Souled

by Diana Murdock

  “Hello?” Dani took in a short, quick breath as she looked into my eyes. “Where are you?”

  I gripped her hands tighter and quickly pulled her close, breathing in the flowery scent of her hair. “I love you, Dani,” I whispered in her ear.

  Our arms slipped around each other and I held on.

  The music slowed and I pulled her even closer. Over her head, I saw Dirk across the dance floor, his eyes focused on me. Against the wall, Goth still watched. I shut them out, shut everyone out, and lost myself to Dani’s voice as she sang the words of the song.

  Justin and his date were dancing pretty close, too. Justin glanced at Dani, then realized I was watching him. He gave me a quick s’up nod before burying his face against his date’s hair.

  I didn’t want to know what Justin was feeling, I didn’t want to sense Dirk’s anger, or the Goth’s damn curiosity, and I didn’t want this freakish thing I was becoming. All I wanted was to enjoy this dance, and to remember how it felt to have Dani’s body against mine.

  Because I had an awful feeling I might not have the chance to dance with her this way again.

  ~ ~ ~

  Women found Maksim compelling and attractive—a fact Silura tried to ignore. And his powers of seduction were increasing with each lesson she gave him.

  Her heart clenched at the thought that he touched other women with his energy. When she herself reached out to the women in the village, she felt their lust for Maksim.

  He was merely attempting to perfect his skills, he insisted to her. These women meant nothing to him.

  She understood… to a point. Maksim needed to practice energy transfer on unknowing men and women. Still, she would have preferred that he practiced only on men.

  She leaned against the thatched hut of the herbalist, watching her lover across the square. Her smile held both pride and jealousy. He was a glorious man, in a position that suited him well.

  He had just released his hold on one of the village girls, leaving her weak-kneed and speechless. Backing away a few paces and stepping slowly so that his body turned in a circle, he spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. His body quivered slightly as he gathered the energy of those around him, searching, feeling, and learning.

  Whispers of the arrangement between Maksim and her had undoubtedly passed through the village. Despite this—or perhaps because of it—people were drawn to him like bees to a hive. But they knew better than to get too close.

  How ironic, she thought, bitterness pulling her lips into a straight line. She had chosen to love the one man she now knew would never be tamed, whose lusty appetite for women would only be enhanced by what she taught him. It was an appetite she wished she could control, that she alone wished to satisfy... and perhaps, even turn to love.

  Love. It was something she had never felt. Until now. It consumed her every thought. She would turn her eyes away from his infidelities. She would continue to train him to be a great sorcerer. And yes, she freely admitted to herself, she would die for him. Is that not what true love was? The willingness to give one’s life for another? She doubted he was capable of such depth, but she still loved the arrogant bastard.

  The circle of women closed around him, twittering eagerly.

  She sighed. A touch was all she craved from him, and like a beacon, he answered.

  Over the heads of his admirers, he glanced in her direction and snared the energy that she stretched out to him.

  Her breath caught.

  He winked.

  She blushed.

  Yes. She would die for him. And perhaps, even kill.

  Love. It was a deadly emotion, indeed.

  ~ ~ ~

  I am no demon, but a curse. And the curse is me.

  ~ Maksim

  Chapter 11

  “May I help you?”

  The clerk behind the counter started to put down a spray bottle and a rag when I came into the jewelry store, but I put up my hand and shook my head.

  “I’m just looking, thanks.”

  She looked at me a long second before going back to wiping down the glass cases, but she kept an eye on me as I walked down the short length of the counter. On the far end of the case, the selection of earrings sparkled under the lights. I leaned over the glass to get a better look. There were quite a few sizes and shapes to choose from, but the only pair that was in the price range Dad and I had agreed upon were the one-quarter carat studs. They were dwarfed compared to the one- and two-carat diamonds that sat next to them in their black boxes, but the heart-shaped earrings would be perfect for Dani. Man, what I wouldn’t do to be able to give Dani the bigger cuts of diamonds, especially the two-carat solitaire pair that sat higher up on a display box. They would look great on Dani. Someday, I thought. Someday.

  I traced the outline of the square diamonds on the glass above it. Maybe I could get a part-time job on the weekends that wouldn’t interfere with school or wrestling. Then I could…

  The glass beneath my finger heated a little before giving way under the slight pressure of my finger. The diamonds looked distorted where the glass shimmied under my touch.

  Take them.

  I yanked my hand back and the glass shifted back. I gripped the edge of the glass case until my knuckles ached. A grunt slipped out as pain shot through the middle of my chest. Are you freakin’ serious? I was not a thief.

  “Did you find something you liked?” The short, dark-haired young woman stood behind the counter, her eyes sweeping my face and body.

  Startled, I stepped back two steps and swallowed hard.

  She raised her brows.

  “Those.” I stepped close again and tapped the glass over the smaller earrings, then pulled my hand away, afraid the glass would melt under my fingers again.

  She smiled as she pulled the keys out of her pocket to unlock the case. “Lucky girl,” she said under her breath. “Perfect timing,” she said louder. “They’re on sale this week.”

  “Yeah, I heard your ad on the radio,” I said.

