Brokenness

I was minding my own business when the sending entered my mind. I don’t know how or even who sent it. It was the strongest sending I had ever received and it left me kind of winded. I was so startled that I didn’t understand the persistent feeling in my gut at first. In a few moments I understood that my sister, Taylor was being held captive by David, my fiancé, and was being tortured.

I got up immediately from my dining room table in France and raced to the familiar underground tunnels dug for a vampires sanctuary. I was there in less than five hours. Then I was running through them trying to find the right one until, there, finally, I caught a familiar scent and knew I was on the right path now. My heart beat accelerated as did my pulse. It was like ecstasy, running for a vampire like me. That was when I first heard it, and it tore me out of my reverie.

A scream echoed in my ears as I ran. Taylor was in trouble and she needed my help. My feet pounded loudly in the eerie, damp tunnel. It was pitch black, but I could see every detail perfectly. I remembered these tunnels, for I had been changed in their darkness three years ago by my best friend, Dasan. He had brutally died saving my life.

The scream echoed again, but it was still far off. Are they torturing her for information?

I thought. This made me race down the winding tunnel faster and faster, and faster yet until I was almost flying. My blonde hair whipping past my face to stream out behind me, looking like a cape. My cold as steel blue eyes darted around dangerously. Now is the time I wish I passed my shape shifting test,

I thought glumly.

Once again, the scream echoed. It was so loud this time it sounded as if my sister were right next to me. I turned sharply to the right and stopped. Two guards stood on either side of the barred door. I said, “Be gone with you!” and they evaporated. I waltzed into the room on lithe feet, head held high.

My sister, Taylor, was cowering on the ground a few yards from David. Her mud brown eyes were glowing with fear and her long, light brown hair hung limply down her back. Her face silently begged me for help and it tore my heart open to see her like this. My anger flashed at David. How could he do this to my sister? My own flesh and blood? Who did he think he was?

I thought furiously.

David looked frightened as well as I sauntered toward him. His dark brown eyes darted from side to side in terror as if he were afraid I would tear him limb by limb for going behind my back. And as if that thought hadn’t already entered my mind,

I thought joyfully. But the pride of a werewolf was in him and he stood his ground. At least for now. His blackish-blue hair was standing on end and I smiled in my head at that, for it proved he really was genuinely afraid of me and what I might do to him.

“Misty!” Taylor shrieked, trying to struggle to her feet.

“Misty, my love!” David exclaimed, jumping to his shaking legs and bowing his head respectfully. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Romania watching your family.”

“And I thought you promised not to mess with Taylor,” I retorted. “We had a deal, David! You broke my sisters’ leg! You… I can’t believe you’d… Why did you do it? Why David? You said you loved me and that you would never hurt me. Was that a lie just like your broken promise?”

“No, no, my love!” he said, using my injured voice to wrongly assure himself that I was hurt by his betrayal and not pissed off. “ I would never do anything to hurt you and I do love you. With all my heart I love you, my queen. I only did what I did because I thought she was holding something back and that SHE would hurt you,” he said with a sneer in Taylor’s direction. She returned it with a fiery glare of her own, which I respected and cheered for silently in my head. “I would NEVER hurt you, darling.”

“Misty would you stop confronting him and help me?” Taylor asked with a very shaky voice that worried me deeply.

“Would someone PLEASE shut her up?” David roared to no one in particular.

“No. Don’t you dare touch her,” I warned the guard with a tone of steel, who was approaching Taylor with a cloth.

I then walked, beginning to get shaky on my own two legs in fear that she was in critical condition, over and knelt beside Taylor.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt bad?” I asked her, worry thickly coating my voice.

“Am I okay?” Taylor repeated and laughed. “I’m more than alright! I’m just fine! Ha ha ha! I’ve just been kidnapped by your oh-so-loving fiancé, locked down here, and had my leg broken! Oh, yeah! I’m just fine!” With that Taylor passed out cold and slumped to the chilly floor.

“What have you done to her?” I asked, very softly.

“Misty, darling. Taylor will be just fine. I’m sorry, love. I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was helping you… us,” David said.

“You thought that by hurting my sister you would help us?” I asked quietly, but with a bone chilling tone.

“Misty… Misty… Misty, please understand…” David pleaded helplessly as he watched the silent silver tears roll down my cheeks. His heart ached with the fact that it was he who had made me cry, and I knew it. But I still made no move to comfort him as he was yet to make a move to comfort me. We stood there like that, with tears rolling silently down my cheeks, him looking at me with the most wounded expression, and Taylor lying very, very still at my feet.

It felt like an eternity before I finally moved to kneel by Taylor once more. I picked up her broken body as gently as I could, but she still let out a gentle moan of pain. She didn’t regain consciousness, though. As carefully as I could manage, I swept passed David and beckoned to a guard to come and help me. Immediately the guard was in front of me, a slight wind the only way of knowing that he hadn’t been there all along. He bowed low to the ground and awaited my command.

“Lead the way to my chambers, please. And while you’re at it, go ahead and send Nathan to my chambers with a feast in tow. I think my sister would enjoy a nice meal after everything she has endured, don’t you? I mean, after she has regained consciousness, of course.”

“Yes, of course,” he agreed. Then he stilled for a moment with a look of the deepest concentration and I knew Nathan would be waiting in my chambers with the feast when we arrived.

