Chapter 3

As soon as Xavier turned the corner, I leaped up into the sky, flying up to the rooftop of the buildings in one jump. One advantage of being a nightstalker was that we had agility on our side, and it made high jumping a lot easier. At least, it beat climbing up the stairs, or climbing up the side of the building like Spiderman.

Though most of my nightstalkers were comfortable moving around the streets and alleyways of Seattle, I found it easier for me travelling by the rooftops. After all, I wouldn’t meet many humans at the rooftops, and would rarely be seen, thanks to my superior speed that made me look like a blur.

Yet, choosing to travel on the rooftops was the wrong choice tonight, because, as I landed on the rooftop of the building I’d been lounging on before the Hunter –Xavier –challenged me to a fight, a stake flew past my head. Yet, it wasn’t the dead accuracy of Xavier as I dodged it easily, plucking the stake out of the air as it whistled past my head.

The stench of garlic filled my nose as I choked slowly. What was up with vampires and their myths? Pinching my nose, I held the stake up by two fingers, studying the rough, inexperienced work of someone pouring garlic water over the wood. It wasn’t even white ash. Not even elm.

Dropping the smelly stake, I wheeled away, backing to the far end of the rooftop, covering my nose and leaning as far away from the stake as possible. No, it wasn’t that I was allergic to garlic or something.

It was that the stench was really overpowering, and I was starting to have a throbbing headache that didn’t seem about to leave. Damned, why did everything have to happen today? For the last time; I just wanted a snack and back to bed! Was it that hard?

Apparently, it was.

“Go!” I heard someone’s cry as I tried my best to cough out the last of the overpowering smell of garlic that had rolled down my throat, bending over and hugging my stomach. God, my breakfast was trying to rush up my throat. So much for Seattle’s refreshing air.

Another stake sailed through the air, but this time it was thankfully free of garlic as I grabbed it, pitching it back in the general direction as to where it had come to me from. Someone jumped and grabbed me from behind, and that certain someone had to be smaller than me, because he or she clung on to me tight, one knife pressing the blade at my throat. But, before he or she could get a solid grip on me, I wrenched up my elbow, smashing the hard bone into the face of the human. There was a painful crunching sound, and the body hugging me from behind dropped as I slipped away.

I narrowly missed a strategically placed dagger, putting my hand up on instinct as I saw a second dagger slashed downwards, aiming to draw a single line down my face. A curse escaped me as I dragged out the inscripted dagger at my waist, smashing the hilt against the wrist of someone who was trying to stab me by my side. I didn’t need to look for my attackers, they were raining down on me, blow after blow. But I’d survived a fight with a hunter like Xavier; I could survive a few under-trained humans.

I tried my best not to draw any blood, but my blade nicked the forearm of a woman’s as she drew back, trying to back away from my swipe. Jumping around to dodge attacks and swipes from daggers, stakes and knife alike, I managed to land physical blows on all of the humans, and it was soon that most of them were rolling on the floor and groaning. We were lucky that I had chosen a large rooftop, or I’d have already pushed them off the building. Right now, given my lethargy of the events in the early night, I was ready to fake some mass suicide with people falling to their deaths from this rooftop.

I tucked my dagger back to where it belonged, meeting the eyes of the only one still standing.

“Drake, seriously? Garlic, for the last time, doesn’t work on us nightstalkers!” I sighed, sitting on the ledge of the rooftop, crossing my legs at my ankles as I crossed my arms across my chest, giving him a leveled look. When I’d first come into Seattle, I’d met Drake, and thought him a friendly human. But, as I got to know more about nightstalkers around here, I found out he was the leader of the local nightstalker hunting organization.

Though the NHS, the Nighttime Hunting Society, seemed to always be taking in new hunters, Drake was the only one who was relatively trained in combat. In a way, Drake and I were friendly enemies, and I tried my best to pretend shocked and scared when he decided surprise attacks on me. But hey, if he caught me on a bad day; sucks to be him.

“It worked. You choked, didn’t you? Gave us that small interval to jump in.” Drake seemed proud of himself as he smiled a charming smile at me. The thirty-plus looking man was well-equipped with the facial and physical features that every human girl desired, but the only problem with him was that he gave no care to any girl that pounced his way; his mind was only warped on nightstalkers. Perhaps it had something to do with his father bringing him up with his motivational speeches of the different ways to behead and kill a nightstalker. Hey, who knew?

