Dark Demon Page 0,29

Even fewer know how to separate mind and body to heal. And the number who know the sacred words of healing is even smaller.

His voice soothed more than his words, brushing over her like silk, enveloping them with an intimacy that brought unexpected tears to her eyes. She choked back a lump burning in her throat and dragged her gaze from his. He was touching her in ways she couldn't comprehend and her reaction to him frightened her. She was terribly ashamed of her shrewish behavior toward Vikirnoff when he lay on the bed with his chest, thigh and back ripped open, all the while trying to soothe her.

I am having trouble keeping chaotic emotions at bay, why should it be any easier for you? You have no reason to feel shame.

His confession nearly brought on another rush of tears. Natalya bent over his chest, pressing the mixture of healing soil and saliva into the hole so close to his heart. Beneath her fingers, she felt his muscles grow tense. Flicking a nervous glance at his face, she saw tiny beads of blood on his brow. Her stomach protested with a quick rolling lurch. Her breath hissed out between her teeth.

"It's good, Natalya," Slavica encouraged. "Vikirnoff teach us the words so we can help when Natalya attempts to heal you."

Hurry. It slipped out, breathless with anxiety. Natalya bit down on her lip, but it didn't stop the worry in her mind from betraying her. She hated causing him pain, even when she knew she was helping him with the soil pack. Tell me the words and I'll relay them to Slavica. And tell me what the words mean.

Kunasz, nelkul sivdobbanas, nelkul fesztelen loyly. It means, "You lie as if asleep, without beat of heart, without airy breath.'" Vikirnoff coughed and there was a fleck of blood at his lips. He turned his face away from her to continue. Ot elidamet andam szabadon elidadert means "I offer freely my life for your life." His gaze flicked over her briefly. You may not wish to continue.

Just give me the words.

O jela sielam jorem ot ainamet es so?e ot elidadet. Vikirnoff coughed again and dragged his torn shirt to his mouth. Natalya could see it was instantly stained with blood. "My spirit of light forgets my body and enters your body." O jela sielam pukta kinn minden szelemeket belso.

Vikirnoff paused when she took the shirt from him and gently wiped his mouth. Her eyes met his. "What does that mean?"

"My spirit of light sends all the dark spirits within fleeing without." His hand fumbled for her wrist to hold her still. Thank you, Natalya.

"You're very welcome. Give me the rest of it before you lose consciousness."

Pajnak o susu hanyet es o nyelv nyalamet sivadaba means "I press the earth of my homeland and the spit of my tongue into your heart."

"Basically the chant covers exactly the procedure for healing," Natalya said.

Vikirnoff nodded. Vii o verim so?e o verid andam is, "At last, I give you my blood for your blood." This is repeated while the healer is inside the body. It is a ceremony that has been handed down through time and has much power.

Natalya repeated the words slowly several times to Slavica. The nurse nodded and began to chant, picking up the accents and murmuring the words in a soft, melodic voice.

Natalya took a deep, cleansing breath and let it out. She had often healed small wounds on her own body with the technique of separating spirit from body, but never on another person. It was dangerous and difficult to allow the body to drop away and become the healing energy needed. And to enter Vikirnoff's body... What if she made a mistake? What if she did something wrong and made things worse?

There is no making things worse, ainaak enyem, I cannot hold on much longer. If you do not enter my body and heal it, I will oblige you by dying and save you the necessity of finding new ways to kill me.

Natalya had no idea if he was attempting humor or if he meant it, but his words steadied her resolve. She flashed him a quick glance. Good riddance, too. You make me crazy.

I know.

There was far too much satisfaction in his purring answer. But there was also an underlying echo of pain. He was finding it more difficult to shield her from the tearing agony that made him sweat blood. Natalya closed herself off from confusion and guilt and