Soul Possessed

We rounded the corner and went up a flight of stairs down another hallway, the same one that led to Ally’s chemistry class. The room where I’d first laid eyes on her. I often wondered if I should have refused her mission. Maybe things would have turned out differently, but I doubt Felix would have allowed that and I had certainly never been one to turn down a challenge.

Ally stopped at a locker near the end of the hall and scrolled her combination. “Cooper told me what lengths you took to find this. And since you are the oldest relative that I’ve met, I thought you should have it.” She opened her locker and pulled out the Book of Records, the old tome that outlined the lineage of our family from the first Caeleste that mated with a human creating our Prognatum line.

“I can’t—” Even though I’d pushed my way through David’s wards to get the book, I didn’t feel right taking it from her. That was the day my entire after-life changed, when I knew I was something more and when I realized I was living a lie. I was the black sheep, I didn’t deserve anything good. Even though, I would have loved to explore it more.

Ally pushed it toward me. “Cooper said that the book can go to the After with you. It’s magical or whatever.” Her phone blasted a pop song, grabbing her attention.

I took the book and she reached into her pocket to pull the phone out. “Hello? Jamie? Wait. Slow down.” Her head snapped up and she gave Cooper and me a worried look. “That’s impossible. Where are you?”

Jamie’s inaudible voice spoke frantically over the receiver. Ally took the book back and shoved it into her locker, then she lifted her baldric from the space and closed the door.

Jamie’s tiny frame rounded the corner, her bad arm flailing like a chicken wing as she struggled for balance.

Ally hung up her phone. “What do you mean Aaron is here?”

“What?” Cooper, Jackson, and I spoke in unison.

“Aaron is gone,” I said with finality, just as Cooper and Jackson pulled out their swords.

Jamie rushed to our side, panting for breath. “I. Saw. Him. In. The. Parking. Lot.” Then the chattering began. It had been warm enough in the gym that she didn’t get the chills as she did around any After being, but with three of them around her, I knew she wouldn’t be able to subdue her ‘tell’.

Ally barely hid her eye roll. “It must have been someone else.”

“I know what I saw,” Jamie retorted fiercely.

“You also saw me slam him against a rock wall,” I said.

“Merely a bump,” a familiar voice called from behind us.

My soul stiffened. I lifted my sword from behind me as I turned around. “Aaron.”

“Did you miss me?”

I wanted to slap that stupid grin from his face. He looked the same as I remembered. Not that I expected any different. Although I hadn’t anticipated he’d still be wearing the Guard uniform, even though it looked tattered around the edges.

“I got rid of you,” I spat, reaching for Jamie. She skittered behind me, and I blocked her from his slimy gaze.

Aaron reached up and touched the back of his head. “You should know the only way to properly dispose of a soul is with your sword. Or—”His grin widened, showing all of his teeth. “Or you can suck the life out of them.”

My soul prickled at the thought of Aaron’s soul anywhere near me, just as two Shadowed appeared at his side towering over him with matching scythes strapped to their backs.

One stepped forward, his silvery blond hair cascaded the length of his back. His eyes fell on mine. “We’ve come to collect you. We wish your friends no harm.”

Ally snorted, “Yeah right.” She readied her sword in front of her.

Cooper and Jackson moved in front of Ally and me. The one time they agreed on anything. If we weren’t in imminent danger I might have taken a picture.

“You aren’t collecting anything,” Jackson growled.

Aaron stepped back, allowing the leader to take his place. Typical. Aaron could talk but he never delivered. Why hadn’t Felix listened to me from the start and Recycled Aaron instead of making him a Guard?

The blond tilted his head to the side as if Jackson was an insect. “Our mission is clear. We collect and leave. No harm done.”

No harm except them taking me to who knows where. No way.

“Not a chance,” Cooper said.

The leader narrowed his gaze. “I don’t want to use force but I will if necessary.” He lifted his scythe and displayed it in front of him, nodding at the third Shadowed, a skinny man whose face resembled a rodent. He grinned wickedly, displaying a mouth with gaping holes where his teeth should have been, and disappeared from sight.

I turned just as he appeared at my side, his unkempt fingers reaching for me. Jamie squealed and I thrust my sword in front of me, but before I could strike, Jackson shoved us back against the lockers.

He kicked Rat Face in the gut. Rat Face scowled and reached for his weapon, detaching the blade from the sheath and swinging it in quick strikes at Jackson, missing him by inches. I found myself entranced by Jackson. I knew he was a strong fighter but he was right, he had been gentle with me. His graceful form weaved back and forth between the arcs of the scythe, landing a few more kicks of his own.

Jamie whimpered and I knew I had to get her out of there before she got hurt again, or worse.

“Maggie,” she said fearfully, her teeth chattering harder.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the fray. “I’m getting you out of here.”

Ally and Cooper were defending themselves against Aaron and the blond Shadowed, both of them moving as a unit. The sides were evenly matched and I should have been the tipping point. A hint of my power surged deep within me, but I shoved it down. Jamie was my priority, and I would only be able to help once she was safe.

“Come on.”

