Soul Matched (The Soul Mark Series Book 1)

by Cara E Holt

  Noah whistle’s and fans himself. “Nothing hotter than English literature read by a pretty English girl.” The class laugh and Mr Hilton quietens them and thanks me allowing me to escape to my seat. I daren’t look to where Lorcen is so I sit down and keep my head facing forward.

  “ Okay Lorcen, You’re up.” Mr Hilton steps to the side to allow Lorcen to take centre stage at the front of class. All the girls in the class suddenly sit up taking a keen interest. He looks gorgeous today, he’s wearing grey jeans that fit against his thighs and a t-shirt in blue that fits against his toned chest. Then Lorcen reads his quote and I think I forget to breathe.

  “I see her smile for the first time and it tilts my universe. It is a smile that could light a thousand candles and cause a thousand song lyrics. She has no idea how beautiful her smile is. I want to make her smile like that because when she does it connects with my soul.”

  The room remained quiet. I was lost in Lorcen’s eyes and the beauty of his quote. It is then that I realise the whole class are looking from Lorcen to me. I quickly look down and study my hands in my lap.

  Mr Hilton coughs. “ Tell us why you chose this quote Lorcen?”

  Lorcen frowns in thought. “ He sees her, he truly sees her. He is captured by her beautiful smile and wants to see that smile more. She is naturally beautiful but has no idea how beautiful she is. It is the start of his love for her.”

  “Excellent.” Mr Hilton replies, looking impressed. I find my gaze has been drawn back to Lorcen and I realise my breathing is shaky, my heart pounding. He truly is toe curling hot. Lorcen walks back to his seat and the bell rings. Lorcen swoops up his bag and takes off out of class like he is being chased. I sit there watching his exit still in a daydream.

  Taylor snaps me out of it when she comes rushing over to me. “ Holy hell, how hot was the tension between you and Lorcen?!”

  I blush. “ Get out of here.” I say dismissing her.

  She stands in front of me and wags a finger at me. “ Don’t even attempt to deny it. He didn’t take his eyes off you the whole time he read that quote. Like he was reading it just to you. It was so fucking hot and romantic.” She swoons and fans herself dramatically.

  I smile and sigh. “ Okay it was totally hot!”

  Taylor claps her hands together in prayer. “Hallelujah! She finally admits it!”

  At lunch Nicole glares at me from her table across the cafeteria. Blaine is not with her, but she is surrounded by her girl pals who also give me the evils. I have been at school less than a week and I already have a gang of haters. I play with my food on my plate suddenly losing my appetite.

  “ Have you heard?” Maddison asks sitting down at the table with her food tray.

  “ Do Tell?” Taylor encourages, the girl loves her gossip!

  Maddison looks directly at me. “Blaine finished it with Nicole.”

  “No way.” Gasps Trent mid bite into his apple. He’s clearly horrified at the thought that anyone could possibly dump Nicole. “ That guy must be crazy.”

  Megan looks at Taylor and then smiling looks at me. “Maybe he has his eye on someone else.”

  Taylor laughs. “ Well he’d better get in the queue behind Lorcen. Lorcen is totally after our Ebony here. He read a quote from a book in class today and the whole time he had only eyes for her.”

  Maddison and Megan giggle excitedly. “ Go girl, you’re going to be spoilt for choice for the fall dance.”

  “I’m ignoring you all.” I state sticking out my tongue which has them all laughing. I sneak a glance over at the football table and see Lorcen deep in conversation with Noah. Noah looks over at me and says something to Lorcen who also then looks my way. I quickly go back to looking at the food on my plate.

  That night I am sat on my bed doing my maths homework. I hadn’t felt great since getting home from school, I felt clammy and dizzy. Mum pops her head around the door. “Feeling any better honey?”

  I shake my head. “ Not really. I’m burning up.” Touching my forehead which is wet with sweat.

  Mum comes into the room and feels my forehead. “ I’ll bring you up a cold drink.”

  Mum goes downstairs and I decide to follow her down and get some painkillers. I’m halfway downstairs when I hear mum talking to dad.

  “It’s starting. The protection is wearing off.”

  “ It could just be a bug love.” I hear Dad suggest.

