Her Quest : Magic in the Blood

Jake ran. She was there, right before him. He jumped over the fallen branches of trees, the roots, the rocks. Nothing could hinder his pace, his urge to get to her. He ran to her, his life depending on it.

He reached the circle of stones and stopped. She sat within, a black wolf resting with its head in her lap. The wolf's torso was covered in a makeshift cloth bandage.

Jake took a step forward. A surge of heat coursed through him as he entered the boundary. He didn't pay the restraint any mind. Nothing can stop him from getting to her. Gritting his teeth he put his other foot in and the heat vanished.

He rushed to where the girl and the beast lay in the middle of the circle and fell on his knees beside her.

"Sonia?" He touched her shoulder. The rain was falling in a drizzle and her skin was cold to touch.

Jake pulled off his jacket and draped over her form before shaking her again.

"Sonia? Wake up, love," he whispered.

When she didn't answer, he pulled her back. Breath rushed out of him as he got a look at her face.

"Sonia!" He gushed out, not believing his eyes.

Blood ran down from her nose. Her skin was pale and her lips a sickening blue. Jake shook her as she lay in his arms, limp like a rag doll.

Jake could feel his heartbeat quicken, the blood rushing in his ears, as she didnt move, "Wake up, please wake up," he kept pleading, tears running down freely his cheeks.

The others came rushing behind him, facing the barrier as he did, but Jake couldn't look away from her. Urging her to open her eyes through his will.

Gage came down beside him and took her hand in his.

"She won't wake up," Jake murmured.

The others managed to pull away the beast from her and untied the soaked bandage.

"There's no wound here," Emm said as he peered in the fur of the unconscious animal, "Why did she tie her dress if there was nothing?"

Jake gulped as he understood what had happened to the wound.

"She's been shot in her thigh!" Dim exclaimed, seeing the hole in her skirt.

Jake looked up at him, "And in her side too," he held up his blood covered fingers.

"No no no," Gage pulled at his hair, "This can't be happening. Everything was going perfect. This can't happen now," he shook his head in denial, his voice shaking as he tried to hold in his fears.

Dim put two fingers on her neck, "She's barely alive. We need to take her home, now." He tried to take her but Jake didn't let him, "Jake, we need to take her home now," He looked at him.

Jake nodded once before getting up with her in his arms, "Let's go."

"We'll take care of him," Gage said, pointing at the wolf.

"I'll come with you," Dim said but Jake had already started rushing out of the circle.

Emm kneeled beside the animal, "Come on pal. You are stronger than this." He urged the animal to open his eyes.

***

Jake rushed in through the fence. All his family was waiting by the door for the boys to return. His grandma was the first to notice him.

"There he is," she pointed at him and they rushed to help him.

"I've got her. Get a doctor, we're losing her," he barked out and hurried inside.

As fast as he could, he carried the limp girl up to her room and laid her down gently on the bed.

The ladies rushed in after him, followed by the men. Jake was pushed away as Aunt Caroline went beside her and started checking her.

"Oh my God. James she's been shot. James our girl has been shot!" She rambled as tears leaked down her eyes.

The others moved in to check on her but the doctor came in at that moment.

"Everyone, please wait outside," she ordered, promptly getting down to her business, "Ma'am?" She called out to Caroline, "You may stay here, I may need your help."

She nodded as the others filed out. The doctor ordered for a bowl of warm water and some napkins which were promptly delivered to her before she opened her bag and pulled out various instruments.

They got her out of her soiled clothes and the doctor cleaned her wounds.

"Pass me the scissors," she said as she put the last cotton away. Caroline stood there motionless as she took in the sight of the girl she had come to love as a daughter.

This is all my fault. I should have told her everything. It's because of me that she lays here. It's-

"Ma'am?"

Caroline was jolted out of her thoughts. She blinked and turned to look at the doctor, "Huh?"

"The scissors. Can you pass them?"

She nodded, her movements jerky as she picked up the steel instrument and handed it to the doctor.

"Forceps," she held out her hand and quickly Caroline gave her the curvy tongs.

