Shadow of My Heart - By Caryn Moya-Block Page 0,43
of this store down on Villa della Spiga who takes special orders for Isanti, Inc. Giovanni will help us find something nice for you. Come on. It’s just a block from here.”
“Lindy, pinch me. I must have died and gone to heaven,” Cara said, clutching her chest.
“If we hurry we might be able to catch dinner at my favorite café in Paris. Come on, Cara,” Lindy said, grabbing her hand and hurrying her down the street.
Cara eagerly followed Gwen and Lindy down the block and onto Villa della Spiga.
“Gwen, are we dressed well enough to shop here? Is that Dolce & Gabbana? Oh, and look, there’s Gucci and Armani. Are you sure we can afford this?”
“Not to worry. Raven gave us the corporate credit card. Come on down here.”
Cara followed Gwen and Lindy into a trendy-looking shop with windows full of leather clothes. As they entered, a handsome older man walked over and started speaking to Gwen in Italian. Gwen answered easily, before turning and introducing Cara to the man.
“This is my future sister-in-law. She needs several outfits.”
“It will be my pleasure,” the man said, switching to English. “Come, bella, let me show you some things to try on.”
§
Raven had just finished cleaning up the kitchen when the phone rang. Isanti was in the living room, watching the news on TV, so Raven picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Raven, it’s Joe. I just got a call. General Holland has been shot. He’s in the Bethesda Medical Center. It doesn’t look good. They aren’t sure he’s going to make it. He asked for you.”
“What happened? Who shot him?”
“I don’t know the details, but I don’t like it. I think we need to go find out what’s going on.”
“All right. Give me ten minutes and then meet me at the hospital. Before you hang up, how is Derek?”
“Dr. Rick released him this morning. Last I saw, your secretary was delivering his lunch to him. He gets all the luck.”
“Jealous, Joe? I didn’t know you were interested in Katherine?”
“I’m not. She always belonged to Derek. I just sometimes wish I had someone to come home to.”
“Hopefully, you’ll find that someone soon. All right, see you in ten,” Raven said, hanging up the phone, then rushing into the front room.
“Isanti, I need one of your healing potions for General Holland. He’s been attacked, and I need to get to the hospital. Can you explain to Cara that I will be back as soon as I can?”
“I cannot give you a potion for your friend, Raven. He is not a Shadow-walker.”
What? Raven didn’t have time for this. “But Isanti, he knows what we are. Surely, it wouldn’t hurt to heal him this one time.”
“But it would hurt. What if one of the doctors became curious about his sudden recovery? No, we cannot take chances like that. I am sorry.”
“Then, come with me and heal him. Nothing would show up in a test that way.” He would just have to leave a note for Cara.
“Raven, I cannot. If I heal him this time, what is to stop him from asking me again and again? I am not here to heal the world, only to work toward the continuation of my tribe.”
“He could die. I owe him so much,” Raven said, leaning over the arm of Isanti’s chair. Why was he being so difficult?
“No, Raven. You paid any debt to him years ago. I am sorry, but the answer is still the same. I will tell Little Mother you had an emergency.”
“All right. I’ve got to go. I don’t understand you sometimes. If he dies . . . ”
“If he dies, then it was his time to go. You cannot save everyone, Raven.”
Raven ran his hand through his hair and looked around for the thickest shadow in the room. It wasn’t long before he was opening a door and Shadow-walking to the Bethesda Medical Center in Maryland.
Raven found a group of shadows by the circular drive that led to the front entrance of the hospital, before he opened a door and stepped out of the Shadow Dimension. He hurried inside the hospital and was glad to see Joe waiting for him by the receptionist desk.
“He’s on the fourth floor. The elevators are over here,” Joe said, leading the way.
Raven nodded before following Joe. What was wrong with Isanti? Why wouldn’t he help the general? Sighing, Raven stepped into the elevator.
“I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Joe said. “The care here is remarkably good. How is Cara doing?”
“She’s out with