Forever Bound

by J. E. Cluney

  Spots danced behind my eyes as every nerve ending exploded in sheer pain as my muscles convulsed.

  I could hear Marcus screaming somewhere, although it was hard to hear anything over the horrid thumping of my heart as my head swam.

  My magic… I could feel it being drawn out through this pain, my banshee wailing and screaming as she fought back with all she had, trying to resist the dark magic coursing through my veins.

  My magic, it was being twisted, siphoned… I could feel it being used, although it was hard to know for sure through this insurmountable suffering.

  Marcus… I could feel his pain and fear, snapping through me like lightning as I managed a weak cry against the hand that was caving in my throat.

  The bond was being drawn tight, the magic from me swirling through it, and I tried to focus on it, to understand what was going on through this torturous agony that burned my skin and made me feel like my insides were made of shattered glass, digging into every organ and bone.

  The sudden snap and shrieking of my other mates had a wave of icy pain searing through me as I instinctively recognized it.

  No. God no.

  The bond between Marcus and I had been demolished, severed completely in a moment.

  My banshee howled, and the power that surged up through me helped me fight through the pain that had frozen me as I managed to slash out with the dagger.

  I couldn’t see through the pain that overwhelmed me, but I felt the blade connect with flesh as the grip on my throat loosened.

  I let out the scream that had been brewing inside me, all the pain and agony of what had just happened exploding from me. My throat burned, and I tasted blood as the glasslike pain rippled through my throat.

  Joseph’s hand flew away from my throat as he was sent flying, and I crumpled to ground as I drew in a shuddering, broken breath.

  My throat felt like it had collapsed, and I struggled to breathe as I opened my eyes, tears streaming down my face.

  I was terrified of what I’d see, but I knew I needed to know for sure.

  My vision moved in and out of focus, but I stared at Marcus, a crippling despair washing over me as I managed a bloodied sob.

  He lay across from me, those frosty, gorgeous eyes I’d come to love now unseeing as they gazed vacantly in my direction.

  I reached out to him mentally, praying I was wrong.

  But I knew the truth, even if I didn’t want to accept it.

  Joseph had twisted my magic, siphoning my touch of death and using it on Marcus.

  He’d used me to kill him.

  I closed my eyes, willing myself to get onto my hands and knees as I picked up the dagger I’d dropped.

  My vision moved, but I focused on the one thing I needed to do right now.

  There.

  Joseph was screeching, although my hearing was failing as I struggled to focus on him.

  Walter was holding him down with the help of some other spirits. Had he used my banshee side to summon some to aid him against his father?

  I hadn’t even felt it.

  I dragged myself to my feet as Walter yelled out to me, although I couldn’t make out his words.

  I had an idea of what he was saying anyway.

  I fought through the pain as I gasped for a few breaths, my lungs struggling to fill as I swallowed blood.

  Tears streamed down my face, and I clutched the dagger like it was my only lifeline.

  He’d taken Marcus from me.

  My face broke as I came upon them, and Walter’s lips moved as he tried to say something to me.

  Joseph was facing me, his face twisted with rage and hatred as he screamed and shouted, struggling to fight the spirits holding him down.

  I wanted to say something, to tell Joseph how much he deserved this, how I would be grateful for his death, but I knew I couldn’t form words.

  ‘You are amazing, and I know you’ll achieve great things.’ My mother’s voice rang through the shadows of my mind.

  She’d had faith in me, as did Marcus.

  I allowed my banshee to take over, accepting the odd numbness as she let me slip into my void.

  I watched on as she plunged the blade deep into his chest, and his face dropped to one of shock and terror as the blade glowed red, tendrils of magic spreading through his chest as his eyes glossed over.

  I watched, not feeling a thing as his body disintegrated into ash, which faded into nothing right before my eyes.

  He was gone all too quickly.

  I closed my eyes, not wanting to deal with any of this as I curled up into a ball, hiding in the darkness of my void.

