Sotus Black

CH 2 - Searching

Arthit POV

No. No. No. Not again. Kongpob. Kongpob. I ran from room to room but they were all empty, he was really gone. Taking him was a mistake, whatever magic they used wouldn't be enough to stop me. He can't disappear before my eyes again. I could still feel his warmth on the sheets, smell his shampoo in the air, but then I heard it.

A soft melody that spread quickly but every note was strange, and as it began to disappear it took with it what I needed. The familiar musk of skin, the lingering warmth that was his. I let my eyes haze but even his familiar essence was beginning to fade from the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Bright asked.

"I don't understand..."

"What is this?"

"Magic." Knot answered his eyes hazed. "Very powerful...old..."

I mist, not waiting for Knot to finish. I knew magic but this was new, something that powerful could only mean danger and it took him. I fell to my hands and knees on the sand, I couldn't mist here, she didn't allow it.

I run, my feet slipping on the pebbles as I made my way to the wall but nothing happened. My fist hit the hard rock repeatedly but not even a crack showed. She always opened the door why not now when I needed her?

"Please..." I whispered. "Please..."

"Arthit..." Knot was beside me. "Calm down..."

"Who was that guy?" Prem asked.

"Why is he losing it?" Bright snapped at Knot. "What's happening?"

The mists stilled and parted, I didn't wait for the light running inside. She had to know something. A bird sang as it circled above around the high ceiling, coming down slowly to rest on Her hand. She stood near her crystal, waiting.

"If you want answers..."

I saw the bowl, I took the knife and cut my hand a few times letting my blood flow. She could have every drop, as long as she helped find him.

"Arthit." Bright held me back with Knot. "You're seriously scaring the hell out of me."

"Where is he?" I need to know he was safe. "Who took him?"

"He is safe, the spell is for protection."

From me? I was the one person who would protect him no matter what the cost. I could now, this time I would.

"Can you find him?"

"It is not as easy as you think."

She picks up the bowl, pouring the blood into her crystal, nothing spills as it slowly absorbs into the sphere. The crystal booms, a wave echoing from its depths outward, it knocks everyone off their feet apart from me and Her.

"There is something...no...but then ..." She moves closer to her crystal. "Could it be...?"

"If you can find him, I can keep him safe." I say quickly. "I can turn him..."

Once he was one of us nothing could take him from me, I could find him no matter what trick anyone tried to use.

"That is the one thing you must not do." Her voice vibrating through the room.

"Why?" I look up. "He's mine..."

"He will die."

I couldn't breathe.

"He will not live to hold his last breath."

It's how you turned someone, you brought them to their last breath and then used the Vampire Toxin, a special enema we created that turned a human into a vampire.

"There will be no coming back." She tells me. "His soul will shatter."

"Why?" My voice trembled.

"Someone placed a spell on his soul."

"Take it off."

"It's interwoven and complicated." She tapped the crystal. "You have to wait."

I watch Her as she looks into the crystal which hums and changes colour, what was she seeing? Was my small moment of hope to be ripped away from me again?

The others moved closer to Knot, if anyone knew what was going on it would be him. They became part of the council and under Arthit's command later, he was the first and knew him longest.

"What is wrong with Arthit?" Bright looked at Knot. "Who was that guy?"

"His, Beloved."

Three shocked heads look at him.

"But ... he only dreams of one." Tutah finally managed.

"The name he speaks in his nightmares." Knot answers. "He has come back."

"Back like...Wayo's, P'Pha back?"

"Wh...wow..."

The crystal hums again, the bird takes flight and disappears into the sphere. It flies out a few minutes later, the colour of its tail feathers changed to crimson red.

"Take this to Nami." She catches the one feather that falls from the bird's tail, handing it to me. "I will instruct her; she can find him. Go alone."

Before I can take the feather and leave, a great force holds me in place.

"Do not be impatient or reckless in your love Arthit." Her voice makes me look at her. "His life hangs in the balance."

She does not release me until I agree. Patience, I learned that word the hard way and if it meant I had to wait to make him mine I would. But that did not mean I couldn't watch and protect him until then.

~~~

We stood beneath the awning of a closed store, watching the late-night crowd walk the streets. Half the side was dark while the other was lit and open for the night. Her eyes still shone silver as she watched the doorway of the bar across the street, her eyes focused. A small crowd stood outside, laughing and talking.

A sudden chill rent the air, I felt it but Nami didn't seem to feel anything. She was waiting outside her apartment building when we arrived with the feather from Her. She took it, her human eyes seeing much more than our vampire ones as her fingers danced in the air. Her eyes change, she said not one word but I followed without needing to be told.

"He is here."

My heart beat faster, looking around seeing nothing, I let my eyes haze but still, I didn't see him. She bit her finger, letting the blood pool into a small bead before offering it to me. Her eyes never moving.

The moment her blood touched my lips a pulse begun inside my head, everything I saw begun to vibrate and undulate around me.

"Do not take your eyes off that group." She pointed to the ones still outside. "Repeat after me."

What the veil hides, let the shadows reveal,

Let the moon once more, shine for me,

I see thee,

I see thee,

I see thee.

My eyes burned as I finished the words, a purple mist blowing across my vision before a tiny light peaked in. A bird's cry echoed in the air, reaching a high pitch before ebbing away, taking the mist with it.

Something flickered near the group, slowly taking shape and becoming a silhouette. Where a second ago no one stood now was a figure, the features slowly coming into focus. Kongpob. Had he been there all along? Why would someone hide him from me? I ball my fists as anger seeps in, he was mine. Whoever you are, I will burn this world to ash before I let anyone take him from me again.