The Soul's Mark: FOUND

by Stoyanoff, Ashley

  “Millie?” Erin called and gave her shoulder a little shake.

  Amelia didn’t respond, she just kept her eyes fixed on Madame Crystal, searching her face for answers. “We do not have time for you to get used to this information,” Madame Crystal said. She got up from the table and disappeared through a doorway, returning a minute later with a small clear bag. She pulled out a white candle, set it on the table and lit a match. “The white candle is for purity of mind.” She held the match to the wick and the candle came to life, flickering in a high flame, and then settling to a soft and steady glow. Then she pulled out a bundle of dried leaves and set them alight. She blew out the flame and let them smolder. “We will burn the sage to cleanse your spirit. Breathe deeply and let it work.”

  Before she knew it, Amelia was breathing in, deep full breaths of the bittersweet smoke. The herb spoke to her and her body tingled with pleasure. She could feel the light shooting out in little sparks from her fingertips. “I can't do this,” she whispered in between a lungful of the cleansing herb.

  “You must. It is the only way to keep Mitchell safe. The less he knows, the safer you both shall be. He will understand when the time comes. Now repeat after me.” Madame Crystal took her free hand, Erin clenched the other and Amelia repeated the phrase word for word.

  “Single candle burning bright, shield my mind with your light. Let my thoughts be private once more, cleanse my spirit to its core. So I ask. So it shall be.”

  “Did it work?” Erin asked as soon as the last words left Amelia’s lips.

  “I don't know. I can still feel him but he’s…” Amelia paused, closed her eyes and reached out to him; a rush of panic left her breathless. His thoughts were jumbled, scared. And then he confirmed it. Mitchell could not feel her and he thought… she was dead. Her cell phone rang, ear piercing loud and all three of them jumped.

  “Turn it off, Amelia,” Madame Crystal said. “Don’t answer. We don’t have much time. Your bond with him is stronger than most because of your powers. It is also what has made you so conflicted.” Amelia hesitated and she stared at his name flashing on the call display. He was so scared, so worried it took every ounce of willpower she had to ignore the call and turn off her phone.

  Madame Crystal continued, “You must leave before they find you here. There is danger in your future. Many wish you harm and will seek to destroy you. The one you love most will be the cause of your death. But be warned he is also the only one who can save you. Revenge is for the weak. When the time comes, you will need to forget the past and forgive those who have harmed you. Only then will you be able to forgive yourself. If you choose to be weak, you will sacrifice those you love. Now go. Take these books and learn the craft. Your life depends on it.” She shoved a stack of old journals into Amelia’s hands and pushed her and Erin towards the door. “You were never here. He must not know that I helped you sever the link. Please understand if Mitchell finds out I am the one who helped you, my time here will end.”

  "Wait,” Amelia gasped as she was shoved out the door onto the porch. “What does all that mean? What about Mitchell? Will the spell wear off? When will the link come back? Why can I still feel him?”

  “All your questions will be answered in time. Now go.” The door was closing on Amelia’s face and she shoved her foot in just in time to stop it.

  “But what do I tell him? What if I don't want to keep him out?” Amelia asked frantically.

  “Look inside yourself, Amelia. When you are ready, you will know how to bring him back. Now please go. I must leave before it is too late for me. Be safe and trust only those who are worthy.”

  Amelia moved her foot and the door slammed. She stood there, staring at the closed door until she heard the engine of a car rumble to life. A white Honda sped around the back of the house, and squealed onto the road, Madame Crystal at the wheel.

  CHAPTER 25

  “Did you really shut him out?” Erin asked, as the taillights of the Honda disappeared around a bend in the road.

  “Yes.” Amelia was shaking. She was trying to wrap her head around the impossibility of what just transpired. But as impossible as it was, she knew deep in her heart, it was all true.

  “You’re a witch.” Erin took Amelia’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m probably going to sound crazy but I didn’t believe in witches. Weird, huh? I can handle vampires but this witch thing is just… I don’t know.” She was rambling and she was trembling. Amelia could feel it vibrating through her like a plane in turbulence.

