Healed (7 page)

“Fine. Fuck. Fine.” I resisted the urge to
jump up and down clapping. We moved toward the Banshee. I explained
that Ami was willing to help and she needed to remain calm. We
moved into our positions after laying her down in the grass.

“On the count of three. One…two…” The
Banshee screamed into my ear causing me to flinch away, I looked
down at Ami who just shrugged her shoulders. I moved to heal the
wound as quickly as I could. Repairing the bone was difficult work
but I managed to make it whole once again. I couldn’t stand on my
own though and fell back onto my butt. Ami came around lifting me
to my feet and supporting me. The Banshee stood tall as soon as I
was up as well. She looked much more graceful than before. She
turned her broken tooth smile toward us.

“Sweet darlings, how will I ever repay you?”
She eyed Ami, who had tensed when the Banshee stood.

“Nothing.” I answered.

“Nothing?” The Banshee looked like she was
raising an eyebrow but she didn’t have any hair on her face so I
couldn’t be sure. Her entire head was just patches of stringy hair
that was either a gray color or deep brown like her skin tone.

“No. Thank you.” Ami started to turn with
me. I was starting to fade from healing the Banshee. It had zapped
me of energy faster than normal because of the rabbit I had saved
before.

“Don’t fall asleep on me, Val.” Ami
whispered. I could tell she was still on guard with the Banshee who
was standing stock-still in her original position. Ami tried to
push me to move faster.

“Sleep sounds nice.” I whispered. My eyelids
were becoming heavy.

“How’s my foot up your ass sound? Probably
not as nice.” I laughed a little at Ami.

“Girls, I will offer to free you from the
curse binding your car here.” the Banshee called out from behind
us. Ami snorted.

“It’s not a curse, it’s called an old
goddamn car.”

“Yes, that is one reason. Another is that
this place traps paranormals for a time. Usually by now you would
be off to my master but since I am not making a move toward him, he
will come for you. You will not make it out of here.” I looked up
at Ami.

“She isn’t lying.”

“How do you know?” Ami watched me from the
corner of her eye. I wasn’t sure how to explain what I felt when I
was healing the Banshee, but I trusted my instincts, and I trusted
the emotions I felt from the Banshee. She wasn’t evil at her core,
she was forced to do these things. Tortured into doing them.

“Please, just trust me.”

“Fine. Free us from the fucking curse.” Ami
made curse sound more like a joke and I wish she would take it a
little more serious. I wondered briefly though why Ami couldn’t
sense any magic in the air.

“Farewell, Valentine and Amani.” We both
turned but the Banshee was gone. Getting me into the car was easy
enough, I couldn’t wait to cuddle up to the heaters and take
another long nap. I was so tired. The last thing I heard was the
car starting and Ami’s music.

Chapter 9 –
Elijah

As I rode the motorbike I had acquired on
the interstate, I knew that with the heavy rains I should have
slowed down. I did not slow my pace though. Other cars had pulled
off to the side of the road waiting for the rains to subside. I did
not have the time or the need to. While moving into the next state,
her aura changed. I wasn’t sure how I was still feeling it. I knew
her aura shouldn’t be that powerful. Yet my little light, I could
feel her, a bright seductress who was leading me right to her. She
was using her strange powers again. I could feel it. I sped on,
waiting to see the evidence of her foolish mistake.

Valentine’s imprint was shining so bright
from a side road, that I could detect it the moment I entered the
city. I knew they would not be taking the interstate, even though
it would be the faster and more efficient route. I knew the
direction they were headed, but the decision to take back roads had
been very genius on their part; someone lesser skilled than I might
have fallen for it. I briefly considered taking the back roads to
see if I could catch up with them versus trying to cut them off.
The unfortunate part of this plan was one could easily get lost on
back roads. I had no doubts that I would be able to follow her
aura, but it seemed to dim slightly when she healed as if it
separated from her and remained with the one that was healed. I did
not understand it. It was as if her energy multiplied, expanded,
and grew stronger when transferred. A mystery I would happily
solve, as soon as I had her again.

