“Are you alright? How do you feel?” dad begs and grabs my hand. He checks my leg and then brushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“I’m a little sore but I’m fine,” I answer, not taking my eyes off of D. “Thank you,” I say to D.
D nods and turns to Jacob. “What the hell are you wearing, Paul Bunion? Are you a god damned lumber jack? Plaid? Really?”
Jacob smirks a little but doesn’t show much emotion.
My dad helps me up and hugs me tightly. “Ariella, I’m sorry for not being around much lately. I understand why you have come to care and trust Daymon as much as you have. He’s been more of your father than I have lately.”
It makes me cringe to imagine D as my father….ew. D seems to be as disturbed by this as I am. I wonder how I‘m ever going to tell him how I really feel about D.
“Aren’t you going to thank this gentleman for helping Ariella?” Corra asks finally, breaking her silence.
Dad looks between everyone in the room and then sighs. “Thank you, but don’t take that the wrong way, I don’t trust you.” He eyes D intensely. “One strike and you’re out of here.”
This is good enough for me.
“What the hell happened…?” Tyler asks suddenly standing beside Corra.
“Ariella had a meltdown,” D answers with a smile in my direction. “She’s pretty feisty.”
“You called on me, Corra?” Tyler directs his attention to Corra. He seems to act as though the disaster in the house isn’t that big of a deal.
“Yes, speak to Ariella about control. She seems to have close to none and we can’t have her running around like that.”
“Yeah, for sure, not a problem,” Tyler nods excitedly as if this will be fun.
This is when Tyler’s eyes seem to land on our father.
Dad approaches him and shakes his hand. “Nice to finally meet you, Tyler. I’m Theenis, your father.”
Chapter 7
“Tyler and D are up next,” Jacob informs us and the two boys jump up and face each other in the middle of the huge living room. For the last hour the men have been sparring in the destroyed living room of the house trying to pass the time as there is nothing else to do and we’ve been instructed not to leave the building.
“Go!” I call and they run at each other. The fighting is supposed to be purely physical but I think Tyler was cheating when he beat my father.
D gets the first hit in and sends Tyler to the ground but Tyler gets the second and throws D into the wall, smashing more drywall than what’s already been destroyed. For the first few minutes they seem evenly matched until D manages to hold his hand around Tyler’s throat for two seconds which signifies his win. This fight goes down so quickly that I’m sure that D has only one out of luck and not skill.
Tyler groans with the pain of defeat and saunters off to the couch where everyone else sits watching.
Next up is dad and D. The fight that no one has wanted to see because although no one has said anything out loud, we know it could end badly. Very badly. My dad has accepted that D is going to be sticking around, but only because he has to for my sake.
Right before they’re about to go at it we are interrupted by a loud gasp and we all turn to see my mother standing in the kitchen with a hand clamped over her mouth as she takes in her completely destroyed living room.
“What have you done to my home?” she demands, staring at my father as if he’s to blame.
“Mother, it was Ariella. She had a tantrum and destroyed everything. We just took advantage of the already disaster and decided we may as well use it for sparring,” Tyler says as if the situation is totally normal. He gets back up off of the couch and approaches her with a huge grin.
“You expect me to believe that little, tiny Ariella, who doesn’t even have her Tario power yet, did this?” she asks accusingly and eyes everyone in the room individually except me.
“It’s true,” I admit. “I’m sorry. I’ll pay for it.”
“I’m not concerned about having any of it fixed,” she says and waves her hand through the air exasperatedly. Suddenly the room is back to how it was. “Tyler, Corra, you couldn’t have fixed this before I got back and had a heart attack?”
Tyler snickers and Corra shrugs.
“It was too entertaining to watch young Tyler kick his father’s butt,” Corra muses.
I’ve come to like Corra more over the last few hours. She seems nothing like the Tario I met in Tarot. She’s easy going, relaxed but not in the way that she doesn’t seem to care about anything.
My mother’s frown is replaced with a small smile.
“Theenis, how have you been? We have much to speak about, I have much explaining to do, so why don’t we speak privately? Corra, why don’t you go grab your husband? We can all have dinner together,” my mother suggests before leading my father out of the room. He slowly makes his way over to her as if he’s nervous.
Corra disappears and I’m left with Jacob, Tyler, and D. Jacob seems to suddenly want to go exploring and climbs a set of stairs. He probably just trying to avoid awkward conversation. I’m a little surprised that he’s left me alone in with D without his of my father’s protection. They seem to be very clingy lately.
“Okay, what’s up with you two?” Tyler asks while looking back and forth between D and me.
“What do you mean?” I wonder confused and look to D quickly to see if he has any idea.
Tyler rolls his eyes as if it is obvious. “He looks at you like he’s about to smash the skull of anyone who touches you and apparently he’s your trigger. Why does no one seem to know that you two are in love with each other?” he answers as if it’s common sense.
I’m caught a little off guard. Is it really that obvious?
D explains the situation and Tyler seems to understand.
“Hey, at least you’re not in love with a human. I think a vampire is more acceptable than a human,” Tyler says to me with a friendly wink.
