They Wouldn't Believe You
Disclamer: Not mine, not mine, not mine! They are not mine I tell you, they are not! La, la, la, I cant hear you! ... Not mine!
EN: I'm so sorry for the HUGE delay - I hit a monstrous bout of writers block in the middle of this chapter and along with a lot of rl problems all things creative of mine just ground to a screeching halt - my writing, my art, I even stopped going to my roleplay group for a couple of weeks. Then about a week ago I finally overcame my writers block (and then some) and finished the last half of this chapter in about a tenth of the time it took to finish the first half...
An enormous THANK YOU to all my readers and reviewers and the one and only Ananke Adrasteia who has been very supportive in our email sessions. Thanks!
Warning: This fic does have some darker elements, though I am going for a more sinister feel then out right gore (not that there wont be a lot of that at some point - this is Kain and Raziel we are dealing with here) I even managed to creep myself out a little bit writing this chapter. lol
Chapter 8: Echos in the soul
As she emerged from the tunnel, Brianne squinted in the relative glare outside. Kain was already on the other side of the stream, clearly impatient to reach Raziel again and frustrated by the amount of time it had taken for her to find her way out. Distractedly she noticed that the long tear down his left thigh had been roughly tacked together again, with what looked like leather strips - the wound itself, the worst he had received in the fight with Raziel, was perfectly healed. Gathering her bearings as fast as she could she began to make her way over the rocks. Midway across she hesitated, the gap between the rock she was standing on and the next one being too far for her to be confidant that she could make it. The distance was bad enough on its own; that the rocks were both wet and slippery as well tipped the balance against her enough to halt her in her tracks.
Suddenly, a strange and uncomfortable pressure latched on to her torso. It was as though the air around her had decided to change state, bypassing the intermediate liquid phase and jumping straight to solid. Crying out in shock as the pressure tightened slightly, she was lifted right up into the air, held there for a heartbeat and then sent hurtling forward.
Stone like arms snatched her in mid air; the body attached to said arms span them round, absorbing some of her forward momentum and taking most of the force out of the collision. She held onto Kain as he supported her, allowing her a few seconds to find her feet again.
Blinking up at him she said, breathlessly, "So that's what it felt like for those Sarafan at that Keep."
"Sarafan?" Kain smirked, cruelly, "Oh no, child. With them, I assure you, it hurt."
Brianne could actually feel herself go pale. She stumbled when he abruptly let her go and turned to stride swiftly and confidently into the depths of the wood. She stared after him for a moment in stunned silence before she mentally kicked herself into gear and forced herself to stagger after him, thankful that, at least on the face of it, they were on the same team. She pushed back that little voice in her head that warned her that Kain was never truly apart of any team, ever.
He set a brisk pace through the wood and Brianne was only just able to keep up. She suspected that, were it not for her, he would have been moving full tilt towards his goal, towards Raziel. He probably had good reason to be anxious; Raziel could move very fast when it suited him, even faster than Kain - and as a wraith he could vanish without a trace in a heartbeat. So it was with a mix of embarrassment, frustration and more than a little fear, that Brianne found herself the cause of yet another delay as her foot caught on something immovable in the undergrowth. Letting loose a curse, she cringed as Kain's imposing form towered over her. His claws latched onto her clothes, hauling her to her feet again.
"Watch your step," he growled.
He set her loose again and was back on his path without glancing back.
Brianne was almost running to keep up with him now - she just hoped that it was not much further as she was already in danger of getting a stitch.
Ducking and weaving amongst the trees, she had to admire how easy he made all this seem, completely effortless. She looked about as ungainly as a lame duck in comparison.
Finally, as the trees opened out into green fields up ahead, he slowed his pace and Brianne was able to catch up with him at last.
Just before the edge of the trees he stopped, beckoning her to him.
"There."
Leaning close, she peered out amounts the branches. Before her was a large, lush green field that sloped gently down away from the tree line towards the hedge that separated it from the road that lead down towards the village. Beyond that was another field that ended in a thick line of trees that hid the same stream that they had left earlier as it wound its way towards the river. Her eyes scanned the sweeping tree line, searching for her missing guest.
She gasped, "Oh my..."
There, sat at the edge of field, some way to their right, was Raziel.
It astonished her just how visible he was; the vivid blue of his flesh stood out against the greens, browns and golds of autumn that surrounded him. Were anyone to wander into one of the country paths down below, or look out from a few specific points on the road to the village next to them, they would be able to see him, clear as day. Did he not realise how exposed he was there? Did he even care?
