Chapter 451: What Did I Miss
"You cannot do something like that," the vampire’s voice had gotten very low as he stalked Penelope’s way. He did not like the suggestion that everyone who knew him might forget that he existed, and who could blame him? Something like that would be a profound loss for anyone.
He got closer, so close that he should be able to reach out and grab her, but the walls of the cage were between them and Penelope watched with anticipation as he tried to do just that. His chin was tucked, fierce eyes glaring with the blooming darkness overflowing from within, arm extended as he thrust his hand forward to grab her by the shirt, but then he hit the invisible barrier—his hand collapsing against the flat surface of it with a thud.
Furious surprise spread across his face as he flattened both of his hands against the wall of the cage. And then he started pounding on it, testing its strength, roars of anger erupting from his abnormally large mouth with its hideous clenched teeth.
"Fucking alyko!" He snarled, spit flying and landing in mid air against the wall that was refusing to let him pass.
Penelope’s expression relaxed with the profound relief of having successfully completed the first step of dealing with this intruder. She was out of the cage, and he was in it. And it was working. The job of containing him was done. Now they just had to figure out what to do next.
Her attention snapped back to Zagan and she rushed over to where August and Seth were hovered over him, forgetting the vampire all together. Hopefully August was able to figure out how to help him, because the wound he had sustained was horrific.
She slid on the ground next to them, finding Zagan slumped over against a tree with August next to him in a healing white light that surrounded them both. But she could tell there was still something not right. August looked frustrated. Her forehead was feathered in concentration, and Penelope could not sense the fluid transfer of energy happening that should be taking place.
"It’s not working," she whispered, watching August’s forehead cleave silently in response to her words.
"I don’t understand," August opened her eyes, their golden light more vivid than usual as she scanned the vampire in front of her. "Maybe... maybe it doesn’t work on vampires."
"No, he’s not letting us do it," Penelope whimpered. She took August’s spot and curled herself over him. "Why? Why did you make me feel this way if you were just going to leave me, you stubborn vampire?"
Nearby, Nedra walked out in a daze from where Seth had hidden her, squinting her eyes against the beams of light that were now shining between some of the trees. It looked like an earthquake had tried to destroy the island, but now the thunder had receded and the chittering of birds and insects had returned.
Her eyes went wide when she saw the contorted face of the monster from earlier twisted in anger as he pounded against the walls of the cage he could not see. But Nedra could see it. August must have completed it after Nedra collapsed, and it looked pretty good, but she quickly added a layer of reinforcement that August would not have known to include as an extra precaution.
She looked around nervously, afraid of what destruction she might find. Much of the earth in the surrounding area was cracked and caved in—a large gaping hole giving way to nothing but dark, endless space below it. Trees had fallen with their roots upturned, and there was a mess of leaves and branches and large boughs everywhere like a tornado had ripped through Zagan’s bent forest.
All of this had happened because of Nedra’s fear of losing her family. All of this destruction was from the fear of losing that stupid male who had claimed her heart so long ago. And now she didn’t know how she would ever have the strength to repair it. Her body felt like it had sustained a beating just from the small amount of work she had put into starting that cage.
Her eyes darted around, seeking Seth now that she thought about how he had not hidden himself like she had requested. Had he gotten hurt after all? Had he done something stupid and attacked the beast who was now slamming himself repeatedly against his cage like a trapped insect?
Seth stood from where he was crouched next to Zagan to meet Nedra’s searching gaze, and her chest deflated in relief upon seeing him as she let go of the breath that she had been holding. Thank the Goddess, he was okay.
He walked her way, shoes crunching over the mess of branches and leaves on the ground until his crooked smile was just a breath away and the comforting warmth of his aura was so close. And then he stopped, fingers twitching with the urge to hold her but she did not reach for him.
"You did not hide yourself like I asked," she accused him.
"I am sorry. I could not leave you," he swallowed, feeling the walls she usually had erected around herself back in place. "I am glad you are awake."
"What did I miss?" She sighed, walking past him to where the other two were huddled on the ground. And then she saw the pale face of Zagan who was collapsed against a tree, blood covering his shirt.
Nedra immediately noticed how the familiar vampire’s energy signature in the Veiled was strikingly different than usual. He seemed... living.
"He is alive?" She gasped, and then the tormented face of Penelope turned to her.
"Yes, but he is hurt," she choked. "And he is not allowing us to heal him."
Nedra gaped at the mate pair. She had been right. Penelope Winter was Zagan’s mate, and they had obviously found their way to each other if he was now living. The book... the scribble in that old book had been right after all.
