“Who are you? You’re not a human!”
My power enveloped me in purple light as I opened my fists and it spread like a lightning bolt, cutting all paths. Like a rat trapped in the corner, he hunched his shoulders and bent his horns, but he could not match my power.
“I am the Believer and you just made the worst mistake of your pitiful life!” I yelled and shot the first fireball that ended on his horns. It took only moments before it burned the whole thing and despite his futile attempts, he didn’t avoid it.
“The Believer?” His circular teeth that caused the damage shattered.
“This is for Lena,” I said as I delivered another shot, burning his fur, but when the smoke dissipated, his form had grown in size.
“Stupid girl! You forget that your boyfriend died and shapeshifter souls are more powerful than anything!” He licked his lips in satisfaction.
My senses fired as I registered his words. “How dare you!” I rose in the air with my powers circling out of control, destroying everything in their path. “Give me his soul now.”
“Ha! I don’t think so!” He attacked, but couldn’t get past the wall that rose up to protect me.
Jacques! Jacques! The facts collided in my mind as the realization dawned upon me. That horned thing had swallowed his soul. His soul. Explosions filled the air as my power responded to the explosions happening inside my hand. Holding my hand upright, I focused and aiming at him, I shot a lightning bolt. It was supposed to destroy him, but it dissipated as soon as a white wall rose up and thwarted it.
Staring at the white wall, my eyes watered as I saw his image mirrored. My breath caught, but a moment later, a light from the wall shot up to my necklace and warmth enveloped me as his soul entered my necklace. Holding my necklace, I swallowed. A light breeze surrounded my waist and I smiled. I could almost feel his arms around me and his lips brushing my forehead.
“You’re dead!” The wolpertinger jumped with his jaws open and using both hands, I pushed the air hard, feeling Jacques’ pulse inside my necklace. The wolpertinger screamed and his screams filled the atmosphere with nightmares and giving the final hit, I pulled Jacques’s sabre and let it fly.
At its own volition, the sabre flew and cut him in half. Turning away, I heard splattering sounds and pieces falling down. Waiting for the horrors to subdue, I looked up and opening my arms, I kicked away the darkness, revealing the morning sun.
Lowering to the ground, the entire destruction was laid out before me. Trees had fallen, hit by my lightning while some parts of the earth had grown to form uneven angles. But the worst part was the ground. The soil beneath my feet was burned, still smoking where the wolpertinger’s body lay, blood dripping, painting the fresh soil red.
My necklace rose and a silver light shot up. Jacques’s soul, cast me a loving look. He was dressed in the same shirt and jeans like before, but he was transparent.
Before I could say anything, he dissipated in the atmosphere and glowing stars ascended. “Jacques! Jacques!” My rough voice could help me no more than my weak knees could. Sitting near a bush, I lay down and I thought it would be best if I died right then and there. I would be with him in peace and love.
Chapter 9: Lost and Found
Memories danced in my head as I slowly opened my eyes to stare at the white walls.
Even if I didn’t know where I was, the foul smell embedded in every inch of the room didn’t leave another choice than a hospital.
“Violet! You’re awake!” Diane’s voice sounded too loud for my comfort. “I’m so glad!”
“What are you doing here? Why am I in a hospital?”
“They said you passed out and wanted to make sure everything was all right, so they sent you to the hospital. You’re in Emberfall.” She shrugged her shoulders as confusion settled on her features. “Don’t know why they didn’t send you to the Oklealia hospital though. It would have been shorter a distance.” She smiled. “It’s great to see you though.”
My memories flowed as I tried to compose a picture of what happened but I couldn’t remember.
“Kristy is going to visit you later today and Mom and Dad in the afternoon after work. Doctors said you fell and only minor bruises are not a cause for an alert. Your academy makes a big fuss out of nothing apparently.” Tugging into my arm, her eyes lit. “Oh, you won’t believe what I saw outside the hospital doors!”
Her constant chatter was starting to tire me and I tuned out, but my ears perked up at her next words.
“A rabbit!” Giggling, she added, “Of all the places to be.”
I bolted into an upright position as a frightening memory surfaced, making me cringe. “A rabbit?” Jacques!
“Relax, it’s not going to eat you.” Diane shook her head as my door opened to reveal Kristy. When I cast her a look, my heart stopped beating. Her normally cheery face was drawn into a frown and an excessive amount of fairy dust was spilled into her face but I knew what lay underneath: tears. Wearing a black dress with black boots, she sat next to me and I steeled myself. She shook her head and my breath caught.
“Why don’t you take a break, Diane? Coffee is great downstairs. I’ll keep her company for a while.”
Nodding, Diane headed for the door. “I’m sorry about your friend, Kristy.”
When the door had shut, I turned to look at her with pleading eyes.
“I’m sorry, Violet,” she uttered, and my world collapsed. The room turned blurry as frost covered everything, giving it a snowy background. "Get a grip!” Kristy grabbed my arm.
“I saw him, he saved me.” I rocked back and forth with no way to give myself any relief from the everlasting pain. “Jacques…”
“He loved you and he was never going to stand back and let you fight alone, you know that.” Kristy’s voice was barely heard as she wiped her tears. “He was going to protect you no matter what.”
I lay on the bed, my tears streamed down my face, hemorrhaging bits of my bleeding soul. Kristy bent to hug me. “It’s so unfair!” I breathed, my body shaking and she reached out to stroke my face.
I stayed in the hospital one day, but was released soon after as the doctors didn’t feel I had anything but some bruises. I kept a fake smile on my face at all times while my heart was breaking in more pieces than the existing realms. As it was the weekend, I stayed with my family and departed on Sunday morning back to the academy. I kept my eyes closed at all times because everything hurt.
He had left his essence everywhere I looked and the pain was unbearable. Kristy had told me he couldn’t be buried since shapeshifters just disappeared without leaving anything behind, just memories for us, but I considered getting another room in the academy because this one was going to be packed with his essence.
“Hi, Violet!” Lena greeted me in the kitchen and I stared at her. She had woken up some days after the showdown and even if I was glad she was all right, I cursed the universe for the unfairness of all. If she was alive, why couldn’t he?
“Hi, Lena.”
“How are you feeling? Was it serious?”
Gathering courage to face the room across from me, I looked at her. “I’m fine. How are you?”
“Good. I missed some classes because of my illness, but it’s all good. The exams are soon so I’ll study hard and I’m sure I’ll ace them.” Her glowing smile was hurting my heart. She didn’t know anything that happened and I envied her. Knowing why didn’t make things easier. “If you need any help, let me know.” She winked and disappeared into her room.
My room was clean and the smell of lavender circled the room. The only sign of disarray was the silver-blue dust on the furniture. Taking a sweater that had fallen down, I smelled it and his sweet essence of the woods enveloped me. I lay on the bed, hugging the sweater, not caring for the tears that ruined my face.
The next few weeks were rough and the spring flowers and the birds that sang taunted me. Everyone should be unhappy and grieving for the loss of the most beautiful soul, not cheerful and h
appy with new beginnings. I wore gloves at all times even if it was weird. My powers had gotten out of control again, but I didn’t have the strength to deal with them. I just wanted to grieve.
“Hey there!” a voice yelled when I was getting out of class one day.
Looking up, my pupils dilated. Bringing my hands closer to my chest, I tried to keep my powers under control, but it was an accident waiting to happen.
“It’s Violet, isn’t it?” Raid stood in the hallway casually with a smile on his face like he was a regular senior. “I wanted to see how you’ve been and say sorry for the whole mess.”
“Sorry?” I tilted my head, thinking I must have heard wrong.
“You know, we were not strong enough to resist him, but fortunately, Jac took care of it.”
My heart hurt and I was seeing red. “It’s Jacques and I don’t care whether you were strong or weak. You’re a coward!” I pointed at him, not bothering to lower my voice. “You swallowed the souls so you didn’t want to resist. If you wanted, you would have stopped him long before.” My lip curled in disgust but he just shrugged.