Something niggled at the back of her mind - it wasn't just the sight of him like that which was bothering her so, there was something else... Brianne shook her head, trying to clear the uncomfortable buzz from the back of her mind.
She glanced back at Kain where he watched her, cool and calculating. "What are we going to do?" She whispered.
"Not we. You." At her alarmed expression he continued, "I daren't get close to him, not after last night. Until I can be certain that he has regained some presence of mind, I can not risk it."
"He's not as bad as he was - last night, he pulled himself out of it, he was himself again. Almost."
"I know," he said softly, "but is that enough?"
She honestly didn't know. Swallowing her fear as best she could, she asked, "What should I do?"
Surprisingly gentle eyes regarded her, "He will not hurt you."
A faint smile flashed across her face, "So I have been told."
"Annabel." He sounded almost stern.
Alarm flooded her for a moment, fear that she might have landed her friend in more trouble tightened her chest until he waved away her fears.
"Just be there for him." He continued, looking back out into the field. "Raziel has always been sociable - loneliness has never sat well with him."
And just how lonely must he be feeling now? Since his execution?
Nodding dimly, she turned to make her way amongst the trees towards Raziel, when Kain caught her arm again.
"Let him see you coming, give him time."
"Oh, right."
Into the field it was then. As she pushed through the denser foliage next to the wooden fence that separated the field from the trees, she wondered again what on earth she would do - what she was doing, even. What could she say? Are you ok? That would just be a really stupid question. Do you want to talk about it? Again, a dumb question - if he felt like talking then he would talk, if not then there wasn't a damn thing she could do to change that.
She clambered over the fence and into the open field, keeping an eye on Raziel in case he decided he didn't want any company and just left. He didn't move, not so much as an inch as far as she could see from this distance. Of course, it could be that he hadn't seen her yet. That was unlikely, considering that one didn't survive for a thousand years as a vampire, in a hostile world, without being very perceptive of everything around you... But Raziel still wasn't in his right mind; otherwise he wouldn't be sitting at the edge of a field in broad daylight where all and sundry could stroll along and see him.
She headed further into the field where he had a better chance of spotting her, on the very slim chance that he hadn't already. Following the line of the edge of field she slowly made her way closer to him, watching him like a hawk.
He sat hunched over, his legs drawn up close to his body and his arms folded over his knees. His tattered and broken wings drooped down his sides, almost hiding the gaping loss of his midriff - save for when the wind stirred them.
"Raziel?" she called, cautiously, as she got closer. He gave no sign of having heard her.
She stopped just outside of his range should he lash out at her... or, at least she hoped she would be out of range. She knew Kain was watching all of this, and she hoped that he would intervene if things got nasty.
"Raziel?" she tried again. He did look at her then, briefly, before looking back at the horizon - or possibly empty space, she couldn't tell.
An impasse. Now, how to talk to him without asking any of those ridiculously silly questions? She might as well talk to him about the weather! She couldn't think, didn't know what to say, how to start -
"It's beautiful here." He said, quietly.
"Er, I - I guess." Fine. That was unexpected... she really needed to stop placing any expectations on him, or Kain for that matter. Taking advantage of any topic of conversation, anything to get him talking, she added, unthinking, "kinda grey at the moment."
He let out a slight breath of laughter, "No, no it's not."
"Are you-" No, stop it, no stupid questions Bree...
"I've been better," he said, surprising her even further. Her heart sank when he added- "Looked better too, but there is hardly anything that can be done about that, now is there?" He gave another breathy, strained laugh.
Shit, don't you dare freak out on me again, Raziel, not again...
"Sit with me." He said, still quiet - she wasn't used to hearing him like this and it worried her.
Slowly and warily she approached him, while the buzzing sensation at the back of her head got stronger and stronger. She hesitated when he held his hand out to her when she got close enough. She paused too long however, and he withdrew, looking even more downcast than before - which she had hardly thought possible. Hoping to compensate she sat a lot closer to him that she had intended to, cringing slightly at the cold, hard ground beneath her. She winced even more when her palms, grazed, sore and still slightly bloody from the tunnel steps, brushed the ground as she settled herself onto the ground. Her companionable gesture did not go unnoticed as he turned his head to look at her, relaxing slightly.
"I am glad you are well."
"Thank you."
An old jeep rattled past along the road below, flickering in and out of sight between the hedgerows.
