The Lost Soul

Chapter 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Huge thanks to Bryna Butler for her fabulous proofreading skills, as well as for saving me great embarrassment by pointing out that Velociraptors don't actually have wings! I'm forever grateful, Bryna!

Shalini, Jill and Liz... thank you so much for your constructive comments too. I always value whatever you have to say about the written word.

As always, a massive thanks to my rock, Michael, for the constant support he always provides.

CHAPTER ONE

The stench of something rotten filled the air as the man tried to lift his heavy head. Opening his eyes, it took a moment for them to adjust to the strange dull light of a new day. Wincing, he managed to hold his head up just long enough to notice the smell belonged to a rotting corpse to his side. He heaved, but there was nothing left in his stomach. He hadn't eaten in days.

Weak, cold and hungry, he curled into a ball on the mossy ground and sobbed.

When he no longer had the strength to even do that, he stared up at the sky; the orange and yellow hues entwined in a rainbow effect as far as his eyes could see.

The only sounds that could be heard were his rough breathing combined with the gentle whooshing of the silver trees that surrounded the deep ditch within which he found himself.

A hummingbird appeared from nowhere, hovering above him, flying up and down and around his face. The man tried to focus his eyes upon it, but his vision had become blurry.

When the bird came to an abrupt halt almost touching his nose, he realised it wasn't a bird at all.

A faint giggle erupted from the creature, making him jump.

"No, this can't be," he whispered, hoarsely.

The little creature with large blue wings nodded back, "Yes, it can," she responded, "I can see you are in dire need of help. I will gather my friends, and we will return to get you out of here. You will be safe. Do not worry."

Disappearing out of sight in a flash, the man collapsed once more before he fell into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER TWO

"Still nothing," whispered December as she opened her eyes again, after focussing hard for what seemed like the twentieth time that day.

"We've been trying to get through to him for weeks. What's going on? I hope he's okay?" questioned Lilly.

"Yeah, I know. I wish we could do more, but we don't even know who he is. We don't even know why there was a connection in the first place," sighed December, propping herself up against the pillows on Lilly's bed.

Looking out the window at the forests beyond, Lilly wished the spirits would contact her again and give her a clue, but she had neither seen nor heard from her mother or sister since they had pointed her in Sammy's direction a year ago.

Turning her attention to the shards of light that twinkled across the bedroom, she followed them as they moved across the room like miniature rainbows. The crystal angels given to her by Oliver gently swayed on either side of the window and made her smile. As if on cue, there was a tap at the door.

"It's just us," came a familiar voice as the door was pushed open to reveal a tall blonde haired boy with hazel eyes and his companion, a slightly smaller but no less attractive boy with shoulder-length brown hair.

"Oliver!" squealed Lilly, jumping up into his arms and knocking him back into the wall. Giggling, she kissed him gently before hopping down and taking his hand.

"Hey, Chris, good to see you."

"You too, Lilly," said the brown-haired boy as he sat down next to December and smiled warmly at her.

Shaking her head, December laughed at her best friend, "You'd never know it was only yesterday that you two saw each other."

Oliver's cheeky smile said it all. He and Lilly had only recently got back together, and they had lots of catching up to do.

"Hey... why don't we get out of the house today?" asked December.

"Good idea, what shall we do?" Oliver replied.

"Is it really such a good idea?" Chris said sheepishly, "We still haven't found Jemima."

"Well then, perhaps we should go out and try and find her. It's been a few weeks since her disappearance, and there haven't been any vampire attacks that we know of. For all we know, she could be trapped."

"Lilly... you're always so eager to go out and track down danger. Why don't we just go out and try and have some fun?" suggested December.

"She's right, you know," answered Oliver as he playfully punched her on the shoulder.

"If the Elders haven't found her yet, what makes you think we will be able to? Let's just go and chill out. You've spent the past few weeks either looking for Jemima or trying to communicate with your so-called Lost Soul. It's time for F.U.N., babe."

"Okay, okay... it looks like I'm outvoted anyway. Give me a few minutes to get ready," she said, releasing his grip and rushing out to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, they were all getting ready to head out the front door.

Sammy and Tiffani watched an old re-run of The Lost Boys on TV while Tabitha and Zoltan were deep in conversation in the kitchen. None of them even noticed the group as the door closed behind them.

"Are you sure you don't want to borrow a jacket, Chris? I have a spare one in the truck."

"Erm, Oliver, I think you keep forgetting that vampires don't feel the cold. I'm fine like this, really."

Rolling his eyes, Oliver chuckled as the four of them climbed into his pickup, and they set off towards the town.

oOo

She had no idea how long she'd been trapped in that dark place. There were no windows. Day and night had blended into one, yet she was sure she had been locked up for days, perhaps even weeks. When she had first awoken in there, she'd felt physically stronger than ever before, yet she was incapable of breaking down the heavy-duty steel door that now resembled the car bonnet of a hit and run accident.

