A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 59 - The Vision

My fingers slip from the counter, my legs fold underneath me and I slide down to the ground.

When my head hits the white marble floor, I hear something cracked, most probably my skull and the pain is blinding.

A quiet whimper escapes my mouth and a few tears roll down the side of my face as I squeeze my eyes shut. When I open my eyes again, it's not the bathroom ceiling that I'm seeing. The blurry image of a room with heavy rich dark wood panels and glass cases fills my vision.

Blinking rapidly, I try to make sense of what I'm seeing. I know I'm not seeing this vision through Yokai's eyes because the view is not from the ground level. It's also not as clear as seeing through his eyes. The vision flickers in and out and is a bit bleary.

Suddenly I'm seeing state-of-the-art computer screens on one wall. Someone in a wait staff uniform, no...two people wearing server uniforms move into my line of sight. One quickly goes to work on the security camera system while another one is typing rapidly on a sleek black iPad. His fingers dance on the screen and a while later, a glass case in the middle of the room slides open.

The image then flares out again until a vision of a black tuxedo and a bow tie come into view. A hand with blunt but nicely manicured nails reaches into the glass case. A glimpse of a ring flashes on a pinky finger then the image starts to flicker out. I fight to bring the vision back but it's like talking on the phone with bad reception. No matter how hard I try to hold on to the vision, it flickers in and out a few more times before it's gone for good.

I lay there a few more seconds, waiting for the vision to return. When nothing else happens, I let out a groan of frustration before rolling onto my side and rest my forehead on the cool tile floor. The pain in my stomach has lessened but my head is hurting so very badly that I feel like throwing up.

As my heartbeat settles down a bit, I start to remember I how felt just before I fell and hit my head. The only time I felt that way but without as much pain was when I was in the presence of the Grimoire...and when I was at the Blackwell Estate.

The Grimoire!

My eyes flicker open. Suddenly I know without a doubt that the Grimoire is in danger of being moved or taken away. I don't know how I know with such certainty but...I just do.

After pushing myself up, I gingerly touch the back of my skull and wince. Another moan escapes my mouth. It hurts. There's no blood on my finger but the skin is tender and my head is pounding. I have to get up. The Grimoire. I need to get it back.

I hold on to the counter to slowly pull myself up.

Looking in the mirror, I can see that my eyes are no longer red and my veins aren't dark and throbbing against my pale skin anymore.

I wipe my mouth with a face towel hanging by the sink then I stagger into the bedroom and fall unceremoniously on my butt. While I'm down here, I shove my feet into a pair of white sneakers.

My shoulders are hunched and my head hangs low between my legs. My stomach rolls. I press both hands against my throbbing head and sit there for a while. I can do this. I'm not some delicate fragile flowers. Swallowing bile in my throat, I struggle to get to my feet.

*****

I'm at the back door of the main house, I think when I hear a gruff voice asking, "Where are you going, Miss?"

I stagger to a stop and raise my face up. A Nephilim guard is standing before me, blocking my path.

"I need to go there. I have to get...there," I point to a general direction in front of me. That's where the office is...right?