Soul's Mark 02 - Hunted

  “Eric,” Amelia started in a soft voice, trying to be as unthreatening as possible. She got up and started to move forward on shaky legs.

  Luke cut her off and fixed his blazing eyes on her. “Call him and stop being so damn stubborn,” he said ruthlessly. Amelia didn’t know what to do, and she froze, jaw dropped, and gawked. “I said call him!”

  She didn’t have to be told again. Not that she really had to be told the first time, but man, they were terrifying and, well, she had frozen. She focused on Mitchell, picturing his blue smiling eyes and his velvety voice. Mitchell, can you come home? she sent the shaky thought through the link.

  He responded immediately. I’m in the driveway.

  Amelia cleared her throat and edged towards the door. “He’s, um, in the driveway,” she said hesitantly. “Can I…”

  A gust of wind cut her off and she jumped. Eric was gone. “Can you explain to me why Eric, of all people, just attacked you?” Luke asked, his probing eyes scanning every inch of her. He folded his arms over his chest, blocking the door and waiting for an answer.

  “I don’t have a clue,” Amelia replied, sounding as dumbstruck as she felt. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.” She attempted a smile, but she was sure it fell flat.

  Luke sighed and gave her a look that clearly said he didn’t believe her. He gestured towards the door. “Well, come on, kiddo. Let’s go see what this is all about.” Amelia took a step forward and was stopped by Luke’s tight grip on her shoulder. He leaned in and whispered a firm warning in her ear. “You know Mitchell will rip him apart if he finds out about this, right?”

  Unable to make her voice work, Amelia nodded. After an agonizingly long second, Luke released his grip and ruffled her hair. “You sure know how to drive those two crazy, kiddo.”

  Amelia knew he was trying to joke and make light of the situation, but his words had an edge of truth to them that she really didn’t want to hear. What had she done to make Eric turn into the crazed lunatic she had just seen?

  Luke kept a hand at the small of her back as they followed the voices from the kitchen, but she hardly noticed. Her heart was beating erratically, and the usual butterflies felt like birds taking flight in her stomach as she closed the distance between her and Mitchell.

  By the time she got to the bottom step, she couldn’t stop herself, and she started to run towards him. Maybe Eric’s erratic behavior had something to do with it, but Amelia suddenly felt as if she hadn’t seen Mitchell in years, and the distance between them was excruciating. She rounded the corner into the kitchen and then skidded to a stop.

  Standing in front of her, making googly eyes at both Mitchell and Eric, was a spitting image of herself.

  “Come over here, love,” Mitchell said softly, extending his hand out to her. When she didn’t move, he stepped closer and put a warm hand on her cheek. It felt good, really good, and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling and leaning into it. His touch made her feel warm and tingly and loved. She blocked out her surroundings and focused on that perfect sensation. Right here and now, nothing else mattered. She forgot about psycho Eric and the crazy twin that stood in the kitchen. Even Fiona was a distant memory.

  Mitchell tilted her head up to meet his face and said, “There’s someone you need to meet.”

  Those six words shook her world, and the heavenly peace she had just felt came crashing down around her. Mitchell sensed it and washed her with a powerful feeling of cheerfulness.

  Eric cleared his throat. “Millie, this is Megan Caldwell.”

  Amelia felt a surge of utter panic. “Caldwell?” She locked eyes with Megan, searching the sparkling green for any hint of a lie, but she didn’t find what she was looking for. Instead, she only managed to find confirmation. Megan looked almost like her twin with the same small and curve-less frame, identical lips, wildly curly hair, and the same height. The bright-red pigment of her hair, the freckles across the bridge of her nose, and her green eyes were the only different features that confirmed they weren’t actually sisters.

  Megan nodded. “Hi, Amelia. My dad was Jeff Caldwell.”

  Amelia was speechless. No one had heard from Uncle Jeff since she was ten, and he hadn’t had a child then. She narrowed her eyes at the fraud standing in front of her. “Uncle Jeff took off eight years ago, and he didn’t have a child then. You’re what, eighteen, nineteen? Do the math, honey.”

  Megan put her hands on her hips, narrowing her green eyes into little slits. “I’m eighteen, and he didn’t know about me.”

