figure out what is going on and who was behind the attack. Irena and Boris are arriving tomorrow afternoon. They’re already on a plane.”
His words surprise me again. Who was behind the attack? What kind of question is that? We already knew the werewolves attacked Misha’s home, didn’t we? What was really in the reports about the attack? Vladimir was not telling us everything. I could sense he was holding something back. This is bigger than the attack on Misha’s house…something strange is happening in the supernatural world and Vladimir is keeping it from us. Why? I don’t have much patience but I’ll have to use the little bit I do have because he’ll tell us what’s going on when he is ready and not a moment sooner.
I said goodnight and headed to bed. It was only three in the morning but my brain was tired of thinking and my body was strained from feeling everyone’s emotions, so I decided it was best to turn in for the night.
I stopped at Ambrose’s door. I wanted to go inside and console him. My heart ached for him and the pain he must feel from the loss of his partner. I placed my hand on his door and felt nothing but misery. Then I heard Ambrose say to Nadia, “Why? Why couldn’t they have let Sacha live instead of the youth they are sending as my replacement? Why?” I couldn’t handle this. He was filling my body with every emotion he had. My empathy for him brought me to tears, and when his emotions consumed me, I wanted to wail. It was as if I had become Ambrose. My body couldn’t handle that right now, and I was too tired to block him out. A hot shower and my bed were calling, so I sadly continued to my room.
6 - Open Your Eyes
I had curled into my favorite position. Half the sheets were between my legs and the other half over me. My arms looped around my pillow with my head nestled on top. The sun wasn’t fully up yet, but I could tell it was morning by the color of the blinds, a light shade of gray, casting a slight haze of smoky light through my room. That was the good part about waking up, the part where my memory was a little hazy and the only thing running through my brain was Sleep … more sleep … I feel so comfortable right now … I just want to stay this way a little bit longer . Then, wham, the stuff from last night hit me.
I lay still for a few seconds, letting my mind adjust to waking up, so I could let my surroundings in and sense the room. I wasn’t alone, but I wasn’t awake enough to figure if it was friend or foe. Looking over to my nightstand without moving, I suddenly realized my swords were in the bathroom. Not having my swords near was not something I did often. Don’t panic, clear your head, wait to make your move. Was it our turn to be slaughtered? Were the others already … was I to be the survivor to tell the story? Why was it waiting? Was this a dream? No, it wasn’t a dream. I could sense whatever it was better now, and it didn’t feel anything like I thought it would. A sense of remorse, sadness, and desire filled me. I cringed at the thought of the emotions I felt in the field last night. These weren’t the same feelings or at least they weren’t coming from the same source. I felt no lightning crashing into me this time, and I didn’t feel the same emotion in return as I had in that field last night.
I slowly sat up and turned in the direction the emotions were coming from and was surprised by the figure leaning against the wall. The outline of the tall, squared, firmly built body gave his identity away without my seeing his face. “Vladimir … What are you doing?” That was all I could get out. He walked forward into the haze slipping through the blinds. My eyes had time to adjust so I could see the serious look on his face. The tattoo on his neck only added boldness to his face. He walked closer to my bed and sat on the side nearest me. “Vladimir, please say something. Is everything all right with the others?”
Still nothing came out of