Chapter 4

"No!" with that single word I'm thrown out of his mind and back into reality. His hand has moved from my wrist to my throat, squeezing with and iron grip.

"You try anymore magicking. And I will stake you." He growls, "No more magic, we fight strait up, no trickery."

This was not how I imagined meeting my soul mate.

"Now get up!"

Slowly, I rise to my feet. Tension runs through his body like an electric current, and I realize, he is scared. He has absolutely no idea what just happened to him. He thinks I'm tricking him into something.

Jarring pain in my thigh tells me to pay attention. The wound is already starting to heal slightly, but blood is still gushing all over. The grass is red and slick. The coppery tang of blood permeates the air. The smell makes my pangs slide out, pushing into my lower lip. My vision sharpens. All my senses are heightened. I am ready for a hunt.

Our sticks meet in midair, a popping sound reverberating through the area from the force. We begin our deadly dance again. There is only one difference. This time, I am the one striking, taking risks, pushing foreword. I back him up, until he is pressed tight against the large trunk of an old oak. There is no time to climb.

"As they always say, 'you play with fire; you're going to get burned.'" I raise my hand for the death blow, but I can't strike. My hand is frozen in midair. Lowering my hand, I press my stick into his shirt, right above his heart.

"Hey Kelly!" I call over my shoulder, "bring me some rope."

A golden cheetah trots over and hand me the rope. I take it from her mouth, and turn to my victim. "thanks." She blinks in response.

Tying his hands and gagging him, I haul him to the middle of the clearing and throw him on the ground. We have caught or killed the rest of them.

Kelly and the wolves gather around me. "Let's drug 'em up and bring them back to base."

The safe house we stay in is very large, but it's disguised by strong magic to look like a regular old home.

We brought the three vampires we had captured and locked them in separate cells. Over the next few weeks they would go through a series of interrogations. Right now, though, none of that was very important. I had to find Poppy; she would know what to do.

I found her in the library.

"I need you help!" I think I found my soul mate, but I'm not sure, well I am sure, but I don't know what to do! I'm really confused. He's from Redfern's group, and he hates me, doesn't want to believe that I'm his soul mate." I wail. I must sound like an annoying child to her.

Poppy doesn't seem to care. She folds her legs under her and asks me to have a seat and explain everything that happened. She never once interrupts and when I'm done, she says

"Yep, that sounds like the soul mate principle. Just be patient and get to know him. Always remember that you are destined to be together.

They have told us nothing. They refuse to talk event with treats of death and torture. I'm afraid we may have to use torture to get anything out of them.

I'm in a rage. Throwing pillows and whatever I can get my hands on around the room. My clock shatters into a million pieces and I relish it.

My mind is stick on a continuous tape of the interrogation, a broken record.

"Why don't you give up? You will be free and we can be together." I plead with him.

"I hate you! I would rather die than kneel to you." He spits.

His name is Briar. He is breathtakingly handsome and evil to the bone.