“I get it, you’re hurt, but if you want help…”
A loud crack sounded as a vase along with the shelf came bumping on his head and he only escaped it because he jumped away at the last minute. I walked away like nothing had happened.
That’s what I’ll do with your apology.
The universe must really have hated me because Raid didn’t leave me alone. He would catch up with me after class or even knock on the door to our apartment, but I got rid of him within five minutes. Of course, his presence triggered weird unexplained phenomena, but no one suspected it was me. Not even Raid and it would have been funny on another day, on another time where Jacques was still alive.
“He seems impressed by you,” Lena said one day when I had kicked Raid out of our apartment once again.
“He’s creepy,” I said flatly and she nodded.
“He’s hot, but I’ll agree with you. He shouldn’t be bothering you. Especially not now.”
Taking my cup of tea, I headed to my room. I had made sure Lena had the right picture of him since I didn’t want a repetition. She knew I had lost a friend, but she didn’t know how or why. Curling on my bed with the sweater, I shivered as sobs overwhelmed me. Jacques! I called through the night, but my shapeshifter was not here.
Raid dropped the act of being nice and asking after only a week. He pursued me like the wild animal he was and I vanished into hiding, as I had no strength for fighting him. Casting invisibility spells was my only line of defense. The raining of objects had cast rumors of the building being haunting and it didn’t do anything to fix the situation. They only slowed him down.
On a Friday night, after evading him, I locked myself into my room and cried. Terrified to leave, terrified to move, hurt by loss, I curled into a ball. A startling sound echoed into the dark room as a knock disturbed the silence. Staring at the door, my eyes dilated. Unable to handle it any longer, I bolted from the open window and casting a spell, I lowered myself to the ground and took off to the woods.`
I couldn’t think as terror grew inside me, making my breath come in small puffs. I ran for a long time until I stopped into a clearing and a familiar sense of warmth and security enveloped me. A soft glow emitted and when I got close, my hand went immediately to my necklace. I hadn’t touched it since he left the world.
Our cave. The soft glow came from the cave he found for us, but we never used it. I almost expected him to come out and wrap me into his arms. I’m sorry. Blinking, I bit my lip and decided to enter even if it would be painful afterward. Raid would never think of coming here to bother me and I felt safe here.
Once inside I smiled, feeling the cave powering me up with happy memories, but when my eyes fell at the far end, I noticed someone else had taken shelter. I walked backward, but when my gaze crossed with the stranger’s, I quivered.
No! My body trembled like an earthquake vibrated the ground. The stranger rose from his seat with difficulty, holding his side. Eyes bluer than the sky hurt my vision and I saw more than heard his lips shaping my name. The cave became suddenly very dark as I lost control of my senses.
Jacques!
◆◆◆
When I came to, I opened slowly my eyes, but shut them again frightened as his image didn’t leave my eyesight. Did I hit my head somewhere and his picture was glued in my brain permanently?
“Violet!” He breathed my name as a tear descended on his cheek. Jacques never cried. That must be a dream or dark magic.
“You’re dead,” I said and my body shook in protest.
“My flower,” he said and placed his fingers on my temple. I jolted at his touch, “I’m here. Alive.” He continued brushing my face with his fingers and I felt them wet from the tears that clouded my vision.
“No, this is a dream that came to haunt me.” My tears pooled and I tried to sit up but he pushed me back.
“I’m real. I’ve been here ever since the wolpertinger was defeated with my sabre.” His tears continued to spill while a look of hurt settled on his features. “Why didn’t you come to look for me?”
He couldn’t have known I defeated the wolpertinger with his sabre unless he was actually there. “You’re not dead?” I whispered, my voice drowning, begging.
“No, my Violet.”
“I thought…I thought you were dead! The necklace isn’t glowing anymore and Kristy said…she said…” I clasped my hand on my mouth and closed my eyes.
