The Deadliest Soulmate

All alone in a dim room the two opposing leaders must decide the fate of humans. What the actual outcome is, is a completely different matter…

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Chapter Four
Let's Talk

Lisa leant back. Don't touch him, her mind whispered, don't go anywhere near him – the connection will just spark off. You know too well you can't ignore it if you get sucked in again. She frowned and folded her arms over her knees, bunching them up close to her chest.

Hunter was scowling. He was leaning forward, looking very determined and very, very sober. He didn't look startled. He didn't look in any way self-centred or in control. He looked helpless, lost and… vulnerable.
Yet he still had a frown on his face that arced beautifully – pointing to his chin either side and sparking off the distaste in his piercing golden eyes.

Lisa gulped.
"What now?" she murmured, her head pressed against her arm. She looked around the room – at anything but him. That thing sitting right opposite her… her soulmate.
Hunter flashed a dazzling smile, seeming to come to life all of a sudden. "Will your little Daybreaker friends be arriving shortly?" he asked, voice sweet and seemingly polite. His tone was flighty – Lisa's eyes wandered over his face before she could stop herself. He was so beautiful…

"No," she snapped. "You cut off the transmission before anybody even picked up," She looked at Hunter now with – instead of awe-struck and gleaming eyes – lidded eyes that were narrowed and predatory.
It didn't affect him. He leant back, resting against a dining table that Lisa hadn't even noticed earlier. The room had been an escape route… not an actual room to her.

When the most evil person on Earth is chasing you, you don't stop to think if you're going to trip over the dining room table.
Hunter smiled. "Well. If we're going to have no interruptions then we can talk."

Lisa sighed, exasperated. "What about? You? Me? Talking?" She snorted – a very unladylike thing to do. "You're out of your mind,"

Hunter sat upright immediately, bristling unhappily. But he wasn't just unhappy – he was furious. "Listen you! You think you know everything, you think that you're invincible just because you and I are… connected." He took the briefest of pauses, and then carried on.

"You don't know a thing! You're gonna wind up dead just as soon as we're out of this position! You clearly assume that I have feelings for you – which I don't – and then you believe that I would really turn you into a vampire! You're not just a human; you're the worst kind of human! A Daybreaker!

"I wouldn't spend the rest of my life with you. If the world doesn't fall into my lap and I'm rid of you, I'll be happy with that!" he was panting now, absolutely scarlet with rage. He was trembling, his eyes were aflame, and his hands were balled up into fists.

Lisa didn't care. She was smiling. "Can you repeat that, please?" she said, as sweetly and as innocently as possible.
He was Hunter Redfern – he was stupid. And when he was in a rage, he could play right into her hands.

"I said 'if the world doesn't fall into my lap and I'm rid of you, I'll be happy with…" he stopped. His face was slowly turning back to its original colour. He'd only just realised what he'd been about to say.

Lisa laughed chirpily and clapped her hands. "Well then, we have an answer." She declared. "Bravo. You end the war, I end the relationship. Alls fair?" she held out a hand, ready to shake – completely forgetting about the soulmate principle.
It hits you like lightning…

Hunter gaped. "What 'relationship'? And what 'war'? This isn't a war, this is a take-over! You really expect humans to put up a fight worthy enough of being declared a war?"

It was Lisa's turn to flood pink. She didn't. She growled and refused to rise to the bait. She withdrew her hand.
"Well, then…" she began, smoothing out her voice with every breath she took. "What do you propose?"

Hunter sat back again, letting out breaths in angry hisses that were 'supposed' to be calming him down. He was only just succeeding.
"I hate you," he said in a slow and unsettling voice. "Don't you understand that? I hate all humans – their better off dead!" he stomped the ground with his fist for exaggeration.

Lisa didn't blink.
Hunter was continuing, yet he was leaning closer – showing his teeth. They were extending, denting his bottom lip.
Lisa still didn't move. She knew that if he were planning on killing her then at least he'd get it over with. She really didn't care any more.

Hunter didn't smile. Didn't grimace or frown. Just kept staring at her intently and moving closer and closer. His lips were darkening in colour where the blood was rushing to them. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. He was shivering – something unknown was running riot in his body… some sort of hidden emotion that was finally welling up…

His eyes fixed on Lisa's lips.
"I hate all humans…" he growled, finally – not able to tear his eyes away from that spot, that one spot on her face that was forbidden. Hunter licked his lips hungrily.
Lisa took a quick breath, opening her lips a little more. They were puckered – glossy and pink like the petals of a rose.

Hunter groaned inwardly – giving in. "I hate all humans…" he whispered softly, and then leant in even more closer. Their faces were now pressed together – their foreheads touching. Hunter shut his eyes.
Then, when they were breathing the same air, he smiled. "But I… don't hate you," he whispered against her mouth.

Lisa felt tears well up in her eyes. And then their lips collided furiously, their senses discarded – their thoughts locked away. All that mattered was the silver cord thrumming between them.
The past was an illusion; the thoughts screaming at them to stop didn't affect them in any way.

They were together… complete. That was all that mattered.

Lisa was in a world that was murky grey. She knew where she was. She felt as if she had her arms wrapped around her and was smiling dazzlingly.

She pushed on, into the new land that had opened up before her. She felt like an underwater swimmer – walking yet falling back a few paces through this mind that smothered her and pressed her down, telling her not to come anywhere near it.

She paid no attention. Deep inside the misty fog was someone telling her to continue, to see them for what they really were. The voice was Hunter's.
…you can't ignore it if you get sucked in again, her mind was screaming at her. She ignored it.

I don't want to ignore the principle… she looked about, trying to search for Hunter – her arms were outstretched, reaching for him. I don't want to ignore it, because it brought me to him… the love of my life.
It was then Lisa realised that she didn't know who she was, where she was or what Hunter had ever done to disgust her.

