Lost Girl (Soul Bound Book 1)

by E. M Jefferson

  “At the beginning” he looks shocked that I would want to know his story and background.

  “That could take a while”

  “I have time” I tell him as I lean my head on his arm

  “Very well. I was born when the portal between Earth and Faery still worked, when my home land was filled with life much like this conservatory” As he starts to speak I listen with rapid attention, forgetting about the wonderful life around me and instead focus on the man next to me.

  “I was at a young age where the crown did not mean much to me as I longed for adventure, to explode the worlds. However, I could not for the beast within me was uncontrollable at the time where he would emerge and do what he pleased”

  “But you have control now”

  “Yes, but it took centuries to control and work in harmony”

  “and you can lie which means you are not full Fae” I say once more interrupting him.

  “That is where your wrong Belle, for my mother was a steelie Fae but my Father was an unseelie Fae. One was born from the courts of light, where my father was born from the shadows. Most knew him as a Horde Fae”

  “What are those?”

  “My race is nearly extinct as most stayed behind when the portal shut, however they resembled beast more than man, where fur or horns grow out their heads, sometimes they had extra limbs or even characteristics of an animal” He tells me trying to scare me, but instead I find it fascinating as I learn more.

  “Is that why you can lie?” I ask him

  “No but it is the reason why I am the King of Fae”

  “But refuse the crown, so how come you can lie?”

  “Always with the questions, I’ll bite but afterwards. You will tell me what I want to know”

  “Fine! But you haven’t told me much”

  “I’ve told you more than I’ve ever told anyone” He looks down at me with a raised eyebrow as I look up with pleading eyes wanting to know more. “Not today Belle, the reason I can lie is simple. I traded my heart away for the ability to lie as it has saved me more than I care to admit”

  “But how do you feel emotions?”

  Dante pinches the bridge of his nose before closing his eyes. “I already told you my heart is nothing but a dead organ, most likely turned to dust as I don’t feel emotions” He tells me with a straight face, but I can almost sense the lie. His lying to me but why?

  “Ok?”

  “Tell me about you Belle”

  “There’s nothing much really” He gives me a pointed look as I tell him my story which I know he already knows.

  “That doesn’t explain how you can breathe underwater”

  Letting out a small laugh I shake my head “Like I said I fell into the river and next thing I know I can breathe underwater and have been ever since”

  “If I had known that night then I would have waited for you to come out, but was that not your magic keeping me at bay?”

  “No, Ariel once told me it has something to do with protecting the creatures underwater when their threatened. I can’t remember what it was, but it wasn’t me. Magicless remember” I quip no longer caring I don’t have any cool abilities like others. However, my words have Dante looking at me very strangely as if he knows something I don’t. The bastard properly does but won’t tell me.

  “Come let’s get some lunch” Dante says all of a sudden as I watch his body for even a hint of something wrong. But his almost impossible to read.

  “Sure” I say as my belly grumbles at being denied food. Together we walk out of the conservatory and go hunting for food as we enjoy the rest of our day.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Knights Tavern

  Lies. It was all lies, that he had told me! I can’t believe he couldn’t have been honest about his past! The one thing I had wanted from him was at least some honest! Am I being over dramatic? No! I just can’t believe he had to lie. Why?

  When I got home from our little date yesterday, I had asked Alex about horde Fae, steelie and unseelie Fae. Turns outs its nearly impossible for different Fae species to mix, let alone product an offspring. Something about the instability of magic between the two forces that can’t mix.

  My feet pound against the tread mill as I increase my pace needing to work off this anger and betrayal I feel. I feel like I have been here before with him.

  Oh, and another thing I found out was that It would have been impossible for Dante to have been alive when Faery and Earth was connected. Turns out Faery was destroyed before Jesus was born. On average a Fae can live for a few thousand years but they would be near deaths door. What Dante was insisting was that he was born when Faery was young. Its impossible.

  I don’t get it! Why do people have to lie? Do they not understand that if people told the truth and answered honestly then it would save so many arguments and heart breaks? Even in books your read, if the main characters just told the truth do you know how much bull shit and inner monolog you would save on? Lots! It would save lots of paper being wasted on lies and even save time!

  The machine starts to slow down as I come to the end of my work out. I take a slow jog to prevent my muscle from cramping up and lowering my heart rate.

  “Damn girl. You really worked up a sweat” Alice says to me as she hopes off her machine.

  Downing my bottle of water I drink deep before replying “Yeah, I needed to work of some steam”

  “A bit? Girl you looked like you were about to kill someone” Alice laughs as we take a break before starting our next session.

