Culling

Part II • Chapter V

Kota answered Owen once he looked away from me and Silas. "As I'm sure you know, after you two were escorted away with Mr McCoy the rest of us were told to come back here."

Owen nodded, of that much we had been aware.

Kota continued. "No one would tell us anything, so we had no idea what was going on. Obviously we knew when something happened to Sang, I'm sure you felt it just as much."

Owen nodded again, he expression was grim but his eyes were outraged.

What did they feel? "What do you mean?" I spoke in a whisper, but they heard. Nine sets of eyes snapped back in my direction.

Sean paused in his examination of me to answer. He appeared to be considering his response. "It's somewhat hard to explain. You know how we can tell what the other person is experiencing emotionally?"

I indicated that I remembered.

He went on, "While focusing on your emotions we could tell that something was wrong, but not what was happening exactly. However, it seems that when you are in mortal danger, which you were in this situation, the bond reached out to us and allowed us to assist from a further distance. From what I've understood to be true, a transfer of abilities generally requires physical touch - it is that which allows your energies to mingle. For example, North wouldn't have been able to astral project without having been touching you last night."

Had it really only been last night? It seemed like such a long time ago.

Sean appeared thoughtful. "This brings up a lot of questions. Such as, is there a limit to the distance? What types of situations are considered to be dangerous enough to enact this ability? That sort of thing."

"Who?" I wanted to know who I had drawn to me, what exactly had happened?

North rubbed my foot, and his voice was deeper than normal as he responded. "Me, Luke and Silas."

Oh.

That explains why Silas was chosen to be the one to hold me, and how I wasn't feeling any pain at the moment. I wondered what North and Luke could do exactly?

"Are..." I glanced over to him, North had an indescribable expression on his face. "Are you guys alright? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

North barked out a sardonic laugh. "You are asking us if we are alright?"

"Yeah." It would break me if one of my boys ever got hurt for me. I was already feeling horrible enough that Owen had gotten injured. My voice broke at the end as another thought occurred to me.

I swallowed hard. The reality of what I had done crashed into me. "I killed Jade..." I forced myself to whisper it out loud. I was horrified at myself. I couldn't believe I had murdered someone. It didn't matter that she would have done the same to me.

North scoffed in response, he didn't seem too concerned about my admission. "Technically, I killed Jade. Fucking good riddance too, for as much as I care."

I could only stare at him. I was so tired.

Everything that had happened today was overwhelming me, and I was unable to separate my own emotions from the various levels of fury, concern and horror that I felt from the boys. It was all too much.

I just wanted to forget that all this happened.

Sean had been back to touching my arms during this part of the conversation and I heard a sharp intake of breath. "Let's get her over to the bed. I want her to sleep for a while. Luke, we will need you too. She needs rest."