Jamie shuffled in front of me, back the way we’d come. The sounds of crashing swords against scythes rang behind me but I couldn’t lose focus. We were almost to the stairs when something shoved me from behind.

Chapter Six

My knees went from under me. The floor rocketed up to my face but before I slammed into the ground a hand wrapped around my arm, pulling me up. Jackson’s face was twisted with rage as Rat Face took his stance for another attack.

Jamie was halfway down the stairs before she realized she was alone. She looked back towards me with wide eyes.

“Go!” I called, pulling my sword out.

Even though we were two against one, Rat Face didn’t seem concerned. But he did attack Jackson first. If their mission was to get me on their side, I doubt they would hurt me, but as for my friends? I didn’t want to take any chances.

“Now it’s your turn to get out of here,” Jackson grunted, taking another blow from Rat Face.

I circled around Rat Face. “Absolutely not.”

“Get back to the After,” Jackson snapped through gritted teeth as he avoided a scythe to his face.

Rat Face moved, keeping the two of us in front of him.

“I’m not leaving.”

“We’re not going to hurt you. But we have been instructed to hurt your friends if necessary,” Rat Face confided with a smile.

Suddenly I was filled with purpose, Jamie had a broken arm because of me. Ally didn’t have a father because of me and I wasn’t risking anything else happening to any one of them.

Shoving my sword forward, I blocked a blow meant for Jackson. Rat Face’s eyes narrowed as he pushed my weapon away with his, but he didn’t counterattack, instead he slid back a few steps. I lunged forward, but Jackson took over again, shoving me to one side.

Rat Face slipped under Jackson’s arm and reached for me again, and this time he touched me. A searing heat sluiced through me. Jackson’s eyes went wide and his face disappeared. Rat Face had transported us to the other end of the hall, behind the blond and Aaron.

“Got her.”

But I wasn’t going anywhere with them. As much as I wanted information, Rat Face wasn’t going to stop unless someone made him do so and this was what I was trained to do. Focusing on his chest I raised my sword and sliced it across his front. His soul stiffened and I pulled the blade out, watching as his soul disintegrated.

The heat from Rat Face’s touch was nothing compared to the heat coursing through me as my power crept up from its hidden place. I tried to shove it back down, but it had had a taste of a soul and wanted more.

Shocked at my own reaction I let my sword clatter to the ground and I stepped back, my hands clasped behind me.

Aaron took advantage of the momentary distraction and landed a fist to Ally’s head. She faltered and fell against the lockers. Then he quickly turned and lunged at me, his scythe raised high.

The world froze around us. My power spread through me as it homed in on its new target. His scythe nearly grazed me but I ducked under its deadly edge, coming up to stand face to face with him. My sword was out of reach so I reached up and grabbed for his throat. He gasped as the orange essence effortlessly wrapped itself around his neck, feeling his life force coursing under my fingertips. The essence continued to tighten around his throat. He choked as I crushed him under my hand. I tasted a fraction of what I could take from him and as each second ticked by it became harder and harder not to give in to the power and take him the same way I took David.

Why not take him? an unsettling part of me questioned. You thought you’d already destroyed him.

My hands gripped tighter, the essence’s color deepening in response.

“Maggie, no!” Cooper shouted. “We can use him.”

Ally and Cooper held their swords up toward the blond Shadowed, his scythe no longer in his hands.

Jackson touched my hands, wincing. The essence’s color brightened.

“Don’t—” I didn’t want to risk any of them near me when my power was unleashed. Closing my eyes, I shoved it down as best as I could and was surprised to see how quickly it conceded.

I opened my eyes in time to see Jackson turn to the blond Shadowed and growl, “You’re outnumbered.”

The blond met each of the Guard’s gazes before locking a fearful stare on me. “He won’t stop looking for you,” he said, his voice wavering.

I flinched. “Who? Who won’t stop looking for me?”

Suddenly the weight in my hands lessened as Aaron slipped from my grasp. I lunged for him but was too late. Aaron lifted my sword from the ground, slicing it through the blond. The Shadowed’s mouth opened in a silent scream before his soul disintegrated.

Jackson and Cooper wasted no time in restraining Aaron. But he didn’t put up a fight. Instead he let out a relieved laugh, an uncharacteristic response for someone in his predicament. “If we didn’t bring you back we would have been destroyed anyway. At least in the After I can be Recycled.”

“We’ll see about that,” Jackson grunted.

“The Caeleste over there are more generous than the ones running with the Shadowed,” Aaron sneered back.

I went over to Ally who was leaning against the wall, rubbing her head. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she said, shoving off the wall and stalking toward the guys.

“What are you—” I barely finished my question when Ally’s fist connected with Aaron’s face. His head shot back then rolled forward, falling limp on his shoulders.

Ally gave me a sidelong glance. “I’m better now.”

I shook my head, amused. “What’s the plan now?”

Jackson adjusted his grip on Aaron. “We’re all going back to the After. I’m sure the Caeleste will have some questions for the traitor.”

I picked up my sword and sheathed it. “I should check on Jamie, make sure she got home okay.”

