Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 2

*Aaliyah's P.O.V*

I looked up from my cup of coffee as the door to my house was slammed open. I raised an eyebrow as Miachel stormed into the kitchen.

"Can I help you?" I asked as he slammed the newspaper down in front of me. It was enchanted to show everything written on it so no one had to wait for news.

"What did you do?" he asked as he sat down across from me at the table. I picked up the newspaper after giving him another curious glance.

'Fadel Family Home Broken Into Only Hours After Son's Death' was the headline that was printed on the front page. My lips quirked up into a small smile as I looked at Miachel.

"What makes you think that I had anything to do with this?" I asked as I took another sip of my coffee.

"Maybe because you didn't answer any of my calls last night." That statement made me pause for a moment as I tried to think of an answer.

"I was just really upset about my brother." The words sounded fake even as I said them. Miachel sighed as he rubbed his face, a soft groan of frustration escaping him.

"Okay so I might have broken in but it wasn't really breaking in. I knew where the spare key was so I simply unlocked the door," I shrugged my shoulders as I ran my tongue over my fangs. "I left a still beating heart on their dining table along with a note." My words were said with some sort of finality.

"Great, the totally sane thing to do," Miachel muttered as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What did your lovely note say?" he questioned.

"It was really simple, just a question really. All it said was 'Who's the monster now?'" I answered as I leaned back in my seat. "Thought it might discourage them from ever trying to get in contact with me."

"Well that backfired," Miachel said as he ran a hand through his long blonde hair. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I looked at Miachel.

"What do you mean?" The question escaped my lips before I even had time to really process what he had said.

"I got into contact with my sister, the one that lives up by the Clan that your father is from. It's been spread throughout the Clans and Covens close by that the Council wants to get into contact with you.

"Why would they want to do that?" I asked myself more than him.

"Everyone knows that you were banished before you could complete your education, the Council claims that they are concerned about that," Miachel said.

I snorted at the reasoning that they were giving, we both knew that it was a bullshit excuse to help appease my father's parents, the ones that were on the vampiric council. One of whom was a leader of it.

"Bullshit, they just want a reason to kiss ass," I muttered as I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah well it gets worse," Miachel said as he reached across the table and rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand. "You have to promise to stay calm."

With those words I immediately knew that whatever he said was going to piss me off. I sighed as I got up, walking across the room to the open door to my patio.

"Follow me."

I sat down at one of the chairs under an umbrella, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag from it.

"Gross habit," Miachel said offhandedly as he stood across from me. The news must be pretty bad for him to not even sit down since he knew he would have to hurry away.

"Find something else that deadens my nerves then," I retorted as I flicked some ash off of the cigarette. "Just tell me the news Miachel," I said simply.

"The Witches Council has decided to trace your magic," Miachel said as he took several long steps. I nodded my head as I felt my magic swelling up, ignoring me commands to settle down. It settled down for a moment before it lashed out and blew up the fountain in my garden.

"I liked that fountain," I muttered to myself as I watched my magic reach out, mingling with smoke coming off of my cigarette. It put it out, making me exhale out of annoyance.

"Even your magic thinks you shouldn't smoke," Miachel pointed out. I glared at him which shut him up pretty quickly.

"Why are they tracing my magic?" I asked simply.

"They said that it was probably unstable, you never finished your apprenticeship so they fear your magic may be out of control," Miachel said. "Something I agree with," the muttered words escaped his lips much louder than he intended.

"Oh I am so sorry that being banished interrupted my apprenticeship and made my magic unstable," I retorted as my magic curled comfortably around me. It was a friend, it meant more to me than most people.

"Shouldn't your magic have attracted their attention just now?" Miachel asked as he hesitantly across from me.

"Blood wards, can't trace anything while I'm under them," I said simply as Etol slunk outside. She could feel the heaviness in my magic and made her way towards me.

"So just stay under them," Miachel said. He seemed bewildered when I glared at him.

"I'd become a prisoner in my home, I was already a prisoner once and it won't happen again," I said simply as I absentmindedly rubbed the scars that ran down my arms.

"What other option do you have?" Miachel asked as he looked at me with concern.

"I am going to strike a deal with a demon," I said with a small smile on my lips, stroking Etol's head.

"That would cost you your soul," Miachel said.

"I am willing to make that sacrifice," I stated as I held my head up defiantly.

"Demons always collect on their deals, I don't want to see you turn into an empty husk because of this deal," Miachel said.

"It'll be fine, Miachel. I can not live my life as a prisoner. I just can't." I pleaded with him to understand, to know the pain that I had suffered already.

"I will help you but only because I know you would do it regardless of me helping," Miachel stated, ignoring the wicked smile that crossed my face. I knew just the demon to summon.