An Unexpected Visitor

The morning was beautiful. The sun poured through in shafts of light. Every color imaginable tickled my face as I awoke. I stretched and yawned and thought about the day before. A dark shadow passed over me at the memory. I tried desperately to think of something else, but nothing came to mind. I rolled over onto my side and saw Taylor’s chest raise slowly up and down with her steady breathing. She had finally come to last night and ate everything that was offered to her, as if in ‘determination to eat every last crumb of food in the world’ she had joked.

I must go find David and …

I thought for a moment. …and do what? Jump down his throat again? I bet he feels so terrible now that he knows that Taylor was in no means whatsoever doing anything to hurt me.

I thought, with a sickening happiness. Good. He should feel terrible. He was in the wrong and by thinking he was ‘helping me… us’ he hurt me beyond anything. So he SHOULD feel terrible.

Quiet as a cat, I jumped out of bed and padded softly to the door. Taylor awoke with a start. I walked quickly back over to her.

“How do you feel?” I asked her anxiously.

“Tired… and achy,” she grumbled. “And hungry.”

“Well, I’m sure Nathan will feed you again and then you can get some more rest. Will you be okay by yourself for a while? I have… some errands… to run this morning. Can you manage?” I asked.

“You mean finding David, not running errands, right? Yes, I can manage. Go find the mongrel and tell him… tell him… Oh, I don’t know… Tell him I’ll forgive him for your sake. But Misty, I’m only forgiving him for you. You know this, right?”

“Yes. Yes I know this,” I answered quietly. A sound like a wounded animal suddenly escaped my throat and I crumpled by Taylor’s side.

“Oh, when will you ever stop being so stubborn?” I wailed. “You could have everything you wanted if only you would let me change you. You would be able to see so clearly. Have the most wonderful hearing. No disease could ever penetrate your flawless, perfect body. You would be irresistible to every one. Men and woman alike. You could run with the wind, and be as silent or as loud as you want. You would be free from every pain imaginable-”

“Then why do you feel pain?” Taylor interrupted me.

“I don’t know,” I answered quietly. “It’s not normal for our kind, I’ll admit. But it’s not normal pain, either. It’s very rare to be like me, to have any kind of pain. My pain… it’s not physical pain… It’s more like… emotional… or… or… That’s not right… Emotional doesn’t really explain it at all…I don’t know how to explain it. I mean it is physical, but then again it’s not. The same way goes for trying to explain it as emotional. To be honest, I really don’t know how to explain it. It‘s like it‘s emotional and physical, but then again, it‘s neither. I just don’t know, Taylor,” I answered truthfully.

“I know how much this means to you, Misty. But I’m not sure I’m up to it like you are. You were always the one rushing into things so fast. YOU were the one always up to an adventure. Not me. This is your kind of life, Misty. Not mine. I’m more of the subtle kind. I just want to settle down in a quiet little town out in the country somewhere. The forever dark tunnels is not my idea of a home. You must understand that, Misty. Oh, Sis. I love you more than anything. You’re all I have left. I don’t even have Mom and Dad anymore. Not since Kasy,” she said with the utmost disgust.

Six months had already passed since I looked into the cold, heartless eyes of Kasy. The thought of those cruel eyes still keeps me up at night. I wake up screaming, my body drenched in a cold sweat. He was a demon. The demon. Anyone who meets him shakes in their boots, and those who don’t, join the world that he lives in. The deepest, darkest, fieriest depth of hell is where he caves and torments innocent souls just for his morbid satisfaction.

If ever I encountered him again, I would plunge the dagger that is hidden in my boots into the very core of his existence. I would kill him, so that people would suffer no longer because of him.

I shuddered the dark thoughts away and came back to Taylor in the present.

“You know you did what was right when you faked your death. If you hadn’t of, Mom and Dad would not be safe. Now they are safe. Because of your thoughtfulness and bravery and courage… Mom and Dad are safe… for now,” I told her.

“I know. But that doesn’t take away my pain. Knowing that they’re out there, probably mourning my ‘death’. They were devastated about you, you know. Now that I’m not there anymore, too… Gosh… that must be too much for them to endure,” she said.

I held her in my arms and rocked her silently back and forth, back and forth. That was when she started to sob uncontrollably. I sang her an old lullaby that Mom used to sing to us when we were little and were fussing about going to bed. It worked, as I knew it would. The racking sobs turned into small hiccups, and then nothing at all as her exhaustion caught up with her and dragged her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I gently laid her back on the bed and walked out of the room. I backed up into the rock hard stomach of someone else, and had to silence the scream that rose in my throat.

I shut the door so that nothing would wake Taylor, and turned around. Only to look into the cold eyes of Kasy. Another scream built up inside of my throat but I refused to let it out.

Chuckling, Kasy looked me over. Then he paced a slow circle all the way around me, watching as I gasped for air, because my fear had left me breathless. The dagger in my boot was completely forgotten now that I was actually face-to-face with him. His face revealed nothing but amusement. He continued his pacing until he had made it back to face me again.

“Well, well, well,” he sneered. “What do we have here? It’s the almighty, fearless Misty. Just the person I was looking for. I come to offer a deal,” he said briskly, and to the point.

“A deal?” I squeaked.

“Yes. A deal,” he said thoughtfully. “I will agree to leave your family and everyone else you wish alone, on one condition. Do you understand this so far?”

“Yes. Yes I do understand everything, except one small, tiny thing,” I said with a little more bravery in my voice that I didn’t feel at all.

“Oh, yes? And what is this one small, tiny thing, may I ask?” he said, with genuine surprise.

