Destiny (Experimental Heart Book 1)

by Shannon Pemrick

  “What part of ‘we’re tank-born’ don’t you get?” I asked. “I didn’t choose to have him, but that doesn’t deny who he is.”

  He held up his hands. “All right, all right. I guess I can go with that. So who’s his father, then?” I looked away from him. “Eira?”

  “It’s…” I sighed. “It’s Rylan…”

  “Wait, what?”

  I looked him in the eye. “Rylan is his father.”

  “Yeah, I got that part, but I don’t know. I’m just really confused. I thought you said Rylan and you are only friends. You said you had no, and still don’t have any, attraction to him in the least.”

  “And you would be correct. There isn’t anything between me and Rylan. We are only friends.” Raikidan’s brow rose in question and I exhaled slowly in irritation. “Ryder wasn’t Rylan’s or my choice. He was Zarda’s. Zarda figured using my DNA and Rylan’s DNA was a good idea, so he made it so. That’s how it goes with us. What Zarda wants, damn everyone to hell if he doesn’t get it.”

  “So why you two?”

  “Because of the bond. Even though Zarda scrapped the project, he still had great interest in its potential. He believed the bond has special DNA properties even though none of it could be proven. So he ordered the geneticists to combine Rylan’s and my DNA, with the demand the only alteration made was life longevity attempts. Zarda assumed with the types of DNA he was combining, Ryder wouldn’t need much more alteration.”

  “All right. I think I get, it but why is he so young? I thought you said you guys don’t come out of your tanks unless you’re around seventeen.”

  I sat down and nodded. “That’s true, but there was a problem.”

  Raikidan walked over and sat down next to me. “What kind of problem?”

  “Ryder stopped developing, and the longer they kept him in there in hopes it would resume, the faster his life force faded. Not wanting to lose him, they took him out. He didn’t grow past the age of ten.”

  “So was it the alteration that messed things up or the accelerated growth?”

  I shook my head. “They didn’t accelerate his growth. They didn’t want to risk it since Rylan and I hadn’t had that kind of treatment. They feared the acceleration might kill him.”

  “I see.” There was something off about the tone in his voice. Like he was piecing something together that wasn’t a part of this conversation. “So when you found out about Ryder, how did that affect you guys?”

  “Well…” I thought for a moment to figure out how to word myself. It wasn’t something I wanted to say, but he would keep pestering me until I did. “Rylan… Rylan thought he could use Ryder as a tool to get me to care for him. He figured if we had something to connect with, together, then I might change my mind.”

  Raikidan snorted. “Even I know that wouldn’t work.”

  I laughed. “Well, you’re a little smarter than him, because he tried it and it pissed me off enough where I wouldn’t even look at him for five months.”

  “Ouch. A little harsh, don’t you think?”

  I snorted. “Hardly. I had been fed up with him not listening to me in the first place. And the fact that he thought he could use a child as a tool disgusted me. I couldn’t stomach looking at him. But harsh or not, the treatment got Rylan to understand I didn’t see him that way. My refusal to acknowledge him at all showed him the depth of my rejection. I didn’t want to crush him as bad as I did, but it was the only way he’d give up. It was the only way I knew I could get him to stop.”

  “So what is Ryder’s opinion on the matter?”

  “He… he doesn’t know.”

  Raikidan’s brow rose. “What do you mean, he doesn’t know?”

  “I mean, he doesn’t know Rylan is his father. Or, as far as I know he doesn’t. I decided it would be best not to tell him.”

  “How does Rylan feel about this?”

  “He hates it. He fought with me for a long time over it. He still thinks I made the wrong choice. He thinks I’m being selfish.”

  “But you don’t think you are?”

  I shook my head. “I thought it would only make the situation worse. With Ryder’s developmental issues, he’s got a mind that’s stuck between a child and a grown man. If Ryder knew the truth about his lineage, it would only confuse him. He would struggle to understand why Rylan and I weren’t together. I wouldn’t do that to him because it wouldn’t be fair. No matter how much Rylan wanted Ryder to know, at that time, I knew it wouldn’t be right. Now that time has passed I just wait for him to ask. I figure that’s the best way to tell him because by then he’ll be ready to know.”