  Giggles drifted from outside, and Lola, Angelle, and Erin strolled in. Tyler followed on their heels, lugging an armload of shopping bags. The three of them stopped abruptly, glancing between Amelia and Megan, and Tyler crashed into their backs, dropping the bags and staggering to catch his balance.

  “Jeez, what’s wrong with you guys?” he said with an annoyed tone as he bent down to pick up the bags. On his way back up he noticed what the girls were staring at and dropped them all again. “Millie, you didn’t tell us you had a sister.”

  “I don’t,” Amelia replied, keeping her narrowed eyes glued on the intruder.

  Just then, Fiona waltzed in. “There you are, Mitchell,” she said in a sexy purr. She glided over to him and brushed a hand against his cheek.

  Amelia was about to snap when a bolt of white lightning came soaring through the air, knocking Fiona to the ground.

  Stunned, Amelia froze and stared at Megan. Stripes of gold and hues of blue pulsated from her, and her lips twisted into a sneer. “Don’t touch him,” Megan spat and launched another blinding attack on Fiona.

  Fiona screamed and scurried behind Amelia. “Do something.”

  Amelia didn’t have to do anything, thankfully, because she was so blown over by what was happening, she honestly didn’t think she would have been capable of anything anyways. Had the new girl really just attacked Fiona because of Mitchell? Wait a minute. Amelia shook her head, trying to loosen the cobwebs that were forming around her brain. The new girl’s a witch?

  Eric pulled Megan into a tight hug and whispered something undecipherable into her ear. He rubbed her back in small, gentle circles, the same way he had done to Amelia many times when her magic got out of control. After a few moments, Megan relaxed into his embrace. “Can you guys get her out of here!” Eric said, not as a question but as a demand.

  “Fiona, go wait somewhere else,” Mitchell ordered, and to Amelia’s surprise, Fiona didn’t argue. She jumped up and fled in a blur.

  At the sound of Mitchell’s voice, Megan flinched away from Eric, which hurt him. Amelia saw the anguish in his eyes. “Why is she responding to you?” Eric questioned, the pain evident in his voice.

  Angelle rushed over to him and wrapped him in a bear hug. “Oh, honey. It’s gonna be okay. We’ll figure this out.” And then she stepped back and gave him a playful smack. “Why didn’t you tell us you found her? We didn’t even know she had come back yet.”

  Eric glanced over at Megan, who was still looking at Mitchell as if he was a chocolate sundae, and said, “I thought she was dead.”

  A thick silence fell over them. It was awkward and suffocating and, well, just plain weird. Amelia looked at every single one of her roommates and found the same lost look in their eyes. Even Mitchell looked dazed and confused.

  “Are you two related?” Lola blurted out in a harsh tone, effectively breaking the silence.

  “If she’s telling the truth, Megan is my first cousin,” Amelia answered, just as severely.

  Luke chuckled, and all eyes turned on him. “This is why I love you,” he said to Lola. “Why didn’t I see it?”

  “That’s what I’m here for,” she replied, letting a soft giggle slip from her lips.

  Okay, it’s official. Everyone has lost it, Amelia thought. Lola just giggled. She doesn’t know how to giggle, and it appeared to Amelia as if Lola was undressing Luke with her eyes, right in the middle of the kitchen.

  “Luke,” Mitchell said, giving a r
olling hand gesture, coaxing him to continue with his revelation.

  “If they are related, then they’re from the same coven,” Luke said, as if that was actually an explanation.

  “Dude,” Eric said, agitated. “You’re killing me here. What’s that supposed to mean?"

  Luke’s hazel eyes shone with delight, and he strolled over to the cherry wood island, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He gestured for everyone to take a seat and waited patiently until they all complied.

  Eric was the last to take a seat, and he looked as if he was going to jump up at any moment. Amelia had never seen him so antsy. Was it completely horrible to be a bit glad that she wasn’t the only one who had issues with the whole soulmate bond thing? Yup, and you’re a horrible person for thinking of it, she scolded herself.

  No, you’re not, Mitchell sent. Evidently, he had been listening in, and she hadn’t even noticed, but it didn’t matter. Hearing his silent support reminded her that she was his, and it made her heart swell. She couldn’t believe it, and it was completely unexpected, but having him share her thoughts, she found herself thinking what a silly fool she had been. Right then and there, she swore to herself she would fix things between them, and they would set a good example for Eric if it was the last thing they did.

  “Witches from the same coven have a connection,” Luke explained. “It’s like a safety feature. If the coven has to separate for any reason, the connection allows them to find each other.”

  “That’s why you were so taken with Eric,” Mitchell said with a sudden understanding in his voice. “It’s not you. It’s her.” An overwhelming sense of relief flooded over Amelia, and she gave into it, sending the same feeling back to him. It was crazy, but wow, it almost made sense. So many times, she had felt as if she was stuck in someone else's feelings when she was with Eric.

  Eric made a frustrated sound from somewhere in the back of his throat, which Amelia thought sounded somewhere between a snort and a growl and a sigh. “Can’t you guys just explain what’s going on and stop talking in riddles. I’m going to lose my mind here.”

  Megan’s eyes lit up with understanding. I told you we were related.

  Amelia groaned. “Don’t do that again. Seriously, hearing one person in my mind is enough. I don’t need to hear you as well.”

  “What did you say?” Megan asked, and Eric shot up, hovering over her as if she was some fragile china that would break any second.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked anxiously, reaching out to touch her and then jumping back as if there was some kind of force field stopping him.

  Erin and Tyler hadn’t said a word, and both of them inched their chairs back, watching Eric with a careful eye. “Eric, sit down,” Amelia said. “You’re freaking everyone out. She’s fine.”

  “Please, Millie,” Eric pleaded, “tell me what’s going on. I can’t take any more of these broken sentences.”

  “Sit,” Amelia said sternly. Eric plopped back down and moved his chair over so he was pressed against Megan. Amelia took a minute to sort through everything, thinking of the best way to explain the situation to both Megan and Eric. It seemed impossible to explain it to both of them at the same time, so she decided to start with Eric since he looked sick with anxiety. “Okay, here’s what I’ve figured out,” she said, glancing over at Luke. “Stop me if I screw this up.” He nodded, and she focused back on Eric. “What Luke is trying to say is that since Megan and I are from the same coven, we are connected. It seems kind of like the premise of a soulmate bond. Basically, she’s been seeing Mitch through my eyes and feeling our bond because of the safety feature, as Luke called it. It seems to have kicked in when we turned eighteen and our powers became activated. That also explains why we have had our, um, moments. Oh, and it looks like we can talk to each other the same way I can talk to Mitch.”

  Eric concentrated on Amelia’s every word, and as he processed her explanation, his anxiety melted away and he visibly relaxed. He let out a huge sigh of relief. “Damn, I thought that Mitchell somehow got you both, and I’d…” He grinned at Mitchell. “Sorry, Dad.” Then Eric’s eyes focused back on Amelia, begging her to understand and forgive him for his manic rampage. “I was dreaming and,” he looked down as his shoes, unable to keep eye contact with her, “I saw them. And he was hugging her and touching her hair and kissing her head.”

  Mitchell quickly started to explain, taking Amelia’s hand. “I thought she was you. She was so upset that it took me a few minutes to realize that I wasn’t actually feeling it through the bond, but only seeing it.” For once, Amelia didn’t feel the blinding jealousy, and man, was that ever a welcome change, and she smiled at him.

  “Can you please tell me what the soulmates bond is?” Megan asked with a slight edge to her voice.

  “It’s complicated, but that birthmark on your neck…” Amelia started, but her breath caught in her throat when Mitchell took her hand.

  “Love,” Mitchell whispered. It still amazed her how one little touch or the soft whisper of her name from his lips could take her breath away. She let the soothing tone of his whisper calm her. She glanced up at him, and her heart skipped a beat.

  “Yes?” Amelia and Megan said in unison. Surprised to hear someone else respond to him, Amelia looked over at Megan. Eric gave her hand a swift tug, pulling Megan off her chair and onto his lap. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing her back tightly against his chest. His eyes washed with crimson.

  “Eric, no!” Mitchell bellowed.

