Crimson Dahlia (16 page)

Alex
waited patiently in their bedroom for Ellie to return. He couldn’t shake the
feeling that something was off with her, and it had been bugging him since the
fight with Maddox and Corin. Something about the way she’d hesitated when he'd
asked if she was all right. She hadn’t said anything since then or made any
other indication the rest of the day. But he knew his wife, possibly better
than she knew herself. And something was wrong.

And
right now she was doing something that Alex didn’t envy at all.

After
the fight they’d situated Lila and Ramsey in a new place. Then they'd returned
to the castle.

“I’ll
need Ellie and Griffin to help me inform the High Council,” Selene had said.
Alex had gone along to share his view as well.

They’d
spent most of the rest of the day sequestered with the Council, discussing the
issues and their plans to deal with them. Alex thought it was nothing short of
a miracle that Selene had been able to convince the Council to go along with
her ideas. Selene was determined to organize the Tribal Conference to meet at
the earliest possible moment.

“We
agree that if Maddox has taken any of the other clans’ members, they’ll be more
open to uniting against him than they have been,” Xavier said. For once, he
offered support for the plan. The Council had finally approved. Oren was busy
contacting the various clans through his astral projection ability at this very
moment.

But
the Tribal Conference had only been one part of Selene’s plan. The other part
involved leaving Nate and Talia alone. In order to use them, they couldn’t lock
them up or kick them out. And they had to be especially careful about tipping
them off that something was up.

After
the meeting with the Council finally wrapped up, they’d had one final task to
complete before they could stop for a moment and catch their breaths… telling
the rest of their family about what had happened, and what it meant for Nate.
They’d started with the parents.

Charlotte
had already filled in Dexter, since she’d had to teleport everyone back and
forth from the cottage. They both still came to Hugh and Lucy’s room to hear
the details. Both of them were on the quiet side, and Charlotte’s eyes were
red-rimmed. Nate was like a son to them.

Telling
Hugh and Lucy hadn’t gone well.

Lucy
had cried both for Adelaide and Nate, who was just as precious in their family.
Hugh had reacted with an almost cold fury at Talia, whom they all blamed.
Despair hung heavy in the air as they’d discussed how to tell Adelaide. Lila
had wanted to be the one to tell her, but given the danger she was in, she
agreed that Ellie was the next best person. Lucy and Hugh had decided to join
her, to be there to support their daughter.

Alex
didn't envy Ellie’s task of delivering the bad news to Adelaide tonight. He
felt sick about it. Out of all of them, Adelaide was the purest, sweetest
person he’d ever known and Nate one of the happiest. For a
te’sorthene
to turn against his bonded other half was unheard of. Despite the incredible
array of powers among them, they all felt completely powerless to deal with
this. How could they fix it?

So
Alex was waiting – still patiently, but also anxiously – for his wife to join
him. Finally, the creak of the door alerted him to her presence.

"Thanks
for staying up, babe,” Ellie said as she closed the door behind her. She
sounded exhausted.

"How’s
Adelaide?"

Ellie
flopped down on the bed beside him and flung her arm over her bloodshot eyes.
"Not good. Just imagine how you would feel if I suddenly changed
everything about who I was, and then betrayed you."

"I
know. I've been thinking about that. I don't think that I could survive that.
And Adelaide is such a sensitive little soul."

Alex
reached out and pulled Ellie close. He felt the shudder of a sob move through
her body. "I never want to see somebody I care about that heartbroken ever
again. I don't even know how I'm going to face her in the morning."

“Maybe
we
should
get Lila. She could help heal Adelaide’s emotions, maybe
relieve the pain a little,” Alex said.

“Uh-uh,”
Ellie said. “I suggested that, but Adelaide wouldn’t even hear it. She refuses
to put Lila’s life at risk.”

Alex
was silent for a moment. "Someone should be with her."

Ellie
nodded. "Lucy is going to stay in Adelaide's room tonight.” She was silent
a moment, reliving the last hour or so. “I thought I was going to have to call
you to come keep Hugh from going and taking Nate’s head off. Or Talia’s.”

"I
can imagine," Alex murmured. "But they understand, right? About the
plan with Nate and Talia?"

Ellie
gave a big sigh. "Yeah. They get it… I think I'll stay with Adelaide
tomorrow night.”

“Good
idea. And the only reason I would allow you out of my bed." Alex snuggled
closer to Ellie and softly kissed her temple.

Ellie
tilted her head and gave him a halfhearted smile.

Looking
into her beautiful violet-blue eyes and feeling the warmth of her body pressed
up against him, Alex was suddenly incredibly grateful to have his
te’sorthene
at his side.

"I
don't know what I would ever do if I lost you,” he murmured and caressed her
cheek. “I'm pretty sure that I would go mad. I know I tell you every single
day… but I love you. With every part of me."

Ellie
rolled over to face him and placed her hand on his heart. "I know we
haven't been together long, but you are my entire universe. Without you
everything would turn to nothingness. I love you too." She gave him a kiss
that expressed her passion and need better than words ever could. They held
each other close, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally,
Alex cleared his throat. "You probably don't want to think about this
right now, but I know that something was bothering you after Maddox's attack.
Want to talk about it?"