“Why would you offer such a thing? You claim not to have a heart or any sort of emotion, but yet you stand before me like you have a heart and your face just gave away the fact that you were surprised that I would say such a thing. Were you expecting me to bow down to your feet and agree to anything you say because you offer to leave my family and everyone else that I wish alone, on one condition?” I asked.

This angered him and he struck me across the face. I flew down the tunnel and slid to the ground. He walked towards me and knelt down, his face glowing an angry red. I looked up to see his face only inches from mine.

“How dare you speak to me like that?” he whispered in a frightening voice.

“I have an opinion and can say anything I like, to anyone I like, in any tone I like,” I spit at him.

“You have spirit, girl. I like that. You have a wild streak in you. I bet if I told you something you had never expected to hear me say, you would shut that sassy mouth of yours,” he mused.

“Oh, yeah?” I asked. “And what would this unexpected thing you have to say be?”

“Oh, nothing that can’t wait,” he said, smiling wickedly. “Would you like to know my condition, yet? Or would you rather go off on another of your charming rants?”

I stood up indignantly and said, “Fine. Let’s hear what the heartless demon has to offer.”

“My one condition is that you come with me to my place and forget about everything here. To come and be with me forever. You can have anything and everything that your little heart could desire. Jewels, fine clothes, anything you want. And I will leave everyone you wish alone.”

“What’s the joke?” I asked incredulously.

“Joke?” he asked in surprise. “There is no joke. This is my offer and my one condition. There is no little joke. This is real. I mean everything I have just proposed to you. So, will you accept or not?”

“I must have time to think this over,” I replied in a state of shock.

“As you wish,” he replied with a bow. “You need only think my name as loudly as you can in your mind, and I will be there shortly. But you must make sure you are alone, do you understand?”

“Yes I understand. But, I want you to make me a promise.” I said to his surprise. “I want you to promise me that as I consider your offer, that you will terrorize not a single soul. Are you willing to agree with this?”

“Yes, Misty. You have my word that I will terrorize not a single soul while I await your answer,” he said, bemused by my request. “I will leave you now, my lady.”

With that he bent and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, and was gone.

I sank to the ground and passed out.

An Answer

“Wake up. Please Misty, wake up. Come back to me,” a pleading voice cut through my dark blanket of a dreamless sleep. “Please wake up!!! MISTY!!” The anguished scream made my eyes flutter a little.

My eyes felt as if ten ton weights sat on them. My tongue felt thick and had an acrid taste lingering on it. My limbs felt even heavier than my eyes. I tried to move but it was useless, I was paralyzed. A strange scream reached my ears and I realized it was mine. Pain like I had never felt before shot through my body. I screamed again, louder this time. My mind raced. I had never felt this before. Another bout of pain was met with another scream that tore from my throat. I was dying. This was it. What was happening? Another scream flew from my mouth. The pain was dying down now. My breath came in shallow pants and gasps. My eyes finally opened and I moaned loudly as David’s face floated into view above mine.

“Misty!” he breathed in relief. “What happened? We found you screaming like crazy in the tunnel. You were hot to touch and spasms rocked your body. I was scared. I thought I was going to lose you. Please… please… tell me what happened.”

My stomach cramped and my vision blurred. What’s happening to me?

I wondered. Am I dying or something?

Shock paralyzed me for the second time that day, as a silky voice answered me. “You are not dying, my dear one. You are just not a normal vampire or anything else seen in a thousand years. Though there were once many of your kind that were worshipped and looked up to. That is why so many beings are out to get or protect you. You must listen to your heart if you are to survive the challenges ahead. Come tomorrow morning to the entrance to the main tunnel and wait. You will see nothing but will feel a sensation that will take you to where you will find answers to all your questions if you will simply follow it. Remember: follow your heart and you will never go wrong. Do not trust anyone but your sister. Remember.”

 

 

With that the voice faded, leaving only silence behind.

I came back to the matter at hand and refocused everything in me. Everyone was looking at me with fear and disbelief. Some were looking at me hungrily or greedily.

I looked to David for an explanation, but was met with a disbelieving stare.

“What?” I asked him.

“H-h-how d-did you d-do t-t-that?” he stammered.

“Do what?” I asked, losing my patience.

“You disappeared off the table. There was a shimmering in the air around you, and you went invisible. And then you were back,” Taylor said, answering my questions. She didn’t look disbelieving or fearful or anything else. She looked laid back and calm in her billowing red satin gown, which flowed around her thin figure like water.

My mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ as the meaning of her words sank in. This couldn’t be,

my mind thought stubbornly. Granted, the voice said I wasn’t normal and that there hadn’t been one of my kind in a thousand years. Well,

warred my logical side, you shouldn’t even be hearing voices. But it seemed so real. It said there was a place that I can find with answers to all my questions. To follow my heart and I can’t go wrong. And to trust only Taylor. What about David? Should I not trust him? And Kasy? What about him?

“Follow your heart and trust only your sister. If you follow this, you will finally understand all that has been confusing and frightening you, my dear one,”

the voice said before fading off again.

“Umm… Misty?” Taylor said hesitantly. “I think we should be going… NOW!!!!” she shrieked as the guards changed into goblins, ghouls, and gargoyles.

Taylor grabbed my hand, spun on her heel and we dissolved into nothing but mist.

A Bad Premonition

I was dreaming, that much was clear. Mist or smoke, I didn’t know which, swirled around my legs like water. Everywhere I looked, all I saw was the eerily beautiful mist like smoke. Then, the hair on the back my neck stood on end, as I felt someone’s presence nearby.

