The Seeing Mate

12

"Camlia." I could hear my name, I was being called back to my body. I turned to leave, but right as I turned I felt a hand wrap around my throat. I looked into his eyes, he was looking right at me.

"Not so smart, Camila." he said with a smile, and I felt my energy draining. Suddenly, I felt as if I were yanked, then slammed into something, and I gasped for air. I was coughing and gasping for air. I was back in my body.

"Camila!" Josh was holding me and trying to see if I was okay.

"I'm-I'm fine." I gasped and coughed. That's when I realized I was bleeding from my nose and my mouth. I looked at Shawna, who now looked regretful.

"I'm so sorry Josh..."

"You shouldn't have done that!" he shouted at me, hugging me to him. I hugged him back. I didn't mean for him to worry like this, but it was a risk I needed to take to finally find Natalia.

" It was worth the risk if it worked Joshua, what did you see?" Max asked me, coming closer.

Joshua glared at his father, but I squeezed his arm to reassure him. Then gave me a chance to look at Max.

"It's-It's a ware-warehouse, two hours west. It has an underground...with other victims."

Bracks was looking it up with a digital map. In fifteen minutes, they had a location.

"Are you sure?" Max asked me. I nodded, " get the others ready!"

He ordered Bracks, who winked at me and went to get the other wolves. Max gave me a thankful look and followed Bracks.

"Go with them." I said to Josh. Who looked at me with surprise.

"I'm not leaving you!" he growled. I shook my head and sat up.

"I'll be fine, it's your mom go!" I said a little sternly. He kissed me on the forehead and followed his father.

I was left with Shawna, Amelia and my great aunt. Who helped me inside.

"That was the stupidest thing you've ever done!" Amelia scolded me as Shawna helped me into a chair.

"Hey, it worked didn't it!" I said, trying to sound angry, but I sounded like a two-pack a day smoker.

"I have to agree with Amelia, if I'd known that's how it was going to work, I wouldn't have agreed to it."

"You didn't know that was going to happen?! What kind of witch doesn't know how her magic is going to work!?"

"It's never worked that way!"

"Well, next time, know before you do!"

"Enough!" I was able to finally shout, but it hurt. It stopped the argument, and Shawna went to get something and came back with a tea. When I took a sip, I gagged.

"What's in the tea?" Amelia started to demand, but I pulled at her arm.

"I'm fine, it's fine. Even if it tastes like s**t!" I said hoarsely. The tea was bitter and it burned my throat. After a while, I felt sleepy.

"Let's get to your room, rest. We'll come wake you once we hear anything." said Shawna. She and Amelia helped me to the upstairs room. When I hit the bed, I was out like a light.

My dreams were of those women, screams filled the air, the sound of something hitting flesh sounded too. The smell of iron, human waste, and something...rotting. I was walking down those halls again, heading toward a door. That's when I saw Mom. She was crying and had torn clothes on.

"Mom?" I asked. She opened the door to the room, and I screamed as I saw who was in the chair. Tied down and disfigured.

"Josh!" I screamed and jolted awake. I was shaking and sweating. I looked around and remembered where I was. I took a few deep breaths. It still hurt but I needed to keep myself calm.

That's when the door opened and in walked into Josh. Without thinking about it, I jumped up and ran into his arms. I breathed in his scent and knew it was him.

"You're shaking, what's wrong?" he asked, looking at me and I just shook my head and just held him. After a minute, he led me back to bed and sat down with me in his arms.

"You found her?" I asked. He sighed and nodded.

"We found her. Dad's not happy seeing her the way we found her, but at least she's alive."

I looked up at Josh, he gave me a sad smile but kissed my forehead and held me in his arms. I didn't even notice when I fell asleep but I did. When I woke up again, Josh was showered and sleeping next to me. I looked at him for a minute, my hands wanting nothing more than to touch him, just to make sure it was really him. My heart ached for him, I was hopelessly in love with this man. Even when we've moved past so many things, I still can't believe he was with me.

"What's on your mind." he asked suddenly pulling me out of my thoughts, but instead of shying away I curled up in his arms.

"How much I love you." I said without thinking, but I didn't care. I was done trying to keep a distance, he was mine and I was going to start claiming him as such.

He was now looking at me, his eyes glowing in the dark room. He slowly kissed my cheek, then went down my neck, his hands started to wander under my clothes. The intimate moment was stopped dead, when the screams of horror rang out, and we both jumped out of bed and ran for the door. He went downstairs faster than me, but when I got there, I found Max, Shawna, Bracks, and Josh in the room. Josh was holding his mother as she screamed in panic.

"Don't let him touch me...get out!" she screamed at Max, her eyes wide with horror. Max looked so defeated as he walked out of the room. I looked back at Amy( Natalia) as she clung to Josh for dear life.