  “ I don’t think so, they said after her seventeenth birthday that she would start to change. Plus the strange dreams.” Mum replies, I can hear the worry in her voice.

  “We can’t stop this from happening Marie, you always knew that this time would come.”

  There is a silence. “I know. I just want to protect her from it all.”

  I turn back around and tiptoe quietly back upstairs and into the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. I did look different. My skin looks more radiant and my blue eyes somehow more radiant. I reached out to touch my reflection and yelp when a spark leaves my finger and singes the mirror. What the hell? I look at my finger in shock. I quickly rush back to bed confused and hide under my duvet.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  That night I dream again but this time it is different. This time I am not in the forest, all I can see is blue skies. I am flying! Or rather someone is flying and taking me along for the ride. I’m laughing and holding my hands out. The hands holding me twist me around until I’m facing them, I smile and even though I can’t see my companions face I know that I am happy, that I love him. He leans down then and kisses me and it is then that I can see him – Lorcen!

  I awake with a gasp and sit up in bed. My mind is seriously messed up! I am dreaming of flying with Lorcen, like he is some kind of angel or something. I put the strange dream down to my temperature from last night which oddly seems to have settled. I force myself out of bed to get ready for school.

  Thursday at school is particularly dull as both Lorcen and Blaine are absent from school. When I casually ask Noah where Lorcen is he shrugs, and says something about family stuff. Strangely Scott also says Blaine text him saying he had family stuff and would not be in school.

  Friday is the same, both are absent. Taylor catches me looking over at the football and soccer table and teases me. Truth be told I think I am having Lorcen withdrawal symptoms.

  Saturday quickly comes around. I spend most of the day helping my mum to unpack and finishing off my homework. I have made it through the first week of school and have found a new BFF in Taylor and been accepted into her group of friends. That afternoon Taylor picks me up with Megan and we head off to the Mall to find outfits for the party tonight. After trawling round many shops and refuelling in-between with coffee and cake. Taylor buys a pink cropped t-shirt that she declares she will team with a denim skirt. I find a gorgeous pair of white skinny jeans which I team with a lilac Lurex style vest top that clings to my ample boobs without showing too much cleavage. Taylor groans about her small boobs and how she is jealous of my ‘rack’.

  That evening we all meet at Taylor’s house to get ready. Taylor styles my hair, curling it at the bottom and clipping half of it up. My makeup is simple with just some blusher, nude lip gloss and a bit of silver eye shadow. I have to admit I am pleased with the finished result. Taylor’s mum drops us all off at Noah’s house which is simply amazing, it’s modern with lots of glass and reminds me of the type of houses you would see on the television show grand designs. The party already appears to be in full swing with music blasting and seniors sat out front laughing and fooling around. Taylor takes my hand and pulls me inside to the living room area and through into a large modern expensive looking kitchen. A wolf whistle catches our attention and Noah who had been refereeing a beer pong game beckons us over. Noah smiles, looking us up and down.

  “Looking incredibly good tonight ladies.”

  Taylor smiles and raises an eyebrow at me, clearly used to his charm. Noah snakes an arm around my shoulder.

  “ Come on Ebony, let�
�s introduce you to the football team.”

  I groan and insist it really isn’t necessary but he won’t take no for an answer so I clutch at Taylor’s hand to make sure she and Megan come with us. I am then steered around the room and introduced to most of the team and mumble hello’s and smile while blushing in embarrassment. Megan then helps me escape by asking Noah to show her where Trent and Ryan are. Megan, Taylor and I then go to get drinks and then proceed to the basement to look for our friends. We find them in the games room where Trent and Ryan are battling against each other at air hockey. It is a really warm night, well it is for an English girl used to mainly rain and cold weather so I tell the group I am nipping out for some air and make my way out to the garden. I find a secluded spot under a large tree where I can people watch from. I’m stood there enjoying the cool air when suddenly I feel a breeze and a chill and shiver rubbing my arms with my hands in an attempt to warm myself up. I turn to my right and at first my heart jumps a beat as I think Lorcen is walking this way. As he nears I realise it isn’t Lorcen but something about the stranger reminds me of him. He looks older than Lorcen, same dark hair but it is cut shorter and as he nears I realise his eyes are green but dull not the vivid green of Lorcen's. He smiles a wicked smile as he comes to stand in front of me.