Brianne tensed, "we can't stay here." Raziel didn't say anything. "We'll be seen," she added, incase he hadn't figured it out.
His head fell forward, his forehead resting on his arms, eyes closed.
"Raziel?"
"I have been here since well before dawn. Nobody has come before you."
Just because nobody had approached him didn't mean that no one had seen him.
He was tense again, very tense; his body wound tight as though he could snap at any moment. His hands clenched into fists, his legs and arms drawing close to his body until he was shaking.
The buzzing at the back of her head, wasn't just limited to the back of her head anymore. Her palms itched in a way that had nothing to do with the grazes that marred them. It was a feeling now, a sense of... of something... it frightened her, fascinated her and made her feel ever so slightly ill...
Great, as if things weren't weird enough, now I have to go and develop some sort of freaky spider sense!
She shook her head to try and clear that feeling again, her hands working themselves into knots in her lap as she endeavoured to focus on what was important at that moment; namely, Raziel.
"Raziel?" She really was worried now. Looking back the way she had come she saw Kain making has way cautiously towards them. Next to her Raziel let out a chocked cry, thin trails of blue blood seeping out between his claws where they had dug deep into his palm.
"Raziel, what's happening? What is this?"
"Last night-" He cut off, as another wave of whatever was happening to him, washed through him. Kain had stopped close by, next to the fence behind them.
"Last night," he gasped, regaining his composure slightly, "after I took you back to the mansion, I slipped into the spectral realm. I fed," again he stopped, choking on his words. He shuddered then went completely and utterly still.
Suddenly his head snapped backwards, his back ramrod straight.
As Brianne watched, horrified and confused, his eyes faded until they were almost completely black - only the barest lumination in the centre remained. He collapsed, his body completely limp. Kain darted forward, catching him before he hit the ground.
Suddenly, the buzzing that had filled Brianne's head fell quiet, a shadow compared to the bright glare that had existed before. She didn't even want to contemplate what that implied.
Kain glanced up from the motionless form in his arms and she saw the concern written in his eyes; Kain new as little as she did.
Brianne kept her eyes on Kain as she followed him through the woods as he lead them further away from Annabel's home and the police that patrolled the grounds. Raziel was a dead weight in his arms, his eyes still almost completely black in what she assumed was something akin to unconsciousness. That they were black wasn't as creepy as the fact that they were still wide open - and facing her.
Another car - a police car - had driven past after Raziel had collapsed and with unspoken agreement they had moved back into the shelter of the woods. Brianne had no idea where they were going but Kain seemed to know and she was happy to follow his lead. He wasn't rushing them anymore, possibly because of concern for his charge.
Suddenly those dead looking eyes blazed into life and Raziel's whole body convulsed.
How Kain managed not to drop him outright was beyond her.
As Kain lowered Raziel to the ground quickly, Brianne propped herself against a nearby tree, as the unsettling 'buzzing' sensation in her head returned with a vengeance. To Brianne it felt like someone had just driven a blunt bar through her head - her senses tingled even as her head throbbed. That this new and as yet unpleasant phenomenon was tied to whatever was going on with Raziel was now irrefutable in her mind - and further motivation to figure out just what the hell was going on.
Kain did what he could to steady Raziel until, as suddenly as it had begun the convolutions stoped and he calmed and grew still.
Raziel blinked, confused and shaken looking, until his gaze fixed on Kain - he went very, very still.
Brianne knew how this could go and how they could very easily wind up back on square one, or worse. If they fought like they did before, if their hostility grew, then how could this all end? Whatever might happen, she couldn't see how any good could come of it. But how to stop it?
A distraction - "Raziel." She called to him. He didn't take his eyes off Kain, but there was something, a slight movement of his head. "Raziel, please, look at me." He turned his head, slightly, but like any good fighter - like any good predator - he still couldn't take his eyes off the threat, off the target.
She knew she was placing her life in his questionable care but this had to stop; their last fight had cost a lot, it had cost lives - how much would another one cost? Who else would die needlessly?
Slowly she stepped up to them, pushing aside as best she could the almost painful feeling rattling around her head, and couching down she reached out to touch him. The moment her fingers, just the very tips, touched him, she felt a sharp jolt of energy spark through her skin - she would have jerked away if fear hadn't held her in an iron grip, keeping her steady. Her heart hammering in her throat, she let her fingers gently skim over his temple and around to thread through his hair, coming to rest close to his ear, gently cupping the side of his head. "Raziel," she pleaded.
