Read Online Enlightened (Love and Light Series) by Melissa Lummis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Lummis
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feet. Cool energy pulsed up her arms, and when she opened her swollen eyes, it was Wolf who held her hands. His eyes were soft, full of something weightless and insubstantial but very real. Peace, maybe? For the first time in a long time, she felt calm as his cool fingers slid up her arms, grasped her shoulders, and steadied her. He stepped closer—
Then Rachel yanked her away and into her arms. As Wolf let go, misery flooded her limbs like battery acid in her veins. Loti cried and cried into Rachel’s shoulder, the restless buzzing in her spine sharper than ever.
“I’m sorry, Rach, so sorry.”
“Shh, don’t apologize. I’m here. You’re safe,” Rachel cooed. Loti’s sobs quieted and passed into the occasional hiccup and sniff. “I think you need to sleep.” The brass clock on the mantle said it was 3:00 a.m.. “And so do I.”
Wolf cleared his throat. “I’ll make a few phone calls before sunrise.” He turned to go, then paused. “When were you planning on going to the ashram?”
“Saturday,” Rachel said, turning to Wolf. “Why?”
“I think the Travelers can help. Let me talk to Guided.” Wolf dug a cell phone out of his pocket as he walked away. Over his shoulder he added, “And maybe Calisto, too.”
“Help with what?” Loti bit her lip and wiped her red eyes with the back of her hands. “Who are Guided and Calisto?” The screen door banged closed and she jumped. Damn it. Wolf was already outside. The tears were long past due, but she didn’t feel relieved like she thought she would. Just the opposite. There were things she couldn’t face yet. Things she didn’t know how to begin to feel. No one knew what those last few weeks had been like with David, no one but her and David. How had she kept it bottled up for so long? Rachel picked up cups and set them on the tea tray.
“Oh, geez, Rachel, I’m sorry. Here I am blubbering all over the place, and you’re the one—”
“Shut up,” Rachel said matter-of-factly, straightening up with the tray in both hands. “You have every right to cry.” Rachel hurried off to the kitchen.
Loti hugged herself as she followed.
Wolf’s muffled voice drifted through the closed kitchen door, and for some reason that she didn’t want to admit, she wanted to go out there. Instead, she turned on the faucet, letting the water run over her fingers until it was hot. What happened when Wolf touched her? The urge to run to him was a physical thing, resonating in her legs. She plugged the sink and squirted dish soap to stop herself from going to him, her hands shaking the whole time. Rachel set the rattling tea tray on the round kitchen table.
“Guided is the leader of the Travelers, the healer tribe associated with the ashram. I’ve never met him, but Nan knows him.” Loti took the empty teapot from her and dunked it in the sudsy water, scrubbing blindly.
“You probably met some of the healers when you were there for your training.” She handed Loti two mugs.
“Calisto.” Rachel stretched the name out cautiously. “He’s the head of the vampire nest at the ashram.”
The electric ants marched down Loti’s back, the opposite of before, and the mugs sloshed in the hot water that turned her hands an angry red. Rachel said nonchalantly, “You’ve heard of them, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Loti mumbled, rinsing the mugs and setting them in the drying rack. She kept her back to Rachel. “I’ve heard they are different from other vampires, but I never met any of them.”
“Me either. But Nan has.”
Loti’s shoulders hunched over the sink.
Rachel banked the coals in the fireplace and dug out guest towels and linens from the hall closet. Tucking pillows into cases and fluffing blankets, Loti helped Rachel make the guest bed. She loved the way the room smelled of lemon oil and lavender. The well-loved antique furniture and old family photos made her feel connected. Wolf stuck his head in the door.
“Can I talk to you
Then Rachel yanked her away and into her arms. As Wolf let go, misery flooded her limbs like battery acid in her veins. Loti cried and cried into Rachel’s shoulder, the restless buzzing in her spine sharper than ever.
“I’m sorry, Rach, so sorry.”
“Shh, don’t apologize. I’m here. You’re safe,” Rachel cooed. Loti’s sobs quieted and passed into the occasional hiccup and sniff. “I think you need to sleep.” The brass clock on the mantle said it was 3:00 a.m.. “And so do I.”
Wolf cleared his throat. “I’ll make a few phone calls before sunrise.” He turned to go, then paused. “When were you planning on going to the ashram?”
“Saturday,” Rachel said, turning to Wolf. “Why?”
“I think the Travelers can help. Let me talk to Guided.” Wolf dug a cell phone out of his pocket as he walked away. Over his shoulder he added, “And maybe Calisto, too.”
“Help with what?” Loti bit her lip and wiped her red eyes with the back of her hands. “Who are Guided and Calisto?” The screen door banged closed and she jumped. Damn it. Wolf was already outside. The tears were long past due, but she didn’t feel relieved like she thought she would. Just the opposite. There were things she couldn’t face yet. Things she didn’t know how to begin to feel. No one knew what those last few weeks had been like with David, no one but her and David. How had she kept it bottled up for so long? Rachel picked up cups and set them on the tea tray.
“Oh, geez, Rachel, I’m sorry. Here I am blubbering all over the place, and you’re the one—”
“Shut up,” Rachel said matter-of-factly, straightening up with the tray in both hands. “You have every right to cry.” Rachel hurried off to the kitchen.
Loti hugged herself as she followed.
Wolf’s muffled voice drifted through the closed kitchen door, and for some reason that she didn’t want to admit, she wanted to go out there. Instead, she turned on the faucet, letting the water run over her fingers until it was hot. What happened when Wolf touched her? The urge to run to him was a physical thing, resonating in her legs. She plugged the sink and squirted dish soap to stop herself from going to him, her hands shaking the whole time. Rachel set the rattling tea tray on the round kitchen table.
“Guided is the leader of the Travelers, the healer tribe associated with the ashram. I’ve never met him, but Nan knows him.” Loti took the empty teapot from her and dunked it in the sudsy water, scrubbing blindly.
“You probably met some of the healers when you were there for your training.” She handed Loti two mugs.
“Calisto.” Rachel stretched the name out cautiously. “He’s the head of the vampire nest at the ashram.”
The electric ants marched down Loti’s back, the opposite of before, and the mugs sloshed in the hot water that turned her hands an angry red. Rachel said nonchalantly, “You’ve heard of them, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Loti mumbled, rinsing the mugs and setting them in the drying rack. She kept her back to Rachel. “I’ve heard they are different from other vampires, but I never met any of them.”
“Me either. But Nan has.”
Loti’s shoulders hunched over the sink.
Rachel banked the coals in the fireplace and dug out guest towels and linens from the hall closet. Tucking pillows into cases and fluffing blankets, Loti helped Rachel make the guest bed. She loved the way the room smelled of lemon oil and lavender. The well-loved antique furniture and old family photos made her feel connected. Wolf stuck his head in the door.
“Can I talk to you
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