by H. D. Gordon
I looked down at my right shoulder. Kayden was studying it also, so closely that I could feel his warm breath against the exposed skin. The silver vine of my tattoo had indeed extended up and over my shoulder and ended at the top of my shoulder blade, where another lily had made its home. I was sure that three more had bloomed on my upper arm, and I still didn't care to look.
I looked down at my hands, pulling my eyes away from the silver reminders. Apparently, Kayden had no such inclination, because he continued to stare at my shoulder for so long that my eyelids began to droop again. But, when I felt the hair of his short beard brush against my skin, my eyes flew open once more. He lingered there for a moment, and then, ever so gently, he placed a sweet kiss on the lily that had crept its way over to the top of my back. I clenched both my fists and my teeth as tightly as possible, but it did no good in keeping the obvious shiver from running through my body.
Still, neither of us spoke. There seemed to be absolutely no need for words. Kayden repositioned me again so that my back rested against the headboard, and pulled my legs out onto his lap. My rib complained with every shift, but I really was good at biting down on pain , and I didn't so much as flinch.
Kayden pushed my left pant leg up slowly and carefully, until the large gash on my thigh was completely visible. The flow of blood had slowed down considerably, and probably would have been clotted well enough by now if I hadn't sat in the shower so long. The cut ran from the top of my knee to mid-thigh, and it was incredibly gross looking.
Kayden spoke softly. It'll leave a scar, he told me.
I just shrugged. I know that most people don't like getting scars, but to me, it really couldn't matter less. It's not like I would ever be walking down a runway or red carpet, and I'd accepted them as a part of my life when I was a child. I considered scars reminders, so they served a purpose.
Kayden smiled a little at my indifference. He examined the rest of my damages as well, taking inventory of all my injuries. When he accidently bumped against my rib while checking out one of the bite marks on my upper arm, I sucked my breath in sharply. Kayden's golden eyes studied my face, and then, as if he could sense the source of the pain, he reached out and placed a hand against my stomach. He applied a little pressure, and I hissed again and grabbed his hand.
Is it broken? he asked.
I shrugged. I'll be okay.
He nodded. I know you will be, because you're going to drink from me.
I raised an eyebrow, feeling like my old self again for the first time all day. Um, no thanks, I said.
I wasn't really asking, he told me.
I gave a short laugh. I'm not sure how it is that you haven't noticed, but I'm not very good at taking orders.
Oh, I've noticed.
I crossed my arms and had to bite down on my tongue when my rib complained again. Kayden laughed at my behavior. Alright, let's try reason, he said, Tonight you were attacked by eight Lamias. Tomorrow you plan to storm into a prison ruled by a King who'd love to see you dead. And, because some old woman told you so, if we make it out of Dangeon alive, you plan to what? Oh yeah, build an army and take on the King's Warriors. So I would say that it would be stupid for you to be stubborn and refuse to heal yourself, especially with the way this trip has gone so far.
I narrowed my eyes. Fine, I said.
Kayden picked me up again and placed me on his lap. I had to concentrate so as not so shiver at his touch. I'd become instantly nervous. I hadn't refused because I didn't want to be healed. I'd refused because drinking from him was so intimate. If truth be told, I very much wanted to taste his blood again, as gross as that sounds. I think my biggest issue was that Kayden was the type of man that no woman, no matter how beautiful, can ever imagine truly touching. He was the kind that you always admire from afar, and sometimes, you found it hard to believe that anyone ever got to touch his perfection. The kind of man we all are only ever allowed to dream about.
He tilted his head to the side, but I didn't move in. I was scared as hell. Kayden noticed my hesitation and reached his hand behind my neck, pulling me to him. His proximity overwhelmed me. Even though he still had the smells of the fight lingering on him, his scent was still very appealing. The skin on his strong neck was smooth and inviting, and my fangs pushed through my gums just looking at it.
Drink, Warrior, he told me, and I did.
