chapter sixteen
DARKNESS AND LIGHT
The three or so minutes that it took to reach the vehicles, and catch up to Link, seemed to drag on like the slow motion scenes in an action flick. Each and every swift step of Eve’s was an agonizingly slow trot.
“How?” was still all I could manage to say, when Eve set me down in front of Link.
“Apparently I’ve got powers,” Link answered. “You should have let me carry you.” He smiled.
“I’m in total shock here,” I gasped. “I have no idea how I was able to command my body, to keep my blood flowing so I could heal you. And now instantly, you are faster than the Witches,” I shook my head in disbelief.
“Hey now,” Oz balked. “That’s not a fair assessment. I was carrying Catherine and I wasn’t aware we would be graded on this assignment.”
“Okay.” Link smirked. “Let’s make it a true race. You and me... From here to my apartment at the other end of town.”
“I want in on this action.” Marcus rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
“Okay, boys,” Eve laughed. “On the count of three,” she declared. They immediately crouched down, ready to launch themselves forward, ready to race. “Ready... ONE, TWO, THREE,” she screamed.
The three men shot off in a flash. An eagle followed along, high in the sky.
“Hurry,” I cried. “Jump in!” I motioned to Eve.
“Block the sound of the engines Eve. I know it’s still dark out, but I don’t want the early risers wondering what’s going on outside. We can’t afford to draw any attention our way,” James called out.
As soon as she was in, I jammed my foot on the accelerator. James and Catherine followed close behind. Up ahead, I could barely make out the three forms, silhouettes against the glow of the streetlights. What was going on here? Where did this increased strength and speed come from? It was definitely not a trait of mine.
A minute later, I slowed the SUV at the entrance to Link’s apartment. Link, Cozmo, and Marcus stood, laughing and slapping each other on the back.
“It was a fair win,” I heard Link protested, as I rolled down the window.
“I don’t know,” Marcus laughed. “Maybe he got a one second head start brother,” he teased Oz and punched him on the shoulder.
“Okay, okay, I accept defeat – this time. But I demand a rematch,” Oz insisted.
“Anytime,” was Link’s smug reply.
“You won!” I stated, incredulously.
“But of course.” Link smiled. “Wait here. I still need to get Grandma’s ornaments,” he said and was gone in the blink of an eye.
Mere moments later, he was back. I shook my head and closed my eyes; stunned to already see him leaning in the open window. He had a small brown box in hand. “Let’s go,” he said.
“We’re off,” James called out as he and Catherine headed home.
Eve vacated the front seat, so she could sit between Marcus and Cozmo in the back. Link hopped in the front, next to me. The fox reappeared, and jumped in to curl herself up on Cozmo’s lap. He immediately started stroking her soft red fur.
“What’s her name?” I asked Oz.
Oz looked at me through the rear view mirror. “This is Lizabelle. She’s all alone now, so she’ll be staying with us.”
“I think that is an excellent idea,” I replied. “No one should be alone, especially at Christmas.”
“I’m here if she needs me,” Oz murmured.
“She’s a lucky girl,” I said.
After I turned left, heading out of town and toward home, I reached across the console to grasp Link’s hand. I needed to feel the warmth of his skin. It was still a shock to me that we had both made it through the whole terrible nightmare alive. And, the new inhuman velocity was mind-boggling. I squeezed tightly. A smile spread wide across my face when he reached over to stroke my cheek with his other hand.
My eyes misted and a tear slipped out. “I almost lost you,” I whispered.
“But you didn’t,” he whispered back, and brushed the tear from my cheek. “You saved me.”
“Cheer up, weepy girl,” Marcus squeezed my shoulders from behind. “I have a present for you,” he said as he placed something on the console.
Link picked it up. “It’s your phone.”
“You did see it,” I gasped. “I heard your voice in my head telling me you saw the phone, telling me you were on the way! I thought I was imagining it.”
“I got worried when you didn’t text back, like you were supposed to...”
“I heard that too.” I cut him off. “How could I hear your voice so perfectly clear in my head?”
“Marcus, you’ve got a new one.” Eve clapped her hands with glee. “I told you that another one would be coming soon.”
“A new one what?” Link asked.
“You think it could be?” Marcus wondered aloud.
“Try it out, brother,” Cozmo urged.
The inside of the vehicle was completely silent, except for the sound of the tires rolling through the fresh snow. “Did anybody hear anything?” Marcus asked after a moment.
“Oh,” Link said with a nod of his head. “You think he’s got a new power. Sorry man... I got nothin’.”
“Nor have I,” Cozmo chimed in.
“Try concentrating on just one person,” Eve suggested.
Another silent moment passed by.
“That’s just mean,” Oz blurted out, “There’s no way he’s still a mortal anyway.”
“What did you say?” I asked Marcus.
“Cozmo lost a race to a mere mortal!” Marcus laughed.
“You lost too!” Cozmo pointed out.
