Soulless

S O U L L E S S: CHAPTER 31

"Afternoon."

I turned from the candles I was stacking on the shelf and nearly spat out my gum. It was that guy from the club- Callan. My brows rose at his attire, which wasn't that different from last night; only his dress pants looked more expensive and his shirt was a dark blue; bringing out his intense eyes.

It confirmed all my suspicions; Callan was not an islander.

"What the hell!?" I rasped in horror at the sight of him, how did he find me? Panic rose in my chest as the questions churning in my mind rose to the surface, "Are you following me?"

Callan was peering at my dad's store with his eyebrows risen slightly, enough to tell me that this wasn't his usual scene. I could tell by just looking at him that Callan had probably never stepped a designer clad foot in a store like this; he was probably more of an Armani type of man.

"It's called projecting." Callan drawled leaning against the shelves behind me, watching me rush stack the rest of the candles in place, "Like advanced spirit walking, I guess. I have to know a person to get here though, but if I see another one of my kind then I can link to them, like what I've done to you."

I grimaced at the thought of being connected to this guy in any way, he seemed like a colossal jackass, "You're dark." I stated doubtlessly, nodding towards his arm as I climbed down. Outside, rain lashed hard against the window and I was actually relieved to be on stocking duty for once, "A wraith, right?"

"Ouch. What a mean label." Callan drawled and it was only then that I noticed a whisper of a British accent in his voice, "But yes, I'm a wraith as you so kindly like to call me. But then again, so are you."

I stopped what I was doing and whirled around to glower at him, "No I'm not." I ground out between clenched teeth but Callan was totally unfazed, "Then why do you have the mark?" He challenged with a wicked grin.

I didn't need to look at my arm to see that the tattoo wasn't there; I always knew when it appeared. I could feel like, like a bad itch on my back. It freaked me out, so much that I didn't even want to ask the Salvador's about it, I think I told them the night when I first woke in the Downworld but everything was so chaotic that I doubt anyone noticed.

"What do you know about it?" I demanded in a quiet voice, so that neither my dad or Bonnie would hear me from the backroom. I knew that Calla was pondering around somewhere but she was always wearing headphones so I didn't worry.

"I know that it shows up randomly." Callan began in a monotone voice, his hands dipped into his front pockets, "It's the Wraith mark, how we identify each other. It's how we gain entrance so easily into the Downworld; once we get it, the choice is already made for us."

I watched Callan's face as he spoke, the coldness that entered his eyes. It made me wonder whether it was the same for him, if he was figuring things out too when his mark appeared; there was a bitter note in his tone. Then he cleared his throat and that obnoxious expression settled back in place.

"I make my own choices." I snapped instantly, there was no way I would allow Callan to tell me that my future would be decided by some stupid mystical tattoo that showed up randomly one day, "Not some dark force, or whatever."

Callan smiled at me but it looked more mocking that anything else, "We'll see." He mused with a sigh, not looking at all swayed by my little outburst, "But as long as you have it, the Downworld won't stop trying to take you."

"Hey, you look busy." I jumped at the sound of Cedric's voice above the jingle of the bell above the door. Callan turned his head to look along with me, his gaze that of total disinterest, "Are you talking to yourself?"