Night World : Soulmate Chapter 11

Hannah stirred.She vaguely entangle that some issue was wrong, something needed doing. and so she remembered. The machineShe had to flummox awake, had to confine the car on the road. . .Her eye flew o draw up.She was already off the road. The Ford had gone roving over the open prairie, where there was almost nonhing to hit except sagebrush and tumble-weeds. It had ended up with its front bumper against aprickly pear, bending the cactus at an impossible angle.The nighttime was very quiet. She witnessed around and found that she could see the light of Chesss house,behind her and to the left.The locomotive was off. Hannah cultivateed the key in the ignition, only only if got a attrition speech sound.Now what? Should I get out and walk?She act to slenderize on her body, to fingers breadth out how she matt-up. She ought to feel terrible- by and by tot comp allowelyy, shedlost caudex and swallowed who knew what flesh of poison from Thierrys veins. right now instead she only tangle strangely dizzy, slenderly dreamy.I throw out walk. Im fine.Holding on to her length of dowel, she got out of the car and started toward the light. She could hardlyfeel the rough ground and the bluestem batch chthonic her feet.She had gone around a hundred yards toward the light when she comprehend a wolf howl.It was such a distinctive sound-and so incongruous. Hannah stopped in her tracks. For a whacky moment she wondered if coyotes howled. notwithstanding that was ridiculous. It was a wolf, scarcely ilk the wolves that had attacked her at Pauls. And she didnt keep some(prenominal)thing made of silver.Just keep walking, she thought. She didnt need the nerveless wrick persona to tell her that.Even in her lightheaded state, she was frightened. Shed seen the barbarousness of teeth and claws shut down up.And the part of her that was Hana of the Three Rivers had a gut-deep fear of wild animals that thecivilized Hannah Snow could never begin to approach.She g ripped her fray in a clammy palm and kept walking grimly.The howl sounded again, so close that Hannah jumped inside her skin. Her eyeball darted, rendering to pickobjects out in the darkness. She matte up as if she could see better than usual at night-could the vampire bloodhave done that? barely even with her new vision, she couldnt spot anything moving. The small-arm around herwas deserted and eerily quiet.And the stars were very distant away. They blazed in the gear with a cold blue light as if to show how irrelevantthey were from human affairs.I could die here and theyd go right on shining, Hannah thought. She felt very small and veryunimportant-and very alone.And accordingly(prenominal) she perceive a breath drawn behind her.Funny. The wolf howls had been so loud, and this was so meek and yet it was lots more terrifying. Itwas close-intimate. A personal sound that told her she definitely wasnt alone.Hannah whirled with her set out held ready. Her skin was crawli ng and she could feel a scrub of acid fromher stomach, but she meant to fight for her life. She was at one with the cool wind section her midsection wasdark and cold and steely.A tall figure was standing there. Starlight reflected off pale blond hair.Thierry.Hannah leveled her stick.Whats the matter? Come fundament for more? she said, and she was pleased to find her voice steady.Husky, but steady. She waved her stick at him to show what kind of more she meant. atomic number 18 you all right? Thierry said.He looked-different from the hold up time shed seen him. His expression was different. His dark eyesseemed pensive again, the behavior of expression a star might have if it apportiond near anything that was exiton underneath it. Infinitely remote, but infinitely sad, too.Why should you care? A wave of dizziness went through her. She fought it off-and saw that he wasstepping toward her, baseball glove reaching out. She whipped the stick up to the exact level of his hand, an inchfrom his palm. She was affect with herself for how fast she did it. Her body was moving the way it had with the werewolves, instinctively and smoothly.I sound off I had a life as a warrior, she mused. I bet thats where the cool wind voice comes from, justthe way the crystal voice comes from Hana of the Three Rivers.I do care, Thierry said. His voice said he didnt deliver her to believe it.Hannah laughed. The combination of her dizziness and her body instinct was having an odd effect. Shefelt brashly, thickheadedly overconfident. Maybe this is what drunk feels similar, she thought, her mind wanderingagain. Hannah-Hannah made the stick whistle in the air, stopping him from coming any closer to her. Are you crazy?she said. on that point were tears in her eyes. Do you think that you can just attack me and then come stick outand say Im sorry and its all waiver to be okay? Well, it isnt. If there was ever anything between us, its allover now. There is no second chance.She cou ld see his face tense. A muscle twitched in his tight jaw. scarcely the strangest thing was that shecould have verbalise he had tears in his eyes, too.It infuriated her. How dare he condense to be hurt by her, after what hed done?I scorn you. She spat the quarrel with a force that startled even her. I dont need you. I dont wantyou. And Im telling you for the third time, keep the blaze away from me.He had opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but when she got to I dont need, you,he suddenly shut it. When she finished, he looked away, across the shortgrass prairie.And whitethornbe thats best, he said almost inaudibly.For you to keep away?For you to hate me. He looked at her again. Hannah had never seen eyes wish that onward. They wereimpossibly distant and shattered and still like the peace after a war that killed everyone.Hannah, I came to tell you that I am going away, he went on. His voice was like his eyes, bloodlessand quenched. Im going dental plate. I wont bother you again. And youre right you dont need me. You canlive a pertinacious and quick-witted life without me.If he expected her to be impressed, she wasnt. She wouldnt believe book of accounts from him anymore.Theres just one thing. He hesitated. Before I go, would you let me look at you? At your neck. I wantto make sure that-another fleeting hesitation-that I didnt hurt you when I attacked you.Hannah laughed again, a short, sharp bark of a laugh. How stupid do you think I am? I mean, really.She laughed again and hear an edge of hysteria in it. If you want to do something for me, you can turnaround and go. Go away forever.I will. There was so much strain on his face. I promise. Im just worried about you acquire indoorsbefore you faint. I can take care of myself. I dont need any help from you. Hannah was feeling dizzier by the minute, butshe tried not to let it show. If you would just leave, Ill be fine.In fact, she knew she wasnt going to be fine. The gray spots were swarming in front of her eyes again.She was going to go down out soon. wherefore Id better start for Chesss, she thought. It was insanity to turn her back on him, but it was worseinsanity to stand here until she collapsed at his feet.Im leaving now, she said, trying to sound clear and precise and unlike soul who was about to fallover unconscious. And I dont want you to follow me.She false and started walking.I will not faint, I will not faint, she told herself grimly. She swung her stick and tried to take deep breathsof the cool night air. scarcely tufts of grass seemed to be trying to trip her up with every step and the completelandscape seemed to rock every time she looked up.I will not faint. She knew her life depended on it. The ground seemed rubbery now, as if herfeet were sinking into it and then rebounding. And where was the light that marked Chesss house? It hadsomehow gotten over to the right of her. She change by reversal her course and stumbled on.I will not faint. And then her legs hardly melted. She didnt have legs. The rest of her fell slowly toward the ground.Hannah managed to break her fall with her arms. Then everything was still and dark.She didnt go out completely. She was drift in darkness, feeling ill even though she was lyingdown, when she sensed someone beside her.No, she thought. Get the stick. Hell gyp you hell kill you.But she couldnt move. Her hand wouldnt obey her.She felt a flaccid hand brush her hair off her face.No Then a touch on her neck. But it was only gentle fingers, running gently over the skin where shed beenbitten tonight. They felt like a doctors fingers, exploring to diagnose. She heard a sigh that sounded likerelief, and then the fingers trailed away.Youll be all right. Thierrys voice came to her flaccidly. She complete he didnt think she could hear him.He thought she was unconscious. As long as you stay away from vampires for the next week.Was that a threat? Hannah didnt understand. She gear up herself f or the piercing pain of teeth.Then she felt him touch her again, just his fingertips clash her face. The touch was so immeasurablygentle. So tender.No, Hannah thought. She wanted to move, to kick him away. But she couldnt. And those delicate fingers were moving on, tracing her features one by one. With the lightest of touchesthat sent confounded chills through her.I hate you, Hannah thought.The touch followed the curve of her eyebrow, trailed down her hardiness to her birthmark. Hannah shiveredinwardly. It sketched the line of her jaw, then moved to her lips.The skin was so sensitive here. Thierrys fingers traced the compend of her lips, the join between upper andlower. The chills became a fluttering inside Hannah. Her heart swelled with love and longing.I wont feel this way. I hate you. But a voice was whispering in her mind, a voice she hadnt heard in what seemed like a long time. Acrystal voice, soft but ringing.Feel him. Does this feel like that other one? wizard him. Does he smell the same, sound the same ?Hannah didnt know what to make of the words and didnt want to. She just wanted Thierry to stop.The fingers brushed over her eyelashes, thumb stroking over the fragile skin of her eyelids as if to keepthem shut. Then she felt him bend closer.No, no, no.Warm lips touched her forehead. Again, just the barest touch. Then they were gone.Goodbye, Hannah, Thierry whispered.Hannah felt herself lifted. She was being carried in strong gentle arms, moving swiftly and smoothly.It was harder for her to stay conscious than it had been before. She had a strange feeling of tranquillity,of security. But she fought to open her eyes just a crack.She wanted to see his hands. She didnt think there had been ample time for the pencil wound to healcompletely.If the pencil wound was there.But her eyes wouldnt open-not until she felt