Finally he relented and turned to her. The confusion and pain in his eyes was heart breaking and she was momentarily tongue-tied.
"We don't want to fight you, Raziel." Kain said now that Raziel's attention was divided. Raziel looked back at him but it didn't seem like he was about to exploded into full scale combat anymore. Brianne let her hand fall to his shoulder, hoping the continued contact might help to keep him calm - or calmer at any rate.
"How can I trust you?"
Kain smirked, "perhaps you can't. But, if I had wanted to fight you, I would be doing that now." Even with his now limited facial expression, the look Raziel sent him was obvious even to Brianne. Arrogant bastard. "Instead," Kain continued, "I am trying to help you. Doesn't that say enough?"
"Everything that has happened, from my vampiric resurrection, to the Reaver-"
"If I could have changed it, I would have."
Raziel's eyes narrowed; doubtful, still unable to trust. "You knew, you saw it, why couldn't you-"
"And unravel history? Even for such a price, could you have really asked that of me, had it been possible?"
Raziel looked away - yes it hurt, she could see written all over him, she didn't need to have played the game to see it. It always would be a painful for him but even he couldn't ask for history to be torn apart on his behalf - not in such a fatal manner anyway. Brianne knew it, and if she did then so would Kain. Brianne watched them both and while she wanted to stay put and offer some support to Raziel, weather it was needed or not, another part of her almost felt like she was intruding.
"I will not ask for forgiveness," Kain said, in that same tone of voice that Brianne had often heard him use in the games; clam, like a teacher. Raziel looked back up at him again, granting him his full attention, "nor would I expect it. But perhaps, a little perspective wouldn't be too much to ask?" Kain's only response was two boggle eyed stares. Brianne gave into that part of her that was telling her to back off then - if not for their sake then for hers. She crept back a few paces, giving them some space.
"Perspective!" Raziel looked ready to fly at him then - and this time Brianne couldn't blame him but something caught her eye - or rather, the look in Kain's eye caught her eye. Kain was playing with him, the amusement on his face growing when Raziel noticed it too. "You!"
Kain chuckled, "yes, me."
Shaking his head in exasperation Raziel aimed a swipe at Kain who deflected it easily and knocked him away. With a couple of humans this would have looked violent but with them it seemed more playful that vicious. Still chuckling Kain rose to his feet.
Raziel muttered under his breath, still fuming slightly, "perspective, indeed."
He made to stand too but hesitated when Kain offered him his hand. He accepted, cautiously, and was pulled to his feet.
Kain smiled, then seriously and sincerely he said, "welcome back, Raziel."
Brianne smiled and for a moment, everything seemed alright - but that was all it was, a moment.
A somewhat bemused looking Raziel was still clutching Kain's hand when Brianne saw him sway on his feet.
"Raziel?" Brianne took half a step forward before she reconsidered and kept her ground. A smart move it seemed when his whole body went taught and his head snapped back as it had in the field, earlier. Brianne could have sworn that she heard, faintly, something go crunch and she was willing to wager a weeks worth of her wages that it was Kain's hand. Not that he had so much as flinched in response - the pain would have to be really intense to get any major reaction from him. The only possible sign of pain that she could recognise on his face was a slight curl of his lips, revealing sharp fangs. His main response was surprise and some alarm at Raziel's relapse.
Whatever was happening to him thankfully didn't last as long as it had in the field, it must have only been a second before his body went limp again and Kain had to stop him from falling. Thankfully, not only was the duration shorter but the aftermath seemed less severe too. He didn't blank out like he did before, though he came close, his eyes flickering like the lights in a house would during a storm.
He shook his head, feebly, as though to clear it.
Kain looked at her sharply, beckoning her over with a flick of his eyes. She was quick to obey, something told her that there was no room for error here. She stepped up close to them, watching Kain incase he decided to give further instruction.
Raziel staggered slightly, still keeping a grip on Kain's hand for balance. Kain caught Brianne's eye again and there was something, something there that she did not like, not in the least... Oh, Kain, what are you...?
Raziel shuddered, swaying on his feet and though he were on the verge of collapse. Brianne took that final step up to him bring her hands up to his back even as Kain took hold of his other arm, steadying him between them.
"Raziel, talk to us, tell us what happened." She said, worried. Her hands were tingling where they touched him and her head was buzzing - it reminded her, more and more of a voice in her ear, whispering, yet too loud and too fast for her to understand.
