He would simply have to wait.
But he nearly lost his mind when he watched himself slip an arm around Laina’s waist and draw her in for a—Oh hell, no! He was relieved when he saw her push him back and he cheered when she delivered the first slap.
The second slap was even better. I just hope she doesn’t permanently maim my body, he thought. It would be awful if I get my body back and had to live with some terrible scar because of this fool’s bizarre behavior.
Will wished he could hear what they were saying, but the force-dome kept him from hearing any of the conversation. He was glad when it appeared that the imposter was apologizing, but the continued lewd gazes gave him an uneasy feeling. If she hated me before, this is going to take things to a whole new level.
Oh well, it couldn’t get much worse, could it? He watched as the imposter tried to shake her hand and was rebuffed. Then the force-dome came down. He quickly reoriented his point of view so that he was staring over the imposter’s shoulder. Will didn’t know if the spirit that had invaded him could see astral bodies or not, but it was better not to take the chance.
Laina’s eyes never glanced at him, so he soon gave up on being seen by her. The elementals were now fading back into their private storage spaces, so they were no help, not that they had shown any sign of being aware of him anyway. He looked at Darla and felt a sudden thrill.
Her gaze was firmly locked on him. Will imagined himself waving, and he saw the bodyguard lift one brow in unspoken acknowledgment. She can see me!
An orange glow appeared in the distance above the buildings to the south. The light was steady, but there were variations in its brightness. It flickered. “I think there’s a fire,” said Laina, pointing.
Linus Ethelgren glanced in the direction she pointed. “It seems likely. We should head in that direction. Stay close to me or I cannot guarantee your safety.”
Laina caught his arm. “What about my brother?” Will heard her say it clearly, and it sent a shockwave through his spirit. She knows! How?
The reincarnation of Linus Ethelgren gave her a sad smile. “I’m afraid he’s gone. This body could only hold one of us.”
Liar! Will wanted to scream. I’m still here!
Laina Nerrow froze. “He’s still in there, though, right?”
Linus patted her shoulder in what was probably meant to be a comforting gesture but which merely served to convey how completely unsympathetic he was. “He was briefly, when I first spoke to him through the rod.” He lifted the rod to emphasize his point. “But when I explained the choice he had to make, he elected to take the hero’s path.”
“Hero’s path?”
“Only one of us could exist, and since your city is overrun with creatures of the night it was obvious to him that I was sorely needed. He sacrificed his life to allow me to take his place.”
His half-sister’s face was flushed and blotchy, with red patches on her cheeks, neck, and ears, as she shook her head in negation of the words she was hearing. “No. No, that’s not true. You’re a pervert and a liar. He wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m sorry, Laina,” said the imposter. “But you know him better than I do. Think about it. Think about the things he’s done in the past. Are you so certain he wouldn’t make such a choice, when the safety of his friends and family were at risk? Wouldn’t he want to save his sister?” He paused a moment, gazing into the distance. “Sisters? Yes, sisters. Wouldn’t he want to save you both?”
Laina’s shoulders were moving roughly, as though she was fighting to breathe, and Will could barely see the whites of her eyes any longer, for the lids were puffy and what was visible was red. Ugly tears leaked from the corners to stain her cheeks. She blinked and continued to shake her head. “No. We hate each other.”
The imposter lifted his arm and pretended to wipe away a tear with his sleeve. “I already told you I can see emotions, Laina. I know that to be false. Perhaps you have been fooling yourself, but while he was probably more conflicted, he was honest about his emotions. Hasn’t he already shown himself to be willing to sacrifice himself for you and your family?”
A woman stumbled out of a nearby building, blood running from claw marks on her cheek and neck. A fiend leapt through the window of the same building to land on the lane in front of her, while a second one exited the same door she had used. Linus looked over his shoulder, then gestured with one hand. Three brilliant beams of white light intersected each of them. The vampires promptly began to burn, disintegrating into dust over a period of several seconds.
The woman merely died, a cauterized hole having burned through the center of her chest.
“You killed her,” accused Laina, snapping back to reality.
“She was already infected,” Linus replied.
“You could have saved her with a blood-cleanse potion.”
He shook his head sadly. “It’s good you know about that. Will must have been diligent in his studies, but I don’t have any at hand, and if I did I wouldn’t waste it on that poor waif. How many people are in this city? If there are hundreds of vampires running loose then there will be thousands infected and tomorrow will be even worse. It will all have to be purged.”
Laina backed away. “You’re a monster.”
“Stay close, Laina. It isn’t safe out here alone.” Then he snickered and added, “Unless you’re me, of course.” More screams sounded nearby, and Linus turned to face the new threat. Seeing a swirling mass of soldiers and vampires fighting at the next street corner, he started toward it. “Don’t lose sight of me,” he yelled, but Linus never looked back. Lifting one hand, he made another gesture, and a long white coat appeared, flowing over his body and shining as though it was made of pure light. His steps quickened as he saw his favorite enemy in the distance.
Laina watched him go but made no move to follow. Darla moved closer, giving her a brief hug, but then she stepped away. The Arkeshi needed to keep her hands free given the possible threats around them. “We should go, Laina. It isn’t safe here,” advised her bodyguard.
“He’s dead, Darla, dead. And I never said a single kind word to him,” muttered Laina listlessly.
The Arkeshi glanced at Will once more, then shook her head. “No, Laina, he isn’t dead. He’s still alive. He’s here with us now.”
Laina’s face grew angry. “Save the platitudes, Darla. I’m in no mood for fairytales.”
“Right there,” said Darla, pointing. “He isn’t dead, he’s projecting himself.”
His half-sister wiped her face absently, causing some of her hair to stick to her cheeks and generally making herself look even worse. “You aren’t making sense.”