Chapter 10 We are soul mates

Amanda's POV

I sat in the cell alone again thinking to myself. That's all I ever do lately is just think, think, think. I have nothing much else to do and I finished the book Ashton had given me. Footsteps echoed around the tunnel, Ashton was returning again but it didn't look like him at all, his eyes were pale and hollow, his cheeks gaunt and his lips grey.

"Ashton what happened to you?" I said scrambling to my feet and rushing towards the bars of the cell.

"What do you think?" he snapped, "I've had nothing to eat, my hunger is growing!"

I gazed at him tentatively I wasn't sure how to respond to him when he was like this, it scared me. He turned to meet my gaze and his eyes softened just a fraction.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." I said sinking to the floor and hugging my knees tightly to my chest. I couldn't take this anymore; I just wanted to go home.

"No, I'm sorry." He said sighing. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that…It's just I haven't eaten in so long….I'm dying. The elixir is gone and rats just aren't cutting it anymore. Anything that we can get goes to the newbie rogues, they won't even last a day without food."

"Ashton the rogue that paid me a surprise visit, she said that the rogues wanted me for my blood, is that true?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You know I can't tell you that!"

"You can never tell me anything!"

"Amanda!"

"Go to hell Ashton!"

"I'm sure I will!" he challenged raising an eyebrow but I wasn't in the mood for his sarcastic banter. I looked up at him again and he looked worse than before, his lips were cracking and he was breathing heavily. He was right, he was dying. I reached my arm out and stuck it between the bars so that it was inches away from him. His nose twitched in response to my blood that was pumping just under his nose.

"I think you should feed off me." I whispered.

"Amanda, take your hand away now." He growled viciously.

"No, feed off me." I said with more courage than I felt.

"I won't be able to stop in time just take your hand away!" He hissed spinning away from me and slamming his fists violently against the tunnel wall.

"Ashton you need this and I am not going to let you die." I screamed at him with so much conviction in my voice I scared myself. He hissed violently before turning around again, his eyes had turned a vibrant red as he glared at me violently but I held my ground.

"Take it away or I will not be responsible for my actions!" He said between ground teeth.

"I trust you to stop in time. Drink." I said thrusting my arm further out, my whole body was pushed up against the bars now as my arm dangled closer to him. He growled before pulling my arm and hard. His fingers closed around my wrist digging into my soft flesh as he bared his fangs. The pure size of them made my knees shake. Shooting pain seared through my shoulder as it bashed against the bars. His mouth inched closer to my wrist before the stinging pain kicked in. I shook and my knees finally gave way sinking to the ground as he sucked my blood. Excitement fluttered through my stomach as my mind searched him; I was connected to him in a way I never thought I would be. I could almost see into his mind see everything he had seen or heard. Every little memory that was there I could see every little emotion he had felt. Everything. His lips pulled into a smile against my wrist and I knew he could see into my mind too. I wasn't too sure I was happy about that but I let go, let him see into me. Finally I could see who the real Ashton was and he was…just like me in so many more ways than one. He was everything I was and I could barely wrap my head around it. A burning sensation welled up in my heart, bouncing and seeping out into every part of me. My soul reached out towards him, I felt everything he was feeling, happiness, joy and then fear. It struck me hard. He was feeling fear but why? He pulled back immediately as he felt my confusion flow into him.

I shot back from the bars feeling my shoulders ache with every move I made. I was confused and hurt. Why was he feeling fear? Quickly my eyes scanned my wrist but only a faint mark remained, it was healing so quickly I almost didn't believe what had just happened. I looked up towards Ashton but his gaze was hooded. He stared at me intently but turned away as my eyes met him.

"What just happened, was that normal?" I asked quietly

"Don't." He said. "Here I brought you something." Carefully he bent down and picked up a small book titled the Scarlett letter. He pushed it through the bars carefully so it rested at my feet.

"Ashton, I."

"No! I'm not talking about this. I,I, I'm sorry." He said turning and racing off. Grief wracked me and I didn't even understand why. I crawled to the corner as tears crept to my eyes and I wept. Why did everything have to be so bloody confusing all the time!

Ashton's POV

I stood out in the rain watching the brunette boy and the blonde headed girl crawl out of the tunnel and race out into the streets. I didn't care if they escaped I just let them go.

"Brother." The voice boomed behind me shocking me out of my reverie. I spun around coming face to face with my halfblooded brother Quinn. "You asked me to meet you here, why?" He asked in his daring voice.

"I trust you Quinn, you may not believe it but I do and I need you to do something for me, will you be willing too." I asked solemnly

"Anything you wish." He smirked.

"I'm leaving and I need you to watch over someone here." I said

"You're leaving?" He asked. I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes and I need you to watch over Amanda."

"What? The chosen one! Have you lost it."

"Quinn…I've soul mate bonded with her…..I have to put distance between us but I need someone to watch over her. Make sure she is safe."

"Bloody hell Ashton! I thought that kind of old magic didn't exist anymore! Soulmates!?"