  “I wasn’t that bad”

  “No… but if steam could come out your ears and if you could breathe smoke then that would be what you looked like”

  “Come on” I said throwing some pads at her. “Lets spare together”

  “Can I use magic?” Alice asks wiggling her eyebrows.

  “No girl. What’s wrong with using you own strength and skill without magic?” I tease

  “Everything! It means I need to actually do some work!” she stomps her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. I shouldn’t laugh but its adorable. “Don’t laugh at me! its not fair. Why shouldn’t I use my gifts that God blessed me with?”

  “Simple. What would happen if one day you woke up and no longer had them?”

  Alice looked like her worst fear had come to life as her face dropped and her body went tight. “Don’t ever joke about something like that. You do know that has happened to some witches?”

  “Exactly. That being my point. Its better to be able to defend yourself then be an easy picking” I said as I tightened the last strap.

  “Find!” Alice grumbles before putting her gloves on.

  Once ready me and Alice circled each other sizing each other up. Since Max gave me a concussion Dante and Alex surprisingly enough both agreed that Max was not allowed to train me. Even thou it was my own fault, neither wanted me to get hurt. But that was the point so I could work on not getting hurt in the future. But no matter how much I plead or tried to reason to them, they both refused to agree. So, Alice has taken it upon herself to help me out.

  Alice went for a swift attack, dropping low I went under her punch before giving her a tap against her side. I didn’t want to hurt her, but it was enough to get her to keep her defence up. She got frustrated every time I evaded her attack and countered it.

  “Fuck sake! Just let me hit you!” Alice screamed out.

  Doubling over I laughed deep, a full belly laugh ripped through my throat. “Alice! … The whole point … is to dodge … and counter… not stand and … get fucking hit” I said through laughter.

  “Where is the fun it that?” hands on her hips she looks like a spoilt brat.

  “This is not … meant to be … fucking fun!”

  “Stop fucking laughing at me” A few more snickers could be heard from people who have stopped to take in the scene.

  “Oh, I’m sorry … Maybe we should try that if were ever attack. Sorry Mr attacker … Please could you stand s
till …. While I punch you … while you’re at it ... could you please be my personal punching bag” I ended up on my knees from laughter where it became infectious to the point Alice was soon laughing. Both of us had tears in our eyes.

  “Oh, yes! Mr Attack! Could you just lay down … while I tie you up … don’t worry … it will only hurt a little” Alice comments.

  “You know between the pair of you, I’m pretty sure you could talk them to death. Or even have them running from your madness” Max comments from above.

  “MAX!” I scream out trying to stand up but failing. I look like a turtle on my back as my body refuses to cooperate.

  “Belle. Alice. Nice to see you both taking this serious”

  “Well Alice said it isn’t fun” I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

  “Well it isn’t! I can just zap them” Alice said as she made electric run over her fingers and wrist.

  “What are they? Fucking flies now!” Even Max is struggling to contain himself.

  “What have I just walked into?”

  “MADNESS! So, run while you can” A man shouts out who is also sitting down like us wiping his tears away.

  “See! Its perfect! All we have to do is make them laugh so hard that they can’t attack! Its fucking brilliant”

  “Yes, and why you’re at it. Do you think they would like a cup of fucking tea?!” I tried to be stern but ended up hiccupping.

  Both Max and Alice look at me before they shout, “What the fuck was that?!”

  Max shouts “Jinx”

  Alice Shouts “Jinx! Pad locked”

  “Children!”

  Alice sticks her tongue at me proving my point further as Max shakes his head in disbelief.

  “Looks like this work out failed”

  “Yep! With a big fucking F” Alice quips.

  “What are you two like?”

  “Awww, Max. don’t act like you haven’t missed us” I joke as I know Dante may have let him live but I knew he had ripped into him.

  “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you” Max says under his breath, but I still hear it. I pretend not to have heard it as I would never have through, he saw me as more than a friend. That’s what I through we were, maybe there was more to the reason behind him no longer being instructor.

  “I know! we should all go to a local pub down the road and have a catch up!” Alice is the first to suggest.

  Nodding my head “Sure, sounds like a good idea … Max?”

  “Why not … let me just finish up and you two get changed and I will meet you at reception” Max says before heading out.

  “Come Belle! First round is on you” Alice says before running out the gym. Laughing at her weird ways I follow her out and into the changing rooms.

  “Why is the first round on me?” I ask as I strip down and out of my gym kit.

  “You wouldn’t let me hit you” She says as she turns towards me in her sports bar and underwear.

  “That doesn’t count Alice!” I can’t believe her!

