Tree Of Souls (Transfusion Saga #6) - Stephanie Hudson Page 0,117
last and top head had two hands reaching up and not only covering its ears, but had the fingers tugging down at the flesh so they hung limp and unused. But strangely out of the three, he looked the less pained and was obviously the one that relied on sight.
So, it seemed for them to exist at all, they had no choice but to work together as a whole. For two could speak, two could hear and two could see but only one of each was useful to the three. Which told me that perhaps they communicated as one mind, as all communicated.
“See no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil,” I whispered as it dawned on me, making them hiss and at first, I thought I had insulted them. When it became apparent it was actually a strange chuckled sound.
“She is funny our queen of blood…”
“She will save us.”
“Meesss.”
“What do you mean, I am…” They interrupted my question by telling me,
“You are our Master’s Chosen One.”
“His blood born and first of your kind.”
“Mhossone.” I frowned at this and looked back to Lucius who was still passed out on the floor.
“I don’t understand,” I admitted shaking my head as if there was some temple sized puzzle piece I was missing here.
“We are keepers of the…”
“Yeah, yeah I got that bit, so skip ahead…no pun intended,” I said making them snigger a hiss again. So just as they were about to yet again repeat themselves, I held up a hand and said for them,
“Yeah I know, I’m funny, now get to the part where you explain what it is you think I have to do with any of this,” I told them as my irritation was mounting.
“The Tree of Souls dies from the Venom of God.”
“Yes, the Venom is what kills us.”
“Mmmauanu.”
“What did he say?” I asked, referring to the mumbling one, checking I wasn’t actually missing out on the helpful one of the group.
“He said that it must be stopped before the infection reaches the branches of our queen.” I frowned and looked to the blood red rose that seemed to be at the top of the tree.
“The blood of your queen?” I muttered wondering if they had this wrong, was it something to do with my mother…was she the rose, the only human that Lucius had turned?
“So, what you’re saying is that this Venom of God is poisoning the tree…wait, so the rogues, we were right, they are turning.” They all started nodding enthusiastically and in truth, it looked painful. Then they told me,
“Each leaf is a soul collected.”
“And a soul collected turns black when the infection takes hold.”
“Mnmmham”
“And what about that one there…” I pointed to yet another leaf that fell and crumbled away to ashes before it hit the floor.
“Ah, they destroyed another one.”
“Yes, another soul lost.”
“Mnonnem.” They sounded sad as they shook their heads all at the same time, making the big body sway. But this was when I started to get it.
“So, each leaf is a vampire Lucius turned and when they turn black that means they are rogue but when they fall…”
“Then they die.”
“They are no more.”
“Mubbfubm”
I raised a brow questioning the mumbler, when the first one to speak every time told me,
“He agrees.”
“Right…okay, so there must be a way to stop it?” I questioned thinking that if this was an infection we just had to find a way to cut it off before it had more chance to spread. That was the only way we would save the Vampires and with it my mother.
“A solution there is…”
“But travel to where it all begun you must go.”
“Mellmen.” The Keepers told me nodding as if they were happy they had finally got through to me.
“And where is that…is it…through there?” I asked as I nodded towards the doorway at the core of the tree.
“It is and hurry you must.”
“Time is the key, and we have been waiting for you.”
“Mhaanm.” I held my hands up and started shaking my head,
“Now just wait a second, I think you have the wrong girl, or sex for that matter as it’s Lucius that you need, it’s his blood that…?” I was suddenly cut off, and in a way where their words started to make my heart pound.
“That he stole from you.”
“For his sacrifice can only be undone by the sacrifice of the blood of the pure born.”
“Mmhamum.” I frowned at this in a questioning way before pointing out the obvious,