CHAPTER TWENTY

     "All right. This procedure should take less than a half an hour. If not, get us out our trance, and stay away until you know that the aftershocks are done," Jeremiah paced the room as I spoke. When I finished, he stepped forward.

     "Will everyone please leave the room for a minute? You too, Koi," I watched as he spoke this and stared at him until the door was shut behind the last person. I looked at him as he came to the edge of the bed.

     "What's wrong?" I asked. He frowned, ran his fingers through his hair, paced a few steps, then sat next to me.

     "What are the risks when you release your powers?" I leaned against the headboard as I thought about it. I spoke quietly to him.

     "If everything goes as planned: nothing. If Koi runs out of power when the barriers are half down: they'll either shut again, I'll be able to open them up because of what they leaked, or both of us will go into a deprived coma. If Koi runs out of power right before the barriers start moving: it could possibly kill him and put me into a power and energy deprived coma,"

     "When would you get out of the coma?" he asked, softly rubbing my leg, not looking at my face.

     "Minimum? A few days. Maximum: up to a year," his eyes teared up just the smallest bit.

     "Jess, I don't wanna lose you for that long," he came forward and gently rested his head onto my chest, resting his arms around my waist. I automatically wrapped my arms around his shoulders and neck. Soothingly I ran my fingers through his hair.

     "If worst does come to worst, sooner or later you'll see me again. That's my promise as your wife: I'll be here for you," I continued to run my fingers through his hair. I was getting tired and my breathing was slowing down.

     "How have you been able to stay alive? I feel your body slowing down and speeding up over and over. How?" I felt the rumble of his chest on my stomach as he spoke.

     "Adrenaline rushes. I get it and I'm almost to normal, it stops and I almost go into a coma,"

     "We should get the procedure started then, I guess," he said. He lifted up his head and looked at me. I moved up my arm and wiped away a tear that was making a slow path down his strong cheekbone.

     "I don't like it when men cry - it makes the situation seem dire," I told him sternly but softly.

     “Anything that has the probability of me loosing you is dire,” he stretched forward and kissed me, pouring all of his emotions into it. A small knock came on the door.

     “Give us a little longer,” I told them as loudly as I could.

     “No, we should start,” Jeremiah kissed me again and got up. He held my hand as Koi, power transferees and blood donators came in. One last time, he kissed me, then the back of my hand.

     “You have to leave now, highness,” a transferee told him. He looked back at me before he left, closing the door.

     “Are you ready Jessi?” Koi asked me, sitting on the bedside chair.

     "As ready as I can be. You know you absolutly must pull out if you, and everybody else, run out of power? I do not want your deaths on my conciousness. I have enough already," I said that last part quietly and Koi looked at me sadly.

     I sighed, moving down so I was laying fully on the bed again. The guys  looked me up and down and I cracked my back.

     "Let's get this over with uncle. Blood doners: make sure I get off of you before I drain you. If not, I'll have to bring you back by using my hoodoo and you'll be bound to me irrevercibly till you die," they stoped looking at my body and looked at my eyes.

     One by one they all nodded somberly. Koi scooted the chair clooser to the bed and placed his head over mine, staring into my eyes. I stared back into his silver-grey eyes. They became serious as he started muttering a spell that would enhance his powers and allow him to gather what was offered.

     I started getting sleepy as the spell turned towards me. I prayed to all my gods that I wouldn't go into a coma or kill anyone.