My heart stuttered to a stop, and then picked up faster than ever as I looked straight ahead of me. There, in the mist, walking towards me was the last person I had ever expected to see. Dallas.

He stopped a few yards away and beckoned silently with his finger for me to join him. I took a hesitant step forward, and we were in my parents’ living room. Another step and we were in Kasy’s lair. Yet another step took us to Dallas’s bedroom. With each new step, we were taken to somewhere new, but familiar. Then came the step that took me to stand right before him and we were in a grand room made of marble with a roaring fireplace that I didn’t recognize.

I looked at Dallas and he smiled his lopsided smile that he knew I couldn’t resist. Without thinking, I threw myself into his arms and started to sob. My mind raced.

Wait… this can’t be happening. This can’t be real. And even if this were real, I promised myself I wouldn’t show him how much I was hurting because of him. He ripped my heart out, cut it into tiny pieces, spit on it, and then fed it to his freaking dogs. He isn’t good for me. He manipulated me into sleeping with him. He has no dignity or respect. No respect for himself or others. I had trusted him with everything and he used that against me. He didn’t even want me for me. He just wanted a play thing; something to toy with. Let him go… NOW… dry up your tears and get a grip on yourself. He doesn’t deserve you. That’s right… he doesn’t deserve me. I’m better than this. I deserve better than this. Even though I want to let him go, why does it hurt to look into his eyes still? Why does my heart still yearn for him? For his touch? Why does my heart break and my act crumble every time I see him? He knowingly hurt me, but yet I still want him. Knock it off and get control. But why do I still cry for him? Why can’t I control myself? Let him go… okay. Now put a smile on your face, yank yourself from his embrace, and get whatever it is that needs to be done, done.

My face betrayed me. He had seen the war and the pain and the anguish in my eyes as I got a grip on myself. He smirked at me, as if to add to my torture. So I placed a huge smile on my face, stepped away from his embrace, and faced him.

“What do you want? Why are you here?” I asked him cheerfully.

“I came to give you a message. Kasy is getting tired of waiting for your response and is getting restless since your request has taken away his entertainment. I came to tell you that he said to hurry up on your pondering his offer and call to him. Others are out to get you, but he says that if you are to accept his deal that he will give you protection. You will be safe from everyone and everything. He also said that if you do not hurry up, he will forget your request and I will become his first victim,” he said, wincing.

“Well, seems as how I was your victim once upon a time, I might accept this new offer,” I said with a laugh. “Answer me this: why are people out to get me and why does Kasy want to protect me? Tell him I don’t think I’ll have an answer real soon. I have important business to take care of out of town and I won’t be focused on his offer. I need more time to consider. And as for you, tell him to keep you for a while as a pet. Not to hurt you, but I’m sure he will have other things for you that you’ll enjoy,” I said with my own smirk as he backed a careful step away from me.

The scenery changed once more, and instead of facing Dallas, Kasy stood in front of me with a tender expression.

“Misty,” he said softly. “I know this is hard for you right now, but you have to think quickly. Time is running out. You are unsafe right now. You have no means of protection. Please, accept this next offer. I will send my best soldiers with you. They will stay out of sight, unless you wish otherwise. They will hurt not a single soul, unless they raise a harmful hand towards you. And they will guard you and your companions as if their lives depend on it. Will you accept this protection?”

“I’m confused,” I said gently. He looked at me with pleading eyes and I remembered the voice. “I will accept to something else. You may watch me from your home and if you see anyone with an ill desire towards me, then and only then, may your soldiers come to my aid. But if I find out you had your soldiers harm anyone that is innocent, you will never see a kindness done for you ever again. Mark my words on this.”

He looked at me and sighed in resignation. “I wish I knew what went on in that stubborn little head of yours,” he said quietly. “Oh, and one more thing. Watch your back. Those closest to you are not as true as they seem to be.”

With that he changed into a giant bull with glowing red eyes. “MISTY MARIE ROSE YOU ARE IN DANGER,”

 

he said in a loud, rumbling voice. “TRUST NO ONE. YOU WILL BE BETRAYED BY SOMEONE YOU COULD HARDLY BELIEVE. PEOPLE WILL TRY TO HURT YOU. YOU MUST FIND A WAY TO UNLEASH YOUR POWERS. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR KIND LEFT. OUR LIVES ARE DEPENDING ON YOU. DO NOT LET US DOWN. HOW YOU WRITE YOUR DESTINY IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE ONES YOU LOVE AND THE INNOCENT PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH. TRUST NO ONE. KEEP TO YOURSELF. HOWEVER, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. TRUST NO ONE.”

 

Five minutes later I woke up screaming and shaking. Then Taylor was there with a cool rag, cooling my flaming face. She calmed me and I told her everything between the non-stopping sobs.

When I looked back at her, her face had lost every ounce of color and she was shaking softly.

“What is it?” I whispered.

She looked at me with haunted eyes and answered my question.

