Vaalbara; Visions & Shadows (31 page)

             
“How do we run all the way to Pompeii?” Carlo was visibly upset.

             
“We have to go to Pompeii?” Carter stepped forward, looking pretty worn out.

             
“Isn’t there a volcano in Pompeii?” Everyone went quiet at my question. I moved away from Raighne, my blood slowed as the vision of getting shot flooded my memory.

             
“What is wrong? You look as if you have seen a ghost?” Raighne asked.

             
I turned away from the intensity of his gaze glad that our telepathy had been cut off.

“It‘s nothing. Just something I remember.” I didn’t want to worry him, and this could also be my chance to finish off what Carter had interrupted. If I could get shot, I could die.

             
“Carter, can you still see what I’m thinking, if I picture it?”

             
He gave me a chilling side glance.
I am hearing you loud and clear, Alchera.
Every
word. My telepathy seems to work just fine.”
He looked away, answering in his normal tone.

“As long as I touch a person, I can see into their mind.”

             
“Then you can take us there? The place I’ve seen?”

             
He swung around, stalking towards me. “For whose sake, Alchera? Antonio’s or yours?” He was angry now. “Why not tell Raighne the truth?”

             
“Tell me what?” Raighne turned to me, confused.

             
I glared at Carter. “Nothing. We are wasting time we don’t have. Can we form a circle, please?”

             
I will not let you kill yourself.
Carter’s voice sounded like he was enduring physical pain.

             
You’ve
always
been able to hear my thoughts?
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised.

             
Carter’s eyes grew darker.
I can hear everyone’s thoughts. It is
one
of my talents; I am a mind reader.

             
Why didn’t you just tell Adeth what I was thinking back in the shack?

             
Because I held onto your secret with the last bit of control I had left.  I care for you, Alchera. You mean more to me than my own life.
His revelation about his feelings for me didn’t shock me as I had expected it would. It did stir something in me, though. Could I call it friendship? Friendship for this man who I could no longer hate?

             
Did you hear what I thought about forgiving you?

             
He shifted his hand, linking his fingers through mine.
I did. It was what got Raighne and myself out of the Vatican alive. Thank you for caring whether I lived or died back there.

             
“Alchera?” Raighne whispered my name as he took my other hand. “About what you said earlier—”

             
“Not now, Raighne. Besides, I thought you were dead.” I tried smiling.

             
“You mentioned shadows—”

             
“Not now! We have to get out of here.” I glanced at Carter before letting my eyes sweep over the group. Making sure everybody was accounted for I closed my eyes, thinking only of that spot - the end of me.

             
“Now, Carter.”

~*~

When we materialized we were standing in the foreign city from my vision. There were people everywhere, screaming in a language I couldn’t understand. We weren’t standing in the exact spot I had thought of, but it would do. We were close to the volcano and I could see the smoke billowing from it.

             
“Now what?” Carter wiped the blood from his face, his hands visibly shaking. He sank down to one knee, his strength gone after the shimmer.

             
“Are you okay? At least you’re not passing out anymore.” I kneeled down beside him, cleaning his face with one of the wipes Jason handed me.

             
“I will be fine. You are right, I am getting stronger with each passing moment now that I am no longer under Adeth’s control.” I helped him up, making sure he was capable of standing on his own before I let go of his arm.

             
We were off to the side, slightly hidden behind a tent. I peeked out from behind it, only to see rows of tents stacked beside each other. I could see stretchers with the injured lying all around. There were people dressed as doctors running everywhere, trying to tend to the wounded.

             
“Carter, you’re the only one who knows what Antonio looks like.” He’d seen the vision with his telepathic mind. “He might be in one of these tents. Split up and call me if you find him. We can meet back here. The rest of the group can stay here and rest.”

             
Carter walked in the opposite direction as Raighne and myself.

             
“What did you mean by Carter can ‘call’ you?” Raighne sounded upset, his jaws clenched together.

             
“It’s one of Carter’s talents. He is a telepath and can read anybody’s mind.” I shrugged, trying to make it inconsequential.

             
“Yet I
cannot
communicate with you in that way anymore. How is it possible for him?”
             
I thought about it for a while, as my eyes scanned every face around me, hoping the next one would be Antonio’s. “Maybe it’s because you’re good and I’m turning into a monster. Maybe it’s because of the shadows growing inside me.”

