Night World : Huntress Chapter 18

Jez heard herself scream, moreover lone close to(prenominal) faintly.Thither was a roaring in her ears as if the BART train was flood tide at her again. And a pain that engulfedher altogether body, sending agonized spasms through with(predicate) her limbs. It refer in her chest, though, where nearlything white-hot was lodged deep d experience her, devastating her lung and dislodging her internal organs andburning proper(a) beside her heart.Shed been s wared.What she had through with(p) so often to former(a)s had been do to her.She hadnt realized anything could hurt worry this. She was corpus sternum none of her victims had lived long to keepsuffering.The woodland of the stake was poisoning her heart, she knew. Even if it were removed, she would die. no. lamia could detain contact among living wood and its undead heart.Still, she would live for a little while-in unimaginable agony as the poison ate through her.A voice was screaming in her mind. Jez-JezJezJez everywhere and over, incoherently.Morgead, she thought. And she hoped he wasnt whimsey any of what she was disembodied spiriting through the silvercord that affiliated them.Hugh and Claire were sobbing. Jez wished they wouldnt. They had to stay calm to think of a way tosave themselves.Because she couldnt help them anymore.oer the sobbing she heard a hollo and angry voice. Lily.What is wrong with you? Lily was saying. Dont you essay whats occurrent to her? Dont you destiny to save her?Through the loss haze that alter Jezs vision, she matte up obtuse approval. They were doing what shed toldthem. Whichever of them was the raging creator was suppressing itGood. That was what mattered. Although she couldnt re every last(predicate)(a)y mobilize why any longer. unawares a face broke through the red haze. It was Lily, bending over her.Dont you empathize? Lily yelled. You understructure moderate this right straight. indisposed sport him kill you cleanly- every the pain exit be ove r. any you have to do is tell me who it is.Jez smiled at her faintly. She couldnt breathe to answer, and she didnt want to try.Would you believe that I dont do? she thought. nary(prenominal) I dont think you would. The pain was getting little by itself. It was as if Jez was moving far and farther away from it.How can you be so stupid? Lily was screaming. Her face was twisted, and to Jezs vision, float in ascar allow mist. She looked standardized a monster. hence she turned and seemed to be screaming at roughlyone else.All right. Get the other vampire toss off here, too. Morgead. She was looking at Jez again. Well scarcelyhave to stake your mavins one after another(prenominal) until the brutal Power decides to reveal itself.No. NoSuddenly everything was much clearer well-nigh Jez. She could see the room again, and she could emotional state her take body. There was still the roaring in her ears, but she could hear Claires sobs over it.No. Lily couldnt mean it. This could nt be happening. entirely it was. They were shoving Morgead down on the floor beside her, and Claire and Hugh beyondhim. The thugs with spears were getting into position.No. No. This cant happen.Jez cherished to scream at them, to tell the Wild Power to do approximatelything, because everything was lost now anyhow. still she didnt have air to scream. And she matte up so adrift and conf apply anyway. Her universehad be practise disjointed. Her thoughts seemed to be unraveling at all at one duration, early(prenominal) memories combining with fanfare sensory impressions from the present, and with strange new ideas.If it was involuntary, why didnt the Wild Power work wizard(prenominal) more often? Unless in that location was some otherrequirement.I cant permit this happen.The dampness of broth spreading ab bug appear her heart. Claires nails digging into her arms.When on that points no physical way to escape Power in the blood. Claire on the floor thither. Screaming and sc reamingSomething construct inside her, hotter than the stake.Morgead beside her whispering, Jez, I neck you. force with the stake over him. Morgead looking up unafraid.Hotter than the heart of a star.Hugh in the distance saying al near quietly, Goddess of Life, conform to us guide us to the other ball. . ..Hotter than the sun and colder and sourr than the moon, analogous fire that burn down and froze and crackled likelightning all at at one time. Something that filled her with an energy that was past rage and past issue and past all dogmatic and that she recognized in her soul point though shed never consciously entangle up it in movement. It wasswelling Jez to bursting, a pure and wonderful flame that was never meant to be unleashed like this.Do it Lily shouted.And Jez let it free.It came roaring out from her in a silent explosion. docile fire that streamed from her body and blasted in alldirections, but especially up. It came out and out and out, engulfing everythi ng, flowing from her in anever ending torrent. wish a solar flare that didnt stop.It was all she could see. dirty flames, streaked with blue-white lightning that crackled almost soundlessly.Just like the fire that had cocooned her on the BART tracks. omit that now she could tell where it was coming from, plane if she couldnt direct it. She knew how tolet it out, now, but once out it did what it wanted.And it wasnt meant to be used this way. That was the scarce thing she knew clearly intimately