“I thought I could save you. You were so strong. Misty, you just had a bad premonition, a very bad premonition, one that will change everybody’s life. I thought you were safe. Oh, what does it mean? I knew things would be totally different when you were changed. But I never thought that Dasan would have been the one to write your destiny. Misty, you are an angel. One that can be anything you want to be. You are the strongest anyone has ever seen and that is why people are out to get you. You are the purest thing on Earth and can put all evil where it belongs. Dasan was also an angel by the look of things. You have not yet found your strengths or you powers, but you will soon. I am your Guardian. We were sisters in Heaven so that is why we are sisters here. You have no recollection of your time before Earth. That was the price you paid in order to be an angel. I never told you because you didn’t want me to. Not until now. You are ready now to begin our lessons of reaching your power. So, if you are to get your answers, we must return to the tunnels. I have brought you to the UnKnown, where we can talk in safety. You fell asleep on the way here so I let you be. Unless you have any questions, I suggest you get some more sleep. Also, I don’t much like it, but now that you know what you are, I am to listen to you only. I am to do anything you command me to. I am here to guide and counsel and aid you on you quest to winning this war. If you need or want anything I will be over there.” she gestured to a beach a few yards away. “I suggest you get some much needed rest.”

I nodded feebly and curled up into a ball because little did she know, I already knew that Dasan was an angel. And that there had been a chance that I was one too. But as much as I asked it to, sleep refused to come.

Gizmo

Morning came and Taylor took us quietly to the entrance of the main tunnel. We hadn’t exchanged a lot of words, for both of us were in our own little world. She seemed calmer, less tense and stressed, and I understood for once. Since we were sisters, we didn’t need to say anything to the other. We just automatically knew what the other was thinking. I looked up to see her watching me. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled a little and looked away. She was pondering what I had become. I had changed so much in the last twenty-four hours, that even I didn’t recognize myself. I wonder if I look any different,

I thought. If I had changed so much inside, what about the outside?

But before I could ask Taylor anything, I felt a tingling sensation and I looked at Taylor in terror.

“What’s happening?” I asked her.

“Just follow it,” she answered, trying to reassure me with a tired smile. It didn’t work, terror still threatened to overwhelm me.

I closed my eyes and started to walk. If I began to turn in the wrong direction, all I would feel was a light tugging and I was back on the right path. When the weird sensation stopped, I knew our short journey had come to an end. I opened my eyes and saw a room I had never seen before in my life.

I turned in a circle, trying to take it all. The room was beautiful. I felt like I had walked into a dream. The walls were snow white with gold borders that accented it perfectly. There was a king size bed in the far right corner with white, goose feather comforters and gold frilled pillows that matched the walls. In the middle there was a living area with sofas and chairs that matched the bed. In the far wall opposite of us was a fireplace that crackled merrily. Everything was so grand and fit for a princess, that it made my head spin. I didn’t know why we were here because the room was empty. Or so I thought.

Movement on what I had mistaken as one of the chairs, made me walk cautiously forward. It was a doggy bed that would make the rich peoples’ dogs jealous. It was occupied by what looked like a brindle bull dog with little fluffy, white wings. It shifted into a more comfortable position, and regarded me with bleary eyes.

“Oh. Finally you are here. Nice to see you again Taylor. I see you have done your job nicely,” it greeted Taylor. “Misty, my dear one. You have learned about your destiny, I presume?”

“Yes, sir?… ma’am?” I replied hesitantly and unsure.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I have forgotten my manners. Let me introduce myself. My name is Gizmo and I am you,” it said politely.

I gasped for two reasons. One because this was the silky voice I had heard in my head. And, two what she… he had said seemed so impossible but I knew it was true. This thing… Gizmo… was a part of me. I could feel it’s emotions and feelings like I could my own.

“Ummm… okay,” I said, trying to appear as politely as Gizmo was being. “That sounds impossible, but I know you’re telling the truth and I don’t doubt you. Are you the voice that was in my head?”

Gizmo nodded, so I went on.

“Were you able to get into my head because you are part of me?” Another nod. “Does Taylor have a thing like you?”

Gizmo shook her head. (I came to the conclusion that if she were a part of me, that since I was a girl she had to be, too.) “No, Taylor does not have something like me. Only you do because you are the angel. And only angels are given an animal that is part of themselves but is separate as well. Because you are the only angel left, you are the only one with a being like me. I don’t know what you would call us… I guess you could call us Souls because we are part of your soul.”

“That would work,” I agreed. “Where am I to get the answers to my questions like you said in my head? Or do you have my answers?’

“No, I do not have your answers, I’m afraid,” she said thoughtfully. “But I have just summoned the one who does.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

A moment later, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, walked into the room. She had such unearthly beauty, that I had to look away. She swept into the room with such grace, it took my breath away. I knelt on one knee as she approached our little gathering.

“No, no, no, no, no. You will not bow to me, my child. If anything, I will bow to you,” she said in a sing-song voice. Her voice made me want to cry and dance and sleep all at the same time. “I am here with your answers. Taylor, darling, you know how this procedure works. I’m sorry to kick you out, dear, but I must. There is another room through that door over there,” she said with a gesture towards the back of the room where we had entered. I hadn’t even noticed the second door five feet from the other one.

Taylor rose without a word and walked toward the door. When she reached it, she looked back once at me, and I understood it as, “if you need me, I’m right here.” I nodded once, but she was already through the door.

“Now Misty, we have so much to do and discuss, don’t we? First, I must introduce myself. I have been dying to meet you. Oh, gosh, I sound like some desperate fan in Hollywood,” she laughed quietly to herself. “My name is Ashley. And second, I have a gift for you, dear.” She whistled a long, soft whistle and a tiny door to our right opened to allow two goblins to enter with a lopsided package balanced precariously on their shoulders.

