Sour Souls The Morningstar Series Book 6
Sour Souls Chapter 45

I looked straight ahead, but all I see is more dark swampy forest. What the hell did she mean we're here? Where's here? "You have to feel it." Kee said softly.

Before I could question her more, she walked straight ahead, and disappeared. I walked straight ahead as well, but then I hit am invisible barrier. I bounced back, onto my a*s in the swamp water. I looked straight ahead, but I don't see anything. What the f**k?

I tried to stand up, but then something wrapped around my arms. I looked down to see black tendrils coming out of the water. The latched onto my body from all around me. I scrambled through the water trying to pull them off. It seems like for every one I get off, five more latch onto me.

At this rate we are going to get eaten. Rex said.

I let out a fierce growl, but it did nothing for the tendrils. Why isn't Kee coming to help me? Did my little sister really abandom me?

She said this is a test. Rex said.

That's right.. Kee did say that. She also asked if I could feel it. Maybe that's the key to all of this.

I sat down in the water, and closed my eyes. The tendrils are wrapping around me completely. They have me almost nearly consumed. Then I felt it.

A small warm light.

I opened my eyes to see something in front of me. Something different. The fog is cleared in front of me. My sister is standing there, watching. There are four other men dressed in black robes as well. They have their hoods up, so I can't make out their faces. They're all just waiting. I'm not sure for what, but I do know that I need to get to them. It's like that warm light is pulling me to them.

I screamed out as I let the warm light engulf me. It hurts. Terribly. Almost worse than the distance pains. Fortunately for me, no pain is worse than not having my mate. That makes this a walk in the park.

The black tendrils around me turned to ash. I stood up from the swamp water panting. The warm light is still hurting me, but I managed to make my way to my sister. The moment I made it to them, the pain stopped.

I fell to my knees in front of my sister. Kee bent down, and grabbed my head. I slumped against her.

"You did it Ares. Congratulations. You just deemed yourself worthy to the Druids." She whispered to me.

Then everything went black.

*************

I woke up with a gasp. My panicked wide eyes scanned my surroundings. I don't recognize anything.

Am I in a hut? What the f**k? What's the last thing I remember?

Emi.

We were only asleep for a little while. Rex told me.

Where is Kee? I asked him.

She was here just a moment ago. Rex said.

I got up from the bed, and headed for the exit. This really is a hut. Just when I was about to step out of the cloth door, I heard voices.

"Your brother was almost as quick as you to figure out our magic. Not as quick as Vessa though." Came a female voice that I've never heard. "Vessa is just built different." Kee said amused.

"Should I be expecting your other siblings as well now?" The female asked. "I will not allow all of them through." She stated.

"Ares will keep his mouth shut. We won't tell Atiana about your existance until you are ready." Kee assured her.

Someone sighed.

"You and Bexley are much too clever for your own good." The female stated.

She has a thick accent, almost sounding Jamaican.

"We are just trying to do what's right. For all those deserving." Kee replied.

What the hell does that mean?

"We appreciate all that you have done here Akeehla. Thank you for keeping our secret." The female said.

"Of course Vera. I care about the Druids, and I want you all to flourish." Kee replied.

The femaled chuckled.

"That is why I have no problem giving you the power you need to find this girl." She said.

I can't hold back anymore. I pushed through the cloth to come face to face with the female that was talking to my sister. She is a thin, tall women. With skin darker than even Talia. Her eyes look almost black, but I can see that they are a very dark navy blue. She has no hair on top of her head. The woman is also wearing a black robe, and holding a long staff.

"Ah, you're awake." She said.

"You will help me find my mate?" I asked.

The woman laughed, and it bounced off of the trees like music.

"Come my boy, you haven't much time." She said.

The woman walked away. Kee looped her arm through mine, and started to drag me along after the woman. I looked around as we walked.

There are several huts around us. Some built around trees, some built in the branches. I can also see several others here. Some old, some only children. There has to be at least 200 of them.

"Her name is Vera by the way. She is the leader of the Druids." Kee whispered to me.

"There are so many of them." I whispered back.

They all have on robes, or tarnished clothing. It seems that the kids have more clothing on than the adults though. At least they are the only ones that have shoes.

"We bring them things from the outside world at least once a month. Fresh water, food, clothes, toys." Kee told me.

I turned my head to look down at her.

"Why won't they come out of hiding?" I asked.

"They are afraid." Kee said.

I looked around again. Most of the kids are hiding behind their parents legs as they watch us walk through. Even the adults look scared of us.

"What happened to them?" I asked.

Kee shrugged.

Guess that's the only answer I'm going to get.

