OLAMIDE
There was a myriad of emotions surging in and out of me as I looked into the empty coffin. My brother was alive. That alone would make anyone jump high in excitement but not me. The truth only paralyzed me. I remembered what Axel had said. Vampires did not toy around with their meals. Someone had been so interested in my brother that they took him away from him, stalked me as he was buried, and unearthed him when no one was looking.
"How do you feel?" Sofiane asked.
I ignored his question and chose to ask one of my own. "What happens after a vampire turns a human?" I had so many questions after that but that one lingered in my head more. There was no way my brother would have abandoned me if he got a second chance at life. Irrespective of how he got it. Deji would have come to meet me. He would have told me about his new state and the fact that he didn't show up to do any of that propped up so many red flags. So I needed an explanation.
"Well, since vampires mostly doing for love. A fledgling would have to join their sire's harem."
Great. A glorified sex club. Being part of anyone's harem sounded terrifying enough already but that could not be all. My head was in several places at once. There was a plateau of reasons why it bothered me. The dominant ones being that my brother was either afraid he would feed on me or that I would be too terrified to see what kind of monster he had become.
"Is there a way to contact them? The vampires?" I pried further, shutting the case and looking up to meet Sofiane's gaze. The murderous Alpha was conflicted. Considering how easy it was to peep into his deepest thoughts, I could tell he was concerned for my wellbeing or that of his mate rather. "You have to be honest with me Sofiane. I know you don't owe me shit and you're probably conflicted right now but you have to have been where I am now. I can't function and this is not a threat but whether you help me or not, I am going to find him and die trying if possible."
"You don't want to do that." Sofiane shook his head. "If you think werewolves are barbaric and dangerous. Dial the faucet to the extreme and there you have the vampires. They are unpredictable and almost animalistic in nature. The only thing that drives them is hunger. Nobody finds vampires. They find you."
"Are you insinuating I forget about my brother? You could not do that with Candice so spare me the lecture and give me what I want."
Sofiane jumped out of the hole we both dug. He stalked around in circles for a few minutes before coming to a damning conclusion. He wanted to bargain. "Okay then," He said. "If you insist, I will give you something." He looked me straight in the eye before continuing. "But this is no kindness. I want something in return for the valuable information you need."
"And what might that be?"
"Let me speak to Candice."
His demand made me shudder. He could not be serious. Sofiane wanted me to free Candice from the constraints preventing her from taking over my body. How stupid did he think I was? Doing that would give Candice everything she wanted. A new body, an avenue to get her revenge and continue to live as nothing happened. Sofiane was clearly missing some brain cells if he thought I would be fulfilling that fantasy. "Why in the world would I release a genocidal witch who has made it more than abundantly clear that she wants Jason dead? Not to mention that she clearly bonded her spirit with my body for ulterior motives. Don't tell me you are that blind?"
Sofiane jumped back into the six-foot hole. I watched with narrow eyes as he closed the space between us making that alien feeling barbed around my heart spike me to ecstasy. He reached out for my hand and instinctively, I gave it to him. "Please trust me, I know Candice. She is my mate. She wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Just five minutes. I promise you, you will have your body back."
It was foolish to trust him. Sure, his heart might not be lying but he was clearly blinded by his love for Candice and all I could see were red flags. Yet, amidst all of that, there was a yearning that sprouted from within me. It was Candice doing and as much as I wanted to conceal it, I found it difficult because it felt real. So against my better judgment, I slowly stopped fighting to be in control. It felt euphoric to let someone captain my ship for the first time. I clamped my eyes shut and when I opened them, Candice Blossom walked past me, brushing my arm slightly as she took over my body and mind.
***
When Olamide opened her eyes for the second time, Sofiane could tell it was a different person. There was this air of confidence that radiated off Olamide as she observed her surroundings. Her eyes shone more as she took in the sight of the debris and shrubs around them. To any stranger, it would like the woman in front of him was a very animated individual, and to an extent that was true. The woman in front of him was taking in the sight of things she never thought she would lay her eyes on ever again. Her observation ended when they made eye contact.
"Sofiane..." She whispered.
"Can...Candice?" Sofiane managed, letting go of her hand as a bout of shock–the not sure how to react kind–hit him. Candice nodded positively. It was like that was all Sofiane needed to hear because the smile that graced his face from seeing a lost loved one return to him died.
Seeing the pain in his eyes, Candice sighed. She hated to see him this way. "I know I hurt you Sofiane so I don't blame you for being pissed at me."
"Pissed?" Sofiane scoffed. "You killed hundreds of people. You became a monster. For what, to carry on the Blossom legacy?"
"You don't understand..."
"No, I do." Sofiane cut in. "I perfectly understand where that got you. You were killed and I cannot blame the people who did it because my mate was no saint. You know, in a very dark period of my grief, when I found out that Jason had gotten his mate, I promised I was going to be the one to take her life. I didn't care if there was no noble reason to do it. I just wanted Jason to feel as much pain as I felt. I didn't even want to let go of that hatred when the moon goddess gave me another mate. I murdered her in cold blood for attempting to take your place. But now I wonder if any of it was worth it, to begin with."
"Why would you say that?" Candice croaked. There was a pain in place of her aloof voice that he was desperately trying to hide.
"Because Olamide told me the first thing you talked about the minute you could speak to her was revenge. You wanted Jason dead despite knowing that you deserved the fate that befell you and not once did my name ever slip from your lips. I don't even know why I'm doing this. I don't know why I feel this way for you. It's crystal clear I don't matter to you. The only that comes naturally to you is power and self-preservation."
The last thing Sofiane expected from Candice was a slap. Goddess did it hurt. "That's not fair Sofiane. Just like me, you are no saint. You did a lot of horrible things when you lost me and I am in no way glorifying the bad things I did but the Silverlaws never told me they would massacre the entirety of the Crow pack when they sought my services. All I wanted was the seeker's rune. Considering you hated the idea of the pack's convergence, I felt it was okay as long as I could find a relic. I never expected my plans would go downhill like this."
Sofiane placed his hands in Candice and looked her in the eye. "There is no use crying over split milk. You are here now so I promise you, Candice, I will bring you back. No matter what it takes, I will have you by my side again."
Candice's eyes flicked behind Sofiane as he made his promises and then she caught sight of something as swift as lightning. It had crimson red irises, the build of a bear mixed with a gorilla and it was charging right for Sofiane's neck. The wiser thing to do might have been to inform her mate but Candice's witch instincts were faster. Her lips moved with the intent to create an inferno but before the words could leave her throat, Candice felt Olamide take over.