Forty

“I’m sorry, but you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way! I’ll be the one handling this.” My words came out as a low, menacing growl. Fury, rage, hate, boiled inside me. All these emotions cooking up together were making it hard to leash my demon. He wanted out, he wanted to avenge her, he wanted to bring justice to her suffering. It was unthinkable, someone touching her in such a crude way.
“NO! This is my fight! You can’t take that from me! I have to find him!” She stiffened in my arms, and then she pushed me away. My mind was hazy with hatred, and her words didn’t help at all.
“I said, NO, dragă! I’ve lived in torment all this time, and I won’t give fate the chance to take you away again!” She tried to move away from me, but I gripped her by the arms, securing her in place and making her face me. There wasn’t a drop of fear in those lavenders, yet lots of defiance and rage. She was pissed beyond limits, but I didn’t care. She wasn’t going forward with this madness.
“You may have lived in torment for centuries, but that doesn’t take away my suffering, neither makes it less than yours! You’re not my owner, and I’ll do what I have to, VLAD!” When she stressed my name, another growl escaped my mouth. “Growl as much as you want, it’s final. Let go of me, let me go!” Things around the room vibrated again, and since I didn’t release her, she slapped me all over, trying to get away. Waves of panic, sorrow, and fury lashed at me.
We were feeding at each other’s emotions, and things could get nasty. I didn’t want her to go the same path I did, but she had already rooted down on it. The past was about to recall itself, and I couldn’t let that happen. I gripped at her wrists, so she would stop her rampant.
“NO!” I hissed, forcing her to face me. “Let me handle it.”
“I die first!” She retorted with a heavy sob, and that pierced my heart so torn was her soul. It was too much pain for only one person to carry.
“Dragă…” I let go of the subject for the time being, bringing her back to me, and letting the new flush of tears wash over my shoulders.
She cried so hard her body convulsed in my arms. It was heart wrenching. How did I miss these? How could I not have sensed all this suffering when it happened? I had always sensed her, no matter what. So, how did I miss this time? It made little sense to me and drove me crazy, not knowing the answers.
Even my demon wept with her, so unlike it. He didn’t even struggle with me at that moment. Yes, he was also falling in love with my Liz. She needed to rest. A lot has happened since last night, and her exhaustion took a toll on her. She was limp against my chest and barely able to keep her puffy eyes open.
“We’ll finish this conversation later. You need some rest.”
“There’s nothing else to talk about. I’m not quitting!” She hissed in a whisper. I made her comfortable between the blankets, holding her tight to me.
“We’ll see about that.” I replied. But she had already drifted off, falling into a restless sleep at first, and once she had calmed down and slept peacefully in my arms, I barged into Anton’s mind.
*Are you there?* It was interesting to reconnect to the link after so long. Finding the path to his mind again from afar.
*Yes, I’m here. She told you everything.* He stated in a sigh.
*Not all of it, but almost. How do you know?
I felt every bit of her distress, but she was with you, and letting all her pain out, so I kept to myself.* His voice came low and sad in my mind.
*How can you sense her?* I asked him, all puzzled. *I thought it was only me?*
*I can, but I don’t know why. My guess is her mind pattern is different this time, and we developed a father and daughter bond while dealing with all her struggles. I don’t know where she goes, but I can sense her. For the first time, I lost the link, and I thought I’d go mad without news. The reason I got so angry with her about this last mission when she got back, and to my surprise with you tagging along.
Does she know?
No, she doesn’t; I thought it was better to be quiet about it. I put a tracker on her, but even that sent me to a wild chase this time.
Anton, a question remains in my mind. Why didn’t I feel her childhood pain? I’ve always been able to. What happened this time? Why didn’t I awaken while she was going through all that? Why didn’t you sense me, either?
I don’t know, old friend. Something feels odd.* He mused, and the way he sounded he hadn't lost his bad habit of smoking and puffing those nasty cigars.
*Explain it to me. What are your suspicions, Anton?
Sometimes I feel a disturbance, the same pull we feel when we are close, a surge of power. Anton talked with caution, thinking over the subject. Like he used to do in battle, studying the whole scenario and coming up with better strategies. Every time she died, this power was there.
I don’t remember feeling it. Were you not feeding on my distress?* I replayed those terrible days in my mind. Maybe I’ve missed something.
No, Vlad. We have a signature, and it wasn’t yours I felt.
*Baxley had said something in London, and I didn’t pay attention. How could I? He said we were all dead already when I threatened to kill every one of them. He knew something right then.
Well, Baxley and a few of his men were found dead a few months later, torn to shreds. I didn’t have the time to analyze, since I had a lot on my tail to worry about.
And I’m sorry to put you through all this.* I apologized, he’s been by my side since day one. A true brother.
*Nah, it’s fine. After you crossed the ocean, I got glimpses of your location before you shut down. I finished up whatever I had in London and came over. The same disturbance hit me here, but I could never get to the source. It has been lurking around since I’ve met Alex.
Do you think we are dealing with someone like us here?
I believe so, Vlad. But the question is who and why?
That’s what we’re going to figure out. Tell me about her dreams.
What do you want to know?
I don’t know; she told me about them, but didn’t get into details.
Well, they started when she was about three years old, and they were very real to her. You have always been in them, fighting in the field, slaying and impaling people. Her desperate screams awakened me, things flying around and crashing in her room. The worst of them were the ones where you got injured in battle. She would wake up crying, desperate to get to you.* Anton’s sadness and concern filled my mind. *Vlad, she relived each of our battles, feeling them to her bones…
How did she never connect you to the dreams? You were by my side in the field.* It puzzled me.
*Maybe I wasn’t the central figure of the dreams, and I was different. Short hair, no beard, no tattoos. She may not have recognized me physically, but her soul did. She felt safe with me, so she knew I meant no harm. Vlad…
Yes?* He was quiet for some time, and it intrigued me. *Anton?
Now that we’re mulling over all these, I remember Alex telling me about a shadow in her dreams. Someone was there with her and always lurking around you.
Who could it be? Well, at least we have some information to start with.
Vlad, she had never feared you in her dreams, but feared for you. She would weep that you were in danger, and you shouldn’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Did she know I was real?
No, I’ve never told her. We, the psychologists and I, had always treated her dreams as night terrors. She had suffered too much already; she didn’t need more burden on her.
Thanks, old friend! For everything, and most of all, taking care of her when I could not!
She gave me a chance to be a dad when I thought I would never have that again, and I’m enjoying every second of it.
I’ll talk to you later. I have to go now.
Take care, Vlad.*
Liz had entangled herself on me, one of her legs between mine, her soft breasts nestled against my chest, hand around my shoulder, and her face in the crook of my neck. I pulled her closer to me, her floral scent invading my nostrils, making me feel at home. I let my mind wander, trying to put together everything Anton has told me. Then Alessia filled my dreams.