it. Shed been allow it slip out when she was desperately upset-when she was upset(a) for someones life, and she knewthat she couldnt do anything else to save them. That was forgivable, because it had been unconscious.This wasnt. She was probably violating some law of the universe or something. The blue fire was onlymeant to be used in the last battle, when the shabbiness came and the 4 were called to stand against it.I suppose that heart I should try to stop now, Jez thought.She wasn t reliable how to do it. She guessed that she needed to call it covering fire, somehow, to leader it downinto her body again.Maybe if I sort of tug.She did-something. A gathering-up with her mind. It was harder than permit the fire go had been, but itworked. She could happen it returning, flooding back inside her, as if she were sucking it in. And indeed it was gone(p), and Jez could see the population again. Could see what it had done. The house had disappeared.Or most of it, anyway. There was slightly a nibble and a half of ragged protect left all approximately, with charredinsulation spilling out. gamey energy like electri urban center ran along the edges here and there, fizzing.Other than that, no house. not even chunks of wreckage lying around. There were finely bits of debrisfloating down, making the sun hazy, but that was all.It got vaporized, Jez thought, searching for the right word.No Lily. No Azarius. No Pierce. And none of the scrofulous thugs.Goddess, Jez thought. I didnt mean to do that. I only wanted to stop them from pain in the neck Morgead andClaire and Hugh. What about them? she thought in a sudden panic. She turned her head, painfully.They were there. And alive. They were even stirring. The pile theyd been tied with were lying on thecarpet, sizzling with that same blue energy.Its so spiritual to have a carpet without a house to go with it, Jez thought fuzzily.She was press release away again. And that was too bad, but at least it didnt hurt anymore. The pain was gonecompletely, replaced by a fervent and sleepy feeling-and the sensation of gently floating outward.Her eyelids felt heavy.Jez? JezIt was a husky whisper. Jez opened her eyeball to see Morgeads face.He was crying. Oh, dear, that was bad. Jez hadnt seen him cry since when was it? past whentheyd been little kids.Jez, can you hear me? at a time he was splattering in her mind.Jez blinked again, and seek to think of something comforting to say to him.I feel wa rm, she whispered.No, you dont He said it almost in a growl. Then he looked behind him, and Jez saw Hugh and Clairecrawling up. They were all shining with roaring light.Youre so sensibly, she told them. Like angels.This isnt the time for your weird humor Morgead shouted. impede it Dont yell at her That was Claire. Claire was crying, too, jazzly bust that shone as they fell.She reached out and took Jezs hand, and that was nice, although Jez couldnt exactly feel it. She couldsee it. Shes going to be all right, Morgead was snarling. Shes lost blood, but shell be okay.somebody was stroking Jezs hair off her face. She felt that it was pleasant. She frowned slowly atMorgead, because there was something all important(p) to tell him, and talking was difficult. discriminate Hugh she whispered.Tell Hugh your freaking self Hes right here And youre not going anywhere.Jez blinked with the difficulty changing focus. Yes, there was Hugh. He was the one stroking her hair.Hugh the prophecy. I f igured out what the dickens eyeball watching were. Theyre the sun and themoon-get it? Two eyeball for somebody who belongs to both worlds.The Day adult male and the Night World, Hugh said softly. You got it, Jez. That was so smart.And blood, Jez whispered. Power in the blood-thats why I couldnt do it anytime I wanted. Bloodhas to flow before you can let out the power. The frontmost two times Claire was scratching me. And this time. . . Her voice died off, but it wasnt important. Everybody could see the blood this time, she knew.Hughs voice was thick. That was smart, too, Jez. You figured it out. And you saved us. You dideverything comely right.No because theres only going to be three Wild Powers now.No, there arent, Morgead raged. Listen to me, Jez. Theres no evidence for you to die-Jez couldnt worry a smile anymore, or a sentence. scarce she whispered gently, Wood poison.No, it isnt not to mans. And youre half valet de chambre, Jez. Youre vampire enough to survive someth ingthat would kill a human, but youre human enough not to be poisoned by wood.Jez knew better. She couldnt see much anymore. Only Morgead, and he was getting indistinct. It wasntthat the world was dimming, though-it was getting brighter. Everything was propertyen and shining.Four less one and darkness triumphs, Jez thought Im so sorry about that. I hope they can falsify itsomehow. It would be so sad for everything human to be lost. Theres so much well-behaved in the world, and somuch to love.She couldnt even see Morgead now. Only gold. But she could hear. She could hear Claire whisperingto her in a voice broken by tears, and feel wetness dropping on her face.I love you, Jez. Youre the best cousin anybody could ever have.And Hugh. He was crying, too. Jez, Im so proud to be your friend.And then, through the mist and the gold and the zeal and peace, came a voice that wasnt gentle atall. That was roaring in sheer dishonor and fury.DONT YOU hold DIE ON ME, JEZEBEL DONT YOU DARE Or Ill follow you to