The Lost Soul (Fallen Soul Series, Book 1) (32 page)

“The outskirts though. If you try to get inside, it’s going to hurt.”

I shut my eyes, picturing the lake and take the three of us away.

***

“You know, it'd be much easier if you’d just tell me.” I pace the floor of the library, my hands covered in blood, my body aching. The more I exert myself, the more the good side of me slips through. I hate it and it makes me feel weak.

Dyvinius is bound to a leather sofa, covered in cuts and bruises that I’ve inflicted on him. “I won’t do it. Hurt me all you want, but I won’t.”

Laylen sits in the opposing sofa, boots kicked up on the table, and the Foreseer book opened in his lap. “Did you know that the Foreseers are one of the oldest breeds around? You’d think they’d be more powerful.”

“Stop telling me useless things,” I bark, frustration bursting through me. Things aren’t going my way and I don’t like it. “I want to know something helpful, like a trick that will help me get what I want from this man.” My eyes dart to Dyvinius and he sweats bullets.

Laylen turns the page. “Hmmm… here’s something.” His finger skims the page. “Did you know that some Foreseers can take other Foreseer’s power away?”

“Of course I knew that,” I enrage. “Why do you think I had to work so hard to get it back?”

Laylen thrums his fingers on the page. “But maybe you can do it.”

I watch Dyvinius’ reaction. “What do you think? Do I have it in me?” His trembling body answers.

“Place your hands on his head and test it,” Laylen instructs, reading the page. “Eventually you don’t have to make a direct connection, but in the beginning it’s much easier.”

I crunch my knuckles and loosen my shoulders. My fingers move eagerly for Dyvinius’ head.

“If you take it away, then I can’t help you!” he shouts out, jerking his arms, trying to break the ropes. “My power will be gone!”

I shrug half-heartedly. “I guess I’ll have to find another Foreseer then. No biggie.”

My fingertips brush his temples. His skin is loose under my touch. “I wonder if it’ll hurt. It hurt when it happened to me.”

“Wait!” he cries, tears slipping from his eyes. “I’ll give you the mark. I’ll give you whatever you want. Please don’t take my power away!”

I pull back, smiling like a spoiled brat. “It sucks, doesn’t it—the thought of losing your power. Now give me the Serpent mark.”

His shoulders shudder as he nods. “Animum liberos. Quid tibi vis,” he mumbles with regret.

A tingling sensation snakes up my spine, inking my skin and forever branding me with the power to invade minds. I’m invigorated by the energy surging through my blood and I let out a pleased chuckle, stretching my arms in front of me.

Laylen snaps the book shut. “Well, there’s one thing we can…” His eyebrows knit together as his gaze travels to the doorway. “Who the hell are you?”

I turn around. A lanky guy, probably about my age, leans against the doorway, arms crossed, eyes a deep blue. He is dressed in black, a chain dangling from his pocket. His arms are tracked with tattoos and leather bands. His hair is like a shadow, flowing down and slightly curling up below his ears.

“Gemma Lucas,” he muses thoughtfully. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

My eyes never waver from him, but confusion hordes my head. “And you are…”

He moves from the doorway, his long legs striding toward me. “Nalina sent me here. You have a lot of people worried about you. They think you’re possessed by some evil witch.”

“I’m not a witch,” I seethe, offended. “I’m a queen. And that still doesn’t explain who you are.”

He gives me a small smile and sighs sadly. “Let’s just say I’m an old friend.”  His arm zips forward and his hand strangles my neck.

“Let me go!” I screech.

His grip only tightens, his strength pounding through his fingertips. “Sorry sweetheart, but I can’t do that.” His eyes blaze.

My body inflames. Laylen shouts something and charges. The stranger holds up his free hand in Laylen’s direction and I hear a loud thump. His glowing eyes pierce into me until I can’t breathe. My vision spots, my boiling blood suffocates me.

I black out.

I wake up in my bedroom at the castle. My arms and legs are strapped to the bars on the head and footboard. Both the Cornu Lepore and my locket are missing from my neck. The room is silent, but voices stream from somewhere inside the house. The curtain obstructs the sunlight.

