Enchanted Hearts

Chapter 3-2

Awareness tugged within, breaking the spell. There was pressure in her chest, but not the kind she normally experienced before a breathing attack. This felt like she was being pulled or compelled toward something. Once again, she sensed being connected to an entity outside herself. Only this time, it seemed closer. After running for so long, she’d nearly forgotten that feeling. Sitting up, she looked out the window and scanned the streets. She wasn’t alone. There was a shadow of a man passing between the buildings a couple blocks away. Leaning closer, she strained to see him better, but he disappeared around a corner. She kept looking to see if he’d re-emerge.

Who could he be? During all her running, she’d seen no signs of other human life. What if he was stranded like her? He could be hurt or need help. Or maybe he knew where "here" was and how they could get home. She looked around the church balcony wistfully, remembering her thoughts moments earlier. What if there was a way home? Did she really want to go? Then again, could she live here forever? At some point, she would have to eat something, though she had yet to feel any hunger since the shift to this strange reality. Logic dictated this could not last if she were, in fact, still alive, not that she was even sure of this fact. Perhaps this was all some weird afterlife world and there was no going home. But if she were still alive, and she did have to eat, she"d have to travel outside the church to find something … and face those beasts again. Yes, if he knew a way home, she needed to find out. Either way, she had to learn whatever he knew.

hereThe man darted from between the buildings that had been blocking her view, with phantom beasts chasing him at full speed. He ran and jumped, ducking this way and that to evade their claws and teeth. Remembering her own desperate run, she felt her heart stop. She had to help him get to the church grounds, where he’d be safe. Running down the stairs three at a time, she nearly tripped on the bottom step, but she didn"t let that slow her. Spinning to avoid a fall, she kept moving and dashed out and across the lawn. One of the beasts had overtaken the man, pinning him to the ground. Without a second thought, she left the safety of the churchyard and rammed her shoulder into the phantom’s body, knocking it off the man. Both she and the beast tumbled. Her head hit the hard ground.

Momentarily dazed, she saw the man standing protectively between her and two beasts. Somehow, the church was behind her again. She wasn"t entirely sure how that had happened. Three more beasts approached, and one charged the man. Her mind cleared instantly and she saw what she must do. As the man readied to take a hit, she jumped up and grabbed his arms, pulling him back. The look of surprise and shock on his face as he fell back, onto to the grass, would have been comical if she hadn"t been knocked down by the same rampaging beast. Thinking it would rip her apart or tear into her flesh with its immense teeth, she was shocked when all it did was loom over her. She pushed against it, but found her arms lacking strength. Her entire body felt weak and useless. Her head swam with dizzying lightheadedness. What was it planning to do to her? This was worse than what she’d expected. How could it steal her strength? She couldn"t fight or do anything but lie there and pray for this to end.

* * *

Eric looked up from the ground in confusion. What had happened? Why had she knocked him over like that? The phantom beasts surrounded his mate"s limp body and howled with excitement over their victory. His head spun around, but the beasts seemed to be ignoring him completely. Seeing the holy building behind him, he realized why. This was protected ground. They could not cross here. That was why she pulled him back, to protect him.

Heart surging with pride, love, and an intense desire to save his mate, Eric shifted into his stronger hybrid form and flew toward the cluster of beasts, grabbing them one at a time whenever he flew up to cast them aside. After a couple of passes, the weaker phantoms ran off, afraid of his might. That left the one beast actively feeding from her energy. Emboldened by its surge of strength from her, it was not about to let Eric take its prize without a fight. Growling, it broke off contact and turned to stare him down.

Eric dove downwards, trying to get a grip on its body so he could lift it up like the others, but it snapped at him with each try. Committing himself to a final attack dive, he flew into the beast and transported it with him down the street. The phantom bit his shoulder and clawed at his arms and wings as it began to drain his life energy. Accepting the pain and embracing the dizziness the phantom"s attack caused, Eric flew as far as he dared and dropped the beast. Weak from pain and blood loss, and energy low, he returned to recover his mate"s body and take her to the holy ground where they’d both be safe.

He tried to make it all the way to the building, but his free wing would not oblige. Unable to carry their combined weight any longer, they tilted and spiraled erratically. Finally, his wing gave out completely, and he fell in a controlled roll, wrapping them protectively with his good wing, and spinning so he took the brunt of the fall. He landed hard on his bad wing, injuring it further. Barely conscious, he forced himself to shift back into his human form.

His mate groaned in his arms and began to rouse now that the phantom was no longer stealing her energy. He felt her slender body shake when she struggled to pull him up. Gathering what little strength was left, Eric staggered into the building with Nancy’s assistance, through a misty doorway of falling water. Once inside, he collapsed onto the soft grass floor. Her body falling beside him was the last thing he sensed before falling into a deep healing sleep.