Her real mother was someone who had given so much up for love. She just might understand what Kira needed to hear.
And that was why Kira finally picked up the papers after hanging up the phone. At first, she was going to call Emma, her boy guru, to talk about Luke. But she needed to face what she was. In the end, Kira hoped it would help her gain control.
Sighing, Kira walked over to her duffle and pulled out the wrinkled folder. She made a cup of chamomile tea from the hotel coffee pot and nestled into the armchair by the window to read. With one wistful glance at the harbor and sunny afternoon, Kira pulled the pages free and started reading, thankful that, like the book she had stolen from Luke, the text was written in modern English. Well, at least as modern as eighteenth century English, which for an ancient and secret civilization, was pretty well updated.
Months ago, Luke had explained to her that merely a year or two after printing in the early 1700s, the same conduit scholars, both Protector and Punisher, who had gathered under the anonymous title to write the histories down, decided the knowledge was too dangerous for every conduit to have. Definitely a pre-freedom of speech move, Kira thought, but they had removed the final chapters and all the copies printed since—made as textbooks for young conduits to learn from—had simply never even mentioned the two missing chapters. Most people had forgotten about them, but Luke's copy, which she did eventually return, was one of the original texts—a family heirloom passed down through countless generations.
In Kira's hands were photocopies of the original missing pages. Something that, up until now, had remained only in the hands of the council members.
"Chapter Four," she said, reading the title out loud. "A Mixed Breed."
"The story of how we began is perhaps the most controversial topic in our society's long and prolific history: the mixed breed. How did they act? What did they look like? Were they dangerous? What powers did they possess? What weaknesses? And most importantly, what would happen should they return?
"Answers, however, are the one thing we do not have. They are what we seek and what we need to find to secure the future of our people, but they are also the hardest things to come by. How do you search for information about a species that died out more than ten millennia ago—a time that predates written language itself?"
Kira could not help but gulp. She knew she was the first mixed-blood conduit to come by in a long time, but ten thousand years? It was almost an impossibly long time to imagine.
"We can only look to myths, legends, and of course, history. What we've told you thus far are our theories about the evolution of our separate species. Almost ten thousand years ago, a time when pastoral civilization was only just beginning to arise, the species began to evolve apart. We of course believe that as families began to settle and discard the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, colonies of like-minded conduits formed. Because of this, the species stopped intermixing and new powers evolved, ones that reflected their like-minded souls. In our modern words, Protectors to protect what they believed were the lost souls inside of vampires, and Punishers to destroy what they believed was an inherent evil. Was our God involved? Perhaps. But in this text, we will discuss only science.
"Like vampires, conduits evolved beside humans, to look like humans, but we are not humans. We are genetically different: from mystical sources or from natural ones, we will probably never be certain, but what we can do is hard to describe without introducing divine magic into the equation. And that is more relative to ancient conduits than any of us could ever believe, for their powers, according to legend, were limitless. Myths of many ancient civilizations discuss fire bringers—modern tales have turned us into ludicrous creations like fire-breathing dragons—but ancient texts do mention myths of human-like beings capable of spinning fire. For a long time, we believed these words were about our current species, but now we must fearfully turn to these myths for answers. Fearfully, because in the times these ancient legends look back on both conduits and vampires were the evils in the stories. In a word, they were mad."
Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, Kira thought while looking away from the pages and down at the active harbor outside of her window. If the species had spent ten thousand years evolving apart, how had her parents managed to have a child anyway? And what was to say she wasn't just a new breed entirely, something completely different than the ancients were? The whole idea that a book written two hundred and fifty years ago held all of her secrets was ridiculous. No one had answers. The only thing she saw here that called out to her was the word magic, because that was the only way to explain her life.
Even knowing it could all be false, Kira's eyes fell back onto the text. Ever curious, she needed to know more. She needed to be prepared to face whatever she really was.
"Unlike us, the ancient ones were ruled by their powers. Though hard to believe, it is said that they lacked control, that sometimes a conduit would go blind in rage, spouting flames for days on end with no stop until death finally took them. In these legends, they did not burn vampires alone. Myth says when an ancient one lost control, entire villages would be burnt to ash. Entire families killed. Animals charred beyond recognition. It is because of these legends that we now strive for control.
"Vampires are evil because they give in to carnal instincts. When the hunger strikes, they go on a killing rampage, brought completely out of humanity's grip in blood lust.
"What are conduits if not controlled? If we killed everything we touched, we would be just as evil as the very things we were born to fight. We believe that at first, this unconscious need for control helped split the two species. Now, we consciously strive to keep it that way. Because we are always asking, what if a half-breed returned? Would humans be more at risk from it or from the vampires?
"And, even though Protectors will kill a vampire when they must, if the time came could any of us, Protector or Punisher, murder one of our own?"
Kira let her head fall against the back of the seat. She stared up at the rippled white ceiling seeing only flames and screaming people, running not from vampires but from her.
But she had never lost control like that—never so badly that anything but vampires were affected.
