Tainted

Chapter Seven

TAINTED| CHAPTER 7

Trance

The reason I had kept feeling an off type of presence around Arianna was because she was a demon. A strong demon at that. She had explained to me once we were in the house that she was the last of her family. And when all the members of one family die the one that is left gains all their family member's powers. The only way to transfer power back to another person would be if she were to have offspring and they would take the gift that fits them most.

All the power that was coursing through her created an entire presence of its own. She says weaker creatures can't sense it. Only the people that share the same strength could sense the unnatural disturbance.

I was lying on the floor near the fire pit that had an open flame trying to keep warm. This house had a draft that swept through the place giving me the chill. The girls had left to go get firewood and food for us to eat about an hour ago. I would have gone with them, but they didn't want any wandering eyes on me or questions. Not just yet anyway.

I've been lying here finally able to process some of my thoughts to myself. Things were changing way faster than I was used to. On a mental level, I felt my mind expanding with each passing day I was more alert and aware than I ever felt before. It felt like mental clarity. Physically minus the slight hypothermia I suffered earlier I felt stronger, and words couldn't even describe its depth.

Mark was in the back of my head a lot. I was just thinking about the last few days that I had seen him before he died. Well, I guess he didn't even die. I'm still trying to figure out what was the reason behind all of it. Was it noble wanting to not lose me in the long run, or was it selfish and greedy? I still couldn't place my feeling on the matter.

Sighing I got up from my position from the floor and made my way down this short hallway that leads to a back door. I wasn't too afraid anyone would catch me around the outback. Valentina explained to me Arianna kept a shield around the place. Being that powerful I couldn't imagine not protecting your home. I opened and walked through the door to her backyard.

Everything was so different but felt the same. This winter wasn't like our winter but the beauty of white snow laying on the ground felt all too similar. The wind was faint and chilled. It made small goosebumps rise on my arm under the thick wool jacket. The air was so crisp and clean too. I looked up to the sky and all I could see was thick grey clouds that hid the sun. There was not any snow falling, so it was very quiet.

There was this thin layer of shimmer floating around the place I imagined it to be the spell they were talking about earlier. I wondered if people could see through it, they just couldn't enter.

I walked around the yard going back up to the front of the cottage to see if I could see Valentina and Arianna making their way back, but I couldn't see them anywhere in the distance. My curiosity to explore around for something more than just trees and snow was getting the best of me.

My gaze wandered around the yard to find something interesting. There was another small building that was about a hundred yards from the cottage that looked like a small shed. It had the same stone pattern that led up to the house up to its doors. There weren't any visible windows on it.

I decided to explore. I went over to the shed wanting to open its door, but I soon learned I couldn't. When I had reached to turn the nob the metal on it had instantly turned a bright scorching orange as if it were in flames. I almost melted my fingertips off. I was going to be done with it. Clearly, the shed was off-limits. However, when I turned around to leave, I heard a creek almost like the door opened by itself.