I am so confused. We can't get any closer, and closer to what exactly? The wall? The altar?
“Whoa,” Coen yells from behind us.
“Hold up a minute!” Van adds.
“What is happening?” Doc asks with an edge to his voice.
I still can’t move my feet, but I do manage to look over my shoulder and see them all being dragged toward us with supposedly no control over it whatsoever. Their arms are flailing as they try not to fall over.
When all of the other guys are gathered around the altar with us, their arms snap out, and small beads of blood appear on the ends of each of their index fingers. I watch in utter shock as all of the blood hits the altar and swirls with Griff’s and mine.
It occurs to me that our blood shouldn’t still be in liquid form and puddling like it is, but of all of the things to be concerned about right now, that one isn’t even close to being on the list.
Everyone stays silent.
It is clear that we are not in control here, and despite that, I don’t actually feel like we’re under threat, not now that I’ve had the time to adjust to what’s happening.
The magic here is ancient.
“Hmm, close, but there’s one missing,” the cave rumbles.
“What the fuck is happening?” Dimitri asks as he suddenly appears, looking surprised.
“Ah, that’s better,” the cave mutters.
Holy shit, the cave brought Dimitri here.
What the fuck?
Dimitri’s hand is pulled forward, his finger pricked, and a droplet of his blood joins the others swirling on the altar.
“Did the cave just speak?” He asks, as his eyes connect with mine and then do a full scan of me to make sure that I’m okay. As soon as he’s satisfied that I’m okay, he relaxes again.
“Ancient ritual, hasn’t been done in a thousand years, supposed to be for gargoyles to find their true mates, no one knows what's happening, and the cave pulled us all in and made us donate blood,” River tells him quickly, catching him up far quicker than anyone else could have.
Dimitri’s eyes widen, “It’s not just for gargoyles. Something else that has clearly been lost to the sands of time.”
It fascinates me what he knows. Although he loves to read as much as Raiden does so maybe it shouldn’t.
The cave hums and rumbles, and our feet all stayed glued to the floor.
My gaze is drawn to the swirling blood, and it moves faster and faster.
“My my, you are a strong family, complicated, yes, but that just makes you stronger. Rare, you’re all oh so rare, some more than others, but you match, your souls are already so familiar with each other.” The cave says, and we listen in hushed silence, “What’s this? Oh, oh my, well, isn’t that interesting?”
“What?” I can't help but ask.
I don’t expect an answer, so I’m surprised when I get one.
“You, my dear, you shouldn’t exist. They tried to erase your kind, murdered them all, and then removed them from history. They succeeded. Your existence is somewhat of a mystery, curious. Oh, and you’re muddied, not even I can clearly see. Hmm, I have been asleep for far too long, it would appear.”
My vision.
She has to be talking about the same thing the supernaturals in my vision were talking about. But how could I possibly be one of them? Unless what we know about my parents isn’t true?
I need to talk to Pete.
“I have allowed myself to get sidetracked,” the cave comments before I scrounge up the courage to ask anything else. “You are all true mates, with Neith as your Cridhe. It has been a long time since I have seen a family group this big. Tread carefully, children,” she warns. Her voice lightens as she adds, “And come back to visit, I don’t think I will get another visit, not one strong enough to wake me.”