Without warning a scream erupted from my throat and I crumbled to the floor in a heap. Sight, smell, and physical feeling left my body in an instant. My heart raced and my blood boiled in a frenzied dance. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. This wasn’t right. It felt like I was dying again, and secretly I hoped I was if death were to take away this excruciating pain.

---


Suddenly, the pain left my body, and I was left gasping for breath. Slowly, I opened my eyes and to say I was shocked, was a bit of an understatement. I was on a cloud, and before me were pearly gates that went on forever and ever. I was dizzy and confused, when all of a sudden, I saw a sight that made my spirit soar. Dasan was walking toward me with a strained smile on his face.

As he approached, I was astonished to see two fluffy white wings growing from his back. I didn’t ponder that thought for long, but instead threw myself into his arms. He caught me in a strong embrace and we were laughing and crying and talking and hugging all at once.

“Why am I here?” I asked when we had finally calmed down a little.

He blinked at me in confusion. “Why are you here? I thought you would know by now. I called your spirit here so you would not have to endure the pain. While your spirit is here, your body is still there. Now that I have called your spirit here, your body will take the full impact of the pain and it will be gone by the time you return.”

I noticed that he still did that thing where he repeated himself a lot. I used to think it was the cutest thing. Looking at him before me, I realized just how much I truly missed him. Even in spirit, my heart ached with the loss of my best friend with renewed pain.

I hugged him again and whispered, “I missed you SO much. I’m glad you called my spirit here.”

I gazed into his golden brown eyes and was surprised to see the anguish in them.

“What’s wrong, Dasan? Are you okay? Why are you here? What happened when you died?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. One question at a time, Misty. Okay. Let’s start with am I okay. I am totally fine. Why am I here? I’m here because I’m dead, Misty. What happened? Well, I was lost for a while so I just kept on walking. Eventually I wound up here, my new home. Last but not least, what’s wrong? I’m just worried about my girl. That’s all,” he said with a wink. “I think it’s time you went back. How ‘bout a kiss for good luck, huh?”

I stood up on tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

--


I opened my eyes to see worried faces hovering over me. I moaned and moved all my limbs experimentally. Everything was still working. I carefully sat up and noticed I had been placed on one of the sofas. I felt tired and drained of all energy. I let myself flop back down and closed my eyes immediately.

“Ummm… Misty, darling. I don’t think you should go to sleep right now. Not until we figure out what happened. You don’t look too good, dear. Giz why don’t you be a dear and get Misty a cup of ice cold water, hmmm?” Ashley said, and her voice made me want to sleep even more.

Gizmo grunted and heaved herself off her doggy bed and flew out the little door.

I sat up reluctantly and sighed. “What’s wrong with me? Why do I have this pain? What is the point behind it? Do you know what’s wrong with me, Ashley?”

She looked down at me with worried blue eyes and shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I know I’m suppose to have all the questions, but this… this is something I have never seen before. But…” She stopped and looked at me as if she were contemplating what to tell me.

“Just tell me what you know… Or at least what you’re thinking. I know from the way you’re looking at me that you have at least a possible explanation. So, please, just tell me what you’re thinking,” I said impatiently.

“Okay. Fine. I think someone is Casting you pain.” She said it so casually I almost laughed out loud.

“In other words…” I prompted.

“In other words… someone has gotten a piece of your hair or a fingernail or something with your DNA on it, and has Cursed it. This is going to complicate things a little. We must find the one with your DNA. Do you have any, any ideas as to who this could be?” she asked with a flourish of her hands.

I smiled a secret smile and nodded my head.

“I think I might have an idea. Actually, I might have a few ideas. I think we need to pay a visit to my ex-boyfriend, Dallas, my current fiancé, David, and a certain demon who proposed a safe sanctuary and everything I could ever want if I came to live with him.”

“A certain demon?” Ashley asked, her face going pale. “Are you speaking of KASY? THAT demon? Please tell me not him. Please.”

“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly who I was speaking of,” I said, still smiling that secret smile.

Dallas

“Hello?” I called nervously, standing outside on the porch of a house that I had practically lived in for a year while I had been dating that jerk I thought I loved and who loved me so much.

“Hello? Dallas? Are you home?” I called again.

There was no answer. Silence hit my eardrums like an atomic bomb.

I reached in the secret compartment in the back of his mailbox and drew out the key I knew would be there. I then slid the key into the lock and paused for a half second before striding in. White blankets covered all of the furniture. I stood in the doorway a second more to get over my confusion.

I knew there had to be a hint somewhere. Where would it be, though? Ah ha… There. On the table beneath the blanket a piece of paper played peek-a-boo with me.

I half-ran to the table and yanked it away. I opened it and read in Dallas’s elaborate handwriting the following:

To whomever finds this,
I have been kidnapped and told to write this in case anyone wishes to pursue and attempt a rescue for me. My captor is Kasy. He will set me free if and only if he receives Misty Marie Rose as his wife and lover. If anyone wishes to hand her over, alive they shall be handsomely rewarded. In gold or whatever is desired.

Sincerely,
Dallas

P.S. If this is Misty, please rescue me. I’m sorry for the past and I wish I could undo it. I regret everything, just please save me! Please!

I was in shock. Why would Kasy do this to me, or Dallas? After practically pledging his love for me. But how could I love a demon when I am head over heels in love with an actual man? And don’t even think I’m talking Dallas. My one true love is Jacob. However, I haven’t seen him in around six months. The memory of him still brings tears to my eyes.

“Jacob. Jacob,” I whisper in agony. “Jacob, where are you? You would know what to do in a situation like this. I don’t. You’re so much stronger than I ever hope to be. Where are you? I need you right now.”