Standing back, she let her tears flow down her cheeks, silently weeping as she saw the doctor pull out the bullet from her side. It was dropped in the steel bowl. An ominous ping rang out in the silence of the room.

"Will you go and make sure that they bring in other things? I'll be needing them as soon as these are stitched up," the doctor said, not looking up from the work at hand.

Caroline rushed to the door and jerked it open. As soon as she got out, everyone surrounded her.

"Is she okay?"

"Did she wake up?"

"Can we see her?"

"How much more time will it take?"

Caroline shook her head in answer, her vocal cords unable to function. She looked around and her gaze settled at Dim.

"Instruments," she choked the word out.

Dim nodded his head, understanding what she was saying, "I'll see to it," saying so he rushed away.

Caroline looked down at her feet, unable to look into the anticipatory eyes of her family. She shook her head and before the tears could fall from her lashes, she rushed back in.

"Your things will be here soon," she mumbled and the doctor grunted in response.

She watched, jaw locked in place, as her girl was patched up. The doctor finished working on the bullet wounds and wrapped her torso and thigh. The other scrapes and bruises on her arms and underfoot had also been patched up. With Caroline's help, they both put her in a loose nightshirt and draped a light sheet over her. Caroline looked at Sonia and raised her hand to touch her cheek.

Just then a knock sounded on the door and she rushed ahead to open it.

Dim came in, carrying an oxygen cylinder followed by two ward boys from the hospital, carting in various stands and medicines.

He placed the cylinder by the bed, following the doctor's instructions and helping in setting up the room into a resemblance of a hospital ward.

When all was done and the men had left, he walked up to Caroline put his arm around her shoulders.

Dimitri felt his Aunt sag as she tried to hold in her anguish. Dim clenched his jaw and looked at the doctor, not able to move his gaze to the still form lying on the bed.

"How's she, ma'am?" He asked.

The doctor shook her head, "She's stable. But I am sorry to say she's in a coma," Caroline took in a sharp breath and Dim pulled her closer, trying to comfort her.

"She must wake up in 72 hours or else it will get much more complicated," the doctor continued, "Why don't you shift her in the hospital? It'll be much effective to treat her there."

"She's safer here. Besides, anything you need will be provided," Dim looked in the woman's eyes, "Just bring her back to us," he whispered, pleading for the first time in his life.

The doctor nodded, "We are doing our best. I'll be back to check up on her in the morning," she pulled out a little notepad and scribbled on a page. Tearing it off she handed it to Dim, "My personal number. If there's any problem, any sign of fever or even if she's gaining consciousness, call me and I'll be here."

Dim nodded and mumbled a "Thankyou."

She patted his shoulder and turned around to check on Sonia again. Satisfied with the setting of the glucose and the blood bottle, she scribbled in a few instructions on the notepad by the bed and then picking up her suitcase, she turned to leave.

"Ma'am, I'll drop you," Dim offered, still holding a distressed Caroline.

She turned back, "Your family needs you. And call me Irene," she smiled a bit and then left.

Dim turned to her Aunt and brought her in for a hug. It was then that she shook as a sob escaped her.

"She'll be alright, Aunt," he whispered, resting his head over her hair. He took in a deep breath as he pulled away, "Can I have a few moments with her?" Caroline looked up at him through tear drenched eyes, "You go on. The others will rush in any moment. You can calm them. Jake won't listen to me," he murmured.

Caroline nodded and shuffled out, the door closing behind her.

Dim closed his eyes for a moment, gathering all his strength. Finally, he turned and walked to her bed looking down at his feet. It took him a few heartbeats before he could raise his eyes up.

What he saw made him hold his breath for fear of a sob escaping his lips.

She lay there, oxygen mask covering half her face, tubes attached to both her hands. Many other peeking out from under her dress, and attached to a machine.

Dim looked at the steady up and down of the line. The line showing the delicate condition of his Sonia.

He kneeled beside the bed, his tall frame still allowing him to be face to face with her, "You'll be alright. You're going to be alright," he ran his hand over her hair, "It's just a bit of rest you need," he tried to smile but a tear leaked down instead. Shaking his head, he wiped it off, "Just come back, angel. We need you."