“Yeah, that. But isn’t a waste of effort? Just to get someone to choke? Just use Rose De Mai next time. I can’t stand it.” I grudgingly accepted his argument, watching as his face immediately turns thoughtful.

“You mean the perfume? I think I have a friend…” He drifted off as his clever mind churned out the information. I had to give it to Drake; he had both looks and the brains. If he wasn’t so against nightstalkers, I would even have considered bringing him over to our side to be my third-in-command.

Though urgency got on my nerves to bring me to the Dark Wind, the nightclub that I’d open exclusively for nightstalkers, to see the intruder who was demanding for Lorna, I figured I had to entertain Drake for a little bit. Drake wasn’t a man who liked to be pushed aside by nightstalkers. Hey, I wasn’t trying to spoil our weird friend-enemy-ship.

“Another fresh batch, huh? Your numbers seem to be adding non-stop these days, Drake. Would a day come when everyone in Seattle is part of your organization?” I asked, looking around at the new faces I hadn’t seen before. I recognized a Mexican face, as well as an Indian one. I had to give Drake’s father credit; that man made his organization global.

“Yeah, a few more came from the East Side. There’s Remy, Neeson, Lila, and Cyna. And then theres…” Drake started to look around, searching for the last missing member.

“Yeah, he was imported from… Vienna just a few days ago. He’s a treasure; Dad said he’s from a well known family of some sort sorcery and witchcraft… Um... What was it again?” Drake’s mind, as usual, was filled with all sorts of information that he leaked out the information of his fellow members.

Sorcery and witchcraft? Magic Manipulation, perhaps?

“For the thousandth god-damned time, It’s not some hocus pocus you see on the street, Drake! What I do is the real deal, get me? You tell me if your circus freaks can call down a storm like me!” A shout sounded across the rooftop, and cold wind began to blow. Power –that wasn’t mine –filled the air as the water vapor above us that made the clouds answered to a manipulator’s call, bunching together, reading to drop its load on us.

I froze, eyes suddenly shooting ice beams at Drake. I hoped the man of higher IQ than most humans didn’t spot the sudden twitch in my hands as I struggled not to avert my gaze. The voice was so familiar, so nostalgic. Yet, the voice was forming words; words I’d never heard before said in the same voice. I didn’t want to look; didn’t want to get my hopes up, only for it to be dashed again.

“Yes, yes, you and your fancy powers. Do me favor and stop the shower, boy. I don’t want to get a cold. I’ve still got things to figure out around here. I’ve got a father to answer to back in Vienna. You don’t want me kicking your ass back there, huh?” Drake must have had an imbalance in his IQ and EQ, for he didn’t even show a slightest sign that he saw or sensed my sudden raised tension.

I drew in a breath, closing my eyes, and keeping it there as I waited for the reply. The power was so familiar, filling me with so much warmth.

“I know you won’t, Drake. You need me too much. You probably need me to cast some sort of love spell over some girl here in Seattle, huh? Who’s the chick, by the way? Man, what happened to them? Someone kicked their asses upside down?” The voice was unmistakable as the sound of someone climbing up the stairs to the roof echoed.

Still, I refused to believe it, refusing to open my eyes as I tried my best to still the whirlwind in my mind. The storm was still brewing; the power was still in the air. I leaked my tightly kept power into the air, connecting with the wind, blowing against the clouds that were gathering over us. I touched gingerly at his power, because I had to confirm it myself.

“This chick’s Dru. Dru’s one who you need to talk to, if you want to find the one who killed her.” Drake introduced, ignoring that I was standing as still as a statue, that my eyes were closed. I pushed hard against the memory that popped up again, drowning out my own mental cries with the sound of the wind brushing against my ear. Then, before the newcomer realized that I was using my power, I drew it back, letting the wind do its work in blowing away the clouds.

“You sure? She’s the nightstalker your father said? I expected… something more.” There was a little uncertainty, a little sarcasm in the voice and I had to bite back an instinctive growl.

“Drake, tell me, is he a member of the Reyzon family?” My voice was trembling painfully as I spoke, but I kept my eyes firmly shut.

“Yeah, how’d ya know?” The Vienna accent was unmistakable. I remembered how long it had taken me to shuck that accent aside, to blend in with the Seattle nightstalkers.

I opened my eyes, and everything fell away. My suspicion wasn’t wrong.

Anneson.

