The Kelpie's Curse (book #1 in the Kelpie's Entrapment trilogy)

Day 6 pt. 2

Kaloria sat up quickly in bed as a horrified scream snapped her out of her pleasant dream. As she waited for her wildly beating heart to calm down she assumed that it was just Renestrae having another nightmare until she heard it again.

    She hadn't actually heard Renestrae scream because of a nightmare in years but when she had it had only ever been one scream and it hasn't sounded nearly as hysterical as this one did. Without thought to what she was going to do to calm her down Kaloria ran to her bedroom door and threw it open in time to see Evelyn do the same.

    Neither one of them was prepared for what they would find at the front of the house. Renestrae sat on the floor with her hands over her ears and continued to scream.

    Kali was just about to ask what they should do when Evelyn dropped down beside Renestrae and proceeded to try to take Ren's hands away from her ears.

    "Ren! Renestrae! Snap out of it!" When shouting at her didn't work Evelyn slapped her across the face.

    Kaloria breathed a sigh of relief when Renestrae finally looked at the two of them.

    "D-did you just slap me?" She asked shakily.

    "Ye-"

    "What happened?" Kaloria asked, cutting Evelyn off "You were screaming."

    "By the gods." Renestrae moaned. "It's a heart."

    Kali and Evelyn both exchanged confused looks.

    "Ren, sweetie what do you mean?" Evelyn asked gently as she smoothed Renestrae's hair away from her face.

    Renestrae turned her wide fear filled eyes to the open door way where Kali noticed a small box was sitting and pointed at it.

    "In the box, I-I think it might be human."

    Kali ran to the phone and dialed the number for the local station while Evelyn continued to calm Renestrae down.

    "What's your emergency?" 

    Kaloria's wildly beating heart calmed slightly when she recognized Officer O'Cain's voice on the other end of the line. Good, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that this call would go a lot differently if it had been Officer Dean who answered.

    "It's Kaloria Vedder a package arrived here this morning containing a heart. We're not entirely sure but we have reason to believe that it may be human."

    "Are ye sure, lass?"

    "Positive."

    "Dinnae touch the package again until I get there."

    "Alright." Kali responded a second before she heard a soft click and the distinct sound of the dial tone.

    "Kali is everything alright?"

    "Officer O'Cain is on his way." Kali answered Evelyn as she turned around. Renestrae was up and leaning on Evelyn but she still looked like she was out of it.

    "Can you help me get her to the table?"

    Kali nodded and proceeded to do just that.

    "This is starting to scare me Kali, do you think something might be wrong with her?" Evelyn asked when they had Renestrae seated at the table.

    Kaloria watched Renestrae closely she looked at them if they tried talking to her but other than that she just sat there and stared out the window.

    "I think she might be in shock, just give her some time."

    Evelyn nodded. "Maybe you shouldn't go to that funeral today."

    "I promised I would Ev." Kali replied and she wasn't the least bit surprised when she felt guilty about that.

    Evelyn's eyes narrowed angrily. "What about Ren? I don't think we should leave her, not like this. I'm sure Ainslie will understand."

    Kali sighed. "We'll see, Ren will pull through. I wouldn't be surprised if she's back to normal by noon."

    "I hope you're right about that."