I inhaled. The smell of honey and lemon to my right, while cocoa, citrus and pine was to my left. I tried to speak but my mouth felt heavy. I opened my eyes to complete darkness and only my sense of smell prospered. I couldn't even hear the sound of myself breathing because my ears were ringing, my heart pounding loudly. I stood up and heard Santino do the same. We maneuvered towards each other. I felt myself getting angry and colder. Something else stirred inside me. Some power I hadn't felt before. It was weak, but I knew it was there.
Santino's heat kept me grounded. My mother and father also stood. Their yaria more composed. My father seemed stronger, but I could still see him struggling. Santino placed a finger on my lips and I felt the searing heat of his anger.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could see over a dozen figures outside of the window. I walked over to my parents and they pointed to the front door.
The four of us walked out and Lucifer was greeted us with a smile and a wave. Then he disappeared.
My eyes widened, "Mother! Father!"
My father's silence seemed to answer her scream. My mother started to emanate a fantastic red aura from her body. "Kit, you need to get off this planet! Collect your blood and go. We cannot let anything happen to you. Santino, I'll create a distraction, get her out of here. We will catch up. If you don't, you know the consequences." Before we could respond she screamed and let out an explosion of light, fire and ice. A whiz went by my head and I swear I saw a sword.
Santino grabbed me by the hips and heated up. We ran in the opposite direction of my parents. I looked back and my parents were already gone.
No less than fifty men were right behind us. They seemed to be as fast as Santino. I watched as they raised their weapons, "SANTINO, DROP DOWN!" He dropped to the ground. I barely had enough time to freeze the bullets and send them back to the armed men. All of the bullets bounced off them. I gathered more energy and started to freeze the air around us. The men moved slower. I sent out a blast of icicles and each man was pierced. "Burn it all." Santino, sent out an explosion of lava destroying the men, the ground and all of the surrounding area.
Damn! What the hell is happening?
We arrived at the safehouse. I was worried about Don. I could smell him and Seraph. They were close. I stared at the safehouse. It was a regular ranch home painted black and white. The door appeared wooden but it was a steel and bullet proof, along with the rest of the house. The wind was blowing and I could smell the neighbors baking cookies and prepping the fireplace for the cool night. I looked up at the two moons shining brightly and could feel the pull of the tide. So calm. The calm didn't reflect my mood. I needed to make sure everyone was safe. I was losing control of this situation. I looked back at the house and took a deep breath.
Santino started walking in front of me. There were no sounds coming from the house. I could feel Seraph there but her energy was weak, "Santino."
"I know. Whatever it is, probably already knows we are here. Getting your yaria back also removes their lifeforce. You'll have to kill them to absorb your yaria. Seraph, I trust the most." I looked up at him and his face had turned to stone, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions. I knew what he was saying. We'd save Seraph for last.
I nodded. "We need to make this quick. Let's grab Don and Seraph, then call the others. We will travel as a group no splitting up. I want to keep an eye on everyone."
I burst through the door and there…was nothing. No armed men, no furniture, no Seraph, no Don, just emptiness. I looked back and Santino was nowhere to be seen. "What the fuck is going on?" I couldn't sense anyone. I was alone.
All around me I could hear laughter. I looked around and sniffed the air. Nothing. The kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, art-room, all empty but the laughter remained. I stayed calm, "Who are you?"
The laughter stopped, "I am the person you've been looking for all these years. It's time for you and your mother to reunite with the Essential."
The Essential?
I tried to determine who the voice belonged to, but I knew. Kitten. Where was the voice coming from?
"KITARYA!" I blinked and everything returned to normal. I was standing in the living room and Santino, Don, and Seraph were all looking at me concerned. "What just happened to you Kit? You walked through the door before me and just disappeared for a second."
My mother. I had to get back to her, "We gotta get Don and Seraph out of here! Seraph, I'm going to have to free you from my blood, but I want to make sure you are around until I can free the others."
Seraph didn't flinch, "Do whatever is necessary. I will accept my fate. It is the least I could do for you." Seraph bowed. She was so formal. Her upbringing always evident in her interactions.
Santino was silent. Seraph bought Don into the room. I looked at Don and he seemed more rattled than normal. I lunged at him and hugged him, "I'm so sorry! This isn't how I wanted this night to go." I looked at him, and his face was not one of a man staring at a monster, but of a man determined to survive and protect. My heart ached.
His smell of fresh rain calmed me. The scents of the humans here were different than those of my parents and Santino. They smelled more faint and I could barely pick them up. The scents would fade the closer they were to death. This man did not belong in my world, but I had to keep him safe. I needed him to come with us. My parents wouldn't allow it, but I would not leave him.
"Kit. Lucifer and Kitten are outside." Santino was facing the door. I could feel the smile on his face from here. His graying hair and the mechanical wiring of his muscles. A light flashed by us.
Blood.
I saw the blood.
Seraph's blood filled my nostrils and I felt my yaria returning to me. I knew what I had to do. I kneeled in front of her. Her throat slit. I placed my hands on her throat and tried to heal the wound, but my power was weak. It took longer than expected. Her pulse was weak but she was still alive. "We need to get her to the hospital."
"Don, I need you to help Seraph. Protect her to the best of your abilities. There is a tunnel in the basement. Its hidden behind a bookcase. The tunnel will lead you out about three miles from here. Take Serpah to Damon Hospital and ask for Dr. Fenra. She will see Seraph and know what to do. I'll come for you in the next hour. Be quick and don't hesitate. There is a wheelchair in the basement. It should make the trek a little easier." I kissed Don and was overcome with sadness, "Santino, go with him". I had to keep them both safe.
Don lifted Seraph on his back. Santino hadn't moved.
"I'm not leaving you. We can make this quick to assist Don." Santino stood with his arms crossed.
Lucifer was outside laughing. "Wow, I wonder if Seraph will make it?"
I locked eyes with Don once more and he disappeared downstairs.
Santino's body started to smolder. "Don't you think it's weird that Lucifer hasn't come in yet. Nano definitely sliced Seraph's throat."
"No. That wasn't Nano. It was Kitten. Since they know about this safehouse, he has definitely been following us."
We walked outside and were face-to-face with Lucifer, Amigo, Kitten, and an entire military unit.