Nexus Chapter 34

34.
      Darius had Namara curled on his lap, her head resting on his chest and her knees pulled up.  He held her wrists above her head, it couldn’t have been comfortable for her but she didn’t complain.  By holding her wrists high he was hoping to stop the blood flow or at least slow it down.  One of her wrists was clasped in both his large hands as he applied pressure to the wound.  Dragon had her other wrist and was doing the same to try and stop the flow of blood.
      Ross was driving, he raced them home, doing speeds that were illegal in every country of the world.  Seth had been right telling Darius to let Ross drive, no one in their group drove better.  Especially at speeds that made you feel you were on a roller coaster and not in a car.
      The trip had started badly when Darius and Dragon had almost come to blows over Darius refusing to give Namara to her brother.  
      It took Ross to point out that every second they wasted in useless pissing contests was killing Namara.  
      Namara had passed out as soon as they got in the car, she hadn’t even uttered a moan since then. Darius blinked blood out his eye and watched Namara grow even paler, his stomach clenched he was terrified they wouldn’t get to the compound fast enough.  
      “Drive faster Ross!”  
      “Damn it Darius, I’m going as fast as this car will go, it’s not the Porsche.” Ross flung over his shoulder keeping his eye on the road, even with his cat reflexes it was not a good idea to look away right now. Someone would end up scraping them all off a tree.
      “I don’t care if you leave the engine on the tar just get us back to the compound now.”  
      “Shut-up I’m trying to concentrate.” Ross slid his cell phone open with one hand hitting the speed dial.  
      “Crimson open the gate now.”  He chucked the phone into the empty passenger seat and spun the car into the driveway.  
      Throwing it into first gear as he skidded on the tar.  The gate pulled open just in time missing the side of the car by less than an inch.  
      He sped up the rest of the driveway screeching to a stop in front of the open doors of the main house.  
      Gabriel and Jesse were waiting.  Jesse pulled the car door open and tried to take Namara from Darius.  
      “No, I’ll carry her just get out the way Jesse.”  
      “Fine, follow me, and hurry.”  
      Dragon had to let go of Namara’s arm as Darius ran with her towards the infirmary.
      Jesse flung the doors of the infirmary open and showed Darius where to put Namara down.  
      “Keep pressure on that wrist, I’m going to start healing this one.” Jesse told Darius. “Ross where are you? I’ll need you and Gabriel.”  
      Jesse closed his eyes and started trying to knit the flesh together.  It was incredibly difficult, for some reason the flesh would not knit.  He managed to slow the blood flow a little, but not stop it.  
      “Shit!” he cursed opening his eyes.  “It was a magical blade.”  
      Jesse noticed the claw marks across Darius’s eye.  
      “What made those Darius?”
      “Namara, it was an accident.”  
      “Ross, go see to that please, Dragonselen can keep pressure on the other wrist for Namara.  If we don’t heal those claw marks now they are going to scar, dragon claws contain venom.”  
      “No.”  Darius barked. “I’m not moving here, you need Ross to help with Namara, he can have a look at my wound later.”  
      “Dar..”
      “I said no.  See to Namara.”  
      “No.” They almost didn’t hear her.  Namara cleared her throat and tried again.  “No, have Ross see to your eye Darius, there is nothing they can do for me.”  
      The men looked down at Namara, not comprehending what she meant.
      “Of course we can do something for you Namara, it’s going to take a bit, but we can heal you.  Now lie still and let me do my job.”  Jesse started to close his eyes again.
      “Please.”  Namara whispered.  “I can’t let you heal me, I have to give up the power.”  
      Darius was the first to realize what she meant.  “Hell no!  You are not going to die just to give up that power Namara, I can’t let you.”  He couldn’t say any more past the lump that sat in his throat.  
      “You may not do that Namara!” Dragon roared.  
      “I must.”  She whispered.  “I have spoken to the veiled ones and they have told me what must be.  Please Dragon – my brother – please understand.”  
      He could do nothing else, the veiled ones were the ultimate power of his people.  If they had told Namara she must sacrifice herself there was nothing he could do to make things different.
      He bent down kissed his sister on her cooling cheek.  
      “Take my love with you beyond the veil, little sister.”  
      “Keep my love with you in the world of life, my brother.”  
      The ceremonial good buy said, Dragon moved away from the bed before Namara could see his tears fall.  
      “No, Namara, no, please stay.” Darius begged her.  
      Namara took her hand from Jesse’s wiped away the tear that had slipped from the corner of Darius’s eye.
      “Darius, I’m sorry I didn’t have more time with you.”  
