𝑨𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒎 - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

「Chapter 14」

"Huh?" Elena asked, confusion evident in her voice.

Elias sighed, "Were you not listening to what I just explained?"

Elena shook her head, "No, I was listening, I'm just...did I understand you correctly? You want me to die?"

"Not permanently," Elias clarified, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Elias..." Elena started, clearly taken aback.

"I know it sounds extreme, but I promise I would never let any real harm come to you," he assured her. "You would only need to stop breathing for about three seconds."

Elena shook her head in disbelief. "This is...I don't even know what to say."

"Unbelievable?" Elias suggested.

"Yes, and no," Elena replied after a moment.

Elena glanced around nervously before meeting his gaze again. "Still, I'm glad you came to talk to me. I'm sorry for how I reacted last time."

Elias dismissed her apology with a shake of his head. "You don't need to apologize. If someone had told me the supernatural were real, I would have reacted the same way."

Elena nodded and then embraced Elias in a hug. He hugged her back warmly.

Once they separated, Elena asked, "So you said I need to die?"

"Don't phrase it like that," Elias protested.

Elena cracked a smile. "And are you ever going to explain why?"

Elias hesitated a moment before responding. "Well, since we're on the topic of the supernatural...soulmates exist too."

Elena gasped softly. "Soulmates? As in two people fatefully bonded to each other?"

Elias nodded. "Yes, but some people have more than one soulmate...like nine in my case."

Elena's eyes went wide. "You have nine soulmates?!"

Elias chuckled a bit at her dramatic reaction and nodded.

"And I'm guessing one of them is connected to me needing to temporarily die?" Elena deduced.

"Kind of," Elias explained. "It would break a curse placed on him."

Elena nodded slowly, taking it all in. "Wow...I wish I had a soulmate like that."

"You most likely do have one out there," Elias said reassuringly.

Elena's head snapped up as she looked at him with surprise. "I do?"

Elias nodded. "I believe everyone has a soulmate, even if they never meet. I could try to help you find yours, if you'd like?" he offered.

Tears of emotion sprang to Elena's eyes at the thought. "I would love that! To know there is someone perfectly matched for me would be amazing." She smiled brightly.

------

"So what do I have to do?" Elena asked eagerly, looking between Elias and Enzo.

"And why is he here?" she added, gesturing at Enzo.

Elias looked up from setting up the candles around the map and empty bowl. "Enzo's here to heal you after we do the spell," he explained.

"Okay," Enzo said with a shrug.

"What?" Elena asked, clearly confused.

"Yeah, I need you to add some blood to the bowl so we can connect to your soulmate," Elias clarified.