over the centuries

17

It was starting to get cold outside. With fall on its way, the gentle puttering of the rain woke Cassie from her slumber. I got up and looked outside then, peered out through the the apartments complexes little window toward the parking lot. Pedestrians were outside, rain jacket dawned and umbrellas swirling with colors doting the pavement. I stretched and yawned the sleepy day away.
"Are you ready to go?" Michel called into my mind.
"Just woke up" I called back.
"I'll be there to pick you up in an hour." He said then.
Today was the day we'd be leaving for the vampire council. My nerves wouldn't let me ponder on it too much. Going so far as to hit myself in the head, anytime a questioning thought popped up, anxiety hitting me like a ton of bricks, weighing me down. Like what the venue would be, or how many of them would peer down at me, contention bruing, i wouldnt think about it.
"You'll find out soon." I told myself, as I dressed for the day, comfortable sweat pants and an oversized hoodie, I was ready.
My suite case waited by the front door, packed and ready to go I had everything. My work was mad, with the late notice for time off I wondered if they were starting to get tired of my hectic schedule. If I had to I could always get another job, with Aaron no longer connected to my bank account, and financial worries I felt like a free bird. How great it felt, to get rid of the burden of financial strains, the only down fall was my now loneliness at living alone. To come home to no one but myself, I was still getting used to it.
I sat on my bed and waited for Michel, shoes already on, I flipped through the channels on my t.v. on the wall facing my bed. Just as I starting getting into a show about haunted houses a knock came at the door. I bounced up, running to the door, I grabbed a hold of my suite case ready to go.
Aaron's face greated me on the other side. He was wearing his Grey rain jacket, drops of water dripping from the sleek material, his hair disheveled like he'd been running his hands through it he stood there.
"Ow" I said, not at all expecting the man.
"Hey" he said peering down into my eyes, until his lashes lowered noting the suite case in my hand.
"Going somewhere?" He asked
"Just on a get away trip." I said and awkwardly added "to clear my head"
"Can I come in? It's a little cold" He said voice going an octave higher, like he was nervous.
"Sure" I said, moving out of the doorway so he could get past.
He walked over to the bed and sat, the mattress growing from his large form, he put his hands in his pockets and looked down, his shoulders hunched.
"I was hoping to ask you to go somewhere but sense your busy I won't stay long." He said
"I'm outside, get rid of him. Well be late" michels voice rang out into my mind.
"That's for the best. I have a plane to catch and I can't be late." I said to Aaron
His eyes connected with mine then, looking up, and I felt the penetrating gaze down to my core. My heart beginning to flutter a little from those deep brown eyes.
"I wanted to tell you I started therapy. I want you to go with me. For couples counciling." He said "to work on our marriage."
My heart stilled then, the flutter dying out and nausea coming to my guts instead. Couples conciling? Could anything really fix us?
"Get rid of him" Michel growled into my mind, the annoyance lacing his words.
"I don't know Aaron... Let me think about it" I said choosing my words wisely. "But I really have to go now."
"You aren't going with him are you?" He asked then, jealousy ringing out.
"Who do you mean?" I asked a bit nervous.
"The guy you ran away with after we had our fight." He said, his voice still harsh.
"I don't think that's any of your buisness" I said defensively "your the one who broke our marriage remeber?"
"You are going with him! I knew it you whore! I'm trying to fix us, fix our marriage, doing what I can to be there for you while your moving on." He said the last bit more gently.
"Don't call me a fucking whore!" I yelled back hate filling me to the brink "this is all your doing Aaron! The consequences of your own actions! And who I'm with now... if I choose to be with someone... is none of your buisness!"
A knock came at the door then and we both stilled for a moment, Aaron already standing from the bed had a look of shock on his face, I ran to the door, swinging it open to reveal Michel. Standing there in all his glory he had a look of pure malice on his face, if he could I was sure he'd snarl at Aaron. I took a step back, opening the door as wide as I'd go and put an arm out.
"Aaron leave" I said and Michel took a step back to the side. A look of pure devastation came to his face, before he lowered his head and bounded past me and Michel out the door, practically hoping down the stairs to get out of there. Michel watched Aaron go, his features relaxing some before he turned back to me.
"That was eventful" He said, grabbing my luggage, holding the bag aloft in his large hands. I shut the door and starting locking  up, my hands shaking from fury it was difficult. When the door was finally locked i turning back to Michel, he had a soft look to his eyes.
"I'm sorry you just went through that" He said softly.
"Don't be. It's not your fault my ex-husbands a douchbag." I said angrily as we began to make our own way toward the stairs.
"Ex-husband?" He asked
"Soon to be" I answered back, wiping my hair behind my shoulder.
Michel held out an umbrella as we made our way to his car, no longer safe from the rain from the overhang, we got into his Mercedes.
"He's watching us" Michele said to me as we got in, Elise and Roy in the back seat.
"He's wondering what I do to have such an expensive car." He added
"You can read human minds?" I asked
"Yes. Would you like to know his? I can give you a paraphrased version but it's not pretty." He said His expression darkening as he continued to focus on Aaron's mind.
"I should snap his neck" His words came out in a strangled breath. A soft growl getting past his lips, and his eyes dilating, Elise put a gentle hand on michels shoulder then, and the sound died down.
"Your right Elise it wouldn't help" He said, the pair having a private conversation.
