katie, and she poured it into the ground, searching for the blankness. There. Do you feel it? Silent affirmations in her head. She reached around the nothingness, looking for pinprick holes of buzz, where their energy could find purchase. Little by little, she weaved through the blankness along tiny corridors of presence, the places that were between the places that weren’t. A few times she ran into a dead end and had to backtrack, looking for another way. The maze was complex and delicate, but being a natural formation of mineral there was some mathematical sense to it. She began to twig the matrix like a savant understands how many toothpicks hit the floor. It came faster and all of sudden she broke through into a wide space and there was Rachel.

  Nanny

  How high is the water?

  To my chin

  Nanny soothed her granddaughter with the same practiced calm and gentleness she had used with her own children, already a master when little Rachel got her pant leg stuck in the chain of her bicycle.

  It’s okay, little dove. Calm down. Imagine you’re in the backyard at your folks in the pond, swimming with your brothers. Tread water, Rachel.

  Rachel did as her grandmother told her, picturing her brothers dunking each other. She turned her face up and the ceiling brushed her nose, sending panic through her.

  We’re going to get you out. Stay calm.

  Richard’s voice sounded in Katie’s and Rachel’s head. The way down is too intricate. We can’t move all the energy at one time like we need to, to transport her. We need several tunnels so we can move more packets of energy at once.

  Then we split into two groups. Daniel, take your half and form a new circle.

  It won’t be enough, Katie.

  What do you propose we do? Angry bees buzzed through their connection, all the members of the smaller group connected to Katie tensed. Silence.

  Alright, send me down there, and I can compensate from the inside.

  NO! Richards vehement response felt like needles in their temples.

  I have to.

  We may not be able to transport you both out, once you’re cut off from the rest of us. It’ll be safer—

  I don’t care about safer, Richard. I care about saving her life. I’ve already lived mine.

  There was stillness in the world of throbbing energy they now occupied, the pulsing light contracting a
round them. Lines of energy expanded up from the ground through their feet as lines of light flowed down from the sky through the crowns of their heads. Their shapes were drawn with light and the dark spaces between. Energy flowed between them and out their hearts, meeting in Katie.

  You’re our center, Katie.

  Well, I have to.

  And their collective mind made up, they focused all their energy on Katie. Her body buzzed with the influx, vibrating faster and faster until her very atoms disengaged, separating from the bonds that made up the iron in her blood, the sodium, the hydrogen, the oxygen, and breaking the molecular glue. Katie flashed out of physical existence in a sonic boom and disappeared down the rabbit hole.

  She popped up under water, floundering in the liquid blackness until she gathered her wits to look with her magic. And there was Rachel, floating, eyes closed, a few air bubbles escaping her nose as her arms drifted up. Her hair splayed around her like a true fae. Katie grabbed ahold of her granddaughter and found the two streams of energy bursting into the water. Mentally grasping them like the lifelines they were, she drove her energy up both at the same time. Her teeth vibrated down to their roots, the marrow in her bones churning from transporting again so soon. She thought she would pass out from the pain, but the two of them winked out on the physical plain and exploded down the metaphysical leads. They flared into existence on the surface, each in the middle of one of the circles, Katie gasping for breath, her lungs aching. Katie struggled to her feet with the help of Richard and Theresa; the others gathered around her.

  “Get out of the way,” she barked and shoved them away. Katie fell to the ground next to Rachel. Daniel hovered over her, his ear to her mouth.

  “She shouldn’t have water in her lungs,” Katie put her hand on Rachel’s still chest. “The teleporting should have left it behind.”

  Daniel tilted her head back, held her nose, and breathed into her mouth. He paused and did it again. He turned his ear to her mouth, watching her chest. Nothing.

  “Does she have a heartbeat?” Katie felt for a pulse in her neck.

  Daniel nodded and gave her mouth to mouth again. This time she coughed, and he rolled her onto her side as she dry heaved, her eyelids flickering.

  “Nanny?” she choked in a little girl voice.

  Katie gathered her in her arms, sobbing with earnest now, sobbing like she would never stop.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~

  Rain drops slid across the side window, as Loti pressed her forehead against the cool glass. A white hot stab of pain in her chest threw her head up, and she screamed, clutching her chest.

  “Breathe.” Calisto squeezed her hand. He was smashed between Hammer, who was driving, and Loti in the front seat. Professor, Guided, and Margarite sat in the back seat, while Fiamette and the rest of the nest followed in their van.

  “Turn right here,” she gasped between the streaks of pain. “It’s right up there.” She fluttered her hand at the dark windshield. Dirty garage doors flashed in the headlight beams. The darkness was lifting.

  “Oh, my god, Calisto, the sun’s coming up soon.” Pricking warmth ran up the back of her neck.

  “Yes. He timed this well.” Calisto set his mouth in a grim line.

  The pain never quite left, and Loti wondered if Wolf wasn’t healing the way he should. Maybe he needed more blood? Her fingers fumbled with the red button to release the seatbelt. She grabbed the door handle, shoving and leaping out before the SUV came to a complete stop. Calisto was right beside her.

  “The others will be looking for a way in. Stall him, if you can, and give them some time. You have to block your mind from him; don’t let him read the thoughts you don’t want him to know.” She nodded, breathless with pain and fear.

  Loti. You came, and I did not have to send a formal invitation.

  Stop hurting him. I’m here.

  Of course, my dear. Would you please come in?