             
He stopped me dead in my tracks and took me by the arms. “You are not evil. Yes, I admit there is something wrong, but Alder and Aster will be able to take it from you. Look at me, Alchera”

             
I slowly followed orders, still not wanting him to see the shadows accumulating in my eyes. People moved around us, not noticing us, as we stood there in the middle of the chaos.

             
“I love you with every cell in my body. When I am away from you, it physically hurts.” He gave a small laugh before continuing, “Can you not see how I feel about you? I am meant for you.” He wet his lips as he leaned his forehead against mine. “You are meant for me, Alchera. You have always been the one.” He wiped the hair from my face, gently kissing my tears away. “So you can understand when I say there is no evil in you. The woman I love cannot be evil. I will not allow for it to happen. I will not lose you.”

             
“Raighne, I—”

             
“Shh. You do not have to speak now. I needed for you to know how I felt about you. I wanted you to understand you still had something good to fight for, that is if you want me?” The lazy smile pulled on his lips.

             
“I will always want you, Raighne. The hope I had for us has been the only thing keeping my heart going.” A tear rolled down my cheek. “Just know you have always been the one for me, too. I love you so much.” I pressed myself so hard against him, as if it would be the last time I would get to hold Raighne in my arms.

             
“Why are you sad?”

             
“You have been my every heartbeat and every…breath, and—”

             
Carter’s voice suddenly broke into my mind.
I have Antonio. Hurry back, he is not coming by his own free will.

             
My body jerked. “Carter has Antonio, and he’s going to be a problem.” I turned around, running back as fast as I could.

             
I could hear Antonio yelling before I caught sight of him. He was upset - more than upset.

             
“You are from the Devil. Do not touch me, child of Satan!” I came around the corner of the tent, slamming into Carter’s back. He took hold of my arm, preventing me from meeting the ground.

             
My attention was on Antonio. Evin and Eamar were holding him so he wouldn’t be able to escape.

             
“Antonio, it’s okay. We are here to help you.” He glared at me, and spat at my feet. It made my temper flare and, without thinking, I walked right up to him. “You listen to me, you ungrateful bastard.
Your
God wants us to save
your
ass. I have sacrificed my father and my brother to get to you. I have almost lost the man I love, not to mention a…friend. So get your act together, because whether you bloody well like it or not, you are leaving with us now!” I was hissing in his face, unaware that my eyes had turned to charcoal again.

             
“Alchera, move back. You will not convince him in that manner.” It was Sarah’s concerned voice behind me.

             
“Sir, please come with us,” she spoke, softly. “Just like us, you have been chosen for your talents.” Sarah was already out of breath. “We need to get three more people before Earth is completely destroyed. Please come with us, we need you.”  She fell back into Jason’s arms, totally drained from talking.

             
“Let me go first.” Antonio seemed to have calmed a bit.

             
A wave of fear, hopelessness, and dread hit me full on, driving me to my knees.  I saw Sky fall to the ground from the wave that hit her.

             
I turned around to see what had caused the strange emotions. A sea of dead faces greeted me. While we were busy talking to Antonio we hadn’t notice Mount Vesuvius spew the molten rock into the air. A cloud of ash began to rain down on us, covering all in a shroud of death.

             
This was it…this was my vision.

             
I was staring at the dark clouds above us - the black, red and yellow colors built into a thick mass. I was thinking of when I would turn around. I wouldn’t try and run as my vision had predicted I would. I would take the bullet with no questions asked. My heartbeat sped up as I saw Carter run towards me.

             
I turned to face my shooter without any hesitation, and felt the bullet hit me hard in the chest.

             
There was an explosion of sound.

             
There was blissful darkness.

             
I am free!

Chapter Twelve

Africa’s Sun

Africa, how warm your sun shines on my face,

while people are suffering in silent disgrace.

For no reason, so many in horror are killed,

leaving you now with only empty grass fields.

*

I had seen such beauty in your lands,

now dying at greedy humans hands.

Africa! Oh, Africa,

how warm your sun shines;

while the blood dries,

and everyone inside your borders die.

My body flew backwards. I heard my name being screamed and then everything around me became even more bizarre.

             
“Alchera! Awo… No!” Someone fell over me. I was just about to make out his face when everything blurred. I saw shadows - thick shades of grays covered me like a pall of death.

             
Alchera, listen to my voice. Follow me back.
Carter was there between the shadows. I could feel him pulling at me. Other voices began breaking through to my consciousness.

             
“Get the gun! Where did he get it?” There was the sound of a struggle. “Jason, take the gun from him!” I thought it was Lee’s voice booming around us, but then I heard a woman I had never heard before shouting urgently.

