Celina
swivelled in her seat and cast a dark glance at her workmate. “I’m going to
call—” Her words ended abruptly as the lights dimmed and went out. “Damn… This
is like the third time this month. What the hell is going on?” The heat of the
office space swelled as the air conditioning failed. The cloying scents of a
multitude of perfumes and hot sweaty bodies in the summer wave closed in on
her.
Celina’s
tummy jostled once more, demanding her attention. She rose, racing unerringly
to the bathroom, making it just in time to empty the contents violently into
the toilet. The clunk of the door somewhere behind alerted her to the fact that
she was no longer alone. She sighed loudly. Sylvia had followed her, she knew.
The sound of wood banging closed reverberated off the walls. The ensuing echo
splintered her thoughts.
“Celina,
you have to see the doctor.” There was concern in Sylvia’s voice and Celina
shied away from it.
Celina
leaned limply against the wall of the stall, the dim security lighting
flickering in and out. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” She didn’t want to face
it, but the headaches had become an almost everyday occurrence in the past few
months. One she’d tried to ignore, but with little success. But something had
to be wrong. Her stomach quivered at the possible reasons.
She
pushed away from the wall and headed for the sink, turned the tap and was
rewarded by the sound of running water. Celina scooped the liquid up, washed
her face and swilled some around in her mouth, trying to banish the sour taste.
Her knees shook like wet noodles beneath her.
“Okay,
I’ll ring in the morning and see how soon I can get in for an appointment.” A
sound from outside caught her hearing, a thudding noise, as if someone was
testing the door. She wouldn’t be able to hide from the problems for much
longer and right now, she really needed some air. “We’d better get out there.”
“Yeah.
Okay.” She heard the concern in Sylvia’s voice. “Will you be okay to get home?”
They
slowly made their way through the door and back into the office, where the
blast of heat and the waft of body essences made her want to gag again. She
struggled through one shallow breath then another.
“I’m
planning on going straight home anyway.” Celina shuffled towards her desk and
groped around in the dark, hunting for her phone. She grasped it in her damp
hand and pressed the screen, waiting for it to lighten sufficiently to see her
desk. She spied her bag and opened the desk to find her keys. “It looks like
these are going to be out for a while. Can you…?” She indicated the light
fittings, then towards the office at the end of the row, hoping Sylvia would
understand.
“I’ll
go tell the supervisor. You go on. Head home and take some painkillers.”
With
a small nod, which she quickly regretted as a pulse wavered through her
throbbing skull, Celina headed to the emergency stairs. As she passed desks she
saw others grabbing up their items, including laptops. No doubt they obviously
thought the same thing.
Finally
she made her way down the fourteen flights of stairs. On the way she heard many
voices, some shrill and others filled with laughter in the darkness. Here and
there she caught glimpses of light, probably from mobiles, illuminating the
gloom.
One
foot after another she plodded down the steps, her head aching viciously and
finally, light glowed ahead and a breeze started to clear the stuffy wooliness
from her head.
* * * *
Javed
shook his head. The missive he held in his hands filled him with emotions he
hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years. He knew what it was. It was confusion.
The sense of having the carpet jerked out from beneath him. His hands felt
clammy.
“So…
That’s your destiny, there in your hands.”
His
hand shook and the sound of parchment moving back and forth filled the air. He
held not just his destiny, but also that of so many others.
He
glanced at Xavier, his master, and Hope. They were two very powerful vampires
as well as his friends. “I don’t know what to say.”
Hope
rose and glided towards him. “You don’t have to say anything. We will say it
all. Your leaving us on one level makes us sad, but you will be a master in
your own right. You’ve earned this.”
Javed
wanted to sputter and stop her words, but he couldn’t. The intent of the letter
was clear. On the night of the next full moon, Cressida would grant him his own
nest. He would be elevated to the position of master.
If
that wasn’t enough to accept, there was the knowledge that there hadn’t been a
new house in over a century.
There
was so much to do. So many decisions to make and all of them would fall on him.
He would need to choose a Yeux Secondes, the human who would oversee the
financial and day-to-day aspects of the nest. He would also require a second, a
guardian who would stand at his side. A fellow warrior, in whom he could place
his trust, one who would help him build a safe haven in their house. He would
need witches to help protect the vampires and followers… Where the hell do I
even start with that?
“You’ll
need a house. Somewhere for your people to call home.” Hope grinned and he saw
the lurking humour she couldn’t quell. “I know of an interior designer, if you
want their details?”
He
rolled his eyes, remembering the problems she’d had with her parents before she
had been turned and the way she’d arranged for the entire block of units to be
furnished. It had taken her one night to order and arrange for the delivery of
all the furniture. Unlike the immense task her mother had proposed.
But
her smile died away as her own memories must have surfaced.
“I
don’t know about that, but if you’re offering help, then I’ll accept it. I
don’t have a clue where to start.” He moved back to the armchair and slumped
into it. “I don’t usually concern myself with those types of problem.” He
allowed his head to drop into his hands and muttered. “I don’t think I’m ready
yet.”
A soft touch on his shoulder captured his attention. “Cressida
thinks you are. Otherwise she would not have petitioned the Councillors. Now
come on. You need to start planning. We have one month to arrange your
investiture…”
About
Imogene:
Wife, mother and nutty bookstore
owner all describe Imogene Nix, but the real secret is Science Fiction,
Paranormal Romance with a hefty dose of Romantic Suspense is what she adores.
Dedicated to high quality romance, with a dollop of erotic interactions,
Imogene has dipped her toes into Science Fiction, Contemporary Rural Romance
and Paranormal Romance featuring feisty headstrong female leads.
About The
Illuminated Witch:
The Illuminated Witch is the second in the Blood Secrets Trilogy. The first,
The Blood Bride, was an ARe and Totally Bound Best Seller.
How to
follow Imogene:
.JPG)