  Raikidan went quiet. Feeling uncomfortable due to our conversation, and now the sudden silence, I went to leave. Since our conversation was over, I didn’t see a reason to stay, but Raikidan grabbed my hand and pulled me back down.

  “You want to talk about something else?” I asked. “Because there’s nothing more to say about this current topic.”

  Raikidan looked at me, but still didn’t speak. His expression wasn’t readable, making it hard for me to figure out what was up. Then suddenly, he reached up and stroked my cheek with the back of his finger. My eyes grew wide and my breath caught with his sudden, bold behavior. He leaned closer to me.

  I pulled away. “What are you doing?”

  He attempted to move closer again and lightly touched my chin. “I still want that kiss.”

  I pushed him back by his face. “I just get done telling you I have a kid and you want a kiss from me? What is with you? Most would want nothing to do with me after that, regardless of the fact my son is tank-born.”

  He pulled my hand off his face. “I just want to know what it feels like. It doesn’t matter that you told me you have a son or that you rejected Rylan, his father. It’s not like this is supposed to mean anything. It’s just a kiss. I want to know what it feels like.”

  I scoffed and stood up. “I told you, find a hooker to kiss. I won’t do it.”

  “Why do you have such a problem with this? It’s just a kiss.”

  “You don’t get it, Raikidan, A kiss is never just a kiss. It’s supposed to mean something. That’s the point of a kiss. Depending on the emotion placed into it makes it different every time.”

  “I don’t understand. You’re just pressing your lips against someone else’s.”

  “Obviously you don’t get it! There are different types of kisses. There’s one for each emotion you place into it.” I looked out the window with my arms crossed.

  “Eira, what are you not telling me?”

  I sighed. “A kiss can also be false. It can be a lie, even though it’s still a kiss, but a lie uses a negative emotion.” I walked over to the door. “Stop trying to get a kiss out of me, Raikidan. It’s not going to feel the way you think it will, and I don’t want to be a part of it. Keep your mouth away from mine.”

  I shut the door behind me and headed for a different place to be alone. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to stay calm, and I didn’t want to lose it over such a topic.

  It was dark—more than dark. It was black. I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t hear anything. I looked around frantically, but I was alone. There was no doubt about it. The empty feeling that loneliness brought, crept all over my body. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being alone. Then I heard it. It was quiet at first, but it became louder.

  “Eira.” Someone was calling me. I looked around. “Eira.”

  The voice was masculine. I knew this voice, but I couldn’t remember whom it belonged to. I didn’t like that. I wanted to put a name, a face even, to the voice.

  “Eira.” I ran for it. I needed to find the source. I needed to feel like I wasn’t alone. “Eira.”

  I spun around. The voice came from behind me now. Or maybe I had gone the wrong way.

  “Laz.” I liked how the voice said this name. I liked how it rolled off his tongue. I wanted him to say my name like that all the time. “Laz.”

  I stopped dead
and looked around. The voice’s direction changed, confusing me. Where was it coming from?

  “Laz. Laz. Laz.” I held my head. It was coming from all directions. “Laz!”

  I fell to my knees and screamed. “Someone help me! Please, help me. I don’t want to be alone anymore…”

  “Laz…”

  The grip on my head tightened and the feeling of loneliness gripped tighter. Then a new feminine voice spoke—one I recognized. She had no face—no name. She was the darkness inside me.

  “You cannot find it. Loneliness is your only destiny.”

  I punched the black ground. I wanted it all to go away. I wanted to be free of this place.