             
“I need scissors! Anna, look at me! Pass me the scissors
now
!”

             
There were two women dressed in casual clothes and white lab coats. They were both standing over me. They looked like angels in their white garb. I guessed they were mother and daughter. Both had the same deep brown eyes and thick brown hair hanging in low ponytails.

             
“Alchera, open your eyes!” I pried my them open; my lids felt like they had been filled with lead.

             
Raighne and Eamar were hunched over me. Eamar tore my shirt open as he spoke to me; his voice reminded me so much of my father’s.

             
“Don’t worry, my child, we are going to heal…” His face morphed into the older doctor from my vision. It was so strange; it felt like I was caught in a movie. “… you just hold on for me, honey. Have you given her the sedative?”

             
“Isobel!” The older doctor turned her head to the voice coming from behind her.

             
“Yes?”

             
“Are you okay there with the mother?” The other voice asked.

             
“Yes, how are the children doing?”

             
“Only one made it; the father’s dead, too.”

             
“Dammit.” She looked up at the girl she had called Anna, who couldn’t keep back her tears. “Pull yourself together, Anna. Now is not the time nor place for tears. She needs us now. If you want to make it out here, and mean anything to these people, you’ll have to put your feelings aside and think only of them. Only
they
matter now. Africa is a hard place. The ground beneath your feet will kill you if you don’t toughen up.” Her voice was hard, though her eyes were tender as she looked at her daughter.

             
“Alchera, open your eyes! Do not die on me.” I forced my eyes open. It was hard, the pain in my chest was excruciating at the moment. Raighne’s hands were pressed firmly on my chest. His familiar warmth pulsed through me. “There you are. Hi there, beautiful. Stay with me. Talk to me. Come on…stay with me.” Raighne had tears streaking down his face. Some dropped onto my hot skin. I wanted to reach up and touch them, but I couldn’t move my arms.

             
“I’m sorry…” I struggled to breathe, it felt like I was under water. I turned my eyes away, no longer able to look at him.

             
Carter fell on his knees in my movie. “I can save her. You are not healing her fast enough, I can smell death and he is not here for anyone else.”

             
“Anna, the scalpel!” I was back with the doctors somewhere in Africa. I felt the sharpness of the scalpel slicing into my skin. I was expecting a sharp, cutting pain - not the searing pain I so clearly remembered from the shack that burrowed deeply into my chest. 

             
I heard my chest crack open like a walnut and I screamed. I screamed…but it didn’t sound anything like me.

             
“Anna, the sedative is wearing off. Give her another, quick!”  I felt hands digging inside of me, tearing my heart out.

             
I forced my eyes open again, looking right into Carter’s deep blue eyes. I saw so much tenderness in them, but his hands were once again inflicting so much pain on me that I could barely breathe.

             
I didn’t understand. “Why?” I could only murmur the word, not able to absorb the horror of the moment.

             
“All will be well. This time I will save you.”

             
I turned my head away and saw a shadow move towards me. He had large wings that reached high above his head. He pulled them to his sides and they dragged across the floor with every step he took. His whole body was made of different shades of grays and blacks, giving the impression of shadows and swirling smoke as he moved. I could see no face as he came closer. His touch was icy cold, and instantly stole the warmth from me. I shivered fiercely.

             
“Who…are…you?” I breathed the words at him, as if they were my last.
             

“I am Azreal, the one you have been longing for. I am the Angel of Death, Alchera. Close your eyes. It will be quick.” His voice was eerie, and it had a pull to it. I felt it when he began to draw me into him. I had no fight left in me, and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to fight anyway. My whole body slowed down as if on command. The shivering stilled and everything became quiet.

             
Carter grabbed my frozen body in his arms. “You will not take her from me, Azreal!” I felt us shimmer away, and when we reappeared it was in a dark place. It smelled of rotten eggs and a red glow came from somewhere.

             
“Where?” One word was all I could manage.

             
“This was my home when Adeth was alive. We are in a volcano back on Vaalbara, in the Land of Shadows, Alchera. I can heal you faster here and it will take Azreal a while to trace you.” He was scrambling around, knocking bottles everywhere.

             
“Why?”

             
“I told you, I am not going to let you die. I am going to give you the potion Adeth gave me every time she almost killed me. It is here somewhere. Dammit!” He found it under a pile of empty bottles. As he lifted my head and held the foul smelling bottle to my lips, he saw the questions in my eyes.

