Part 41 (1/2)

”Well, we could argue about it all day but, you are. And Caleb too,” he grumbled, ”though I hate to admit that. This has happened to you for a reason. I can only imagine the abilities you would have possessed. I bet they'd have been exquisite. But that's behind us.” He sighed and leaned forward on his knees. ”I am not happy to do this to you, by any stretch but, I feel, as the champion of my clan, that I have to stop this. For my clan.”

”Even though I have nothing to do with your stupid feud? Even though Caleb wasn't even born yet? We met at a stoplight. It wasn't something we could control. We didn't choose it, it chose us.”

He stood abruptly startling me.

”Yes! Exactly. That's why! Why you? Why him? Of all the clans to pick from, why the Jacobson's again? They are always favored with whatever it is in the universe that controls us and our imprints, our lives. Why them again when the rest of us have plenty of willing and waiting people to claim their mates and abilities.”

I just shook my head and closed my eyes. There'd be no reasoning with him. He was a mad man.

”Just go. I want to get dressed and I don't really want you to watch me while I sit and cry. In pain that you caused me.”

”I told you, I don't want to do this to you.”

”But you are! You have no intentions of stopping even though I haven't done anything to you. You actually have to wonder why G.o.d would pick other clans for special treatment when this is how you treat people! Just get out!”

”I know what you're going through-”

”No you don't! Have you ever been away from your significant before?”

He paused and had the good graces to look a little guilty.

”No.”

”Then you have no idea what this feels like. Get. Out!”

I started to cry; big fat, hurtful tears. It wasn't just physical pain, though there was plenty of that. It was anger and frustration and feeling useless and hurting for Caleb, knowing he was feeling every pain I was and more.

I heard him shuffle out and shut the door gently so I tried to get up, wrapping the sheet around myself just in case but my legs cramped and hurt so bad that I collapsed to the floor.

I laid there in a heap and I screamed. I cried. I yelled. I cursed. I did anything and everything that came to mind. I called Caleb's name over and over, screamed it. I could feel it when I yelled his name in my bones. Like it wasn't just my mouth but my entire being was calling to him.

It hurt so bad, I didn't know how it could be worse. No one came in again and I didn't get dressed; just continued to lay there. Eventually someone slid a tray of something into the door slot and left it there but I didn't look.

The day dragged on or so I thought. I had no concept of time except that every excruciating minute seemed to pile on top of each other. I tried to call Caleb again and again but couldn't reach him. I imagined him, laying there on his bed, his dad and mom standing over him as he groaned and rolled in pain, just like I was doing. Maybe he wasn't lying on his bed. Maybe he was stronger than me. Maybe he was up, pacing with his family and trying to come up with a plan.

It hurt so much to think about him but I had to. I needed to. It could be that last thing I did.

I fell asleep again. I dreamed I was on the beach with Caleb, the same small beach between the rocks he brought me to. My clothes were the same as that day, the wind felt the same, smelled the same. I saw him standing on the sand in front of me a few feet away. I knew instantly it was a dream but I still wanted it so badly that I ran to him. He smiled and held his arms out for me. But when I touched his arm with my hand it burned and jolted me. Like an offense mark does. I leaped back to see him and saw that it was still Caleb's face but his eyes were dark and brooding. His t-s.h.i.+rt had changed from green to black. Like Marcus's.

”What are you doing? I'm already your prisoner, why do you have to torture me in my dreams too?”

”Because it's fun,” CalebMarcus said snidely. ”Uncle Sikes says you're having a real hard time. That it's real painful to be without this face.” He rubbed a hand down his cheek and then smacked it hard with his palm.

I winced and he seemed to like that response. He took a step forward.

”Isn't he the one helping you do this echo dream?” I stepped back.

”He doesn't have to be awake to help me anymore. He'll remember it in the morning but he doesn't know I'm here til then.”

”Why? I didn't do anything to you,” I creaked.

”Ahh, cutie,” he crooned and tried to touch my cheek but I jerked back. ”You made me look bad in front of my clan. I couldn't kidnap one little human girl. You know how incompetent that made me look to them? Plus, Caleb doesn't deserve you. He doesn't deserve to have this handed to him like he was more important than the rest of us when-”

”Maggie!”

I gasped and turned to see Caleb, the real Caleb, my significant, my imprint, my soul mate, running over the dune and down the beach towards me.

Twenty Four ”Caleb?” I whispered in awe.

”You don't belong here,” CalebMarcus roared behind me. ”How did you get in here?”

Caleb reached us quickly and swallowed me in an embrace of warm arms. I sighed but not in relief because I got none. His touch didn't soothe and calm me of the withdrawals because it wasn't real.

But he was really here. In my dream, right now.

”Caleb,” I cried. ”How did you get here?”

He pulled back to cup my face and kissed me forcefully. His mouth opened mine, his lips were filled with all the longing we'd felt in the past two days without each other. It didn't last long and he whispered his next words against my lips.

”He can't keep you from me. No one can. I told you I'll always find you.”

”Answer me,” Marcus growled again. ”How did you get in here without an echoling?”

Caleb startled like he just noticed we weren't alone and pulled me behind him.

”Because you underestimated us, like always.”

”Whatever. I'll just go wake her up, right now, and I won't do the echo dream anymore. You'll never see her again so you better enjoy it while you can.”

”At least she can sleep in peace and not have you crawling through her dreams anymore,” Caleb growled.

”You better get to it,” Marcus said and disappeared.

Caleb immediately turned and pulled me back to him, speaking into my hair.

”Where are you, Maggie? Tell me what it looks like.”

”Like a jail cell or a bas.e.m.e.nt storage room maybe. It's all metal walls and concrete floors. It stinks.”

”What does it smell like?”

”Musty mold. And it's cold. How did you get in here?”

”No idea. I just was thinking about you, trying to get a read or fix on you. I was lying on my bed, must've fallen asleep, then landed on the dune. Who have you seen?”

”Marcus, his uncle and his sister, Marla.”