My gasp was hardly suppressed as I feasted my eyes on my grown brother. From quick calculation, he was near his mid-twenties, still as beautiful as he had been ever since he was born. I’d loved my brother so much when he was born. In the one simple year I’d spent with him, playing with his tiny hands and legs during the times when he was awake, I’d sworn to protect my brother. Once, I’d sworn that I would protect him no matter what, but that promise was thrown out the door the moment I was thrown out of my house so long ago.

“I, uh…” Anneson started to say, as I only stared at him. He had his red hair, but I saw the blue highlights he’d put. Seeing his hair color; it made me miss my red hair too. But it was okay; the black dye was fading soon. Soon; I would be back a redhead.

“You know, you look very familiar… Do I know you?” Anneson asked, flashing a polite curios glance at me, standing beside Drake. I looked away, my mind whirling for a short second. I couldn’t tell him that I was his sister. There had to be a reason Anneson made himself a part of this organization, to hunt down nightstalkers. He couldn’t do all this, only to find that his sister, who once loved him so dearly, was a nightstalker herself.

“No. But my name’s famous around the world. My face’s probably on the top wanted list everywhere. Ask Drake.” I put on my best nonchalant voice as I forced the tension away from my shoulders. Anneson was here, before more.

There had to be a reason why. A reason why Dad and Mum let Anneson risk his life like this. A reason why Anneson would waste his gift to hunt down nightstalkers, why Dad and Mum would allow Anneson to be tainted by the blood of the nightstalkers he hunted. There was so much I wanted to know about Anneson. But we were in the opposite sides of the battlefield. He was a hunter now, and I was his prey, no matter how skilled at being a nightwalker I was.

By now, the rest of the hunters who had been groaning on the floor were rising up to their feet slowly, still grasping their stakes tight. It seemed that only Drake and Anneson were the only two who were still relaxed around me. At least it meant something; it meant that Anneson didn’t harbor such a big hatred against my kind. To me, it was a glimmer of hope in the thunderstorm in my mind.

“Care for another round?” Drake drew my attention only for a little, and I absently nodded, my eyes finding their own way back to Anneson, who was studying the stake given by Drake with wide, clear blue eyes.

The fight went on for a little while, but I was no longer on the offensive nor defensive as my mind split into two. One part of my mind focused on getting my body to dodge the attacks that rained on me, but the second part was just plain looking at Anneson. My baby brother; I hadn’t been there to watch him grow up. I hadn’t been there at his first football game, hadn’t been there at his graduation ceremony. I hadn’t been there to cheer him in during his study for Finals, hadn’t been there to monitor him during Prom Night. All those, I hadn’t done, because I was turned nightstalker. All those human things; I couldn’t do, because I was a nightstalker now.

Someone slashed my back, but I barely felt the pain, or the blood flowing like a waterfall down my back. Someone scored a deep cut across my right thigh, and as my mind registered that I was losing blood, I simply didn’t care. Anneson was here. As I dodged around, I tried my best to get closer to him, to study him up close. I wanted to breathe in his scent, and know that it was him. I wanted to apologize for not being there. So many things; I wanted, but I couldn’t.

“Dru!” A voice that sounded faintly familiar sounded in my ears, but I didn’t care, as someone ruthless slashed on my right shoulder. All I knew was that I was close to Anneson. There wasn’t even pain; just longing. I was so close to Anneson, just about touching, when someone stabbed me in the chest.

Reality punched me deep in the face, and my chest, as the next breath didn’t come. Distantly, I could feel the stake tip, breaking through the skin of my chest. My eyes dragged from Anneson to the stake, then back up to him. He looked shocked himself, as his mouth gaped open; the worry filling his eyes. I didn’t know if I should have felt joy at his worry, but frankly, I could feel nothing.

“Dru!” Someone shouted my name again, as I fell to the cold floor, the strength draining out of me. A brush of wind breezed against me, and I finally felt the wetness in my clothes, as I shivered.

“Goodness, we’ve actually succeeded!” Drake’s voice was halfway between shock and joy as it sounded, but sounds of flesh meeting flesh sounded again. A familiar figure danced around, striking down at my opponents. Anneson didn’t move, plain staring.

My vision grew red, and I painfully dragged in my next breath. Was this it? Was this the death I had escaped so many years ago, just to die upon seeing Anneson again? It didn’t feel like what I’d felt back then. A sharp pain tore through me as I clamped down on a scream of pain, and then I could breathe again. There was a low angry growl, and I recognized a blurry silhouette stepping over me, advancing on my brother with the bloody stake.

