The Price to Pay

Chapter Twenty Four

"The darkness in a woman is such that, stripped of our sight, we must feel our way through it, we crawl, we enter her circles of hell until we sympathize with her sorrow, until we learn from her rage."

-Segovia Amil

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Adeline

I scream, breathing heavy as Bastet tries to carry me down the same hall where I was that first day here.

"Bast!" I yell, groaning as the pain in my cheek intensifies.

"We are almost there Adeline." She kicks open the door to my room, I can hear the door splintering from the force of her kick. She gingerly sets me on the bed only to speed across the room to turn on lights.

"Miss Bastet, what has happened to the succubus."

The small voice is familiar, "Finally Daxt you're here, get me Meeksha someone has used something on her and I'm afraid if we do not do this fast she will die."

I close my eyes, hoping it will help shield me against the stabbing of pain.

My head goes foggy as I become dizzy and disorientated, I breath out a strangled plea as I shake my head I did not want to pass out at a time like this, a burning sensation fills my throat, the discomfort is too much so I raise myself off the bed quickly running to the bathroom to release the contents of my stomach.

I lay my head on the toilet seat, moaning as the sour taste coats my mouth causing another round of vomit to rack my body.

Arms wrap around me, raising me off the ground, that someone turns on the faucet and then a small towel soaked with cold water runs down my face.

The cold water sends a relaxing shiver through my body, "Let's wash your mouth Addie." My eyes cloud over with tears at the voice.

"James, is that really you." I hiccup, wiling away years. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," I shake my head. "I didn't mean it I promise. Please forgive me James."

"Shh," He runs his hand down my back, then he was gone.

"Adeline its Bast, let me help you."

I clutch the sink lifting my head to the mirror, it is Bast, she stands with her arm around my waist, a white cloth in her hand. My eyes trail to my face, the deep gash shines with a fresh stream of blood running down my neck. The veins around the cut are a deep blue almost black, they travel down my neck spreading along my shoulder and partly down my arm. Its gruesome, my appearance is unlike anything I've ever seen, my eyes are red and bloodshot the veins have traveled as far as touching under my eyes and they stare at me with so much pity.

"Bast, am I going to die." I watch her, she looks away from me her hands squeezing my arm.

"No, you are not." She declares. "Come on Meeksha is here."

She guides me from the bathroom and back into the bedroom, Meeksha waits by the bedside table, her eyes find me scanning me over with calculated precision.

"How did she possibly come across an Incubus?" She assists Bast in helping me lay back down on the bed.

"I'm not sure, I found them in the forest, he had her against him and she already was poisoned."

I groan, "He, he acted human from my school, Sam is his name. He told me he wanted me to understand. I don't even know." I'm not sure if I made sense but it was all I could get out.