In this new land of peace and love, all she could feel was what he'd do to make it up to her. She was breaching the borders of hysterical – but in a maniacal, chirpy sort of way. Lisa didn't know whether she was entirely sane at that point.

She kept walking and kept reaching. She'd find him… she'd find him soon.
CRACK!
Out of nowhere shot a bolt of lightning. She was being zapped!
She ignored it the first few times and started calling Hunter's name. But then it annoyed her. Hey, who's throwing lightning bolts at me anyway? She wondered.

She turned. Her heart pounded, her eyes erupted with tears and a smile swept across her face all in one fluid motion – like a wave rushing through her, wiping the slate clean.
Hunter was smiling brilliantly.
You found me, he grinned. After all this time, you found me.

Lisa tried to pull her inner child back in and act mature. She put on a straight face, then ran up to her soulmate and embraced him – latching onto him and wrapping her arms around him.
He did the same to her and kissed her forehead tenderly.
Now I can… finally love someone. Finally… he whispered.

Lisa suppressed a giggle. My father warned me not to have affairs with married men, she told Hunter, pressing her head against his body…
…Except, it wasn't real. This was her imagination – these were their minds. Sharing a hug, a kiss… but not real. Almost… virtual.

It seemed real to the two of them, though. Whatever their minds dreamed up seemed to be physical to them. Like puppet masters… tugging the strings.

Hunter smiled. Don't worry about her. He said. She's dead.
Lisa looked up. She is? What about Roseclear? Garnet?
Hunter shook his head sadly. Both dead. I have… I have no more children. And his voice… it sounded so painful, so… so sad.

Lisa breathed in his warm smell – exotic herbs and spices. It was as if he'd spent the day getting smoked by the spell fumes in a witch's household.
I'm sorry, she said.
Hunter sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. Don't worry. Some things are better off dead and buried. Now we–

He cupped her chin in his hands and drew her face up to look at his.
…We can be together.
Their eyes met.
Blue on yellow...

SNAP!

Lisa blinked but it was all it took. The next instant her eyes flew open wider and her mouth was open in shock. The connection froze and the misty fog withdrew.
Hunter was staring at her with brilliant yellow eyes the colour of Citrine crystal. His head was cocked on one side – trying to figure her out.

They were back in the dining room. The light was dimming outside.
But to Lisa they had always been in the dining room. She'd forgotten everything that had just happened in that moment…
She looked up at a privacy window embedded high in the opposite wall. She took a shaky breath. The sun was setting. We've been in this room for so long already?

"Lisa?" Hunter was blinking furiously, remembering where he was.
Lisa looked away, disgusted. "Don't talk to me," She made to stand up – but Hunter had wrapped his arms around her. He was suppressing her, holding her down.
Lisa dropped back to the ground with a bump.

"I meant what I said," he hissed through gritted teeth. The tone wasn't sensitive or loving – it was cold and determined. Like someone who knew that they were getting what they wanted.
Funny, he'd sounded that way when trying to catch me earlier… just like he knew he'd catch me, Lisa thought.

She started shaking angrily. "What, when you said you 'hated all humans'?" she repeated, bile rising in her throat.
Hunter snarled. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. Lisa's head banged against the floor and she let out a muffled moan of pain.
"You little idiot! You stupid, stupid, stupid vermin!" he roared.

Lisa let out a cry of objection. "I heard you the first time…" she managed to say – which was her best defence.
Her head struck the floor again. And again. And again. This time, it hurt even more.
Hunter was infuriated. He wouldn't stop. His fiery red hair was standing on end – his eyes were wild and silvery.

Lisa felt like screaming but knew it wouldn't do any good.
"You don't understand, do you? You don't understand what this means to me!" he was yelling now. Yelling so much that his voice threatened to burst Lisa's eardrums.
"Don't… don't shout!" she pleaded, voice timid.

"All my life I've been this!" Hunter shouted. "This monster that couldn't love anyone or believe in anything good! I had my reasons, I thought the whole world had turned its back on me – so I did the same! And now that you're here and we're together…"

"Hunter, what… are… you… talking about?" Lisa gibbered between deep breaths.
Hunter's shakes were slowing down. His voice was getting thick. His yellow eyes were turning into ghostly shades – filming over like a corpses'.
Oh God… is he…? Is he going to… to cry? Lisa wondered.

Hunter realised then. He searched her mind for any trace of what they had just shared. Nothing.
"You really…? How could you have forgotten something that just happened? All I said… all that happened…? You ignored it? What, you have memory loss or something?" Hunter screamed.

Lisa cringed away. "What do you mean? One minute you said you hated me and then you're holding me like this and telling me 'we're together' – what is up with you?" she replied.

Hunter froze all over. "W-What?" he muttered. His grip on her relaxed… then he let her go completely.

Lisa leant backwards, away from him. Then stood up. "I'm leaving," she said in a shaky breath. "We'll… we'll pretend this never happened. You can go back to your people and I will go back to mine…"

Hunter stood up too. "No. No, Lisa. We can't pretend this never happened. We can't just forget…"

"I already have!" Lisa snapped, turning sharply. "You want this? You actually want what's happening between us?" she looked at him sharply and coldly.
When he didn't respond and just looked away from her, a chill ran up her spine. She tried to ignore it.

"I'm leaving," she said, again.
This time, Hunter didn't move to stop her.
She opened the back door – no, threw it open – and stomped out with an air of dignity.
She didn't get far.

Hunter's head jerked up at the last possible instant – remembering something he shouldn't have forgotten.
"No, Lisa, don't go through that–!"
Too late.