the next world and KILL you.Suddenly, in the pretty gold mist, she could see something else. The only thing in the universe that wasntgolden.It was a silver cord.You come back and you do it right now, Morgead bellowed in her ears and in her mind. Right nowDo you hear me?The peace was shattered. nonhing seemed sort of so warm and wonderful anymore, and she knew thatonce Morgead got into one of his Excited States, he wouldnt stop yelling until he got what he wanted.And there was the cord right in front of her. It was strong, and she could feel that the other end was someplace in. Morgeads heart, and that he was trying to drag her back to him.All right. Maybe if I near grab on.Somehow, she was belongings on to it, and bit by bit, pulling herself back. And then the golden light wasfading and she was inside a body that hurt and Morgead was holding her and kissing her and crying all atthe same time.Claires voice came from beyond him. Shes external respiration again Shes breathingI love you, you stupid human, Morgead gasped against Jezs cheek. I cant live without you. Dont youknow that?Jez whispered, I told you never to call me Jezebel.Then she fainted.Time for a nice bath, the treasure said. And then we can have a visitant.Jez eyed her narrowly. The woman was kind, but she had some mania for sponge baths, and she wasalways frame upt strange-smelling ingredients in the water. Which was actually not that surprise since shewas a witch.Skip the bath, Jez said. Let the visitor in.Now, now, the witch said, shaking a feel and advancing with the sponge.Jez sighed. Being a Wild Power in a quite a little Daybreak sanctuary meant that she could have pretty muchanything she wanted-except that everyone was still treating her like a little kid. Especially the nurses, whospoiled her and flattered her, but talked to her as if she were about three.Still, she was glad to let the Circle take care of some things. Keeping her relatives safe, for instance.Altho ugh she was almost fully recovered, thank to a strong constitution and a lot of healing spells fromthe witches, she wasnt up to that yet. Uncle pasture brake and the entire Goddard family needed constantprotection, since hunting watch Redfern and the Night World Council were all undoubtedly after them by now. The Circle had import some experts from back East to take care of it. A rival vampire hunter, of allthings, named Rashel something. Plus her soulmate, a vampire-turned-Daybreaker called Quinn.At least they were competent. Theyd gotten Jezs uncle Bracken, as well as the remnants of the multitude outof San Francisco, a city that was going to be bad for their health for a while. Morgead was trying to getthe gang to join Circle Daybreak for theirown good, and he said that Raven, at least, was presentation some interest. Val and Thistle were beingstubborn, but that was exactly surprising. What was important was that they were alive.Pierce, on the other hand, was barely gone. No one had seen a name of him or Lily or any of her stacksince Jez blasted them. Apparently they had truly been vaporized, and Jez couldnt father herself to feeltoo badly.All done the nurse said brightly, straightening Jezs pajama top. Which was exclusively as well because at thatmoment a black head came poking in the door.What is going on in here? You getting ready to go to the opera or something?Jez raised her eyebrows at Morgead. Maybe. be you telling me I cant?He snorted and came in as the nurse went out I wouldnt dare tell you that. Youre the princess, right?You can have anything.Right, Jez said, with huge satisfaction. So how*re Hugh and Claire?Claires fine she fits right in with the witches here. I think shes trying to get them to put up a Web page.And Hughs just his same stupid self. Hes off thrift chipmunks from toxic waste or something.And how about the kid?The kid, Morgead said, is living it up. The Day-breakers are barmy about her something about one ofthe oldes t elder Souls ever found-I dunno. Anyway,theyre trying to talk her mom into letting her live here. She says convey for saving her life and shesdrawing you a picture.Jez nodded, pleased. It would be nice if Iona came to live at the sanctuary it meant Jez could see her alot. Not that Jez planned to live here all the time herself-she and Morgead needed their freedom. Theycouldnt be penned in they had to be able to come and go. She just hadnt gotten around to telling theDaybreakers that yet.With the people she love taken care of, she could turn her concern to other matters. Is thatchocolate?Its the only reason you like to see me, isnt it? Morgead said, allowing her to take the box. He satbeside her, looking tragic.Nah, Jez said with her gumshield full. She swallowed. Everybody brings em. Then she grinned. I like tosee you for a different reason.He grinned wickedly back. I cant think what that could be.Hmm youre right mayhap there is no other reason. learn it, Jezebel, he growled and leaned forward menacingly.Dont call me that, idiot.Youre the idiot, idiot.And youre- But Jez never got to finish, because he stopped her brim with a kiss.And then his arms were around her-so gently- and the silver cord was humming and everything waswarm and there were only the two of them in the world. one(a) from the land of kings long forgotten One from the hearth which still holds the set out One from theDay World where two eyes are watching One from the twilight to be one with the dark.The End