My Puppy Mate

17: Soul Searching

~Previously on My Puppy Mate: Warlocks and Werewolves~
Four gleaming eyes looked up at me with hope and happiness. "We're going to save Daddy." They whispered back in unison.

Cassia's POV(pic is Damien)

After I had taken a shower and got into some comfy clothes, Piers easily healed Rachel. Now she's talking, eating, and laughing. Jasper is going to keep her company as Piers, me, and my kids go save Chris. We're currently all around Chris's hospital bed, Piers chanting a spell. He had us place one hand on Chris's heart so it'd be easier to transfer our spirits in Chris's mind.

Slowly, I could feel myself being pulled by invisible forces. An ice cold chill washed over me, and with a gasp, I found myself in an unknown room. The floor was tile and the walls were all mirrors. "Mommy..." I heard Aurora's voice, and saw her and Kaden behind me. I hugged them close to me and kept them at my sides. "Lets find a way out of here." I said after seeing there was no door.

"I can sense a hollowness behind one of these mirrors." Kaden whispered, his eyes furrowed in concentration. Aurora left my side, and went to the mirror. Not gentle but not too hard, she placed her hand on the mirror. Aurora closed her eyes, like she was listening to something. She opened her eyes, and walked over to the mirror at our left side, at least I think it was the left side. "Break this mirror, Momma. Aurora said, turning back to me, but kept her hand on the mirror.

I nodded, walked over, and punched the wall after putting the twins at the other side of the room. The glass easily shattered to thousands of pieces. Some cut me, but quickly healed. There was a hallway with carpet and velvet walls. The twins came to my side, and I grabbed their hands and we walked down the hall. Suddenly, pictures appeared on either side of the hall. Looking at them closely, I realized these were Chris's memories.

Oh I wish I could keep them forever. Seeing him alive and happy made my body itch to get closer to him. My feet suddenly got a mind of their own, and walked down series of empty halls to a tall black door. I looked down at my babies as they looked up at me. I let go of their hands, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

The walls were painted red and the floor was tiled. Torches lined the walls with blue fire, a grand piano sat in the middle, and a fancy sofa was off to the side. The opposite wall had large bay windows that looked out over something I couldn't make out. What got to me was that no one was playing. As we walked in, the door shut behind us. I looked back and saw Chris in a black and red tux.

"Daddy!" The twins yelled in unison, and ran over to him, and leaped to jump on him. They went straight through him. Eyes wide, I saw him disappear, and reappear at the piano which he played. Chris never could play the piano. He sucked big time trying to do anything music wise. But here he played beautifully.

"When could you play?" I demanded, glaring at Chris. "Here, anything is possible ." He replied, disappeared, and came back at the sofa, sitting with his leg crossed and arm draped over the edge of the sofa. Aurora and Kaden ran to sit at his sides. "Ok, so we found you, lets get going." I said, and turned around to walk to the door. But it was gone. "We can't." Chris said. "Why?" I asked, looking back at him. "The curse has taken over, and it doesn't want anyone leaving." Chris explained.

"Well there must be some way." I said, walking over to the window. I punched the glass, but it didn't budge, and it hurt my knuckles badly. I shook my hand out. "I've tried everything, Puppy, nothing works." Chris sighed, and I saw in the reflection he ran a hand through his hair. I realized then, that his skin was paler and hair was duller. "Then I guess it's hopeless to save you." I whispered, looking down at the floor.

"The curse did leave one way to let us out." Chris said, like he just suddenly remembered it. "How?" I asked, standing up straight, but kept looking at the window. "My bravery is locked away in this box," Chris walked over to me, holding a small black treasure box. A bad feeling had begun tingling in the pit of my stomach. "Only you can unlock it, though." He said, and I suddenly felt a cold metal in my hand. Lifting my hand palm up, I saw a small silver key.

"Only me?" I asked, staring down at the box. "Please, Baby, unlock the box, and set us free." Chris whispered, and set the box in my other hand. I stared down at it, and aligned the key to the key hole.

Chris's POV

"No Cassia! That's not me! He's tricking you!" I yelled as I saw the key getting closer to the slot. "I locked myself in here to keep the curse from devouring me!" I yelled, but I knew she couldn't hear me. I had already tried mind linking to her, but the curse had blocked it. As I watched in fear, Puppy suddenly stopped. "Are you really Chris?" She asked, still staring down at the box I locked myself in. "Yes Cassia, trust your instinct." I whispered.

"Of course I am." The curse spoke, and I could sense the venom in it's voice. "Your not." Baby whispered, raising her head to look at it, and the key went away from the hole. "What do you mean? Of course I am!" The curse yelled, trying to act appalled. "If you were Chris, you would have told me and our kids to leave the room before we got trapped inside with you. And, you did close the door." Cassia said, her face completely blank.

The curse changed to it's true form: a black cloud of shadow. "Your right, I'm not Chris. But if you want to save him and your children, I'd open the box, Cassia." The curse whispered. "No Cassia don't! Don't do it!" I yelled as loud as I could, though it was no use. Puppy looked back down at the box, and lifted the key back to the slot. "I'm going to save you, Chris. I promise." She whispered, and the key slid in. "No!" I yelled, but it was too late.

The box lid flew open, causing Cassia and the curse to enter. It was a race: light against darkness.