Wilting Violet (Sinister Series 3.00)

Chapter Twelve Thanks

November 26, 2015, 4:00 am, Itzal's POV

    "Buddy!" Young Violet's voice calls as she runs after Camile, who stops at her voice, turns, and lifts her in his arms with a big smile. I blink to clear the fogginess in my vision, and then at the wet sensation on my lip, I look down and see red drip out my nose. My hand comes up, and blood runs down my hands. A chill in the air covers me, and then I look down at the ground and see a younger Leonard coughing up blood at my feet. I pant, turning wildly, looking for danger, and then a cracking sound breaks the low whine in my ears, and the world freezes as red spreads like a virus over Violet's back, and then, in slow motion, Camile falls back.

    'I yell out a warning much too late as I race toward them, but my vision spins, and my equilibrium sends me to the ground. I widen my eyes to keep them open and drag myself forward, trying to reach them before the approaching feet in the woods do. Victor screams my name in panic, and I whip that way, trying to save them all, 'Why can I not move?! What is happening to me!' A weight settles on my back, and I fight the restraining arms with everything I have.'

    "Hold him down!" A Masculine voice commands and I hit out hard and hear bodies fall as I try to fight them harder.

    "Violet, bathroom, NOW!" Someone else yells, and my eyes widen, unseeing as I try to get to her. My hand swings out and comes back red in my limited vision, and I grin, trying to hold my breath as the air becomes scarce in my lungs.

    "Breathe, Itzal. Breathe!" The body under me gasps, and the order strikes through me like a lightning bolt. I breathe and feel my vision grow from a pinpoint to wider. I huff for air and feel the calm pulse against my fingers as I squeeze their throat as hard as possible. They breathe hard too, but their pulse remains steady, and I pant, feeling like I ran miles as my brain tries to make sense of where I am and what I am doing.

    "That's it, tell it not now, promise it later." They say, and I nod, 'Later.' I repeat to myself, and the confused rage simmers, and the blur in my vision is blinked away. Leonard's expression as he looks up at me is more serious than I have ever seen it. He watches me, gently takes my hand, and places it against his heart.

    "She is okay. She is in the bathroom. You didn't hurt her." Leonard tells me firmly, and my heart goes from racing train to crashing stop, and I feel my eyes roll as I feel instantly faint.

    "Drop slowly. The adrenaline hurts. One beat at a time." Leonard orders me, and I match my breath to a calm pace until my shaking hands release him, and I have enough strength to roll over to the side of the bed and vomit.

    "Can I-" Violet's voice comes from far behind me, but despite the fact I have not looked back, my brain somehow tracks her right next to a dripping faucet in the bathroom. But instead of being fascinating, it is a heightened sensation that hurts. I grab my head and hiss and squeeze my eyes shut. Leonard drops next to me and whispers.

    "Picture Violet, nice, comfortable, and protected in your arms." He says, and I try despite how far away the image seems.

    "Give her a blanket, little slippers, and food... lots of it." He says, and I nod, and he hums.

   "See she is safe. Promise it later. But this time, mean it." Leonard commands, and I listen to him because he makes more sense than my aching head. 'Later, we will figure all of this out later.'

    "That's it," Leonard says, and I nod and look at him, and he seems a bit remorseful.

    "Sorry about this," Leonard says, and I feel the presence a mere second, and then the pinch in my neck injects something in me.