Suddenly, Kira thought of Luke. Had he been right? Was he the only reason she had never fallen so deep and had never lost so much control? If he hadn't been there in Sonnyville to bring her out of her delirium, would she have turned the entire village and every conduit to dust, just like the vampires?
For the past few months, Kira had only ever thought that conduits had her capture to fear—that if vampires caught her they would be immune and they could go on a killing spree. But that wasn't really why conduits weren't allowed to interbreed. Every council for the past three hundred years had been keeping their entire society's biggest fear a secret—the fear that one of their own might be the greatest danger in the world, that one of their own might be a monster.
The only thing Kira didn't understand was why would they hide this? If every conduit knew this, they would never risk mixing blood. Her parents would have probably stayed away from each other.
The healing, Kira thought. The scholars must have written about her powers of healing. It was the one thing that made her existence good, the one thing conduits might risk madness for. After all, Kira had risked it to save Luke not so long ago.
Kira skimmed through the following pages, skipping past the countless myths all describing the same thing—the ancient ones' insatiable power and fall into madness.
She was almost about to stop reading, haunted enough by what she had learned, when she came across a change in tone.
"While we would love to remain with these ancient myths of horror, we feel honor bound as men of academics to produce the other side of the story. Fearful as they were through the stories we have just now told, all conduits throughout history have been things of light. Our powers are that of God and goodness, and while madness might be our undoing, our powers give us strength.
"With this in mind, we must admit that all of our findings have not been full of blood and horror. We believe with every ounce of our combined beings that bringing a new mixed breed into the world would mean the end of life as we know it, but stories do tell of ancient fire bringers capable of restoring life. They could, we believe, heal humans and conduits alike as long as they kept the madness at bay.
"And while we were not sure if we would write these words, we almost believe that a mixed-blood conduit today might be able to hone this power. When we think back to the lives of the ancient ones, we must remember that the world was a different place. There were no rules, no governments, and no notion of civility. There was food, killing for food, and staying alive no matter the cost.
"If a mixed breed were born today, in a society governed by control and regulation, there is no telling what may occur—no telling if the conduit would be a mad man or a savior. But knowing what we do, we wholeheartedly agree that finding out is not worth the risk."
Kira looked at the name of the next and final chapter—The Prophecies—and realized she didn't really want to hear any more about how her life meant the end of the world. A prophecy was a rigid proclamation, an unchangeable destiny, and she didn't want to feel like her life story had already been written for her.
Instead, Kira slipped into a jean skirt and flip-flops to wander around in the busy harbor below. She tied her hair in a ponytail, put on her oversized sunglasses, and donned a baseball cap—if that wasn't camouflage, she didn't know what was. Her hair and eyes were covered, and no vampire would have any idea who or what she was, or at least Kira hoped not because she had to get out of that hotel room.
Of course, sitting on a bench and basking in the sun still didn't do very much to appease her thoughts. Without Tristan or Luke around to distract her, Kira was pulled right back into dark territory the minute she sat down. The beautiful weather helped a little, but the sun didn't have its usual effect of calming her. Rather, as Kira let it soak into her skin, she couldn't help but feel dangerous with the power.
The mind reading or whatever crazy psychic connection she shared with Luke was still a mystery, however. It was the one thing Kira held onto because it was the one concrete thing she had that made her different from the ancient ones with their uncontrollable powers.
She had felt dangerous at times, almost insane. She had also felt unstoppable at times, especially when she healed someone or something. But according to myth, so had all the other conduits thousands of years ago. But the connection she and Luke shared was an unknown, the one thing that might just help her hold on to her humanity.
Kira shifted on the otherwise empty bench and stretched out. As she turned to the side to lift her feet onto the wooden planks, a mass of long, straight, glistening black hair caught her attention.
Kira sat taller in the seat, stretching to see the woman who looked almost familiar. Her skin gleamed white in the sunlight. Her frame was long and lean, almost absent of fat, and she wore a loosely flowing dress in a deep plum color. Tendrils of fabric blew in the breeze, creating a fluid train down the back of the dress. It was low-cut to show the pale curve of a skinny back.
Slowly, as if searching for someone, the woman turned around. The pointed curve of her nose and taut lips came into view, but all Kira could see were her icy blue, piercing eyes.
Diana.
Chapter Twelve
Immediately, a rush of hatred coiled in her stomach, winding its way through her senses, but Kira suppressed it and tried to push those feelings all the way down to the tips of her toes. She needed to stay focused on finding out what Diana was doing here. Eventually, Kira would be able to interrogate her. Eventually, she would find out everything she needed to know, but that time was not in the middle of a huge and bustling tourist spot.
Kira ducked behind the bench, using the backrest as a shield to keep her face completely hidden from view. She poked her head up, hoping the visor of her cap and her sunglasses kept her masked enough, and watched Diana. There was no doubt in Kira's mind that she was waiting for someone or something. She scanned the crowd, her blue eyes darting back and forth, reading each face carefully.