  CHAPTER 9

  Chairs flew and crashed to the floor with a deafening clatter as Mitchell and Luke vaulted into action, leaping over the kitchen island at Eric. Angelle grabbed Tyler, pulling him out of the way, and Lola rushed in. Amelia couldn’t make herself move fast enough. Not that it mattered. Everyone else seemed to be moving in slow motion right along with her. She guessed having vampire speed also didn’t really matter when you were using it against a vampire, because before any of them got to Eric, the damage was done. Eric's teeth were already embedded into Megan’s neck.

  Megan gasped, and her eyes widened, round as saucers, as she quickly got up from Eric’s lap. She turned to him and visibly stiffened. Ribbons of golden light shot from every inch of her tanned skin. With a swing of her hand, Megan let the energy loose. Eric went sailing as his chair tipped backwards, hitting the marble floor with a thud, and he slid, smacking against the wall. Mitchell, Luke, and Lola pounced on him before he had a chance to get up and pinned him down.

  “What the hell!” Megan yelled at Eric, her hand clutching against her neck. Amelia rushed over to her and pried her fingers away. “Shit, why is it burning?” Megan gasped, and she half-heartedly attempted to swat Amelia’s hand away.

  “It’ll stop soon,” Amelia said softly, remembering the scalding sensation she had felt the first-time Mitchell had bitten her, and his name had branded itself onto her neck. She quickly examined the bite. It wasn’t too bad, with only a small trickle of blood coming from the neat pinpricks on Megan’s neck. Slowly, letter by letter, Eric Carter appeared, scripted below the soul’s mark.

  Amelia looked over her shoulder at Eric. He was back on his feet, Mitchell and Luke holding his arms tightly. Lola glared at him as she hovered nearby. He looked horrified. “What did I do?” he whispered; eyes locked with Amelia.

  What kind of mindless question is that? Amelia wanted to scream at him. What could have possessed Eric to do something so stupid? She just couldn’t even imagine what he was thinking. She gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. “I’m going to take Megan upstairs to one of the guest rooms,” Amelia said, watching the mixed emotions fly across Eric’s face. Devastation, concern, revolution, anger. They were all there. Every single one, burning bright in his eyes.

  Amelia hesitated, remembering how Mitchell had acted right after he bit her. Would Eric be the same? Should she try to separate them yet? She gave Eric a reassuring smile as she waited for his reply. She didn’t dare move before he agreed to her p
lan.

  Tears rimmed his eyes, and he dropped his head, trying to hide them. “My room?” Eric croaked, hesitantly, his voice breaking with emotion. His shoulders sagged, and he seemed to shrink half a foot. Mitchell and Luke let go of him. Lola stepped aside, and Eric sunk down to the floor, banging his head against the wall as he went.

  Amelia was about to say okay, when she remembered the little incident when Eric and Luke went crashing through the media room wall into his room. “Your room is kind of missing a wall. Remember?” she said. Mitchell raised an eyebrow, and Amelia quickly shook her head and mouthed, I’ll explain later. Then she cleared her throat and asked Eric, “Will you be okay if I take her?”

  Eric didn’t answer. He scrubbed his palms against his puffy eyes, and his body heaved and shook as he silently wept. Megan looked stunned, confused, and she was gaping at Eric. Amelia squeezed her hand tightly.

  After a few excruciatingly long minutes, Mitchell broke the silence and said, “He’ll be fine.”

  Amelia smiled at him gratefully, and with a firm hand on Megan’s back, she ushered her out of the room. On the way out, Angelle looked like she was about to follow, but Amelia quickly shook her head back and forth, thinking it was probably better to break the whole vampire soulmate news without any actual vampires in the room.

  Amelia led Megan through the house and up the grand staircase. At the top, she veered left onto the balcony that overlooked the foyer. Stopping at the first room she came to, she pushed the door open and instantly noticed Fiona’s hooker clothes strewed across the room. He let her move in? Amelia was stunned, and her jaw dropped. When had that happened? And how had she not noticed?

  A small gasp came from Megan, sounding as if she was fighting back a painful scream, and Amelia quickly pulled the door shut and moved on. She rushed past Luke and Lola’s room, not wanting Megan to pick up on her discomfort, and headed for the other guest bedroom.