Too Much To Hope For

When someone as fragile as Iliana Harman finds her soulmate – it's not exactly something she looks forward to. Especially with her being a bit of blonde fluff and he being a cold-hearted biker. And Iliana isn't the only one who looks on in distaste…

Moonlit Walk

Iliana stood up. She passed the goblet on to the next person – a male witch of about eighteen. He took it without question and stared into the cup, wondering if there was something wrong with the contents.

"Merry part," Iliana said, vaguely. Thea's head shot up in surprise.
"But, Iliana, where are you going? We haven't even done the Samhain chant yet…"
Gillian's violet eyes were foggy with thought – she was looking at both her cousins in mild deliberation.

Iliana waved a hand. "Don't worry, I'll do it later – on my own."
What the hell am I doing? She wondered, walking over to Val – who looked puzzled. And, Iliana realised, extremely handsome.

She felt responsible for him, as if she had somehow brought him over subconsciously. Like a moth drawn to a flame, she thought absently. Eyes followed her as she smiled brightly at Val and looped her arm in his.

Sleeve on skin. Val shivered at her touch, as the wool of her rainbow coloured sweater tickled his bare arms. Her gloved hand waved a farewell to her friends and she practically dragged the vampire away.

"Covens are for witches," she hissed through locked teeth, looking at him steadily as they mounted the gravel path and began walking away into the moonlight.
Val seemed slightly off put. "There were humans sat around that circle…"
Iliana shook her head, exasperated. "Humans that have been taught witchcraft!" she whispered hotly.

Val shrugged. "Then why can't vampires be taught witchcraft?"
Iliana stopped. Then carried on. "Because." She finished.
Val glared at her. "'Because' what?"
Iliana bowed her head, then shrugged.
He grinned. "You don't know."

She didn't answer him. Instead, she began walking over to the apple orchard on instinct. Val followed without question. He didn't even care that she was leading him.

He just liked watching her. The way her blonde hair shone almost silver in the moonlight. The way she seemed to glide: her feet would slip elegantly along the path as if she was actually levitating and didn't actually rely on her legs for balance.

She was… beautiful. More beautiful than the Descouedres gardens, more beautiful than the night sky. Heck, even more beautiful than his Goddamn bike!
Val grinned silently.
"Penny for 'em," Iliana said, breaking the silence.
"Hmm?" Val looked down at her. The small blonde smiled sweetly – not humouring him or laughing at him – just a nice smile.
"What are you thinking about?"

Val turned away. "Nothing. It's just a nice night, that's all,"
Iliana looked up at the sky. It was a shame that Las Vegas polluted the sky – the stars were hardly visible. Iliana was sure the astronomy girl called Mary-Lynnette didn't like it. Still, you could drive out for half-an-hour, arrive in the desert and see the stars better than you could at Oregon, or wherever it was she came from.

Iliana nodded slowly. "It is a nice night," she replied – staring at the moon. It was encased by a dim halo, a ghostly circle that enveloped it. Protecting it.
Val looked up at it too. "You want it?" he whispered in Iliana's ear.
She started, jumping in confusion.

"Excuse me?"
Val blinked. Then blinked again. "Uh. Uh, I mean," he looked back up at the moon. "Do you want the moon?"
Iliana stared at him as if he had three heads, then slowly the confusion melted away. She smiled.

"Why?" she asked, feeling slightly flirtatious.
Val shrugged. "I'll pull it down for you," he told her.
A shiver ran up Iliana's spine. Is… Is he trying to be romantic?
She held on tighter to his arm. By now they were under the reaching branches of the apple trees – the canopy of leaves above arching around the moon, the contrast of green and white made the moon seem even more ghostly than it was.

Iliana rested her head on Val's arm. "I'd like that," she whispered.
She looked up at him. He looked down at her. Their faces were inches apart. And then their eyes locked. Iliana was swept away with this feeling of recognition. I… I know you…
She shuddered.

