Awakening - Book of Fire (Blood Heritage)

by Krista Gray-Fee

He pushes the religious bindings aside, he will have to free himself of those handcuffs thoroughly, otherwise he will be useless to Amber. He has to be strong and open minded to help her through all of this. He has to become her soldier, not a servant to a God that long ago abandoned them to face whatever this is alone. James can't seem to find a single thought to hold onto, the chaos continues to disrupt each strand he grasps. He watches her walking and senses in her a great purpose. She knows who she is.. what she has to do; it seems unfair to him. He isn't sure why she is the enemy, but he is absolutely convinced she is. If she is like Amber isn't it possible that they are on the same team? No... He doesn't have a strictly logical reason to be so sure, but he is positive, without a doubt she has no intention of being friends.

  Why is he so unsure of himself. This is not like him at all, he is not one to second guess his every move, even his deepest thoughts don't seem his own. He senses without fully grasping what he feels there is an outside influence on his mind. James is stronger than this, he knows what he lives for, what he fights for: Amber. He feels cold fingers tying knots of doubt within his mind. He has to regain control; he visualizes a flame, like the fire she fills him with, encouraging it to burn inside his head, guiding it toward each knot and blasting it to cinder within a few moments. He pushes at the cold touch inside his head and with a flash of blinding light she loses her grip on him. Taking a measure of him, she momentarily drops her icy facade and shows a glimpse of fear and absolute disbelief. She has never been discovered before let alone shut out of someone's mind. "No, it can't be, you’re one of them. The ones that should not be." She laughs, a cold and joyless sound saying, "He will be very interested to have that information, Oh well, guess I'll have to destroy you the old-fashioned way."

  She cannot access his mind anymore, he is staring at her, seeing her for what she is. He senses her animal spirit and with his mind’s visualization sees himself hunting her and taking her down. She feels the threat in his gaze but has little real reason to fear him. She reacts with the kind of aggression reserved for those who feel they have nothing left to lose. She has no desire to run and so she attacks. She collapses the umbrella ramming the pointed end through the car window, he moves out of harms way just in time, realizing it holds a jagged and deadly spear point. She is a cat with reflexes and claws and he feels fear chewing away inside his gut again.. he has no time to think about it.

  He darts out the car door tackling her on the sidewalk, She is extraordinarily quick and he can't hold her. She has him on the ground and he is vulnerable. She pulls tiny silver blades from her jacket sending one bouncing off the pavement near his head. The second nicks his hand as he pushes himself to his feet, she will not get a third chance. He has his gun on her and she relaxes into a passive position accepting his dominance for the time being.

  She allows him to take her, pulling her hands tightly behind her back. She hisses at him, and the evil behind her words gives him chills. She is a frigid creature, this cat woman, he takes her back to the station, and though he isn't sure he should even actually book her, he goes through the system he understands. He asks them to process her as he types up his report, carefully avoiding any mention of the weird cat-like characteristics that flash across her features. When she is searched, they find nearly forty of the tiny blades she threw at him well hidden all over her body. No one doubts she is some kind of trouble. James has the two blades she managed to let fly and is intrigued by the silken quality of the metal, the impeccably smooth surface and the razor sharp edge. this could cut as cleanly through his flesh as the spear had the windshield. He feels an overwhelming realization that he might be up against forces that he alone can't even fathom let alone defeat. The cut on his hand begins to burn and he feels the ache of his near miss deeply. The fear and adrenaline coursing through his body fading enough for the nausea to set in. James feels vulnerable, fearing he doesn't have what it takes to protect Amber through an attack like this. One he barely handled, what if there were an army of such creatures?

  Now that James has her in custody she will spend at least a few days out of their way, giving him time to figure out what to do next. He has her interrogated, and she easily confesses to following the couple, leaving the note on the car and the snake on the doorstep. She claims "it is my job to make her presence known. To test the ability of the chosen one, and to keep others from helping her." She laughs. "She is being underestimated, they don't know what true power is, they don't know her secret, they will never understand. She can defeat them if she wants too but that's not why I'm here. I want her out in the open so we can destroy her. If the chosen one dies, the dark times will never come. You will all be sorry you stand in my way, now leave me alone so I can rest."

  James patches up his hand aimlessly wandering around the precinct watching and waiting. They place her in a holding cell and call for a psychological evaluation, under the impression she is stark raving mad. This suspicion is confirmed when one of the officers checks on her an hour later finding her lying in a heap in the corner of the room. She is clawing her wrists open and tearing at the flesh of her throat. There are copious amounts of blood pooling on the floor and even spattered up the walls. He rushes in to stop her, but there is no hope. She has killed herself with her bare hands. The scene is tremendously shocking, no one has ever seen anything like it before. The officer concludes she must be on some kind of powerful drug to have the ability to do such a thing. The nonsensical interview combined with the strange weapons, and evil agenda leave them with no other impression than crazy bitch on some serious candy. The body is transported down to Joanna, thank goodness he can tell her what's really going on. The guys have opened wagers guessing what the toxicology report will say. They always try to joke around when something gets to them. James sees through the defense mechanism; he joins in anyway throwing ten bucks on a case of road rage.

  James reviews the interview tape, it's a bit cryptic but he figures he will discuss what she is saying with Amber. It seems to him she has confirmed there is a major threat on the horizon, and not only the creeper she is already hiding from. He is a positive person, so he also caught the part about Amber having the power to destroy him. But which him, he does not know. How many of these people.. things.. are there out in the world, and are they going to come for his girl? The thought seems insurmountable. What hope do we have of defeating such a threat?

  Her fingerprints have gotten a hit and her information lights up the screen. She is such a contradiction from the woman he experienced. James is forced to see her for what she is, something of both worlds, something that doesn't belong completely in either. Her name was Katrina, this strikes him as a bit ironic. She was not just a monster with no ties in this world, she has a family and people that will miss her. She was a mother, and a sister and was on the PTA. She drove a minivan and coached a children's soft ball team. Now that it is all over, as he reads the information they have on her, she seems so normal..so harmless. The thought of it all is nauseating. She attacked him, he had no choice but to arrest her, he didn't kill her, she had done that herself; why then is he feeling so guilty? Perhaps he is over-reacting to this whole situation. Maybe it isn't all as bad as it seems. What am I thinking...this only makes it worse, we have no idea who might be dangerous, everyone is a suspect, everyone is a potential enemy. Shit, this is a complete nightmare!

  "It's time to process the car, James." Jackson says, breaking him out of his deep contemplation. "You can't assist, but you can watch if you want. Come out and keep me company." Jackson walks around the car with him. "That is one hell of a weapon, unexpected and to the point, no pun intended."

  Wow, that was a close one, James realizes as he crawls into the car for a photo. The blade penetrating the seat just a few inches above his right shoulder. The windshield hadn't shattered because the blade is so sharp it penetrated the glass and the seat back as if they were made of butter. After marking and taking the requisite photos, Jackson pulls the weapon free, it slides out e
asily and the men stare at it in absolute awe. "I have to send this off to the lab for analysis, but I would sure love to see what it can do."

  "That's awesome"! James says, still ogling in manly appreciation of the shining metal edge that could easily have taken his life. "what is that made of?"

  "That is some sharp shit. Wouldn't have been so awesome if it had gotten a hold of you."

  "Nope I guess not, that actually would have made for a really bad day." As it is there is an awful mess to clean up, I'm glad I didn't end up like her. It all happened so fast."

  She could have killed you! Jackson says giving James a good hard once over. "Are you really ok? I know your physical condition, how's your head?"

  "I think she intended to kill me, that's the really scary part. Though why seems to be the question. Admittedly I’m a bit shaken, but looks like I will survive, thats what counts right?" Jackson leaves the line of questioning alone, walking off with the evidence so James won't see the worry on his face.

  Suddenly James wants to run away , to get as far away from the situation as possible. He needs to clear his head, he still feels the fuzziness she created at the edges of his mind. He feels invaded, assaulted, and violated. She was inside of him, manipulating his most precious and deeply rooted memories and beliefs. She made him lose his way and he won't ever let anything like that happen again. He knows now the seriousness of what they are up against; knows without question he has much to learn, and he better learn it quickly. He waits for his debriefing on edge, and when it's over he is extremely anxious, his senses hyper alert and his nerves on pins and needles.

  He has much to discuss with Amber when she gets done with her shift. He has to fully accept the journey and the destination if there is to be any hope of their making it together. He is ready to find out the nature of the game, and discover the rules that can't be broken. He wants to know about the Circle and their histories. He wants to know about the Father and the Son and all that has been created by the continuation of their bloodlines. He is ready to take a look at the world behind the veils of illusion and denial. It's time to open his eyes and really see.

  When he gets to the shop, Amber is ready and waiting. "What took you so long?" she asks deeply concerned. He is in a very quiet mood and isn't really ready to begin the discussion that will keep them up long into the night. He wants to get something to eat and wind down for a bit. They will talk when dinner is done and he has fully regained his composure. When they get home, he leaves her in the kitchen chopping vegetables and takes a long hot shower. She is worried about him, but knows when he needs his space. Something must have shaken him deeply today. She will give him the time and space he needs, but she can't stop herself from worrying about him whether he likes it or not.

  When he comes back into the kitchen, she has created a full meal of curried chicken and rice and a sweet herbed vinegar salad of sweet peas, rich goat’s cheese and baby onions. He smiles at her and she relaxes a little. He looks much more relaxed. Whatever was haunting him, he seems to have made peace with. They eat in quiet, neither wanting to begin a conversation both sense will break the spell of the food. When dinner is complete, she begins picking up and washing the dishes. She keeping her hands busy will help her to take whatever news he has for her a bit better.