Raziel shook his head again, his voice nothing more then a chocked wheeze when he tried to speak.
Suddenly the buzzing beneath her hands became burning - searing, shooting through her whole body, paralysing her. Kain cried out, letting go and jerking back away from them as Raziel froze, his head snapping back once again, eyes blazing bright as his body started to glow.
Brianne screamed - every nerve in her entire body felt like they were ripping apart. Her mind so full power, the whispering buzz now a scream, echoing within and without catapulting her consciousness to another state of awareness.
Lights danced in her vision as unseeing eyes watched the body before her collapse back onto her - she didn't see when they hit the cold earth, everything had already gone dark.
Hear me!
Soft light filtered through her eyelids and a cold breeze stroked its icy fingers over her face.
I'm here!
Something pressed down on top of her, unmoving, pinning her to frozen ground.
Find me!
That voice... I hear you... Her head was buzzing... In her minds eye, hands reached, reaching into inky darkness.
See me!
Like a thick certain the dark parted onto a glowing landscape, flat, featureless - bright silver sky sitting in mirrored opposion to slightly darker earth.
I'm here!
Stepping forward she followed a path invisible but crystal clear to feet that trod lightly along its length, following where it lead.
Find me!
A figure darkened the horizon ahead, tattered wings and dark hair caught in a storm that was ready to tear him apart.
Feel me!
Hands reached forward again, untouched by the storm... I'm here... Blazing eyes turned to her - eyes that mirrored sky above and churned with the power of the storm... I see you...He reached for her, catching her hand in his own... I feel you...
Don't let go...
Around them the storm raged, spinning, twisting, writhing, cutting like thousands of knives, roaring like the rolling thunder that tore at mountain tops. She stepped forward.
Help me...
Into the eye of the storm and all was calm. He held her. The storm raged.
Please...
I'm here...
Please...
I wont let go...
Help me...
I'm here...
"Peter? Lights off Peter."
"Yes Mommy."
"Goodnight"
"Night, night."
"See you tomorrow."
The door to his room closed and everything was enshrouded in darkness. Closing his eyes, the boy let his mind wonder, let his dreams flow and the dark of his room be filled in the light of imaginings... He dreamed...
Peter walks in the woods his grandpa had shown him, talks to animals who whisper secrets and stories in his ear. He watches stars dance while he spins round and round on the earth beneath them, laughing and shouting... He dreamed...
His grandpa came and speaks of family, told him of wars and friends lost and found. He tells him of adventure, of the little dog he kept as a boy, of the times he spent simply watching the hours seep past as he and his friend relaxed at the edge of a lake and fished... He dreamed...
Peter follows a road up to the big house, the sun shines down, warming everything it touched. He frowned - someone is crying. A woman stood in front of the house, she smiles at him, she tells him to go home... But Peter loves to explore... He dreamed...
The sun didn't shine as strong anymore - now it was cold. Someone, a young man is crying, a young woman holds his hand, she is crying too. They don't talk to Peter. The house is twisted now, it leans down towards him, it should have fall over but it doesn't. The grass on the lawn looks pale and the statue of the angel that rests there is distorted - the hand held over its heart is twisted and clawed - its wings are cracked - it's upturned face is screaming... Peter dreamed...
Something in the woods calls out from among twisted trees stained green and blue - he follows. Towering trees, reaching too far into the sky surround him, he walks among them. The path vanishes from beneath his feet yet still he walks - he could still hear that voice. Up ahead something moves... Peter dreamed...
It sits, curled up beneath the trees. A wind that does not touch Peter stirs its hair and tugs at the broken wings that drape across the floor behind it. Like a broken Angel. Peter steps forward. It stood, clawed feet dragging on the hard earth as it slowly and painfully rose from the ground. It tuned. Baleful, burning eyes saw him... and pulled...
...Peter screamed...
"Morning. Time to get up, lazy bones."
Peter didn't answer.
"Oi, come on. You'll be late for school."
Peter couldn't answer.
"Peter? ...Peter?"
Peter wasn't home.
"Brianne!"
Brianne's eyes snapped open and she yelped when the first thing she saw was Kain. A slight sneer played about his lips before it vanished and he said, "Tell me what you saw."
"What, how-"
"Just talk, girl, what happened to him?"
"I, I..." Images flashed through her mind - a living nightmare - a boy named Peter...
