"MARA!" the high pitch scream of my name and the sharp shake of my shoulders was what awoke me from the deep sleep that was death. My eyes fluttered open for the first time in hours, and they were not supposed to be open. I felt pain, hot, fresh, from the wound in my side that had been stitched up. I could feel blood, good, hot, pumped by my heart and through my body. I savored every sensation, only realizing now how much more I would have been giving up had I stayed.
Finally I took in the figures that were gathered around me. Destiny was against the far wall, and Sasha was the one that had shaken my shoulders. I glanced up into the face of Sasha, the face of my mother, and I could not stop myself from throwing my arms around her.
"Oh mom!" I sobbed, just like I had with my real mother. Sasha meant so much to me, how could I ever leave her behind? How did I ever manage it? Her arms came around me, hot, sure, loving. I could tell she was praying thanks to the unknown that I was back, and then I knew I would be in for it. Izquierdo and Derecho stood in the doorway, both with stiff postures, wanting to rush to me.
"You really are back . . ." Sasha murmured to herself, and then I was shoved back and she slapped me, hard, across my left cheek. My eyes watered from the stinging pain, and my hands fell back flat against the kitchen table, the place were all Ashas went when they were in need of dire treatment. I looked up at Sasha, tears swimming in my eyes, only to find hot tears falling down her cheeks as she looked down on me.
"Don't you ever dare to leave me again!" she wailed, and then flung her arms around me neck and clutched me so tightly I could hardly breathe. New pain flooded my wound, but I ignored it as I clutched her back with all the strength I had left in me.
"I won't mom, I promise, I won't," then I thought about it. "But I have to do something first." She pulled back, and Derecho and Izquierdo winced.
"What?" she questioned, with obvious disbelief and reluctance.
"Mara must find her soul mate," Grandad added as he came into the kitchen, offering me a smile that made me smile in return. I felt better than I thought I should, I had been dead after all.
"That's right," I winced slightly at the next thought. "How long have I . . . been out?"
"You mean dead?" he supplied, and I nodded. "A day, almost. When Destiny brought you to me, I was not sure that I would be able to revive you."
"What saved my body?"
"Conrad's blood." And I gave him a questioning look. "Conrad's blood had more vampire blood in it than human, but not enough to provoke the change from human to vampire. Instead, it managed to keep your cells from dying. But the real question is, Mara." His eyes turned hard on me, and Sasha stayed out of the way. "Is why did your soul not die?"
"I was given a second chance." I informed him, and then pushed myself from the table. My body screamed in protest at the pain, but I ignored it, standing without it showing on my face and my shoulders set firmly back. Izquierdo took that as some sort of sign, and came up to me, gently tugging on my sleeve like a little kid wanting attention. I blinked up at him. "Hello, Izquierdo, it is good to see you all again." And I smiled, but he was persistent. "Yes?"
"I'm sorry I could not get you from him." He whimpered, and I frowned, but he did not elaborate, he simply moved over to where Destiny was standing, and took her into his arms, where she relaxed completely. I would have to congratulate them later, but I had things to do now that would not be pushed away. "How did I come to be here?"
"Destiny retrieved you, once she found out when you were meant to die she took off without anyone knowing." Izquierdo said with pride in his voice, and pulled back, looking down at her soft face. She smiled up at him and received a kiss in return, and I felt happiness bubble in my stomach.
"So you were the strong soul my death angle was talking about." Hey, made sense.
"Mara, I have seen Conrad, and I am afraid he is not well. He will be all right now that you are alive, but his body will be tired from the strain of your death and he will be mostly unconscious. He will be unable to fight back, they will slit his throat this day and we will loose you all over again." Not that her voice held any indication she was going to let that happen.
"I have to go to him," I said in desperation, and stumbled when I took a step. I held up a hand when Grandad went to stop me and paused for a breath. "I want you all to know that none of you were responsible for me leaving. The death angle told me I had to go, thank you for all you have done, not giving up on me. I have missed you all so much, and I wish I could spend time with you all and learned what I have missed. But right now I need to go and save him, he completes me, I hope you can accept him the way you did with me." And I took another step, Derecho smiling as he stepped out of my way, pride of me on his face.
I tripped on the third step and Sasha cried out, but I fell up against a hard chest and welcoming arms. I glanced up at my dad's face, and my eyes swelled with tears of joy at seeing him. He smiled down at me, gently stroking my hair away form my face as he bent to kiss my forehead.
"Mara, we have missed you," he whispered, and I knew missed was an understatement.
"I have missed you all, too." What another understatement. I pulled back, standing tall with his help, his purple eyes matching everyone else's. I sucked in a breath that made my head swim, smiling through my daze. "I have something I need to do, dad, but I promise I will be back if I succeed."
"Oh, we know," his smile was impish this time, and he glanced at his brother with anticipation, then back down at me. "Let's go vampire hunting."
(BLAH)
Conrad's POVMy body was relaxed now against the rough sheets of the bed they had put me on. My naked body was still thrashing with after shocks of the pain, but at least the worst of it was over. I felt Mara's return, I knew she was back and coming for me, just as I knew I was meant to die this day. Her father thought all that stupid chanting and potions was the thing that saved me, and I would never betray Mara, so I let him keep thinking that. But my fever was still high, my body trying to adjust back to the link Mara and I had.
I am coming for you. . . this thought was not mine, it was Mara's voice, even though I knew she must be far away. Darkness was so close I could practically taste in on my tongue, but the sound of her voice brought my whole body to life, and the connection between us clicked back into place. There was confidence in that voice; there was love in that voice. I did not want her coming to get me and risking herself, but I also did not want her to go through what I just did if I was to die.
I am coming for you my love, her voice in my head whispered again, and for a single moment I caught a blur of activity around her. She was somewhere, moving very quickly towards her destination, she was being held by someone, and I could feel the pain from the wound in her side. She was ignoring it, her determination to get me was overwhelming. You saved me, had I really? Love swelled in my aching breast, and I felt her approach become close and closer.
"Conrad," Crone's smug voice broke me out of it, and I looked at the window to see the dawn. Oh now, she was too late.