?Glaring, I bare my teeth at him. “Just because you are my fated too doesn’t mean you get to order me around like I’m a doll on a string. We still aren’t connected either so you don’t own me.”
?He jolts back as if I hit him and the rest of the celestials stare at me with wide eyes.
?“You know,” he chokes out, and I roll my eyes at him as I look away. Within me I find that thread that connects us through fate and pluck it. He and Callahan flinch at it. “When did you find out?”
?“When you obviously did. In my dorm room after I came back from the sun death realm. When you find out you’re fated to someone you both realize it at the same time. One of you can’t realize it while the other is oblivious. That’s a known fact.”
?He’s watching me like I’m not real. So is Callahan and the rest of them.
?“Now someone tell me what happened between me looking at Kolasi in that classroom and going comatose for two months.”
?No one speaks again. They’re all still watching me like they can’t believe anything. As if this is a dream and they’re all waiting to wake up.
?Newsflash. They can’t be dreaming if this is my dream.
?Which. . . looking at everyone, this might be. Nothing is making sense right now and I can’t remember things I know I should and Nana and Ms. Elaycia are here.
?Thorne shifts forward gaining my attention and swallows. “You had faced against Kolasi in Varian’s classroom and were about to kill them when he disappeared. You saved thosestudents and then two days later was family day. Callahan brought Elaycia Sorenli of Havebeth, Esmirra of Ebony, Rosenbail of Maril, and Caleb Cougenha to you for it, and then the rebels attacked a second time.”
?A second attack?
?My eyes widen as I ask, “Is everyone okay?” Immediately I think of Jullia and Asher because they also aren’t here and I have no idea where they are.
?Callahan squeezes my leg as Thorne nods with a cautious expression. “Callahan told you to stay on the terrace because you were still recovering, and once on the field with Rosenbail she told him you would not be staying put and you would be fighting. She said he didn’t know something about you, but that he would. She knew that he had not seen your soul when you both realized you were fated.”
?Fuck.
?Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
?This is not good. This isreallynot good.
?“And then she said not even Esmirra could see your soul when you first came to her. They all had thought you were human, but quickly realized you were not when you told them you used a blood art to kill the devil and mage. She said you were not a vampire. She said you were never human.”
?What the fuck happened after the faceoff with Kolasi?
?Thorne continues, his voice in its lazy drawl but his body is wired so tightly it looks like he’s about to snap.
?“Then witches presented themselves on the battlefield and were about to kill us, but you appeared with red lightning beforeus and created a shield of blood saving us. You killed the blood witch and then went to war with Kolasi. You were about to kill them all right before they disappeared. Whatever force you were using – “ His words slowing, “ – basically killed you too. You drank nearly all the blood in my veins before essentially going brain dead. Which is the state you have been in for the last two months.”
?He begins rolling his sleeve up and on his right wrist are two stark imprints that haven’t faded yet.
?“Esmirra has tried every single day to enter your mind and force you awake. She said you weren’t dead because your shields were still up blocking both Callahan and Varian, but inside your mind there was nothing. For some reason, today you finally responded to her. Or rather, you responded to Callahan. Esmirra took him with her into your mind and you acted like a child pouting, refusing to wake up.”
?I swallow thickly as my eyes don’t leave the scar on him. My own body breaks out into a light sweat and it itches my own scars. The one right over my heart pulsing with a dull ache I’m more acutely aware of right now.
?It’s not a claiming mark. It will fade soon enough.
?Mine.
?No.
?In every lifetime.
?You are dead, I whisper to that voice.You’re not real.
?It means nothing. The scar.
?Nine fucking years. Ninefuckingyears where my fangs have not pierced another person’s skin and within the last four months I’ve already left two marks.
