Amaranthine (Willow Shadows Book 1) (17 page)

CHAPTER 17

U
nconsciousness was creeping in as Fala gulped hungrily from Khalida’s body. She was fierce with need, showing no sign of stopping until Khalida’s body lay lifeless underneath the weight of her body. Khalida tried to speak but found no words; her eyes became heavy as she succumbed to this creature taking everything she had unwillingly to give.

What am I doing? Get off your ass and fight back
!

Khalida’s mind raced, grasping at anything to help her get away from this rogue vampire that was slurping and suckling her neck. Forcing her hands around Fala’s neck, she released the rage that flowed through her body. Fala jerked up, tearing the skin of Khalida’s neck leaving blood oozing down. Fala looked at Khalida with fear and was left with a state of shock in her cold black eyes. The edges of Fala’s mouth curved up in a savage grin.

“Your powers are coming to you as a defense. I don’t want to wait and see what else you will be able to do. You’re mine,” Fala’s voice was harsh as she tried to wipe the blood that ran down Khalida’s chin, staining her pale, alabaster skin.

Finally, a scream escaped from Khalida from somewhere deep inside, only to be cut off by an earth shattering, bone cracking eruption that echoed through the air. Fala threw her head back, arching and releasing short gasps of air. Looking down on Khalida with her grim soulless eyes, she could see the blood dripping from her neck and Luke standing over her, pushing Fala to the side as he knelt down beside Khalida. Violence engulfed him and his eyes were dark as night. Cutting his wrist with his teeth he placed it to Khalida’s mouth, making her take from him. The warm liquid flowed smoothly down her throat. Khalida could feel herself drifting out of consciousness; she heard Luke’s soothing voice whispering in her ear.

“Close your eyes, Baby, I’m here now, and nothing is going to happen to you,” Luke said as he placed his free hand under Khalida’s neck, pulling her closer to his chest.

Drifting into a different realm, she could hear screams off in the distance, but she couldn’t open her eyes to see what was going on. She could feel Luke’s gentle lips on her forehead before he softly placed her back on the ground.

“I will be right back, Baby, I promise,” Luke said.

Khalida could hear his heavy footsteps as he left but she couldn’t muster the energy to open her eyes. She let her body give into her brain and drifted to sleep, ignoring the booming pain engulfing her body.

Khalida stood looking around in front of her of what use to be her home. She could see the fighting that was still going down. Her heart pounded against her chest as she saw Josephine lying lifeless on the ground and Luke and Crevan standing over her, protecting her against Braedon and three other members of the Ubil are inching forward with grim intentions in every move. Khalida struggling to stand, took a step forward but tripped, falling forward and hitting the ground. She looked back in horror to discover that it was her body that she fell over.

Am I dead?

She tried to touch her body but could feel nothing as her hands reached for one of her arms.

“Khalida?” her head snapped as she heard the familiar voice; she was now face to face with the only person that could have softness to her voice in a time like this, Khalida’s mother. Tears filled her eyes as she walked towards her. Her eyes glowed of love as she gently reached her arm out to touch Khalida.

“Am I dead, too?” Khalida asked as a sob escaped and her lips began to quiver.

“No, honey, you’re not dead. I called for you. I can’t leave without telling you,” she said as she placed her arms around her daughter.

Khalida grabbed her, throwing her head to her chest and holding her mother as tightly as she could, reluctant to let her go.

“You can’t leave me. Please don’t go,” Khalida wept, burying her face further into her mother, clinging tightly and digging her hands into her mother’s back.

“Listen to me, Khalida, I don’t have much time, and there is something I must tell you. It is important, do you understand me?” she sighed, placing her hand on the back of Khalida’s head.

“This isn’t easy, Khal. I maybe your mother, however, I am not your blood mother,” she moved her hands to the side of her face, cupping her cheeks with each hand as she placed her forehead on Khalida’s.

“I don’t understand,” Khalida could no longer hold her cries as streaks of tears fell from her eyes.