             
“I will not lie to you. It will hurt a lot. You will also keep the scar as a reminder…she always wanted that. Reminders of the games she liked to play. You will be healed in a few minutes and then it will be over. We can go back then. Alright?” He didn’t wait for me to agree, as he forced the vile liquid into my mouth. I didn’t have the strength to spit it out.

             
After swallowing the most bitter tasting fluid ever, my insides began to twist. It felt like Adeth had returned. My chest began to heal; I heard the bullet fall to the ground, as the wound sealed itself. I couldn’t say the same for the rest of my internal organs. It felt like they were being ripped out of my body one by one.

             
“Carter!” I curled into his chest the minute he took me in his arms, and for the first time since the night I was saved from the shack a scream pierced my aching chest.

             
Carter held me tightly as I screamed at the power of the excruciating pain.

             
“All will be well. I know it hurts, I know. Shhh, my precious.” He kept whispering in my ear, placing kisses in my hair.

             
He was right. I could feel the horrible pain slowly subside until it eventually disappeared. Carter didn’t let go of me. We sat like that for a few minutes before I stirred in his arms.

             
“I…” I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say.

             
He left me sitting on a chair and disappeared into another room.

             
“I should have a shirt in here for you somewhere. It will be big, but at least it will do until we can get something else.” He came back with a black shirt.

             
I got up, still feeling faint, though I forced my body to walk. As soon as I was in reaching distance of Carter I grabbed onto his back for support.

             
“Thank you.” I leaned against him.

             
Carter turned around, wearing a rare smile. “There is a potion around here somewhere to replenish your strength.” He helped me sit before he began sifting through the mess. Finding it, he knelt down in front of me and unscrewed the cap from the bottle.

             
“You saved my life.” I bent forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was so shocked, his fingers reached up and touched the spot where my lips had been.

             
“Did you go through that same pain every time you healed?” I immediately regretted the question when I saw the hurt in his eyes over what his mother had done to him. He handed me the small bottle to drink and then walked away from me.

             
“Yes. She enjoyed watching. It was her favorite form of entertainment.”

             
“Carter.” I got up to follow him when I was suddenly forced to my knees.

~*~

“Shut up! Face down!” Anna and Isobel were splayed out on the ground; their faces were being forced into the dirty floor by two African men.

             
“Where is medicine? We want medicine!” They were screaming at a male doctor; their eyes were bulging with hatred.

             
“In that cupboard…over there. But it’s all we have. Please don’t…”

             
They beat him with the butts of their rifles. “Shut up pig! You not speak.
I
am boss!” The big one standing in the doorway moved in on the male doctor. The look on his face was one of pure evil.

             
“You are the boss.” The doctor’s nose ran with blood, as he backed away from the African. He made the fatal mistake of trying to maintain eye contact with the brutal man.

             
“You filthy rich white pig.” He lifted his rifle, firing several shots into the doctor‘s already mangled body.

             
Anna opened her mouth to scream, but Isobel slammed her hand over her lips, practically smothering her daughter.

             
“You are his woman?”

             
“Ungwe, leave them! Bring the medicine!” A new man dressed in camouflage appeared at the door. The African man who had just killed the doctor looked upset with his orders, but he obeyed, and a few seconds later they were gone.

~*~

I came to with a jolt. It took me a few seconds to realize I was in a cave with Carter.

             
“They’re in a bad place.”

             
Carter helped me up, his eyes staring intensely into mine. “I can take you there now. I can feel them.” I looked at him and thought of Raighne. I wanted Raighne to know first.

             
“Now, Alchera!”

             
“Okay! Okay!” He stepped up to me, then shimmered away - giving me no time to back out.

             
We appeared right in the middle of the mess the rebels had left behind. Isobel and Anna stared at us; their eyes were large with shock.

             
“We mean you no harm. We’re here to help you.” I held my hands out to show I was unarmed. Not that it was helping, seeing that we had just appeared out of thin air. Isobel grabbed a scalpel, and a moan slipped through my lips. I was exhausted. I barely had the strength left to persuade them to come with me.

             
“Give me a break,” I sighed. “I know you’re in shock from your friend being shot, but please hear me out.” I didn’t know if it was the weathered sound in my voice that did it, but Isobel backed down.

             
“Thanks.” I pushed my hair from my face, not sure of how to approach them. “Do you have any water?” I was really thirsty. The sun began to rise in the east, and I realized we hadn’t slept at all.

             
She handed me a glass, then moved quickly back to Anna’s side. They both looked just as tired as I felt.