Maneuvering in the light sprinkling rain was
no challenge. I had considered ditching the motorbike that I had
stolen for a vehicle with a cab. I would have to eventually when I
caught Valentine, but for now this was faster.

The aura that was left over was
significantly less than the one I had found in the forest but still
large enough that I could follow it. Stopping at the edge of a
ringed perimeter of an Imp. Imps were offspring of Succubus and
Wizards or Warlocks. They were hideous creatures whose skin was
dirty brown with decay and they had to feed off souls. They also
were incredibly powerful with magic, but weak otherwise.

I did not think defeating the creature would
be difficult; after all they were the offspring of Succubus who
tricked foolish lonely Wizards. I had no doubt that a Warlock, the
more powerful out of Wizards, would have just as easily killed the
Succubus for trying to mate with them. An Imp’s magic held no power
over me. I pushed through the ring of magic and continued on. There
was a trace of her magic going along the road. I followed it.

Further down the road, I found what I was
looking for. She was hunched over, a light glamour was coating her
skin, but I saw through it. I saw through all glamour. Her head was
practically bald with light strings of grey hair. I knew that her
face and skin would be patchy with open, gaping wounds. None of
this mattered to me. What mattered was that her normal aura, which
should have been a mix of grey, off-white puss color, was now
tinted a bright silver, shining at the edges with rainbows. It was
Valentine’s. I moved up toward the Banshee. She turned her decaying
eyes toward me and snarled. I smiled right back, displaying my
teeth.

Banshees were the scum of the demon
offspring and I did not care for them in the least. I was tolerant
of their kind when need be. I tolerated many paranormals. I moved
up to her, the creature tried to run but her body was frail. Even
having Valentine’s energy couldn’t erase the years of abuse her
body seemed to have taken. I had seen well-fed Banshees before,
they could be very beautiful creatures. This Banshee, I was
guessing, had herself trapped by the Imp. Not that surprising, as
Imps used Banshees for their personal slaves.

I willed my body in front of hers, no longer
enjoying the fear that poured off her body in waves. I absorbed it,
allowing it to feed my body only because I needed all the strength
I could get. That Djinn was proving more difficult to deal with
than I thought. Valentine would have been
mine
by now if it
wasn’t for her violet haired friend.

My frustration leaked out; the muscles in my
arm tightened and my hand squeezed the Banshee’s throat. Her eyes
bulged slightly; terror was now sliding off of her and into me. It
was the closest thing to ecstasy that I could taste. I smiled, my
tongue flickering to taste the sweet aura. I had to rein in my
frenzied state and focus.

The Banshee was barely breathing now. I
loosened my grip slightly and stared into her eyes.

“Tell me where they were headed.”

The Banshee looked away from me. I could see
that she was weighing her options. I did not know what Valentine
had done for her, but she must have healed her at one point.
Valentine’s aura would not have lingered on the beast if she
hadn’t.

“If you do not answer, I will find out
myself.” At my warning, the Banshee’s eyes grew even wider. Wraiths
were known for our mind invasion, any other powers we expel are
only done in front of those who will die. Not many had faced a
Wraith and lived.

“They were heading north. New York, I
believe.” Even though I knew the words she spoke were true, I
invaded her mind. So easily she betrayed the girl who saved her. I
was not as kind about it as I was with Audrey. I smashed through
her shields, they were not even strong. I took over the space,
pushing her roughly into the smallest corner of her mind. I could
hear the seducing scream that caressed against my skin. I pulled my
mind away from the pleasure. I searched her memory, throwing away
memories I did not care for. I went through years of her pain. Pain
that was drawing me in, it had been so long since I had allowed
myself to simmer in the pleasure of another’s pain. I grabbed a
hold of my resistance and moved onto the memories of the woman I
wanted.

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