Hey guys, here's the next chapter! Just a small warning, this chapter was a little difficult to right so if anything is hard to understand please let me know. I tried to write it as simply as possible but just comment if you think I need to re-word it.
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And enjoy!
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- Torben
I had heard it...
Her screams travelled right through me and ignited pain and fury beyond my own comprehension.
We had been searching all nightfall. Me, Felice and Aicha band together whilst I had other parties of men and women looking in other possible directions she could have gone. We were the lucky ones after it was revealed we were in the right direction and close enough that we could hear her horrifying scream.
My wolf paced in my mind, growling and baring his teeth in anger. It overshadowed the fear we both felt for her life. She was in life-threatening danger and the thought that we might not make it in time was unfathomable.
Aicha and Felice had already shifted, bounding in her direction with their howls filling the air in a warning. I called her name, hoping she would be able to call out to me, "Asmara!"
Emotional turmoil attacked my body when a response never came. Not even a scream. I couldn't explain the panic as I raced towards the direction where I had last heard her scream.
I used something I haven't used for a long time because of how intrusive it is. I linked with Felice and looked through his eyes. I could see him attacking a young vampire and my heart dropped. The rogue vampires under Draven's command attacked my mate. This is what I feared most when I realised she ran off.
When I reached the clearing, Felice and Aicha were still busy, their fangs buried into each of the vampire's arms they had caught.
The vampire was reasonably powerful. He twisted his body at an incredible speed and then threw Felice and Aicha off him. They both flew away several feet before they were able to twist their bodies, landing on their feet whilst their claws dug into the ground to stop them from moving further away.
Felice was the first to go back after him, the vampire baring his fangs and hissing at Felice. Felice bit down on his ankle, the vampire growling in pain as he attempted to kick Felice off of him again but this time Felice was prepared and had a much deeper grip on him. I heard a crunch, the sound of Felice biting into bone. The screams that left the vampire were filled with so much pain, it had me grinning with joy.
I didn't see her but I could hear Aicha running past me to help Felice with the vampire whilst I scanned the clearing for her.
"Get the fuck off me, you fucking mutts!" The vampire thrashed and kicked, Felice and Aicha letting go to snap their jaws at other parts of his body. I can barely pay attention to the fight going on in front of me, my eyes narrowing on Asmara's unmoving body. My world spun and pure fear coursed through my veins. Angry growls erupted from my throat and the vampire shit himself at the sound.
I could sense he wanted to run, the vampire trying to put as much space between him and the other two before he could attempt his retreat.
I don't fucking think so.
The vampire didn't have time to take another step before all hell broke loose. Suddenly, I was next to him, Adrenaline and pure rage coursing through my body as my eyes met with his. Understanding and paralyzing fear crossed his expression. He knew what was coming. My hands were already pressed tightly against the sides of his head when I began to tear the ligaments that were keeping his head attached to the rest of him.
I released an angered yell as I ripped his head from his shoulders. Blood splattered everywhere and all over me, the vampire's screams ceasing when I dropped his head and it hit the ground with a hard thud. A second later his body collapsed to its knees before falling backwards. My body was shaking, Felice and Aicha approaching Asmara's body with whines leaving them.
There was a female but she ran away before we could grab her. Felice tells me but the words fall on death ears as I turn around and walks towards Asmara.
I knelt beside her and lifted her into my arms. My eyes instantly found the bite marks on her neck and wrist, my nose burning at the smell of her blood. Seeing her this way devastated me, my wolf coming to the surface to stare down at her, our heart aching. She had lost so much blood. She was barely breathing when I lifted her chest to my ear, hearing the faint sound of her heartbeat as it began to flicker out.
She's going to die...
I buried my head into her chest, Aicha beyond confused by my pain and vulnerability for Asmara. I had never shown this much emotion towards anyone in my life and then it dawned on her. She now understood why Asmara was treated differently this whole time, considering she was just supposed to be a prisoner.
Felice came up beside me, his words pulling me back to reality. Torben, mark her. If she's able to form a connection with her wolf it might be the power she needs to survive.
And if it doesn't work?
Then at least you tried.
I look down at Asmara, contemplating my choices. She'll never forgive me for marking her without her consent but I'd rather her be angry with me than for her to die here in my arms.
Her rejection is going to kill my wolf but It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
I allow my wolf to take over, my fang elongating past my top lip. I look down at her, she looks so peaceful but as soon as she realises what I've done, a full storm will be coming my way.
I hope one day she can find it within herself to forgive me.
I bring her neck close to my lips and take in a deep breath before burying my fangs beneath her flesh, feeling her entire being ignite my very soul. I gasp at the sensation, electricity pulsing through every nerve ending in my body. I can feel everything, her wolf's presence overwhelming my wolf with disbelief and relief.
When I pull my lips away she remains limp but I pick up the now steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
Fuck me, It worked!
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- Asmara
I could feel death approaching as I edged closer and closer. The darkness was unsettling but I wasn't afraid. Maybe this was fate and my death would help keep my family safe. No one would be able to use me against them and I could finally relax. Torben would lose his leverage over my family and his plans for vengeance would become obsolete.
Death was starting to sound more and more appealing the more I thought about it. For once I didn't have a say in whether I lived or died and having that pressure taken helped me accept it. Having no control over something was less frightening than I thought it would be.
Death is so close now, my body slowly giving up. The damage was too much and there's no way that my human body could survive that.
If I have any regrets, it's that I never got to say goodbye to my family or that I never got to speak to Reagan again. But most of all, I regret that I never got to meet my wolf.