  A gray metal door marked “Private Entrance” seemed to be the only entrance, besides the garage doors. She dropped Calisto’s hand and staggered toward the door.

  She could function better if you took this silver off me.

  All in good time.

  The door handle clicked down, and she swung the heavy metal door open, stepping into almost complete blackness.

  “Where do I go?” she called, her voice warped as it bounced off the sheet metal. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, a gray van came into focus. She walked toward it.

  “This way,” a gruff voice called out as a bright light cut through the darkness. A door stood open on the far side of the warehouse, a black figure holding the knob. She squinted at him, the Vibram soles of her hiking boots making almost no sound on the concrete floor as she crossed the wide space. Several motorcycles and two more vans were parked deeper into the cavernous space, but she kept her eyes on the light.

  Wolf?

  Why did you come?

  She paused as his anger clenched her jaw. I told you I would come for you.

  You’ve condemned us both.

  But—

  But nothing. I told you to stay away.

  She caught her breath at the rage. Banging and yelling came from the other side of the door. The dark figure looked back into the light then leaped out of sight, the door slamming closed. Loti stood in darkness again. She didn’t move.

  And you’ve put our friends in danger.

  Now it was Loti’s turn to be angry. They came of their own free will.

  But they’re doing it for you, don’t you get it? I’m not important. You are.

  Bangs, grunts, and yells. Camille screeched, “Marcus.” Then all was quiet, and the door opened again.

  “This way,” he said.

  “No. Let them go. They were trying to help me. I’ll leave.” She sprinted for the door she came in through. Calisto and Guided leaped through the doorway and dived right and left, slamming into two forms. There was a wrenching sound, a wet tearing and a plop. Calisto appeared beside her, grabbed her and flew out the door.

  This is so unnecessary.

  Are you Modore?

  Yes, I am.

  Let them go.

  Calisto flew at what felt like rocket speed, making Loti’s head warble. Her ears popped painfully as he sped higher.

  As you wish. You know, they were the ones who attacked my people.

  I don’t care. Let them go.

  As you wish.

  “Stop, Calisto. He’s letting them go.” Calisto stopped mid-air, floating. They were above the heavy, gray clouds and brilliant stars splattered across the firmament as far as she could see. Shivering, she made herself look into Calisto’s face.

  “Calisto, take me back and get everyone to safety.”

  He ran his hand down her check and held her chin in his hand. “For the first time in a long while I am having a hard time trusting the universe, Loti.”

  She laid her palm to his cheek.

  He closed his eyes, turning his face into her hand. “You are the light I’ve been searching for, Wolf’s been searching for. How could the universe bring you to us and then take you away?” A black tear ran down the side of her hand.

  “I don’t know. You, the Travelers, Wolf, Margarite, even Fiamette have brought me to life again, and I don’t know what to do.” Tears slipped down her face.

  “But the sun will be up soon, and we have to trust, don’t we?” Calisto whispered.

  They stared at each other, Calisto memorizing the exact shade of her eyes, the curve of her mouth, and the way her nose tilted. She gathered his bloody tears with her fingers, brought them to her mouth and licked them away. He dropped his head. Snapping his head up, he zipped through the sky like a dark superhero. Only instead of rescuing the damsel, he was delivering her into the hands of evil.

  He didn’t put her down when he landed in front of the warehouse. He held her in his arms like a groom waiting to carry his bride across the threshold. Marcus, Camille, Justin, and Korinna emerged through the doorway, Camill
e leaning on Marcus, holding her head with blood stains on her ripped down jacket. She looked at Loti with desperate, sorrowful eyes. Once they were far enough away from the building, Calisto stalked forward, and Korinna touched Loti’s hair as they passed. He carried her through the dark warehouse to the other door. When they got close, it opened spilling bright white light over them. Setting her on her feet, he held her face between his hands and kissed her lips. His eyes closed, he walked away at a human-slow pace.

  When the entrance door closed, Loti turned to the man—thing—holding it open. Not human radiated off him, and she felt rather than thought—shapeshifter. A real one—not a werewolf or some other lycanthrope. This one could change into anything. She brushed passed him into the brightly lit hallway.

  “This way.” He shoved her down the corridor. With each step down the long hallway, the cement floor felt harder, the lights seemed starker and her body grew more rigid. Their footsteps clanged down the metal stairs. They wandered a maze of hallways, stairs, and doors until she felt utterly and completely lost. Anticipation prickled under her skin, mixing with the stinging nettles of Wolf’s oncoming daysleep. Her escort opened a door to an almost empty room. Patrick Lynch stood with his hands clasped in front of him, head bowed. A ring of lit, pillar candles guarded a chalked pentagram.

  “I want to see Wolf,” she stated flatly.

  He looked up with helpless eyes. “That’s not up to me.” His voice was empty.

  She cocked her head, as if listening. “He’s here, on this floor,” her voice clipped.

  I will let you see him one last time, but you cannot touch. We both know that is not a good idea. Modore’s thought slithered through her mind and she suddenly understood he had been there before—in the shower, on the mountain.

  Of course. Her thought was heavy with malice.

  “Come with me,” the jean-clad shapeshifter said.

  She followed him to another door at the end of the hall. When he opened it, there was Wolf, slumped over in a wooden chair that made her think of an old fashioned electrocution chair. She started to run to him. A too thin figure blocked her way, his waxy white face smiling down on her with strange eyes, like whoever was behind them wasn’t all there.