  I slid my credit card over the glass.

  She picked it up and studied it. Looking up at me, she smiled. “May I see some ID?” Her tongue slid across her lips and desire rolled off her like a tidal wave.

  I was drawing her in. He was drawing her in. Her raw lust flowed through my veins. I held her stare until she staggered under the weight of it.

  Ahh… Just like it used to be.

  What was I doing? What was Maksim doing? I needed to get out of there. I clenched my jaw hard. Whatever he was up to, I wouldn’t give in. I wasn’t a thief and I wasn’t going to screw around on Dani. I flashed my license, and with a long glance from the license to me, she took the credit card and earrings and walked to the other end of the store.

  “Can you put a ribbon or something on the box?” I called to her. I took another step back. The farther away the better.

  “Absolutely. No problem.”

  I turned and leaned against the glass, keeping my back to the sales girl while she rang up the sale.

  “Here you go,” she purred a few minutes later. She held up the small white box with a gold ribbon wrapped around it. Then she carefully placed it in a small bag and handed it to me.

  “Thanks,” I said, taking the bag from her, and backing away.

  “You are very welcome,” the girl sighed. “Do come back… soon.”

  Outside of the store, I pulled my collar up and my beanie down against the cold. I climbed into the truck and glanced at my watch. There was still time to get to Dani’s. I took the box out of the bag and held it.

  It would have been so easy to take it.

  I gripped the box tighter. No way. I hadn’t lost myself completely. Still… put my hand through glass? The temptation was getting to me.

  “Show me,” I challenged.

  Touch the windshield.

  I reached out and gently touched the glass. It was cool under my fingertips and solid, of course… until it quivered like Jell-O, before hardening again. I curled m
y hand into a fist, staring at it. I closed my eyes, not wanting to believe what I saw, but that didn’t keep my heart from thumping against my chest or the voice from speaking in my head.

  Why do you fight me? You have so much more to learn.

  The space underneath my ribs came alive with shards of pain as I shoved the keys into the ignition, turning the motor over. I gunned it and headed for home.

  Dani’s box now lay on the seat next to me, the gold bow crushed. I wasn’t ready to see Dani. This was bad. I couldn’t remember one time in the last two years that I’d purposely stayed away from her.

  It was a feeling I didn’t like at all.

  He cannot resist much longer, for the desire to have it all will overtake him.

  ~ Maksim

  Chapter 12

  The full moon glowed over Schweitzer Mountain and Scotchman’s Peak with the pearly shades of the pre-dawn morning. I was vaguely aware of the few cars that sped by on the road behind me. Sleep had evaded me, so with three more hours until school, I’d driven around and ended up parking my truck at the restaurant on the south end of the Long Bridge, the bridge that stretched over the water between Sandpoint and Sagle.

  In the two hours that I sat in my truck, I was schooled by Maksim in Fire 101. It wasn’t so hard, lighting matches without the striking them on anything, but then again, I wasn’t sure I had anything to do with it.

  The tip of the match that I held popped to life with nothing more than a brush of my finger, and now it seemed to burn endlessly. Bored, I snuffed the flame and put the match in the ashtray along with a dozen or so others. Since the dance, since stopping Dirk from getting near Dani, I’d begun to wonder what else I could do, what else Maksim could do. The constant temptation was too much for me. Besides, each time I tried to resist, the pain in my stomach and chest would get worse. Like I was being punished if I disobeyed.

  Shouldering open the door, I stepped out of the truck and made my way to the bridge. I walked slowly, my steps mirroring my breath that materialized as silvery-white apparitions before dissipating into the cold air. I took the undercrossing path to avoid being seen by the cars on the bridge, walking until I stood directly under it. The water level was still low, exposing the rocks along the edge of the lake.

  I stared into the water that rippled lazily against the columns of the bridge. The hollow roar of the cars seemed distant as I focused on the inky depths just beyond the railing. Why was I fighting this? Grabbing keys and forks, protecting my girl, lighting matches. Was that so bad? Hell, Sandpoint was filled with metaphysical groupies. I’d fit right in. Yeah. I could probably teach them a thing or two.

  I spread my arms and welcomed the cold morning air. If I just let go, Maksim’s energy would flow through me, as if I were a human conduit. It was like… I don’t know… like I was riding the crest of a wave and the momentum was pushing me forward.

  Allow me to guide you now.

  Do I have a choice? I asked him.

  There is always a choice. But the choices we make will not always bode well for us.

  I was still trying to figure out where the switch was to turn him off, but I didn’t want to turn his power off right now. I wanted to feel the power of doing something extraordinary, something no one else could do. So I closed my eyes and let Maksim guide me.

  Your core is everything. It is where your energy radiates from. It is a pulsating sphere waiting to expand. Release it.

  I found it, right below my ribs, sitting above my stomach: the solar plexus. My core pulsed, all right, mimicking the beat of my heart, which had suddenly sped up. I imagined a snowball that melted away as the edges bled outward. The consistent warmth and pressure pulsed its way around my muscles and bones before escaping the confines of my skin and losing itself in the space around me. I wasn’t a solitary entity anymore. I was blending with the energy of the air and water, mixing my energy with theirs.

