Blood Runs Through the Heart Read online

  Raven giggled. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starved.” Brandy Lee said. A she-wolf’s metabolism is high, and food intake is a must, unlike a vampire that can go days without substance. She kissed Raven’s cheek and started to search for her underwear.

  Raven laughed.

  “What?” Brandy Lee asked, trying to turn her underwear from inside out. She twisted it a few times before the article ended up the right way.

  “Nothing. You’re cute, that is all.” Raven released an inner laugh as she thought. I just got dumped like a one-night stand for bacon. Meat of all things. She started the search for her underwear.

  Peggy sat at the fire, stirring something in a homemade pan that would pop at her. Each jump from the surprise pop received a small child’s giggle in response. Her voice sang out a sweet tune with the words unfamiliar to the English language. Small animals ventured from the forest to listen to her. Chipmunks, squirrels, deer, and birds sat looking with their heads bobbing up and down in rhythm as the young girl serenaded them.

  Raven and Brandy Lee soon stepped from the tent after finding all their pieces of clothing. Raven’s arm touched Brandy Lee’s upper arm, stopping her in place. She pointed to all the animals that circled the fairy. They swayed to the music. “That’s amazing,” Raven whispered. They continued to walk over towards the sweet smell and Peggy. Her back was to them. A few animals darted away in fear of the two strangers that were interrupting the concert. “Good morning, Peggy. You are in a good mood.” Raven said, announcing their presence.

  With a turn of the head, Peggy smiled ear to ear. “Hi, ladies. Hungry?”

  “Yes, but how did you find bacon and a pan out here?” Brandy Lee asked as she sat on the log.

  “Magic.” Peggy's words came out with a giggle. “It feels so good to be me again. Thank you for freeing me.”

  “We owe you a thank you also. We may have been in a witch’s soup if not for you.”

  Raven broke into the conversation. “I’m going to scope the area. Be back soon. Then we can get going.”

  “Are you not hungry?” Brandy Lee asked.

  “Not really. I will grab a bag of blood. Enjoy the food that Peggy prepared. I’ll be back soon.”

  “I don’t like that you are going off by yourself.” Brandy Lee said.

  “I won’t go far. I will be within an ear shouting distance.”

  “Seriously? You know how far I can hear?”

  “Exactly.” Raven gave a cocky smile. “I promise I’ll be safe.” Raven took off, running towards the shadows.

  Brandy Lee took the full plate. At least a pound of bacon and eggs teased her nostrils. Peggy sat down beside Brandy Lee on the log with her plate. Their eyes moved from one plate to the other. Laughter rang out between the two of them. Brandy Lee’s plate looked as if she was feeding an army with close to triple the amount.

  “You’re gorgeous, Peggy.” Brandy Lee said between bites. “Nothing like the child version. Raven caught me up on how the Lake Witch trapped all the fairies. Hard to believe a frollick of fairies got tricked by witchcraft. Are you going to be okay without them?”

  Peggy lowered her head and stared at her feet. “I don’t know. If I get lonely, I’ll die a slow death. But,” Her words paused for a moment. A rainbow-colored tear fell down her cheek. “If I die? It’s better than being trapped at the lake.”

  “Well, I will not let that happen.” Brandy Lee said. “No loneliness. You have Raven and me.”

  “Your magic is amazing. I assume that you can fly?”

  “Not far without my frollick; maybe a half-mile. My magic is limited to nature, with a few exceptions. Like the frying pan, I made it of wood. But I pulled the metals from the ground to make it fireproof. How I got my hands on bacon and eggs; well, I will keep that secret to myself.” Peggy gave a wink.

  “Doesn’t matter to me the resources, it is delicious.” Brandy Lee ate, enjoying every bite with enthusiasm. She shoved the last slice of bacon into her mouth. “Sorry, I know I look like a pig. She-wolves consume a lot of food. Our metabolism is high.”

  “You look as if you’re in great shape. That much food would go straight to my hips and stick like glue.” The girls giggled, but they stopped when Raven came in sight.

