Chapter 515: Making it Bigger
"You don’t want to wait for Nedra?" Penelope asked, walking out of the castle with August who had come in to retrieve her.
"I just have a feeling we won’t need her," August said, her arms swinging at her sides. She was happy. She was happy for Nedra and Seth. She was overjoyed for Selah and Sage. They were finally going to have a chance to be a family. All of them needed it. They deserved it.
"You sure are confident now, aren’t you?" Penelope chuckled, sensing the light and joy that was surrounding her friend.
August sighed a happy acknowledgement, unable to tame the smile on her face. Everything was finally working out. All of the difficulties were coming to a close, and finally all of them would be able to move on with their lives.
"Is this just supposed to be a piece of cake? Giving the vampire life? No big deal now?" Penelope asked, and then her steps halted. "Oh, I see the reason for your good mood. And you brought him here with you."
"Well, it’s only fair," August chuckled, "you both have your mates here."
"Yeah, but your mate probably wants to kill both of our mates," Penelope mumbled for only her to hear.
"He has promised to be good," August mumbled back with a smirk.
"Penelope Winter," Graeme nodded in greeting, his hands folded behind his back. He did not look amused to see her.
"Graeme Hallowell," she replied just as formally. "We meet again."
"Indeed. I hear you convinced my mate to leave the pack and come here without me. Something about her being the only one who could kill the vampire?" His eyes flashed teasingly.
Penelope pressed her lips together. "I may be guilty of that."
"So do I get to meet him?" Graeme asked, glancing between his mate and the Winter alyko before his eyes squinted at the castle where Zagan was hidden away. "Or are you afraid I might kill him?"
"Can you meet the vampire we need to kill?" Penelope smiled widely. "Why of course you can. Right this way please," she raised her arm to lead the rest of the way to the monster’s cage.
Graeme scoffed at the joke as he turned to follow her and August linked her arm with his.
"You weren’t kidding," Graeme said once they approached the cage, frowning at the distorted appearance of the one who was inside. His mouth was stretched to an abnormal width, rows of teeth like a shark revealing themselves when he smiled.
The vampire started to stretch in height, his legs becoming long and slender like a Gumby doll until his head hit the invisible ceiling and he bent over, the long torso extending behind him. His head twisted to the side, hanging down in an eerie display of his ability.
"This has to do with fae genetics?" Graeme asked, screwing up his face. This is not what he would have imagined the fae to be like. He always imagined a wistful, ethereal beauty like the beautiful glowing mate by his side.
"Apparently," August said, watching unimpressed at the vampire’s performance. "What do you say?" She turned to Penelope. "I can’t wait to see the disturbing expression this guy makes when he gets a beating heart."
"Same plan as before? Or have you had some new revelation?" Penelope asked.
"Same plan," August let go of Graeme and offered her hands to Penelope, wiggling her fingers in invitation.
"Oh, we get to hold hands?" The Winter chuckled, grabbing August’s hands in her own.
Once their hands met, both of their smiles gradually fell as the Veiled surrounding them grew larger and more intense, like a lightbulb glowing brighter along with a sudden surge in power.
"Are you doing this?" Penelope asked, her eyes darting around in surprise.
"We are," she answered. "Together. Focus on the light in his chest."
"I have never been able to see the light in his chest," Penelope looked at the creature who still had his back pressed against the invisible ceiling, obscuring his chest from view anyway.
"It’s there. Maybe it will be easier to see if we close our eyes," August suggested, closing her own before Penelope did the same.
August’s hands tightened around Penelope’s and the Veiled sprung to life behind their eyes, a golden world of swirling energy forms making itself available to their awareness. And to the side of them, housed within a golden cage, was the dark outline of the creature.
"See," August whispered, the bright brilliant light twinkling to life in the center of his being. "It looks like a star."
"He has THAT in THERE?" Penelope gasped softly, finally seeing what August had been referring to all of this time.
"Yep. It’s small, but it’s there. He just needs our help making it bigger," she replied, only to receive a chuckle from the female holding her hands.
"I’m sorry," Penelope whispered, biting her lip.
"What? What did I say?" August squinted one eye open to see the smirk on Penelope’s face. "Goddess, seriously?"
"Sorry, sorry," Penelope repeated, chuckling again. "You’re right. He needs our help. Let’s make it bigger."
Graeme groaned at the juvenile joke, the gruff noise causing both females to break out into laughter this time.
"Okay, okay," August said, tamping down her own giggles.
"Okay," Penelope agreed, straightening her face as best as she could and letting the Veiled fill her mind again.
"If you see it, you don’t need me to tell you what to do next," August said, focusing on the light.
"You’re right, thank you. I know how to make it bigger," Penelope said, unable to resist. A snort came out of her nose as soon as she got the words out, and August slapped her on the shoulder.
"I had no idea you were so immature, Winter!" she said, rolling her eyes. "How can you joke at a time like this?"
"Is there a better time? This whole thing is so ridiculous that I can’t even believe it’s real," Penelope was rolling on a wave of fresh giggles now. "After everything that has happened! And seriously... look at his face!" She gestured toward the vampire without looking herself.
Graeme raked a hand down his face and beard, shaking his head back and forth as the two females in front of him began laughing harder.
