by Amber Flora
“I wish I could tell you I had a mentor that someone along the way took me in and trained me, but that just isn’t so. I learned everything on my own. I had learned how to flash before my mother had skipped out me. I hopped between magic realm and human realm a lot, scrounging for food. I stole a few magic books and supplies. Then one day it was like a switch flipped inside of me. I could feel the magic coursing through my veins. Manipulating air requires little to no thought. I do rely on spells for some things, but mostly all I have to do is snap my fingers and it is so. That’s why mixing our bloodlines is so important. Imagine what two impures such as us could create. Our child could be the most powerful creature to walk the Earth.”
His words made me sick to my stomach. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why he wanted a child so badly. He was plenty powerful on his own. Aside from his own abilities he had the Credo behind him, and they already proved they were more than capable by destroying Avonya and killing countless dreamwalkers. Why was he hell bent on having an impure child to help him with his quest?
“Why me? I’m sure I am not the only impure female out there.”
“We are fated for one another, my dear. It wasn’t a coincidence that I found that small piece of paper that was meant for you. I knew from the moment I read those words that I had to find you, that you would help me reach my destiny. You are the daughter of a high priestess. You and I both have dreamwalker and wizard blood. I have been waiting a long time for you to grow into the woman I knew you would become and even longer for my revenge.”
“I don’t want this. No child should be born into these circumstances. A child deserves love and compassion, not to be turned into a weapon.”
Damon put both hands on my shoulders, slightly gripping them so I would look into his eyes.
“Ashtyn, your mother fled Avonya before the Credo attacked. She abandoned the very people you sided with. Have you ever thought that she did that because she knew you would end up here with me? I don’t think she wanted you with the dreamwalkers. I believe your mother intended you to be mine all along.”
I had no idea why my mother ran away from Avonya without warning the dreamwalkers that the Credo were about to attack. I wanted to believe she had a good reason, although I couldn’t figure it out just yet, but I could never believe she would have ever wanted me to spend my days with this lunatic. Any decent parent would do anything in their power to protect their child from a man like Damon. Even though I had little knowledge of my mother, from everything others had told me, she was devoted to Avonya. Whatever her reason for betraying dream realm, it wasn’t so I could end up here. I decided I had enough Damon soul searching for one day and faked a yawn.
“I’m getting tired. Do you mind if we head inside?”
I looked up at him and tried to copy Lori’s innocent act. I had zero acting skills, but he seemed to be buying it.
“Of course, my sweet. Let’s take you in and warm up a fire. I’ll have Grison bring you up another blanket.”
“No!” I didn’t mean to shout like I did, but I couldn’t let my day get even worse.
“Why not? The nights are getting colder.”
“I can’t sleep as well when I’m hot. If I get too cold I’ll come find you.”
I saw him smile and realized he was probably thinking I would come find him to warm me. He couldn’t be further from the truth. I would freeze to death first.
“Very well then, I am at your disposal.” He replied in his crooked smile.
I let him lead me back to the estate as I replayed our conversation in my mind. I couldn’t figure out what made Damon so powerful. Brian and I were both impures and we didn’t come close to the endowment he possessed. Either he was hiding something or there was more going on than even he knew.
Chapter 5
It had been three days since I told Herrick I didn’t want him to hold back on our training sessions. I had two weeks left until I had to make good on my promise to Damon — two weeks to kill Grison and find a way to escape. If I didn’t then Damon would win and I would be forced to bear him a child. There was no way in hell that was going to happen. I would never allow him to kiss me, let alone share my bed. True to Herrick’s word he didn’t hold back. He had spent four hours a day teaching me fighting methods and which weapons were best for different attacks. I had been punched, slashed and even knocked unconscious once, but I didn’t give up. All I needed was that one opportune moment and I would strike.
“Bloody hell, love, this isn’t a cat fight. You can’t scratch your opponent's eyes out.”
Herrick backed off the sparring mat, wiping the blood from his cheek.
“You said to use any means necessary to gain the upper hand.”
I shrugged, hardly concerned over a tiny speck of blood.
“You cannot win a fight against a trained soldier with your nails.”
I flopped down on the mat looking up at the ceiling and trying to catch my breath.
“Stopped you, didn’t it?” I winked as I looked over at him.
I once again took a moment to reflect on the glorious body of my well-toned instructor, who wore nothing but black sweats that hung loosely on his hips. And those mesmerizing gray eyes with their hint of blue ... Watching him definitely took my thoughts off the pain.