  “Please… someone… anyone… save me…”

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  Glossary | Characters

  Dalatrend

  Leaders

  Zarda – Ruler of Dalatrend, nu-human

  Military

  Zo – Nu-human experiment, general, interested in Eira

  Rebellion

  Council

  Genesis – Oversees Team 3, first nu-human, necromantic abilities

  Hanama (HAH-nah-mah) – Oversees Team 1, nu-human experiment

  Team 1

  Assassin based

  Team 2

  Recruitment based

  Dan – Nu-human experiment, former lieutenant to Eira

  Team 3

  Income based, former brute and foot soldier mostly

  Argus – Nu-human experiment, inventor

  Aurora – Nu-human experiment, Underground computer tech

  Azriel – Nu-human experiment, former medic, night club owner: Twilight

  Blaze – Nu-human experiment, ladies’ man

  Eira (AIR-uh) – Nu-human hybrid experiment, battle leader, former commander, assassin, fire shaman. Alt names: Laz, Laz’shika (laz-SHEE-kah)

  Orchon (OR-con) – Nu-human, bouncer at Twilight

  Raikidan (RYE-ki-DAN) – Black and red dragon, Guard in training

  Rylan (RYE-lan) – Nu-human experiment, experimental shapeshifter: wolf, former captain, artificial mental bond with Eira, ice elementalist, interested in Ryoko

  Ryoko (Ree-OH-koh) – Half-wogron experiment, clone of Peacekeeper Ryoko, Brute, former lieutenant, best friend to Eira, interested in Rylan

  Seda (SAY-duh) – Nu-human experiment, psychic: Seer, twin to Nioush

  Zane – Nu-human experiment, uncle to Eira, brother to Jasmine, former soldier, mechanic

  Team 4

  Reconnaissance based

  Team 5

  Psychic based team

  Team 6

  Research and development based

  Team 7

  Reconnaissance based

  Chameleon – Nu-human experiment, molecular fusion ability, former assassin

  Doppelganger – Nu-human experiment, temporary cloning ability

  Ezhno (EZ-no) – Nu-human experiment, Underground computer tech

  Mocha – Nu-human experiment, anthropomorphic: cat

  Nioush (NEE-oosh) – Nu-human experiment, psychic: Battle Psychic, twin to Seda

  Raynn (rain) – Nu-human experiment, battle leader, former general, clone if Peacekeeper Raynn

  Moles

  Arnia (ARE-nee-ah) – Nu-human experiment

  Jaybird – Nu-human experiment

  Shamans

  North Tribe

  Fe’teline (fey-TELL-een) – Nu-human, fire shaman

  South Tribe

  Ne’kall (nay-CALL) – Elf, son to Del’karo and Alena

  Tla’lli (teh-LAH-lee) – Elf, chief’s daughter, wind shaman

  East Tribe

  Se’lata (say-LAH-tah) – Elf, spice merchant, earth shaman

  West Tribe

  Alena – Elf, wife to Del’karo, mother figure to Eira, mother of Ne’kall and eleven other sons, healer

  Daren – Human, Valene’s adopted father, inn keeper, former partner to Valessa

  Del’karo (del-CAR-oh) – Elf, mentor and father figure to Eira, husband to Alena, father of Ne’kall and eleven other sons, fire shaman

  Ken’ichi (ken-EE-chee) – Nu-human, friend to Eira, Guard and healer

  Maka’shi (mah-KAH-shee) – Leader, half-elf, ice shaman, widow

  Mel’ka (mel-KAH) – Elf, elder, storyteller, earth shaman

  Shva’sika (sh-VAH-see-KAH) – Elf, sister to Xye, mentor and adopted family to Eira, lightning shaman

  Valene (vah-LEEN) – Human, daughter to Valessa, Eira’s and Daren’s adopted daughter, earth shaman

  Valessa – Human, mother to Valene, earth shaman, former partner to Daren, deceased

  Xye (zeye) – Half-elf, brother to Shva’sika, attempted to court Eira, healer, deceased.

  Gods

  Anila (ah-NEE-lah) – Goddess of air

  Arcadia (are-KAY-dee-ah) – Goddess of spirits

  Genesis – Goddess of life, partner to Zoltan

  Gina – Goddess of health and healing

  Halcyon (hall-SEE-on) – Goddess of the sea

  Imera (eye-MEER-ah) – Goddess of literature and knowledge

  Jin – Goddess of refined earth

  Kendaria – Goddess of water

  Koseba (koh-SAY-bah) – God of shapeshifting

  Le’carro (ley-CAR-oh) – God of lightning

  Lunaria – Goddess of the moon

  Nazir (nah-ZEER) – God of death and corruption

  Phyre (fire) – God of fire

  Raisu (RAY-sue) – God of dreams

  Rashta (RAH-sh-tah) – Goddess of judgement and rebirth

  Rasmus – God of love and fertility, partner to Savada

  Satria (sah-TREE-ah) – Goddess of war

  Savada (sah-VAH-dah) – Goddess of sex and seduction, partner to Rasmus

  Sela – Goddess of psychics, sister of Tyro

  Solstice – Goddess of ice and winter

  Solund – God of the sun

  Tarin – God of nature, partner to Valena

  Tyro (TIE-roh) – God of psychics, brother of Sela

  Valena – Goddess of earth, partner to Tarin

  Zoltan – God of life, partner to Genesis

  Miscellaneous

  Rosa (ROH-sah) – Succubus, mated to Zaedrix

  Voice – Mysterious voice that speaks to Eira inside her head. Malevolent

  Zaedrix (ZAY-dricks) – Incubus, mated to Rosa

  * * *

  Spirits

  Amara (ah-MAR-ah) – Nu-human experiment, general, water elementalist, deceased

  Jade – Nu-human experiment, former soldier under Amara, deceased

  Jasmine – Nu-human experiment, aunt to Eira, sister to Zane, geneticist, deceased

  Tannek – Nu-human experiment, former soldier under Amara, deceased

  Zeek – Nu human, former soldier under Amara, deceased

  Peacekeepers

  Assar – Dwarf, deceased

  Pyralis (PIE-ral-iss) – Red dragon, deceased

  Raynn (rain) – Human, deceased

  Reiki (Ray-KEY) – Green dragon, deceased

  Ryoko (Ree-OH-koh) – Half-wogron, earth shaman, deceased

  Varro – Elf, healer, deceased

  Glossary | Language

  Elvish

  Elvish is an eloquent language, light on the tongue with an airy sound. Even the usual consonants of common don’t hold the same harshness in Elvish. Many elves and other humanoids raised with Elvish as their mother tongue carry this light speech over in their common.

  While not the easiest language to learn, Elvish is a favorite to among the linguistically gifted. Those who seek to learn this language seek out elves before any other race and are taught by full immersion. Some elves will provide a few words for the humanoid to start with but it’s not common to do so. The elves believe this technique is the best way to learn and created a better understanding of the language for everyday use.

  Written Elvish is just as elegant as spoken, usually written in script by native speakers. Non-natives tend to forgo the script,
which is accepted by native speakers, though the handwriting is still expected to be neat, and flourished on important documents. Sloppy writing is considered an insult.

  Draconic

  Draconic is a gutter language made up most of grunts and growls with the occasional tongue flick, exhales, or teeth clatter. It’s difficult for a non-dragon to learn, as the formation of these words are foreign to most humanoids. Some sounds are impossible for non-dragons to create so other sounds are substituted as an alternative. Even dragons taking a humanoid form must make these changes. Rarely is a humanoid able to perfect the speech, even when raised among dragons.

  Those attempting to learn are always taught single words before attempting sentence structures. Draconic sentence structure is similar to Common, but with a possessive edge due to the mindset of dragons. There are no contracted words in Draconic, as such, dragons who don’t speak common often, tend to use the same sentence structures of their mother tongue when they do speak common.

  It’s not common for dragons to write in the current age but there is a basic written form of the language that was used more extensively in the past. This written form is comprised of glyphs easily created with dragon claws and easy to decipher for most dragons no matter the cleanliness of the script. Non-dragons find this writing easier to learn than the spoken language and most of the time will stop learning after they’ve master it.

  Below are phrases translated to Eira in the series: