Bloodfeather

Chapter Six

I woke up lying on a freezing cold metal table, with an IV sticking in my arm. I tried to move, trying to see if the serum was still in my system, only to find that while I could move, I was strapped down at my wrists, ankles and stomach.

"Where am I?" I asked anyone within earshot, my voice still shaky from the sedative. From what I could see, it looked like I was in some sort of hospital room, or an operating theatre. I'd never been in one, we had our own healers, but I had seen them on the shows I watched. I could hear the hum of computers and the beeping of machines.

I realized where I was. I was with the Alchemists. The mad scientists' hell bent on hurting Supernaturals for the benefit of the human race. They didn't care about us, not really, only about what we could give them. Talk about anthropocentrism.

"Sir? She's awake." said a small, female voice.

"Good." The voice that answered her was the voice of the man in the suit and I flinched as he walked over and leaned over me.

"What do you want from me?" I asked him, annoyed at the tremors in my voice. I tried to reach my magic again, but I still couldn't touch it. It was there, I could feel it, but I couldn't use it. It frustrated me, and made me feel weak. I hated feeling weak.

"Well, for starters, your name would be nice." he said. I growled at him and he sighed. "My name is Dr. Alan Andrews. Your turn."

"Avery." I mumbled, not really willing to play his game, but scared of what would happen if I didn't. The Alchemists were not to be messed with, no way. They were the scary story that mothers told their magical children to make them behave. My whole race, a peace-loving race, was terrified of them. I acted like I wasn't, but I was.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite make that out." Dr. Andrews said.

"Avery." I said, louder and clearer this time. Andrews blinked.

"Avery? The Avery? The one Queen Maelene is after?" he asked, clearly surprised. "I thought you were dead."

"As you can tell, rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated." I told him. He nodded.

"Clearly. So tell me, how did you survive? Because you were dead. Everyone was saying how much your mate and your friend grieved for you, and how they didn't give up on you. Grief like that cannot be faked."

"That's none of your concern." I hissed at him. If he learned what Life magic could do... I dreaded what would happen. Dr. Andrews sighed again.

"I see we're going to have to persuade you to cooperate. Never mind. There are things we do not need your cooperation for. Alice? Can you give her some purple serum?" he asked the woman I assumed was the one who had commented that I was awake.

"Of course." she answered. I heard the click-clack of heels on linoleum floor and I turned my head towards the sound. Alice was a short but pretty woman, with fair hair and pale green eyes, but what really drew my attention was the syringe she held in her hand. It held the same purple liquid that had paralyzed me. I was instantly seized by fear again. I strained frantically against my bonds.

"What are you doing?" I asked anxiously. "Stop!"

Alice injected the serum into my IV, and it turned the previously clear liquid a vibrant violet. Soon, I once more lost the ability to control my body. I was trapped in my own body, a prisoner twice over.

<Avery? Avery, can you hear me?> I heard Murphy's voice once more, much clearer than before.

<Murphy?> I answered, my mental voice shaky, but understandable.

<Oh, Avery! We thought you were dead. Kail is absolutely distraught! He thought he'd lost you again.> The thought of how Kail would have been feeling made me feel guilty. I had been so caught up about how scared I was that I didn't think how the others must have felt.

<The Alchemists got me, Murphy. I don't know what they plan to do with me, but I know it isn't going to be good.> I told her.

<Hell. Do you know where you are?>

<No. They sedated me on the way.> I replied, annoyed at how useless I was, how little I knew.

"Something's happening to her brain activity." I heard Alice tell Dr. Andrews.

"Pardon?" Andrews asked. I heard the scuffling of feet and then Dr. Andrews was standing over me. I was getting a bit tired of people looking down at me. It made me a feel small, a feeling I wasn't used to. My height had always been an advantage to me; I was always taller, so I could look down on everyone. Now I was powerless, left at the mercy of these madmen, and I felt small.

"I don't know what's happening. It's something similar to the telepathy we've studied, but she shouldn't have telepathy, should she?"Alice commented. I winced. I didn't know my brain showed things when I used my magic, but I guess it made sense. But it annoyed me that they could tell, that I couldn't hide this from them.

"No. She's Fae, and the flower Fae don't have telepathy. It could be a result of whatever gave her those unusual wings, but I doubt it. If I'm right, she definitely shouldn't be able to use telepathy. And the pair bond link should be muted by the purple serum. I don't know how she's doing it." Dr. Andrews looked down at my, scanning my face for any sign that might tell him what I was doing. I guess he didn't know that someone's life force could be tied to another's.

"What are you?" he asked me, and I glared up at him.

You'll never know. I thought. I knew that my magic was powerful. There were those far more powerful than me, but I was still strong. It was unusual for someone to have even minor control of four of the five base elements. I dreaded what would happen if the Alchemists found out what I could do.

I also dreaded what they would do if I resisted. I could never hold up under what they would do to me. I knew that if they tried torture, I would tell all.