Something Lost, Something Gained (BEING EDITED)

Chapter 35: Changing Colors

The door to the house bangs open as Red and her brother Gray walk outside. They both eye me, and then my body. My mom stands beside me with our arms around one another.
"Can they see us?" My mom asks.
"Yes. This is Lilith and Gabriel Asta. They are Necromancers." I say smiling.
"Seriously Luce. One, what the hell happened? And two, who is this?" Red inquires.
"Um, not entirely sure what happened. But I can answer the second question. This is my mother Sylvia!" I let go of my mom. She reaches out to the twins and shakes their hands.
"Thank you for being there for my daughter. Leland told me about you Lilith. And it's nice to meet you Gabriel. You're mother is a fantastic lady!" Mom says.
"Wait, how did Leland know about Red?" I point the question towards my mom.
"She used to have visions of you after I sent you to Michigan. It's not uncommon for witches to have visions of the ones they miss." A sad look crosses my moms face.
"Whoa um Lilith, she's bleeding." Gray says pointing towards my head.
"Yup I am," I say oddly calm.
Gray lifts me up in his arms. His strength surprising me. Red holds the door as they bring me inside. Mom and I pass silently through the closing screen. A wave of emotion overcomes my father as she enters the door. Elan's face lighting up as he sees my mothers soul. Then he sees me and the smile falls from his lips.
I hear a voice call out, "Lucinda!" Bastian comes running up from the basement. He probably smelled the blood. "Everyone get out of the way!" Bash pushes through the few council members that had stuck around.
"Bastian, it's okay." I say trying to comfort him. He doesn't hear me.
"Set her down." Bash commands. Gray lays me on the kitchen table. It shrinks down to accommodate my size. Bastian lifts my head up carefully. His fingers part my hair, revealing the gash on the back of my head. He nervously licks his lips. Bastian lowers his face down and his tongue darks out to lick the wound. Vampire saliva had healed me before, there was no reason it couldn't now. Bash waits expectantly but nothing happens. I see his cheeks turn red, and his hands clench into fists.
"No," he whispers.
Mom's soul stands beside me. Her arm is wrapped around my shoulders. "I see he took a liking to you."
"Yeah, and I took a liking to him." My voice cracks.
"Wait Sebastian! Check her tattoo!" Elan produces. "What color is it?"
"Um...." Bastian pulls up the sleeve of my soft grey sweater. "It's yellow and it's infected looking."
"Shit," Elan mumbles. "Why didn't she say it had changed color again!?" "We're going to have to take her to a hospital. Nothing magic bearing will be able to save her now. She's too close to death, too close to human."
"Then let's go." Bastian already has me in his arms and is half way to the garage. He moves fast, too fast for my spirit to catch up. I trail silently after Red, who holds out her hand to me. Before leaving I turn back to see my parents embracing each other for what could be the last time.
I slip into the back of the Asta twins car. The quiet engine of the Focus starts and then we are off to Marshall. The drive seemed to take ages. Each farm and each curve of the road reminding me just how far we were. While driving past the cemetery I decide to hold my breath, even though spirits don't even need to breathe.
"Luce?" Red says quietly.
"Hmmm?"
"We need to find him." Her voice no more than a whisper.
"I know." Neither one of us said his name out loud but we knew that it was Ethan that we were talking about. I felt a crushing weight fill my chest. I couldn't kill him, no matter how bad things were for me. He was the first friend I had, the first boy I kissed, and my first love.

The hospital glows with bright white lights and everything smells too clean. The chairs in the waiting room are all mismatched and are always somewhat crooked. The pictures on the wall are bland and too cheery for a hospital.
Red walks up to the receptionist and asks for the room I'm in. She checks her computer and then asks is she is family. Red shakes her head. The receptionist refuses to tell, so the twins go to sit in the oddly placed chairs and watch the muted T.V. I on account of being a ghost, wander the halls until I find Bastian. He sits outside a room with the door closed. His elbows rest on his knees and his head in his hands. I reach out for him, brushing my fingers across the back of his neck. I watch as a shiver passes through Bash.
"Please," he cries out. And that's when I notice the tears.