As the members of the coven poured healing love over Lilly, James called upon the Druid power of binding to seal her wound. He began to move his hands slowly across the side of her face, around her head and down to her heart. Time passed and the group slowly lowered their hands placing them on Lilly’s body allowing the last of the healing energies to fill her physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.
Lilly lay with her eyes closed for several minutes. Her eyes fluttered as she sat up and rubbed the side of her face. The bloody gash was gone. With the tips of her fingers she could feel a small seam that had not been there before. She smiled and opened her arms to her friends. She looked into their faces and thanked them for their care. Her eyes found Roland, “You saved my life. I am so grateful. Thank you for your courage.”
Roland smiled and scooped her into his arms. Back in her apartment, he set her feet on the floor of the living room, and drew her close. With his hands tangled in her red curls he brought his mouth to her cheek and kissed the narrow white scar. He kissed her eyes and lingered on her lips. Lilly’s arms went around his neck, she leaned into him and pressed her mouth to his.
Despair, longing, fear and grief melted; her world blurred for a moment. Everything she had longed for was here. She was home and safe, Roland was here and she wanted nothing more than to lie with him and melt into his warmth.
The rest of the coven gathered in Jolene’s kitchen to discuss the attack and injury. “Are we equipped to deal with this,” Sabine asked with an angry sob in her voice.
The members of the coven raised their unison voices in response, “We will deal with this!”
Chapter 39
Tainted Blood
Lilly’s bare feet stood on the damp bricks of the banquette. Her hands found a metal post to cling to as she tried to get her bearings in the thick fog. A dank scent wafted through the mist as a dark figure approached silently. She turned to run but the dark figure flapped its wings, landed in front of her and blocked her path. The Ravens’ eyes glowed as it opened its beak blasting her with the fetid smell of death.
A hand reached out and grabbed her as she took a step back on the slippery bricks. Regina held her arm in a vice grip as she spoke, her voice razor sharp, “You will not escape this time. You will suffer! Your blood will spill! Your life will be ruined!” Lilly struggled to get away but the fog grew thicker and the oily wings of the Raven engulfed her, pulling her close.
The Raven’s beak brushed the top of her head and she froze. “Ah, you don’t want another scar to match the one I gave you earlier? You are mine, marked by the raven. I have tasted your blood, I can find you anywhere. There is no place to hide.”
Roland heard Lilly struggling and ran to her bedside. He shook her shoulder gently, “Wake up, Lilly, wake up.”
She slowly opened her eyes and propelled herself into his arms. “It’s Regina, she is never going to leave me alone. She says the Raven has tasted my blood, she can find me anywhere and take my power.”
“Not while I am on this planet!” Roland exclaimed.
Jolene, had insisted on keeping watch over Lilly with Roland. Sitting patiently in the living room rocking chair, she overheard their conversation. She moved quickly to the bedside. Taking Lilly in her arms, she rocked gently and made soothing sounds.
Lilly’s body shook with sobs as she pulled Jolene close. “I am so glad you are here and I lived to see you again. I thought I was going to die by Regina’s hands.”
Jolene tightened her hug and spoke quietly, “I need to know what happened, exactly. Lilly, can you tell me?” Dizziness overtook Lilly as her mind began to spin. Jolene placed her hand on Lilly’s and repeated the question.
Looking into Jolene’s loving eyes, Lilly nodded slowly. Putting her hand up she ran her fingers over the seam across her cheek. Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, great Goddess, it is true. The raven has marked me and I will be in its power forever!”
“Poppycock!” Jolene exclaimed. “Tell me what happened.”
Propped her up on pillows, sipping coffee, Lilly related the details of her visits to Raven Moon and her new friendship with Regina and Claude. She described the disturbing dream visions which had started to plague her immediately after meeting Regina. Tears ran down her face as she berated herself, appalled she had not seen through Regina’s offer of friendship.
“It was in the wine. Whatever she gave me, it was in the wine,” she repeated, “it knocked me out, made me ill,” Lilly’s voice faded.
“I think she needs some rest,” Roland stated. Jolene agreed, kissed her and assured her they would be nearby.
Over the next few day, the bits and pieces of her ordeal in the attic of the Raven Moon began to come together in her mind. Lilly was able to relate her story with more clarity. Looking at the faces of her friends, she was still bewildered by the sudden twisted behavior of Regina. “Initially, I liked Regina. I was happy to have a new friend. She gave me no reason not