Raziel was collapsed on top of her, his head tilted back on her shoulder, the weight of his torso pinning her down, his faced turned up towards the sky, his eyes closed... A living nightmare...
Looking back up at Kain, she said, her voice shaking, "I-I think we will have to take him to the hospital."
The winding road lay the other side of the hedge and Kain - in the guise of a human - stood the other side of the gate next to them. Brianne was sat with Raziel who was sprawled on the ground next to her. He hadn't come round since he had collapsed in the wood.
Brianne watched him constantly, trying not to think. She felt sick.
Further down the road a she heard the rattle of a car as it crossed a cattle grate. She waited. As the sound of the engine became audible to her and she moved closer to the gate, finally taking her eyes off Raziel to watch Kain.
She couldn't see his face as he watched the road, then step forward so his feet were on the edge of the tarmac. The car comes into view at a rise in the road ahead before vanishing from sight again and Brianne didn't know if she wanted it to come any closer or not.
Rounding the final bend the car come into view again as it crossed the little bridge that spaned the stream as it continues to wind its way away from Annabel's home. As the car got closer and closer Brianne started to wonder just what it was that Kain had planned. Then, just when she was starting the think there had been some sort of mistake, the driver slammed on his brakes bringing the automobile to a screeching halt - it stopped with the drivers door directly in line with Kain.
Turning his back on the car Kain strode back through the gate and over to Raziel. Brianne got hastily to her feet as Kain swept his former lieutenant into his arm and made for the car. Brianne was about to protest that they couldn't let anyone see Raziel when she looked back at the driver of the car again. His face was white, wide eyes stared at the road ahead and he had a white knuckled grip on the wheel - he wasn't about to be paying much attention to Raziel anytime soon, or much else for that matter. Brianne contemplated that the games hadn't shown Kain using his mental prowess against anyone since the second Blood Omen game - if that talent of his hadn't faded but grown over time, then what the hell was he capable of now?
Too late did Brianne think to help him with the car door but he managed it without her anyway - and did a good job of it too. The bulk of his form blocked her view has he arranged Raziel on the back seat of the car. When he was done he got up and walked around the car to the passenger door and opened it. He glared back at her where she was still rooted to the spot, "What are you waiting for, girl, get in!"
She walked towards the open back door or the car, looking at Raziel more then anything else; Kain had set him at the far side of the seat on his side with his legs coming off the seat in much the same way a person would look if the had been sat up then fallen to the side in sleep. There was very little room for her in there, it was only a small car.
"Get in, Brianne," he growled at her from where he still stood watching her over the roof of the car.
She didn't even look at him just swallowed around nothing and started to ease herself into the car. Turns out she had overestimated it when she had first thought there wouldn't be much room for her in the back - there wasn't enough room at all, not without sitting on some part of Raziel's anatomy anyway. She hesitated - she simply didn't want to touch him again.
"We don't have all day." Kain snapped from where he now sat next to the stone-still driver.
She glanced up at him then back at Raziel's prone form - after that vision she was more afraid of Raziel then Kain now, even unconscious.
"Are you really willing to leave him - them - in this state?"
Bastard... Of course she couldn't - even if it was just Raziel she couldn't - and she certainly couldn't leave that boy, Peter, like this.
Reaching out with trembling hands she carefully took hold of Raziels and slipped and arm around his neck. She lifted him up a little and shuffled herself sideways until she was far enough into the car that she could close the door then let him down again so his head rested on her lap.
Breath Brianne, you have already set a new record for the number of times a girl can fall unconscious in a given amount of time, no need to top that...
She let out the breath she had been holding. Her skin still tingled where she touched him, but only a little, just enough to be noticeable - in other circumstances it would almost be a pleasant sensation.
Kain pulled the door next to him shut and almost instantly the car started forward. Brianne almost forgot to breath again - With Kain in control of the driver, could the driver still drive?
A few turns down the road and she allowed herself to relax a little when it became apparent that they weren't going to go tearing off the road and through the hedgerows - either Kain was an unnaturally good driver or the guy behind the wheel wasn't completely 'dominated', more like under the power of suggestion, still able to use his normal skills and abilities. Somehow the latter seemed more probable...
Brianne fixed her gaze out the window - doing her damnedest to ignore Raziel; despite what she had seen and felt before she had seen Peter in her vision, she wasn't mentally prepared to face Raziel yet, or even think about him.
It felt like a very long journey, going to the hospital...
TBC