Nausea was what hit Velori first. It built and built until she feared it would overtake her. It came from the bottom of her gut, like a piston trying to blow out. Moving and traveling like a lost river that could never find an ending. By the time it got to her throat, thankfully it was a mere trickle of its beginning. Instead of a raging rapid, it was a foul placid pond.
The next thing to hit was unfamiliarity and a sense of bondage. Like her body was being stopped by a force she couldn't recognize and something even heavier was keeping her eyes closed. It felt like someone had placed duct tape over her eyelids and shoved a rag down her throat because no matter how hard she tried to talk; nothing came out. Yet, with all of these feelings, she was freer than she had ever been before.
She was in a dark room that she could move around in, even fly if she wanted. Nothing was holding her back in here. She could feel her physical body, and how leaden it was, yet her inner self had somehow escaped and was wandering around free as a bird. Only once more had she felt this. Long ago, in the past. A memory, so distant from her, that when she tried to remember it, it slipped through her fingers. She shoved that piece of information away, so she could think on it later. Right now, she needed to get her body moving and figure out where she was.
Nothing was making sense and all she could hear were bits of sentences from people she didn't know.
"...more plasma! We're losing..."
"...the wound is bandaged but she's..."
"...doesn't make sense. Why are you so close to..."
"...Hale gave that to Melisa, before she..."
"...They call it Wicca..."
Where am I? Why can't I move? Why can't I talk? I can hear myself. Ok. That's kinda weird. I can feel myself. Where the hell am I? Wait, what's that?
Far off, in the distance, there was light. Instead of nausea this time, something else coursed through her body, through her very veins. Something warm, like hot sunlight on the skin, yet it was in the body. Like her blood was oil, and a fire was ravaging it.
On her face, she felt fingers, yet she wasn't scared. Instead, she was happier and more content than she had ever been. She wanted to grab the fingers and never let go. They traced down her face, and through her hair. Then she felt whatever it was, smile. She laughed then. Not on the outside, but out loud on the inside, echoing through whatever room this was.
NO! They're gone. Where'd they go? Why?
The light in the distance got brighter, and her blood got warmer.
Movement caught her attention. What's this feeling? I feel . . . excited.
No, no wait, the light, it's going away too. NO!
"STOP!" She said out loud.
The sound of her own voice startled her. It was there, yet not. She heard it in her mind, yet she felt her mouth move. Not her physical mouth, but a perfect duplicate of it had been made and was in another form.
In the dark, loneliness started to threaten her and her mind worked frantically.
I guess I could try talking again.
"Please? Come back?"
She waited, but nothing responded and the presence didn't return.
"Please?"
Again, nothing replied. Just the dark emptiness.
"I'm scared." She whispered the words to herself.
~~~
The sun wasn't down yet, which was causing Hale to suffer from its debilitating effects. He currently couldn't rise until it went down or was completely covered; he was still too exhausted from the night before.
Why did I wake up? I never wake up until my body is ready to rise.
He could feel someone trying to enter his mind. They were clawing frantically at his brain, to gain entrance. Instantly he went into defense, blocking everything out and sensing his surroundings.
What the bloody hell! I hope they're ready for a fight. How the hell did they get past my barrier? No one should be able to do that.
"Hello? Please, if someone's there, say something. Please, come back?"
Who the hell was that? It sounded like... Melisa. No. No, not Melisa, the other one, the look-alike, Velori! Why is she in my lair? How is it possible for her to have broken my barrier? Why was she… here? No . . . wait... Where the hell am I?
He took in all of the smells of his surroundings and he was flooded with information. The smell of cotton and silk, old wood, and pieces of clothing. There were so many scents of HER. The other one. He was in her bedroom.
She smelled so much like Melisa, but her scent had a wilder nature to it. Something in it sent his blood to flames.
Blood!
That was something else he could smell. His own blood! He was surrounded by it. He must have been sweating all night since it was soaking into her comforter.
"Listen, I don't take much shit, and I know you're there. You're starting to piss me off." She was putting on a bravado, but she was scared, he could sense it. And lonely.
Did Velori wake me? How?
Only one other person could wake him before the moon was up. Melisa. She too would come to him in his sleep.
He had dreamt of her last night. That same dream of the last time he had seen her. He licked his lips to moisten the dryness. He could still taste Velori's exotic blood in his mouth. That was how she was reaching out to him now. He'd taken enough of her blood that it locked them to each other no matter where they were. They would be able to connect from across the globe.
"What is this? Where is this? Hello? Gairett? Please Gairett, if it's you please talk to me, say something. Gairett!"
Of course. Of fucking course. She calls for him. Why not? It was always for him. I should just leave her alone, let her see how it feels. I can't bloody move anyway. What good would I be to her?
"Please." It was a whisper. Nothing more, but it tore at his heart, at his gut.
She's talking in her mind. I wonder if she knows it. It doesn't feel like she does. I might as well answer. She'll just keep it up if I don't, and I don't feel like dealing with it.
"It's okay Amour. You're not alone."
He felt her surprise and her sudden withdrawal from his unfamiliar voice. "What is this? Why is it so dark? It feels empty and cold, and my head feels like it's in a vice."
"I don't know why it's dark. Try turning on the lights."
He could sense her hesitation. She was trying to decide what to do. Once again, she was attempting to access his mind and wasn't succeeding since his barrier was up. No one has ever gotten past it unless he allowed them.
It was an odd feeling, her trying to access his body, through her mind. He could feel her under his skin, in his arms, attempting to move them. He had gooseflesh running everywhere from the sensation. She was in his shoulders and arms now, trying to reach out. She was frantically trying to move her own body, and that's what he was feeling. She was everywhere inside of him. It was such a foreign feeling. He could stop her, but the contact with her was so emotionally healing, that he could do nothing but lay there and allow her frivolous attempts.
Where is she, anyway?
It was bizarre to Hale, going to her mind through a trail she made to his. It was kind of like walking backward through a trail in the woods that you've never been on. There were many turns, sudden stops, and turnarounds.
She must have been very confused and lost. Sympathy rushed over him.
His heart was reaching for her, aching almost. He could feel her helplessness. It was killing his heart, tearing at his insides once again. When he finally found her location, it was surprising. She wasn't using her full brain. The only part she was using was the part used while sleeping. Her subconscious was in full control as if her consciousness was turned off and was working on backup.
"Where are they? I can't find them." She had given up using him and was once again sedentary, and scared.
"Allow me, Ma Petit. Where do you think you are?"
If this was the one thing he could do for her, he was going to do it. After all, Illusion was his territory.
"In a Treasury, I think. Who is this? You sound like Gairett, but you're not. Your voice is deeper, and you have a different accent."
He had to smile. She was so much like Melisa, yet not. She was a rebel by nature and feisty rather than calm and contemplating, like Melisa. He was finding he liked the difference very much.