April 4, 2005 – 21:15 (Montreal Time)
"Truthfully, it never occurred to us to create one. I don't even have one with Erik and Henry. Until the war started, the only mind-link I had was with Audrey. Sonylla received, although to a lesser degree, what the guards did to me because the mind-link we have is part of a curse-type spell we're using to our benefit. It's a different kind of telepathic link. The twinning spell was suggested to us because we're both on the most wanted list."
"When you nearly got captured for the first time, right? When you stayed away for 3 weeks straight?" said Victoria.
"Yes, a CMMA elder suggested it to us the very next day to help protect those who were hunted for the wrong reasons. When I joined the Shadow Elementals a few months ago, I was added to the mind-link network they have between their members. It took me a while to get used to so many mind-links. Having so many mind-links is a pain at times, but it's how we knew what time of day it was when we were in jail."
"I don't have a mind-link with my family. What you're saying makes sense and I agree that Blue's link to Sonylla helped us tremendously over the past 10 days. I think, subconsciously, the reason neither of us thought of creating one between us is that it wouldn't feel right when we can't even have one with our spouses, out of respect. You know, wrong woman voice in my head."
"Much, much respect for that answer. If only more men would think that way," said Natacha.
Coralis and Sebastian were still standing, and so was Frank beside Coralis.
"I think we're way past that point. Whatever it takes to help keep both of you alive and us informed," said Frank, looking at them.
"I don't know about you, brother, but I can't say no to my mate, especially not tonight. Whatever makes him happy. Let's do this?" said Coralis.
"Yeah," said Sebastian, looking at Stephanie, "sure."
"You know what? I'll do one better. While we eat, I'll message the family affairs department to see if I can add you to the mind-link I have to Audrey, as you're her emergency contact if she can't reach out to me and her father's coven is involved in that mess."
"You can do that when she's not here with us?" said Sebastian.
"I think so, just like the Shadow Elementals added me to their mind-link network even if not all members were present and I think I know who to do it. If I get the green light and it doesn't work, then we'll add her when her school year ends."
"Hmm I think we need one too for the panther clan, like some wolf packs have," said Samantha.
"If you do create one for the panther clan, may I be added as an honorary tiger member?" said Jeremie.
"We'll see for the clan. That reminds me, some alphas contacted me before I got captured to see if I could create mind-links for their pack or strengthen the ones they have. I have to get back to them about it."
While Coralis was preparing what was needed to create a mind-link between her and Sebastian and waiting for the CMMA's answer regarding the addition to Audrey's link, she answered questions about how she escaped and the circumstances surrounding her arrest.
Frank's mother and relatives left before receiving the authorization she was waiting for. Besides Sebastian, Stephanie and their shifter residents, Raymond, Mark and Victoria stayed.
"My entire life, I knew the supernatural existed from stories my dad's friends working for the feds told us when talking about weird cases they came across. I swear, I never realized how close I've been to your world until a few days ago when things began to add up in my mind," said Mark, watching Coralis poking Sebastian's right palm with a copper knife.
"Learning to blend in among humans is crucial to our survival, I think you can see why," said Victoria.
"Audrey is probably asleep at this time so maybe we won't know tonight if she's included in our mind-link, but if she is, she'll be confused to hear you," said Coralis to Sebastian.
"Does she know you made it back here?" said Raymond while Coralis poked hers before grabbing his right hand so that their open wounds would touch.
"Yes. Well, she knows I made it back to the country. She reached out to me early this morning when she woke up hearing about the jailbreak and the rumours about the second capture. She was happy to hear I escaped instead of letting people think I got burned at the stake," said Coralis while pressing her left-hand fingertips on Sebastian's forehead and closing her eyes.
"Ooh, yeah, that type of rumour spread worse than wildfire on school grounds. I don't even want to imagine what she's been hearing at school since you and Alejandro got captured," said Victoria.
Coralis opened her eyes to stare into Sebastian's.
"You don't want to know. As much as I'm glad some CMMA elders went out of their way to keep Frank informed and publicly took his defence, even when I don't work for them, I'm worried now that with all the people who came to check on him, it might have attracted unwanted attention to where we live. My London apartment burned down less than 24 hours ago by people searching for me and would have captured Erik and Henry if they could have," said Coralis when she was done creating the mind-link.
"Maybe it's time for us to start looking for a house or move to a different apartment," said Frank.
"You'll have to teach me how to use those links properly," said Sebastian.
"Easy. Reach out to me with your thoughts instead of with your hologram."
"Like that?"
"Sebastian?" said Audrey.
"Yes, like that. Now, you need to compartmentalize the link if you don't want to share with Audrey."
"I guess it worked with Audrey? Making her the luckiest teenager out there as she now shares a mind-link with two former flyball players, heroes of our generation?" said Victoria.
"Uh, yes, it did," said Sebastian.
Later on, when everyone was gone and Coralis was asleep, she had a nightmare. Frank tried to wake her up, but couldn't. She twisted, turned and groaned. A few minutes later, as Frank was growing worried, she suddenly sat up, wide awake and panting.
"Jail?" said Frank, moving her now long hair behind her back.
"No… Maybe…" said Coralis, turning her face to look at him.
Her eyes had a silverish shine to them.
"There was a demon searching for you," continued Coralis, "and then another one telling me why I should work for them… Holy gods from above, the fear that this demon would find you felt so real… just like it was when in jail, so it probably was related."