I writhe and buck my body, trying to get free. But the chains are too tight and only slice at my skin. I shut my eyes, trying to use my new power to breach someone’s mind and summon them to release me.

“Try all you want,” an unfamiliar voice says. “But this place is on lockdown. No Foreseer can use their power anywhere inside it.”

My eyes slowly open and I give the stranger from earlier a dirty look. “Who are you?” A faint memory tugs at my mind. My mind, not Helena’s. Alex and I run playfully through a field while a dark haired boy chases after us, his hands and eyes lit up with fire. “What are you?”

He sits on the edge of the bed, unafraid, and rubs his jawline. “You’re full of a lot of questions.” He watches me closely, like he’s trying to figure something out. “But are those questions yours,” he pauses and prods his finger against my head, “Or hers?”

“Whose?” I bat my eyelashes innocently.

The bedroom door opens and Alex slips inside. My heart flutters, but Helena silences it.

Worry masks his face and his dark hair is all over the place, a stress tick. “How’s she doing, Evan?”

Evan steps back from the bed, the chain attached to his belt loop and pocket clinking with his movements. “I’m not sure. She’s obviously possessed, but there’s still some of her in there.”

I hiss and both guys flinch. “Where’s Laylen?”

Alex shakes his head, aggravated. “Tied up just like you. Neither one of you are going anywhere until we know for sure that Helena’s gone.”

“And Aislin?” I smirk because I already know the answer.

He glares with hatred. “You think you’re so clever, sending her to the Faerie Realm, knowing she’ll be trapped there now that Luna’s gone.”

We stare each other down, his expression torn between loathing and want.

“This is going to be hard,” Evan interrupts, examining me over. “The Queen of The Afterlife is nothing like a ghost.”

“Oh my God,” I laugh hysterically. “Not another exorcism. Didn’t you learn your lesson the last time? I’m not going anywhere.”

Alex rubs his face exhaustedly and drops down on the bed, a cold look icing his face. “Tell me Helena, have you ever heard of a little thing called an Omnia?”

I frown as Helena whispers what it is.

“By the look on your face, I think you have,” Alex says. “But I’ll explain anyway, since I don’t think Gemma knows… well, that she can remember. Omnia is a term for everything. So imagine someone who has every power; pyrokinesis, telekinesis, mind bending, the death touch, Foreseer power. And all the crap is mixed into one person. An Omnia. Now imagine what that person could do.”

Helena isn’t happy. I frown, anger burning in my chest.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” Evan asks. “Does it scare you?”

I sputter a laugh. “You think I’m afraid of you?” I shake my head, a laugh tickling my lips. “Man, humans are stupid. You think you can stop me. You think you can win.” I lower my voice so they have to lean closer. “If you really do kick me out of her, she’ll die. She’s now a part of me and there’s no going back.”

“You’re lying,” Alex says in horror. “Gemma can’t die. She’s a Protected One.”

“Loopholes,” I singsong. “They always exist.”

Evan concentrates on my eyes. “I think she’s telling the truth.”

I laugh evilly and a dark cloud covers the room. I’m not lying. There’s only one loophole that can save me from Helena. Annabella. But they don’t know that. And with Annabella locked inside me, they won’t find out.

My laughter fills the air, unsettling them so much that they have to leave the room. Time slips by, but that’s okay. I have all the time in the world.

Because I’m not going anywhere.

Jessica Sorensen lives with her husband and three kids in the snowy mountains of Wyoming, where she spends most of her time reading, writing, and hanging out with her family.

Other books by Jessica Sorensen:

The Fallen Star (Fallen Star Series, Book 1)

The Underworld (Fallen Star Series, Book 2)

The Vision (Fallen Star Series, Book 3)

The Promise (Fallen Star Series, Book 4)

Darkness Falls (Darkness Falls Series, Book 1)

Darkness Breaks (Darkness Falls Series, Book 2)

Darkness Fades (Darkness Falls Series, Book 3) Coming Fall of 2012

Connect with me online:

http://jessicasorensensblog.blogspot.com/

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https://twitter.com/#!/jessFallenStar