Healer's Touch Ch. 22

"At the clinic with Arianna."

"He is at the right place. Let's go --- hurry!"

* * * * * *

"Yes, Master Iason. I am ready for the next tier." Charlie could feel the power of the first two tiers singing in his veins. He could well understand why they bound the student before the ceremony started. He longed to burst free of his skin and explore the sound and scent of everything around him. He wanted to drift on the wind. He had no idea what the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth tiers were going to bring but he was anxious to find out. He longed to share each one of them with his Hellkat; never realizing that he already was.

"All right, for the third tier you will have to master taste. Show us your favorite food to sample." Jason ordered.

When a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal appeared in front of Jason, he sighed in disgust.

"What's with you and Kat and that blasted cereal? It tastes like crap." Jason groused as he approached the bowl with the eagerness of a condemned man.

"That's sacrilegious." Charlie protested weakly, never noticing the two people leaving the room or Jonathan rejoining them. He was connected only with Jason and he could feel the powerful tug of the mezclar.

"Don't worry, Master Iason, I'll sample it. I don't mind." Jonathan offered as he stepped up next to him. Jason stepped aside with obvious relief. Charlie would have laughed if he hadn't been concentrating so deeply in the midst of having his power released.

Jonathan took a hearty bite of the cereal. Chewing it thoughtfully, Jonathan swallowed before smiling at Charlie.

"Delicious."

"I'll take your word for it, Jonathan. " Jason replied. "The third tier has been mastered. Now we go on to the fourth. Touch is a very important power. Regardless of how something smells, sounds or tastes, without 'touch' it is nothing but a mirage. I want you to reach out and touch me with your power. This tier is possibly the most difficult to master."

Charlie stared at Jason and gathered his thoughts. Focusing on him - and him alone, he coaxed his power to extend to Jason. It took a few attempts before his reawakened power finally did his bidding, then finally it brushed across Jason's shoulder to settle on his opposite shoulder.

Jason smiled as he felt the pressure of Charlie's power settle across his shoulder for it felt as if the king had thrown his arm across him.

* * * * * *

Ari, please tell me that Philip is still with you.

Ari would have smiled in pleasure at the brush of Stephan's mind against hers, if she hadn't been so worried about the small woman lying on the table in front of her.

Yes, he is. What is going on?

I'm a few minutes from you. Keep that boy with you. I'll explain when we get there. We need him to release Kat's powers.

Arianna paled before turning to face Philip.

"I need some answers Philip. Is your father dead?"

"Yes. He died several years ago. I was with him. He kept pleading with me to save the girl. I thought he was talking about the girl that they had found with him when the scandal began. But maybe he was talking about her," he said gesturing to his half-sister. He walked closer to the table. "She looks a lot like my father's sister. From the pictures I've seen of my aunt, my half-sister is the spitting image of her. It's kind of amazing." He added as if to himself.

A few minutes later, Stephan and Clara entered the room. Ari smiled weakly at her friend.

"I wish I could say it was good to see you, Clara. I wish it was under different circumstances."

"Nonsense, Arianna. I wouldn't miss out on the bonding of the century. I had planned to come and see Kat tame her mate."

"You think that Kat is stronger than Charlie?" Stephan asked warily.

"It won't be her power that tames him, boy." Clara said loftily.

"It won't?"

"Nonsense. The quickest way to tame a man is with love. Now let's go about saving them both." Clara said as she walked over to the examining table. She shook her head in displeasure as she looked down at Kat.

"Such a mess you have gotten yourself into this time." she said to the unconscious Kat. "But then again you have always had a penchant for finding trouble. Let's hope that son of yours, Ari, is up to the task of being her keeper." She tossed that question over her shoulder, while she pushed her sleeves up then laid her hands on Kat's chest. Closing her eyes, she concentrated.

Everyone held their breath until Clara opened her eyes once more.

"We will have to be quick. Charlie has already completed the fourth tier. He only has two more tiers to go. Her power has to be released before he achieves the sixth and final tier." Clara said. She turned towards Philip. "Come here, boy. Let me take a look at you." Philip walked forward and stopped inches from her.

After looking him up and down, she nodded to herself.

"You aren't what was expected but you'll do." She finally said.

"I will?" he asked softly.

"Yes. Your bond with her will help you guide her through the process. Have you ever heard or experienced the release of power?" Clara asked him.

He shook his head in denial and walked closer to Kat.

"None the less, you are going to have to look deep inside of yourself and find your dormant power to unlock your sister's. Do you think that you will be able to dig deep enough to help her." Clara asked as she ran a calming hand over Kat's forehead.

"I will have to. I have no other choice." Philip said softly; as he hesitantly reached out to touch the girl that he had tried to toss into the fire the first time he had touched her. "I'm so sorry, Sister. I had no idea." He whispered so softly that Clara barely even heard the spoken words.

"Now you need to focus. Use your healing abilities to release yourself from your physical body. I know you have no actual training as a healer, but you have done this before." She said as she gazed deep into his eyes. She would have chuckled if it weren't for the gravity of the current situation. If she had a coin for every time she had seen that look, she would be the wealthiest woman on Venus.

Philip swallowed roughly and turned inward to dig for the power that she mentioned. He was surprised that he didn't have to dig very deep. It seemed being close to his sister must have brought it closer to the surface. He warily examined it before taking it into his hands. He sent a quick prayer that he would be able to control it long enough to release his sister's power.

Taking a deep breath, he let his power flow out of his body and carry his conscious mind with it.

* * * * * *

Kat stilled as she felt another presence inside the world where she clung to the edge of darkness. Her nerves felt like they were going to snap at any moment. Where the hell was her chosen?

She stared in disbelief as a bright orb of light flooded her sight and illuminated the area around her. She winced as the light came closer.

"Charlie?" she called.

* * * * * *

Charlie jerked in his bonds as Kat's voice filled his head and he was jerked out of the ceremony. He drew a harsh breath as pain exploded in his skull. His body protested violently as his magic reached for his chosen.

"Shh, relax, Charles." Master Iason soothed as he too felt the pain that was rampaging through his student's body.

"Kat." he mumbled as he fought his bonds. "She needs me."

"We're taking care of it." Jonathan soothed. "You need to relax Charlie. If you break off at this point, you will possibly hurt yourself and Master Iason. Trust us. We would never let anything happen to your Hellkat."

"Mine." he growled as he continued to struggle.

"Damn it!" Jonathan cursed softly. Charlie had just completed the fifth tier of his ceremony and was struggling to enter the sixth. He needed to bring all five senses together deep within himself. And just like Clara had predicted, his power had already latched onto Kat's and it wasn't going to go willing into that sixth tier without her.

* * * * * *

"I know you don't know me, Katrina. I am your brother. I am here to help you. If you will let me."

"What's going on?" Kat asked the orb.

"You need to have your power released. Your chosen is going through the ceremony to release his power. And for some reason your powers have already intertwined; this why you are in limbo - you are because he is also."

"So you are here to release my powers? I thought only my father could do that."

"Our father is gone, Katrina. Before he died, he told me to take care of you, and with those words he gave me, your half-brother, the power to release your bindings on your magic."

"And if I don't want it released?" she asked him.

"Then you are giving you and your chosen a certain death sentence. He is too far-gone now to go back. He is getting ready to enter the sixth tier. You have to meet him there or all is lost."

Kat studied the orb carefully. She couldn't believe that the voice would lie to her, but she knew that she couldn't survive with out Charlie. She would do anything to remain with him.

"All right. Do it. And if this backfires I'll haunt your ass from now 'til eternity." she warned.

"Duly noted." The orb actually seemed to be laughing, she thought. Then the light flared brighter and suddenly she was floating free. She cried out as she entered the sixth tier. "Now where the hell was Charlie?"

Stephan barely caught Philip as he swayed on his feet when his spirit rejoined his body. He sagged weakly against the older man.

"It's done," he whispered as he closed his eyes. His entire body seemed to be deeply aching and all he could think of was sleeping.

"Good boy." Clara said fondly. "You did well."

* * * * * *

Jonathan, it's done. Her powers are released. Go ahead and finish it.

Stephan's voice filled his head. Jonathan relaxed.

"Go to her, Charles. She is waiting for you." Jonathan urged as he watched with sympathy as his friend sagged in the restraints. A smile flirted with his mouth before the convulsions shook Charlie's huge frame.

"It's done." Master Iason said weakly as he too sank to his knees. "He has entered the sixth and final plane. Damn, I forgot how tiring this was." he joked as Jonathan helped him back to his feet.

* * * * * *

Charlie screamed as he burst through the boundary of last tier and arrived on the sixth tier. All of his senses seemed to be on fire! Where was his Hellkat? He wanted to scream.

"No need to scream, Charlie. I'm right here." Kat whispered through the empty space.

"Where are you?" he croaked.

"All around you. Use your powers and you will be able to see me."

He scowled, but did not see her.

"Damn it, Charlie, quit being so stubborn. You went through the damn ceremony to release your powers. Now, use the damn things. I didn't go through this with you to only have you still refuse to use them."

"You little Hellkat. Even here you have to give me hell." he growled as she suddenly materialized in front of him. He reached out and yanked her to him. "Mine!" He lifted her off her feet and captured her mouth in a brutal devouring kiss.

When he lifted his head, he smiled down at her.

"You know, you better watch your ass now, Hellkat. I am going to be more than your equal now." he warned.

"I'd rather watch yours." she chuckled.

* * * * * *

Kat drew a deep breath before opening her eyes. Sitting up slowly, she became aware of the crowd of people in the exam room. Arianna, Stephan and a unfamiliar man were all staring at her anxiously. She focused on the man.

"You're my brother?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yes." Philip said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." he said as he approached her. "I'm sorry about the desert." he added.

She stared at him. Then the memory came back to her. It was of being lifted and dangled over the fire.

"You didn't know. BUT let me deal with my chosen before you show your face though. Welcome to my family." She smiled then before turning to Arianna.

"What is it?" Arianna asked.

"I do believe I have found the cure for Pati."

"Oh, my!" Arianna said as the implications hit her hard.