“Aah, this is true. But it doesn’t bother me. It bothers you,” Marcus reached across Eve to give his brother a playful shove.
“Do me now,” Eve clapped her hands again. She was clearly excited for Marcus.
Eve closed her eyes and waited for her personal message to come through. It must’ve been a good one, I thought as I glanced at her in the rear view mirror and watched a glowing smile appear. She placed her hands on either side of Marcus’s face and kissed him with passion.
“I’m going to assume that was private,” Link chuckled.
Marcus answered him silently, without taking his lips away from Eve’s.
“You’re right. I don’t want to know the details,” Link repeated the message aloud.
“Hey... tell James and Catherine to start a batch of pancakes as soon as they get home. I’m starving,” Cozmo told his brother, who was still a bit preoccupied. “How does that sound Lizzy girl?” Cozmo softened his voice as he addressed the Shape-Shifter who was sitting silently on his lap.
“It’ll be light soon,” Link muttered.
I glanced at the clock on the dash. It was getting close to six o’clock in the morning. “I suppose so,” I said with a shrug.
“I feel it,” Link whispered.
“You feel what?” I puzzled.
“I feel the light coming,” he answered.
How do you feel light? I wondered, silently, as I pulled into the driveway. James had already parked in the garage and I maneuvered Link’s vehicle into the empty space that remained.
We all noisily piled out, clambering our way into the house and toward the kitchen.
Catherine stood at the counter, stirring the contents of a large mixing bowl in front of her. “Pancakes,” she said. “I distinctly heard Marcus’s voice, in my head, saying that Cozmo wants pancakes.”
“He’s got a new power,” Eve beamed.
“I figured as much. Well Cozmo... I started them... You finish them.” Catherine smiled and pushed the bowl toward him. “The pan’s hot,” she pointed at the stovetop.
“Come with me, Lizabelle,” I called out to the fox. “Let’s get you some clothes.” I said as I walked out of the kitchen.
The animal followed me up the stairs and to my room.
“I’m thinking comfy,” I s
tated as I entered my closet to pick out a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt for each of us.
“You can change, and dress, in here. I’ll go into the bathroom so you can have some privacy,” I explained, and set the items on the floor – in front of her.
After I changed my own clothes, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and brushed out my tangled hair – I walked back to the closet and knocked on the door.
“Is there anything else I can get you? Anything else you need?” I asked as I cracked open the door.
“No, this is good. Thank you,” a soft whispery voice responded. She eyed me warily. “Why aren’t you screaming at me, hating me for what my brothers did to you?”
“You tried to stop them. You are not to blame for their actions.”
“I’m so sorry... I followed them here. I tried to talk them out of it. They wouldn’t listen to reason,” her voice strained as she tried to maintain a measure of control over it.
“It is enough that you tried. Thank you.” I smiled.
“Thank you for being so nice to me,” she whispered.
“I have no reason to treat you otherwise. Anyway, I don’t think I have a choice, but to accept you with open arms. Cozmo has taken quite a shine to you.”
A small smile appeared on her face. “He has,” she agreed.
“Let’s go find him. Those pancakes smell heavenly.” I winked at her.
Lizabelle nodded her head in agreement.
As we walked down the stairs I looked out the window. I could tell that the sun would soon peek its head up over the mountain. There was a dim glow far in the distance. I wondered, again, how Link could feel the light – when now, thirty minutes or so later, my heightened senses could barely perceive it.
Lizabelle and I walked into the kitchen, where Cozmo was flipping pancakes with expertise. He scooped up the three finished cakes in the pan and added them to the stack he’d already built up.
“Hungry?” Cozmo asked, without turning around.
He poured three more perfect circles of batter into the sizzling pan.
“Are they edible?” Marcus quipped from where he was seated with Eve.
“Don’t worry brother. I’ll make a special batch just for you. Actually, why don’t you just take over,” he said, and handed the spatula to Marcus.
“With pleasure.” Marcus smiled. “I’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done.”
Cozmo slid over to where Lizabelle and I stood, and immediately wrapped his arms around her waist.
“How are you feeling Lizzy girl?” he asked with concern.
“Better, now that I am not shifting so often and I’m back in clothes again.” She smiled a small smile. Sadness crept through each of her words. She sighed, heavily, and rested her head on Cozmo’s shoulder.
Instant connections are something quite common in the supernatural world. Our instincts usually proved to be correct, so there was no need to wonder about compatibility. When we know, we know. It was apparent that Lizabelle and Cozmo felt that instant strong connection to one another.
“Where’s Link? He’s not out running laps is he?” I joked.
“He went upstairs to change, right after you did,” Eve answered.
I spun on my heels and headed back upstairs. “Be back in a minute,” I called out, over my shoulder.
The door to his room was closed. I could hear him rummaging around inside. “Whatcha doin’?” I asked, in a sing-songy voice as I pushed open the door.
He was going through the contents of his top dresser drawer. Digging around for something.
“Looking for my sunglasses. My eyes feel like I’ve just had them dilated by the optometrist. It’s as if too much light is coming in.”