“Could you please not do that?” he asked, covering his face in his hands.
“What exactly am I doing?” He couldn’t seriously be upset that I took a moment to rest. It’s not like I’m enlisting in the military or anything. That thought had me questioning if he had ever been a drill instructor, because he certainly played the part well.
“Don’t play dumb, this is the third time you've done it.”
I propped myself up on one elbow, rolling over to get a better look at him.
“Well clearly I am more ignorant than you give me credit for because I have no idea what you are talking about.”
He walked over and stood in front of me, his face one of agitation.
“You were attracted to me, just now when you looked at me.”
I rolled over on my back clutching my stomach and let out a laugh.
“Are you insane or just conceited? I was not attracted to you.”
“You cannot lie to me, love. This is the third time you have felt that way. It makes it difficult to treat you like a soldier when I taste your emotions. Unless your plan is to seduce your attacker — if it were anyone except me that might just work.”
What the hell was this guy? How could he have possibly known that? Embarrassment swept over me, but I sure hell wasn’t ready to admit that to him. So I noticed he was good-looking. Was that a crime? I’m not blind.
“Oh do tell, when were the other two times, Mr. All Knowing?”
Herrick grabbed his white shirt and pulled it on. He took a seat in the chair by the weights. He appeared as though he wanted to evade the conversation, but after a brief pause of consideration, he continued.
“The first time was the day I met you. It was for the briefest of moments, but I still felt it. The second time was our first sparring match. That particular time lasted a little longer. It seems whenever your mind is not occupied with your friends, escape or fighting, you're picturing me naked.”
Did I find him attractive the first time I met him? I couldn’t remember, but it sure as hell seems he did.
“I can assure you, I have never and will never think of you naked. I have enough nightmares, I don’t need any more.”
“All right, I’ll admit I made that part up; however, since you find me attractive, I can’t be too off base.”
I jumped up and stood before him, both hands on my hips prepared to get some actual answers.
“Enough games, how do you know what people are feeling? Are you a wizard?”
Herrick laughed and leaned forward in his chair. He stared at me for a moment, locking his eyes with mine, but his expression gave nothing away.
“I’m a vibrant. I can smell, taste and feel others’ emotions
, among other things.”
The color bled from my face, I had never heard of someone like that. Every emotion I felt in his presence he knew? I suddenly felt like I needed to cleanse myself.
“What race is a vibrant?” I knew vampires could hypnotize; it was possible they could also read emotions. I doubted a wizard had those skills, but once again my lack of knowledge regarding other races did not serve me well.
“We are our own race. We do not have our own realm and there are few of us left. You could say we are all but extinct. Living amongst humans was our downfall. We have all but bred out our entire blood line. It has now become essential for vibrants to only mate with their own kind. Otherwise we would eventually cease to exist.”
A thought arose in me. Vibrants procreated with humans for so long that they were becoming extinct. Would the same happen with the other realms if there were more impures? The thought never dawned on me. If wizards and dreamwalkers lived among each other how long until their races were a thing of the past? Would wizards eventually lose any natural magical ability they were born with? Damon and I were unique because we had parents from different realms. We had the ability to dreamwalk and practice magic, but Mac’s grandfather was a vampire, and although Mac’s father Brian shared both dreamwalker and vampire traits, Mac didn’t have any vampire abilities passed down to him. What if Damon was wrong? What if our child wouldn’t inherit both traits? It could be possible that continuing to breed mixed bloodlines would only lessen our abilities, not enhance them.
“Is it difficult to tell your emotions from others? If you are feeling happy but you're around someone who is sad, how do you distinguish the two?”
“Ahh that is an easy one. Vibrants have no emotions; we are born without such a nuisance. That is why we make such great fighters. We feel no remorse or fear. We are born with the two most important emotions for our survival but that is all.”
He doesn’t feel, like a robot? How could someone live without emotion?
“What two do you have?”
“Pain, to alert the mind that our bodies are in danger. Without that emotion we would die rather quickly. Death doesn’t exactly help to preserve our heritage. The other is attraction, for procreation.”
“So you can feel love?” I asked, feeling slightly optimistic.
“Of course not, love and attraction are two different things. Love is dangerous, it makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do. Love can be used against you. Attraction allows a race to live on. When a vibrant male and female create a child together there is no relationship between them. They part ways until the child reaches maturity. At that time the woman releases the child into the father's care. The mother teaches knowledge and the father fighting. Once all of the training is complete, there is typically no more contact between the parents and the offspring.”