I continued to plead with him to show up in my head. I missed his medium length light brown hair that he was always trying to grow out, his silly little jokes, and most of all his intense golden brown eyes. I love those eyes and dream of them often. And his voice… GOD that voice… I need to stop. He’s not gonna show up. Hell, I don’t even know if he loves me. Or if he knows that I love him. Hmmmm.

I flip open my cell phone and dial his number. Ring. Ring. Rin-

“Hello?”

I gasped and almost dropped my phone. He anseered his phone! He had actually answered it!

“Hi. Is this Jacob?” I asked hesitantly.

“Yes. Who is this?” He asked in that dreamy voice of his.

“Jacob, it’s me… It’s… It’s Misty…” I say very quietly.

There’s a long pause and I start to hang up, thinking maybe he didn’t remember me. The idea cut me deep.

“Misty? Is this really you?”

“Yes, Jacob. It’s really me,” I said.

I sighed, relieved that he remembered. Maybe he does remember, but does he want to?

I thought. That’s an absurd thought,

I tell myself. Of course he would want to remember you. Why wouldn’t he?

“Because you broke his heart, Misty, that’s why.”

 

 

Gizmo’s voice entered my mind gently.

How do you know that? How could you possibly know that? He said it didn’t matter! He said that it didn’t hurt him, what I had become. That it was my choice! It was my life. He said he just wanted me happy. He said he would do anything for me. Stay away, stay and support me. He even offered to become my Follower. My human blood bag.

I shudder at the thought.

“Misty. Look deep into yourself. Do you honestly believe that he wasn’t heartbroken about letting you go? Do you really, truly believe that?”

 

 

Gizmo said in a maddeningy patient voice that made me want to scream.

“Jacob, please forgive me. I know it’s been too long. I know that you probably don’t want a single thing to do with me. I should have stayed and been happy with you, but I didn’t. I had to go off and explore. Give into my adventurous side. I should have-”

“Misty,” Jacob interrupted me.

“Please let me get this off my chest. Please?” I interrupted his interruption.

He took a heavy breath and gave a mumbled, “Ok.”

“I should have been with you. Because… because I love you, damnit! I love you, Jacob and I always have. Ever since that summer when we were little kids and you were picking on me and shoved me into the lake and then ran away laughing. I've loved you forever. And I always will. The question is though, do you love me?" I asked hesitantly, fear coursing through ever fiber of my body.

"Misty, I can't do this right now. All this is gonna do is hurt you," he sighed.

"So, what you're saying is... is... is... that you don't love me?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes.

"No, Misty. I don't love you."

I dropped the phone and took off blindly, running into the street and not stopping even when I heard Gizmo calling me back.

Caught

I'm still running when night falls. I race into an alley unprepared for what is waiting for me. In my hurting state, I hadn't searched for any dangerous or threatening scents.

I'm not paying attention until I run into them. I'm caught in a net. I panic and start screaming for help. Pedestrians can't be that far away,

I think. Surely SOMEONE would hear my screams and come to my rescue.

I'm trashing around in the net, when someone untangles the thick ropes from around my body.

I gaze up fearfully into clear blue eyes. My heart stops when my eyes adjust enough that I can see his face.

"Dasan?" I whisper.

"Silly girl. I am John. You think that I am that sweet, innocent bloodsucker with a heart? No. I may look like him, but I am no where near being him," he said with so much rage that he was spitting.

I glared at him and he struck me across the face.

Oh, come ON! How many times am I gonna get hit this week??

I thought.

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

"Well, now that is an interesting question. It's not what I want FROM you. It's what I get FOR you. Because you see, stupid girl, there is a price on your head. Whoever hands you over gets rewarded."

"And who, exactly, do you plan on handing me over to?"

"Oh, I don't plan to hand you over just yet. I plan on dragging this out. She didn't say you had to be in top condition. Just alive." He reached over and gently plucked at my loose blouse. There was a rip down the front of my shirt and he could see the pale, smooth skin of my stomach.

My breath caught in my chest as he struggled with the button near my throat. Right as he got it undone and began to lower the tattered mess from my shoulders, something knocked into him. I screamed in shock and fright that someone else was coming to join in on the torture.

A hand reached down to me and pulled me into the safety of his arms.

"Get on," he said gruffly, gesturing to the motorcycle which is what had knocked into John.

I gratefully grabbed the helmet on the back and slammed it onto my head. My breath left me in a "Whoosh!" as the motorcycle took off. I barely had time to wrap my arms securely around my saviors waist.

The motorcyclist sped away as fast as his machine would let him. Only when we were a safe distance away, did he come to a stop.

"Get off." He said, his voice slightly distorted because of the heavy helmet he was still wearing.

"What? Why did you save me if you were just gonna drop me off in the middle of no where with no way to get to actual safety?!" I exclaimed.

"I saved you. That deserves a thank-you. Which I am yet to hear."

"Thank-you," I blurted out. "But who are you? How did you know where I was? Why did you save me? Do you know who I am? WHAT I am?"

"Yes, Misty. I know who and what you are. I know everything about you. I knew where you were because I was following you. I saved you because... Never mind. All that matters now is that you are safe and that I have done my job. If you take this road and keep going straight you will see a little dirt road off to your left. Take it. It will lead to the backdoor of Ashley's and Gizmo's safe sanctuary. You will be safe there."