“Weird...”
“Have you ever had your eyes dilated?”
“No. Twenty–Twenty before and better than anyone could imagine now.” I pointed to my eyes.
“Well, your eyes are really sensitive to light for a few hours after they put in the drops. They always give you these dark, plastic, disposable glasses to wear afterward. Aah, here they are,” he sighed, pulling a pair of sunglasses out of the drawer and sliding them onto his face in one fluid movement. “Much better.” He blinked rapidly behind the dark lenses.
“Ready to go downstairs?”
“Not just yet.” Link smiled that perfect brilliant smile and I immediately melted into his arms. “How about a Christmas kiss?” he whispered into my hair.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” I sighed, tilting my head up to his.
“God I love you,” he murmured, his lips against mine.
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
I moved my arms up, to wrap them around his neck and weaved my fingers through his thick blonde hair. I pressed my body against his, kissing him, tugging at his bottom lip with my own, wishing the embrace would last forever.
“Mmmm,” I hummed against his lips, still kissing, lost in the feeling of us.
“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” he whispered and pressed his forehead to mine.
“Merry Christmas,” I echoed.
The tender moment was interrupted by a voice, ringing clear in my head. These pancakes are getting cold down here, it announced.
“Marcus,” we both said at the same time.
“You heard him too? He must be getting better at his new skill,” I noted.
“I guess we should go,” Link sighed and held out his hand, immediately linking his fingers with mine.
“I guess,” I returned the sigh and leaned forward for one more kiss.
“He’s about to come get us,” Link warned.
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“I hear him walking toward the stairs,” he answered.
“So do I. But how do you?” I shook my head.
“I just do.” He shrugged.
“Weird...” I uttered in confusion, for the second time since I’d entered his room.
“I know...” Link trailed off and pulled on my hand, leading me out the door and down the stairs.
Marcus was standing on the bottom step. He took one look at Link, and quipped, “Future’s so bright?”
“I gotta wear shades,” Link finished.
“Wow, Charity, he actually got an Eighties reference... impressive. But what’s with the shades?” Cozmo asked.
“His eyes are bugging him,” I explained.
“Lincoln, you should allow James to give you a thorough examination later. You’ve had quite an experience,” Catherine suggested.
She made no attempt to hide the concern that was openly displayed on her face, and in her voice.
“I’m inclined to agree,” added James.
“I shall comply with your request,” Link uttered in an overly staunch tone, then smiled and said, “Later, I promise. It’s Christmas morning. Let’s eat and open some presents.”
All eight of us were gathered in the kitchen. Once Marcus was finished with the last batch of pancakes, he joined Eve, James, and Catherine at the round table that joined the kitchen to the living room. Cozmo, Lizabelle, Link and I sat at the counter and we all devoured the meal in relative silence.
The quiet moment gave me time to reflect on the previous night’s events. I had altered Lincoln somehow. I knew it. I had saved his life by giving him my blood. But had I damaged him?
I glanced at Link. He was leaning back in his chair, massaging his temples. Behind the dark shades, his eyes were closed. A slight throb began to percolate in my head. It was a steady thump... no, thud... no, beating of a drum. No, that wasn’t it either. It was a pulsating... a pulse... Link’s pulse!
I could sense every drop of my blood, as it was being pumped through Link’s veins! How was that possible? I’d have to ask James if anything similar had ever happened to him.
“Time for presents,” Link said slowly.
I watched as he rubbed at his eyes and then blink repeatedly.
“You sure you don’t want to rest for awhile? We’v
e officially been awake for over twenty-four hours. It’s hard on me sometimes. It’s gotta be difficult for you to even keep those eyes of yours open,” I worried.
“Actually, I don’t really feel tired. I just have a slight headache and my eyes are a bit sensitive.”
“And you’re not hungry,” I added looking at his plate
“I just don’t seem to have the taste for pancakes this morning,” he said, as he pushed the one, half eaten, pancake around the plate with his fork.
“Come with me,” I held out my hand. “Let’s go lie down for a little while. Presents can wait until later.”
“Rest, Lincoln,” Catherine agreed.
Link and I retreated to my bedroom and immediately snuggled under the covers of my bed. We lay on our sides, my back pressed firmly into his chest, and Link’s arm draped across my side - my favorite cuddle position. Actually, anywhere spent wrapped in Link’s arms could be considered my favorite position. I sighed, deeply satisfied, as Link drew me even closer to him.
I closed my eyes and listened to the rhythm of my blood, as it pulsated through my love – a lullaby that had me soon drifting off to sleep.
The light woke me. It was a single, dazzling ray of sunlight, which beamed through my partially closed shutters, and concentrated itself on my closed eyelids. The brilliant glow made its way through layers of my flesh, to tell my brain to wake-up.
“I’m awake,” I grumbled to the sun, “and I’m alone,” I mumbled as I sat up in my vacated bed and gazed around my empty room.
****