I hear my name like a far away echo. I'm not sure if it's in my head or in the real world. It sounds like Kelsi, though, so... I hear some rummaging around us. Is it really messy out there? Moon Goddess, I'm laying down on a pile of mess, I'm glad I can't sit... Lying down is still pretty painful in itself, though...
"She's here! She's really here! Oh, crap, crap, Mara..."
She swears a lot, and I'd chuckle if I could. A shadow comes over us, and I feel several presences around me. Who is there? Oh, did I close my eyes? I struggle to open them back up, and look around at the shadows hovering above me.
"Moon Goddess, she's alive, and even conscious. I can't believe it... With that fall..."
Nora's voice. So she found me, too?
I growl softly. I meant to tell them I'm okay, but really, a growl isn't very talkative. I feel a gentle hand over my head.
"Try using your mind-link, Mara. Don't talk, you'll hurt yourself even more... Moon Goddess, all that blood..."
"The symbols... Tell Kelsi... The glass..."
"Kelsi, she wants you to do that spell, now. Quickly!"
"What? But... If I do it now..."
"Find some glass to use around here, something big enough. I'll try to heal Mara's body as much as I can meanwhile. Let's hurry!"
Thank Moon Goddess for the mind-link. I never knew how handy it was, when everything is too painful to use... I hear them moving around. Steps going away, and someone moving around. I still can hear Kelsi's voice, complaining a lot, half-crying, telling herself not to panic, but clearly panicking still. That's my Kelsi... Meanwhile, Nora suddenly appears in my line of vision, leaning over my other body. She exchanges a glance with me.
"I'll do what I can," she promises.
She leans over it, and her long raven curls hide whatever is going on from me. Good... I have no idea how bad my other body looks, but I saw that blood on my head. Damn, I hope that damn Dark Witch didn't wreck it. I like that body.
"Mara! Mara!"
I hear Liam's voice screaming over, and Nora suddenly sits up.
"Liam, over here! She's here!"
"Oh, Moon Goddess, Mara, Mara..."
I wish I could turn around to see him. His breathing is so uneven, I'm wondering if he's injured too. Did something else happen? Suddenly, Liam is next to me, and I feel his hand in my fur. Oh, Moon Goddess, I missed him... I really missed him. Nora moves a little, and Liam gets between my bodies. His eyes go to the other one first, the human one, and his eyes grow wide in shock. Yeah, probably not good... He looks at Nora.
"Please tell me you can do something..."
"I'll try," she answers. "They called an ambulance. If only Mara can hold on until then... Her friend Kelsi is trying to find a piece of glass large enough to do the spell back... if... her body can take it..."
Liam's lips tremble, and he turns back to me, the wolf me this time. Our eyes meet, and he looks like he's about to break down.
"Oh, fuck, Mara, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..." he whimpers. "I should have known sooner... I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to doubt you again..."
Yeah, I haven't forgotten about that... I'm so going to whoop his ass if I survive this.
I growl a bit and he shakes his head. His hand on my fur is the best feeling in the world. He gently caresses me, right under my ear, fingers grabbing my hair as if to hold me back. He leans closer, and puts his face against mine, very gently.
"You have to hold on, just a bit longer, Mara... just a bit longer. I promise, I'm never, ever going to let you down again. But, please, don't leave me... Not like this."
I growl back, the only thing I can do. He stays with me a little, and I close my eyes. He smells like ashes and a ton of other burnt things, but it's my Liam. My mate. I can still feel him. Maybe it's even more intense because I'm in wolf form, but... I feel connected to him more deeply than any touch.
He leans back a little to look at me, his eyes watery. He keeps caressing me, and chuckles nervously a bit.
"You're beautiful," he whispers. "Moon Goddess, you're so damn beautiful... My tiger. My Mara... Just hold on, love. Just a bit longer..."
I try. I really try to. It's painful, and I want to give in to the sweet sensation of Liam caressing me, and that warmth that's about to envelope me. He keeps talking to me gently, softly, but I can tell his eyes are worried I'll pass out and give up. He keeps glancing at my body too, the one Nora's desperately trying to heal. What the hell, I don't want to die yet... not now... I need to protect them. Protect Sylviana's tree and the magic of Silver City. They all need me.
