Author`s note: Sorry for the wait…..Once again – a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I can`t believe how popular this story is already. And as always – anyone who hasn`t – please review!

Love without your heartbeat

Chapter 4

Sarah awoke to a spinning room. She shook her head to clear it. I must be going mad she thought.. She slowly sat up, and the room began to stop spinning. A knock came at the door. "Come in." she called, assuming it was a servant or nurse who was coming to take care of her. Her heart pounded. It was Jareth.

"Sarah" His voice was strained and hoarse. "How are you feeling?" She chuckled.

"How am I feeling? More importantly how are you feeling? You sound worse than me." He half-smiled, half winced. "Do not worry for me Sarah. I am fine." Sarah arched an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh" she said looking unconvinced. "Well I certainly hope whatever I had…..have… I didn`t pass on to you." Jareth took a step towards her.

"This…is no sickness Sarah. I think you simply fainted from exhaustion." He boldly came forward and sat on the edge of her bed, clasping her hands in his. Sarah lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes, sighing.

"What a relief! And here I thought I was dying!" He chuckled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She shivered involuntarily.

"No – Sarah…I know you would be cross with me if I kept things from you…..something I have learned never to do again. Keep in mind, precious, this is just a strange happening. Sometimes these things happen…..it might be nothing….." She rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Jareth just – out with it. Stop beating around the bush." Jareth looked puzzled.

"Now why would I beat a bush?" Sarah laughed aloud.

"Nothing, it`s just an expression. Go on what happened" As she tried to restrain her giggles. He ran a hand through his mane.

"Well after you fainted, I put you into bed…and I started to feel dizzy. When I got back to my own room, I too, collapsed in the same way that you did." Sarah`s brow furrowed. "I think we are both being affected by some kind of strange magic. I`m not entirely sure what…" Sarah cocked her head thoughtfully.

"Do you think….it could just be a coincidence?"

"Sarah….there are no coincidences in the underground. Everything happens for a reason. And I think it was more than that. I felt what you felt….. I was…joined with you." His words sent a jolt through her.

"Is that even possible?"

"Anything is possible down here Sarah. Anything."

After Jareth left on business, Sarah dressed quickly in a lavender gown and went exploring through the castle. Not far from her own room, she found a door with a strange carving on it….some sort of rune. Curious, she tried the handle and the door opened. It revealed a secret library! Sarah was delighted, as she loved to read. She went in without a second thought. It was a small little room, crammed full with beautiful books with leather jackets. Runes were carved on the covers, bookcases and even the walls. Sarah felt excitement flow through her. She was having an adventure! Maybe there`s something in here about the strange magic that`s affecting Jareth and I. She skimmed the shelves, picking out a book at random. It was a book of love, talking about the fey and their marriage and courting rituals. At the back, she found an envelope sealed with a crest. Breaking it open, she found a page that had been ripped out of a book. "The Soul-mate principle" Sarah read. Shakily, she ran her finger down the page to where it described the symptoms. "The joining of souls can be dangerous – sometimes resulting in fainting, dizziness, blackouts or experiencing mood swings/emotional turmoil. If a man and a woman begin to experience these symptoms after being in close proximity to each other for eight minutes or more – it is likely that these two are soulmates. Joined souls were made for each other. This bond can`t be broken. It is the most powerful magic in existence, drawing two souls together across continents, oceans, universes, worlds or realms." Sarah suddenly felt white-hot anger. She wanted to burn the world – tear it apart. The emotion seemed foreign, as if it were not her own. Jareth. She quickly went to the window, just in time to see a goblin flying out of Jareth`s tower, (inside was his office, where he was currently doing boring paperwork) screaming in pain and fear as he plummeted into the moat. Several more followed, squealing. Sarah was instantly sympathetic, her sympathy struggling to battle the anger for dominance. Jareth must be angry…..oh god….am I angry because….he`s angry….which means….close proximity….he said he put me to bed last night…..

Sarah`s mind jumped to conclusions – as she was apt to do. Only this time….she knew she was right. They were soulmates. Her stomach dropped. She clutched the book to her chest, gazing out the window. Jareth was also looking out his window and soon spotted Sarah. They made eye contact and the air crackled. Sarah gasped. She knew it was true. Her soul reached for his, she could feel the tugging and pulling in her chest. He smiled, and she blushed and moved from the window. Inside his tower, the King tossed a crystal in the air. "Oh, Sarah. Whatever are you doing in my private library?" Within seconds he was before her, standing with one eyebrow arched. "

I…..I…I was just…um" she stuttered, hiding the book behind her back.

"It`s curious that you could even find my library. It moves about the castle. And last time I checked….the door opens only to me. How did you get in here Sarah?" She looked down ashamed.

"I was just exploring….and I found this door. It just opened for me...I didn`t know I wasn`t supposed to be in here. I just thought I could find something in here that would explain what`s been happening to us." His eyes twinkled.

"And did you find anything?" Sarah`s mouth went dry when she saw the mischievous look in his eye.

"Yes. I did actually" She said slowly, pulling the book from behind her back. "I found a page….on something called the Soul-mate principle. It looks like people mainly disregard it now but….if you look here" he bent over, hovering behind her shoulder as she smoothed the page. "It describes the symptoms….and it matches exactly what we`ve been experiencing." He looked into her eyes intensely.

"You believe that we are….soul mates." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Anything is possible" she whispered. His mismatched eyes scanned hers. The corners of his lips quirked up in a smile.

"Yes. Quite" he breathed, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "When I`m with you, Sarah. Anything."