Stranger

There was a soft knock on the door and Hunter quickly jumped out of bed, crossed over the room, and unlocked the door. "I came as fast as could," Jade said. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Hunter doesn't respond, using his head to point inside his room. The vampire raised an eyebrow but walked in anyways, her jaw dropping as soon as she got inside. "Is that who I think it is?" She said shocked to see Chelsea.

The raven-haired girl who was reading a book quickly sets it down on the bed and jumps to the dark brown-eyed woman. "Hello Jade, it's great to finally meet you," she chirped, a smile on her face as she extends her hand towards the pale-skinned woman.

"And how do you know who I am?" Jade asked.

"From Hunter," she replied.

"He told you he was inviting me over?"

"No. I know you from his memories."

...

"How did this happen?" Jade asked Hunter quietly as the two walked to a diner with Chelsea just a couple of steps ahead of them.

"I don't know," he whisper shouted. "One minute I'm alone in my room, the next she's knocking on the door," he stated.

"Does she know she's dead?" Hunter shrugs.

"Yes, I know I was kidnapped by one Joseph George who was working with Merlin who harnessed my soul," said Chelsea still moving towards the diner. She had suggested the idea of eating out as it had been a while since she did that.

"You can hear us?"

"Yes. You whisper well but my mind is connected to Hunter's so I can pretty much 'hear' what you two say," Chelsea explained.

"You seem pretty chilled about all this," said Jade while the dark mage shrugged. "I thought Hunter was my fiancé and we know everything about each other so it's not that big of a deal," she revealed.

Jade turns to Hunter. "You know everything about each other?" She asks.

"In the in-between," the sprite responds. "I saw her entire life from birth to ..." Hunter shakes his head, "... death," he added.

"Oh," Jade said.

They walked into the diner and slide into a booth where a waiter walks up to them and takes their orders. A while later, he returns with their meals.

Chelsea stuffed her mouth with a spoonful of pasta. "Mmm," she moaned quietly. "This is delicious," she said stuffing her mouth some more before chomping down on the food and swallowing it in one gulp. She dragged the plate in front of Hunter, eating it all before moving to the vampire's.

"Slow down, would you?" said Jade with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fine," said Chelsea. "I have a fast metabolism and no gag reflex," she stated.

"We're gonna have to order more food," Hunter said looking at the empty plates on the table.

"You go ahead and do that," Jade said rising from her seat.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes, to Alastair's. Maybe he might have an idea what the hell is going on," Jade said before walking away.

The waiter returns with their second course - seven for Chelsea and one for Hunter.

Hunter picks up a fork to begin his food, looking to the other side of the table to find that only two plates of the food served are still on the table. "Now how did -- why am I even asking?" He frowned eyeing the raven-haired woman who only smiles innocently.

Chelsea picks up a drink in front of her and downs the entire thing in one gulp. "So, you wanna talk about it?" She suddenly says as she sets the empty glass on the side.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Talk about what?"

"René?"

Hunter frowns, "why would I want to talk about that?" He asked.

"It's bothering you, is it not?"

"No, it's not," he claimed. "It was never real but we ended it well," he stated.

"Even you don't believe that," she stated.

"Well I don't want to talk about it," Hunter said setting his knife and fork on the table before wiping his mouth and making his way out of the diner.

Chelsea followed after him, "fine. I'm sorry I brought it up," she said placing her hand on his shoulders to slow him down.

"Thanks," Hunter said still walking towards the dorm. "What about Waleed, you want to talk about that?"

Hunter stopped, turning to face the honey-brown-eyed woman. "Waleed?"

"I've seen all your memories, Hunter. I know about Waleed," said Chelsea. "I mean, you haven't told anyone about him ... Well, except for Sydney but even she doesn't know Waleed is Cal-Ra. Speaking of, you really need to do more research about Cal-Ra. All you know about him is that he started the Class wars and --"

"I don't want to talk about Waleed either," said Hunter cutting the dark mage off.

"Fine," Chelsea says throwing her hands in the air. "Let's just go to your dorm then - which is too small to hold the both of us by the way."

[Fascinating]

'What is it?'

[What were you thinking before Chelsea knocked on your door earlier?]

'We were talking about trust and I was thinking about everyone around me is keeping or has kept a secret from me. Jade is still keeping the fact that you're Cal-Ra from me. Leah is Leah, Sophia had her secret and René was ... You know, I was thinking how I need more people around me I could trust.'

[I see. I have an idea as to how Chelsea is alive and well again]

'How?'

[During your fight with Merlin, you had absorbed all the soul energy he took and as a result, you absorbed the souls too, including Chelsea's. This is the same thing with Sasha, whom you're able to summon at any time]

'I saw some of her memories too,' Hunter stated.

[Interesting. That means soul magic allows you, not only to link with the souls but also summon them at your command. Sasha and Chelsea are examples]

'Joseph kidnapped a lot of guys ... How come with Sasha it's an energy form while with Chelsea she's here in the flesh?'

[That is a good question to which the answer is still a mystery to me]

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