herself being lowered and placed on fast(a) ground. Then shemanaged to lift heavy eyelids and dart a glance at his hands.There were no mark s.The knowledge burned through her-but she didnt have any strength left. She felt her eyes lapsing shutagain. Dimly, very far away, she could hear the faint echo of a doorbell.Then a soft voice in her head. You dont have to be afraid anymore. Im going away-and so is she.Dont go. Wait. I have to talk to you. I have to ask you But she could feel cold air all around her and she knew he was gone.A moment later she heard the door open, and the sound of Chesss mother gasping. She was on theClovises doorstep. People were shaking her, talking to her.Hannah wasnt interested in any of it. She let the darkness take her.It was when she let go completely that she began to dream. She was Hana of the Three Rivers and shewas sightedness the end of her own life.She saw the bruised and bloody figure of Thierry rising up to kill his torturers. She felt it as her turncame. She looked up and saw his frustrate face, saw the animal light in his eyes. She felt her life attendaway.Then she saw the end o f the story. The glimpse of the corridor through time, the recognition of hersoulmate. The grace and the promise.And then just shadows. But Hannah slept peacefully in the shadows until morning, unafraid.The first thing Hannah saw when she woke up was a pair of glowing green cat-eyes flavour down ather.How do you feel? Chess asked.She was lying in Chesss bed. Sunlight was streaming in the window.I cant tell yet, Hannah said. Disjointed images were floating in her head, not quite forming a wholepicture.We found you give way night, Chess said. You ran your dads car off the road, but you managed to make ithere before you collapsed.Oh yea. I remember. She did remember the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked together.Maya. Thierry. The attack. The car. Thierry again. And finally her dream. Her own voice saying, Iforgive you.And now he was gone. Hed gone home, wherever home was.She had never felt so confused.Hannah, what happened? Are you sick? We didnt know whether to take you to a hospital last night orwhat. But you didnt have a fever and you seemed to be breathing fine-so my mom said you could justsleep a while.Im not sick. This was the time to tell Chess everything. after all, that was the reason shed beenrunning to Chess in the first place last night.But now now in the bright morning light, she didnt want to tell Chess. It wasnt just that it might putChess in danger, all from Thierry or the Night World in general. It was that Hannah didnt need to talkabout it she could cope on her own. It wasnt Chesss problem. And I dont even know the truth yet, Hannah thought. But that is going to change.Hannah, are you even listening to me?Yeah. Im sorry. And Im okay I felt kind of dizzy last night, but now Im better. Can I use yourphone?Can you what?I have to call Paul-you know, the psychologist. I need to see him, fast.She jumped up, steadied herself against a brief wave of giddiness, and walked agone Chess, who waswatching her in bewilderment.No, Paul said. No, its absolutely out of the question. He waved his hands, then patted his pocketsnervously, coming up empty.Paul, please. I have to do this. And if you wont help me, Ill try it on my own. I think self-hypnosisshould work. Ive been doing a pretty good line of credit of dreaming the past lately, anyway.Its too dangerous. Paul said each word separately, then sank into his chair, hands at histemples. Dont you remember what happened the last time?Hannah felt sorry for him. But she said ruthlessly, If I do it on my own, it may be even more dangerous.Right? At least if you sedate me you can be there to wake me up. You can throw a glass of water inmy face again.He looked up sharply. Oh, yeah? And what if it doesnt work this time?Hannah dropped her eyes. Then she raised them and looked at Paul directly. I dont know, sheadmitted quietly. But Ive still got to try. I have to know the truth. If I dont, I really think I may goinsane. She didnt say it melodramatically. It was a simple statement of fac t.Paul groaned. Then he grabbed a pen and started chewing on it, glancing around the room. What is itthat you would want to know? Just presuming that I agreed to help you. His voice sounded squashed.Hannah felt a surge of relief. I want to know about this woman who keeps warning me, she said. Hername is Maya. And I want to know how I die in my other lives.Oh, terrific. That sounds like fun.I have to do it. She took a deep breath. She wouldnt let herself look away from him, even though shecould feel the warmth as her eyes filled. Look, I know you dont understand. And I cant explain to youhow important it is to me. But it is important.There was a silence, then Paul said, All right. All right. But only because I think its safer for you to bewith somebody.Hannah whispered, Thank you. Then she blinked and unfolded a piece of paper. I wrote down some questions for you to ask me.Great. Wonderful. Im sure youll be get your degree in psychology soon. But he took the paper.Hannah walked ove r to the lay and got herself settled. She shut her eyes, telling her muscles to relax.Okay, Paul said. His voice was very slightly unsteady, but Hannah could tell he was trying to make itsoothing. I want you to consider a beautiful violet light