The Criminal Soulmate

Chapter One

Unfortunately, I have to kill you.

Leanna stared at the words in disbelief. She was unsure what this meant. Instead of feeling happy, all she felt was confusion. Other friends of hers had awoken to tattoos saying stuff like: Is this seat taken? or Nice to meet you, my name's so-and-so. But not her. No, her soulmate was going to kill her according to this tattoo. It wasn't exactly the romantic meeting she put together in her mind countless times.

The words were staring up at her, etched into the skin just above her left ankle bone. Waking up the morning of her eighteenth birthday, she was expecting a different tattoo. A lame pickup line would have been better than this. At least then she would know her soulmate wasn't a murderer. Or a psychopath. Having someone who worked at a McDonald's drive thru would have given her joy at this point. Anyone except a supposed murderer.

Standing up from the bed, Leanna began to pace back and forth her small room. None of the words made sense to her. A soulmate is supposed to be the one you fall in love with, the person who would risk everything for you. Not the person who came to you with the intent of ending your life. That would go against all ideologies of the meaning of a soulmate. Her mind thought of all the different possibilities. Thousands of thoughts running through her mind all at once. Turning eighteen, she was anticipating the moment when she would awake to the tattoo. The tattoo telling her what the first words her soulmate said to her would be. Now, she wished the day hadn't come. Life was easier without her dreading the day they would meet. It would also more than likely be the day she died.

After spending half an hour pacing the entire length of her room, she decided to go downstairs to the main floor. Maybe her parents would be able to offer some advice. They always seemed to know just what to do to cheer her up. Both of them had probably felt confused the day they awoke to their own tattoos. Everyone went through it. She was no exception.

Taking a deep breath, Leanna made her ways towards the bedroom door. Just as her hand wrapped around the door knob, a loud crash from the main floor pierced the air. Sounds of a struggle echoed up the stairs to her bedroom. Heart racing, she turned around to look for a hiding spot. There wasn't much space under her bed, but it would be better than staying in plain sight.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs just as she was almost completely under the bed. A warm hand wrapped around her ankle, yanking her out from underneath the bed. Struggling to get free from their grip, she kicked out at the person. They grunted when her foot made contact with a leg. When she got turned around by force, a masked face greeted her. Though it was impossible to see any distinct features, it was easy to tell it was a man. He forced her to sit on the bed before pulling out a gun.

"Unfortunately, I have to kill you," he said.

Furrowing her brow, Leanna crossed her arms over her chest. "You've got to be kidding me," she said, too annoyed to be concerned about the current circumstance.

Hearing the words, the man's body tensed. Despite wearing a ski mask to cover his face, there were no sleeves to cover his arms. Her eyes wandered down, widening when they stumbled across the words scrawled on his forearm. You've got to be kidding me, was there, plain as day. Leanna repeated the words, followed by a mumbled curse.

Grumbling under his breath, the man grabbed her and pulled her up off the bed. She wanted to ask him what was happening, but knew better. The backdoor closed without a creak as it shut behind them. Birds chirped a melody in the summer morning, the only sounds in the quiet air.