  Raven ran across the small field in enormous strides. Her face was red, and the other two ladies stood up, preparing for the worst news. Was Theo chasing her or the black panther? She drew near the camp, and the red line of blood that dripped down her temple became visible. “Get in the tent.” The words struggled to lift over the wind, an odd buzzing sound growing stronger. A large, black towering cloud rose towards the sky, casting a black shadow over the grassy field. It dipped down and gained speed at an alarming rate towards the women.

  They tumbled over the log, hitting the ground before their feet pushed them towards the tent. A dive caused them to fall into the middle of the sleeping bags. Raven ran inside, and with a twist, she zipped the tent up just as they got hit with a powerful force, so hard the stakes broke free of the ground. The canvas turned over and over like a tumbleweed, with the ladies twisting and turning inside. The three grunted when the tent slammed against a huge oak tree. The shrilling sound of a swarm of bugs deafened them. They cupped their hands over their ears. Wings fluttered around them as a shrilling drone sound filled the air. Then silence. Lowering their hands, with eyes wide open, they untangled themselves while kicking the contents of the tent off the top of their bodies.

  “What the hell was that?” Brandy Lee broke the silence.

  “A swarm of cicadas,” Raven said as she kicked a pillow away.

  Catching Brandy Lee’s attention was Peggy, who still laid on the floor of the tent. “Peggy, what’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

  She was lying on her side, her chest rising and falling at a rapid rate. Her breaths sucked in through her mouth in quick puffs. Fear settled into her eyes as they became fixed on a mysterious space.

  “Something is wrong with Peggy.” Brandy Lee told Raven.

  “Shit. Take slow breaths. Let me look.” The unfortunate fairy struggled to gather her air. Wheezing sounded from her mouth with every inhale and pain registering on her face. She took the brunt of the hit, slamming her back into the old oak.

  The shirt got lifted slow and gentle as the young girl cried out. Bruised skin over her ribs was a shade of deep purple. Oddly shaped bones laid unevenly under the skin, waiting to break through with a wrong twist. Raven and Brandy Lee's eyes met with no words needed. Raven needed to heal her. Unfortunately, there would be a massive amount of pain.

  Her head laid in her lap. Brandy Lee leaned over, whispering in the whimpering girl’s ear. “Listen, Peggy. Raven can heal you, but it will hurt.” Brandy Lee wiped the tears made of the rainbow colors from her cheek. A stick was placed in Peggy’s mouth to control her screams. Suddenly, Peggy started to hum the same song she was singing at breakfast. Brandy Lee nodded for Raven to start.

  The emerald color converted to solid whites and hands hovered the broken bones. Raven chanted. A hard push down into the flesh and Peggy bucked. Her humming turned into muffled screams. The body jerked in agony. Brandy Lee felt fingernails dig into her thigh until her skin dented with impressions. Peggy begged for the pain to stop before she passed out. Her body went limp. Raven finished the healing, but not before her own tears flowed. “Let her rest, and then we will leave.” Raven and Brandy Lee gathered the disarray of items. Brandy Lee stopped to touch the dried blood on Raven’s temple. “It’s healed. Fell while I was running and hit my head on a rock.” She leaned over and kissed Brandy Lee’s cheek. “Let’s keep picking up this stuff. I am ready to get going.” Unlike the last time when Raven told Brandy Lee she was ready to leave, and Brandy Lee didn’t listen to her, this time she would.

  17

  Gone

  They were on an uphill climb. The gym’s Stairmaster was a bunny hill compared to a workout placed on the women’s thighs. Calf muscles shook under pressure. Peggy led the pack with tiny hands waving back thicket. Each lady grabbed at the prickly vines, trying to find an advantage on the vertical trail. Peggy stopped, turning her head to glance back at the two before yelling, “Tell me why again … why we can’t fly up this mountain? I think I can carry us to the top.”

  A sudden stop caused Brandy Lee to run into the back of Raven. Dismissing the circumstances they were in, the face plant into her butt made her laugh inside. She inhaled, but the stale air only stalled inside her lungs. “Because we are an easy target. We can’t protect ourselves in flight. A few more hundred feet, and we will be at the top.”

  Peggy turned back to the task at hand. She dug deep and pushed herself on. She felt good after Raven fixed her in the tent. The euphoric feelings earlier were smothered by the climb up Mt. Hell. She parted two small blue fir trees and found flat land. Then, she collapsed. Raven and Brandy fell beside her in a heap. “What’s wrong with your two councils? They couldn’t be like a high-rise where Uber is more accessible.”