Ellie
propped her head up with her hand. "I caught a flash of something in
Maddox. It was familiar. It was… I don't know… big. I mean massive big. I can't
put my finger on it, but I've felt it before."

"Maybe
when you were living with your own family?" he asked. Ellie’s birth family
dated back to some of the oldest known Svatura in history. She and Griffin had
been part of a massive tribe, all of whom had been massacred by the Vyusher
when they’d been under Gideon’s rule. That was before Ellie killed Gideon.

She
frowned. "Maybe."

"Not
since you’ve known the Vyusher though, right?”

"No.
I'm pretty sure not since then."

Alex
rubbed his chin on top of Ellie's head. "So it had to be when your family
was still alive. You didn't meet that many other Svatura between the time they
were killed and when you met us, right?" After their family was destroyed,
Ellie and Griffin had gone into hiding together.

"I
know. That does make the most sense. It is so
frustrating
. I feel like
if I concentrate long enough, it'll come to me. This must be what amnesia feels
like."

"Would
it help to show me?" Alex asked.

Ellie
shook her head. "It's not something I can show. There's no visual to go
with it. It's not like I could see a specific glow inside him. Or a specific
power. It's more like a feeling." She let out a frustrated sigh.

Alex
ran a soothing hand down her side and over her hip. "Don't worry too much
about it. It'll come to you if you relax and stop thinking so hard."

"I
guess so," she grumbled.

Alex
grinned. Ellie was definitely not known for her patience. “You’re cute when
you’re annoyed.”

“Huh,”
she grunted. “Even when my face is all puffy from crying and my eyes are all swollen
and red?”

“Especially
then. That you care about my sister so much makes me love you even more… if
that’s possible.”

Ellie
grinned. “Your pillow talk is so sweet, baby.”

Alex
reached out and smoothed his thumb over her full bottom lip, then leaned over
and kissed her. “I’ve waited over a hundred years for you. I have lots of that
sweet talk all stored up just for you.”

Ellie
melted at the look he gave her. Alex gathered her into his arms and just held
her. Both of them basked in the glow of how lucky they were to have found each
other. The awfulness of Adelaide’s broken relationship made them appreciate
what they had so much more.

“I
wonder how Lila and Ramsey are making out in their new temporary home,” Ellie
murmured, thoughts of Adelaide leading to thoughts of Lila.

“At
least they’re close by,” Alex said. “And safe. It’s a brilliant hiding place.”

“Let’s
hope so.”

Ramsey
was researching caves in North America when a strange sound caused him to look
up from his computer screen. He glanced around and listened intently.

Nothing.

With
a small frown, he resumed reading. He didn’t really think that he’d find Maddox
this way, but it was worth a shot. Besides, Lila had asked him to give her some
space, so what else was he going to do?

There
it was again. That strange sound. Ramsey snapped the computer lid shut and went
to investigate. He didn’t have to go far—just from his cell to the one next to
him.

When
they determined the next place Lila and Ramsey should hide, it had been Lila
who’d come up with the idea of hiding deep within the castle itself…down in the
dungeons where no one was allowed to enter, including the guards who stood
watch at the doors outside.

“No
one would think to look for us under the noses of the Vyusher,” Lila had said.
And they’d all agreed.

The
space was dank and dreary. Time-weathered rock formed the walls. The doors to
their cells were rusted iron bars, and the dirt floors had been pounded into a
hard, rough texture. They were well below ground, so no sunlight entered the area.

They
would have to keep relatively quiet so as not to alert the guards who stood
outside the door at the end of the corridor to their presence. They’d chosen
the two cells farthest from the entryway. With Charlotte’s help, they’d
outfitted each room with a cot, a warm sleeping bag, and a small table. There
was no electricity down in the dungeons. Selene hadn’t even known about these
rooms before Maddox and his wolves had attacked the castle and Ellie and
Griffin had followed them down here.

Without
a way to power lights, Ramsey and Lila used camping lanterns instead. An
unfortunate hole in the floor was their toilet. Ramsey still mentally chuckled
as he recalled Lila’s wrinkled nose at that little nugget of information, but
she’d sucked it up and dealt with it like a trouper. Charlotte planned to bring
them down food for meals, but, of course, there wasn’t much by way of
entertainment. Luckily even down here their computers managed to connect to the
wireless internet, although they had to send them upstairs with Charlotte
periodically to get charged. And they had books and magazines. And each other.

Hopefully,
Selene’s plans would move forward quickly, and this situation wouldn’t last
long. Otherwise, they’d have to find more tenable accommodations.

Ramsey
stopped at the threshold of Lila’s cell. Looking inside, he found her curled up
on her cot, trying to muffle the sound of her sobs.

Without
hesitation, he crossed the room and sat down on the bed beside her. She turned
to look at him over her shoulder, and the devastation on her face crushed him.
She didn’t tell him to go away or ask him why he was there. Instead she sat up
and burrowed into his embrace, no longer trying to hide her crying.