"Shhh, it's okay Mom, you're safe." Josh spoke soothingly to her. That's when I noticed a kind of dark look in her eyes when she looked at me. Just a crazy look.

"Josh...Josh don't ever leave me baby...I'll die if you...don't let him near me please!" she said with so much distress it was heart breaking but I could see what nobody else could, and it wasn't good.

Josh decided we were going to stay, while things cooled down for his Mom and as reluctant as I was, I agreed. The next few days, Max couldn't be in the same room as Am- Natalia. Josh literally had to be there with her the whole time. When she ate, when she slept, and I drew the line when she was bathing. My great aunt and Amelia had left the night she was brought back, but now they have really made themselves scarce. Amelia explained about a week later that they didn't want to give Natalia the wrong idea with Amelia being young and single. It made sense Natalia was a very sensitive stage. So I was basically alone in my feeling off about Natalia.

Then one day, I was walking by the room, and Natalia suddenly called out to me. I froze and just stood staring at the door, which was closed. How did she know I was walking by?

"Don't go in there." I heard Mom say in my ear softly.

"Camila." I heard again but this time it was a pained sound. Carefully, I walked toward the door. My hand shook as I reached for the door handle. Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle, and pushed the door in, and found Natalia on the floor.

"Oh, my gosh!" I said, running forward and noticing some blood. Natalia was hurt. I called for help. The only one that came was Bracks. He helped me pick her up on the bed again, and ran to get a towel and water. He came back and handed me the towel, as he sat the basin of water on the night stand.

"She must have a reopened wound!' he said, looking at her arms and legs. She was shaking really badly. Maybe the fact that Bracks was a guy?

"Bracks, I got this. Can you get me some new bandages and disinfectant?" I offered. He looked at me, then back at Natalia.

"Sure, I'll be back." he said and left to find what I asked for.

I wiped away the blood from Natalia's arms and neck. I couldn't see where the blood had come from, and she was calm now. Maybe she coughed it up? I was just putting the towel in the water again, when she suddenly grabbed my wrist.

"Mila...It's been too long...I'm so sorry about your Mom, she was a great woman." she said in a sad tone. Somehow, I didn't believe her words. I pulled my wrist out of her grip and rang the towel and put it aside.

"Thank you, but let's not go there please." I said, standing up and covering her with a blanket.

"Right, I'm sorry, I just mean, it's not easy losing a parent, but it always helps when you have someone."

I didn't look at her, my blood was starting to boil, and I didn't understand why.

"Yeah, my aunts have been...a great support."

"Oh, silly, what about your father? He's been there too, hasn't he?"

Now I was glaring at her, she didn't flinch or look away. My hands were in fists.

"My father has never been in my life and you know that!" I said sharply.

She gave me a fake innocent look, and then looked confused.

"You two talk as if nothing ever happened."she said flatly. I stared at her.

"Who? Max and I or...."

"Oh, heavens no...Bracks."

I froze. What did Bracks have to do with...and then it hit me.

"Brian isn't his only name is it?" I asked and Natalia looked lost, then came back with a fake innocent expression.

"No, actually his full name is Brian Samuel Bracks. Why?"

My heart was pounding in my chest, and a whole crash of emotions hit me.

"What?" I said, not believing what she had just said.

"I thought you already knew, Mila. You two get along so well, I'm sorry dear."

I turned and quickly ran out the door, slamming the door shut behind me. I was gasping for air. Everything fell into place. Shawna was the other woman my mom had seen. I remembered back and Bracks had taken an interest in me. At first I thought he was just the creepy teacher, but no...he...my father. I wanted to be sick.

"Camila, what happened? Are you okay?" I looked up and found Bracks kneeling infront of me. I moved away from him, and then got up.

"How long have you known?" I asked almost a whisper. I was shaking so badly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"How long have you...known I was your daughter?!" I said through gritted teeth. Shock crossed his face, and then regret.

"I..um...I wanted to tell you."

"Oh, yeah? When were you planning that, when I was dying?!"

"Mila, things aren't..."

"Don't call me that! You have no right to call me by my nickname. I don't know you!"

He looked hurt. I could see that he was trying to find the words but he was blank. I was shaking so badly I wanted to hit him.

"Camila..." he reached for my hand but I moved away from him, and ran up to the room. Slamming the door shut, I started packing my things into my bag. I was about done, when Josh walked in.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting the hell out of this house, and not coming back!" I shouted, shutting my bag and zipping it.

"Hey, what happened?" he asked, now scared.

"Are you taking me home or do I have to live somewhere else?" I asked, not even answering his question.

"Mila, my mom..."

"Live somewhere else, okay, excuse me and good-bye!" I said, pushing past him and heading down stairs. I was at the door but he beat me there with the keys to the truck and his coat.

"Let's go home." he said, and we got our stuff in the truck and headed back to his house.