Ella, you can do this.
Gwendoline, from her first life, always snuck up, sending messages and guiding her. The others joined in.
We are with you, Ella, always. We will never abandon you or Nate. We are you.
Ella’s heart expanded with love and strength as the voices of her previous lives surrounded her. She wondered, as their words filled her mind, could she answer them? Ask questions? Her heart pumped fast and it pounded against her ribs. The color and atmosphere in the room shifted. Voices whispered words, and goose bumps shivered down her arms. When she opened her eyes, the women surrounded her.
Standing before her were the three ghosts from her past. Each different, each remarkable in their own way. She stretched her hand out to them. As soon as she touched the hands of the women, a wave of powerful sizzling energy charged through her, lifting her spirits. The four held hands in a circle. A soft vibration thrummed throughout her body. The women smiled at her and chanted.
“Revelare in sanguine librum de.”
Ella knew instinctively what the words meant, reveal the Book of Blood, and started to recite with the others over and over until the voices blurred together into one loud, haunting chant. The circle of women swayed, and she moved her hips from side to side as if in a trance. Even when she closed her eyes, the haunting melody sang around her, soothing and warm. Ella loved Marcus beyond reason. But in the beginning, she resisted falling in love. Falling in love exposed her, and in all her previous lives, in opening herself up to that emotion, it allowed men to deceive and betray her. Falling in love caught her off-guard. It made her vulnerable.
Ella ignored and resisted the growing feelings she had for the FBI agent sent to capture her, until he claimed her. The pull of sensual attraction was so strong, she didn’t have a choice. A blinding love compelled her. Now, she needed to discover what lay beneath that powerful emotion. Will the marriage survive this betrayal? Do I take revenge upon him? Or simply walk away? Lost in her thoughts, a loud thump shook the deafening silence in the room and jolted her wide awake. The scent of vanilla from the candles wafted over her, and she opened her eyes. Resting on the wooden table lay a thick leather-bound brown book with heavy gold scroll work inscribed on the front. A large oval ruby sat in the center. A magnificent ancient relic.
A nervousness swam inside her. The book contained the knowledge and history of soul-shifters, alongside all supernatural beings, but she wanted to know the reason Marcus wanted it. She knelt on the floor and licked her lips as she traced her fingertips over the pretty, intricate scrollwork that edged the four corners of the hefty volume. She stared briefly over her shoulder as if expecting Marcus to appear at any moment. Carefully, she lifted the brown leather cover and stared in wonder at the beautiful watercolor illustrations inside, of the many faces of the supernatural races. As she turned the ancient parchment, she skimmed over the words written in a language she couldn’t decipher, and flicked through the pages. Each one was written in red ink, in the same language. She slammed the book closed.
Ella rubbed her forehead, and opened the book again. If Marcus used this book, there must be a way to decipher the words. Opening the magnum opus again, she turned the pages with great care, taking her time, but the book never seemed to get smaller. She realized that no matter how many pages she turned, she never reached the end. Unable to read the text and with no clue as to how many pages were inside, she heaved a sigh.
Staring at the bold calligraphy, she ran her eyes over the words, lost for a moment in the beauty of the penmanship. As she stared at each word, a voice relayed the meaning to her. A voice she recognized. Ariana.
Turn the page, Ella.
Ella did as instructed and when Ariana called for her to stop, she did, and listened to the melodic voice of the goddess as she narrated the story of the soul-shifters cursed by Dagda. When Ariana talked about mated soul-shifters, Ella chewed on her fingernails in anticipation as instinct told her this was at the crux of what Marcus sought.
In the case of mated soul-shifters, the balance of power is equal, which is considered to be best for each partner’s health and to maintain harmony. However, usually within a mated couple, one is the Alpha and one the Beta. If the desired dominant mate wishes, he or she can assert influence over their partner or share their unique skills with the other. In order for that to take place, the mating must be consensual, the giving of oneself in mind, body, and soul for a true mating to exist with the exchange of blood. To surrender power to a mate, a simple ritual is required. However, when the balance of power shifts, the bond between mates is weakened. The ability to read each other lessens, and the ties that bind a couple together easier to break.
When mated, soul-shifters become immortal, which means their lifespan exceeds that of a human. The aging process is diminished, but the body remains susceptible to fatalities. Only the soul exists forever. Any offspring born to mated soul-shifters are vulnerable to death unless within four lifetimes they meet their soul-mate. And so the cycle continues, unless the curse is broken.
Ariana’s voice continued, and Ella listened. Did Marcus understand the consequences of messing with their bond? A pain deep inside her chest caught her breath, and she clutched her hand to her breast, holding it there. Sitting back on the floor, staring at the open book, she pressed
