I walked straight to where we had all assembled this morning. I started to feel really dizzy and shaky now.
I could hear Damon's foot steps behind me in the grass and leaves so I didn't bother waiting for him. I just wanted to get out of the sunlight which was making me feel nauseous now and I could finally see a familiar face, Peter's.
"What happened to you ?!" Peter asked as he came jogging over.
I only replied, "Soul Seeker."
"You need to get looked at. I can do a healing spell..." Peter said but I interrupted him.
"No, don't worry about a spell. A nurse can fix it. It's not that bad." I said and tried walking past him but he blocked my path like a firmly planted cement pillar.
"The venom has clearly already taken its toll on you. You don't look good, Alice." Peter said and took a good look at my arm.
I also looked at my arm curiously. He was right. You could see the skin on my arm turning a dark shade of purple and it almost looked like it was moving. A kind of popping sound came from my arm as a tiny green root came out of a wound that was made by the thorns.
I gasped in pain from the strange movement in my arm.
"What the hell is that ?" Damon asked looking a little nauseous himself.
"It's infected. We need to get that thing out now, before it spreads and its too late." Peter said.
I struggled to hear the voices around me and I actually couldn't even make out what they were saying. My ears started to ring and I started to see black dots all around me as my legs became limp under me.
"Alice ?" Damon said to me before I looked down at my swollen arm that was now bleeding very badly from the infection I had and the venom spreading from the Soul Seeker.
I fell to the floor but was caught before my head hit the ground. I felt arms picking me up and running. I wasn't sure of where we were going. I only saw flashes as I struggled to keep my eyes open. We stopped when I was put down on a bed with an intensely bright light shining above me.
I could hear people talking and moving around me. I forced my eyes open and looked at the arm that was shooting pain right through my body. It felt like I was being boiled alive from the burning skin. It felt like I had a thousand paper cuts and was being bathed in alcohol.
I knew Soul Seeker's were highly venomous but I honestly didn't think it would feel this horrible to be cut and infected by one.
I wanted to cut off my arm when I had a clear sight of what it looked like. It got worse by the second. The skin was now completely black with green vines and roots covering almost every area of skin. The blood dripped through the vines.
"She's loosing too much blood." I heard a voice speak that I didn't recognize.
I reached over with my left hand in an attempt of removing some of the green parasite that infested my arm.
Strong hands stopped my movements and pinned me down.
"Don't move ! You'll only make it spread faster." I recognized the voice as Peter.
I struggled to not move and only felt my eyes become heavier and heavier until I was swallowed by darkness.
I was in the woods again, except I wasn't scared or running. I looked up to see two sparrows cooing above me. The moon light was shining through the trees. It was a full moon and a sky with bright stars all around.
The trees looked interesting almost like they were painted with faces without eyes. They started speaking, "Chosen is the champion... chosen is the champion..." They all whispered. The voices became louder and louder until...
I woke up and fluttered open my eyes. I immediately sat up and looked around.
"Woah, calm down. You're safe." Amara said, who was sitting in a white stool next to me.
I scanned the room and it was the most bland room I had ever seen. Everything was white, walls, curtains, bedding. It was all white.
"How'd I get here ?" asked knowing that some person had carried me.
"You were brought in after a Soul Seeker attack. You're a very lucky person to not have lost your arm." Amara said and gestured to my fully bandaged arm.
"Who carried me ?" I asked.
"Well, I believe it was Damon." she said and examined my facial expressions," Why do you ask, Alicia ?"
"Just wondering." I lied.
I was wondering, however, how he was able to touch me skin to skin without giving some sort of insight of his life or vision.
Amara was still closely watching my every movement.
I looked at my arm and hesitated before unwrapping the bandages. When the white cloth fell to the floor, my arm only had some scars and stitches to show. It was almost completely healed.
"Don't worry. No healing spells were used. When I was notified of the incident, I stopped by the Willowing Woods and dug up some slugs from the roots." Amara said and stood to her feet. "I see you are in good hands. I will leave you in their capable company." Amara turned and walked out the room.
If you were wondering, the Willowing Woods, is a very sacred place for all supernatural creatures. Legends and myths about the place dates back to the very beginning of time itself. Most people believe that it's the birth place where every single creature was made by the first brother and sister.
The Willowing Woods is a protected place and it's grounds and nature can be very secretive.
The slugs that were pulled from the roots hold magical healing powers within the slime. It does sound nasty, but it does the job.
"You're awake." Peter said as he walked into the room.
"Yeah." I replied.
"You had me worried back there for a second. You do look better now. Red cheeks, green eyes, the whole package."
"Yeah, I feel fine now."
"So, what did you see ?" Peter asked and sat down on the side of the bed.
"What ?"
"You know, your sight. Damon did touch you."
"Right..." I didn't know what to say, seeing as I didn't see anything. "It's a scramble of images really. I have no idea how to explain it to you." I lied to Peter.
"Oh well, that's not important. What's important is that you're okay. I should kick Damon's ass for not taking care of you."
"Peter, come on. You know I can handle my self. I messed up on my own."
"He's a vampire Alice. They don't trust us and we don't trust them."
"Speak for yourself, warlock." Damon said leaning against the door frame.
I got to my feet and took a look in the mirror hanging on the wall. I look like a total mess. My hair stood in all ends and I had a little cut on my cheek.
