Devour my Soul

Antheon crawled across my skin, his growl rumbling in a silent vibration through my body. The familiar prickle of his movement itched as he shifted, seeping into a dark shapeless mass, and trailing down the length of my arm. Sitting comfortably at my wrist, Antheon shifted back, his dark lines stretching and hardening as he became the form that both he and I preferred.

The wolf’s head stared back at me with an intense gaze that penetrated inside of me. Though he didn’t speak, I could feel my soul’s words hum through my thoughts, his suggestions filtering through my mind. He was pissed at me right now. That much I could tell. Not that he was necessarily hiding it. My soul was pissed at me. Pissed that I’d let his mate escape yet again.

Even now I could feel him injecting thoughts into my head. Urging me to find Evan Phillips. Begging me to find our soul mate. My soul wanted to be complete as much as I did, but he didn’t have the love I did of the world. He had no other connection tying him to the Earth other than the sole purpose of finding his other half.

“I’m not going to tell you again,” I murmured to the wolf. “He’s dangerous, and I want nothing to do with him. Put it out of your mind. I’m going to marry Hayden.”

Antheon grumbled in disapproval, once again stating his opinion on the wedding. He had openly shown his dissatisfaction with the decision by childishly sending me random flashes of Evan’s face in my mind, trying to tempt me back to him, but my soul’s stubbornness was as strong as my own.

Scooping up my earbuds, I shoved them in my ears, drowning out any other thoughts with the loud music. I’d taken up running daily since Hayden’s mother had noticed my stress eating. Not so subtly, she had noted the amount of chocolate and sweets I’d been munching on, commenting on the lack of control I had over food. I’d merely snorted, knowing that the stress was due to the lack of control I had over my own wedding, and then proceeded to take up running.

The warmth of the sun’s heat still lingered in the air even after it had set behind the apartment buildings. My feet pounded the sidewalk in beat to the music pounding in my ears and I relished this moment I’d come to love over the past months. Running was the only real time I had by myself, where I didn’t need to worry about anyone or anything. Almost as if I had another life. An uncomplicated life.

I trailed down my usual route, keeping a steady pace around the block as I casually glanced at the world around me. Smiling at the elderly woman who watered her flowers daily. Waving at the couple taking a jog in the opposite direction. In this life I was happy. Weightless.

Just as I turned the corner, a sharp yank had me jerking off to the side, stumbling over my own feet as I fell to the grass on the side of the path. My ear buds, having been torn from my ears, lay strewn out on the path and I grimaced at the iPod lying face down.

“Shit,” I moaned. “No, no, no, no.”

Scrambling hastily to the small device, I fingers fumbled as I pried it from the concrete. Letting out another groan, I scanned the cobweb that had spidered its way across my screen, completely destroying any chance of redeeming its use.

“No!” I groaned in frustration.

I’d been so focused on my damaged iPod that I didn’t even realise that I wasn’t alone. My thoughts hadn’t registered how I had ended up on the ground in the first place, until a pair of shoes crossed my path and Antheon rumbled with pleasure.

Pressing my lips together, I glanced up to see a pair of sea green eyes watching me with amusement. His lips tilted up at the corner, lighting his face with excitement as Evan knelt beside me and held out his hand.

“That was a bit of a nasty fall,” he commented casually. “Are you hurt?”

I glowered at him, fighting my soul’s projection of taking my soul mate’s hand, and hating that his eyes looked so kind. There was no doubt in my mind that Evan had pulled me forcefully off the path and broken my iPod in the process of doing so. For that, I would not forgive him.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled angrily.

Without realising it, my fingers had slipped into Evan’s hand and I looked down in disgust at myself for not controlling myself better. The subtle electricity that constantly buzzed with his presence suddenly maximised until my whole body tingled with adrenaline.

“Huh. I was sure you’d have a cut or two,” the man stated, his brows furrowing in confusion. My brow rose as Evan flipped my hand over in search of scratches. “You’re not even grazed.”

Turning his eyes to my face, he held my chin, instantly warming my cheeks with a reddening blush. “I, uh, I heal quickly,” I answered for no other reason than the fact that it had escaped my lips unwillingly.

“You regenerate?” He asked curiously.

I nodded, not wanting to delve deeper into my abilities, even if this man was my one and only. At my barely existent response, Evan’s smirk slithered across his face, and he dropped my hand stealing his warmth with him. It was growing darker; I’d normally be home by now and the chill was setting in.

“I, uh, better get going,” I stated, looking away from him. “Hayden will worry if I’m not back soon.”

Evan nodded, his face hardening. “That your fiancé?” He growled tonelessly.

Leaning away from my soul mate, I pushed up off the ground, pocketing my broken iPod and taking an awkward step away from Evan. I gave him a fake smile, a little peeved at his insulting tone.

“Yeah, actually, he is but not for long,” I replied snarkily. “We’re getting married next week.”

Evan seemed to be taken back by my response, brushing a hand through his blonde hair as he gave me an ‘are you serious?’ glare.

“You do realise we’re soul mates, don’t you?” He asked me stupidly.

Narrowing my eyes, I nodded at him, smiling inwardly at the look on his face. Turning away, I busied myself brushing the grass off my clothes, hoping to return home somewhat presentable. “Do you even know my name?” I scowled.

Evan opened his mouth to speak but whatever he was about to say was lost as he obviously tried to recall my name. Failing to do so, he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned closer to me with a smirk. “Do you know mine?” He countered.

I nodded again, smiling slightly as he frowned. “I remember,” I answered. “And I also remember that you are probably the last person I should ever get into a relationship with. Soul mate or not, I don’t trust you.”

Reeling back instantly, Evan stepped back and pinned me with a hard glare. Antheon’s ever present disapproval growled through me, deepening slowly into a snarl the more I pushed our soul mate away. He was reminding me now, of the power I could have if I were to mate with this man standing before me. A power ten times stronger than my simple healing.

Holding my soul at bay, I returned Evan’s glare defiantly, denying the power I knew my soul wanted.

“I don’t know what idiot taught you to read, but I’m pretty sure there’s a reason our power is stronger when we’re mated,” Evan growled, unimpressed. “You would deny our souls that?”

Anger pulsed in my veins, snapping a chord that shouldn’t have been touched. This man might be my soul mate, but I had a choice. And he had no right using our souls as leverage over my decision. Before I knew it, my fist was clenched in his shirt, bringing the man’s sea green eyes down to my level.

“Yes,” I snapped. “I would deny my soul the very thing he desires the most because I know exactly who you are and what you do. And I’d be damned if I condemned this world to your hell.”

Clamping his hand over my fist clenched in his shirt, Evan ripped my hand away from him, squeezing my fingers painfully as I continued.

“It’s been five years since I last saw you,” I spat. “Five years since I walked away without even bothering to say ‘hey’. And you know what? I’m walking away now, too. Don’t worry about the iPod. I’ll buy myself a new one.”

Without a second glance back at my soul mate, I stalked home.