Page 34 of Blade
Her lips flattened and her icy gaze raked over me in disgust. “You drink, then you come in.”
Teeth gritted, I lifted the vial and circled it, causing the dark green liquid to swirl. It looked like swamp water with a healthy dose of mud in it. And was that an oil slick sheen? My lip curled at the thought of bringing it anywhere near my mouth.
“If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead and your body would belong to the bayou,” she declared in a softly spoken but hard as steel voice. In that brief exchange I knew she was telling the truth.
I uncorked the small bottle and told myself if I chugged it, I wouldn’t even taste it.
Lies.
I guzzled it down as fast as I could, but I still gagged and heaved, though nothing came back. A burning started in my chest and spread to the tips of my fingers and down to my toes. I gasped and clutched the doorframe.
“Finley!” Sage cried out as she tried to get to me, but Adelaide held her back.
“He will be okay,” Adelaide assured her as she watched me closely.
“Fuck!” I shouted through gritted teeth as I fought to simply breathe. “I’m not sure how you figure,” I choked out. My lungs wouldn’t expand—it was like suffocating internally.
As quickly as it had hit, it began to subside. Each inhale was a massive desperate gulping of air. My labored breaths began to slow, and I swallowed the baseball-sized lump lodged in my dry throat.
Adelaide reached out and took my chin in a surprisingly firm grip. She stared unblinking into my eyes. Suddenly, she released me and motioned me into the house.
As I stiffly stepped over the threshold, I frowned at her and grumbled, “What was that for?”
“It’s not my place to tell you. You have a long journey ahead of you with much to learn,” she cryptically replied.
My confused gaze met Sage’s, but we remained wisely silent.
“Sit,” she instructed.
“Am I gonna turn into a toad or something?” I asked half joking as took a seat. I winced as my every joint ached and my muscles seemed… tight. Something didn’t feel quite right.
The woman made me nervous as fuck and I had no idea why. I’d dealt with worse than her since I was practically a kid.
She snorted and then released a rich melodic laugh. My brows shot up.
“No. But I have to protect my home. You’ll have to forgive me, but one cannot be too careful with your kind,” she finally said after her laughter faded. “I’m supposed to ensure your safety, so that’s what I’ll be doing. I know you were heading west, but you won’t be safe there. You need to be with those who will be able to protect you and that will understand your… unique gift.”
My kind?
“I don’t need anyone,” I firmly stated as I took Sage’s hand in mine. We had each other and that was all that mattered.
Adelaide tilted her head as she studied us. It went on so long, I almost wanted to shift and fidget in my seat, but I refrained. Barely. Sage’s hand went clammy in mine.
The muscle in my jaw jumped as I clenched my teeth at her unwavering perusal. I wanted to ask her what she was doing or seeing, but I already knew she wouldn’t answer anything that she didn’t want to.
A look of satisfaction flashed in her eyes, then she sat back in her chair. “You’re not a couple. There is love between you, but not as a man and a woman. Though….” Her gaze narrowed and my face heated. It was as if I knew exactly what she was “seeing.”
Sage slouched uncomfortably.
“I’m going outside to make a couple of calls. Then I must be alone to consult the spirits. When I am done, we will talk. The bathroom is through that door.” She motioned toward the center door on the opposite side of the room and got to her feet, then went out the door again. There were three doors in total. I assumed the other two were bedrooms.
Sage and I looked at each other.
“I don’t like this,” I told her.
“Me either, but I believe we are safer here than out there on our own,” she whispered back. “Are you okay? You don’t look good. Your skin is really pale, and your eyes look funny.”
“Funny how?” I asked as I scanned the room for a mirror. There wasn’t a single one visible.