Read Online Enlightened (Love and Light Series) by Melissa Lummis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Melissa Lummis
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to do to move on.”
Rachel’s head snapped back, her eyes rolling and flicking to reveal the whites and red and blue capillaries. “But Hagall opposes you.” Her voice was not her own. “Beware, for there are those who want to use you. There is no way around what you must pass through; what you would avoid at all costs. But if you can survive, there will be peace for you both.” Loti jumped up to grab Rachel, but Wolf’s hands caught her wrists. An intense bolt of energy zipped through her arms and straight to her chest. She yelped and yanked her hands back, but he held on tight.
“Don’t touch her,” he growled, his eyes menacing.
She nodded, fear constricting her throat. Their eyes held as he released her wrists. Rachel was still talking. What had they missed?
“Suffering is inevitable, but to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. Now that you have what you have been looking for, you must trust that there is nothing beyond the now.” And Rachel slumped toward the coffee table. Wolf was a blur as he caught her before her head hit the glass and scooped her up into his arms.
Hugging her tight, he whispered, “Rachel.”
“Rachel, talk to us,” Loti urged as she brushed damp hair from her sweaty brow. If he was touching her, it must be okay, now. Rachel’s eyelids fluttered, and she mumbled something, cleared her throat and tried again. “Water, please.”
Loti ran to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water, sloshing some on the floor in her haste. “Here,” she said, a bit winded as she lifted the glass to Rachel’s lips. She sipped and reached for the glass with an unsteady hand. Loti held it until she was sure Rachel could, then backed up as Wolf maneuvered her to the couch. Loti stuffed throw pillows behind Rachel as Wolf set her down. Sitting back on her heels, she held one elbow, curling and biting her lips. Wolf’s fingers grazed Loti’s shoulder as he squatted down next to her and this time, instead of a jarring shock, cool pulses eased the tension from her neck and shoulders. She gaped at him.
“She’ll be okay,” Wolf rubbed the back of his neck. “She’ll be weak for a day or so. Channeling is draining.”
Loti nodded, overcome by the more than pleasant sensation at his touch. She made herself focus on her best friend lying pale and limp on the couch
“I’m feeling better. “ Rachel handed the glass to Wolf. “So you can stop looking at me like that. It’s happened before, and it’s nothing to be afraid of.” She paused to catch her breath. “One of the perks of the job.”
“And one of the perils,” Wolf mumbled under his breath. Out loud he said, “You should get hardship pay.”
Rachel glared at him until his frown turned into a lopsided grin, and Loti snorted. Either out of nervous tension or at the strange sight of a sheepish vampire, she howled with laughter. Like a warm, shaken soda, the laughter sprayed through her clamped lips. She jumped up and walked stiffly away, her fingers pinching her lips. She collapsed on the hearth, holding her sides and giggled through her teeth. Tears rolling down her face, she crossed an indiscernible emotional line and couldn’t tell if she was laughing or crying.
In the middle of this, it occurred to her that she hadn’t felt right since David had gone away. It was more than loss, more than sadness or anger. She couldn’t feel him anymore. She’d imagined she’d always feel his presence, the energetic imprint of him on her soul for the rest of her life, but it wasn’t like that. What it felt like was the cold, empty place on her thigh where his hand used to be. And god forgive her, but she felt broken, not in any one place, but overall, like her soul wouldn’t work right.
The spasms subsided until she found herself lying still, unable to maneuver her limp body. When she tried to sit up, she flopped like a fish, her limbs heavy and spent. Hands took hers and hoisted her to her
Rachel’s head snapped back, her eyes rolling and flicking to reveal the whites and red and blue capillaries. “But Hagall opposes you.” Her voice was not her own. “Beware, for there are those who want to use you. There is no way around what you must pass through; what you would avoid at all costs. But if you can survive, there will be peace for you both.” Loti jumped up to grab Rachel, but Wolf’s hands caught her wrists. An intense bolt of energy zipped through her arms and straight to her chest. She yelped and yanked her hands back, but he held on tight.
“Don’t touch her,” he growled, his eyes menacing.
She nodded, fear constricting her throat. Their eyes held as he released her wrists. Rachel was still talking. What had they missed?
“Suffering is inevitable, but to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. Now that you have what you have been looking for, you must trust that there is nothing beyond the now.” And Rachel slumped toward the coffee table. Wolf was a blur as he caught her before her head hit the glass and scooped her up into his arms.
Hugging her tight, he whispered, “Rachel.”
“Rachel, talk to us,” Loti urged as she brushed damp hair from her sweaty brow. If he was touching her, it must be okay, now. Rachel’s eyelids fluttered, and she mumbled something, cleared her throat and tried again. “Water, please.”
Loti ran to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water, sloshing some on the floor in her haste. “Here,” she said, a bit winded as she lifted the glass to Rachel’s lips. She sipped and reached for the glass with an unsteady hand. Loti held it until she was sure Rachel could, then backed up as Wolf maneuvered her to the couch. Loti stuffed throw pillows behind Rachel as Wolf set her down. Sitting back on her heels, she held one elbow, curling and biting her lips. Wolf’s fingers grazed Loti’s shoulder as he squatted down next to her and this time, instead of a jarring shock, cool pulses eased the tension from her neck and shoulders. She gaped at him.
“She’ll be okay,” Wolf rubbed the back of his neck. “She’ll be weak for a day or so. Channeling is draining.”
Loti nodded, overcome by the more than pleasant sensation at his touch. She made herself focus on her best friend lying pale and limp on the couch
“I’m feeling better. “ Rachel handed the glass to Wolf. “So you can stop looking at me like that. It’s happened before, and it’s nothing to be afraid of.” She paused to catch her breath. “One of the perks of the job.”
“And one of the perils,” Wolf mumbled under his breath. Out loud he said, “You should get hardship pay.”
Rachel glared at him until his frown turned into a lopsided grin, and Loti snorted. Either out of nervous tension or at the strange sight of a sheepish vampire, she howled with laughter. Like a warm, shaken soda, the laughter sprayed through her clamped lips. She jumped up and walked stiffly away, her fingers pinching her lips. She collapsed on the hearth, holding her sides and giggled through her teeth. Tears rolling down her face, she crossed an indiscernible emotional line and couldn’t tell if she was laughing or crying.
In the middle of this, it occurred to her that she hadn’t felt right since David had gone away. It was more than loss, more than sadness or anger. She couldn’t feel him anymore. She’d imagined she’d always feel his presence, the energetic imprint of him on her soul for the rest of her life, but it wasn’t like that. What it felt like was the cold, empty place on her thigh where his hand used to be. And god forgive her, but she felt broken, not in any one place, but overall, like her soul wouldn’t work right.
The spasms subsided until she found herself lying still, unable to maneuver her limp body. When she tried to sit up, she flopped like a fish, her limbs heavy and spent. Hands took hers and hoisted her to her
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