SPIRIT BOND: Anna and Vladimir's story

CHAPTER 30: Confronting the Past

Anna's POV

My father had surprised me by knowing that I was a shadow kissed. I didn’t find it strange that he knew Vladimir was a Spirit user because of what Maksimov had told me on the boat about my mother. But what had scared me was the fact that he knew how to make me stop seeing my brother. I knew I should have bombarded him with questions, but Vladimir is embrace was comfort I needed. I stayed with him under the oak tree until the sun started rising.

I left Vladimir in the library where he began reading the journal he took from my father with great interest. I needed to find my father, the mystery that surrounded my mother needed to be explained. I needed to know. I found my father in his room, cleaning his weapons.
“If you wipe them down any more there’ll be nothing left of them.” He looked up at me.
“Being prepared is a necessity.” I took a seat opposite him.
“You always clean your weapons when you need to think.” He sat the weapons down. Watching me intently he finally spoke.
“What do you expect, Anna, these past two days I’ve had to face my son’s death, confronting my past with my father, finding out my daughter had died and then almost died again. Finding out that what I hoped wasn’t true is.” His voice was hoarse, but not with anger no, it was an emotion I’d never seen in my father before.
“What is true?” I knew what he’d say, but I needed to understand what it was.

“That you’re a shadow kissed. Anna, Vladimir might be a good man, but he’ll drag you into the depths of insanity with him.” I felt my anger flare.
“You know nothing. He is a good man, he tries so hard to make a difference, he’s scared to use his gift because everyone sees it as a curse. You don’t see the good in his power. If there is any power that will lead me to insanity it is my own.”
I father stood up so fast the chair fell backwards.
“I have seen Spirit turn the woman I love into a shadow of her former self. I’ve seen it drive her to do things she would have never done in a million years!”
“If you want me to believe that you need to tell me. Tell me what happened to my mother.” I tried being calm, being angry and storming off wasn’t going to give me my answers.
“No!” His voice was clear and firm, I knew it well he was in defence mode. I took his hand.
“Father, I’m not a child. I need to know. It’s time to tell me about my mother.” His eyes met mine, he shook is head, turned around, picked up the chair and sat back down. Resigning himself to the fact that he had lost.

“Anna, Marina was a good woman, but the more Spirit she used the more she lost herself. It got to a point where she-“ He paused focusing on the candle flame in front of him. “Anna one night there was a strigoi attack, we ,me and the other guardians, thought that it was just an ordinary attack we killed them and as I went home Marina was standing a few feet from a strigoi in the field just opposite of the lake. That struck fear in me that I have never known, but what made my blood run cold was that you were there holding her hand.” I he stilled meeting my eyes. I felt cold as a part of me remembered what he was telling me. “I started running towards both of you and I had to watch as she let go of your hand and urged you forward toward the strigoi. Anna I reached you just in time grabbing you out of his grasp. I told Marina to run, she wouldn’t, instead she screamed how I’d ruined everything and how I needed to give the offer back to the strigoi. She wasn’t the woman I’d fallen in love with, she wasn’t a mother, she was a monster worse than a strigoi.She might have looked like her but it wasn’t her. I had not time to react her backed was turned to the strigoi and he took full advantage of that. He killed her that night and took what ever humanity she’d had with him.”

He rested his mouth behind his hands contemplating on telling me more. I breathed deep
“Father, have you seen her since?” His eyes met mine.
“How do you know she’s a strigoi?” I shook my head slightly.
“Rumours and stories. We never buried her, Andre always remarked on that when we talked about her.” He gave a snort.
“Of course I forget how observant you and your brother were when you were younger.” He got up, stuck his weapon in their holsters and walked to the door. I jumped up after him.
“You didn’t answer me.” He paused.
“I have.” He walked out.

With my mind still reeling I sat back down. I needed to learn from what my father had told me. Maybe Spirit users without Shadow kissed were more susceptible to the darkness that Spirit caused. “What?” I didn’t have time to think as I was pulled into Vladimir’s head. I saw Maksimov sitting opposite him in the library. He handed Vladimir a book. “Read the passage I marked out loud.” He said as Vladimir took the book from him frowning.
“I killed him. I killed Immanual and now everyone thinks Vladimir is a murderer. Although the hatred he’s facing gives me much pleasure, it didn’t bare the results I wanted Vladimir didn’t bring him back from the dead, he’s power of healing might be impressive but for now he is of no use to me.” Vladimir is rage filled not only him, but me as well. I needed to get down there before he did something he’d regret. I willed myself to get out of his head. And rushed downstairs towards the library.

I burst through the door but there was no fight, no confrontation, there was nothing. Vladimir sat deathly silent staring at the words he had just read. Maksimov sat tensly watching him wearily.
“Anna, he’s acting strange.” Maksimov turned to me as he got up slowly moving away from Vladimir. “I can feel the Spirit radiating off him. I gave him a cold stare.
“I know I saw.” I walked to him and took the book from his hands. “Vladimir are you alright?” He mearly looked at me. He felt dead inside, there was no more anger, sadness or hatred there was just Spirit steadily pulsing through him. I took his hands in mine. “Vladimir please come back, please come back to me.” I whispered softly never taking my eyes of his a tear escaped his left eye, but he didn’t move or respond the Spirit inside him just grew stronger. “Maksimov you need to leave.” I could sense his hesitation.
“Anna no you need someone to help you when he releases that energy, He’ll hurt you.” I held Vladimir is gaze.
“He won’t hurt me.” I softly said “Now go!”
“Anna listen to me!” Maksimov yelled.
“Your in more danger than I am. Go!” I heard the door shut. Slowly I let go of Vladimir is hands and cupped his cheecks gently in my hands.
“Vladimir please, please come back to me don’t do this.” I pleaded, but got no answer. I felt the Spirit grow more intense and I panicked. Not knowing what else to do I placed my lips on his and kissed him. The moment my lips touched his. The power within him released sending me flying into a bookcase.

I fell to the ground books falling ontop of me. I heard a creaking sound and I knew the bookcase was going to fall over. If it did it would hurt me and an unconscious Vladimir. Although my head throbbed with pain and my vision blurred I was able to move fast enough to get Vladimir out of the way as the bookcase fell with a shower of books. I felt the weight on my body, the pain punishingly fast moving through me. I saw Vladimir laying on the floor at the other end of the room, but I didn’t feel the need to go to him all I could think about was what  my father had said. Spirit was a curse.

 
###So I know I haven't update in a really long time so sorry guys! ###