“Hey, I loved a human once. They’re not so bad,” D shrugs and picks up the kitten from the carpet. I have feeling that he’s already become attached to it. He slowly pets the baby and kisses it on the head. I never would’ve guessed him to be a cat person.
“How did that work out?” Tyler asks as if he knows that it didn’t work out.
“She died,” D confirms his thoughts and continues cuddling the kitten in his arms.
“Yeah, exactly. I met this girl a few years ago with work. I don’t know if you know but I’m basically a supernatural janitor. I get rid of any evidence that the supernatural exist so that both the supernaturals and humans can exist in peace. The corporation is a human one so of course I act as a human. I was fifteen when I met her, Kendra I mean. She has no idea what I am. I mean she hunts and kills things like me and cleans up our messes for a living. She would probably try to kill me if she found out what I am. We’ve been dating for two years and I still haven’t told her,” Tyler explains to us with a look of both regret and sadness.
“Ouch, man,” D winces. “Does your mom know?”
“Yes. She’s okay with it. After all, she fell in love with our father who is a warlock and Corra’s husband is human. Corra’s husband knows all about our world though, good old Gregory, I love that guy. Corra’s told him everything. She tells me I should tell Kendra but I just can’t do it,” Tyler explains. “So, I’m sure that if our dad doesn’t accept the fact that you’re dating a vampire, he won’t accept me dating a human.”
“That human is not his best friend and hasn’t been alive for three hundred years. You never know,” I answer with a laugh. “I doubt my dad has anything against humans. I mean, he was made to hate vampires so I mean…”
“I’m leaving tomorrow, to go kill some Tario. I’d love to be able to speak to you about controlling your darkness before I go, if you have awhile that is, maybe after supper?” Tyler changes the subject as if he’s uncomfortable with the current one.
“Sure,” I agree with a sma
ll shrug and a grin.
“Mr. Diddles, come here. You don’t want to cuddle that guy, he’ll suck your blood,” Tyler calls jokingly. I’m confused as to who he’s talking to until the kitten squirms away from D and trots up to Tyler. The feline crawls up his jeans, up his plain red t-shirt and onto his ready arm.
“Hey!” D says in mock sadness. “You traitor!” he shouts at the kitten as if it can understand what he’s saying. The kitten looks up at his with small green eyes and then turns his attention to licking one of its paws.
“Daymon, first of all, this is my cat. Second, I have to say, man, it’s weird that you’re a vampire. I kill you buggers for a living…but easily I can tell you’re different. Lot’s different. I’ve been around vampire for years and they’re nothing but monsters, you’re nothing like them. Our father will come around I’m sure,” Tyler admits and leaves the room with his kitten clutching onto his shoulder.
“I thought that cat and I had a connection. Why would it love the person who named it Mr. Diddles more than me?” D complains. “That’s such a ridiculous name.”
I shake my head at him and scooch closer to him. I lean into his shoulder and close my eyes.
“Tired?”
“A little,” I admit. “Okay, a lot,” I correct.
“You can have a nap,” he suggests and runs his fingers through my hair gently.
“No, I just want to sit like this for a minute.” I know it sounds silly but I don’t care.
Somehow I manage to drift off and I wake up later to voices entering the living room. It must be time for supper. Thank goodness because I’m starving. I remove my head from D’s shoulder and hope that both I haven’t drooled on him and that no one’s seen us cuddling.
“Chinese? Yes!” I hear Tyler say enthusiastically and he skips over to a drawer and pulls out some utensils.
“Did someone say Chinese?” D chimes in and jumps up from the couch, pulling me with him hastily.
“I thought vampires didn’t eat,” Tyler asks curiously while scooping some noodles out of one of the boxes and onto his plate.
“Screw that, I love Chinese,” D replies and shakes one of Tyler’s shoulders playfully.
I follow D into the kitchen and he hands me a plate. We dish up and take a seat at the table. My father, Jacob, Corra, and my mother are already seated without plates. An elderly male sits down with a plate and I assume it must be Corra’s husband. I don’t know why but I wasn’t expecting him to be so old. To me it looks like he must be eighty or maybe even older.
“I’m worried about you doing this alone, Tyler,” my mother voices her concern. “I know you’ve been looking forward to doing this alone for years but I think it’d be silly for you to go by yourself. I will come with you.”
“Mom, I’ve been training for this my entire life. If I’m not worried, then you shouldn’t be either. I don’t want you to come. I don’t want you to get hurt,” Tyler answers, his smile faltering. “It’s not a woman’s place to go to war, you know that. You taught me that. Tario women do not fight and I think that is an excellent rule.”
“Your mother is just saying that the chances aren’t in your favor. It’s too bad that she couldn’t have made another knife for someone else, maybe Daymon or Theenis to use with you and back you up. You’re not much of a match for the Tario. Your only advantage is surprise and that knife,” Corra answers for my mother voicing both their concerns. “It might not be the way of the Tario for their women to fighting battle but your other and I do not consider ourselves part of the Tario any longer.”
