Mystic Bonds

by C C Solomon

  My eyes watered and my breath caught in my throat. I didn’t hear anything and my vision blurred until all I could see were shapes. I felt like I was dying. The pain remained but I forced myself to focus it into my remaining power. I thought I would explode from the pressure. Sweat dripped into my eyes, further compromising my vision. I could vaguely make out David’s form only a few feet away from me and I continued to focus on David, willing his heart to stop. I wouldn’t send him to hell. I wanted to see him die.

  And, as if part of some cosmic joke to my sensitive stomach, David’s body exploded. Bits of his blood, muscle, skin and other things of which I had no clue, flew everywhere, including on me and Lisa, who shielded Charles’ body from most of the gore.

  I collapsed back to the carpeted floor; my body stretched out and unmoving. Nothing would work, no matter how much I willed my limbs to move. I was paralyzed. I could hear Lisa screaming for me as she tried to heal my brother. She needed my help, but I could not move. I could not even turn my head to see her or Charles.

  The next moments became a blur. I heard the voices of Faith, Carter, and Erik. They sounded muffled, as if someone was talking through a covered phone receiver. Movements seemed irregular. People walked at a slow pace, yet suddenly appeared from one spot to another. Erik and Faith tried to move me, to get my body to wake up but it would not. Lisa shouted for them to help her heal Charles.

  Phillip poured magic into him. Bill, the best med mage in town, soon appeared. He gave every effort he could. Phillip moved to me, seemingly having given up the fight for Charles. He touched my forehead and closed his eyes and a warmth spread through me. Feeling returned to my limps with a warm tingle. As soon as I was able to get my body to function, I crawled to Charles to help. I tried to pour my magic into him but nothing came out. It was as if I was tapped out of any powers.

  I screamed in frustration. My brother was dying and I could do nothing to help.

  The growing group of paranormals soon stopped their efforts.

  We knew already before starting.

  Charles was dead. We simply weren’t powerful enough to heal an evil magic sent from hell or the wounds that had sliced into major arteries, along with the massive blood lost. But I couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t lose him. My brother. My family. He was all I had left.

  “Amina,” Erik said softly. He put his hands over mine, which were still on Charles’ chest. “He’s gone.”

  I swatted his hands away, continuing on. I willed in my mind’s eye for Charles to wake up and make a funny comment. But he didn’t. He just lie there, unmoving, eyes still aimed at the ceiling and unfocused.

  “No, no, no, no, no, no,” Lisa cried over and over. She grabbed Charles’ face. “Wake up, Charles. Wake up. We gotta go. Come on, come on. Please. Please.”

  I sat back. Nausea swept over me. Erik wrapped an arm over me and I tore away from him; getting up and running out of the crowded room. I raced to the bathroom and vomited in the sink until I could bring up nothing more.

  I fell to the tile floor and cried until I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t want to breathe ever again.

  Epilogue

  Phillip was sorry. He’d reasoned that if I hadn’t been in lock up, Charles wouldn’t have been there to free me, thus wouldn’t have been there to fight David. Of course, that would mean I might be the one David stabbed with the poisoned blade instead. However, I’d gladly exchange places with my younger brother if I could.

  I wanted to blame Phillip but I was still level headed enough to know that it hadn’t mattered where I was. If I were back in the apartment that I shared with Charles, the same thing could have happened. And it wasn’t Phillip’s fault. It was David’s, who I’d killed in the most gruesome of ways.

  When I was able to get up off of the floor, I left the apartment and went back to my own, walking the street covered in David’s bloody remains. I felt Erik walking at a short distance behind me but didn’t acknowledge him. He followed me inside my apartment. I went straight to the bathroom for a shower and when I got out and dressed, I went to Charles’ room and laid down on his unmade bed. More tears sprang from my eyes and I let out a guttural cry, hyperventilating in the process.

  Strong arms surrounded me, and I felt Erik’s chest against my back. He didn’t speak, just held me the rest of the night until I fell into a restless sleep.

  When morning came, I heard voices in the living room. Erik was no longer in bed and I got up and headed out of the room.

  Phillip stood in the center of the living room, speaking in a low voice to Erik. Phillip turned to me and his eyes actually looked pained.

