The Awakened Pt. 06

The horrifying, ululating cries ripped from their bodies were something Kane would always remember.

And then it was over.

Dust motes surrounded him in the spirit world. Echoes of the lifeforms that had so terrified him.

He recloaked his burningly bright form into that of a manatee once more and returned to his body.

He was literally bursting with energy.

And alien feelings of hunger and loss and feverish need. Alien experiences. The experience of tendrils sucking the life out of human drones. But only the feelings - he couldn't make head or tail of the rest and he was shuddering with horror at the prospect of being full of whatever it was that powered brain claws.

But that need suffused him. NEED!

And his body responded, a rock hard erection under his towel. He had been shivering with cold before but was shaking now with the sheer volume of power that he'd absorbed.

He was so jittery with power and need and hunger that he didn't know what to do with himself.

Something similar had happened to Aldred once before after taking the life of a particularly powerful Awakened. He had gone on a three day bender, working his way through two hookers and a hen party to sate his overwhelming need to do something, to burn this excess energy. His aura had been phenomenally powerful and he'd literally ignited the lust of half of the people in a Miami nightclub.

He'd dominated the hen party (why Americans called it a bachelorette party he had no idea) and literally fucked them to a standstill. All eight women were unconscious orgasmic messes by the time he was done.

And Kane was supposed to be meeting Jane in just over an hour! He couldn't travel through London like this! He certainly couldn't meet Dr Beautiful in this state.

He had to talk to Si. Finally making a decision and having some purpose he leapt into action.

He threw some clothes on and launched himself into the grey spirit world. He rapidly made a ward at the entrance to his suite and thanking Si's foresight he transferred himself to the ward at the lighthouse gates, two hundred and fifty miles away in Devon.

He pushed his way contemptuously, effortlessly through a rift into the physical world, and hammered on the front door.

"What the devil..?" came the slightly worried voice from inside.

"Si, open up, it's me!"

"What in heaven's name has happened? You look like you're about to explode! Is it Jane? Did something happen? I knew that I..."

"Si!"

"If only I'd gone with you..."

"Si!"

Kane reached out and grabbed Si's shoulders and gently shook him to get him to listen. But as he touched his shoulders energy poured from him. It washed over Si, sending him into spasms as if he were being electrocuted.

Kane stepped back and the huge glow stopped as suddenly as it had started. Si was shaking uncontrollably and Kane went to reach out and comfort him.

"Stay away from me! Get away damn it!"

Kane stepped back, shocked at the tone and menace in the amiable man's voice. He continued to shake before finally coming under control. He looked at Kane, slightly awed and very scared.

"What have you done Kane? Why do I feel like this?"

"I don't know. I was coming to tell you...today has been hideous and brilliant in equal measure but I needed to tell you. I know how to defeat brain claws."

"What's that got to do with electrocuting me?" he shouted.

"Because I stole their energy."

"Who's energy?"

"The brain claws."

"One brain claw did this? That's insane, you must..."

"No Si. This was a swarm of them."

All anger left Si's face.

"A what? Well, how many are in a swarm?"

"I don't know...a hundred?"

He stood back completely unbelieving. And then he began to laugh until it almost hurt.

"A hundred," he gasped through his laughter, "you almost had me for a moment. A hundred!"

And his laughter became almost hysterical at the thought.

"Si! Si! Listen to me. I managed to absorb the energy from a large number of brain claws by going on the offensive. I was surrounded and had no other option. I can sense their experiences. Their dreadful hunger. And I'm so sorry but I think I must have transferred some of that essence to you."

Si's face twisted in horror at the thought.

"I didn't mean to - honestly, I had no idea..."

Si's face twisted with the same revulsion that Kane himself felt.

"Wait, just wait a minute."

And then Si was in the spirit world. He centred himself and dropped his cloak. The glow of his aura was startling. He gasped at the majesty of it. He moved away from his body. It was so easy! He hadn't been able to move a bloody inch and now look at him!

He reached out and from the spirit world tapped Kane's shoulder, his physical shoulder, from the spirit world making him jump a mile!

He laughed and cried out in joy at the sudden rush of power at his disposal.

He erupted back into his body and rushed forward and threw his arms around Kane.

"It's unbelievable. Do you know what you've done? You've given me back my life! What a gift Kane, what a marvellous gift!"

Kane was delighted and confused at the sudden change in his friend.

"I don't understand..."

"Come with me."

And suddenly they were in the spirit world and Si's aura was so bright that it almost hurt.

"Your cloak Si!"

"I know! But look!!!"

"It's amazing Si but please put on your cloak."

Grinning, he covered his aura meticulously and dropped back into the physical world.

"Everything is so easy, Kane! Don't you see? I'm a powerful Awakened. I have enough power to actually do something to protect myself. You have no idea what this means to me. Literally no idea."

Kane was overwhelmed. He thought that he'd done something horrible and now somehow good had come from it. Or at least he hoped it had.

They stood there hugging in the cold night air as Si experienced a massive rush of emotion.

For his part Kane felt like he had some semblance of equilibrium back. He was still full of energy, yes, but not overflowing like he had been.

They went into the lighthouse and Kane quickly talked Si through the day.

"I have so many questions, old chap."

"Believe me, so do I! But I have to get back to London. Please be careful with your aura and your cloak. I can only assume that I got careless coming back from the hospital. Let's talk it through when I come back later tomorrow. But you must promise me to be careful."

"Says the man who took on a hundred brain claws! Yes, yes, I promise. How could I not when you give me this precious gift? I have so much to explore!"

"Shit, look at the time! I have to go."

"Go. Enjoy your evening. See you tomorrow and say hello to the good doctor," Si shouted to Kane's rapidly disappearing back and then the slamming door.

Si looked around and giggled to himself. So this is what it felt like to live without the omnipresent fear.

He made himself a celebratory cup of tea and settled in for a night of experimentation.