"It still exists but that is not the point. Will you or will you not look after her until I can get my head straight."

"I suppose I can." He smiled.

"But…" I said

"But I want something in return. I want to be the new top dog around here. Master's new favourite. Can you do that?"

"I'm leaving, I don't need to do anything you will be favourite anyway, you can say as many bad things about me as you want to him. Turn me into a fool if you will and get yourself into his good books but what matters is Amanda's safety."

"Then you have a deal my brother."

"First sign of trouble and you must come straight to me at the summer house we grew up in. No other rogues can know about this or the summer home. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Perfectly well." He said shaking my hand before I turned and raced off into the whistling wind.

Quinn's POV

I didn't trust Ashton. No matter what I did I would always be second favourite. Ashton would return and no matter how much I slated him as soon as he would return Master would drop me like a stone in favour for…..him. I made my way through the winding tunnels towards Masters main room. I pounded hard on the door.

"Enter Quinn." A dark voice boomed from within the depths of the room. I still couldn't understand how Master always knew it was me before he even saw me but I pushed into his darkened room anyway. He was standing near the back of the room wearing his black hooded cloak waiting for me to speak. Show time Quinn I told myself.

"Ashton has sent word to me from the seer's place. The seer has told him that it is time. We must use the chosen one now with no time to waste!" I rushed out my words trying not to reveal the fact that I was lying through my teeth.

"Are you quite sure!" He asked

"We must use her now Master! It is urgent!"

"Damn it!" His voice ricocheted around the room splitting my eardrums as he pounded the lone wooden table that was at the centre of the room. "We are not ready for this! Last time I talked to that seer she said that there was still time yet for us to prepare."

"She is certain this is the right thing to do. Circumstances have drastically changed that she did not foresee."

"That no good seer will get what is coming to her. Prepare the chosen one immediately we will perform the first sacrifice ritual tonight."

"Yes Master I will prepare her."

"Good, how long will it take for Ashton to get back from the seers place?"

"I am not sure."

"Then get out and get to work." He boomed as I retreated from the room. I smiled from ear to ear. My plan had worked.

Amanda's POV

Tears trailed down my face, Ashton had gone and my new guard was sitting here watching over me. A younger rogue named Nathaniel. I clutched the Scarlett letter to my chest as another rogue crammed into the small space whispering something into Nathaniel's ear. I felt weaker and weaker every second. Ashton had drained almost all my energy when he had fed. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the concrete wall trying to concentrate on what they were saying but they were too quiet until even the whispering died away and there was silence. I opened my eyes slowly to see them both staring at me. Nathaniel brought a key to the padlock attached to the bars of my cell inserting it and twisting until the tell tale click resounded around the cell. I glanced between the two of them knowing without a doubt that it was my time. Fear bounced around my stomach making me feel sick, I backed away deeper and deeper into my cell gripping the Scarlett letter so hard my knuckles turned yellow. They raced into the cell, within a heartbeat they were standing next to me, sneering. Their revolting breath tumbled upon me tickling my cheek as they began laughing. Cold hard chains clinked around my wrists as they tugged sending shooting pains through my damaged shoulder as they pulled me at an angle.

"No! No! Noooooo! Get off me!" I screamed trying to buck and kick just managing to hit one of them in the shin. "Pleaseeeee, oh pleaseee." I screamed but it was futile the dirty gag came down against my mouth tasting like dirt and urine. The smell stung my eyes and more tears cascaded down my face. I wished I could use my powers like that day when I tried to save Erica and Sarah but they only worked on instinct, protection of others I cared about. They pushed me further down into the dark tunnels heading towards a room lit by candles. The whole rogue clan gathered around a dark hooded figure chanting words I didn't even understand. Further and further they pushed me into the brightly lit room, I tripped nearly knocking over one of the candle lit candelabras that dotted the room.

"Ahhhh, our guest of honour the chosen one has arrived! How lovely for you to grace us with your prescence!" The dark hooded figure sneered sending chills dancing up my spine. I could barely see his face under the large black hood that cloaked him. "Remove that gag and bring her to the centre of the star." He commanded. Instantly I was being pushed forward to the centre of a seven point star drawn with chalk on the floor and the gag was pulled free of my face. The chains still pinched and jangled holding my hands in place. "Don't you dare think of moving or struggling you will just make your situation worse do you understand me?" He asked.

"I don't take orders from low life like you." I snapped.

"How dare you! Know your place you vile little…"

"Do whatever I don't give a damn anymore!" I yelled pretty stupidly.

"That's it, remove her clothes and bring the whip." He thundered. Rogues began clawing at me as I writhed and twisted in their grasp. My shirt now in tatters around me as they grabbed and grabbed bringing me to my knees as the whip came out. 1,2,3 sharp whacks against my bare skin, intense pain stretched and surrounded be as tears sprung to my eyes. 4,5,6 hits against my back as sticky hot blood oozed out pooling down around me. I felt light headed. I was panicking. My breath coming in short raspy gasps. Don't show fear, don't show fear I repeated my mantra praying silently for a miracle before I blacked out.