  “Does to” She pouts before getting into the shower. I know there’s no point in arguing when I hear the shower turn on.

  Shaking my head at her weird ways I get into my own shower where I quickly wash my body and hair. “Alice you dressed out there?” I shout. We may both be girls but still I don’t want to see her bits and bobs.

  “Come on! were both girls here! its not like you have anything I don’t! … unless you’re secretly a man!” She shouts loud enough that it echoes. What is with all these places being so echoey?

  “Oh yes. Why do you think Dante hangs around me? It isn’t because of my womanly ways but the toy between my legs” I say as I open the door where I stuffed my towel between my legs making it look like I have a giant bulge.

  “Come here. You sexy beast and let me have a taste” Alice jokes pretending to go down on her knees aa she makes it look like she’s about to unzip me.

  However, she chooses the wrong time as a young woman walked in, she grounded to a halt where she could she poor Alice’s head bobbing up and down while my face turns scarlet.

  “I’m so –“ She doesn’t finish as she rushes back out the door.

  “OMG that was hilarious” Alice says as she puts my towel in the bag.

  “Oh my God! That poor women through we were lesbians getting off!”

  “Probably scarred her for life” Alice appears to show concern before shrugging her shoulders and twisting her hand before saying “Oh well, maybe next time she will knock”

  “Alice!” I screech out her name as she leaves me behind.

  “Why do you care what people think? Its none of their business”

  “I don’t! but public places?”

  “You can’t really be that shy after you claimed Dante with a club full of people” She gives me an evil smirk while I turn beetroot. Never did it cross my mine that Alice, Ty and Kyle had witness that.

  My mouth open and closes like a fish where Alice walks away laughing at me. The cheek on her is unreal, I can’t believe she just said that to me.

  “Alice!” I shout after her. Hurry out the door I chase after her where she runs away from me. “Get back here!”

  “Na, I’m good” she says over her shoulder.

  Alice runs headfirst into Max who catches her before she falls. “Wow. Steady there. What’s going on?”

  “Belle- “

  “Nothing just girl talk” I said quick enough to cover Alice’s mouth with my hands before she can tell Max. I mean I don’t regret it, but she doesn’t need to go telling everyone.

  “Ok? So, what pub did you have in mind?” Max asks as I look to Alice.

  “Knights Tavern” Alice says

  “Isn’t that run by Hunter?” Max asks

  “Yeah, but his really laid back and chilled”

  “Who cares who runs it? As long as the drinks are cheap, and it isn’t a dive then who cares?” Why are people so obsessed with who runs a place?

  “Hunters drink are out of this world and they can be a bit pricey depending on what you order” Max says.

  Leaving them both to chat, I hanged back a bit as I felt this nagging feeling, deep in my gut that something was going to go wrong today. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. It was that feeling you felt when everything starts going well until “BANG” shit comes crashing down on you.

  As we walked the short distances my eyes keep looking at everyone that passed by. It might have been paranoia, but I learnt to trust my gut. Especially since meeting Jasper and being followed. Granted it had been that one time but once is enough to keep a person alert and aware of their surroundings.

  “Here we are” Alice declared in a very girly voice.

  Taking a look at Knights Tavern it was actually really charming. It has an 13th century vibe to it as the outside had its name in gold writing which was decorated with plant pots and roses. There was benches white umbrellas around them prevent the rain from ruining a persons night out. But what really had your attention was how they modernised it with an outdoor heating system which looked like a bonfire.

  Walking inside wooden flooring creaked under my feet which was kept really clean despite how old it looked. Everything was made out of wood which was dark brown. You could see the place hasn’t been changed or redecorated since it was first built by how the colour had faded away.

  “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Knights Tavern, the oldest pub in Oxford which hasn’t been changed since the 12th century” A kind barman said but my mind was stuck in the 12th century.

  “You mean you haven’t done a thing?” I needed him to clarity this. Why? I have no idea.

  “Nope! Only thing we have changed is the beer and wine we sell. So, what you fine folks thinking?” He said. The man was skinny looking with olive skin, short hair and the most kindest brown eyes I had ever seen.

  “I would like a witch’s cauldron” Alice replied

  “A feline purr” Max said

  Three sets of eye
s looked to me as the man began to make drinks. “No idea?”

  “There’s a menu just there, take you time and take your pick. We cater to everyone” He said giving me a warm smile.

  Taking the menu, I have a look for what would be a sweet drink as I wasn’t a lover of sour, bitter or acidy drinks like wine. The problem was I didn’t know any of these drink as I hadn’t really explored much alcoholic drinks. “What would be your most sweetest drink?” I asked the barman as he would know.