I wonder what she would have been like. What she would have looked like. How can I miss someone I never even met?
I've lost track of time. I don't think time is a thing when you're dying but it feels like the darkness is going on forever with no end.
Is this all the afterlife is?
Do I not even get to meet the moon goddess?
Death is rather disappointing.
Without warning, sparks run through my entire being. My very soul feels like it's being awoken for the very first time and at first, it feels energising and pleasurable before pain, which I've only experienced once, attacks my mind and soul.
The same pain that I felt beneath the light of the blue moon has overcome me once again but I'm unable to scream. I feel that empty space in my mind and it begins to feel not so empty anymore, another presence breaking through as a connection begins to take form.
Two entities in one mind.
MY WOLF!
After all these years I can sense her, the pain fading slowly until all I can feel is her. But how is this possible?
A minute ago I thought I was dying and now I've been connected with my wolf for the first time...
...How?
A peaceful warmth slowly encases me followed by a flash of light that completely destroys the darkness that once surrounded me. I can't see anything, the light too bright for my sensitive eyes. Is this the light people talk about seeing when they die? Am I finally dead?
I don't feel dead. It anything I feel more alive than I have in my entire life.
It takes a while but the light slowly becomes less bright and soon I'm able to pry my eyes open. I gasp, finding myself standing on a bridge, holding the railing as I stare down at the lake that runs between the two fields. I'm back home but it's so quiet, not a person to be seen. The fields that are usually packed with people training or playing are completely empty.
My father's castle is in the distance, my heart aching at the prospect that I may never be able to go back home.
Goddess, I miss it.
"Is this the afterlife?" I find myself asking myself out loud.
I jump when someone takes it upon themselves to answer me, "Not quite."
I turn around, my mouth agape as I stare at the woman now in front of me. She stares back at me with bright, blue eyes, framed with the darkest black hair I have ever seen. Her features are flawless and I'm in awe of her, admiring the blue long-sleeved, floor-length dress that adorns her petite form.
It took me a while of staring before I was able to find my words again, "Who are you?"
She appears annoyed with herself after forgetting to introduce herself, "Of course, where are my manners? My name is Raven. I was a close friend to both your parents."
I stare back at her in disbelief, "Raven?"
She smiles back at me, "That's right."
"H-how is this possible?" Surely I must be dead if I'm seeing Raven's ghost.
"It's a little complicated, but when I died I gave you a sliver of my life source, strong enough so that I could one day speak to you," She explains as simply as she can but it doesn't make it any easier for me to understand. Mother had said that Raven gave me something when I wasn't even born yet. Is this it?
"I have visions," I bring to light, Raven, nodding with a knowing look. "Mother said that when you were dying you gave me a gift. Are they a part of it?
Raven nods, "The visions barely touch the surface, but yes. They need little power to be activated."
"I'm sorry?"
"My powers are strong and need a strong life force to be activated. Only a person with a full soul can use them, but without you're wolf to fill the void, you had only half a soul," Raven explains to me. "However, the visions don't require much power so a complete soul isn't necessary. That's why, even with half a soul, you were able to have them. They acted as a guide and put you in the path of your mate."
I shake my head, "I-I don't have one."
Raven can't help but laugh and shake her head at me, "Silly girl, always believing the worst. I know you can feel your wolf, your soul is now connected with hers and believe me, she knows exactly who your mate is." At her words, I feel it. The separate entity within my mind is amused, confirming Raven's words but she keeps her secret to herself.
How is that fair?
"Who?" I ask, desperate to know who they're talking about.
"I'm not going to answer that for him, he can do that himself. He has a lot of explaining to do when you wake up," Raven is adamant that she's not going to tell me and I can't help but grow more curious, frustrated that between her and my wolf, I'm the only one who doesn't know what's going on.
"So what exactly did you give me?" I question, trying to mentally prepare myself for her answer.
"I gave you everything," She answers vaguely, my mind spinning, "Draven took so much from you so I gave you everything I had. Everything he would kill to possess. My powers and the ability for your mate to recognise you."
I'm lost for words.
How could she give away so much?
A few seconds go past and I can feel myself waking, my consciousness slowly growing stronger. I tense when Raven rushes forward, gripping my arm. She speaks with urgency when she warns me, "Listen, we don't have much time and there is a lot to explain. You are connected to your wolf now and that means your soul is now complete, meaning you are now more valuable to my brother more than ever."
"Wha-?"
Raven cuts me off, "I don't have time to answer your questions, I can only warn you of what's to come." This is all too much to take in and I don't know If I'll ever be able to remember it all but I do my best to focus on her warning. "Because you didn't have your wolf, most of my powers remained dormant or too week to detect and so my brother was unable to sense them, but now they are very much active inside of you now that you and your wolf are one. You need to be careful, Asmara and only use them when you absolutely need to. If, or when, my brother finds out, you'll become an even bigger target and he'll do anything to extract them from you as he did with the ones you were born with."
I'm physically shaking, not at all mentally prepared for what she's telling me. She pulls my shaking body into an embrace, kissing my forehead and whispering, "I'm sorry, I did what I thought was right in order to keep you safe. Look out for yourself, Asmara."
I don't have time to respond, the world around me disappearing when I finally wake up.
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Torben has now marked Asmara. Eeek! Thoughts?
How do you think Asmara will react when she finds out?
Were your theories about Raven's gift right?
Don't forget to vote, comment and follow me for future announcements.