The Need (13 page)

“
What do you mean, deliberately?”

“
He has known all along what would happen to you and Jon. One might even say he engineered it. He is the reason you are here in this state. He is the reason Jason is here and he is the one who put me here himself, with his own hands.”

“
He killed you?” Fear crept up my spine.

“
Yes. However, my story right now is not important. We will have other times to discuss this. I am merely informing you so that you will be on your guard around him in the future. His sending you here was a dangerous risk, one I did not think he would take. Clearly I was wrong.”

“
But he didn’t send me here.”

Her laugh sent chills through my body and I physically shivered.

“
He told you to contact Jon, at all costs? He did not assist you in the art of communicating with another. He knew the fragile state you were already in. Do not be naive, Aisling.”

“
Fine then,” I sighed in exasperation and threw my hands in the air. “Cut the cryptic crap already and tell me what I need to know.”

“
There is a way for you to contact Jon from here. It is the most assured way of talking directly to him. No matter what difficulties he might find himself involved in.” She reached one grey wizened hand out towards me. Her finger nails were long and black and the skin that covered her hand looked dry and flaky. “Take me hand and I will show you.”

I turned and looked at Jason, if he thought it was safe then perhaps I could trust her. He nodded his ascent at me. I reached out and took her hand in mine. Although her skin looked dry and flaky, it did not feel that way. It was as though everything that I could see was nothing more than an illusion.

A cold chill crept up through my fingers and into my hand, from there it spread into my arm and down into my body. I tried to move as I felt the cold beginning to coax my power to the surface. The power swirled behind my eyes as she pulled my body in against her own. The scent of Jon filled my head. I wanted it to be him holding me. Feelings of pain and confusion threatened to overwhelm my mind.

“
Tell him you need him. Tell him to come to you. Tell him you still love him”

“
I can’t see him, how do I know he will hear me?”

“
He will hear you.” Her words brought me comfort and I found myself relaxing in against the power. I let it wash over my body until it felt as if I was floating in a sea of darkness. The air smelled of Jon. It was as though he surrounded me, his very essence entangling with my own. Memories of time we had spent together flowed around me like moving photographs.

“
Jon, I need you. Come home to me.” The voice that left my mouth did not sound like me. It was hollow and resonated with power. I had a sneaking suspicion that the cloaked woman was amplifying it somehow. An image of the woods behind our houses popped into my mind. I knew Jon saw it too and understood. I had never been so connected to Jon before. All the other visions had consisted of Jon and me as separate entities. This was beyond the physical realm.

Pain seared through my back and I was back in the in-between. The woman that held me released me slowly and stepped away from me.

“
Your power is very interesting. You should be careful here in the in-between there are others who would not let you go. Some would trap you here and use your power to bring them back to the full potential of what they once were. I can see from the way Jason looks that you possess the power that others could only dream of. I urge you to go back to your realm now while you still have the chance.” Her voice was hurried and hushed as though she was truly afraid others would hear what she had to tell me.

The feel of Jason’s cold hand on my shoulder caused me to jump. I had almost completely forgotten that he was there.

“
Pardon my intrusion, but how can she leave? Her body is almost entirely corrupted by her growing power.” Jason spoke to the woman who stood before us. His voice was filled with a level of reverence that I could not understand. I still didn’t know who this woman actually was but she must have been powerful for Jason to speak to her in such a manner.

“
Take her to the portal, it knows where she must go now. I have bought her some time with her body. If Jon comes to her then she will survive the arrival of her power.” The cloaked figure spoke directly to Jason as though I was no longer in the room. I jumped as she turned back to me. “Jon must get to you before the hour of your birthday comes upon you. If he is not with you in the exact moment that you accept your powers, then your body will not survive. You will become a wraith and no amount of power or love will bring you back.”

I swallowed hard as I absorbed her words. If Jon let me down, I was so screwed.

“
Thank you for your help.”

The hooded figure nodded and began to fade into the room itself. I blinked and she was gone. Once again, it was Jason and me in the room.

“
Are you ready to go back?” Jason’s voice was threaded with nervousness.

“
Yes. At this point I just want all of this to be over, one way or another.” I took Jason’s hand as he extended it towards me. Together, we walked back through the veil. It was easier this time. The veil simply glided over my skin allowing me to pass through without any incident. Once we were back in the room with all the bright light, I gave my eyes a few moments to adjust.

I stared at the window, my stomach churning in anticipation. Soon I would either be reunited with Jon or dead. Jason smiled at me sadly as though he could read my thoughts. Perhaps he could.

“
What do I have to do?” I asked whilst continuing to study the window. Was it my imagination or was the window actually beginning to change shape? It seemed to be growing in length down towards the floor.

“
You just walk through. Everything has already been arranged. Caroline would have already seen to that.”

“
Was that her name?” I asked, my curiosity once more piqued. “Who is she?”

“
Yes, Caroline was her name. As for who she is, only she can tell you that. I am bound to keep the silence.”

I sighed in frustration. Why was there so much secrecy about who she was? What did it matter? It certainly couldn’t have any impact on what was happening.

“
Fine. So if I go through the window... door...” What had been a window was now a door I noted. “Where will I come out?”

“
Exactly where you need to be.” Jason’s face grew serious as he listened to voices that only he could hear. “You need to go. They are coming and they know about your power.” Hurriedly he ushered me towards the light. “Tell Natasha that I...”

I knew what he was trying to say even though he could not say the words. My heart broke for him as I watched tears gather in his blue eyes. “I’ll tell her.”

Without another word, I stepped through the door and the light swallowed me up.