      “Namara, you can’t leave me, I love you.” His voice broke, as more tears fell from his eyes.  
      “I love you Darius, but this has to be this way.  If I could stay with you, I would, I have no choice.” Her words were soft.  She took a breath and gathered her strength. “Now please, let Ross heal you before you scar.”
      “I wont let anyone heal me, I will wear these scars to remind me that I could not save you.”  
      Namara felt tears fall from her own eyes.  She turned her face away from Darius before she lost her resolve.  This was difficult enough without knowing that the man she loved was in pain because of what she had to do.    
      “Gabriel can you come closer please.”  
      Jesse moved out the way so Gabriel could stand next to Namara.  
      “Yes Namara.” He was expecting her to ask him to look after Darius or to help her brother tell her family.  
      “The power that I am keeper of, this power that has made Sandamar come after me time after time.  It can’t be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.  If I live someone on the wrong side will keep trying to take it from me.  I have spoken to the dragons of the veil and they have asked me to give it to you.  You are the one who will lead.  You are the one who must have the power.”  
      “I don’t want it Namara!” Gabriel was shocked and alarmed.  He had enough trouble leading the mythos of this compound, he didn’t want the power of a god.
      Namara ignored Gabriel and turned her head toward Darius.
      “Remember this – you did save me, and you gave me your love.  I could have wanted nothing more in this world.”  
      Like a blur, Namara jerked her hand out of Darius’s hand and lunged grabbing one of Gabriel’s hands in both her own.  
      “You have no choice.” She told him then spoke the word the veiled ones had given her, softly with reverence.
      “Nesebasa.”  
      Gabriel tried to jerk his hand out of hers but he couldn’t, her hands were like a steel vice gripping him. He arched back, screaming as golden light flowing from Namara’s hands into his and through his body like lightning.  His wings burst through the black material of his shirt, a bright white in contrast, but only white for a moment, soon they were glowing gold.  
      Namara fed every last bit of power she had into Gabriel, then slumped back on the bed.  She smiled at Darius one more time, then took her last breath and died.  
      “NOOOOOOOO!” Darius collapsed next to her calling for her to come back.  Begging Namara not to go.  
      It was Dragon who was finally able to move the sobbing werelion away from Namara.  
      “Come brother, let her go into the veil without your sorrow holding her back.  She will be happy there.”  Dragon murmured trying to calm Darius down, while his own tears fell freely.
      
      As they pulled into the drive everyone felt the hair on their arms and the backs of their necks rise.  Massive amounts of power were being released somewhere nearby and everyone was very aware of it.  
      “What is going on?” Seth parked the car and jumped out Drew, Marcus and Dante close behind him.  
      They ran into the infirmary as Dragon got Darius to step away from the bed.  
      “What happened?”  
      Kyle materialized next to Seth.
      “Whoa!  What’s going on here.” He ached with the residual power flooding the infirmary.  
      Seth rushed to Gabriel who was crouched on the floor, but stopped dead before touching the angel.  Gabriel’s wings were unfurled, lying across his back and the tile of the infirmary floor.  They were not the white he remembered, Gabriel’s wing feathers shone gold in the florescent lights of the room.  
      “Are you all right Gabe?”  Jesse asked his brother.  
      “I’m okay.” Gabriel gasped.  “I think I’ll be okay, give me a minute.”  Gabriel rolled his shoulders retracting his wing, through the tatters of his shirt.  
      “What happened?”  Seth asked again as Drew moved over to Namara.  
      Jesse told them everything that happened since getting Namara to the infirmary.
      “So the god power that was in Namara?”
      “Is now Gabriel’s, to use as he wants.”  Jesse confirmed helping his brother up so he could sit in a chair.  
      Drew bent and laid a kiss on Namara’s forehead.  “It was an honor knowing you Namara.  Rest peacefully.”  
      She moved off and wrapped her arms around Seth, who pulled her tightly against him. He looked at Darius, how easily it he could have been the complete wreck now if Drew had died.   
      None of them had thought Namara would die, they had believed they’d got there in time, and they had.  Namara’s sacrifice would always be remembered.  By giving up her life and the power she carried she had made sure the good guys would have the edge.  At least for a while.
      Ross went over to Darius who was staring blankly into space.  
      “Dar, let me look at that wound.”  
      “Huh?”
      “Let me check your wound.”  
      “You can clean it Ross, but don’t try and heal it.  I meant what I said, I’m keeping the scars.”  
      The wereleopard nodded, understanding that Darius needed time.  It was probably too late to stop any scaring now, the venom had done its work, Darius would have those scars for life.