  “I know.” What else could she say? She had thought the exact same thing. Her head was swimming and Mitchell—Mitchell was about to send out a hunting party. She could hear him rallying the troops. Jessica was there. Amelia closed her eyes, trying to piece together what she was seeing. His thoughts were broken and hard to piece together. It took her a few minutes to figure out what was going on. Fiona had gotten away. Mitchell thought Fiona had killed her.

  Amelia dropped her bag. Keeping a tight grip on Erin’s hand, she crouched down and fished through her bag for her phone. She found it, switched it on and called Mitchell. He answered on the first ring. “Amelia?” His voice sounded frantic.

  “I’m okay, Mitch,” Amelia said. An overwhelming flush of relief washed over her, warming her cold and trembling fingers. He was silent, and she could feel him pushing against the link, trying to feel her. “I’m coming home,” she continued. “Call off your hunt. I’m okay.” She hung up before he could say anything else.

  “What’s happening?” Erin asked.

  Amelia was numb. It was as if her body was shutting down. She could feel the chaos and her brain was trying to convince her that her world was ending, but she just couldn’t bring herself to care. “Erin, I need you to take me home.” Something had changed in her and it was as if her emotions had been turned off.

  “Is that a good idea?” Amelia looked at Erin, who appeared like a scared little child. Her eyes wide and red from unshed tears, her normally tanned complexion white as paper. When did this happen? Erin was the strong one. She usually had no fear or at least hid it well. And then, Amelia suddenly realized that even though she could see how terrified Erin was she just didn’t care. Her friend—maybe her only friend—was terrified and she didn’t care.

  “Yes,” Amelia answered, a blank expression on her face, matching her lifeless sense of self. She dropped Erin’s hand, walked to the car and climbed in. Erin hesitated, and for a minute, Amelia thought she wasn’t going to follow, but then she grabbed Amelia’s bag and the journals that Amelia had dropped and got into the car.

  They didn’t speak during the ten-minute drive to Amelia’s house. Neither of them knew what to say and the silence was peaceful. It gave Amelia time to figure out what to do next. She didn’t know what would happen when she got home. Now that Mitchell knew she was okay his anger grew black. He was sure that she had done something but he didn’t know what it was.

  Amelia made Erin drop her off at the gate. She didn’t want to risk Erin, especially since every vampire in town had been called and were all at her house. Amelia promised to call her later, shoved the journals in her backpack, shouldered it, and went off to face the music.

  As soon as she reached the driveway, Amelia felt Mitchell pick up her scent and suddenly, he was in front of her, wrapping her in his arms, kissing her cheek, forehead, and every inch of her face. She let him examine her from head to toe and when she felt that he was sure she was okay, she took a step back. “The bond isn’t broken. I can still feel everything.” Then she turned away and headed for the house, Mitchell trailing behind her.

  You can still hear me? he asked silently.

  “Yes,” she replied. “And don’t ask me how because I don’t know.” Amelia climbed the steps and reached the front door. She was just about to turn the doorknob when he stopped her, holding her tightly to his chest.

  His voice sounded cold and broken. “You’re lying to me, Amelia. You know exactly what happened. You
may have blocked me from your mind but I have your blood in my system and you hold my soul. I can hear the frantic beating of your heart and you always hold your breath when you lie.”

  Mitchell’s lips trailed along her neck and his fangs came down scraping against her skin. “You will not bite me,” she murmured and closed her eyes. He licked her neck, sending a tantalizing chill down her spine. Damn him! She didn’t want to feel this way. But every part of her body was yearning for him. And it chilled her that part of her actually wanted him to bite her.

  “You’re mine.” His lips vibrated against her sensitive skin as he spoke. She could feel herself relaxing into him, and her body was calling to him. She was about to take it back and tell him to do it when he continued, “I can do what I want with you and it’s time that you learn that.” His lips continued to trail along her jaw to her ear. “If you try to fight me, we’ll just see how much of the bond you were able to destroy. Are you willing to see if the pain is gone?”