  “ Party not to your liking pretty girl?”

  I shift uncomfortably. “ Just needed some air.”

  He smiles and nods. “ I prefer the cold myself.” He wears a beaten leather jacket and black jeans ripped at the knee.

  I return the smile. “Me too. Are you a senior?” I have to ask as I definitely haven’t seen him around at school anywhere.

  He laughs. “No. I’m just passing through and needed to satisfy my curiosity about something.”

  “Oh Okay.” He is weird and I am starting to feel uncomfortable in his company. “ So did you?”

  He looks at me puzzled.

  “ Did you satisfy your curiosity?”

  He smiles that devilish smile then and leans in closer placing a hand on the tree trunk behind me which causes me to lean back into the tree more.

  “Oh indeed I did. This trip has been very worth my while.” He puts his other hand on the tree trunk so I am enclosed in.

  “Your eyes are magical.” He states as if enjoying some private joke.

  “You remind me of someone.” I say puzzled as to what it is about him that reminds me of Lorcen.

  He smirks. “ Really?” Tell me pretty girl do you by any chance have a strange looking birthmark?”

  I look at him in surprise. I do have a strange birthmark above my right breast. It is an odd thing shaped a bit like a star with a dot in the middle. “No.” I reply gulping nervously.

  He chews on his bottom lip observing me. “Interesting.”

  “Does Lorcen know you’re here?” A deep voice says and coming up behind mystery man I see Blaine walking over a deep frown on his face.

  The stranger does not turn around but smiles. “Well if it isn’t the prince of spring himself.”

  I give him a funny look. I think the guy must have had too much to drink.

  “You should go.” Blaine states coldly.

  The guy chuckles. “ Why? When I am having such fun here chatting with Ebony. “

  I look up surprised, I’m sure I didn’t tell him my name! He surprises me then by running the back of his hand gently over my cheek. “What a queen you will make.”

  I laugh shakily. ”I think you have had too much to drink.”

  “ You don’t have a clue do you gorgeous.”

  “Enough Devlon!” Blaine hisses warning him.

  Devlon sighs as if irritated by Blaine’s presence. He looks at me intently

  “ I’ll be seeing you soon little Siofra.” With that he then saunters away nudging Blaine’s shoulder as he passes, which causes Blaine to clench his fists.

  Blaine comes over concern etched on his face. “ You okay?”

  I shiver but nod. “Who is he?”

  Blaine frowns in response. “ That is Devlon. Lorcen’s brother and he is trouble with a capital T.”

  “Is he mentally unwell?”

  Blaine laughs but not in a light hearted way in a nervous way. “ Quite possibly.”

  “ You haven’t been in school.” I state.

  He nods and smiles. “You miss me?”

  I laugh and he leans in closer. “ You look beautiful tonight Ebony.”

  I flush a deep shade of red and my heart does a flip.

  “Thanks.” I reply not knowing quite what to say to that.

  Blaine leans in and plays with a piece of my hair. “Anamchara.” He whispers. I have no clue what he is saying but I like it.

  Blaine offers me his hand. “Come on let’s get you back inside to your friends.” I take his hand and allow him to guide me up back towards the back of the house. As we near the back of the house I see Lorcen leaning on the wall, drink in hand. He notices me and then his eyes travel down to my hand in Blaine’s. I quickly pull my hand away and look down at my feet. When I look back up Lorcen is gone much to my dismay. Blaine stays glued to my side and helps me look for Taylor who is in the lounge competing with Noah at ‘taste the rainbow’ where you have to suck as many skittles up with a straw and into a bowl as you can in one minute. Taylor is whopping Noah and Blaine and I cheer her on. At the minute mark Taylor takes great joy in dubbing Noah a ‘loser’.

  Noah Laughs. “Okay people.” He shouts over the music. “It’s flashlight tag. Boy’s versus girls. Flash a girl or a guy and the price is a kiss.” Noah starts handing out flash lights around the room. He hands one to me and I decline. “Ah ah Ebony. You’re playing.” And he shoves a torch into my hand.