Chapter Fourteen

Jon opened his eyes. He knew where Aisling would be waiting for him. Something strange had happened of that he was certain. It had felt to him like Aisling and he were one, that their very essences had become tangled together. The more he thought about Aisling the stronger his urge was to go to her.

“
You put up quite the fight but in the end you could not resist us. You cannot fight what is a part of you Jon.” Robert’s voice cut through Jon’s thoughts.

“
What have you done to me?” Jon eased his body upright using his hands and sat back on his knees.

“
We’ve given you the marks. You are now a full Hunter. The only thing that is left to do is have you blooded. We have a special guest that I saved just for you. A member of the Croí no less.” Jon could see how excited Robert was. What frightened Jon more was the feeling of excitement that tingled in the pit of his stomach. How could he feel excited about what Robert was telling him?

“
I know how to find Aisling. Why not let me go after her wouldn’t that be more poetic?” Although Jon hated to think of hurting Aisling, if he could just make the Hunters believe that it was his plan he might be able to escape.

“
Whilst that might be true. I need to know for certain that you are one of us. I cannot risk you escaping. Once you are blooded, you shall be free to go after Aisling.”

Jon sighed and hung his head. He was trapped. How could he get out of killing someone innocent?

“
Come with me.” Robert turned from Jon and strode from the room. Jon noticed then that there were no guards in the room. Robert expected Jon to follow him of his own free will. Jon stood and stretched his body. He rolled his shoulders back and cracked his neck from side to side. The excitement continued to grow in his stomach. It spread upwards into his chest until his heartbeat thrummed.

Jon followed Robert from the room and down the hall. Once more he found himself back in the main hall area. It was packed with other Hunters who seemed to be eagerly awaiting some type of event.

Jon flinched as Max slapped him on the back. “You ready to prove yourself?” Max sneered at Jon. It was obvious that even though Jon was supposed to be one of the Hunters Max still did not like him.

“
I’ll do what I have to.” Jon shrugged and flinched as Max smirked at him.

“
Bring it out.” Max roared the words out over the din of the crowd that had gathered. A hush fell over the group as someone was dragged struggling to the front of the room. The person wore a hood over their head but Jon could tell that it was a man.

“
This piece of scum is here tonight to find himself judged at the hands of the Hunters.” Robert addressed the crowd as two men held the struggling man between them. “Not only shall he find himself judged but it shall be at the hands of our newest recruit.”

Jon watched as Max stepped up beside Robert and indicated for the guards to release the man. “Remove the hood and let him go.”

Anticipation curled in Jon’s stomach as he drank in the sight of his opponent. It was a young man. He had obviously struggled quite a bit because his face was swollen with bruising and blood covered his bottom lip. The man’s blonde hair flopped over his forehead and Jon watched intrigued as he brushed it back nervously. Jon wondered how the young man had ever found himself caught up in the situation. It was not a question he was ever likely to get answered.

“
If Jon wins, he becomes a full blooded member of our group. If that piece of shit wins, well then I shall have to honour my end of the deal and set him free. Just in case there is any confusion here. This is a fight to the death. Begin!”

Jon had only a second to ponder on what he would do before the young man launched himself straight for him. The young man fought Jon with the desperation of a condemned man. It was too easy to dodge each punch and kick and Jon found himself beginning to enjoy the fight. Jon drew back and punched the man square in the jaw. It cracked and blood trickled from the man’s mouth. Jon watched as he stumbled onto his knees and felt no remorse for the injuries he inflicted upon him.

Jon grabbed the man by the head and was about to draw his knee up and force it into the man’s face when an image of Aisling popped into his mind. She would not condone the violence. She certainly wouldn’t like the fact that Jon was enjoying it. The image made Jon stop his assault. The young man moaned in pain and Jon felt the first stab of pity for him. He did not ask for this. It wasn’t his fault that he was caught in a war that was not of his making.

Jon made a snap decision. He cradled the man’s face more gently in his hands and called forth the power that lay within him. It curled up through his body and poured into the man’s mind. It didn’t take much to wipe the memories of his life. Jon pushed a little harder and until he was sure that there was nothing left within the young man. Jon sealed the power inside the young man so that he might never use it again before pulling away. The young man flopped forward onto his front the moment Jon released him. He didn’t move and Jon worried for a moment that he might have pushed too far and robbed the man of his life.

“
Is he dead?” Robert’s voice startled Jon and he jumped away from the body on the ground.

“
I don’t know.” Jon answered truthfully. Guilt gnawed at his insides. Why had he not felt it earlier when he was fighting? Robert nodded and smiled, it appeared that Jon’s display of aggression had pleased him.

“
Whether he is or not is irrelevant. We have all witnessed the blood lust you feel. You truly have become one of us. There can be no denying it. If as you say you know where Aisling is, then you shall indeed have to get her.” Robert turned his attention away from Jon and addressed the room. “We have almost achieved our goals. Tonight Jon has joined us. He is one of the family and he alone shall destroy the one he loves. Whether he wants to or not.”

Jon swallowed hard as Robert turned his attention back to him. “What does that mean?”

“
I have given you a gift, Jon. A very rare and precious gift. I was concerned that you might not be able to kill Aisling when the time came. However, along with the mark of the Hunter that was bestowed upon you, I have also given you the mark of the Killer. With it, the one you love the most you will be forced to destroy.”

“
Don’t you trust me?” Panic filled Jon. He had to get to Aisling but if what Robert was saying was true then he would kill her. Surely he could find a way to resist the mark. He had no choice, with each passing moment Aisling needed him more and more. He could feel her slipping further away from him.