  “You should be happy,” Amelia said, the image of Fiona popping to her mind, giving her a newfound strength. “Now that I’ve blocked you out you’re free to play with Fiona.”

  He was turning into the monster. Amelia could feel his black anger swirling with red-hot rage. His fangs pressed against her neck, the pressure increasing and she could feel the pinch. He’s enjoying this, she realized, disgusted. He was trying to do it slowly so she could feel his fangs slide into her skin. He wanted it to hurt. He was trying to teach her a lesson.

  Amelia stiffened. Every muscle in her body wound tight. Her anger was taking over and mixing with his. She could feel a burst of warm energy building in the pit of her stomach, yearning to be set free. It was waiting with anticipation, building bigger and stronger, waiting to explode like a loaded gun. She focused her mind on it, pulling it all together into a bullet of white fire. She pictured a gun, the blazing bullet in the chamber, and pulled the trigger.

  Mitchell let go and Amelia watched as he crashed through the door, breaking it off its hinges, and slid into the house, across the foyer floor. He jumped up in a blur, crimson eyes blazing and in a flash, he was grabbing her again. Amelia closed her eyes and focused on the heat, and like a flash of lightening, Mitchell was back on the floor, crashing into the wall.

  A collective gasp hissed through the room like a nest of rattlesnakes signaling an attack. Amelia’s eyes snapped open, and she was oddly undisturbed by the frightening sight before her. Every vampire in town stood behind Mitchell, fangs flashing and eyes blazing. A few of them advanced on her. Mitchell was staring at her as if she had six heads and had grown snakes for hair. For a moment, Amelia thought he was going to let them attack her and she pulled on the energy, preparing herself for a fight.

  Amelia could feel the drain and knew she was not strong enough to hold off the ones moving in on her. She looked at Mitchell, pleading with her eyes and held her breath. Would he call them off? Would he let them kill her? His aura was shifting faster than her vision could register and she could tell that there was not one stable emotion in him.

  It was a surreal feeling, watching her life flash before her eyes. Her mother’s smile, her father’s voice, and Mitchell. The first time they kissed. The first time he said, “I love you”. All the laughter, all the love, it surrounded her, lifting her up, keeping her strong. The thoughts filled her heart with sunshine, and flowers, and kittens, and everything wonderful and beautiful. How could memories of him bring her strength? Because he is you, a voice in her head whispered. He is your other half. He is your light. He is what makes you whole.

  Amelia shoved the thoughts from her mind. She would not use his strength against him. She just couldn’t. She felt squeezed, as if she was being pushed from all sides at once, as Mitchell tried to get in and take control. Amelia kept her gaze on him. If Madame Crystal was right, Mitchell would be the cause of her death, and there was no doubt in Amelia’s mind that she was right. But she wouldn’t go without a fight.

  “Mitchell,” Amelia said in a strong voice. “It’s about time that you know what it feels like to have no control.” The air around her shimmered, like diamonds in the light as she spoke the words, and before she knew what she was doing, Mitchell screamed out. It was a scream so bone chilling and ear splintering that the windows shook.

  Amelia tried to pull back the light. It was soaring from her, sparkling and shifting like a kaleidoscope. What was she doing? She needed to stop it. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, not like this.

  Someone touched her shoulder. “Millie, you need to stop,” Angelle said in her ear, scared and sad. “You’re killing him.”

  Killing him? Amelia could see it now. She could see the little sparks igniting over his skin and the smell of burning flesh drifted to her nose. A part of her, a very small part, wanted to let him die. Madame Crystal’s voice rang out, “Revenge is for the weak.”

  “Stop,” Mitchell gasped. His voice, small and scared, spoke clearly to her heart, urging her to help him. Amelia blinked, shook herself like a wet dog shaking off water from its coat, and watched as the flecks of red from his eyes faded, turning back to the glorious color of a clear, blue sky.

  Mitchell was looking at her as if he had never seen her before. Why? He sent the question silently and it made her feel sick. Amelia knew what he meant. She knew he was not asking why she hurt him, he understood that. He wanted to know why she would try and kill him, and that, that she couldn’t answer. Amelia looked at him for an interminable minute. Everyone else in the room faded; for that minute, it was just the two of them.