I grabbed the few things of mine that laid on the table with a glass of water that I took and gulped down before walking to the door.
"You're leaving ?" Damon asked as he blocked the door frame.
"Yeah, I've still got school and I already missed the first two periods." I said pointing to the watch on my phone.
"You just had a live baby Soul Seeker in your arm trying to use your body as a host. I don't think school is the best option." Peter said behind me.
I turned my head and gave him a look before looking at Damon, "I'm fine." I said before pushing past Damon.
I was almost at the edge were I first arrived in the meadow this morning when a gush of wind hit me and I suddenly felt cold without my long sleeves to cover me.
I held the bracelet on my left arm tight with my right hand, creating a clear image of my house before I jumped through the portal to be wrapped with the smell of fresh brewing coffee in my mom's kitchen.
My mom was standing in the kitchen by the kettle when I popped in.
"Hi Al, how did it go ?" She said without looking my way and stirring her coffee.
"Interesting..." I said and sat down by the counter.
"How so..." she turned and spotted my arm. "What happened ?" she asked with a shocked expression on her face.
"No worries, I'm already healing. My first task was a Soul Seeker."
"Wow, I haven't heard of one in a very long time. That must mean..." My mom said but paused.
"Mean what, mom ?"
"Nothing important. You have school. I already called and said you had a doctor's appointment and had to miss a few periods." She said kissing my forehead and putting a cup of coffee down in front of me.
"Mom..." I protested but huffed in defeat.
There are some days I really don't understand that woman.
I took my cup and went up the stairs to my bedroom. I already had an outfit picked out for school so I only had to shower and get ready.
I was in a rush so I didn't bother much with makeup and only put my hair up in a bun. I was wearing ripped light washed jeans and white vans with a black Nike hoodie.
When I got to school, most kids were outside on break. I walked to my locker to get some books from my locker and saw Aiden and his crew walk through the doors. How are they even here ? I thought they all still had big assignments to do or some dangerous, reckless mission impossible.
"So, I gather it's no coincidence you all show up at the same time ?" I jumped when Pamela spoke behind me.
"Hey."
"Are you okay ?" Pamela asked.
"I actually feel like people ask me that a lot some days."
"I'm just asking. You look a little green."
"What ?" I asked her shocked.
"Relax Alice. Its just an expression." Pamela laughed it off.
I smiled at her and grabbed some books form my locker. I looked over to see Damon looking right at me and we made eye contact for a few seconds before I closed my locker and walked off.
The day went by in a flash. I haven't spoken to Rebecca yet, since I had her in none of my classes today.
I had high hopes for seeing her in the girls changing rooms. She has to be here because we all are trying out for cheerleading. I was thinking of rather ditching it, but I needed to talk to Rebecca.
With my luck she was standing in her neon green tank top and black shorts over by the sinks.
"Hey Becca."
"Hey Alice. I heard what happened. Your mom told my mom, so..."
"Yeah..." I said holding my still healing arm.
I wore a long sleeve shirt for try outs so I didn't have to explain to anyone, or lie. We stood in silence for a few seconds.
"I was a total bitch. I'm sorry." Rebecca said in rushed words.
I laughed before giving her a hug and felt her hugging me back.
We always have our little arguments, but we always find our way back to each other.
"Awesome, my two girls are happy again !" Pamela said and joined in on the hug.
"All right girls, listen up." coach Benson said, "I'm only looking for 15 girls this year, so seniors you will be evaluated first. Juniors, don't get your hopes up. I'd rather have the older and more mature girls on my cheer team."
Here we go...
We were outside in the sun and I was clearly getting a nice tan.
A few of us were sitting on the bench, well the few who got picked to join the team already. For some miracle I got picked along with Rebecca and Pamela who have been on the team since they were first year juniors.
I watched the other girls twist, jump and twirl all over the place.
"How did I even get in ?" I asked a rhetorical question.
"Don't be mad, but I put in a good word for you." Pamela said smiling widely at me.
"Seriously ? I was that bad ?" I asked and started laughing.
"We promised coach that we would help you catch up with all the moves." Rebecca said.
"You were both in on this ?" I asked.
"Only because we love you so much." Rebecca said.
I heard some of the girls talking behind us about the guys who were trying out for the football team.
"Aiden is def going to make it, I mean, how could he not."
"But have you seen Damon and Harry ? They are going to murder the other schools this year."
I only laughed at the last comment being made. If only they knew how possible the murdering part could be.
I had to admit, the guys were hiding their powers pretty well while playing amongst the humans. One wrong move and everyone on the field would notice the supernatural speed or strength.
I spotted Luke on the other side of the field standing next to the bleachers. He was staring this way, but it looked like he was staring at Rebecca and she was staring right back at him. She was smiling.
"Mhm, no way. Rebecca that's a bad idea. He is a bad idea." I said and pointed at Luke who was now flipping me off. I take it he heard what I said.
"He might not be that bad. You never know." Rebecca said.
"Just give her time to figure that out on her own." Pamela said.
"You approve of this ?" I asked.
Pamela only raised her hands in the air an let them fall back on her lap.
How ironic. The bunch of freaks from the school try to fit in with sports and cheerleading. What a mess this is going to turn out to be.