46. CHOICES
WHEN LEESA OPENED HER EYES the next morning, Rave was still beside her, smiling. She could not think of any better sight to be greeted by.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said.
Leesa smiled. “Good morning to you, too.”
Thin strips of pale daylight outlined her curtains, telling her it was at least eight o’clock. She stretched her arms out over her head, feeling deliciously refreshed. She always slept well with Rave beside her.
“You slept very peacefully,” Rave said. “It was good to see.”
Leesa ran her fingers through her hair, moving some tangled strands away from her face.
“Don’t tell me you were staring at me the whole night,” she said, hoping she hadn’t done anything gross, like drooling in her sleep.
“No, of course not.” Rave kissed her forehead and grinned. “Just most of it.”
“Ugghh!” Leesa hid her eyes behind her forearm.
“Don’t worry, you’re beautiful when you sleep.”
Leesa smiled. “Thank you. You look pretty good yourself, considering you spent most of the night watching me.”
“I told you, volkaanes don’t need much sleep. Did you have any dreams?”
Leesa thought for a moment. Pieces of a dream began to come to her.
“I did, yeah,” she said, remembering. “I dreamed of wizards battling an army of monsters. The wizards were shooting lightning bolts and fireballs from their staffs and wands. The fireballs were blue, of course.”
“Naturally,” Rave said, grinning again. “We’ll make a volkaane out of you yet.”
Leesa returned his grin. “Ha! Don’t I wish.” She thought back to last night’s dream. “The dream didn’t feel real, though, and it definitely wasn’t scary like the other ones. It was more like watching a movie. A couple of the wizards even resembled Gandalf and Harry Potter.”
Rave laughed. “I guess we’ll have to ask Dominic about getting you a wand, then,” he joked.
“Ha! I think not.” Leesa pushed herself up to a sitting position. “Has he been around at all yet?”
“I sensed his presence briefly a couple of times during the night. Never for long, though. I get the feeling he does not remain still very much.”
“I hope he comes back soon. I’ve got so many questions.”
“I’m sure he will. He seemed so relieved to find you, I doubt he’ll waste much time now.”
“You’re right.” She gave Rave a peck on the cheek and got up from the bed. “I’d better get cleaned up and grab something to eat while I’ve got the chance.”
Dominic returned shortly before ten o’clock, giving Leesa time to shower and wolf down a breakfast of vanilla yogurt and a banana. It was not much of a meal, but she wasn’t sure her stomach could handle much more, as keyed up as she was about getting more answers from Dominic.
He was wearing the same black jacket and khaki pants as yesterday, though they didn’t appear to be slept in. As a matter of fact, they looked to Leesa as if they had come freshly out of the closet this morning. She wondered if maybe there was magic involved.
“Are you ready to hear more about the magic?” Dominic asked her.
“Definitely. I need to understand what’s been happening to me.”
Dominic flashed a small smile. “Good. I believe I can give you a pretty good start in the next hour or two.” He paused for a moment, before adding, “And then you will have a decision to make.”
Leesa wondered what kind of decision he meant, but quickly pushed it from her thoughts. She figured she would learn soon enough.
“Rave doesn’t think you like to stay still very long,” she said. “Is that true?”
Dominic’s smile was wider this time.
He has a friendly smile, Leesa thought, but then remembered Edwina also had a friendly smile. Still, she detected nothing threatening from the wizard.
“Rave is right,” Dominic said. “It’s an old habit, built from so many years trying to remain hidden.”
“Let’s go for a walk,” Leesa suggested, thinking a walk would make Dominic feel more comfortable and might also make it easier for her to deal with whatever he was going to tell her.
Dominic’s eyes strayed involuntarily to Leesa’s leg, but he quickly pulled them away. He wondered once again whether his actions had played any role in Leesa’s affliction.
Leesa recognized the look. “I told you, my leg doesn’t hurt at all.” She held her foot out and grinned. “I can’t run very fast and I suck at dancing, but I can walk with just about anybody.”
“A walk sounds great,” Dominic said.
Leesa grabbed her parka and her knit cap. “Let’s go.”
Outside, the morning was cold and blustery, with a chill wind blowing out of the northeast. Thick, dark clouds covered the eastern half of the sky like a shroud. Leesa wondered if they were finally about to get their first real snow. She had been looking forward to some snow all winter, but wasn’t sure now would be the best time for it, with all that was happening.
Though the wind stung her cheeks a bit, the cold did not bother her, not with her arm linked inside Rave’s. Dominic also did not seem overly affected by the cold, at least not that she could see. He didn’t seem as oblivious to the temperature as Rave was, but he didn’t look uncomfortable, either.
“You do walk well, Leesa,” Dominic said as they strode at a brisk pace down the sidewalk toward the main gate.
“Told ya,” Leesa said, smiling.
“Yes, that you did,” Dominic acknowledged. “I’m very glad to see it. I was concerned your leg might somehow be the result of what I did, passing my magic to you before you were born.”
“You’ll have to get in line if you want to take credit for my leg.”
Dominic looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”
Leesa told him about her mom being bitten by the grafhym while she was pregnant.
“I’ve kinda been chalking up most of the stuff that’s happened to me to my grafhym blood.”
Dominic considered that for a few moments.
“That might explain something that has been troubling me,” he said, stroking his goatee. “Yes, that might definitely explain it.”
“Explain what?” Leesa asked.
“Why I had so much trouble finding you. The magical bond between us should have enabled me to sense your location from a hundred miles away. When I left eighteen years ago to insure your safety, I was counting on being able to find you easily when the time came. Instead, I need to be within a few hundred feet to feel your presence. I think the grafhym blood may have altered your vibrations slightly, hiding them from me until I get close.”
They crossed through the college’s stone gateway and turned west on Washington Street toward downtown. The wind blew almost directly in their faces now, rushing unchecked up the wide road from the river. Leesa’s cheeks stung with the cold. She reached a gloved hand up to cover her face from the wind, but before she could do it, Rave’s hand was there, gently caressing her cheeks and infusing them with his magical warmth. He has to be the most thoughtful boyfriend ever, she thought. The warm glow she felt blossoming in her chest had nothing to do with his inner fire.
She kissed Rave’s fingers and smiled, then turned back to Dominic.
“How long have you been looking for me?”
“Almost a year now, since a few months before you turned eighteen. I wanted time to prepare you for the appearance of your powers. I’m very sorry I was not here. Believe me, you do not want to hear what I have gone through this last year trying to find you.”
“If I hadn’t dropped my stupid phone, you would have found me sooner,” Leesa said, recalling Dominic’s phone call, way back on Thanksgiving weekend.
“And you are here now,” Rave added. “That’s what matters.”
“Let me start by telling you a bit about my magic—your magic, Leesa. Waziri possess two kinds of magic—active and passive. Passive magic is what allows me to sense your presence and what keeps me warm in the cold. Your dreams are also passive magic. Passive magic is safe—our enemies cannot detect it and use it to find us.”
“So when I learn to control this, I won’t feel the cold anymore?” Leesa asked.
“You won’t be like Rave,” Dominic replied, “but with time, you’ll notice the chill far less.”
Leesa looked at Rave and grinned. “I guess I’ll still have to keep you around,” she teased, squeezing his arm affectionately.
Rave smiled back. “I’m very glad to hear that. I was beginning to worry.”
Leesa returned her attention to Dominic. “You haven’t mentioned my moving things with my thoughts,” she said. “I take it that’s active magic?”
Dominic nodded. “Yes. Which is why I was able to sense it from the highway.”
Rave suddenly stopped walking, so Leesa and Dominic halted as well. Leesa could tell Rave had ratcheted his ever present alertness up a notch.
“If you could sense it,” Rave asked Dominic, “could your enemies not also detect it?”
Dominic pursed his lips in thought. “Perhaps, if they were close enough. But I see no reason they should be anywhere near here. Even if they were, I think the alteration in Leesa’s vibrations would make it difficult for them to detect her. Her bond with me is direct, like a father to his daughter. Their connection to her is diluted, just waziri to waziri. I also believe Leesa is shielded somewhat by being female. The grafhym blood probably lends another layer of protection.”