It was just as wonderful as it had been the last time. My teeth sank through his skin easily, and his warm, sweet blood flooded into my mouth. My arms encircled him on their own accord, and his wrapped around me as well. A low growl escaped my throat when his embrace tightened and aggravated my rib, but the pain wasn't of the least concern to me, and he didn't loosen his hold. I drank and drank and drank, and by the time I brought my head up, forcibly tearing myself away from him, I was floating on cloud nine.
Kayden was looking at me like I was truly something special, and my heart did flip-flops in my chest. His golden eyes were bright and engulfing, and went from my own brown eyes, to my lips, and down to my neck. I tilted my head to the side in invitation. I expected him to resist, like he had the last time we'd been in a similar situation, but he didn't so much as hesitate.
He moved swiftly, and sank his fangs into my neck with less than gentle force. The euphoric high I was still feeling from his blood increased tenfold. I closed my eyes and I embraced the glorious tingling that charged its way through my body. All the pain and hurt I had been experiencing just moments ago disappeared like bubbles in a champagne glass. I was aware of nothing other than Kayden. I wanted nothing other than to stay like this, in his arms, for the rest of eternity.
When he pulled back, I sighed in contentment. He didn't release his hold on me, and I kept my arms locked around him. I stared into his eyes and became lost in them. Everything about him was so entirely perfect to me. His full lips and strong jaw covered by his short, sandy blond beard, the curve of his brow and cheekbones, and of course, his deep, sunrise eyes. It was like his beauty had been tailored to fit my preferences. I'd never even known I'd had any, but I knew now that if God had called me up to heaven, and told me that I was allowed to build a man to belong to me, I would have built myself a Kayden.
I knew without a doubt that he wanted to kiss me again. I could see the struggle happening behind his eyes, and in the clenching and unclenching of his jaw. If I didn't remove myself from his grasp soon, I would succumb to my struggle as well. So, I released my hold on him and scooted off of his lap. His head fell forward a bit and his eyes closed. Regret and guilt ran through me seeing him so conflicted. I owed him more than a cowardly retreat.
I moved close to him again and placed my hand against his cheek. His eyes opened and found my face. Thank you, Kayden, I whispered, Thank you for everything.
His mouth pulled up on one side in a half smile, but I couldn't quite place the feeling that seemed to emanate from it. He brushed some of the hair off of my forehead with his fingertips. Oh, Warrior, he said, and his Scottish accent was as soft as rose petals. What else would I have done?
A half smile formed on my lips as well. It was the same thing I always said to Nelly when she thanked me for doing something to keep her safe. By saying it, I never meant anything other than that she didn't have to thank me for something that I would've done whether or not she wanted me to. It meant that preserving her well-being was far more important to me than preserving my own. It meant that she came first; that I valued her existence above mine, because an existence without Nelly would be unbearable. I decided immediately not to think about what Kayden had meant by it.
So my response was just a nod. I rested my head back against the headboard and closed my eyes. Sleep was tugging at me with metal strings. I would have fallen asleep sitting upright if Kayden hadn't lifted me up and gently laid me down with my head on the pillow. I didn't even open my eyes when he pulled the blanket out from under me and tucked me in like I was a child that had passed out after playtime. The light in the room clicked off, and my bre
athing became deep and even. The last things I was aware of before sleep pulled me under was the soft kiss Kayden placed on my forehead, and the silence of my mind.
Nelly
I'd ended up staying awake for most of the night. The gray world of my dream had been too awful to risk revisiting. I hadn't wasted the time, though. Seeing my sister dead, even in just images my troubled mind had drawn up, was enough to snap me out of my childlike behavior. Lying around and crying would do nothing to rectify the situation. It was time to put my plans into action.
But, they would have to wait until after school. Currently, I was sitting in my history class. Alexa has trouble paying attention in classes that don't involve some sort of physical activity, but I usually enjoy them no matter what the subject. And, today's lesson was of particular interest to me.