  Amelia took in a deep cleansing breath, and let her gaze focus on each vampire individually. “I’m going to my room,” she said, surprised at the authority in her voice, and even more surprised at the horrified looks on their faces. Was she the monster now? “I suggest you tend to him since you can all see I’m more than capable of looking after myself.” Amelia turned on her heels, head held high and glided down the hallway.

  “Millie,” Angelle called after her.

  Amelia looked back, a quick glance over her shoulder. “Take care of him for me.” Angelle nodded and then Amelia slid into her room, shutting and locking the door behind her.

  CHAPTER 26

  “This is a waste of time,” Amelia said crabbily and tossed another journal to the floor. Two dreadful days had passed since she almost accidentally (she thought) tried to kill Mitchell. He hadn’t come to see her and she couldn’t blame him.

  Somehow, she had managed to lock herself in her room—literally. It was some kind of magic, that much they had figured out but what kind no one knew. The doors opened, the windows opened but no matter what they tried, Amelia couldn’t get out and no one could get in. It was like there was an invisible dividing wall of thick plastic enveloping the room. Anywhere she pushed, it would sag, then spring back into place.

  “Don’t worry, sweetie,” Angelle said. She was standing at the door patting down the wall, determination plastered on her face, as she tried to find a weak point. “We’ll figure this out.”

  “Hey, Angelle,” Eric called from the terrace, pretending to help, but in truth he really wasn’t doing much. Amelia didn’t care because she swore his laughter was the only thing keeping her remotely sane. “You’re getting good at that mime impersonation. I bet I could rent you out for parties.”

  Angelle shot him a look. “You’re such a dumb-ass.”

  Amelia glanced over at Angelle and she burst into a sidesplitting laugh. Angelle really did look like a mime, especially with all the drywall powder caked on her face—her thought that taking out a wall might work proved incorrect. The laugh earned her a nasty look from Angelle, and a skin-tingling chuckle from Eric. “Will you guys shut up?” Amelia said, trying her best to sound annoyed and cover-up how ridiculously funny her friend looked. “Trying to focus here.” She snagged another one of the journals from Madame Crystal and pretended to read.

  “Don’t be such a killjoy,” Eric said. “You’ve gotta admit she’s
gifted.” Amelia giggled again and he winked. “You could be part of the act too, Millie. You could use your witchy talents and put her in an invisible box. Then all we’d have to do is sit back and watch her try and get out. Easy peasy. The cash will just roll in.”

  “Totally throwing a wrench into your plans,” Angelle said. “You’re so not renting us out.” Musical laughter floated from her lips. She grabbed a wrench from the stack of tools she had used to knock out the wall and she chucked it through the room, straight at Eric. It connected, smacking him in the chest and Amelia was certain she heard the dry crack of bones breaking.

  “Ouch!” Eric rubbed at his chest. He pushed on a rib that was sticking out, making his black t-shirt look like a mini tent, and it crunched back into place. “Hey cupcake, it’s an expression.” He was laughing, a huge grin on his face and Amelia was sure she would never get used to that. Her chest hurt just thinking about it. “Doesn’t mean you literally need to throw a wrench, and you called me the dumb-ass.”

  “You guys are both dumb-asses,” Amelia shot back. “How did you do that?” They looked at her blankly for a second. She jumped up and rushed over to the door putting her hands up feeling along the blasted wall. “The wrench! You tossed the wrench and it went through the room.”

  Angelle’s eyes went cartoon-wide and she squealed in delight. “This is awesome.” She snatched up a hammer from the pile and slowly, she inched it into the room, holding the end tightly. The wall shimmered around the wooden handle and as Angelle’s hand reached the edge of the force field, it snapped shut, chopping the handle in half. She snatched her hand back, the wood clattered to the floor, and she huffed, looking fiercely at the invisible wall as if trying to burn a hole in it. “That sucks.”