Getting up he kissed her forehead and straightened. The door opened behind him but he stood there, watching her.

Someone touched his shoulder, "Dim?" It was Caroline. She looked at him, the tears he held back, "Others want to see her too," she whispered.

Dim nodded and turning abruptly walked away. Caroline took another look at Sonia before heading out.

Jake waited as the others went in one by one. He stayed by the far end of the hallway, away from all the tears and consolings. He stayed there, deep in his thoughts.

When his grandmother came out of the room, crying, he looked up. Aunt Caroline stood aside, a hand on her mouth as she cried silently. Jake knew what he had to do. As his father made his way in, he quietly made his way to his Aunt.

"I need to tell you something," he said in a low voice.

She looked up at him, her eyes red and nodded her head.

He took in a deep breath and pulled her by her hand in a corner. Looking around he made sure they were out of anyone's earshot.

"Aunt, Sonia was not shot in her side," he whispered.

Caroline's brows furrowed as she wiped her cheeks off the tears, "I saw the bullet being taken out, Jake."

Jake narrowed his eyes, "I'm absolutely sure she was not shot there. The thigh shot had been her's but not that other one."

Caroline cocked her head, "Come with me," she took his hand and went in as Jack walked out of the room.

She pulled him to the bed and stopped. Pulling the sheet off, she pointed at the bandage visible from her buttons, "I saw the doctor pull out the bullet," she turned to him and threw up her hands.

Jake shook his head, "You don't understand. She was shot in the thigh only. The one on the torso was for him," he pointed his finger in the direction of the window, "Didn't you always used to say that there's enough magic in her veins to control all the elements?"

Caroline's eyes widened, "I don't believe what you say."

Jake huffed out and raked a hand through his hair, "When I got there, he lay with his head on her lap. And she had a hand over his fur, as if soothing him. There was a makeshift bandage from her dress on his torso, but when Emm unwrapped it, there was no wound, just mud on a patch, nothing," he swiped his hands in a no motion, "No tear through the skin, no scratch, nothing. He was unconscious but there was not a single scratch on him," he explained as Caroline turned away to look at Sonia.

"And she's covered in scrapes," she touched her forehead where a bandage was tied, "She took his pain away, Jake," she turned back to him, "She took more than she's capable of bearing. She risked her life, Jake," unable to hold in her grief, she shrunk forward.

Jake came behind her and turned her, gathering his Aunt in his arms. Caroline cried, cried as she understood what was done, "What if she doesn't make it?" She asked, crying harder as the words registered in her mind.

"She'll," Jake whispered, looking at Sonia over his Aunt's head, "She's got magic in her blood. We'll find out a way to use that for her. I promise," he spoke to Caroline but his words were directed at her, "I won't let her go."

Caroline pulled away, her lips quivering as she tried to gulp in her sobs, "Where's he? Where's Ian?"

Jake shook his head and looked at the window, "I don't think he'll be able to face her. Let him stay away for a while."

Caroline wiped her tears but other fell down, "I wanted her to meet her father."

Jake looked at her, "We still don't know who attacked her. It can be her father. For all we know, she got her powers from him."

Caroline shook her head, "She looks too much like her mother for her father to attack her."

Jake gulped, "I still wouldn't let her go. She's ours'," he shook his head as Caroline opened her mouth, "It was her who made me adapt to the one inside me fully," he spoke and his eyes turned black, glinting in the light.

Caroline's eyes widened, "We thought you could never-"

"Me too," he whispered, "She somehow helped me with your stone circle."

Caroline turned to look at her, "She was able to use my circle? That's impossible."

"She has more power than we thought. She even made a circle, more powerful than yours and I think it was after she was shot."

Caroline raised her head to look at the window, "We'll have to get Ian. It's him who can answer all our questions."

"Are you hinting you can heal her then?" Jake asked, eyes shining with hope.

Caroline shook her head, "She'll heal herself. We just need to be prepared when it happens."