We were learning about a Searcher who was said to be able to control the minds of animals. Apparently, he'd gained this ability after drinking Lamia blood, and the horrified reaction of my classmates to this information matched the feelings of every supernatural. Drinking Lamia blood was not only disgusting, it was considered taboo. The teacher informed us that the Searcher had been promptly hanged for his actions, and the students around me nodded their heads at the justice. I tried not to sink down in my seat. There was a clear consensus that anyone who would do such a thing deserved to be killed. I didn't have to wonder about what they would do if they figured out about what I am.
The Searcher had been a man named Gerald Ruffi, and if the history is correct, he was one of the most powerful Searchers of his time. Other Searchers and supernaturals weren't very fond of him, because he'd spent a great deal of time practicing his abilities on everyone who came within a feasible distance of him. One day, a hunter had caught him controlling the animals of the wood , the next day they came to his house, found a small vial of Lamia blood, and dragged him out to be hanged in the town square. The town people were relieved. Our kind has some very strict rules about normalSearching, so the idea of a man who could control animals not only made them angry, it scared the crap out of them.
As Searchers, we were free to dig into any human's soul, and most of us live in cities like Two Rivers, so even meeting a human is a very rare occasion. But, with our own kind, we were expected to gain permission from the party before we did any sort of Search. It wasn't really too much of an issue because most Searchers need physical contact with the person to perform a Search. And, only really advanced Searchers are able to perform a Search without the other person feeling it. The things I can do would not only scare these people, they would terrify them. So I'd made a point not to develop my abilities over the years, but lately it seemed as though they were going to develop whether I wanted them to or not.
The lecture had me thinking, though. I was already convinced that something was wrong here at Two Rivers, and I knew that digging out the secrets of the place was not going to be an easy task. Being able to control my abilities could come very much in handy with finding the truths I sought, and somehow managing to keep my secret. Practicing Searches on animals seemed almost like a brilliant idea. Almost, because to do this I would need to go into the woods, and that didn't appear appealing in the least.
By the time lunch rolled around, my head was splitting from the sleep I'd lost last night and the lack of food in my system. But, now I had a new activity to add to my after school plans, and if things went well, I may have found a way to solve my hunger problem. I stopped by the cafeteria for just a moment. I guess in my sluggish state it had taken me longer to get there than it had the others, because Jackson, Daniel and Tommy were already seated at our usual table when I walked in. Jackson and Tommy were both tearing into their trays of food, but Daniel had waited for me.
When I approached the table Jackson smiled at me, Tommy nodded, and Daniel pulled out the chair beside his. I stayed on my feet. Thanks, but I'm not staying. I just wanted to stop by and check in, I told him.
Daniel's brow furrowed. Okay, he said, I can eat later if you want some company.
I smiled down at him. No, you should eat. I just have to get started on this assignment that's due tomorrow.
The lie fell out of my mouth so easily, and guilt followed it instantly. I don't like lying to people, especially people I care for, but sometimes it's necessary. My Mother had taught me that a long time ago. And, the reason it sucked so much now was the same reason it had sucked so much back then. Daniel, like Alexa, trusted me so much that he didn't even consider the fact that I was hiding something. That was where the guilt came in.
Jackson and Tommy weren't fooled, though. They both were looking at me with the same slightly suspicious expression on their faces. Jackson's hand, clutching a half-eaten, folded slice of pizza paused on the way to his mouth. Tommy's eyebrows rose a little bit, and his fingertips stopped their rhythmic tapping on the top of the table. I turned my attention back to Daniel, and ignored their curious faces.
I'll come by your room after I finish the assignment tonight. If you want me to, I mean, I continued.
I could tell that Daniel was disappointed, but he did his best to hide it with one of his sweet smiles. Sure, he replied.
I kissed him on the cheek and said goodbye to the others. Lunchtime only lasted forty-five minutes, and I'd already used fifteen of them. I would have to hurry. Of course, today was not a day for things to go my way.
