Still at the hospital, trying to find a comfortable way to sit on the hard seat, Jared stared at the list of names and license numbers. These were the potential drivers who were driving the ambulances yesterday when he saw Tobias taken away. None of the names were familiar. Then why would they be? He wasn't part of the medical world and knew few people outside of school friends. He lifted his head, his gaze falling on Chelsea, who'd curled up on the couch and fallen asleep. She'd been emotionally wrought since they realized what likely had happened to Tobias. Jared was afraid so much more might have happened to him but hated to speculate on the devious experiments the blood farm doctors might even now be doing.

"How do we narrow this list down?" Jared asked. "There are too many here to follow up on."

"Sian is on it. She can access the tracking data for each of the ambulances and check out their routes. Might even be able to search for the address of the group home to see who was there." Taz stared off into s.p.a.ce, as if contemplating what technology could do to make their job easier.

Jared didn't really care what could help as long as something did. And fast. He was fed up with sitting around and doing nothing. His future was up in the air too. He couldn't go back to the group home and they'd missed morning cla.s.ses. Something he wasn't thrilled about, but priorities had to be set and this b.l.o.o.d.y nightmare had to come to an end sometime surely.

As if reading his thoughts, Taz suddenly broke the silence.

"You two should go on to school. Leave this with me for the moment. If you want to, you can stop by after cla.s.s and I'll let you know what we've found out."

Jared stared at Taz, his mind working. It was tempting. He just needed to finish this term and he'd be done. Failing was not an option. Neither was it for Tobias. But what could he do right now for the kid?

"Surely there's something we can do to help," Chelsea said in a sleepy voice. She sat up and yawned then rubbed her eyes.

"Not at the moment." Taz stood up. "Maybe by the time you get back I'll have something that we can move forward with."

Jared watched as Chelsea turned to him, a question in her gaze. He shrugged. "I don't know what else to do. Maybe we can find out something at school. There has to be someone there who knows something."

Her gaze warmed and she smiled. "True. School it is then."

As they walked out of Taz's office, he called from behind them, "Be careful that you don't go asking the wrong questions of the wrong people."

A good warning to keep in mind but how were they supposed to know what were the right questions and who were the wrong people?

Rhia sat up slowly and stared around the empty Council Hall room. Had she fallen asleep yet again? All she did now was sleep and lie here. She felt so out of it. So useless. She'd heard a gnarled rendition of something involving Deanna and her daughter, but the accounting could barely be believed. Could it? Surely Deanna hadn't gifted Tessa with all her knowledge. Rhia had heard of such things from other elders, but it was a hugely dangerous process with more failures than successes. She worried on the names that slid through her mind. She couldn't remember a single case where the recipient had actually lived through the process.

Supposedly Tessa was alive but unconscious. She was at the hospital and what a joke that was. A hospital was supposed to be a place of healing. A place of helping those in need of care. A place to get help. Not this war zone it had become.

And of course all she held dear was caught in the middle.

Again.

Her mind froze. Not all not Seth. No one had found out anything about Seth. Maybe that was something she could work on.

If she could only remember what she'd already done.

Chapter 2.

The warmth hit Tessa first. Then cold followed by waves of cozy heat as if she was going through a myriad of different climates one after another. She didn't understand and could only sway as she was buffeted by the discordant sensations. In the back of her mind, she could sense something holding her in place. Something stalwart. Something enduring. Something she could trust.

There was a deep rumbling under her feet, sending more shockwaves up her lean frame. She closed her eyes and let her body, her mind, her spirit sink into the process. Go with whatever was happening to her. Surrender. Fighting was useless worse, it would kill her. With a deep sigh, she released the last of her resistance and watched the filing system once again float around her as the centuries of Deanna's life flew into their correct spots. The relationships slid into another section. Her eyes opened in wonder as she caught bits and pieces of the truths that the old vampire knew. The trials and challenges she'd been through. There was an odd popping sound, then another and another. She watched as files closed one after another and disappeared presumably into her own memory banks.

As each closed, the pressure she'd barely been aware of with so much going on eased back. The pops came faster and faster to the point that it was as if popcorn was popping in her mind.

It built to a ma.s.sive crescendo of noise and then stopped.

As in stark complete silence.

The air cleared around her, and the sensation of her head being too large to hold up eased. She shuddered. A freeing, relieved type of motion.

"Wow. That feels so much better."

Instantly, a small caring pat whispered across her head.

Then a murmur so faint, so soft and carried on a warm breath of air so caring she wondered if she'd imagined it. You did good.

And the breath faded away, the sensation drifting off like a boat whose mooring had been untied.

"Wait," she cried out. "Are you coming back?"

This time the answer was slightly crisper around the edges, enough for her to hear the response.

Always.

And he Hortran, the Ghost was gone.

