A Touch Of Lightning (COMPLETED!)

Chapter 32 Ahleena and The Armor

"Sounds like you've got a bad cold." Jace remarked dryly, hearing Callin's low snarl. He stepped into the clearing from behind a tree when Callin fell silent, making Callin smile. Jace may talk tough, but he hadn't dared to step into the open until he knew Callin had heard him.

"What happened? Are there any more Flayers around?" He asked, looking around the bloody scene of destruction. Then his eyes widened as he saw the white statute at Callin's feet.

"Is that Ahleena?!"

Callin nodded, not trusting his voice. The relief that was pouring into him that it was only Jace instead of another enemy was making tiny, swirling starbursts flicker across his vision. He blinked hard, trying to clear his eyes, and wondered vaguely what that rushing sound was. Then, the world pitched sideways and went dark.

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"Any change?" A muted voice, far distant, said.

A female voice answered, a husky tone just slightly evident. "No change. His vitals are steady. Strong. Why won't he wake up?" A slight panicky note at the end.

Callin opened his eyes, then slammed them shut with a groan. The overhead lights were blinding. A harsh white light that reminded him of days of nightmare agony. And then his nose caught the scent of all the medical equipment surrounding him. Truly the scent tied directly to those helpless nightmare days of pain. Panic and an animal rage coursed through him, sending his fangs fully out and his claws bursting out of the tips of each finger, spraying the air with blood.

He rolled to the side, landing on all fours, then leapt across the room to land on the counter that ran along the far wall, his head swiveling, scanning, a wicked growl rumbling from his chest. A low, primal sound filled with undeniable threat.

Jacob and Carmen were standing by the bed, staring at him with huge, shocked eyes. A slight, golden glow was surrounding Carmen, flickering in her eyes, making her look like ethereal, like a ghost. Or an angel. Callin's memory came flooding back, and he felt his cheeks heat up as he realized he was only wearing his boxers. He slipped down from the counter, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Ahh...kinda thought I was back in the Lab." He mumbled, looking around for something to cover himself with. The blanket on the bed was the only thing he could immediately see, but it would involve walking directly towards Carmen. And that was not what he wanted to do.

Jacob got over his surprise and waved at the door, which opened silently to the telekinetic push he sent it. He gently nudged Carmen with his hand towards the door.

"Carmen, maybe you should stop staring and step out so he can get dressed." He said quietly.

Carmen blushed brightly, suddenly averting her eyes with a mumbled "oh yeah". She scurried out, making Jacob grin.

"She ran like she was more scared of you now that you're back in control." He remarked.

Callin narrowed his eyes, knowing Jacob knew full well about their attraction. He decided not to answer that, instead heading over to the only dresser in the room, figuring his clothes must be in there. Before he was halfway across the room, he was scenting the air to find out what was in the dresser. It was a natural thing to do, the way he always relied on his sensitive nose. The complete lack of scent in the air made him freeze. A hand made of ice played a game up and down his spine as he carefully sniffed the air again and once again scented nothing.

"What?" Jacob asked, picking up on his rising panic.

Callin didn't answer, instead baring one claw and slicing one long line down his forearm, watching intently. His blood welled up, a bright red in the harsh light, then trickled down his forearm, painting a crimson trail that should never have been. His healing power wasn't working! Once again, his powers were acting strangely, or not working at all. This had happened to him a couple times when he had been running from the Labs up in Alaska, running from the Flayer. When the Flayer had stripped his arms of skin and nearly killed him, it had taken days before his sense of smell returned, and with it, his healing power.

He turned to face Jacob with a sigh, feeling frustrated rage begin to boil in the recesses of his mind. It was distant, like it was real but patient to wait for its time to erupt. He repressed it with a growl, making Jacob raise an eyebrow. Callin shook his head, as if to say that he wasn't growling at him, not trusting his voice just yet.

"Your powers are acting strange again, aren't they?"

Callin felt his claws slide out as he felt that Jacob must have been reading his thoughts, the instinctive hatred of the thought of a telepath in his head bringing out the killer rage within. His logic rose up right behind it, letting him retract his claws as fast as they had come out, telling him Jacob was not only an extremely powerful telepath, he was also simply extremely intuitive. And he knew Callin, knew how to read his body language, knew what had happened to him the last time he had fought a Flayer.

"How long was I unconscious?" he asked stiffly, still not completely convinced Jacob hadn't read his mind.

"Callin, I saw your claws just now. And I can hear in your voice you'd rather I left the room. Left the mansion, in fact. I know you distrust telepaths, but I haven't read your mind even once since you've come here. I can tell you that telepathically, if you don't believe me." Jacob said quietly. Almost as if he were speaking to a dangerous, unpredictable animal.

Callin resented that he deserved that tone, and inside his commitment to learn how to truly control himself like a Ninja grew even stronger. He couldn't wait to resume training with Ahleena.

"Ahleena!" he suddenly cried as memory ensnared his mind inside a frigid ice storm of fear. Had she survived? What had happened?!

Jacob jumped forward to place his hands on Callin's shoulders, forcing him to meet his eyes.

"She is alive! Callin! Look at me! She is alive!" he spoke quickly, intensely, his storm gray eyes glowing bright.