Mr. Valentine's Heart

Magic

~Caleb~

After returning to the office for my car, I finally made it to the store I wanted to go to. I wanted to reach my destination faster so I wasn’t assaulted by these humans' stupid Valentine’s Day decorations. I need to explore this adult store and see what products we have on display. The next step will be getting a sales report to see how well or poorly sales are going.

I walk into the store, loving the tinted windows in an attempt to maintain the shopper’s privacy. I walk up and down the aisles slowly, taking in all of the products they have available. I make mental notes as I notice the products from my company. I’d have to ask for a financial summary to see how things are going. “Looking for something special?” The voice hits me, but the emotions swirl around me and practically bring me to my knees.

I take a deep breath and turn to look at the woman behind me. She’s human, about 5’2, brunette, and decently built. She has big, brown, expressive eyes and a heart-shaped face. It’s the emotions that she’s trying to bury that are crying out to me. She’s been heartbroken, and it’s practically eating her alive. She’s looking past me, caught up in her pain. I’m not mad, though. Usually, female humans drool over me, which can be more than a little annoying. It’s nice to be around someone who isn’t worried about me like that.

This is it; this is the magic that my family holds. I don’t want to know about these things; I don’t want to see what she’s hiding from others. It’s a burden that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I would feel differently about things if I had my love life on lock. Well, maybe I wouldn’t feel that differently. It’s hard to tell. I can say that it can be a heavy burden to feel the inner turmoil of the people you come across. It’s easier to ignore it when it’s further away from Valentine’s Day.

I shake my head, trying to rid myself of those thoughts. I don’t have time to wallow in my own grief. I focus on the woman in front of me and turn my head. She has a smile on her face that speaks volumes. I’m sure it fools anyone else that she comes across, but I’m not easily swayed.

I notice the name on her shirt and smile to myself. “Shannon. What a pretty name.” It seems like the sound of my voice is an aphrodisiac for her, but I’m not interested. Her face becomes red, and she looks away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Thank you.” I smile and step closer.

“I’m not looking for anything in particular, but I think I can help you.” I reach out and run my hand down her shoulder. Her eyes gloss over, and I know that I have her where I need her to be. “Shannon, I know what you want.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do. I can give you what you want. Would you like that?” Shannon looks like she’s stuck in a daze to the outside observer. I guess she is, but really, I’m speaking to her inner self. It’s the self that we rarely show others and is hardly on display. This is the part of the person who’s most responsive to me and who I can help.

“Please help me.” I close my eyes and dig deep inside. I see her past loves and relationships. I see the pain that she’s been through. I see what makes her happy and what her heart is lacking. I slowly open my eyes, looking at Shannon to make sure she’s still under my influence. She’s staring off into space, just as she should be.

I lift my hands to the air and close my eyes again. I feel the magic surge through me and shoot out of my fingertips. I let the magic fly for a few moments before everything stops. I drop my hands, my body drained. I fall forward and take a few deep breaths.

I try not to waste much time trying to regulate myself. I stand and adjust my clothes, trying to make sure that I look presentable. I softly run a finger down Shannon’s cheek and take a step back. Shannon blinks a few times before looking around. “Uh, I’m so sorry. Did you say something?” I give her a panty-dropping smile and shake my head.

“No. I had only let you know that I was just looking.” Shannon looks at me with confusion. She takes a few steps backward.

“Sure, sure. Let me know if you need anything.” I nod and turn my body, listening to her retreating footsteps. I hear a phone ring in the distance, and I catch the way her heart rate increases. “Hello? Hey, Luis. What’s up?” I slowly leave the store, trying to make it to the car before I pass out.

This is what I do; each year, it takes more and more out of me. I’ve been told that since my mate is gone, with my mark on her body, my magic is slowly waning. There’s nothing I can do about that. Well, I could take a chosen mate, but I refuse to do that. I know I need an heir, and for that, I need a mate, but I won’t. It isn’t just the fact that it’s a chosen mate, but it’s the fact that love is bullsh.it. I’m the primary evidence of that, and I refuse to play that game with anyone else.

I slide into my car and let my head fall back. I just need a few minutes and then I can take off. My head is spinning, and my vision is blurry. I feel like I’m going to pass out at any moment, and I hate this feeling. If things were back to normal, the use of my magic wouldn’t affect me this way.

This is getting worse, but I have to find a way to deal with it. I can’t let anyone know that I’m slowly declining. It is a decline, and that’s a scary thing to wrap my head around. What would the world be without Valentine’s Day and true love?