  Become the water. As if the water is in you, and you in it.

  The two-thirds of my body that consisted of water found its counterpart in the lake and connected us on a deep level. The connection was like a key into a lock, and it fit perfectly.

  Push it. Pull it. Manipulate the stream of energy.

  I opened my eyes to let in the full spectrum of the water’s energy. A wet breath caught at my lungs, but there was no pain, no drowning, just infusion of the added energy from this element.

  As the water shifted below me, I brought my hands down over the railing, to redirect the flow of energy back away from me, back down upon the water, and created an indentation on its surface. Multiple ripples slid outward, without a sound, in endless succession.

  Now!

  My hands came together and lifted. The water drew up in response, gathering in a thin column, seeming as solid as the concrete pillars that held up the bridge. The top of the water crept higher and higher until it was almost level to my face. Fatigue took hold of my muscles, but I couldn’t let go and, despite my shaking arms, the water didn’t waver.

  Enough.

  Air rushed out of my lungs at the same time that my muscles released the pent-up energy, and the water collapsed onto itself with a shattering splash.

  Satisfaction spread through me like warm liquid. I felt like I was being given a pat on the back, like my teacher was pleased. Or like I was a ventriloquist’s dummy.

  Something inside me was changing. I felt it every time I stopped resisting Maksim. My mind and soul felt somehow tougher, their edges rougher.

  Now, with my energy spent, the cold bit hard into my skin. I brushed it away as I made my way back to my truck. It was still early in the morning, but Dani would be up by now. I needed to see her, needed to feel like things were normal. Like I was normal, even though I knew I wasn’t. Not anymore.

  # # #

  Through the curtains of Dani’s kitchen window I could see someone moving around. I pulled out my cell phone and sent her a text.

  You up?

  Yep.

  I’m outside.

  Dani’s face appeared at the window and she peered out into the still-quiet street. Seeing my truck, she waved at me.

  The front door opened noiselessly and Dani stepped back to let me in. “What are you doing here so early?” She rubbed her arms at the cold that followed me.

  “I couldn’t wait to see you.” I shrugged, trying for a light tone. “Your mom still asleep?”

  Dani nodded and motioned for me to follow her into the living room. “Is everything okay?” She kept her voice low.

  “I wanted to give you your birthday present.”

  She caught her breath at the sight of the small white box, and when she opened it, her mouth opened in surprise.

  “Seth! This is too much,” she protested, but her eyes gleamed.

  “Happy birthday.”

  Dani looked at me for a moment before walking over to the mirror that hung over the fireplace mantle. She took out the silver hoops she already had on and replaced them with the diamonds, tucking her hair behind her ears.

  “Oh, my God, Seth!” she gasped. “They’re beautiful!”

  I stood behind her and smiled at her reflection. “You’re beautiful,” I murmured.

  “Really, Seth. You didn’t have to—”

  “Shhh,” I said softly, holding her shoulders and turning her to face me. I wanted this moment to last. She looked at me with so much love in her eyes, so much trust. My hands tightened on her shoulders.

  Possess her. All of her.

  Dani went perfectly still, her gazed fixed on my face. She must have noticed the way I was shaking, how tightly I gripped her shoulders.

  I looked up. The clock had stopped ticking. I looked back at Dani’s upturned face, and I breathed in the stillness.

  Yes.

  This moment was mine.

  My hands slid down the length of her arms and gripped her hands. When she didn’t grip back, I stepped back and looked around.

  Impressed? laughed Maksim.

  I igno
red him. I was too busy being caught up in the power surging through me. I studied Dani’s face and looked at her in a way I’d dared only in my dreams. Leaning closer, I caught the scent of her freshly-washed hair. Even her skin smelled like flowers. I nuzzled the soft spot behind her ear and nibbled on the lobe. Her skin was smooth beneath my fingers as I trailed a line down her neck, across her collarbone, to the hollow of her throat, feeling the pulse of her heart. Cradling her face in my hands, I brushed my tongue lightly over her lips, flicking the corners of her slightly-parted mouth.

  I smiled against her lips. I needed to seduce and control her because…

  She is mine.

  No! She’s mine! I warned.

  That is what I said. She’s yours.

  But the moment was lost as I started to second guess what I heard.

  I felt Dani flinch at my kiss, and at her own eagerness. But it was only a moment before she pushed me away, breathless, blinking in surprise.

  “Wow! You have a way of making me forget everything when you kiss me like that!”

  I leaned in again. I wasn’t done. I wanted that moment back again.

  Dani pressed her hand against my chest. “I think I hear my mom,” she whispered. Her reflection in the mirror stopped her before she turned around. She gently touched her ears and her eyes met mine. “Thank you, Seth. They’re beautiful.” Her smile dissolved into a gasp and she spun around, staring at my eyes. She looked behind me, then at my eyes again.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked her.

  She shook her head. “Um… nothing. I thought I saw… It must have been a reflection… or something.”

  “Good morning, Seth! What are you doing here so early?” Janice made her way down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen.