Existence 03 - Ceaseless

can quit for the night. Do you want me to drive you back to your dorm ?” His worried tone made this even more humiliating. I was the crazy, mentally unstable friend.
    “No. Really. I am fine but I do think I’m gonna go if Miranda is okay with that,” I glanced over at her and she nodded in agreement.
    “I can take you. She can stay and listen to the rest of the set,” he said studying my face as if he was waiting on some answer to appear.
    “I got this , Dank. Go do your thing. You have a long night ahead of you,” Gee piped up and Dank shot her a warning glare. It was something I was used to seeing him direct h er way. He did it a lot.
    “I’m fine. You go sing,” I assured him again and pushed him gently toward the stage entrance.
    Dank’s frown deepened and he started to shake his head no. Gee stepped forward and grabbed him by the arm and whispered something angrily in his ear. His defeated sigh bothered me , but when she was done he nodded and looked back at me. “Okay. If you’re sure you’ll be okay . Just say the word and I’ll take you back to the dorm.”
    “Positive,” I replied.
    Dank nodded and turned around and jogged back onto the stage. The crowd in the club erupted in cheers and chanted his name.
    “Alright, Peggy Ann, let’s get you out of here before he sings again. Apparently it’s your kryptonite,”

Chapter Twelve
    Dank
    It was still early and students weren’t littering the campus yet. I’d worked hard all night trying to keep the memory of Pagan’s me n tal breakdown out of my head. She’d been about to remember. I reached up and touched the Celtic knot just under my shirt. This ha d trigger ed a memory. The song I wrote for her had sent her to her knees. The memories were there , trying to break free. But as much as I wanted her to remember I knew the human mind was a fragile thing. Gee had reminded me last night that I could do damage to Pagan in my haste for her to get her memory back.
    “ Dankmar ,” Jaslyn , a transporter who also worked as a messenger, stepped out of the morning fog , and unlike Gee , looked every bit as unearthly as one would expect.
    “Yes,” I replied hesitantly. The last time she’d shown up to tell me something it hadn’t been pleasant.
    “The Deity is not pleased. You are pushing the girl too hard. She hasn’t even reconnected emotionally with her soul’s mate. Her memory will not be restored until a fair decision can be made.”
    Why were they doing this? If she wasn’t connecting with him , didn’t that mean her heart was already claimed --- memory or not ? There was a reason she was unable to feel something for the soul who was created for her. “I’m not pushing. I’m waiting. But the soul they are expecting to mean something to her doesn’t stand a chance. He isn’t ready for any type of relationship either.”
    Jaslyn gave me a sad smile. “I am to tell you to be ready. It is coming. The souls will connect and when they do, you must stand back and let them. Death must not interfere. Your job is not to protect this girl. If she loves you , then she will come to you. Death can not go to her.”
    “They want me to back away?” I asked incredulously. That wasn’t going to happen. If I had any chance at winning this then I had to show her what she means to me. Her heart knows it. Her mind just can’t remember it.
    “You are to be prepared for the souls to connect. It is what is meant to be. You are not her destiny. However, if at the time her soul has found its mate and her heart still wants you then it will be her choice. Her memories will be restored. If she chooses her mate then those memories will be lost forever.”
    I didn’t reply. There was nothing left to say. I held the power to take life from a body but that is where it ended. I could not control this. Fate wasn’t mine to mold. Jaslyn faded away , leaving me with the message and warning. This wasn’t going to happen as easily as I’d thought. The Deity knew the future. They knew what was coming next. Preparing myself for the rage that would consume me was the least of my worries.
    Pagan
    The banging on our door at eight a.m. was un welcome. It was a Saturday and I wanted to sleep late. Miranda groaned and grabbed her pillow to cover her head and ears.
    “Who the hell is that?” she grumbled as I tried to shake the sleep from my fuzzy brain.
    “I dunno , but they aren’t going to live long,” I replied , throwing the covers back and getting out