I was about halfway through the cafeteria when she stepped in front of me. I had to pull up short so as not to run smack into her, and the expression on her face was enough to freeze me in my tracks. Victoria.
With long blond hair, and fit build, and usually not enough clothing, Victoria can be considered attractive. She certainly considers herself to be, but I don't think her appeal could be labeled pretty or beautiful. I would say that it is closer to slutty , but maybe that's just because I didn't like her &. but probably not. Anyhow, she was wolf-born, and that meant she attended some of her classes with Jackson. The first time I'd met her had been at a party. She'd walked up to our group and made it quite clear that she was interested in Jackson. I wasn't too concerned, because I knew for a fact that Jackson only had eyes for my sister, but this didn't go over well with Victoria. She'd insulted my sister. I'd insulted her back. I usually don't do that sort of thing. Alexa is the one who handles things of that nature, and she'd ended up handling that night as well. She'd embarrassed Victoria by causing her to fall flat on her face in front of everyone at the party. That incident led to a worse one in the cafeteria; again in front of everyone. Alexa had almost killed her. I was pretty sure Victoria hadn't forgotten about that.
Her words confirmed this. Where's that bitch you call a sister? she snarled.
It would be a complete and utter lie to say that Victoria didn't scare the shit out of me. In fact, it took every ounce of courage I had in me to even look up and meet her eyes. But, an insult like that couldn't go unaddressed. I swallowed hard. Get out of my way, Victoria, I began in a quiet voice. And, then, because I knew that Alexa would do the same for me, and probably worse, I added, And, if you call my sister that again, I'll show you which one of us you should really be afraid of.
Victoria's laugh rang out across the cafeteria, which of course, had grown much quieter than usual. That muscle in my mind confirmed that many of the students had stopped their conversations to pay attention to us. It also confirmed that Victoria was a split second away from yanking me up by my shirtfront.
Her hand shot out to grab me, and what I did next was out of pure anxiety. Like usual, my mind acted on its own accord. Stop! The command was only audible in my head. But, I could feel Victoria's soul now, and her hand stopped in midair. My breathing grew deeper and my forehead began to sweat. It took me a moment to realize what I was doing, but I once I did, I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. She was mine now. I was controlling her. Without even consciously trying! And, even though it was risky and stupid, I have to say that I was rather pleased with myself. I decided then that practicing my
abilities was dangerous, but highly necessary. I needed to be able to do this when I chose to; not when I got freaked out and it happened on its own.
Victoria's eyebrows drew together and her red-painted lips pressed into a thin line. Her hand still hung in midair. The students around us were still watching. My hold on her was weakening by the second. Put that hand down and walk away, I commanded in my head, and to my utter relief and astonishment, she did.
I stood there for a moment, wondering just what the people around us thought of the encounter. Well, I guess I didn't have to keep wondering. While I was at it, I might as well try to check. I concentrated hard and my mind stretched out, taking note of all the souls around me. Most of them had returned to their food and their own conversations, but a few key people were still paying me an unwanted amount of attention. Jackson, Tommy, Daniel, and Victoria.
I could tell that the first three had been seconds away from jumping up and defending me against Victoria, but now they all just sat there looking at me as if I'd just grown antennae out of my head. Tommy and Jackson had their suspicions raised once more. Daniel was confused and worried. Victoria was confused and angry. I made a stiff bee-line to the exit.
Crap, I said to myself, once I made it out of the cafeteria. That had been incredibly stupid. I didn't think that Victoria had any idea of what I'd done, but if she did, she was the worst person I could think of to know such a thing. I needed to gain control over myself, before I went and got myself killed.
Today wasn't as dark and wet as it had been yesterday, but there still was no sun to be seen up above. Thick, gray clouds covered the sky, and a light drizzle fell from their bodies. I was headed toward the Brocken school, and if I wanted to reach my destination before lunchtime ended, I would have to hurry. It was a good thing I'd worn my tennis shoes today.