“We can do that later,” Jackson said.

Ally opened her locker and pulled out the book. “Okay, let’s go.”

***

The After as a whole tended to be a calm place which is why I wasn’t prepared for the cacophony that rattled my soul when we arrived with Aaron. The Collections Officers, Caeleste that handled the opening and closing of Soul Collectors cases, were the first out of their seats. Then the barrage of questions began.

“What is he doing here?”

“What happened?”

“Are you insane?”

“Do you remember what he did to us?”

“He deserves what he gets from the Shadowed.”

“What if he escapes?”

Jackson and Cooper tried to speak over them but their words were drowned by yet more inquiries.

Something tugged at my shirt and I followed the arm attached to my last Collector trainee, Dylan. His bright blue eyes peered up at me. “Why’s he back?”

“He’s going to help us find the Shadowed,” I said.

“Is he on our side again? Like Jackson?”

“No. Not like Jackson. But he is going to help us.”

Then he’s off to Recycling. I hadn’t made my point firmly enough before but Felix was certainly going to get an earful this time.

A young girl came up to Dylan, leaning close to him, and he patted her on the arm. “It’s okay, Fiona. Maggie says he’s going to help us.”

“Really?” She smoothed the shirt of her white Collecting uniform, risking a glance up at me.

Dylan looked up at me and I gave him a quick nod.

“Yeah” he confirmed smiling.

I stifled a grin. It was nice to see Dylan doing well. I’d like to think I had a hand in that, even though he had fit into the community better than I ever had.

The Guard parted as two Caeleste guided Aaron’s subdued soul out of the office.

“Where are they taking him?” I asked Jackson as he came up to me.

“They’re going to the interrogation room. Hopefully we’ll get a lead soon.”

The door to Felix’s office opened and his hulking form breezed out followed by Calliope. His bright golden eyes pinned each of us as Calliope continued on her way, ignoring us.

“You captured Aaron?” Felix directed his question to me.

“We—”

“Yes,” Jackson interrupted. “And she eliminated one of the others.”

“But—”

“Good work. I’ll need to see you in my office once we get location information from Aaron.”

“Sir,” we said in unison.

Felix started to walk away, but then turned back to fix me with his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you about him.” He nodded once and continued toward where the others had taken Aaron.

I blinked, staring at his back.

Jackson looked as stunned as I felt. “I’ve been around Felix for a long time and I’ve never heard him apologize. To anyone.”

I shrugged. “I guess there is a first for everything.”

Jackson smiled. “Let’s get out of here.”

I scanned the room that was still buzzing with excitement. “Great idea.”

When Jackson’s hand touched my lower back guiding me to the exit, his fingers sparked a fluttering sensation in my soul.

Brushing the feeling away I nudged him. “So, you weren’t kidding about being able to handle it, huh?”

He smirked and opened the door to the stairwell, signaling me to go first.

Unease churned within me. I could barely hold my own against three Shadowed, what would happen if Jackson hadn’t been there? “I need to learn to fight like that.”

“That type of fighting comes from many years of practice. Felix won’t allow trainees to go on any case alone for a while. You’ll learn in time.”

“But he took me, Jackson.” The sensation of Rat Face’s touch still lingered on my arm.

He shook his head. “That’s my fault. I shouldn’t have allowed that.”

As I pushed through the door to the outside, the sweet scent of the After enveloped my soul. “No it’s not. Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens to me.” I looked over at him, his light blue eyes staring at the ground.

Jackson smiled sadly. “You’ll understand someday.”

“Understand what?”

His lips pressed together and his eyes searched mine. “Being a Guard is one thing. But being a Guard to a Prognatum is akin to watching a part of you live a life that you don’t have control of.”

“But I thought…”

“Yes we can influence a Prognatum to keep on the right path, whatever that may be.” His voice held a hint of disdain. “But ultimately they live their own life. A mere blip in what is to be a very special life. And in all my years in service to your line, I’ve loved each and every one of them equally as if they were my family. That is until you came along.”

My chest tightened. “What—”

“Wait.” He pressed a finger against my arm, stopping me mid-step. He cupped the back of my neck with both hands, gently tilting my head upwards. A small smile appeared on his lips. “From the moment your eyes opened I knew you were special. It was as if the Caeleste had broken off a piece of my soul and molded it with yours. And it still feels that way. I’m always going to blame myself for anything that happens to you because I don’t want to lose you ever again. I’m not sure I’d be able to survive if…”

He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, but I knew what he meant. He wanted me to feel the same way he did. As much as my soul responded to him, probably a residual from our shared memories, I didn’t want to change the dynamic of our training. I wanted to get my after-life back to where it was supposed to be, with a position on the Guard. I found it amazing that any soul could feel anything other than hate for me after knowing what I did. But Jackson wanted to be with me, even after seeing the hate I possessed. Perhaps I’d be able to understand better if my memories weren’t locked away, but the mental picture of my dead family surfaced to the front of my mind. That hate hadn’t come out of nothing and I just wasn’t ready to lose myself to that hidden part of me no matter how Jackson made me feel otherwise.

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