Read Online Redemption (Waking Up Dead) by April Margeson - Free Book Online Page A

thundered in my head and I knew, at once, that I had crossed the line.  I fell to my knees, not knowing what else to do.  I had begged for Laynie’s life, but my request had gone ignored.
    Maybe it was up to Laynie to save herself, but how could she?  Not an ounce of life seemed to remain in her and I couldn’t understand what had gone wrong.  Was the spell defective?  Had we somehow added the wrong herbs?
    Maybe it was the chant, I said to myself.  I searched my mind, trying to think of what it could have been, but the only difference was that Laynie had been in the room as we performed the spell.
    The last time was not that way.  I had made the potion and gave it to the vampire.  When he drank it, he passed out and slept for three days before waking.
    Even then, I could tell that he was alive.  His heart would beat steadily and his breathing was even and relaxed.  With Laynie, I couldn’t tell if she even had a heartbeat left.
    Aria and my connection had been severed.  I could no longer feel her presence here and I could only hope that she could find it to forgive me for disrespecting her authority.  I had not meant to, but this was different than anything else.  This was Laynie, my daughter.
    With my head in my hands, I allowed all my emotions to spill out.  I let go of all the hurt and anger, letting them flow from me.  The only way that we were going to be able to help her was going to be with a clear mind.  Nothing could be allowed to cloud our judgment in any way.
    When I was sure that I could continue, I crawled across the kitchen to Max.  He was lying beside Laynie with his head on her chest.  The pain that he is feeling has to be so vast that I could not understand how he was able to hold it all in.
    I had felt what he is feeling once.  The only woman that I had ever truly loved had been taken away from me for nothing, but the only thing that was different was that I knew deep in my soul that she would be fine. 
    We don’t know if this is the end for my precious daughter and as I looked at her I could remember all of the times that I had hidden just to get a glimpse of her.  Through the years I had watched her grow into the young woman that she is now.  Her beauty unfolded before my eyes, but I could not approach her and tell her who I was.  Mine and her mother’s life depended on me keeping my distance.
    I could feel every heart ache that she had as she got older.  I could feel her anger in myself each time something happened to her.  Our connection had remained resilient even though we were forced to be apart.
    The day that I had met Max, when they were hiding below ground, was no different.  She was frightened that I was going to kill her and that was not the case.  I was never there to cause her harm and now she knows that, but would it be enough to make her come back to me?
    Before we had started the spell, I had made her mother leave the house.  There was no reason that she should be here while we worked.  Her power is as strong as mine.  Maybe even stronger at times, but no mother should have to witness their child go through what Laynie was going through now and I was proud that I had made the decision for her not to be here.
    Max shifted his weight and I thought that I had seen Laynie shiver, but it was only Max’s weight moving her body.  My hope, in that moment, had been crushed.  My daughter is going to die and there is nothing that I can do to stop it.
    “Alzar, we have to do something” Max’s voice was only a whisper now.
    “There’s nothing that we can do.”
    Max shot up to a sitting position and if I had not known better I would have said that he was going to attack me.  He had been known to be a very volatile witch when he was hurting and I was certainly going to have to be careful around him now.
    “So you’re giving up on her!” he screamed.
    “No, I’m not giving up, but Aria said that it was up to Laynie whether she wants to live or