“Your birthmother was my sister, Ann Marie. When she saw your mark, she took you and your siblings underground to try and protect you from Braedon. You see, honey, Braedon and Ann Marie were mates. By the time she found out she was pregnant, he had already started to turn towards the dark powers and blood lust. The day you were born, we saw the mark on your wrist, and your mother knew she had to get you away from Braedon. She took you and your sister and tried to keep you safe from him. After Ann Marie went underground, Braedon formed the Ubil coven, a group of rogues with two missions to accomplish, find you and take out Josephine so they could throw off the balance of good and evil. If they ever succeed, evil will prevail. When they found out where she was hiding you, she waited until they were just outside the house and burned it down, making them think you were inside, hoping they would never know you weren’t actually in the house. I along with my brother was under the house, hiding you as Braedon murdered my sister,” sadness poured from her voice as she relived that horrid night and the murder of her sister. “I’m sorry I lied to you all these years, but I made a promise to Ann Marie that I would protect you and love you as my own. Please forgive me?” she trembled as tears began to run down her face.

“I love you, Mom, there is nothing to forgive,” Khalida wiped the tears from her eyes, “I had two women in my life that gave their lives to protect me.”

“You had a sibling, Khalida.”

She looked up at her, confusion storming her mind; what would this knowledge change?

“What happened to them?” I stammered.

“I don’t know what happened to her. My sister made me promise to separate you two so that if Braedon did find us, she wouldn’t be killed in the process. We found a young couple that couldn’t have children of their own and made them promise not to ever tell her she was adopted. Ann Marie knew your life would never be ordinary, but she wanted your sister to have the chance to live a normal life.”

Khalida stood there, listening to every word Fatin spoke as she finished her story. Her heart broke for all the pain her family had been through, all because she was marked.

“This isn’t your fault, Khalida. Your mark is a gift. Never think that way. I don’t want the sacrifice Ann Marie and I made to make you hate yourself. Our sacrifices were made out of love, nothing less, nothing more. We both loved you more than our own lives. My time is running out, Khalida. You have to get back inside yourself, kiddo. I love you,” she spoke softly.

Khalida clung tightly to her until she faded away with her arms still wrapped around her.

“I love you, Mom,” she whispered into the air.

Staring across the way, Khalida noticed the fighting had stopped. Looking around, she saw Luke, Razi, Vega, Josephine and the others standing around her body. Luke was straddling her, kneeling down with his cheek next to hers whispering, “Come back to me, Khalida. Come back to me,” over and over. She glanced around, looking at those that stood around her body. Each of them had cuts and bruises, signs of the battle that had just taken place just minutes before. She glanced back at the war zone in hopes of seeing Braedon’s bloody body dead or dying, but there was no sign of him. Fala and a few other members of the Ubil Coven bodies’ were left behind which Razi had already piled them together and set on fire.

Khalida watched as Luke picked up her body and carried it to the black SUV that was parked close by. Then she watched Josephine’s guards carefully pick up her mother’s body, gently placing her in the back of a different SUV. Khalida followed Josephine into the back seat where she sat with her mother, supporting her mother’s head in her lap; gently holding onto her while tears fell from her eyes. Josephine was shaking uncontrollably as she wept for the woman she considered her best friend.

You must go to your body. If you wait too long your soul could become lost. Go Khalida, please.

But, Mom, I don’t want to go. I want to stay with you
.

Her mother’s voice softly flowed through the air swirling around her. Ignoring her pleas, Khalida focused her eyes out the window, watching the night as they drove back to the house. Pulling into the driveway, she waited for everyone to get out of the vehicle, watching as they made their way into the house. Listening to what they were saying, she overheard Vega talking to Razi.

“She couldn’t take the pain of losing her mother. Her soul is refusing to go back to her body,” she sniffled, trying to hold back her cries.

“What happens if her soul doesn’t return?” Vega asked Razi as he cleared his throat.

“A body without a soul can’t live forever, Vega. She can only be away from it for a short while before she will become lost and unable to return,” Razi spoke somberly.