  James explains the day he has endured, tells her of the woman and how she weaseled her way into his mind. Sheepishly describes the near-miss with the incredible weapon and the questions that are now burning within him. He speaks of his desire to understand all that she now knows, he doesn't want her to leave anything out. He wants to know about her, the bloodlines, Rissa, and anything else she can explain. He will learn with her and from her and together they will find the answers they seek. He will no longer stand by and try to protect her from what comes after them both. He will prepare for the fight and take an offensive position. He will help her to win this battle on every front. She is unexpectedly calm as he shares details of his near death experience. She takes his intensity to heart assuring him she will share all she knows, and they will find out the rest together. Side by side they will make a stand. There is something about the first battle, the first casualty that makes the prospect of war a reality in the mind, when otherwise, it is still deniable, avoidable and unreal. He has realized the battle is upon them and they can either fight or die. Amber is very anxious but at least she isn't alone. Very few things in this world are more terrifying than facing the unknown alone.

  The Meeting

  James drives Amber to the meeting place and swears to her he will wait at the campsite no matter how long the meeting takes. Rissa refused to ride with them prefering instead to ride with another member of the Circle. She needs to catch up with an old friend she says, but Amber feels there is probably more to it. Before the girls enter the sacred gathering space they enjoy a cup of hot chocolate around a small camp fire James has built to keep himself busy. James distracts himself gathering more wood as the girls discuss what the evening will bring. Rissa warns Amber the Elders have been around for a long time, they will know more about her than she does them. She will likely feel like she's standing trial and they are all judging her. She is told not to speak unless spoken to and to answer their questions honestly and without hesitation. Only when they are satisfied with her answers and with her identity will they open up and allow her to ask what she wants of them. She is warned about the intensity of the ceremonial environment, the robes that hide their identities. The secrecy and the security is all necessary for their ultimate survival. They dream the dreams of a peaceful world, a place where myth and legend are merely stories. They dream a dream where the gates of hell are sealed shut and the monsters can't get out to torment the living. They are rebels, children of the bloodlines that refuse to hear the call of their masters. Amber wonders at how they separate themselves so clearly from the others, the monsters that are their brothers and sisters, and what of Amber? is she a monster in their eyes, or is she innocent, who are they to judge her? She feels the hypocrisy of their belief system and she feels anger welling up inside her.

  They are conspirators, searching out the young and weak and hiding their identities from those who would come for them. They study the powers, write down the histories and the identities of the powerful ones as they show themselves to humanity, each time revealing something of their pride, their power, their intention. They hope to learn what it is the "Gods" are trying to accomplish. Why they feel the need to interfere and intervene in humanity. The Elders of the Circle are waiting for the opportunity to strike back, to send the intruders back to where they came from. The consensus is they are from another universe, somewhere far beyond our stars. The Elders want to purify humanity, to eradicate the bloodlines from the earth and ultimately to return home to the other place, where they believe their reward or heaven will be. They have come to believe the Father is a rebel against his own people and once they can defeat him, they will be rewarded with eternal life. They wait for their true God to come take them home.

  Amber holds her breath as she is taken into the cavern, the damp walls of the temple sending a sense of deja-vu through her. She has been here before, when she was young, when they held her down and her mark was removed. She has seen the faces of the old ones, the fearful ones. She has stood among them as they spoke of her fate, her power, her destiny. They had not known whether to keep her among them, with her grandmother as her keeper, or send her far away with another family where she might be less likely to be found. Unfortunately for Amber, they chose to send her away to become an orphan, to live among the lost and the unwanted and to grow strong or die without the guidance of the loving woman who wanted her the most. They did not want her to be brought up within the circle, didn't want her to understand her power too early, to become too strong in the ways. They hoped she would stay hidden and lost until they were ready for her. Aria would keep an eye on her from a distance, ensure she never realized the truth. They knew how desperate her situation was when she was
younger and refused to allow Aria to step in and save her. She thinks now the Circle hoped she would not survive to adulthood, that life would eradicate the problem of her power for them. They were too fearful to do it themselves, but she feels their hatred as completely as their admiration of what she might become. She does not trust them and every fiber of her being is standing at alert in their presence. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, the thought floats to her from across the room, she is unsure who let it out, but she knows it is directed at her. This group is not as united as they pretend to be. She feels a division of sorts. Power players in opposing corners manipulating the game subtly while staying out of the spotlight of leadership. The Circle is no longer united. She has friends here, but enemies as well.

  Amber feels her mind fall under the influence of another, she is thrown into bits of conversation, shown images and overcome by feelings that don't belong to her.....

  Aria has already suffered the loss of Amber's mother, the Circle tells her she was taken by the Father and will never be found. The others don't know where the missing are taken, only that once they disappear they don't return. They have ideas, believing they are returned to their proper home, but no one has ever returned to confirm the theory. They claim they don't want Amber to meet the same end, and so she is being protected in the only way they know. Though Aria comes to them begging for the life of her granddaughter, she will be denied again and again. Amber will have to endure the circumstances she falls into and Aria will be powerless to be more than a shadow in her life, unless she wants to defy the direct orders of the Circle, and she isn't ready to make a move like that. Either side terrifies her and she is stuck right in the middle....