Without thinking, I reached over and yanked off his helmet. I fell backwards as I gazed into intense, golden brown eyes and fainted for the third time this week.

"What Were You THINKING?"

Darkness surrounded me when I was finally able to get my eyes open. A slight buzzing off to my right told me that I was in a room. I forced myself to stand.

Why had I fainted?

I though.

Then I remembered. Those eyes. The ones that haunt me and fill my dreams and thoughts everyday. The ones I longed to fall into, time and time again. And when I least expected to see them, there they were. In the face of the man who saved me.

"Jacob!" I screamed, stumbling towards what I thought was the door to freedom. It turned out to be a closet. I tripped backwards and was caught just inches from falling to the ground.

"Jacob?" I inquired. "Is that you?"

Silence.

"Please answer me. Who are you? Why am I here? How did I get here? Why is it so dark? What is going on?"

"Misty," I hear him start, and then his voice falters and he sighs. "Misty, you have been through so much lately. Discovering who you are and trying to get your questions answered. And I know I'm not making anything better. Please forgive me."

"Forgive you for what? Not feeling the same as I do? It's not your fault. You deserve better anyways. I know that. You know that. Everyone knows it. I love you. Oh, well. I'll make do with what I have. I'll turn myself over to Kasy. I've been thinking about that a lot lately."

He laughed under his breath at me and asked, "How in the world have you been thinking about turning yourself in when you are passing out so often?"

I could tell he was smirking. I glared in his direction and the scowl crept across my face. I couldn't stay mad at him long though. I mean, he HAD just saved my life.

"Why were you following me?" I asked.

"You wouldn't understand Misty."

"I bet if you tried to explain, I'd try to understand."

"Misty, when I lost you... I lost everything. I lost my best friend, my girl. I lost my mind. I searched for John and BEGGED him to end me. He refused, saying that to suffer was the best way out. I then went to David. He refused as well. Saying he couldn't afford to bring me into the Supernatural world and risk losing you. I even went to Ashley! She had nothing to offer me. So, I went to Kasy. Of course, once I entered his lair, there was no way of getting out unless I bartered with him. He agreed to let me keep my soul intact in the assurance that I would protect you whenever he wasn't around. He is putting me through the most suffering I have ever endured. But..." he said, his voice getting very, very quite. "But... he granted me Immortality."

I gasped. There is no way I could have POSSIBLY heard him right. Was there?

"Yes, yes. I know. That's what you went through. I thought it would bring me closer to you."

"That's why you don't love me anymore!" I said in anguish. I sank to the ground. Tears were spilling from my eyes in heavy streams.

Everything was spinning in the room. I think I might have blacked out for a few seconds, but I'm not too sure. My body was shaking in uncontrollable grief and anger.


Quietly, I stood on my shaking legs and walked to the door. I swept passed him without a second glance. He followed me down the dimly lit hallway.

"Misty, please," he begged as he grabbed my arm.

I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but the next second I had grabbed Jacob by the throat and pinned him high up on the wall.

"What. Were. You. THINKING?" I hissed into his face. Then I dropped him to the floor and began to walk away.

"I was thinking that I couldn't stand the thought of being away from you. But I didn't know that Immortality came with the cost of losing every emotion your human self had."

"Well now you know, I said icily. "Are you happy with your decisions? Did you get what you wanted, Jacob?" I walked away then.

"No, no I'm not happy. And no I did not get what I wanted. I miss you," he said.

I didn't hear him. I just kept walking.

Silver Tears

As I walked away, the tears started to well up in the corners of my eyes. He didn't love me because he just didn't love me. He didn't love me because he COULDN'T love me. He didn't REMEMBER how to love me, or any of the emotions he once had for me.

How much more perfect can my life get?

I thought sarcastically.

I finally reached the end of the hall, so I took a left. I reached for the very first door to check if it was locked so that I would have a quiet, private place to shed my tears. However, before my hand even reached the door handle, I crumpled to the floor in a screaming heap.

I heard footsteps running towards me and a door being slammed, then everything went black and I was consumed in pain and blood.

Blood was running in streams down my face from my eyes. My tears,

I realized slowly. I'm crying blood!

The realization startled me into a silver haze.

Where am I?

I thought.

I tried to see through my bloody tears but I could see nothing but silver and red.

Great. NOW I'm gonna die. Right as I found a purpose to live. Right as I started figuring things out.

Misty, just hang in there. You aren't dying. I'm not sure what's happening but, you just have to bite through the pain and hang in there. We are gonna figure this out, dear,

 

 

said Gizmo. She sounded worried though. A little TOO worried.

Screams kept erupting from my mouth and blood still ran from my eyes down my face. It hurt so bad. I wanted to die. It made me wish I was never born. That I was normal. That I didn't have a dangerous war ahead of me. That my destiny wasn't already written for me. That I wasn't an angel.

As soon as I thought that, the pain went away. The blood stopped running from my eyes, but in its place I felt an even heavier liquid like substance streaming from my eyes.

I placed my hand to my face and as I drew it away, I was astonished to see a silver substance.

I glanced around me and saw that Ashley, Jacob, Gizmo, and Taylor were surrounding me, jaws dropped.

"What's goin-" I started.

Ashley gazed at me pridefully and whispered, "The Silver Tears" before passing out before me.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.05.2012

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Widmung:
To all the people in my life who can fall into one of 4 categories: My best friends. My trouble makers. My heroes. And my loves. Thanks for all of the support guys. I love you all. And I would especially like to thank my mom. I love you :)