  “I’m so sorry, mi corazon,” he stated.

  I sat down on the couch, feeling weak. I didn’t speak and looked down at my feet.

  “I came by to check on you and let you know that we were able to free the Chicago paranormal prisoners. Some of our people are on the way to the Charlotte one as we speak. We, well, Hagerstown and us, thought it best not to wait around and risk camps relocating again. David had the largest base, so the others were easier to attack.”

  I nodded slowly, feeling foggy. “Thank you,” I said in a weak voice. “Who let David out of hell?”

  Phillip walked over to me and lowered to my level, balancing on his toes and resting his arms on his thighs. “We don’t know. Did you have any other enemies besides David?”

  “Only the people who worked the prisons.”

  “The remaining leaders couldn’t have been powerful enough to do something like that.”

  “They could have forced a powerful witch to conjure him up.”

  “That would take one powerful witch. Or a collective of them. I’ll question everyone we bring in from Chicago and Charlotte.”

  I nodded again. “Why did my powers leave me?” I asked him.

  “I think it’s because you used your mage magic to kill, instead of just control. It happened to me once when we fought that nearby town. Bill was able to bring me back, but he was the only one. Before he got to me, I was paralyzed for an hour. It took several hours before my magic returned,” Phillip explained.

  “So, she can’t kill someone?” Erik questioned.

  “Of course, she can. However, it’s best you use a spell or power words like other witches or do it the old-fashioned way. If you don’t want to temporarily become paralyzed and lose your gifts. You can still do it indirectly though. Like through mind control.”

  “If I hadn’t killed David the way I did, maybe I could have saved Charles,” I whispered.

  Phillip shook his head. “He was dead before we got there, mi corazon. There was nothing you could have done differently. That piece of shit had to die.”

  “He’s right, Mina,” Erik chimed in.

  “I also came because I want you to know that you don’t have to stay in confinement anymore. You can go wherever you like in town. No one will bother you. The leaders of the various groups will be sending their condolences,” Phillip stated.

  “What about Felix?”

  “He’s still in lock up. I can’t change that before there’s a trial. I’m sorry.”

  I looked up at him. “Anything else, Phillip?”

  He frowned and shook his head. “We’re going to find the people who helped David. Charles was a good man. Despite our differences right now, corazon, I don’t mean you any harm. We’ll find out who helped David and if there is anything else you need, I’ll make sure you have it.”

  He then stood up and left the apartment without another word.

  “Mae said we were special. That there was a connection between the six of us for a greater purpose,” I stated to Erik. “But Charles is dead now, so how can that be? Did Mae see this coming and not tell us?” My voice cracked and I felt a sharpness in my chest. I rubbed at it but the pain would not go away.

  Erik sat beside me and wrapped me in his arms. “I don’t know, Amina. I think she would have told us if she’d known,” he replied.

  “It’s relat
ed. I know it is.”

  “What’s related?”

  “Whoever brought David back to kill me. They want to get rid of the six. Stop us from doing whatever it is we’re meant to do. And they’re winning. Felix is locked up. That trial won’t set him free. They’re gonna kill him. Charles is dead. They are trying to pick us off.”

  “They’re not going to win, Mina. We’re going to get Felix free and find out who was behind it all.”

  “I’m going to get stronger,” I sniffed. “No one I care about is going to get hurt again. When we find out who did this, I’m going to destroy them. Just like I did David.”

  I had a power now that I didn’t understand. However, I wouldn’t take it for granted. I would grow in strength. I would find whoever our enemies were and I would kill them.

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  Continue Amina’s journey to find her enemies in

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  Mystic Journeys

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  Coming this Summer

  About the Author

  C.C. is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and has actively written fiction since the age of eleven. She’s an avid “chick lit” reader and urban fantasy fan. During her days, she works in Civil Rights for the federal government. In her free time, she sings karaoke, travels the globe and watches too much TV…when she’s not writing of course.

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  To keep updated on future books and C.C. travel and lifestyle website go to:

  www.ccsolomon.com

  www.free2livegroup.com

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  You can also reach C.C. at the following social media sites:

  @catgirl04 on Twitter,

  CC Solomon on Facebook and

  Ccsolomon2004 on Instagram.

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