  I saw Marcus’ sweet face, the odd soft smile and laughter I’d loved ringing through the darkness as tears poured down my cheeks.

  My throat hurt, but in the safety of my void, away from the true pain of the world outside, I sobbed and wailed, screaming in utter despair.

  Marcus. My sweet vampire. My first love amongst my mates.

  The man who’d always protected me and been there for me.

  I remembered him coming to my rescue when I’d run from Emma’s house after the reading and the dates he’d taken me on.

  I remembered the beautiful artwork he’d done of me.

  His soft kisses on my skin, his cool fingertips brushing over my skin.

  I’d never draw in his vanilla scent again, or relax in his arms as I fell asleep.

  I cried until I couldn’t cry any more, and then I just lay in the darkness, wishing it would swallow me up fully so I couldn’t feel a single thing.

  ‘Allison…’

  I sniffled, my eyes puffy and swollen as I managed to gaze up at my banshee, who gave me a sad, broken smile.

  ‘Your mates, they need you. They’re here, and they’re broken and mourning. You need to be with them. I know it hurts, but you’re not alone right now,’ she said, her soft, sweet voice echoing around me and filling me with a gentle sense of comfort.

  I managed a weak nod as she held out her hand, and I allowed her to pull me to my feet as I exited my void.

  I turned back to where Marcus lay with my three other mates around him. Lucas was giving me a heartbroken look as a lone tear trickled down his cheek, while Ollie was sobbing pitifully.

  I moved over to kneel with them, my lip quivering as my vision blurred once more as I took Marcus’ lifeless hand.

  I felt the presence of everyone else around us, all watching on in dismay.

  At least the shadow creatures had perished, and the zombies had fallen without Joseph’s magic to maintain them.

  I could vacantly hear Mr Brady talking to Abel as they organized clean-up for the town.

  “Why didn’t your magic protect him?” Skip hissed, gritting his teeth as he fought back tears, despite his breaking voice.

  “It had protected him already, it was used up while he fought the zombies and shadow monsters,” Lucas murmured, his voice broken as he touched Marcus’ face.

  He looked so peaceful, lying there and now gazing up at the sky as the boys had moved him.

  Ollie let out a harsh sob, and the tears spilled forth as I managed choked sobs, my throat aching painfully.

  Lucas’ traumatized eyes met mine, and he reached out with a glowing hand, gently touching my neck and relieving some of the excruciating pain there.

  The taste of blood lightened, and Ollie turned to me, burying his face in my shoulder as he cried.

  I wrapped my arms around him, clinging to him in this agonizing moment as I cried with him, our bodies shaking with the grief and hopelessness.

  How could I have let this happen? I was meant to protect my mates.

  ‘We’re meant to protect you too, which is exactly what he did,’ Lucas managed to mumble mentally.

  The sobs tore through me as Ollie held onto me for dear life, and Skip started to sob softly as he turned his head away.

  I didn’t want to accept it as I buried my face in Ollie’s neck.

  I wasn’t ready to let Marcus go, to
grieve for him and accept the loss.

  I wasn’t prepared to never see him around the house, working on his game or painting. To never cuddle up to him on the lounge or snuggle with him in bed.

  To talk about random things and enjoy the sun, savoring sweet treats together.

  I wasn’t ready.

  11

  “Allison?”

  I managed to pull myself away from Ollie as I sniffled and wiped at my runny nose, not caring that I smeared it all over the back of my hand.

  Mabel and Walter stood by us, giving me tender, heartbroken looks.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetie. I saw this happening, but it was the only way,” Mabel said.

  My blood ran cold, and I just stared at her, not sure what to say.

  She’d seen this happening? When?! Why hadn’t she told us so we could stop it?

  Was that when her eyes had glazed over back at the witch’s business?

  I wanted to shout at her, to take out all my despair and grief on her, but the oddly assured look she now had made me hesitate.

  “He had to die in order for you to strike down Joseph. His death fueled your power into the strongest it could be to defeat him,” she said softly.

  “You could’ve stopped this!” Skip spat as he fisted his hands and started to stand, shaking with pure rage.

  “Relax,” Walter warned. “She’s not finished.”

  “What else is there to say?!” Skip snapped, his eyes bloodshot as wet lines marred his cheeks.

  “I’ve been stuck in the ghost realm for some time, watching things change, seeing other spirits come and go. Some move on, some don’t, it all comes down to the individual. But many of us are ready to move onto the next place. We’ve seen what we wanted to see, whether it be our children growing up or a dictatorship coming to an end or justice being found,” Mabel said as she knelt down beside me and wiped a few tears from my cheek.

  My men were quiet now, watching her with uncertainty as they tried to understand what she was getting at.

  “Your banshee has all of Cheryl’s knowledge, so it can harness spirits, control them, and bring them forth. We believe, with enough of us, she can restore Marcus, revive him, and bring him back,” Mabel finally said with a soft, hopeful smile.

  My breath caught as my heart skipped a few beats.

  We could bring him back?

  “Wouldn’t that be necromancy?” Lucas muttered, although I knew he wasn’t going to oppose the idea.

  “No. Necromancy is using dark magic. This is different, there is no cost to those from the living world. No side effects like true necromancy. You’d be using up the last of our soul magic, the magic that is keeping us in the spirit world, and therefore freeing us, allowing us to finally move on,” Mabel explained. “From what I know thanks to Cheryl, it can only be used on a mate by using the bond. Her banshee held knowledge of a line of powerful banshees, which she passed on to you. It’s been done once before in history,” Mabel shared.

  “The bond broke,” I murmured, still trying to wrap my head around what she was saying. Was it really possible to bring him back?

  “It got fractured, yes, but when you find him, you can restore it,” she said softly.

  “Find him?” Lucas questioned.

  “We would have to go to the spirit world and find his spirit. Then we’d work with Allison’s banshee to bring him back,” Walter added.

  “Is that safe? For Allison to go to the spirit world?” Ollie asked, his voice so soft and broken that I wanted to wrap him back up in my arms.

  Of course he was still worrying about me, despite the chance we had at bringing Marcus back.

  “Yes, we’ll make sure she comes back out. You have my word,” Walter promised.

  “I’ll do it,” I said instantly, and my three boys all looked at me. I knew they were uncertain, but right now, they were lost on whether to fight me or allow me to do this.

  “It’s my choice, and it’s for Marcus,” I said softly.

  Lucas nodded knowingly. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t at least try.

  Marcus deserved that. He deserved the world.

  “Are you sure?” Skip murmured, those terrified blue eyes meeting mine.

  He didn’t want to lose me as well.

  “Yes. I’ll come back. I promise,” I said firmly.

  Skip’s jaw clenched as he managed a weak nod.

  “Lucas, I’ll need your assistance. I’ll need you to use your own soul magic to keep her vitals level while we take her there. They may start to drop the longer she’s in there, but if it gets to be too much, we’ll help you pull her out,” Walter explained.

  “Sounds risky,” Ollie breathed.

  “Everything has been a risk lately. We have to try,” I said as I cupped his face and gave him a reassuring smile.

  Ollie’s soft hazel eyes focused on me as he stroked my cheek gently.

  “As long as you come back to us. We can’t lose you both,” he said, his voice almost inaudible as his eyes glistened.

  I nodded as I turned to gaze up at Walter.

  “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Walter offered me his hand, and I accepted, the comforting darkness washing over me as we slipped into my void.

  “Whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand,” Walter said sharply, and I nodded quickly.

  He let out an uneasy breath as I held mine, and a blinding light washed over us.

  When it dissipated, I found myself in a slightly more monochrome version of the campus, standing with Walter as I stared down at myself.

  My mates were around me, and my eyes were black voids as I sat before them.

  It was eerie seeing my body like this, and the voices of my men sounded distant and faint, despite standing right by them.

