Change of Heart 2

Chapter 18

"Hi, you've reached Angelica. I'm currently unavailable but you can leave a message and I'll get back to you later."

After the sound of the beep she sat closely to the phone awaiting the message she didn't really want to hear.

"Angelica, you've been avoiding my calls and I don't like that. You've also isolated yourself in your house for the past week which I don't quite like either. You've got a job to do for me sweetheart and I will make sure that you do it. Do not think that you're safe in your house because I can come and find you if I have to, and honey, you're not giving me much of a choice. Now here's what I want you to do. I want you to call him. Invite him over for dinner; he will like that because he likes you. Trust me I know. When he comes, do what you're supposed to. P.S. I hate disappointment...so know what you're doing."

There was no call back number and even if there was she wasn't sure she would know what to say if she used it. Who was this guy and why did he want him dead? Why did he want her to kill him? She closed her eyes and thought of him. His perfect smooth face on which beautiful features were planted. His lovely sky blue eyes which looked so full of worry the last time she saw them. Lips that were a dull pink and so greatly luscious that if given the chance she would sneak a kiss. She remembered holding his head in her arms that night and praying continuously that he would be ok.

Angelica could also recall the many times he twisted and turned in his sleep sweating heavily as though he was trapped somewhere and couldn't get out. She cried at the sight knowing that she couldn't help him. She had never cried for someone before but she cried for him; a guy she had just met that same day. How could she kill him? How could she hurt someone she cared so much about? But if she didn't do it....she might be the one to die. She didn't know what to do. Did she care about him so much that she would be willing to take his place in death? She didn't know anything. She didn't even know his last name.

Taking out her cell, she slowly touched the numbers on the screen; the numbers she had memorized. She placed the phone to her ear while wiping a single tear that slid down her face.

"Hello?" The sound of his voice triggered more water to leak out of her eyes.

She took a deep breath and spoke. "Vince?"

"Yea, who is this?"

"It's Angelica, do you remember me?"

"Of course I do. Is everything alright?"

"Yea, um I'm calling to invite you to dinner; tonight at eight, my house. Can you make it?"

"Yea sure, do you w−

"Ok I'll see you later." She cut him off and hung up throwing her phone down on the table.

"Jennifer?" He groaned and his eyes opened slowly.

"Adrian," I sighed of relief. "are you ok?"

He looked around and saw that he was at home lying down on the sofa in the living room. "How did I get here?"

"You came early this morning and you just dived right onto the sofa and fell asleep." Aiden said.

"Where were you all night?" I asked.

"I remember," he thought. "I was looking for...Cate. Oh my God Cate."

"What happened did you find her?" Avalon rushed into the room.

"I did but she doesn't." He stopped when the tears rushed out of his eyes.

"She doesn't what?" I asked.

"She doesn't remember me." He began to cry. "She doesn't remember any of us."

"What do you mean, how is that possible?" Aiden asked with tears in his eyes.

"I don't know." Adrian said his entire face wet with tears. "I don't know who did this to her."

"Where did you find her?" I asked.

"In a room, I don't remember where. I don't even remember how I found the place. I just remember finding her tied up and when I spoke to her, she didn't know who I was."

"How did this happen?" Vince asked. "Why can't you remember?"

"Because," The voice of a woman was heard from the entrance of the living room. "the person who wiped Cate's memory also wiped part of Adrian's."

I turned in the direction of the voice along with everyone else to see a beautiful, fair skinned woman with long flowing chocolate brown hair all the way down to her coccyx. Her legs moved into the house but her eyes stayed on Adrian.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You're that woman from the coffee shop." Adrian said sitting up.

"I see you've remembered me chosen one." She smiled at Adrian.

"I see you're still hung over." Adrian said.

"Wait, how do you know that the same person who wiped Cate's memory, did the same to Adrian?" I asked.

"The mark is the same." She was now sitting next to Adrian while she touched his left temple. "The wiping of the memory can only be done by a witch." She looked at the rest of us as she spoke. "When the memoria damnum spell is performed, the memory loss spell, a very small incision is made on the temple. You will not be able to see it. Only a witch can."

"I knew you weren't normal." Adrian told her.

"This mark on your head Adrian is the exact mark that your girlfriend had on hers. I saw her last night when she came to the shop. It was the first thing I noticed on her because it glows in the eyes of the witch." She said looking at his head again. "Whoever did this to you probably just wanted you to forget one thing, like their identity. However, they wanted Cate to forget everything. From the looks of it, it seems as though they've planted new memories in her mind. It's as though she's a completely different person now."

"I can't believe this is happening." He said taking a deep breath. "I have to find a way to get her memory back to her; I can't let her stay like this. Can't you do something?" He stared at her, his eyes begging.

"I'm sorry dear," she said rubbing his head. "but only the one who took her memory would be able to give it back to her."

"Then I have to find the person." He said. "I will find out who did this. I have to."

"That's the least of your problems right now Adrian." The woman said.

"What do you mean?"

"The reason why I came here was to warn you." She looked at all of us when she spoke.

"Warn us about what?" Aiden asked.

"The Ouden." I could see the fright and worry forming in her eyes, taking over her face like a new layer of skin. "They're coming."

"What's an Ouden?" Adrian asked.

"The Ouden is a group, more like a monarchy made up of werewolves. Not just any werewolves, but the world's most powerful. They are the strongest, the wisest and the most dangerous. They basically rule over the entire werewolf population as they were the first ones to ever be created. The Ouden− which means ancient ones in Dutch− can't be told what to do. They do what they want, how they want and when they want. They have werewolves called Dradars who do all their dirty work for them. The Dradars basically serve the Ouden; however, if the Ouden are coming personally, it means that it is pretty damn important."

"Why did you come to warn us about them?" Adrian asked.

"Because Adrian," she looked at him. "they're coming for you."