04 Shadow Blood - Witch Fairy (6 page)

I start to walk through the gateway, but Adriel touches my arm and I stop.  “I cannot follow you back to the Fairy realm.  Once I leave this realm, my form will be blinding to all but you.”

Crap, I forgot about that.  “Thank you, Adriel.  I know you were freaked out about this whole thing, but I really appreciate you helping me find my family.”

She nods once.  “I am also glad the journey went well.”  She still has a weird expression on her face.  But, I’m too happy to care.  I turn to go but she grabs my arm again.  “If you find yourself in need of assistance that only I can offer, please don’t hesitate to call me.  Your wings will teach you how.”  How sweet.  Maybe I’ve made another Angel friend.

“Thanks, I will.”  Turning to the lightness that has helped us so much, I touch the wall where it is.  “And thank you.  We might not have saved them if it wasn’t for you.”

“You are welcome,” it says and a shudder passes through me as it lets me feel its goodness.  Another pang of guilt touches my heart at the thought of the lightness staying here for eternity.

Turning, I step through the gateway and Adriel shuts it firmly behind me.

Chapter 6

The relief on Kallen’s face as we walk through the gateway is tangible.  He immediately wraps his arms around me and pulls me to him, even though Zac’s spirit is still clinging to me.  After a quick hug, Kallen stands back and takes my face between his hands.  “Are you okay?  Have you been injured?  Are your aunt and brother well?”  He’s hurling questions at me a mile a minute which is so unlike him.

“We’re fine.”  I touch his cheek.  “I’m sorry I worried you.  All we need to do now is get them back to their bodies.”

He turns to Aunt Barb and Zac.  “Can you feel the presence of your bodies?  Are you able to return to them on your own?”

“Um, Kallen,” I say, bringing his attention back to me.  “We’re inside of five circles.  I bet they can’t feel much of anything.”

Color floods his cheeks.  “Of course, I forgot.”

Wow, it’s not often he’s flustered.  “Were you really that worried?  I’ve only been gone for about an hour.”

His brows slam together.  “An hour?  Xandra, you’ve been gone for a day and a half.”

No way.  That’s not possible.  Right?  Then again, time does move differently in the different realms.  That means the five of them have held their circles up for a day and a half?  “A day and a half?  Really?”

“Yes.  And it has been the longest day and a half of my life.”

It hits me that this is the first time Kallen and I have been apart for longer than a few hours, let alone a full day and a half, since we met.  I’d be going crazy, too.  “You’ve all been waiting here that long?”

He chuckles.  “Of course.  Did you think we would say, ‘It has been too long, we should just leave her there and go for dinner.’”

Okay, put that way, it does sound stupid.  I would’ve waited a lot longer than a day and a half for him.  I smile.  “No, I don’t think you’d do that.”

Pulling me in his arms again, he plants a kiss on my lips.  “Forever.  I would wait for you forever.”

Aw, that’s so sweet!  Too bad we don’t have enough privacy for me to show him how sweet.  Stepping back, I say, “We should get them to their bodies.”

The passion in his eyes is quickly replaced with disappointment and then acceptance.  “Later,” he says.  I think it’s more of a threat than a promise.  That makes shivers run up and down my spine.  It’s my eyes filled with disappointment now.  And impatience.

Stepping to the edge of his circle, Kallen runs his hand through it to bring it down.  A relieved Isla is standing there.  “Finally,” she says.  “Everything went well?”

I nod.  “Yes.”

She doesn’t hesitate as she walks to her circle and does the same thing Kallen did to bring his down.  The procedure is repeated by Dagda, Tabitha, and Kegan.  Now, it’s time to reunite spirit to body.

Aunt Barb and Zac follow us up to the third floor, and I’ve never seen two happier spirits than when the door to the room we left their bodies in opens.  Mom and Dad rush to us and engulf both sister and son.  It takes me by surprise that their hugs seem real.  I’ve often wondered if Mom and Dad felt solid to each other.  I guess I have my answer.

After a couple of minutes, I say, “Um, Mom, we should probably…”

She reluctantly lets go of Zac and nods her head.  “Of course.”  The anguish in her eyes is blatant.  This is the first time she’s been able to hug her son in three years.  I feel awful bringing it to an end.  If I knew how long it would be safe to leave Zac and Aunt Barb’s spirits out of their body, I would have given them more time.

The four spirits float to the bed and two of them lay down.  As soon as they are close enough, they are sucked back into their bodies.  In the same instance, their eyes pop open.  Both faces immediately sport wide grins.

“We’re back,” Aunt Barb says.  She stretches her arms wide.  “I never thought it would happen.”  Looking around, she says, “Where are we?”

“You’re in the Fae realm,” Dad tells her.  “We brought your bodies here so if the Shadows tried to follow you out, they wouldn’t be set loose on the human world.”

Aunt Barb nods.  “Good thinking.  Very smart of you.”

Dad gives her a funny look.  “Thanks.  Um, I’m guessing you two need a little time to rest after your ordeal.”

He doesn’t get to continue.  “No, I’m fine,” Aunt Barb says waving her hand at the idea.  “Just need to get used to being in this body again.  I think I’ll manage that best if I’m up and walking about.  Perhaps I could get a tour of this lovely house and realm?”  She looks at me when she says this.

I shrug.  “Sure, I guess.  If you’re not too tired.”