It wasn’t even instinct, it was the pure, involuntary reaction that took quite some time for my foggy mind to understand. My blood hand clutched over one ankle of the figure advancing towards Anneson, and didn’t let go. I didn’t let go; because if I did, the person would strike down and injure my brother.

“Dru! What are you doing?” I finally connected the voice to a name in my pain-filled mind as I gasped out his name, struggling for my eyes to stay open.

“Xavier… Let him… go…” I begged painfully, forcing my body to curl up in my best attempt to keep pressure on my chest wound. Nightstalker I was; but normal injuries still took time for recovery. Even though I healed faster than humans, I was no walking miracle as the wounds took their time healing, my blood gushing out like a geyser.

I understood that, somehow, the stake hadn’t made into my heart. It had merely punctured a lung, and my body had healed up the hole. Yet, my blood vessel was pierced, and if I didn’t get help soon, I was going to die of blood loss. Still, I struggled to stay conscious. Even if it was on my last breath, I wouldn’t allow Anneson to be harmed.

“Let… him… go… Let… Anneson… go…” I rasped, feeling another fresh wave of blood spreading. I could feel the sticky liquid spreading on the floor around me. Faith would have a fun time cleaning this up.

I gave whatever strength I had left to holding on to Xavier’s ankle, hoping against hope that the Hunter would feel my determination through a single grasp. I didn’t even want to begin asking why he was here in the first place, but he had saved me from immediate death.

“Anneson! Let’s go!” Drake’s shout was tinged with pain, and my brother finally moved. With one last final look at me, he dropped his stake, and ran, presumably towards Drake. The sound of footsteps thundering through the streets was soon gone, and it was only a dying me and Xavier.

I released my bloody hand from Xavier’s ankle, silently apologizing for dirtying him with my blood. But he didn’t care as he went to his knees at my side, gentle but firm hands forcing me to uncurl myself, to let him assess my wounds.

“Nothing… fatal…… Just… losing……blood… Nothing much…you… can do…” I rasped painfully, biting back gasps as each breath I took was like a fire burning at my internal organs.

Xavier’s face was alight with concern, but I knew truly what he was concerned at. I was his only chance at finding the nightstalker named Vin who’d killed Christy before his very eyes. I was the only one available, around and willing. He wasn’t going to lose his chance at avenging his sister.

“Hold on, Dru. I’m bringing you to the Dark Wind. Someone there has to know what to do.” Xavier said firmly as he picked me up in both arms. I tried not to listen to the splash as my blood spilled to the floor, concentrating on Xavier’s shallow breathing as he began to run, with me in his arms.

I tried to tell Xavier that it was useless, but he forced me to keep quiet as he concentrated on getting me to the Dark Wind as fast as he could. Though it was close enough, I didn’t figure what he was planning to do. Was he just going to barge through, with the whole Seattle’s nightstalkers inside, with a bloody and staked me in his arms? He had wisely left the stake at the rooftop, but nothing changed the fact that I had been out to meet him, and had returned staked and bloody.

My mind was filled with all thoughts as I struggled to keep consciousness. I must have blacked out due to blood loss, but when I woke up back to my bruised and battered body again, we were nearing the Dark Wind. I could see my two bouncers, keeping vigil as they scanned the immediate area. Though my vision was getting dimmed, I could see them getting ready for a fight as Xavier appeared in view.

Open the doors, Lanier. The Hunter’s with me.

I touched one of the bouncer’s minds, expanding much power despite its depletion. It was flowing out along with my blood; I couldn’t even begin to summon the wind anymore. Xavier slowed down to a quick walk as we neared, and Lanier gasped when he saw us. The door was already open, in accordance to my order, and I managed a painful smile towards him. Lanier was a good servant, and once a good night guard of my home.

Hushed silence met my ears as my eyes finally closed. Xavier stopped, unsure of what to do. He had officially submitted himself over to the lion’s lair, with meat in his hands.

The silence that went between my nightstalkers and the hunter dragged longer and longer as my breaths got less deep with each breath I took. I’d lost too much blood. I wasn’t about to survive the day. Even if someone offered his or her blood to me, it wouldn’t suffice. I needed the blood of my Master’s, the blood of the nightstalker who made me.