  “Okay. On my whistle girls you have one minute to hide.” He then blows the whistle and Taylor shoves me out the room hurrying me to go and hide. I run out back and hide down at the bottom of the garden behind a wooden hut. I stay there quiet when I hear the second whistle and pray that no one finds me. I see light coming my way from the right so I quickly dash round to the left of the shed and am hit with the glare of a torch. I hold me hands up to my eyes to see who it is and falter in my step when Lorcen’s face comes in to view.

  “ Hey.” I say shyly smiling.

  Lorcen grins in response, lowering his torch out of my eyes. “Looks like you owe me a kiss.”

  I nod and gulp. “Looks that way.”

  Lorcen moves into my personal space with a very smouldering look on his face and I try to steady my erratic breathing as I realise Lorcen Wilde is about to kiss me. He leans in and gently brushes his lips along my cheek towards my lips making me shiver in response. His mouth then comes to my lips and he gently runs his lips along mine, barely touching them. He cups the back of my head with one hand and his eyes on me he meets his lips with mine. I respond to his kiss, melting into him, his other arm wraps my waist and pulls me closer deepening the kiss. Kissing Lorcen is everything I imagined and more and I don’t want it to end. I hear myself groan in pleasure and he deepens the kiss again. I hear the sound of footsteps and giggling and Lorcen pulls away smiling and he takes off in the other direction. I stand there for a minute my hand to my lips, reliving the kiss, somewhat dazed. I hear footsteps so I run the other way from around the shed and find I am facing my brother. We both look at each other and laugh, Scott kisses my forehead. “ Happy hunting kid.”

  Two seconds later a whistle blows and the game is over which I am much relieved about as I did not relish the idea of kissing anyone else. I enter the house and look for Lorcen but I can’t see him anywhere. Taylor comes over beaming from ear to ear.

  “Okay who did you tag? Because you are looking mightily pleased with yourself.” I ask her smiling.

  Taylor jumps excitedly. “Tyler Brent swim team captain. He has biceps to die for!” she says dreamily. I smile and high five her.

  “Well?!” Taylor asks impatiently. “Who did you tag because you are looking all hot and flustered.”

  I shrug
her off. “No one.” I avoid eye contact as I am useless at lying.

  Taylor crosses her arms and frowns at me. “Ebony Lockhart, spill now!”

  “Lorcen.” I whisper quietly.

  “OMG!” Taylor shouts causing eyes to look our way.

  I put my hand over her mouth. “ Shush, big mouth. I don’t want the whole party to know.”

  “Lucky Bitch.” She mumbles from under my hand.

  “ I really am.” Laughing we hug each other. Taylor goes for a drink and I am stood reliving the kiss when Morgan passes by with one of her pals.

  “Told you I would get Lorcen.”

  “ You guys kissed?” The other girl asks excitedly.

  “Hell yes.” She replies. “ I know one thing, he still wants me.” Morgan and her pal giggle and move on into the hallway. My heart sinks. Here I am elated that he kissed me and he had also been kissing his ex! I honestly thought he had felt the same way about the kiss but clearly he was just playing a game. I couldn’t deny that I was totally gutted.

  Noah comes over and takes my hand just as Taylor comes back over “Ladies it’s cherry pop time. Girl’s get to pick their partners!”

  “ I’ll pass thanks Noah. I need the bathroom.” I say making an excuse. I sneak off and hide myself away in the bathroom for a few minutes. I give myself a pep talk in the mirror and then make my way back downstairs where I can hear the game is in full swing. There are five couples playing and I smile when I see that Taylor has partnered with my brother and start to cheer them on. I feel the butterflies and then Lorcen appears beside me.

  “My monies on Blaine and Nicole.”

  I nod not giving him eye contact. “Maybe you and Morgan should have played.” I then walk away to the kitchen to refill my cup. I find Lorcen is following me and he looks confused.

  “Why would I want to pair up with Morgan?” He looks at me perplexed.

  I shrug nonchalantly and play with the rim of my paper cup. Lorcen moves closer and places his arms on either side of me on the kitchen worktop caging me in.