“So you are certain she is safe?” Rave persisted.
“As certain as I can be,” Dominic replied. “Remember, my reason for choosing an unborn female was to create something beyond my enemies’ ken. With the grafhym influence added in, I feel even more confident.”
Leesa thought how ironic it was that a story she had never believed, about a one-fanged vampire biting her mom, would be working to protect her once again. Thinking about the grafhym blood prompted a second thought.
“What would happen if a vampire tried to turn me?” she asked Dominic.
Dominic was clearly surprised by her question. “I doubt it could do it,” he said after a moment. “Your waziri nature would probably prevent it. Why do ask? This is the second time you have mentioned vampires.”
“It’s a long story,” Leesa said, thinking this might be another reason Stefan had been unable to turn her. She wondered if he had sensed this magical part of her nature. “I’ll tell you about it later. Right now, I want to hear more about waziri magic.” She linked her arm back inside Rave’s. “Let’s keep walking.”
The three of them headed back down the road. Leesa was glad to see Dominic was paying no more attention to her limp.
“You were about to tell me about active magic,” Leesa said.
“Yes,” Dominic replied. “Whereas passive magic remains within you—staying warm, sensing magic being used, your dreams—active magic affects external things. There are two forms of active magic. Spells, which must be learned, and innate powers, which are already inside you and must merely be unleashed and controlled. Blasting a vampire away from your friend was a power. Making someone fall asleep or making them forget something would require a spell.”
Leesa remained silent while she tried to digest everything Dominic said. Active and passive, spells and powers, learn or unleash, internal or external—it was all pretty confusing, especially for someone who until yesterday had no inkling she actually had any magic inside her. On top of all that, there were renegade wizards and some guy called the Necromancer who would want to kill her if they ever learned she existed. Suddenly, dealing with plain old vampires did not seem quite so bad.
“This is all pretty complicated,” she said finally.
“More complicated than you know,” Dominic replied. “It is why I wanted to find you before you came of age, to help prepare you for it. Still, I would not have expected you to have experienced so much, so soon. I think Destiratu probably has had a hand in that.”
“Rave told me how Destiratu affects vampires and volkaanes. Do you mean it affects wizards as well?”
“Destiratu affects all things magical, most often by magnifying them. My renegade brethren attacked during the previous Destiratu. I’m certain its pull played a role.” Dominic shook his head regretfully. “I never planned for you to come of age during a time of Destiratu, Leesa. I never even considered it, I’m sorry to say. That was a mistake on my part, I’m afraid.”
“You could not have known,” Rave said. “None of us knows when Destiratu will arise, not until it begins.”
“No, I guess not,” Dominic agreed. “Still, it complicates things.”
“Things with Leesa are always complicated,” Rave said, smiling. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Ha! Don’t talk to me about complicated, Mister,” Leesa said, grinning. “I’m not the one with a kiss that could fry his girlfriend to ashes.” A new thought popped into her head, a very pleasant thought. “Dominic, could my magic make me immune to Rave’s fire? Could you teach me to safely kiss him as much as I wanted?”
Dominic smiled. “I’m sorry, no. Nothing can withstand the full force of a volkaane’s heat—not even me.” He recognized the disappointment that darkened Leesa’s face. “But you should already have a bit of innate tolerance to it, and I can train you to be even more resistant.”
Leesa remembered Balin’s surprise she was not more harmed when Rave lost control. She guessed her magic must have protected her at least a little. She turned to Rave and squeezed his arm.
“You hear that? You’d better get yourself ready for some major making out.”
“A guy can only dream,” Rave replied, grinning.
Leesa turned back to Dominic. “All of a sudden this magic stuff isn’t sounding so bad,” she said. “Not bad at all.”
“Yes, I can see that,” Dominic replied, smiling. “But do not be so hasty. Learning to control even a tiny bit of your power will take much effort.” He reached out and gently grabbed Leesa’s arm, pulling her to a halt. His voice turned very serious. “And you must understand, the more you learn, the greater the danger from our enemies.”