  “This is the ghost world,” Walter stated, and I spied Mabel standing across from me on the other side of the guys and mine and Marcus’ bodies.

  I gazed around me, finding the oddly hazy version of the world a little disconcerting.

  Other spirits lingered around, many staring down at the zombie bodies.

  I realized with a start that some of them looked like the bodies strewn across the campus.

  Their own bodies.

  “Many of them have accepted Mabel’s assistance to pass over, and some already passed over when Joseph died,” Walter explained.

  “Didn’t he take all their soul magic? How would they still be spirits?” I asked, thinking back to Cheryl as well.

  “He takes nearly all of it. He’s not able to actually deplete every last drop. A tiny bit remains for their spirit, like an emergency reserve,” he said as he gazed around the area.

  I stared around as well, realizing we were searching for Marcus.

  Where was he anyway?

  “He’s moved onto the next stage,” Mabel said as she strode over to join us. “I’ve looked for him and seen that he moved on. In order to find him, you’ll need to move to the next realm. I’ll be your anchor in this realm,” she said as she offered Walter her hand.

  “If she starts to drop in vitals, pull us out. We can’t lose them both,” Walter said firmly, and Mabel nodded as those soft brown eyes settled on me.

  “Go bring him home, sweetie,” she said with a tender smile.

  I gasped as another blinding light washed over me, flashes of color filling my vision as a shiver coursed through me.

  When my vision slowly returned to focus, we were standing outside a house in Maple Grove, the sun beaming down on us.

  I blinked as it took me a moment to realize where we were.

  This was Marcus’ childhood home.

  “Go find him. He’s here,” Walter said as he released my hand. “I’ll wait out here for you both.”

  I drew in a shaky breath as I looked up at the home.

  Marcus had refused to return to the home, and no one would move into it after the murders that had taken place, so it had been knocked down and a new home built, which Marcus had sold off.

/>   It was so strange seeing it as it once was, back before he was a vampire.

  I readied myself, grateful that the aching and pain I’d had before was vacant in this world.

  I headed up to the door of the house, pausing for a moment as I eyed the porch.

  Potted plants looked well maintained next to a small outdoor table overlooking the front garden, and I smiled softly.

  I knocked after a brief hesitation and waited a few moments for a response.

  Nothing happened, and I cast a look back at Walter, who urged me on with a brisk nod.

  I sighed as I tested the doorknob, pursing my lips as it swung open.

  I stepped inside, eyeing the framed photos of the family on the wall of the hallway.

  Marcus looked so happy, and there were a number of photos of him as a child with his family.

  I wondered if he had kept all these photos.

  I wandered down the hall, glancing into the living room and kitchen, finding it vacant. I continued on to the first doorway, which I assumed was a room, but drew up short as a childish giggle reached my ears.

  “I’m going to draw as good as you one day,” a sweet girl’s voice rose up.

  “No, you’ll be better.”

  My heart lurched at Marcus’ smooth, rich voice as I stepped into the doorway, staring in as Marcus stood by the window.

  He turned, smiling softly at me before it turned into a broken look.

  “Allison…” he breathed.

  My throat constricted as I tore across the room and hurled myself into his arms.

  He hugged me tight, kissing my neck as he stroked the back of my hair.

  “I found you,” I breathed as I clung to him, afraid he’d vanish at any moment.

  I drew in his familiar vanilla scent, beyond grateful to feel his body against mine once more, to have his arms around me where they belonged.

  “What…what happened? If you’re here…” Marcus pulled back, his eyes filled with pain and despair as he cupped my face with both hands.

  “I’m okay,” I said with an ecstatic, relieved smile. “I’m here to bring you home.”

  He frowned at me, my words sinking in slowly.

  “You didn’t die?” he asked softly as I stroked his cheek lovingly, quivering at the feel of his short beard beneath my fingers. His skin was oddly warm here, and I couldn’t stop smiling.