No matter how hard she threw herself against the cold steel, it wouldn't budge. She was stuck, and her body was weakening from the intense hunger she had felt ever since she came to, and found herself alone, trapped. It was the kind of desire she couldn't describe because she didn't know what it was that she hungered for. What she did know was that she no longer seemed to need water and the cold didn't affect her the way it used to.

The initial fear had been and gone and was replaced by emotions she had never felt before.

Screaming in frustration, the teenage girl flung herself against the door again and again, but to no avail. She was trapped, and there was nobody to help her.

oOo

Walking through the busy streets of Powell River, December sighed.

"What's the matter?" asked Chris as he playfully grabbed her arm and pulled her to a standstill, making Oliver walk right into the back of him.

"Oops, sorry," he said as he and Lilly stood motionless, following December's gloomy stare across to the other side of the street.

A woman of about sixty was being comforted by her husband as they sobbed together, carefully placing poster after poster around town.

Leaning on the wall to her side, Lilly turned to see yet another copy of the paper pasted to the bare bricks. Jemima stared back at her happily. Above her was the word 'MISSING'.

"I feel so awful for her family. They have absolutely no idea what has happened to her," whispered December as she leaned her head against Chris's shoulder. They all stood watching, as did so many others along the street.

"Come on, let's get out of here. I can't even think about having fun when I know Jemima is out there somewhere. I thought I could, but I can't. Sorry guys" sighed Lilly.

"I'm the one that should be sorry," replied Chris. "Duran made my life hell for so long, and then he did the same thing to Jemima. I was with him... I should know where he put her..." he stuttered.

As the four of them climbed back into the pickup truck, Oliver turned to him, "We looked in all the places you knew of, and so did the Elders... don't blame yourself for this. Duran obviously had another hiding place he kept from you."

As she slammed the car door, December winced suddenly and began to cradle her head in her hands.

"Are you all right, December? You've gone, like, really pale all of a sudden."

A faint grimace crossed her lips, nodding just as Oliver pulled the truck away from the kerb and they headed back towards Lilly's house.

"This is the second time in two days you've come over all weird like this... maybe you should see a doctor?" suggested Oliver as he glanced at her in the rearview mirror, but she shook her head.

"No, I'll be okay. I just need to lie down."

The friends looked across at each other, but nobody said a word as they drove out of town, towards the immense trees that towered over the top of the tarmac road, creating a temporary cover of darkness.

As they emerged into the light and turned off the main road down the dirt track towards the wooden house Lilly called home, December slumped suddenly to her side, whacking her head on the window which had been opened to give her some fresh air.

"Oh God!" yelled Lilly as Oliver turned to see what was happening.

"Is she okay?" he asked as Chris leaned backwards and helped Lilly to sit her upright.

"I don't think so. Her forehead's bleeding, and she won't wake up. Oliver turn round and drive to Rose's... fast. Moira's there, she'll know what to do."

Slamming the brakes on and then putting the truck into reverse, Oliver deftly drove backwards until a clearing allowed him to turn the vehicle around. With wheels screeching, they continued at breakneck speed until they reached the little cottage that belonged to Lilly's Aunt Rose and her Uncle Walter, and where December's mother Moira was currently staying.

Hopping out of the truck and running as fast as she could to the front door, Lilly banged hard and yelled out to Moira and Rose before she returned to her injured friend.

"Come quick! It's December!"

As Oliver and Chris gently lifted the petite flame-haired girl from the back of the truck, they were soon joined by a beautiful white-haired lady and a pretty young woman who was the image of her daughter, with wild red hair and large eyes.

"December? Angel?" whispered her mother as she was carried safely indoors and placed on the soft sofa in the living room. Several cats scattered at the commotion.

"What happened?" asked Rose, who used a damp cloth to wipe the blood from the girl's forehead.

"I don't know. She just went really pale and then she just slumped over unconscious. She banged her head on the open window."

"She said she had a headache yesterday," added Chris quietly.

Moira looked up at her close friends and smiled, "don't worry, I think she'll be fine. I used to get headaches when I first learned of my magic. It's probably just that. She just needs some rest. Maybe it would be a good idea to put her in bed?" she asked Rose who nodded.

"I'll take her," offered Chris as he leaned forward and lifted her as if she was merely a rag doll.

"Where to?" he asked as Rose and Moira led him to the spare bedroom while Lilly and Oliver settled in the lounge.

When the phone rang, the two of them jumped, making them giggle nervously.

"Hello?" answered Lilly.

"Lilly? It's Sammy... what's going on? We heard Oliver's truck and then all kinds of screeching..."

After Lilly explained what was going on and Sammy was content there was nothing to worry about, she turned to her boyfriend and sat on his lap with a long sigh.

CHAPTER THREE

"How long has he been unconscious?"

"About five days."

"Whoa... do you think perhaps we should try to wake him?"