And that itself was near impossible.

“Can someone help her?” Xavier finally broke the silence, letting his voice boom in the nightclub. The music was turned off, which did wonders to my ears.

There was a short span where everyone tried to understand what he was saying.

“Dru! Oh my god, DRU!” Faith’s cry was piercing and I could almost visualize her running towards us in her crazily high heels. The sharp clicks formed the image in my mind as I coughed out the blood that had surged up my throat. I needed my last words. Someone needed to help Xavier with his quest. I needed someone I could trust to look after Anneson. I needed to appoint the next Keeper. There were so many things I needed to do; so little time left for me.

“Bring her here!” I heard another’s cry. I should have known. I’d forgotten that Cole would always be around, keeping vigil over this place. Cole was also my second-in-command, but there was thin ice building between us recently. Cole had just confessed that he was in love with me a few days, and I’d plainly turned him down. Things were awkward between us, but Cole and Faith were my best trusted two nightstalkers.

I recognized when Xavier pushed through the crowded nightclub, carrying me as if I was nothing but a light load in his hands. As Xavier gently laid me down on a cold table, most probably cleared by Cole, Faith wasted no time in tearing open my shirt, studying my raw wound. I gasped a little as chilling air met my wound. It felt like ice was starting to form on my wounds.

 “Dru? Can you hear me?” Faith whispered by my side, and I could hear her voice wavering. She knew that my time was running out. She couldn’t do anything.

“Loud… and clear…” I gasped out weakly, keeping myself buoyed up above the waves of pain. Faith pushed away the hair from my face, her gentle hand on my face as I did my best to open my eyes.

I watched as Xavier begin to slink back into the shadows, but I didn’t allow him to as I painfully clutched at his wrist, bringing his eyes to me. He was in the Dark Wind, my nightclub especially for nightstalkers. Without my approval of his presence here, he would be torn to tiny pieces, no matter how skilled he was. He was plainly outnumbered.

“You are given… permission to stay…… Faith will… take over me… Until… your objective is done… you shall be given permission to stay…” Cold air touched my drying blood, starting to form a second red skin. I could feel my heart beating slowly, each beat sending a fresh wave of blood out the hole the stake made. My toes were starting to get numb due to lack of blood, beneath my leathered boots.

“But he… Dru, wasn’t he the one who stabbed you? Why…?” Cole’s furious voice boomed as I watched him land an angry fist on the table as he struggled between shouting out his anger and watching his manners around me. After all, I was the Keeper of Seattle, and naturally had a higher order in this place.

 “He… didn’t stake me…… The… NHS… they had… another… wizard…” I tried my best to cover up for Xavier, but it didn’t seem to work very well in dissipating the anger of Cole’s, as well as my fellow nightstalkers. For the moment, Xavier didn’t seem to care, as he took my hand in both of his.

“You’ll survive through this. You have to. I’m not going to let anyone help me avenge her.” I didn’t know if it meant that he didn’t trust Faith, or he believed I was the only one who could really find this nightstalker called Vin.

“She… can be trusted… Faith can pull some ropes… for you…” I gasped painfully as my world started to spin.

“Why help him, Keeper? He is the Hunter! He killed so many of our friends!” A brave nightstalker’s voice spoke up, as I turned my head slowly to my nightstalkers, who were watching me worriedly. Their eyes were filled with worry and sorrow, as well as anger at the Hunter. They believed that Hunter was the one who had staked me; they weren’t willing to believe that the NHS was able to kill me.

“Look at it another way, he brought Lorna here, to be saved. Surely he would not be so stupid to bring a bleeding Keeper into the lair of the nightstalker? There is something that fires him, my dear little flower. What gives?” A breezing voice filled the deathly silence in the air, and I couldn’t help the gasp.

Faith put some pressure on my chest, trying to staunch the wound, but we knew it wasn’t about to work. Not that it was so much in my mind now.

“Why…… in Hell’s Word…….are you here…?” Anger tried to worm its way into my voice, but more pain and air tagged onto it.

The same white, crazily-messed up hair swayed as the nightstalker pushed through the crowd, and I groaned, more from irritation, annoyance and dread than pain. The cute dimple when his sarcastic smile was flashed was there like always. The lynx green eyes were still alight with amusement as he approached my side, pushing Cole to the side with a brushing hand. The small scar at his left cheek was still there.