  Standing, Raven turned in a circle, accessing their situation. The ground was flat for miles, and the forest was not as thick. With only four hours of nighttime, the question: Should they stop here for the night? It looked safe, but the lake also looked safe at first glance. The decision to press on was decided upon before it got debated in her head. Raven figured it was another day or two before they would reach the council. Peggy and Brandy Lee sat back to back with their beaten-down bodies using each other as a leaning post.

  “Ladies, we need to keep moving.” Raven ignored the look that she received from the two women. “Come on, another hour or two and we will stop,” Raven promised. She slapped forearms with Peggy, yanking her to her feet. They both turned and pulled Brandy Lee to her feet.

  In
a rhythm march, Peggy started to sing. “Hi ho, Hi ho. . .”

  Raven and Brandy Lee laughed.

  “Are you laughing at me?” Peggy asked.

  “No; yes. Do all fairies sing?” Brandy Lee asked.

  “Yes, we do. It calms us. Try it with me.”

  Peggy’s voice sang out in the darkness. The pace picked up. Arms swung wildly from front to back, and steps grew two folds. Brandy Lee joined in. Raven shook her head side to side. Reluctantly, she joined in. “Hi ho, hi ho, throughout the forest we go.” In a single file, the vampire, she-wolf, and fairy traveled forward. The answers they for which they searched decreased with each stride. Before long, Raven was leading them in the song and down the path.

  She stopped dead in her tracks, holding up her hand for the other ladies to a halt. She listened. Something wasn’t right. There was a swooshing sound coming from under the ground. Squatting, she placed her hand on the ground and the dirt moved. Yanking her hand back, she stood up. The two other ladies cocked their heads, trying to find the source of the sound. Swoosh. Swoosh. Raven looked at Brandy Lee. “What’s . .” Her words cut off. The ground opened and swallowed her. She was just there talking, and then she dropped. Her head disappeared beneath the soil in a flash.

  “Raven!” Brandy Lee screamed her name. Her body fell to the side of the hole, as her eyes searched. Nothing. It was a hole filled with darkness and no trace of her friend. “Raven!” She screamed again, the name echoing down into the depths of emptiness. She turned her head to look up at Peggy. “Peggy, where’d she go? We need to help her. I am going after her.” Brandy Lee stood, preparing to jump down after the woman she loved. A hand grabbed her.

  “No, that is an underground river. The current will suck you in like it did Raven.” Peggy’s eyes squinted in thought. “Come on. The river will surface, and that’s where we can find her. Stay quiet and let me follow the water.” Peggy’s hand grabbed Brandy Lee, pulling her down the path.

  Their feet hit the ground at a rapid pace. The river was flowing faster than they could keep up. Stopping every so often, Peggy would circle with her eyes searching for a clue, only to refocus and race off. A clearing laid straight ahead, and Peggy was still pulling Brandy Lee by her wrist. She couldn’t find the words to explain to Brandy Lee that they may not find Raven, at least not alive. The road forked in three different pathways. “Shit,” Peggy said between short breaths. “The river divides.” Her body twisted around. “I don’t know which way to go,” She admitted. Her body came still as the air. Concentration covered her brow. “Fuck. I can’t tell. The water all sounds the same.”

  “Just pick one.” Brandy Lee pleaded. The tears held back behind fear-filled eyes.

  Peggy chose the middle one. Neither one is a better choice than the other. She split her decision, taking the middle path. A few steps into the dirt path, and it got proven that her decision was a mistake.

  The black blur fell from the tallest tree, landing on all fours. A low snarl from the back of the cat’s throat released, and the two girls froze in their tracks. The cat hunched low to the ground, ready to jump in a snap. A gentle sway of the tail with her massive paws dug into the dirt, leaving deep indentions of her footprint. Black eyes stared before her tongue licked at her lips, as if she was about to devour a two-course meal. Their trail was blocked by the colossal cat. She growled again, more profound than the last.

