Page 6 of Betrayed in Blood
They seemed surprised that I spoke but continued to ignore me. I stood and stormed to their table.
“Tell me who you are.”
They stared up at me, surprise flashing in their wide gazes. Then I realized my mistake. They had pulled me into their construct but hadn’t expected me to take partial control. I’d been so busy wondering who the hell these people were that I hadn’t paid attention to the momentary tug. The power in their attempt to control me was no stronger than a child grasping my arm to pull me back. I’d blown right through it without realizing they had been trying to hold me in place.
Then the voices came again. Dozens of them.
I pressed my hands to my head, trying to make them go away. I focused, remembering the candles Colantha used in her sessions. Within a blink, thin, tapered candles in tall, free-standing candelabras suddenly appeared in the middle of the restaurant. I held my attention on a single flame, closed my eyes, and—knowing this was going to hurt—ripped myself out of the construct.
The light was blinding before darkness descended.
I openedmy eyes then slammed them shut against the harsh light. Muffled voices rose in anger and then quieted. I slowly opened one eye. I didn’t recognize the room, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was.
Aramburu.
Dreamwalkers.
Now it made sense. Well, it didn’t, but at least I understood what happened. A dull pain thumped from the back of my head.
The suite was richly decorated with all the standard features, yet the decor was minimalistic, with a single painting on each wall and a couple of knickknacks on the dressers.
I gingerly pulled myself into a sitting position and immediately noted the familiar colored vials on the nightstand. The bed was king-sized and comfortable. I was still in my sundress though the covers had been thrown over me.
I didn’t know if they’d given me any drugs while I’d been passed out. The liquid in the pink vial wouldn’t hurt me, so I drank half of it then leaned my head against the headboard, giving the liquid time to work its magic.
I took the opportunity to take a longer look around the room. The first thing I zeroed in on was our luggage, which had been unpacked. Clothes hung just beyond an arched doorway that must lead to a walk-in closet. Another door was opened to what I assumed was the bathroom.
I sat up and swung my legs to the floor, placing a hand on the bed as I waited for the dizziness to stop. The potion would need another five minutes to work, but I stood and made my way to a marble and glass bathroom.
Whatever voices I’d heard earlier were gone. I splashed cold water on my face and, keeping the water cold, wet a washcloth and placed it on the back of my neck. The headache was all but gone, but I was still unstable on my feet.
I was leaning against the doorjamb, holding the rag on my neck, when the door opened. Devon peeked his head in, his focus on the empty bed. When he spotted me, he rushed over and pulled me into his arms.
His hug was fierce as he laid his cheek on my head. “Are you alright?”
“A bit dizzy.” My voice was muffled with my face pressed against his chest.
He took the rag from me and walked me to a chair by the window. It wasn’t until then that I noticed the drapes had been closed, and the light that had bothered me earlier had been from a simple lamp.
“Is it alright if I open the drapes and let some fresh air in? You seem chilled, and the warmer air might feel better.”
It couldn’t hurt, and I nodded. “Gregor has dreamwalkers close by.”
“That had been my guess, but he won’t discuss it with me. I didn’t think we were within Colantha’s range.”
“What happened? I remember pulling myself out of the construct, but then it was light’s out.”
“I’m not sure how long you were in the construct before I noticed. We’d been deep in conversation, and when I looked back, I immediately noticed you were in a construct.”
I smiled. “I guess all those sessions with Colantha paid off.”
He stood and walked to a cart that held a bar. He poured a glass of water from a clay pitcher and handed it to me before sitting in the chair across from me, a round table between us.
I drank half of it before setting it down.
“I yelled for Gregor to stop, terrified you’d fall out, until I noticed Alejandro was holding your wrist. At first, I thought he might have been the one who took you to a construct, then realized he was merely holding you in place.”
“I don’t remember seeing him in the construct. There were two dreamwalkers—a young man, maybe a year or two younger than me, and an older woman. They were surprised when I strode up to them before I pulled myself out.” I reached across the table and grabbed his arm. “They must be close. I was in a restaurant that I swear had to be one of those in the village.”