“There, there, my little forest flower, you’re back in safe hands now. I have not seen you in so long; you’ve grown more dazzling than you once were. Don’t tell me you have been naughty these days, my dear?” The same placating and gentle voice that once washed my mind lighted my anger like a fireball. If I hadn’t been so close to death, I would have launched myself on the nightstalker, and fried him to bits.

“Go… away!” I cried, the tears of pain blooming in my eyes as Faith pressed hard on my wound.

Even though the simple action drained on my reserve energy, I tried to push the nightstalker away as he took my hand away from Xavier’s hands. He pushed the hunter away, and Xavier didn’t put up a protest as he allowed the nightstalker close. But my effort in pushing him away was wasted away as he caught my hand, and held to it his heart as he leaned down.

“Feel my bleeding heart, my dear. It bleeds for you, because I see you like this. I didn’t come all this way, to see you die before me, Lorna.” His voice was gently breezing as he spoke. All I could feel was my pain and the vibration as his voice rumbled through his body.

“Go… to… Hell!” I rasped, trembling as he began to bring my hand close to his face. Enough that I was dying with Xavier’s memories in my head. I didn’t need his memories; not again.

“Hell is just a paradise, dear. A paradise.” He cooed as he leaned in so close that his face was all I could see. I closed my eyes, forcing his green eyes away from my vision. Looking at him plain filled me with anger and hatred that curled my toes. Why couldn’t I die without looking at his face? Why did life have to torture me like this?

“Drink up, my little sunflower.” He said, and before anyone could register his movements, he was already keeping his dagger back in his hiding place, his wrist slashed. His gentle hands propped the back of my head as he put his wrist to my lips. All I could think was how I wouldn’t drink his blood; wouldn’t taste him ever again.

But, once the liquid touched my tongue, there were no more thoughts. My nightstalker instincts came over me, and all I could do was to swallow, gulp after gulp. The smell of rain; of wind touched my nose as I swallowed the sweet liquid, feeling it roll down my throat. It fell deep within me, and spread warmth all around my body.

As I drank deep, my fangs brushing his bone as I sank them in his wrist, I felt the warmth concentrate on the chill at the hole in my body. Slowly, I felt no coldness there, just an odd tingling feeling. The other wounds decorating my body slowly faded away, just the tingling feeling where the wounds were once raw and painful.

“That’s enough, little Lorna.” His voice pierced through the silence in my head and I obeyed on instinct, letting go as I forced the fangs back into their guns. As I pulled away from him, I began to feel disgusted. Disgusted of myself, for having drank his blood, and enjoyed it. I was disgusted that I was given a chance at life again, by his hands. More, I was disgusted that I obeyed him.

I opened my eyes, my vision focusing with a sharper intensity. I could see the sweat that hung from Cole’s hand. I could see the drop of blood that clung persistently to my hands. Slowly, with Faith’s silent help, I sat up, eyes only on the one who had given me blood. My power flexed at my touch, as I pushed it into the air, very aware of the nightstalker’s, and Xavier’s power.

“I ask this of you again, what are you doing here?” My voice was low and wary; not the slightest bit happy at being revived.

The nightstalker only managed to look amused at the hostility of my voice.

“You sound as if you’re trying to ask me to leave, little flower? Why is that so?”

“I am not your little flower. If you’re not telling me your reason here, then leave. I don’t need you here. I don’t want you here.” My voice was adamant as my hands formed an unknowing fist.

“You don’t need me? I don’t think so, dear Lorna. What would become of you, if I wasn’t here to save that tiny life of yours?” His voice was mocking as I spoke and my power answered my touch. The wooden table that he was leaning against cracked and broke in two. Yet, the nightstalker moved fluidly away from it, shooting it only half a glance before looking back at me.

“You would try to kill me? Have you forgotten what I did for you? Have you forgotten me?” He demanded, his normally breezing voice suddenly turning hard. I remembered how I used to quiver in fear when he used that tone of voice, but I no longer did as I laughed coldly in reply.

“Kill you; I will no doubt try. I have not forgotten what you did for me. Surely, I have not forgotten my Master. I will never forget you; not after what you did.”

He actually smiled. “Good.”

I shook my head, my eyes warning him that my mind wasn’t that rational right now. He may have healed me, may once have been so powerful that I quaked before him, but now I was well-trained. I had toned my body perfectly, sharpened my power.

“No, Master. I will never forget how you ruined my life, Wind Elliot Marian.”