This feeling… it was trying to engulf her. Trying to force her closer and closer to Val, as strong as a hurricane. And suddenly the night seemed alive. The stars were out – dancing and glittering like milky opals.

The world was a moving body… it was breathing and its heart was beating along with hers. Iliana took soft, quiet breaths – trying to steady herself. A rush of adrenaline was pulsing through her body, dominating her thoughts.

The orchard trees were swaying in a sudden gasp of wind – the breeze whistled softly.
Val felt trapped. But he wasn't afraid. Something was trying to open a channel, to link him with Iliana. And he wasn't fighting it. Who would?

Iliana was the one who was frightened. She opened her mouth, gibbering something. She knew this was what her cousins talked about. This was what they experienced nearly every day of their lives now – except not as heightened.

Pink light enveloped her. She shut her eyes to stop seeing it, but it was in her head too. And that wasn't all. She could feel wings surround her – soft wings that didn't belong to this world. They were visions… hallucinations. Trying to pull her out of her own mind and throw her in… his.

She was in Val's mind. It glittered like ruby and garnet crystals… and at the same time there seemed to be a presence of overwhelming golden light – jewel-like and glittering yellow.
Iliana realised with a jolt that Val was in her mind too… and she couldn't get him out.

Go away… she said, timidly – only to find that she was using telepathy.
She was shaking, trembling with fear. This shouldn't be happening… this shouldn't be… this can't be…I DON'T WANT A SOULMATE…!

Why?Came the quick and hurt reply.
Iliana couldn't feel her body, she couldn't pull away psychically. She tried to numb her mind – to think of nothing. It didn't work.
Val sounded grieving. His voice was sickly and higher pitched. Why, Iliana? What's wrong with being–?

Iliana cut him off. I have a life. I don't want to be tied down, understand? God, I'm a teenager… it's like – it's like being MARRIED!

Val shuddered unpleasantly. It's not…
Iliana felt scared. Lonely. Afraid. She didn't like this. At all. Why her? Why couldn't the girl in the coven find her soulmate, why couldn't she find hers? Why did it have to be me?

Don't resist it… Val was saying. Please…
Iliana realised that if she didn't speak to him it was easier to fight. If she ignored this and thought more of the world outside…
The corridor was crumbling – the cord that was the soulmate principle was breaking. The fine threads connecting them were snapping loose.

And then Iliana was out of his mind and back in the world as she knew it.
She was in Val's arms. They had somehow managed to lean against an apple tree and fall to the ground. Her forehead was pressed against his cheek; his lips were against her hair.

Shocked and disgusted, she jerked backwards. Val's eyes slowly opened.
In her fear, Iliana crawled away. She stood up. "N-No," she gibbered. "This…didn't happen…"
She began to make up a story to suit her own mind, talking to herself more than to Val. "We – we went for a walk so I could… could get you away from the witches. Nothing happened… nothing,"

"Iliana," Val was standing up, his expression stern. He tried to catch hold of her hands.
The Witch Child was walking away. She put a hand up to her head. "I'll go to bed… pretend this never happened…"

His defences buckled. Val leapt forward. "Iliana, please!" he begged. Excitement coursed through his body… the wonder of finding his soulmate. But now his heart was slowly breaking. It had been too much to hope for… she could never love someone like him. They were so different…

Iliana ran before Val could grab her hand. She took off in a sprint – heading for the mansion.
Val was at a loss. He dug his hands into his pockets furiously and watched her as she ran in. His soulmate. She was his soulmate. And she'd regret it with every waking day, with every breath she took.

Val looked up at the sky, pretending to feel immune to love. He didn't need it – didn't need a blonde pussycat like her. It was a lie and he knew it. He'd fallen in love with her the minute their eyes had locked earlier in the hall.

To get rid of the loneliness slowly trying to take him over, he focused on the moon. Except – there was no moon. It was clouded over. At that instant, Val could feel the temperature drop. It was going to rain.