Vera lead Kee and I to another hut. She flung the cloth door to the side, and strutted in. Kee and I followed after her. Inside looks like a similar set up where I woke up. The only difference here is that there is a giant cauldron in the middle of the room. When I say giant, I mean it. The thing is so big that Vera has a step stool beside it. She isn't even a short women. The cauldron comes up to my chest. Kee can only peak over the side of it.

There is a fire lit under the black cauldron. Smoke is wafting from the top. There is a slimey green colored liquid inside blubbling here and there.

"This is supposed to help me find my mate?" I asked.

Vera set her staff down to lean against the cauldron. She waved her hands over the top making the smoke move around. I didn't think Vera was going to answer me for a moment, but then she spoke. "This is going to show us where she is." She said.

"What does that mean?" I asked angrily.

Vera's eyes snapped to mine. She narrowed hers at me as she paused her hands. I think I made her mad.

"Watch your tone boy. You may have passed our test, but I am still doing you a favor." She seethed.

I opened my mouth to say something back, but Kee squeezed my hand.

She is right Ares. Kee said through the mind link. I know you are worried, and impatient, but you need to respect Vera. She can stop this at any moment. She said.

Rex growled, but I made sure to keep quiet.

Vera went back to moving her hands over the cauldron. The smoke grew, and the popped in the air. Then it all calmed down.

"Look." Vera urged softly.

Kee and I peered over the top of the cauldren. At first I didn't see anything, then it all changed. Right in the middle of the green liquid is my mate.

A low growl escaped me as I took in the scene. Emi is in a shabby looking house, standing by a window. You can only see black through the window. I wonder if that's what Emi was trying to tell me before. What really pisses me off is the guy holding onto her hand. Who the f**k is that? Why the f**k is touching my mate?

Then Emi through herself into the guys arms, and another growl erupted from me.

"Ares-"

"No, let him." Vera interrupted my sister.

"Who is that?" I gritted out each word.

"I have no idea who the boy is. Is this not your mate?" Vera asked.

"Oh, that's my mate alright." I stated angrily.

"Let's keep watching for now." Vera said.

About 30 minutes later, and I can see my mate go outside. She got out. I should be able to reach her now.

"There is a barrier up." Vera said.

"A barrier?" I asked.

Vera nodded.

"I recognize the magic though." She said.

"Good, take it down." I ordered.

Vera looked up at me with amusement.

"Your mate is already doing that." She stated.

"What?" I asked.

Vera dipped her hands into the cauldron. When she pulled them out, they're covered in the green slime. Vera stepped down from the stool, and walked over to me. I stared at her skeptically. "My only job, is to get you there." Vera stated.

I opened my mouth to ask her what that means, but then she gripped my face between her slimey hands. It feels like the wind got knocked out of me. The slime smells absolutely foul. A searing pain shot through my head bringing me to my knees. Once I fell to my knees though, I didn't fall on the floor of the hut. Instead, I fell on the floor of a lush green forest. It took only seconds for the pain to subside, and my vision to clear.

I'm in a forest. I can't see anything around me. There is something else though.

Do you feel that? I asked Rex.

Rex growled. Sure do. That's our mate.

I took off in a sprint towards the direction that I know Emi is in. I leapt over tree branches, and roots making my way to her. Emi's energy is growing stronger. I'm almost there. Almost to her.

An intense pain had me tripping up though. It started in my lips, and spread throughout my body. It hurt so bad that I tripped over a root, and when rolling across the forest floor.

After a moment, the pain in my lips stopped. Only to start trailing down my neck. It's nearly unbearable.

What the hell is this? What's going on? Is this betrayal pains?

We need to get to mate NOW! Rex roared.

I pushed through the pain to continue on to my mate. Emi said they were trying to rape her. I can't be too late. I can't. I have to save her.

Finally, I took in her scent. I can see a break in the treeline ahead of us. There are bushes too high for me to see much though.

"Jace stop! Please!"

That's Emi's voice. It only pushed me to go faster. I'm almost to her.

"Don't worry Emi, I'll be gentle for your first time." Came a male's voice.

That was it. I f*****g lost it. A roar so loud, so powerful erupted from me that it shook the entire forest.

The pain stopped, and then I broke through the treeline.

Right in front of me, is my mate. Emi is laying on a blanket, with her pants almost around her ankle. Her shirt is still on thankfully. And there is that same guy hovering above her. The one I saw in the cauldron. "Ares." Emi breathed out in relief.

"How the hell did you get here?" The guy asked.

I took as step towards them, and I can feel power rolling off of me. I've never felt power like this before. It's hard to reel in.

Maybe we shouldn't then. Rex said.

Goood idea. I replied.

I looked at the man hovering above my mate.

"Take your fucking hands off of her." I seethed.

The guy laughed, and he didn't move in the slightest.

"No. Emi belongs to us now." He stated.

That only fueled my power more. I felt the air grow dark around us. The guy's eyes went wide as he stared at me.

"She is MINE!"