Tessa opened her eyes and slammed them shut just as quickly. A shocked gasp escaped. That couldn't be. She peeked out from under her lashes at the world gone brilliant. The s.p.a.ce around her was alive with color but not just any color. Luminescent greens and blues and purples spun and twisted in front of her. But not calm quiet movements as if blowing in the wind; more distressed, agitated, and the colors were packed tight into the same s.p.a.ce, twisting and coiling in on themselves and each other.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wished the colors weren't so bright, so in her face. It was making her eyes hurt.

As if by her thoughts alone, the colors instantly muted. She blinked and mentally thought to change it back and sure enough, everything around her brightened up again.

Not possible.

Everything is possible. You are the One. She shuddered as Hortran's ghostly voice whispered through her mind again.

"I thought you'd died and disappeared forever." That he hadn't filled her with immense relief but brought his name up again and made her wonder.

No. I'm dead. But I live on in spirit. In energy. In you.

She swallowed hard at the last part. "In me? Like forever?"

You can access my energy anytime, anyplace, and if I can, I will come.

He made it sound like she'd be placing a telephone call and if the connection was decent, the timing convenient or something similar, then he'd come. Bizarre. She frowned. Then nothing about him or this situation worked normally.

As she went to ask him what was with the colors, she could sense his energy fading away again. Why? Because he was tired? Or because the question wasn't so important as to need him to give an answer? Or had she waited too long and he thought he wasn't needed?

She shook her head, trying to sort out the impressions running through her mind. Before there'd have been no need to sort, but now her head was stuffed and she couldn't think. It was getting worse every minute.

"Stop," she snapped. "Clear out. I want my thoughts and mine alone."

There was a slight snicker in her mind.

She lit up.

Cody!

Hey sweetheart, are you done rambling through that mess in there? Have you sorted yourself out?

His warm caring tone slipped down the path of her thoughts, brightening her world.

She laughed in delight. I wasn't to begin with, but I think I'm slowly understanding how it works. She quickly explained the little bit she had figured out. From the odd silence, she knew he didn't quite get it.

It's okay. I know it all sounds crazy, but it's improving, she said comfortably.

If you say so. He hesitated then asked in a low voice, Are you ready to come back?

Come back?

She didn't understand the question. What do you mean? I haven't gone anywhere.

No, but you're unconscious and there are some very worried people out here.

Unconscious. She digested that. Then how come I can communicate with you?

I don't know, but I'm glad you can.

Me too. She paused, thinking about all she'd seen. Did you see my eyes open up a while ago?

Yes, he said in surprise. I called you, but you closed your eyes and drifted off again. It was weird, like you were caught in some strange half-awake, half-asleep state.

When I first opened my eyes, there was just a crazy kaleidoscope of color. It was hard to look so I slammed them shut again.

Ah, and now?

The concern in his voice made her wonder how long she'd been out.

I'll try again, she said.

Yes, please. Your father is here and he's very worried.

Oh no. She hadn't considered that other people might be there waiting for her to surface. How horrible it must seem for those waiting.

Sorry, she whispered. I didn't mean to stay away for so long.

No worries, but we'd love to have you come back.

Tessa let out a deep heavy sigh that seemed to come from a long ways inside and released it.

As she let the last of the air out, she opened her eyes.

The color was still there. The vibrancy was still there but it was softer, less obnoxious prettier.

Still different than what she was used to, but better in a way.

Then she caught sight of faces mixed into the colors. One in particular her father.

Then she understood the colors came from the individual people around her.

She could see them clearer than ever and the colors were more distinct than before, but they were still just the energy of the people around her.

Her father.

And Cody.

She tilted her head upward, smiled at his worried face, and said, "Hey."

Oh thank heavens. She was awake.

Not caring that Serus hovered at their side, Cody murmured, "Hey back."

Then he lowered his head and kissed her. A warm, caring, a-little-too-hard kiss that was a mixture of Hey, I missed you and d.a.m.n good thing you finally decided to wake up.

Dimly through the emotions running through him, he could hear cheers and shouts resounding throughout the room. He lifted his head and realized they'd all seen that Tessa had woken up. The cheers were for her.

He dropped his gaze to stare down at the bemused woman in his arms.

"That greeting, Tessa, is for you."

She smiled gently. "Glad to know I was missed."

Serus leaned over and awkwardly wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Cody was loath to let her go, but he could hardly tug her back out from her father's arms. Serus straightened with Tessa held firm against his chest and turned so the others could see her.

Immediately the cheers resounded louder.

She moaned.

"I'm so very grateful you survived that," Serus said. Cody was close enough to hear the tears clogging the ancient's voice. d.a.m.n if his own eyes didn't start burning.

How many d.a.m.n times was this special woman going to hit the wall that would have killed anyone else and climb over it?

She'd survived so much, and yet fear still snaked through him that she was skirting death all the time. One day Death was going to get p.i.s.sed off at always being cheated out of his prize and he'd s.n.a.t.c.h her up and take her away.