Khalida stood there in shock at the words that just came from friends. She could either go back in her body and deal with her life or stay die, but she just wasn’t ready to face the reality of her world, not yet.

I’m not as strong as they think I am. I don’t want to face what is waiting for me.

Go now, Khalida. Go. Luke needs you.

You can’t use Luke to make me do what you want me to do. That’s not fair.

Whatever works…promise me you will go. Now.

Khalida knew at that moment she had lost. She couldn’t leave Luke. Not like this.

I love you, Mom.

I love you. I always have. I will always be near you.

There was nothing but silence and the swishing of leaves blowing outside of the SUV. Khalida’s spirit form walked through the house to Luke who was sitting in a chair beside the bed, holding her hand to his mouth. As she came closer, it looked like he had been crying, worry marking his face. His chiseled jaw was set firm as if he was holding back his emotions, determined to hold back tears but unable to prevent the moisture that formed in his eyes. It was too much for her to bear. She couldn’t face a world without her mother, but she couldn’t face an eternity without him. She lowered herself into her body, letting her soul slide back into the place it was supposed to be.

CHAPTER 18

Luke

H
e sat there looking at Khalida, holding her hand, waiting for her to come back to him. The events of the night replayed, racing images flashed through his mind and anger flared through his bones. They had done well in taking apart the Ubil’s, picking off the members one by one except for Braedon, the one he wanted. Luke was angry with himself for allowing the coven’s leader to escape and letting Fala almost take Khalida’s life. He was so distracted with protecting his mother during the fighting that he had barely made it to Khalida in time to save her.

Doubt surrounded his mind for the first time in his life. Would he be able to protect the ones that he loved? This feeling was new to him; his usually confident demeanor was cracking at the seams. Too much was on the line, and the weight of the world was held heavily on his shoulders. Khalida’s birthday was just days away, and Braedon was still out there. Luke couldn’t shake the feeling that danger didn’t just lie with the Ubil’s, anymore. There seemed to be a darker, more sinister force lurking in the shadows for the perfect moment to claim the powers Khalida had yet to gain.

He had to get his mind in the right place, focusing on what was before him and who mattered most. He couldn’t allow these thoughts of self-doubt to overcome him. He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her, even if it cost him his life.

He felt her come to life the moment she came back to him, and relief surged through his body. His bond to this female was strong, stronger than anything he had ever known. With his blood running through her veins, the bond was the strongest it had ever been. She was his. Fierce protectiveness circulated in his blood as he stared at the angel lying before him. He knew she would wake when her body was ready. She was healing fast but not fast enough for him. He wanted her to open her electrifying green eyes. He longed to hold her close but fear of hurting her stopped him from scooping her into his arms, so he sat beside her, waiting.

Why didn’t she tell me about the meeting?

Thoughts once again entered his mind. He was pissed that she hid the meeting from him, from everyone.

Why would she do such a stupid thing? Maybe she isn’t ready for me, yet. Maybe I was wrong? If she trusted me she would have told me.

His eyes narrowed in on her heaving chest. He knew she loved him. He could feel it in their touch, see it in her eyes, and hear it in her heart. The fact that she blocked her mind from him and went to such great lengths to keep it a secret only angered him further.

Maybe I should back away and give her space until she can sort everything out for herself?

Luke’s heart skipped a beat and pain seared across his chest, causing him to place his hand over his heart.

How can I let this female go?

The truth hit harder than he expected. He knew he loved her with every thought, every breath, but he also knew in the end he could lose her and those thoughts kept him grounded. In his mind, he would protect her with his life and do whatever he had to in order to keep her safe, but he knew now that no matter what, he wouldn’t ever be able to give her up as she had requested weeks ago. He would never be able to follow through with it as he once thought; he would not be able to take her life if the Ubil’s captured her. He simply would not ever be able to let her go.

Khalida was always his heart, but based on the rippling pain that scored across his heart, she was his soul.