Always the Vampire

“This will help us fight the Void how?” I asked.

“If one of you is weakened, the others will quickly be able to transmit an energy boost.”

“Once learned,” Lia added from where she stood opposite Cosmil, “the technique will work even if you’re separated. You’ll also be able to locate each other through your energy, but you must practice until you can create a vortex.”

“Correct.” Cosmil turned to Saber. “You are neither shifter nor vampire, but you carry the mark of both. You are the balance between Triton and Francesca, so you will start the flow for the first session.”

“What do I do?”

“Fill yourself with a thought or an emotion that brings you joy. Hold that energy until you feel its pressure. When you’re ready, imagine turning on a water spigot. Let the energy flow through your right hand into Triton’s left. Triton and Cesca, picture yourself as pipelines and let the energy pass through you and back to Saber.”

Sounded easy enough. I relaxed my shoulders, closed my eyes, and wondered if I’d know the energy when I felt it.

Less than a minute later, I sensed the first trickle of the warmth I associate with Saber pass from Triton to me. I kept the pipe analogy in mind and felt the fingers of my right hand tingle as the energy moved back to Saber. Then, the tickles and tingles came faster, flowing up one arm, through my chest, and out of the opposite hand until I thought I might float away.

“Excellent,” I heard Cosmil say. “Now do not break your handclasps. Saber, imagine slowly turning off the spigot and dial down your flow of energy the same way.”

The tickles and tingles gradually stopped.

I opened my eyes when Triton freed his hands and wiped them on his jeans. Cosmil and Lia beamed their approval.

“Fine job, Saber. You have done this before?”

“I did similar exercises when I studied Eastern and Western disciplines to improve my skills as a slayer.”

“Your studies serve you well.” Cosmil pointed at me. “All right, Francesca, your turn.”

I held hands with the guys, closed my eyes, and pictured surfing. Catching a wave, flying across its face, and being rocked by the sea when I paddled out again.

The smells and sounds and splashes of the ocean enveloped me so much, that I almost missed Cosmil’s signal to ease up and stop.

Saber gave my hand a warm squeeze. “If that’s what surfing is like, maybe I’ll learn.”

“You saw what I pictured?”

He nodded. “Did you see the image, too, Triton?”

“Yeah.”

Even Cosmil blinked at the terse reply. “Is something amiss, Triton?”

“I’m fine. Just tired. Can we get on with this?”

I narrowed my eyes at him but only read a jigsaw puzzle jumble of pictures.

Until we all reclasped hands. In seconds, a rogue wave of ecstasy rolled through my body, and so did a slideshow. One featured Triton in his dolphin form meeting Lynn in hers. Others depicted the pair racing and chasing and leaping from the water. Then the image switched to a man and silver-haired woman wearing only towels, falling onto a bed. I didn’t know if it was Triton’s bedroom or Lynn’s, but I wanted out of the vision before the towels came off.

I jerked my hand free of Triton’s.

“Geez, you couldn’t stop with the Flipper scene?” I snarled. “You had to go X-rated?”

“Francesca,” Cosmil snapped, “why did you break the flow?”

I turned to Saber. “Did you see pictures this time, too?”

“Leaping dolphins, and a woman with light hair.”

“It’s blond.” Triton pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around his legs. “Silver blond.”

Cosmil’s bushy gray eyebrows shot up, two gull wings of surprise. “It has happened, Triton? You have met a mate?”





We retired inside to the living area for Triton’s revelation. Cosmil and Lia shared the sofa, Saber took an armchair, and I leaned a hip against the stainless steel counter sipping water.

Okay, my body language screamed that I was divorcing myself from the group, but I wanted to watch their reactions.

Triton started his tale with the men who assaulted him, answered a few questions, and agreed to have a look at mug shots. He didn’t commit to a date, I noticed, but then Saber would have to contact Detective Bob March with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office to arrange a viewing. Good thing we had an in with law enforcement.

Triton also mentioned that transfiguring while being injured had been difficult and that he’d been too weak to want to travel far. He’d headed to the fishing pier where he usually shifted, and that’s when and where he echo-located Lynn. Since she was alone, they swam farther north to Vilano Beach where he began to feel stronger. Eventually they’d gone to Jax Beach.