“Perhaps it would be best to start with just the house for now,” Dad says.  “We don’t want her to overdo it.”

“What a worrywart.”  Aunt Barb grins at me and stands up.  She stumbles with her first step but is able to right herself before she falls.  “I guess I do have to get my sea legs back again,” she laughs.

Sea legs?  That’s a phrase I’ve never heard her use before.  Probably because we live in the mountains, not by the sea.  “Are you sure you don’t want to wait a few minutes?”

She stands up straighter.  “I’m fine, really.”

Okay, if she says so.  She looks a little pale to me.  “Follow me.  I’ll introduce you to everyone after I show you around.”

“Can I come?” Zac asks.

Mom gives him a stern look.  “No.  You’re going to rest.”

His lip goes out in a pout.  “How come Aunt Barb doesn’t have to rest?”

“Because I’m not
her
mother.”  He’s a smart enough boy not to push it.  He just crosses his arms over his chest and throws himself back on the pillow.  I try hard to suppress a grin.  Pouty or not, I’m so happy to have him back that he could hit me with a stick and I’d still just stand here smiling at him. Well, maybe not a stick.  I’d probably let a pillow go, though.

“Ready?” Aunt Barb says in an overly cheerful voice. 

I spend the next twenty minutes showing her around Isla and Kallen’s house, including the guest room where she’ll be sleeping tonight.  We’re not going back to our realm until tomorrow at the earliest.  After showing her the front terrace and the beach, we head for the kitchen where I’m sure we’ll find the others.

And I was right.  “Everyone, this is my Aunt Barb.  Aunt Barb, this is Isla, Kallen’s grandmother, Tabitha and Kegan.  You already know Kallen.”

“Hello!” a voice calls from the terrace out front. 

It’s Alita.  “Come on in!  We’re in the kitchen.”  Turning towards Aunt Barb again, I say, “That’s Alita.  She’s a good friend of mine.”

Alita pokes her head into the doorway.  “You are smiling, so I assume all went well?” she asks.

I grin.  “Yup.  Alita, this is my Aunt Barb.”

“Nice to meet you,” she says as she comes farther into the kitchen.  She walks to the counter to grab a stool but she stumbles and suddenly looks like she’s going to faint.

Her face full of concern as she rises from her own stool, Tabitha asks, “Alita, are you well?”

Putting her hand to her head, Alita says, “I am fine.  I seem to have quite the headache coming on, though.”

“Kegan, help Alita upstairs so she can rest.  I do not want her walking home if she is ill.”

Alita nods her consent and steps back towards the door.  “Thank…aaah!”  Both of her hands fly to her head now and she drops to her knees.

Tabitha and Isla both look worried as they move quickly towards her.  “What is it child?”

“My head,” she says between a clenched jaw.  “I’ve never felt a pain like this.”

Kegan is by her side now and he scoops her up into his arms.  I hate that she’s in pain, but once whatever this is passes, she’s going to be in heaven that Kegan did that.  Her crush on him is barely a secret.  He likes her as well, but he has some family prejudices over blood issues that keep him from acting on it.

“I’ll go with them,” Tabitha says to Isla as she starts to follow.  She stops and gives Tabitha an appreciative nod.

“Should I come?” I ask.

Tabitha shakes her head.  “It is probably just a migraine.  If it is any more serious than that, I will call for you.”

“Perhaps I should lie down as well,” Aunt Barb says.  “I’m also starting to feel a headache coming on.”

“Do you need help finding your way back to your room?”  The house is pretty big.

She shakes her head.  “No, I will find my way back.”  Her speech is more formal than usual.  I’m wondering if she’s trying to impress the Fairies by not using contractions like I do. 

“You look quite tired yourself,” Isla says.  “Perhaps you should rest until dinner.”  Turning to Kallen, she says, “Peacefully.”

My face reddens at the implication of that word but Kallen’s trying to hide a smile.  “Of course,” he says.  Isla narrows her eyes in his direction, but she doesn’t say anything else.

Grabbing my hand, Kallen practically drags me from the kitchen and up the two flights of stairs leading to my room.  Closing the door after us, he turns the lock and doesn’t waste a second pulling me into his arms.  I moan deep in my throat as he explores my mouth.  His hands are busy exploring my body.  “Do not make me worry like that again,” he says against my lips as we both try to replenish our oxygen supply.

I smile up at him.  “I’ll try, but I can’t make guarantees.”  With a growl, he swoops me up and drops me on the bed as I laugh.

Kneeling over me, he says, “Then I guess I will have to make it difficult for you to be away from me.”  He dips his lips to mine in a long passionate kiss.  I try to pull him down on top of me, but he won’t budge.  I moan in frustration and break the kiss.  “You’re being mean.”

He chuckles.  “I am kissing you; quite thoroughly, I thought.  That does not seem mean to me,” he teases.

I glare at him.  “Very funny.”

Quicker than it takes me to squeal, he lies on his back and pulls me on top of him.  “Is this better?”

I can’t help the grin on my face.  “Much.”  It’s my turn to dip my lips to his and I like to think that I kiss him even more thoroughly.

A wave of dizziness hits me after a few minutes and I break the kiss.  Rolling to the side, I put a hand to my head.  “Are you alright?” Kallen asks.

I nod but that makes the dizziness worse.  “I’m just really dizzy all of a sudden.  Maybe I do need a nap.”