Twisted Memories

DANE

I rub Summer’s back while she rocks in her chair. She’s given so much blood.

~She can’t give anymore. ~

Her weak hand rests on mine.

“I’m okay,” she says. “We’re finally done.”

Rex grunts under the bedsheets. For a while, he looked like he might whither away before our eyes.

But now, the color has returned to his skin. The gray hairs are gone. His muscles have returned, and his face is free of wrinkles.

But will he awaken, or will he forever be comatose?

“~It’s too early to tell~,” Summer mind-links me. “~Now, we pray.~”

I cross my arm to shake a chill.

A mighty black shadow flies past the window. A minute later, and Hael walks in with Maddie, Lochness, and Freesia’s second coming, Zayda.

They all look beat up and exhausted.

Except Lochness.

He smiles like he’s woken up from a nap that came with a noble dream.

“We didn’t get Thor,” Maddie says, running over to Summer and giving her a small hug. “Nautica still has him. And god knows what he plans to do with him.”

Hael steps forward. “We need to plan a strike with all the dragons.”

He glances at Lochness, who I glare down.

A reckless dragon is more dangerous than a thousand slayers.

“And we can’t be going off solo like we’re fucking Rambo,” Hael adds.

Lochness scoffs. His crimson eyes terrify me. Inside is nothing but pure chaos.

Maddie runs up and slaps Lochness against the face.

“It’s not funny! What you did put everyone in danger,” she exclaims.

The smile fades from Lochness’ face. He looks around at everyone staring at him like he’s the prized fool.

“Fine,” he murmurs.”Point taken. Team only from here on out.”

“Thank you,” Maddie says, standing on her tippy toes to kiss the same spot she slapped.

~Perhaps there’s hope for them after all. ~

There needs, at the very least, to be hope for Rex.

“How is he?” Lochness asks, approaching the bed.

“The curse has been lifted,” I say, moving closer to observe Rex. He sleeps soundly, but his eyes are shut tight, like he’s having a nightmare.

Summer sighs, “But for now, all we can do is hope.”

“I fought Nautica,” Lochness admits, “and if we don’t have Rex, then we can’t win this war.”

His confession is met with gasps and dubious looks.

~Lochness, what are you really playing at?~

ZAYDA

Maddie gets me a glass of water and a fruit bar to eat. I’m given a change of clothes, a hot shower.

We’re all waiting for a dragon to awaken. To be healed.

It’s not until I’m freshly showered and pulled from my thoughts about Thor that I realize…

There’s something rotten in the air.

The couples talk about plans to storm the abandoned school that Nautica was operating out of.

I’d participate, but I’m too focused on Rex.

His aura is familiar.

He feels like…

Suddenly, a vision overtakes me.

~I’m tied to a rock, being cut open by laughing brothers. They drink my blood. ~

Oh my god, Freesia!

Rex was there.

It’s because of him that Freesia suffered.

Unless he just didn’t save her? Could he have really watched while she was tortured?

No. I’m wrong. The truth is…

Rex wasn’t even there, he wasn’t present in the reality, but he knew it was happening, witnessing it through a connection, only wishing he could have stopped it. He was ~unable~ to intervene. He looked distressed as his other brothers were thrilled.

I glance at Hazel, his mate.

Her long silver hair is beautiful. Her features are strong, and she looks…

Wait, she looks kind of like me…

~What the fuck? ~

She catches me staring at her.

We both gasp.

It’s like looking in a…

“~Mirror…~” she mind-links to me.

I take a step back, nearly tripping over the bedside table.

“~How are we talking right now?~” I ask.

“~I have no idea,~” she replies, her lips not budging. “~I thought that the only people who could communicate in a mind-link were mates, and…~”

I finish her thought. “~Family.~”

HAZEL

A warmth fills my heart. I don’t know what comes over me, but I rush over to Zayda and give her the biggest hug that sweeps her off her feet.

To my surprise, she returns it, squeezing me back.

A vision strikes me.

~Two sisters, one older and one younger, stand outside a castle, embracing just as we are now. ~

~Warriors approach them, referring to the women as “Blood Raven,” and “Sword Dancer.”~

~In another lifetime, two twin sisters as tiny children holding hands, as our mentors taught us what it meant to be Blood Raven and Sword Dancer.~

No fucking way.

“You’re my sister,” we say at the same moment.

Tears form in my eyes.

“I’m sorry I was never there,” I tell her, trying to hug away the lack of growing up with her. “If I knew you existed, I would have found you.”

Zayda wipes a tear from my eye. “It’s okay. I didn’t know about you either. We’re here now. And with our magic combined, we can win this fight.”

That warmth from seeing Zayda turns into something else. My palm glows a bright red. I reach into the trunk where Rex keeps his weapons and pull out a small knife.

It glows the same bright red as if my very power runs through it.

~The power to slay any dragon. ~

Or in my case, any slayer who drank dragon blood…

Zayda smiles.

“We ~will~ find your child,” I say.

“Good,” Zayda smiles, “because Thor will need one helluva an aunt in his life!”

I grin back.

Things are looking good.

We’ve got powers, and we’ve got plans.

Lochness is under control, and Nautica has lost his blood deposit.

We may actually pull this off.

“~No~,” Zayda mind-links, “~we WILL pull this off~.”

“~You and me, sis~,” I reply, “~can destroy Nautica.”~

We’ll just need a little help from the dragons.

Zayda winks and sips from her water bottle.

I exhale, ready to say another prayer for Rex.

I hold his hand in mine.

It’s hot and filled with life.

~Come back to me, babe. ~

He clamps down on my fingers.

“Ow, Rex!” I shout, totally taken aback.

He grips me harder, and his eyes flutter.

“Is he waking up?” Lochness asks.

Rex’s body convulses, and the entire bed shakes.

Summer rises from her seat, and everyone watches as…

Rex’s eyes burst open.