The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Whoever held her hand kept a tight hold as they passed through the shimmering purple disc and out into the brightest light Kaia had ever seen. She whimpered and covered her eyes with her free hand as panic took over. She couldn't see at all, she was somewhere unknown without her sight as unknown scents hit her from all sides. People talked around her, birds sang, feet crunched on gravel, there was noise from all directions and she groped for something, anything, blindly.

"Hey, it's OK, you're safe." Cassiel could see the skeletal girl he'd pulled through with him was freaking out. The poor creature was filthy and so thin her legs should never have been able to support her wasted body. Making cooing, comforting sounds he pulled his coat off and wrapped it around her nakedness. Her whole frame was trembling as he scooped her up in his arms and held her close trying to comfort her. She barely weighed more than an infant.

Fi ally finding her voice Kaia cried out.

"Where am I?" Was that sunlight? She couldn't see, it was too bright. But its rays felt warm as she felt the body she was now being held against begin to move. Weakly she pushed against the muscular chest and groped blindly to get away as rational thought seemed to leave her and the animal instincts of the deer took over.

"It's OK, I won't hurt you." He adjusted his grip trying to keep hold of the now riving creature without hurting her, as she squirmed and pushed so weakly against him, he felt his heart break a little that any creature could survive such neglect as this girl must-have. "I'm Cassiel, I'm taking you to a hospital, our doctor will be able to help you. I promise no one will hurt you."

He spoke in a cooing singsong voice as he carried her into the gatehouse of their huge family mansion.

"Marie. She can't see. The lights hurt her eyes. Where can I put her that's dark?" Marie, the werewolf mate of the family's Scottish werewolf friend Duncan was rushing about getting equipment as Raphael lay the unconscious Rouge on a bed in what was once the sitting room.

"My office, the old pantry. There are no windows so it's dark." She said in her heavy French accent without looking away from tending the witch. Kaia didn't understand what was being said. Were they talking that English language Rouge had been trying to teach her? Cassiel carried her through the former kitchen, ducking as he passed under the low doorways. Holding her firmly against him he balanced her to free his left hand and open the office door. All the time he kept up the soft cooing sounds to try to comfort the girl.

Once inside he shut the door and moved easily about in the dark with his vampire eyesight. Gently placing her on Marie's small sofa he turned to the desk and twisting the cone-shaped shade round to the wall first, switched on Marie's desk lamp. Pulling it back just a little to allow a dim glow to fill the room.

"Is that too bright?" She looked at him, in the dim light she could see he had dark hair with very pale skin. She blinked a few times and looked about her at the desk and chair, the small sofa and a file cabinet. The room was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was so alien to her, as alien as the language he was using to address her. She looked back at him to find him quietly watching her.

"I do not understand your language." She said in her own. Cassiel laughed lightly and switched to the language of the gods.

"Sorry sweetheart. You've no idea where you are, couldn't see and couldn't understand what I was saying. You poor little thing, I must have terrified you. I'm Cassiel."

"Kaia." She replied.

"Marie, our doctor, will come in and see you soon. Do you want anything while you wait?" She watched him for a few moments, he looked much like Rouge had described her vampire. Tall, dark, handsome she supposed having little to judge him by, although she wouldn't have described him as broad, more slim but muscular. He had to be one of the brothers, she tried to remember what she'd said about them. Was one of them called Cassiel? She thought one might have been. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, but her mind settled on the one thing she had wanted in abundance for centuries.