Leesa swallowed hard. With visions of kissing Rave swirling in her head, she had kind of forgotten about the danger part for a moment.
“Is that what you meant when you said I had a decision to make?” she asked. “That I could decide not to have you teach me and just keep dealing with this magic stuff when it pops up as best I can?” She didn’t really like the idea, but thought now that she knew where it was coming from, she might be able to handle things with less stress and worry. At least she would know she wasn’t going crazy—that was something all by itself.
“That is one choice, certainly,” Dominic replied. “And I will go along with it if that is your wish. But leaving you like that is not one of the choices I wish to offer.”
“What, then?” Leesa asked, confused now. She had thought she had but two choices: have Dominic train her, or send him away. She was glad to hear there might be a third option, whatever it was.
“One choice you already know—for me to stay and teach you how to use your powers. That road will be a long and difficult one, and a very dangerous one. Still, it is the path I hope you will choose. But I realize how much I am asking of you. I want to make sure you fully understand the dangers before you decide.”
Leesa appreciated Dominic’s honesty. She almost felt like he was trying to talk her out of choosing the path he wanted her to follow—which meant such a path must be very dangerous, indeed.
“What’s my other choice?” she asked.
“If you wish, I can teach you to restrain your magic, to keep it locked inside you. You will not be able to use it, but it will not bother you the way it has been. Once I teach you that, I will go far from here, taking any danger with me.”
Lock up her magic? Leesa had not realized that was a possibility—a possibility that sounded awfully good right now. She was tired of all this stuff, of nightmares disturbing her sleep and powers she could not control suddenly appearing out of nowhere. She had already done more than any young girl should be expected to do, helping to cure her mom and saving Bradley from Edwina. She just wanted to live happily with Rave and to enjoy her now healthy and happy family. Surely Dominic would understand if she chose to deny her powers, even if it messed up his big plan. Rave would understand, too, she knew. In fact, she thought Rave would probably prefer that choice.
“What do you think I should do, Rave?”
Rave looked uncomfortable, one of the very few times she had ever seen him like that. She wondered why.
“I’m torn,” he said after a moment. “My first thought is a selfish one—that I want you safe and as far from danger as possible.” He took both of Leesa’s hands in his. “But you once told me you would never let me risk giving up my fire for you, because my fire is the essence of my nature. So how can I ask you to give up your magic, because like it or not, magic is part of your nature. This is a decision only you can make. Just know I will be by your side whichever path you choose.”
Leesa realized Rave was right—no one could make this decision for her. Nor should they have to. She raised herself up on her toes and kissed Rave on the forehead, then turned to Dominic.
“I need time to think about this,” she said. “It’s a really big decision.”
“Yes, it is indeed. I would never rush you into it. Please, take all the time you need.”
“Let’s continue our walk. You can tell me more about your magic—our magic. Then I’ll think about it tonight and try to have an answer for you in the morning. Okay?”
“Yes, certainly,” Dominic said. “I’ll tell you all I can about our powers, and then give you as much time as you need to come to a decision.”
They had not gone far when Leesa suddenly stopped short. She grabbed Dominic’s forearm.
“I just thought of something,” she said. “How old are you?”
Dominic looked perplexed. “I have seen six century marks.”
Leesa raised her eyebrows. She had known Dominic must be two hundred years old at least, but had not expected to hear he was three times that.
“When you passed your magic on to me, did the age thing come along with it?”
Dominic allowed himself a small smile as he realized where Leesa was heading.
“I’m not completely certain,” he said, “but to some extent, yes. If you choose to forgo your magic, you will probably still live a bit longer than the average human. If you embrace the magic, it’s possible you could see five centuries or more.”
“Five centuries?” Leesa could not believe it.
“Provided you survive our enemies, of course, which is by no means certain,” Dominic cautioned.
Suddenly, Leesa did not care about the danger. All she could think of was having five hundred years together with Rave. She wrapped her arm around his back and smiled. This was the easiest decision she had ever made.
“I’m in,” she said to Dominic. “Teach me the magic.”
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LEESA AND RAVE’S ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN HELPLESS, BOOK THREE
IN THE BLUE FIRE SAGA
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