His arms pulled me toward him and I cried. He stroked my back and I felt him shaking. “My Violet, the necklace doesn’t work for me anymore.” I sniffed as I listened to his voice. “I’m not a shapeshifter anymore.”
Startled, I pulled away and took a good look at him, but I couldn’t detect anything different. His breath came out ragged but other than that, he was the same boy I loved.
“How? I saw you going upward and then—” I shook my head at the painful memory.
Shooting me a strange look, he said, “And where was I supposed to go? Down? My soul was reunited with my body which for some reason was here. When I came to, I couldn’t shift anymore, but it’s all right. I am not healed yet and it’s difficult to walk, but I didn’t want to get jumped by anyone tonight.” He sighed. “I thought you were dead when you didn’t come looking for me.”
“I didn’t know,” I said, crying and he enveloped me in his warmth. Laying down, I placed my head on his chest and traced his wounded arm. The tree was still there, but it looked like a past wound. “Maybe I can try.”
“That doesn’t hurt me. My torso bothers me a great deal.”
I jumped away instantly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…” I removed part of his shirt, but I couldn’t see anything that would cause him pain.
“I think it’s the transition. It should pass in a couple of days,” Jacques said, pulling my arm but I didn’t give in.
“You’re hurt.”
“And I’ve missed you,” he said and my heart jumped at the sight of his pleading eyes. I let myself be enveloped in his warmth as he brushed his lips on my head before kissing me. “Hmm…not great. I’m still weak,” he said when he pulled away.
“It was nice.” I blushed and looked for a blanket. The kiss didn’t last long, but it had the same passion it always had, making me breathless, needing more. “I should take you to the Blessed Realm, they could heal you better and they will be relieved. They all think you’re…” I swallowed.
“I can’t enter that place anymore. I’m human and the gate won’t let me in.”
The realization hit me when I registered his words. He wasn’t a shapeshifter anymore, but a human. Like me. He gave his powers to be with me. I bit my trembling lip and managed, “Then, Kristy. She can heal humans.”
“Violet,” he whispered as he pulled me into his tight hug. “I would give up everything for you and I will never regret it. My only regret is that I didn’t act faster.” He kissed my fing
ers and smiled. “It will take some time to get used to this form, but I will be fine. Don’t be sad for me. I wanted to be human. That’s why I didn’t retain my rabbit form more than necessary.”
“I’m sorry.”
He scowled. “If you say that again, I’m going to kiss you until you’re out of breath.”
“Is that a threat?” I returned his gaze and blushed.
“Absolutely.”
“I’m going to call Kristy.” I sat in an upright position but he pulled me back.
“Don’t you dare, I’m fine,” he protested.
“You’re not fine!” I yelled with a trembling voice and he sighed, letting me go.
I summoned Kristy and then scoured the cave for food which I found carefully tucked in a corner and prepared a meal out of dried food and fruits.
“I’ve seen many miracles, but none is anything like this,” Kristy said, bursting into the cave. “Do you want to scare everyone? Why didn’t you call?”
Jacques tried to talk, but gave up as the yelling continued. I brought the meal and cleared my throat, altering her monologue.
“He is a human and hurt. Can you heal him?”
“Oh.” Kristy looked at Jacques then at me. “Shoot!” Waving her hands, fairy dust elevated in the air. “That explains it, but how did you come here? You’re hurt.”
“I don’t know, I can’t remember much after the fight.” Jacques winced as the fairy dust covered his side and then sighed. “Better. Thank you.”
“I have to go,” I said and Jacques stared at me. “It’s Friday.”
“We missed a lesson and the professor will substitute it tomorrow. I have to go and I have to see what to do about summer break.” I scratched my head, confused by the new developments. “My parents want me home.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him and we’ll think of something,” Kristy said and heading for the exit, I waved goodbye. “You’re angry.” Kristy followed me outside and we walked in the woods.
Beware the Violet (The Eulogimenoi Series Book 1) Page 31