The Opelux and Other Monsters || Book One

CHAPTER 42 - ORION

I stayed where I was, on the floor, wheezing, my body shaking uncontrollably. My skin burned like it was on fire, but I was also freezing.

I knew where I had landed. I reached out and found Tritteon's arm. His skin was icy, his pulse faint. I had to get up and help him, had to ease that pressure building in my chest, straining toward him, desperate to ease his pain.

His arm slipped from my grasp. I opened my eyes, wondering when I had closed them. Someone was carrying me. I couldn't see who it was though. Everything was blurry.

Where was Tritteon?

I heard the sound of running water—a shower. Steam accosted my face, sweet and hot.

Who was carrying me?

I opened my eyes again, squinting through blurriness.

Why couldn't I remember closing my eyes again?

I gasped as hot rain hit my face—hot, but not burning like the rain before had been. I felt myself lowered and propped against a smooth, solid surface.

Why couldn't I keep my eyes open?

Someone nudged my leg, and I wrenched my eyes open. The blurriness went in and out. And the straining in my chest grew more intense, the pressure building and demanding release. Colleena moved in front of me, the air around her hands rippling as she lowered a motionless Tritteon to the floor, Asoiri raining down from a five foot long, rectangular shower head hanging from the ceiling. The inch of Asoiri on the floor turned a deep red.

"Tritteon," I tried. But no sound came out.

"Grab towels for his head," she yelled to the two women walking briskly back and forth outside the spacious glass shower, big enough to hold at least twenty people standing. "We can't wait for the Asoiri to pull the water out. We need to get the holes closed up. He is losing blood too quickly. " Colleena moved to Tritteon's left side, ripping open his shirt with un upward slice of rippling air, and the shorter, black-haired woman stepped inside and knelt on Tritteon's other side. "Put them under his head, Averin."

I forced my eyes open again. Water poured over me and hot steam pressed in around me, into me. Warmth shivered through every inch of my body and the burning across my skin slowly began to lessen. I breathed deeply and tilted my head back, allowing the hot Asoiri to hit my face directly. I swallowed mouthfuls and a sigh escaped me as my blistered throat felt some relief.

"Alright, stay with us, Tritteon," Colleena said, and I blinked wildly until she came into enough focus I could see her rubbing her hands together. Her puffy, bloodshot eyes began to glow, and her silver fingertips immediately followed suit. Her hands shook as she hovered them over Tritteon's abdomen, over the huge, bloody hole. She looked like she might break down into sobs at any moment.

My head tipped forward, too heavy for my shoulders, struggling to comprehend the pressure now a thrashing entity inside me. I lifted the block from my mind.

"Tritteon? Are you still there? Please be there."

No response.

"Tritteon?"

Light glowed against my eyelids. I peeked upward, Asoiri streaming down my face, and found myself mesmerized by the white glow radiating from Colleena's fingertips as she moved them in circular motions around the bullet holes in his front and back. Her hands never shook. She was in control, and she was in a hurry. The hole shrank quickly until only smooth skin remained.

With the holes gone and the blood washed away, even with my blurred vision the state of his abdomen became obvious. And Colleena's vocal examination made it a hundred times worse.