I’m more than a prophecy!

Your scent has changed

Martin watches me silently for a few seconds, before laughing loudly.

“Not bad for a newbie. Right on one. Now you can tell me what you are as all I can smell of you is Rafael’s wolf.”

“Pardon me?” I gasp, trying to sound innocent and slightly offended.

“Yes, you heard me. I knew from the morning after the attack. f**k, I could smell him off you in the hospital wing after I lost my s**t. And, I can now smell your bond too, but not very strong yet. Now tell me what you are, your scent has changed.”

Martin is looking at me expectantly, and I find myself shaking. I have never expected to talk to anyone apart from Rafael about any of this. Kleo keeps asking to push to the front and I let her, causing Martin gasp in surprise.

“I’ve never seen eyes like this before. You some sort of cat?”

I nod and then ask, “now tell me, what is a supernatural being like yourself doing here? I have spoken to your new therapist and he says you’re not making the progress he would’ve expected. He believes you’re holding back. Now you might not be able to speak openly in front of him, but I am here for you. Ready to listen whenever you are ready to talk.” I try to pat him on the shoulder, but he flinched away.

Martin was silent for a couple of minutes, watching the crows through the barred window.

“Good,” he eventually said through gritted teeth. “I don’t deserve to be out there. I’m a monster and you need to stop trying to change this.” He’s puffing his chest up, trying to scare me, but it’s not working. All I can feel is pain, regret and despair. s**t, does this mean I can feel everyone’s emotions, not just Rafael’s? Taking a moment to settle, I eventually get the strength to answer.

“I can feel your pain, Martin. It’s almost unbearable. So stop trying to scare me away and talk to me. I’ve known you for nearly two years and you’re not a monster. Talk to me about why are you still here, if you could literally transform and fly out of that window?”

Martin scoffs and says ruffly again, “I have told you, I don’t deserve to be out there… I… I…” he breaks off, shaking his head as if trying to shake memories away.

“Why don’t you start by telling me why did you end up here in the first place? The guilt is obviously eating you up…” I wait a couple of minutes and eventually go straight to the point. “You’re in for a murder of a young girl, right? Who was she?”

Martin is now rocking back and forth in his chair, his knees in front of his face and he’s hugging them as if his life was dependent on it.

Then, out of nowhere, he yells. “My mate! Maria was my mate…” he breaks into sobs, his whole body shaking again.

“She was my mate and I killed her. She trusted me and, and…”

“How?” I whisper, not really wanting to hear the answer, but knowing he needs to get it of his chest to make any progress.

“We… we were young and in love. She was hi…human…” it’s really difficult to understand what he’s saying as he’s crying so hard. “We loved each other so much, but I was trying to break up with her. The only way she could be with me was by turning her into a vampire, but I didn’t want her to give her humanity away because of me. We got into an argument, she thought I was cheating.

She wouldn’t let me go, so I ended up showing her who I really was. She was scared, but determined to make it work. She said she doesn’t care, she loves me and wants to be with me no matter the consequences.” I shiver runs over my spine, this is hitting too close to home.

“She… she wanted me to mark her, but she flinched and I cut her artery by accident. She bled out in my arms within a couple of minutes. The cops found me covered in blood, hugging her lifeless body, screaming it was my fault.”

I really want to give Martin a hug at this point, my heart is breaking for him. Not only because I can feel his emotions, I can’t imagine the pain he’s going through. Seeing (or smelling) me and Rafael together couldn’t have helped either.

“As I said, I deserve to be here. I should’ve never agreed to mark her, she would’ve been heartbroken, but alive. And eventually, she would’ve settled with someone else and be happy…” Martin trails off, sobbing quietly now, looking like a huge weight was lifted of his shoulders.

“I don’t think that’s right you know,” I say quietly and he looks at me confused. “I don’t know a lot about shifters and all of this stuff, but from the bits I do know, I don’t think she could’ve lived happily without you. You two were meant to be together.” Martin tries to interrupt me, but I raise my hand to stop him.

“It’s pretty much impossible to fight the mate bond, trust me, I know. Even humans feel a pull they can’t explain and are attracted to their supernatural mate whether they like it or not. She has made an informed decision, but a terrible accident happened. It’s not her fault and it’s not certainly your fault Martin. You are not a murderer.” I raise my hand again, stopping him before he even opens his mouth.

“I have worked with you for two years. I see you for the funny, intelligent and caring man you are.”

“But what about the other day?” Martin is grabbing his hair in frustration. “I get drugged and the first thing I do is try to attack a little girl? It’s disgusting, I shouldn’t be allowed outside! Loads of other people got drugged and they didn’t act out like this!”

I ponder his words for a few seconds, and then ask. “How does the whole vampire blood thing work? And how were you getting blood this whole time,”

“Transfusions. I’ve been getting really anaemic without blood, but it’s a punishment I’m happy to take.” I look at him confused and Martin explains, slowly. “We can live without blood, well, without human blood, really. Without it, we struggle with daylight and direct sun. But we don’t burst into flames or anything.”

I feel like I’m very close to figuring something out, I just can’t put the pieces together properly. And then, it hits me.

“You’ve never done drugs before, right?” Martin shakes his head, looking hurt again.

“I have a theory,” I say slowly. “I think the reason you reacted to the drugs differently than others, is because your blood and liver would probably work different to humans. Especially if you were already deficient in red bloods cells. I’m not a doctor, but I feel like I’m onto something.”

“What does that have to do with anything? What are you trying to say?” Martin blurts out, trying to look annoyed, but I can feel the hope rising inside him.

“I’m saying that the only reason you attacked that girl is because the drugs affect you differently than humans. You looked like you didn’t know what was happening around you at the time. You need to stop blaming yourself and open up to your therapist.”