He
smoothed a hand over her hair. “What’s wrong, Lily?” he asked her softly. “Is
it being back down in a dungeon?”

Lila
shook her head, pulled back and opened her mouth to tell him but couldn’t get
the words out. She buried her face in his shoulder and kept crying.

Ramsey
stroked her back, feeling completely helpless. After a while he said, “Darlin’,
you’re starting to scare me. What’s going on?”

“I
can feel Adelaide,” she wailed.

Understanding
struck. “They told her about Nate and Talia’s power over him?”

Lila
nodded. “Ellie did. I could feel it the second Adelaide’s heart shattered…
She’s hurting so much, Ramsey. But she’s fighting it too.”

“Has
Ellie said anything to you yet?” he asked.

Lila
gulped and nodded. “She let me listen in. Adelaide is refusing to believe that
Nate did anything. She wants to ask him, but knows that if it’s Talia’s fault,
Nate is probably not aware of what’s happening and talking to him wouldn’t
accomplish anything. Plus, there’s the plan. She doesn’t want to put everyone
else in jeopardy.”

“Jeez…
she’s hurting that much when she doesn’t believe it?” Ramsey muttered.

“She
can still see their
te’sorthene
link, and it’s giving her hope. How much
worse is it going to get when she knows it’s real? Or if that breaks? I don’t
think she would survive it.”

“Then
you need to heal her,” Ramsey said.

Lila’s
face crumpled. “She… doesn’t… want… me… to…” she hiccupped between sobs.

Ramsey
took her arms and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Did I ever really want your
help?”

Lila
quieted a bit. “No… but that was… different.”

“You
can heal your sister, make her feel better.”

“Maybe,”
she muttered with a frown.

“And
if it gets worse, you could maybe save her life,” he continued. “Insulate her
from the pain.”

“I
don’t know if I can,” she sniffed.

Ramsey
pressed his lips together. “Do you think her despair is affecting you right
now?”

Lila
looked down and played with the rings on her fingers. “It’s possible, I guess.
Why?”

He
reached out and tipped her chin up so she would look at him. “Because the Lila
I know wouldn’t hesitate to help one of the people she loves most in this world
if she thought it was the right thing to do. Sometimes despite their wishes.”

Lila
blinked. “You’re right.”

She
closed her eyes and concentrated on the glow inside her that represented her
ability to heal emotions. After that disastrous attempt that had resulted in
turning into a falcon, Ellie had told Lila how to access the different powers
that were now within her grasp.

She
searched through the various strands of light inside her that represented her
powers. The ice blue was her own, but now she had violet blue from Ellie,
yellow from Adelaide, and fuchsia from Selene inside her as well. She found the
one she wanted and brought the light forward. She pictured holding it in her
hand. Ice blue, it burned with a heat that was odd for such a cool color. Lila
then felt for Adelaide.

Her
sister was easy to find. Her pain was a sharp dagger splintering the world.
Lila pictured the light she held in her hands entering her sister’s heart,
mending the brokenness, piece by piece. Adelaide would feel warmth, peace, and
comfort.

“There’s
too much to heal. It’s too hard,” Lila muttered.

“You
can do it,” Ramsey said.

His
support made her feel stronger.  She poured every ounce of her love for her
sister and the strength she pulled from Ramsey into the healing.

After
a few moments, she suddenly felt Adelaide relax.

“Lila,”
she heard
Adelaide call her.
“Thank you.”
The whispered words floated in Lila’s
mind.

With
a gasp Lila’s eyes snapped open. Had she heard that on her own? Or was Adelaide
using her new telepathy? She assumed the latter.

She
turned to Ramsey with an exhausted smile. “It’s done. She’s asleep now.”

“That’s
my girl. You okay on your own?” he asked. She guessed he could sense the
uncertainties that’d suddenly started fluttering inside her - or maybe he
shared them. Ramsey unwrapped his arms from around her and stood up.

Lila
said nothing for a moment as she debated with herself. She wanted to shake her
head
no
and ask him to stay. She wanted to spend the night in his arms.
In her mind she saw it all. Her holding out her hand to him, feeling the weight
of his body as he joined her on the bed. The heat of his kisses… heat
everywhere around her.

She
closed her eyes against the images. They were so powerful and so tempting. But
she was still unsure. She’d been so angry with him when she’d left last year
and that anger had helped her shut off her feelings for him. But now he claimed
that he wanted her and that he’d never loved Selene. And maybe it
had
been Lila’s power projecting feelings on him that weren’t true. It was entirely
possible that she’d been forcing on him what she’d thought she was seeing,
maybe driven by her own unfounded jealousy. And maybe she should give him the
benefit of the doubt. He’d only gained control over his powers in the last few
years, so perhaps he’d just needed time to adjust to how a relationship with
her was suddenly possible.

But
still, she didn’t know his heart. Not really. After sixty-some-odd years of
rejection, belief was hard to come by.

Lila
ignored the urge to ask him to stay and nodded. “I’m fine now,” she said.

The
flash of disappointment in his eyes almost had her calling him back.

She
watched until he was gone. And then flopped back onto her bed with a deep sigh.