One Broken Legacy

Chapter 26: Trips Down Memory Lane

Anya just stared at the boy paralyzed on the ground. But there was no time to waste. Nick needed help.

"Get him up quickly," I ordered, as Kiri helped me lift his awkward weight. The mob around us noticed something was up, and I forced a laugh "Sorry everyone. He isn't feeling too good. He's so angry, he froze."

With Anya trailing behind us, we tried to run. For a skinny kid, Nick weighed a ton, and his body sort of dragged behind us.

"What happened to him?" Anya said as we hurried away from the mob, although I saw more than one phone raised to an ear.

"Not here," I hissed. "Anya, grab his legs."

With the stern order, she did as she was told, and we sped up, disappearing into the alleyway. When we reached Kiri's apartment, my arms began to burn as the adrenaline wearing off.

"Lock the door and get him on the couch, keep his head elevated but just a few inches." We set him on the couch, limbs still raised above him with one knee raised above the other. He was paralyzed in the position he had hit the ground.

"What is it?" Kiri asked after bolting the door.

"Gorgon blood."

The words brought a chill to the room. Anya leaped back from him, while Kiri stood at his head like an omen of death, her eyes downcast. Gorgon blood was never good.

"Anya." The girl stared at me, her dark eyes watery as her bottom lip trembled. "Can you drive? Are you in a good headspace?"

"I think... I think so," she stuttered, as her hand shook at her side. If I put her behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, there was no guarantee she would make it to her destination.

"Kiri, can you do it?"

"Where do you need me to go?" There was no hesitation from her. At least one of us was in a good headspace. God knew I wasn't.

"Drive to the pack land and get Alpha Daniel. Tell him it's gorgon blood. Make sure to keep this under wraps."

She grabbed her keys and disappeared out the door, the locks bolting once more behind her.

"Anya," I spoke softly to the anxious girl. "I need you to calm down. He will be alright, but we need to stay calm and think."

"It's the Living Plague." She lost her voice to a fit of heavy breaths. "He won't, he can't. Lexi."

"I know it's bad, but we can heal him." I took her hands in mine. "Can I leave you with him for a minute?"

"What if I get it?"

"This isn't contagious, I promise. Right now, you need to explain to him what's going on. See if his pupils react to light, check his pulse. Once you do, calm him down. Talk to him, just do something while I make a phone call." I shook her hand to startle her out of her dread. "Can you do that?"

Anya nodded but there was lingering apprehension. It wasn't surprising. Slowly, she crept toward him, being careful to avoid contact, and I heard her murmured voice as she went about checking him.

I took a deep breath before turning on my heels and marching toward the bathroom. With the door locked, I pulled out my phone. Uncle would be no help in this matter, not until Nick was taken care of. If I told him, it would only hinder the progress of Nick's recovery. Aunt Bea, it was.

I hadn't called her since my encounter with the demon, but I was possibly more scared this time as I punched in her number.

"Alexis, honey? Please say something, are you there?" The panicked voice of Aunt Bea rang through the speaker. She must have remembered the last time I had called out of the blue.