  Brandy Lee now reversed the wrist hold and pulled Peggy backward into her space. “Let’s try another way.” Brandy Lee said. She could change and fight the advisory, but that didn’t seem to be the best choice. They needed to find Raven, who was fighting for her life.

  A shift on their heels and they gravitated towards the path to the left of the cat. They felt the cat’s eyes following them. The panther pushed off the muscular back legs, hurdling the bushes to land in their passageway. Peggy felt a wave of anger creep through her veins.

  Peggy murmured through clench teeth. “I am about to toss a fireball at her.” Before she could lift her arms to send the missile of flames, her movements were stopped by Brandy Lee’s words.

  “No, don’t hurt her. Let’s try the latter path. Just back up with me.” Brandy Lee was already stepping in reverse. Peggy followed.

  Stepping into the third and last split in the road, the ladies looked over and noticed the panther laid on the ground. There was no effort in a chase. Her body was sprawled out, as she licked her front paw with lazy eyes. In a jog, they took off.

  Stopping a reasonable distance from the threat of the cat, Brandy Lee halted in the middle of the path. Tears filled her eyes, as she paced back and forth. Her breathing was coming in small gasps. The thought of Raven lost under the ground, or even worst, the fact she was dead, overwhelmed her. She bent at the waist, her head hovering over her knees. Cries released.

  “Take a breath for me,” Peggy asked as she rubbed the young girl’s back. “There’s always a chance she survived.”

  Brandy Lee tossed her blonde hair back, running her hands through it before rubbing at her eyes. “She isn’t dead. She isn’t. She’ll find me. But . . .” Brandy Lee paused, swallowed hard. “The sun’s almost up.” Her voice cracked. She turned her head upwards, the warmth hitting her chin. The knot in her stomach grew. Tears rolled in a steady stream down her cheek.

  “She’ll protect herself from the sun. She’s smart. Let’s make camp. We’re both sleepy, and Raven’ll look for us as soon as the sun goes down. We need to be strong.”

  What Peggy said was true. At least, Brandy Lee needed to believe that. She just found Raven, and the thought of losing her tore her heart into pieces. Growing up in foster care, she learned not to trust, and it was hard to let your guard down. Raven was the first person who she allowed inside her heart.

  The tent popped up in minutes, and Peggy surrounded their sleeping quarters with an extra shield. Just in case, the black panther made another appearance. The two ladies laid next to each other, listening to the animals outside in the forest. The world came to life as the sun rose in the sky. Brandy Lee focused on a stained spot on the top of the tent. Her mind became overfilled in thought.

  “We’ll find her,” Peggy whispered. Her eyes half closed, sleep threatened her. “Can I ask you why you didn’t want me to throw a fireball at the cat? I could’ve crushed her.”

  Brandy Lee's eyes didn’t move from the spot from which she stared on the top of the tent. “I don’t know. There was a connection to her. I can’t explain it, but it felt like the right thing to do.”

  “Hmmm…” The last thing heard before Peggy dozed off.

  Brandy Lee rolled over to her side, staining her pillow with tears. She thought about Raven and home. What was going on at home? She missed Lady Rochelle.

  18

  At Home

  She gasped as the last bit of orgasm left her body. Collapsing on top of the beautiful redhead below her, she listened as the brunette lying on her ass released herself. Lady Rochelle rolled off the woman underneath her. They climaxed together, taking each other to the limits. Followed by hearing the third lady explode seconds later, it topped off the ménage à trois. Both the redhead and brunette snuggled into their leader and lover’s arms.

  A knock on the door ended the sexual bliss Lady Rochelle relished. “Enter,” She announced. The two women pulled a sheet over their leader before snuggling naked in her arms. Lady Rochelle took notice, making a mental note to award both later for their loyalty and sexual boldness.

  “I’m sorry, my Lady. Your sister wishes to enter.” The older woman announced.

  Before Rochelle could answer the request, her sister Queen Lana pushed past the older woman and stood at the foot of Rochelle’s bed. She took notice of the delicious sight wrapped in her sister’s arms. Under any other circumstances, Lana would try to think of ways to seduce the women, enticing them for maybe a second round with her. Lana pushed past the thoughts and the smear of jealously which peaked at her sister’s slice of heaven.

  Her face became serious. “Dismiss your toys so we can talk.” She ordered.