Did I want to know what Aaron just thought? Maybe it was a good idea to know, still considering therapy. Waa I insane? He cheated on me and just called me a whore, not only that but we were strained before all this mess. But my heart still rang out for Aaron, the proof in the way I felt seeing his face today. I still loved him.
With a heavy sigh I asked "what'd he think?" Nervous to know the answer I glanced at Michel, his eyes still dilated he threw the car into drive.
"He thought about bending you over and making you rember you love him forcfully." He said, the words strained.
I could feel the tension from Elise and Roy in the back seat, Roy shuffling and coughing into his hand while elises other hand now came up to grip my shoulder, I sat there in disbelief. The car was deadly quite for a few heart beats before I broke silence.
"He wouldnt" I breathed disbelief coating my words like thick molasses.
"You'll find out from hanging out with vampires that a lot of people have evil thoughts." Roy said gently "that doesn't mean they'll do them."
"Just the thought is indication enough though of his evil nature." I said, strength coming back to my voice. "I'd never think something like that."
"I know you wouldn't." Michel said the car now coming to a stop at one of the stop lights, before he merged onto the highway.
"But don't think I won't hurt him if he does anything to you" He added his voice quite
"I won't let him in my house again" I said making up my mind.
"Good" Michel said and drove on.
We came up to the Kansas city airport, the signs coming into veiw against the headlights of the car, we turned into the parking garage. Getting out of the car the light rain sprinkled my face, the mist clouding my vision. Everyone else quickly got out, going to the trunk ailign pulled out all the suite cases. I let out a sigh of relief as we entered the warm space of the airport, walking over to the line to check in.
"We won't go into those lanes I rented a private plane." Mjchel said as he quickly lead the way. I trotted after him, embarrassment coming to my face. Just how loaded was he?
"Um this will be my first time on a private plane" I say weakly as we continue to walk.
"I'm not surprised" Michel said
"Don't worry you'll get used to it" Roy said, turning his head to give me a little smile. As the only other human in the group the motion comforted me.
"You'll get used to a lot of new things coming up" ailign said.
I wondered what all he meant by those words. Where there any more surprises coming my way? We came up to a door at the end of the walkway, a security guard letting us through when Michel showed him his license.
Inside the plane I buckled up, the large and spacious space feeling more like a luxury then a chore. I leaned back in my chair relaxing into the soft cushion. Michel came by and sat next to me, taking my hand in his.
"Are you afraid of flying?" He asked me with a quizzical brow.
"No, why was I in the past?" I asked
"Terrified" He said "you'd always see possible futures of accidents. You were afraid of a lot of things."
"Anither reason to be glad I'm normal." I say with a sigh, turning his hand over in mine, and inspecting the popping veins down his arm.
"You are so different in this life, but the same." He said
"How so?" I asked curiously
"You still kind, and generous. But your mind has so much more joy, we're fear used to be. Busy with normal thoughts instead of racing with visions. You'd let them take over sometimes. Getting lost in them." He said
I squeezed his hand glad to be holding onto something as the plane started to move. The voice of the pilot coming over the speakers, notifying us that we were about to take off.
"My mind does tend to get obsessed with things sometimes." I admitted, for the first time maybe being able to picture what visions would do to me.
He grunted in agreement, a happy smile coming to his face, he leaned over and whispered in my ear "now you can just get obsessed with me"
A chill ran down my back, and I could feel a tug on my ribs again, as if that little sensation was a tug toward Michel. His smile grew wider and he leaned back, the plane now taking off into the skies.
"That's exactly what it is" He said "that's the bonds physical form. You have no idea what it feels like for me." He said
"I can't know what it feels like. I can't read minds." I said with a happy smile. The longer we talked about supernatural powers the more I was grateful I didn't have any. There was a long pregnant silence as Michel stared at me, a war going on inside him as he choose his words next.
"There is actually." He said
"How?" I asked perplexed
"There's a ritual. I'd mark you to strengthen the bond. It would increase its hold on you ten fold." He said
My brows knitted as his words sank into me. What kind of ritual? Was this another one of those surprises.
"Don't worry I'd never do it without your permission" he said suddenly.
"Why would you create something like that?" I asked.
He rubbed at my hand in his with just other hand, lashes lowered to stare at the intertwined fingers. The sensation brought electricity up my arm and all the way to my core. I closed my eyes, reeling in the sensation.
"Origionally it was made so that our mates excepted us and didn't run away if... they didn't like the idea of vampires. Some vampires have done it over the course of time to trap there mates. But for most of us, most lives it's just a way to strengthen our love. It would encrease the bonds power for me as well."
"I don't think I'm ready for that yet." I said honestly.
Would I ever want that? What if I decided I didn't want him? I've only interacted with him for a few months now. Maybe five? I was losing count.
"I figured" He said with a sigh "I'm getting ahead of myself again."
"I'm glad you told me" I said eyes still closed "so I know my options in this paranormal world"
I opened my eyes again to see him smiling down at our hands. It was a gentle heart warming smile, the hope clear on his face. This was new for him too, a new me for him to get to know I realized. We were both tredding on new ground.
"You haven't ever forced the bond on me before have you?" I asked tentively
His expression turned pained, his other hand going to his face.
"You were halfway out of it in all the lives I did. And afterwards.... you were grateful for the connection, the security. It was better then being in a nut house. And the bond helped tether you back to the real world." He said
I searched for that connection then, that living tendrilmattached to my rib, but I came up short. Confused I felt again, but I couldn't find it. He patted my hand then and leaned back in his seat, looking out the planes window, we flew on.