“I know, I’m sure I’ll be fine though, if not, then at least I did something worthwhile with my life,” Tyler says and I don’t sense a shred of worry or fear in his voice. He is a true warrior. He is brave, I see it in his eyes and the way he presents himself. He is strong, born to fight. “I don’t want either of you ladies getting hurt, neither of you are coming.” I can tell that Tyler is a gentleman. He is not only saying that he doesn’t want them to come because of how the Tario do things but because he genuinely doesn’t want either of them getting hurt which to me is strange because he is so much younger than the two of them. They should be the ones protecting him from things like war.
“Spoken like a true warrior, Tyler. I’m starting to like you more and more. I could come back you up though if you want,” D suggests and I elbow him. No way do I want him and my brother out there risking their lives. Is he nuts?
“I could go too,” Dad suggests. “That’d probably be our best bet to actually winning this. I don’t mind volunteering. It’s not like it’s not for a good cause.”
“I won’t turn down any help but I also don’t want any of you to feel you should have to risk your lives,” Tyler says in answer after a moment of contemplation.
“I think it’d be best for all of us to go, except Ariella and maybe Jacob as they’re not as strong,” Corra suggests. “I’ve never planned on not going and I know Ali hasn’t either. We could never send you out there alone, Tyler, you know that.”
“Is this a plan then?” D answers with a shrug and looks around the table.
“No!” I interrupt. “I don’t want all of you out there risking your lives while I sit here and do nothing!” I know I can’t go, I’ll only get in the way but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel absolutely useless. I wish I could something. Anything, other than sit here and wait for them to return or not return.
“Ariella, if we don’t win this, if this isn’t a success, the Tario plan on showing the humans that supernaturals exist. The humans will react with force. Even though we have power, they have billions of people and things like nuclear weapons. They will not only kill us, they’ll ruin this planet and probably kill themselves in the process of all of this. Plus, even if they don’t, the Tario will once again become bored, and maybe even kill off everything on this planet except themselves. It wouldn’t be a first. There are bigger things than what we want right now. Do you think I want my son going out there? No. In desperate times we must take desperate measures. You’re young and I wouldn’t expect you to understand but that is the way it is. Life isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. If we don’t take this chance, we won’t have another,” my mother says quickly in a voice you’d use to scold a young child. This makes me reconsider my thoughts. I know this has to be done, I just wish it didn’t have to be this way. I wish life could go back to how it used to be where nothing exciting happened at all good or bad.
“If you guys are going, I’m going too,” Jacob says. “I might not be much help but I’m not going to be much help here either. I can fight, maybe not as well as D or Tyler or Theenis or any of you but I know a thing or two and you could really use all the help you can get.”
“Alright then, it’s decided,” Corra says. “Tomorrow we come face to face with the Tario. It’s six against dozens. Let’s cross our fingers and hope luck is on our side.”
“You say that like you don’t think that we’ll win,” I mention sadly and look between everyone at the table. They all share this same look of hopelessness.
“I don’t think we’ll win, child, but we have to try,” Corra answers to my horror. Of course, Ariella, why would we win? She just said it, it’s six against dozens. Dozens of them against two full Tario, one nearly full Tario, and three partial Tario.
I don’t say anything. I don’t even know what I would say. For some reason I look to the elderly man as if he’ll have some sort of answer. Then I realize that although he’s old. He’s far younger than all the people seated at this table besides Tyler and me.
The old man smiles at me lightly and then to my surprise says, “Death is nothing to fear. It’s living that you should be most afraid of. Time teaches you this.”
I see a few nods around the table and even D seems to agree with him.
“Not to be rude but if you love Corra and she loves you, then why didn’t she just turn you into an immortal or something so you didn’t get old?” I’m sure I say this out of fr
ustration and anger and I immediately regret it as soon as it comes out my mouth. God, I’m rude.
“I don’t want to live forever, not everyone wants eternal life. I chose to grow old knowing that I would someday die. Corra has been alive an extremely long time, she has had many lovers, and she will have many more if she survives after tomorrow which I’m sure she will,” the man tells me and I know that it’s going to take me a while to process this. I wonder how many lovers she’s had, how many has my mother had? Some humans have like three or more in their short lifetime. What about someone who’s lived possibly billions of years? I can’t imagine it. I mean, I can’t even imagine living as long as the Tario. I can’t imagine the things one would see and experience throughout all those years. It’s no wonder the Tario are so different from us.
Chapter 8
I wake up in the middle of the night after having a bad dream about all the others going off tomorrow to commit suicide while fighting an impossible war. After dreaming that not one of them came back, I sit bolt upright in my bed and rest my face in my hands as I try to wake myself up enough to tell myself that it was only a dream. When I remove my face from my hands I see something move in the corner of the room and I jump. My heart pounds violently and I panic. What do I do? Scream?
“Ariella, it’s me calm down. I forgot you can’t see in the dark. I didn’t mean to scare you,” D says followed by an embarrassed, hushed laugh. “I was just watching you sleep.”
You can say creepy.
“Why?” I mumble.
“Everyone else is out preparing, getting their power warmed up and their affairs in order. Tyler is asleep. I’m just bored and these few hours might be the last I get to see you,” he adds unenthusiastically.
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