Well, Kira thought, I'm just going to have to be the one to find out what Diana is up to.
While Tristan and Luke had been out there searching for her, Diana had fallen right into Kira's lap. Not that Kira was complaining, but she knew the boys would be really annoyed that she had not only left the hotel room but also did what she was doing now, which was follow Diana as she walked away from the harbor.
Sneakily, Kira stood up and walked over to a storefront, peering not through the glass at the clothes but on the glass at the reflection. Diana continued walking, thankfully at a human pace, and Kira watched until she was almost out of view before chasing after her. Kira had never been so grateful for her time spent in New York City as she was then. Walking around on crowded city streets had taught her the all too precious weave—how to duck and jump and swivel her hips to keep from getting bowled over by the crowds. Without her years' worth of knowledge, Kira had no doubt she would have lost Diana in the crowd.
As it was, she tracked Diana around the harbor to a giant grass hill, some sort of park overlooking the water. Taking each stone step slowly, Kira followed her up, hoping it wasn't a trap. When she reached the top, Kira scanned the area and saw Diana's burgundy dress as it billowed before a gleaming white marble monument. The contrast luckily made her easy to spot, which may have been Diana's intention. Kira was certain Diana had no clue she was being followed.
To keep it that way, Kira quickly dashed behind a tree, and then peered around the trunk to observe. When she was sure Diana was looking the other way, Kira sprinted behind a different tree that was much closer, so she was only ten or fifteen feet from her prey—because that was how she always wanted to think of Diana, as prey and not as predator.
After ten minutes of peeking at Diana as she did nothing but stare down at the harbor, Kira was getting a tad impatient. Yes, it was a plus that she had found Diana, but sitting out in the heat and leaning against scratchy bark to hide from a blood-sucking vampire was not really ideal.
Finally, just as Kira's annoyance was reaching an all-time high, Diana stood a fraction taller. Kira instantly became alert. Diana focused on something toward the bottom of the hill, arching her neck for a better view, before straightening out her dress and quickly feeling her hair for stray strands.
She's nervous, Kira thought.
A second later, a man appeared by Diana's side. He materialized out of thin air in a crisp tuxedo, his pearly skin immediately letting Kira know that he was a vampire. Even at a distance, she saw the crooked bend to his nose and silently felt a little sorry that he was stuck with that for all eternity. Diana smiled widely, in a subservient way that Kira didn't recognize from her, and the man extended a gloved hand. Placing her fingers in his palm, Diana let him lift her hand for a kiss.
Kira was seriously confused. Was this business or pleasure? Had Diana given up on ruining her life for some strange vampire lover? The more the two vampires interacted, the more Kira felt like she had been transported to a period film, some sort of Jane Austen fantasy filled with curtsying and overly polite manners.
Diana produced a fan from the folds of her long dress and started flicking it around like some secretive language. The man held out his arm and she grasped it at the crook of his elbow so he could lead her on a stroll around the park. They looked more like sweethearts during a secret rendezvous than evil plotting villains, but Kira knew something else had to be going on. Diana was not the sort to give up on revenge, especially when she had been plotting for months.
Kira circled around her tree, wishing the meandering couple would just stay put so she didn't have to keep jumping around the trunk like a crazy tree-hugger to keep out of sight. Her poor hands were scratched red from the wood, but Kira knew there was no choice but to wait. She needed to see what was going on. This might be the only clue
to Diana's plan that any of them ever got.
Eventually, after circling the entire park once, Diana dropped her hand and turned to face the man, who had reached into his pocket to pull out a gleaming white envelope. From that distance, Kira couldn't read the words scribbled across paper, but she saw the image of a blood-red rose drawn on the front and watched as crimson petals cascaded to the ground when Diana pulled out a note.
Diana politely inclined her head. Kira assumed it was some sort of an acceptance. He slid a small vile into her hand and kissed her fingers one more time. Then, as quickly as he had come, the man disappeared. Diana pressed the note against her chest, smiling widely, but Kira didn't miss the calculating focus of her eyes. This was not schoolgirl glee at a crush finally returning her emotions—it was the giddiness of a plan falling into place. Surely that meant Diana had no idea she, Tristan, and Luke were there…hopefully.
For a moment, Kira had the incredible urge to just blast Diana with a ball of fire right there in the middle of the park. She didn't care what passersby would see, how they would run in fear at her power or how someone would snap a photograph making the conduits seem like horrible monsters.
For a moment, all Kira wanted to do was catch Diana and make her pay. She hadn't been this close to her since that day in the woods, and just like the evil witch had planned, her words were never far from Kira's mind. This vampire was the only way Kira would find out any information about her mother. Diana was the only tie and Kira was close.
Without realizing it, Kira outstretched her arm in Diana's direction, preparing to blast her with flames.
But as quickly as the thoughts had come, Diana was gone, and Kira had missed her opportunity once again. The girl was crazy fast. Kira sighed and leaned against the tree. She would need Tristan's help when the time came.
The Complete Midnight Fire Series Page 34