      There was a crackling of energy in the air near Darius and Dragon.  A fissure appeared in the room the air itself seeming to tear open.  
      “What now?” Gabriel sighed.
      A glowing white figure stepped through the tear, to stand in front of Darius and Dragon.  
      Gradually the glow faded leaving a woman.  Darius couldn’t believe his eyes.  
      “Namara?”  
      She smiled at him.  “I can’t stay long, but I couldn’t let you think I was gone forever.  I’ll always be near you.”  She looked at her brother. “The dragons of the veil have accepted me as one of there number.  Apparently the bravery of my sacrifice got me some tick marks in the good girl book” She rolled her eyes.  
      “That is good to hear little sister.”  He grinned at her.  
      “I must go now,” She stepped up to Darius and laid a ghostly kiss on his cheek. Then whispered in his ear.  “I’m not gone, my love, I will always be near you.”  
      Namara smiled at everyone in the room.  “I will watch over you all from the veil.  If you are even in great need call and I will find a way to send help.”
      Namara turned towards the tear, listening.  Then turned towards the door of the room.  
      “Hello.”  Namara smiled right at him.  Kyle looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was behind him.  
      “What? Me?” he pointed at his chest.  
      Namara laughed.  “Yes you.  We haven’t met.”  
      “Who are you talking to Namara?” Gabriel asked her.
      “The man by the door Gabe.”  She said it as if Kyle was visible to everyone.  
      Gabriel frowned and the rest turned to look at the person Namara was looking at but no one saw any one there.  
      “Oh, I’m, um… shit - I’m Kyle.” He was so stunned that she could see him that he’d forgotten his own name there for a minute.  
      Namara laughed again. “Oh, now I know who you are.” She tilted her head again as if she was listening to someone from the other side of the rip.
      “The veiled ones asked me to tell you that you must have patience, you will not stay as you are much longer.”  
      “What does that mean.”
      “I must go, they are calling.  Goodbye for now.”  She gave them a cherry smile, blowing a kiss at Darius and stepped back into the rip.  
      “Wait, No, Hold on – what do you mean?” Kyle shouted after her but it was too late
      The rip sealed shut behind Namara.  Leaving a room full of stunned faces.  
      Darius turned to Dragon and asked him. “What exactly did she mean by the dragons of the veil have accepted her as one of them?”    
      “The dragons of the veil have chosen to take on a spiritual form, they have become energy.  They are very powerful, and they watch over the world of life, occasionally meddling.”  
      “Humph,” Gabriel muttered.  “I can say that’s gospel.  Look what they’ve done to me.”  
      Dragon smiled at Gabriel’s grumpy observation.
      “They are very wise Gabriel, if they chose you for the power, then you were the only one worthy of wielding it.”  
      “I still don’t want it.” He frowned  “But I guess I’m going to have to get used to it.”
      Dragon turned back to Darius and finished explaining.  “They have accepted Namara as one of their own, so she’s not dead, but rather a higher being.  Able to observe everything here.”
      “Where is Namara?”  Drew asked suddenly.  
      “Were you asleep through the explanation Drew?” Ross teased her.
      “Oh shut-up Ross, I meant where is Namara’s body.”  
      Everyone looked over at the bed Namara had been lying on.  She was gone.  
      “The dragons of the veil have taken her.”  Dragon shrugged.  He’d been expecting something like that.
      “You say that as if its not shocking as hell.” Darius shook his head.
      “It is not, Namara has no use for that body any more.”  
      “This is way too much for me right now I’m going to hit the shower and get some rest if that’s okay Gabriel.” Darius requested.  
      Gabriel could see the werelion was still very upset about the events of the evening.  He was willing to bet that Darius might be happy that Namara was not dead, but he would have preferred her to be with him.  Not with the dragons of the veil.  So Gabriel nodded, he’d get the full story of what happened tonight from the others.  
      “Go get some rest Dar, the rest of you go to the debriefing room so I can get a break down of tonight’s events.”  
      Gabriel was about to follow them out when he felt Dragon’s hand on his arm.  
      “Gabriel, I would have a word with you please.”
      “Sure Dragon, what’s up?”
      “I’d like to stay, that is, I’d like to come back, after I’ve informed my father of tonight’s happenings.  I would pledge my allegiance, my sword arm and my dragon form to you and this compound.  If you will have me?”
      “I would be honored Dragon.” Gabriel was impressed, for a dragon of Dragonselen’s power to pledge allegiance to someone like Gabriel was a very big deal.  
      “You would be an asset to this compound.”  Gabriel shook Dragon’s hand accepting his offer.  “Now shall we go find out what happened tonight.”  
      “Lead the way my Lord.”