My heart ached. How could someone do that to their own child? The kid is raised to never know love or affection?
“Do not pity us, love. A vibrant child is born without emotion. They do not care for the mother or father. They respect and obey them, but they are not wanting for a connection.”
“How can the mother raise their own child and not feel for them?”
Herrick looked at me like I was crazy. It was at that point I realized I was crying. A tear streamed down my face and I attempted to wipe it away.
“We have obligations to our offspring. We do not need emotion to raise a successful vibrant. Emotions are overrated. I feel the sadness you get when you think of your friends. I smell your anger when Grison is near. All of these things prohibit you from getting what you truly want.”
I sniffled, looking up at him.
“Oh yeah, and what’s that?”
“Your freedom.”
Herrick couldn’t be faulted for his ignorance. He had never felt the warmth of being loved, never known the heartbreak of losing someone he cared for. How could you explain that to someone who had no knowledge of it? No words could convey the depths of someone's heart.
“That’s where you’re wrong. My emotions are going to be what saves me. If I didn’t love my friends I wouldn’t fight to be free of Damon. If I didn’t want revenge on Grison I wouldn’t be in here every day getting my ass kicked by you. It might be easier to be like you and go through life without attachments or remorse, but what good is a life without everything that comes with it, good or bad?”
Hestepped so close to me I could feel the heat radiating off him. He slowly brushed a strand of my hair away from my face and it made me shiver.
“Your emotions change with the tide, hummingbird. It makes me dizzy being in your presence.”
I stepped back, putting some distance between us. My mind was racing. I couldn’t comprehend how someone could live without emotion. What a sad and lonely life that would be.
“Does Damon know what you are?”
It was a fair question. I had never heard of a vibrant before. If they were close to extinction I doubted they were advertising their abilities on a billboard.
“I’m not going to answer that.”
“Why? All of the sudden you’re mute?” I snorted.
“Because you will become angry and my head is already pounding from the twenty other emotions swirling through that brain of yours.”
“Then let’s trade information. You tell me if Damon knows and I’ll answer any question you ask with a hundred percent honesty.”
Herrick quirked a brow. “What makes you think I want to know anything that I already do not?”
“Fine, I’m going to take a shower.” He grabbed my arm as I began to leave.
“Damon did not only hire me to train you, he wanted me to read your emotions. He wants to know what you feel when you look at him, when you are sad or happy. He doesn’t trust you are sincere about your arrangement.”
He was right. My blood began to boil and anger took control. Without thinking I charged him. Once I was close enough I dipped to the floor, sliding across the mat until I came up behind him. With one swift blow I poured all my energy into my arm and launched it toward his legs. He lost balance and began to fall backward. He used his strength to turn so we were facing one another and propelled himself on top of me, holding both of my arms against the mat. I thrashed and tried to head-butt him, but he wasn’t giving me an inch. He put as much of his weight on me as my body could bear as he held me in place.
“This is what I mean by your emotions getting the best of you. If your attacker were to anger you do you honestly think you could beat him in your current state?”
“I don’t care! Get off me!” I screamed, still trying to put some space between us.
“Not until you let me finish,” he replied calmly without even breaking a sweat.
“You have been spying on my emotions this entire time. Gauging my reactions toward Damon, Grison — even you. Those are my personal feelings, you have no right to them.” The more I thought about his intrusion the angrier I became. I felt so violated, like he had a mirror to my soul and was taking notes.
“I said Damon hired me to read your emotions, I never said I agreed to share them with him.”
I stopped squirming, looking into his sharp gray eyes for some hint of emotion.
“You haven’t told him?”
Herrick released my arms and stood, pulling me along with him.
“I have given him enough information as not to raise suspicion. He knows you feel anxious in his presence and that Grison makes you hostile, but I have not shared all your secrets.”
Damon knows I hate Grison? And yet he allows him to be alone with me. I was right, Damon doesn’t care how Grison treats me. As long as I keep up my part of the agreement.
“Why?” I was trying to understand. Damon had hired Herrick to do a job. So then why was he withholding information?
“Why what?”
“Why not tell him everything? You obviously know how much I hate Damon, you know I intend to escape and not follow through with my agreement.
You even know I plan to kill Grison. What is your motive for not ratting me out?”
He looked off in the distance, as though a thought had just took his mind elsewhere.
“Reading emotions is not all a vibrant can do. I have a suspicion about you. Let’s just say until it is verified it would be more beneficial to me to keep some of your secrets.”
Just as I had suspected. He was just another person on the every growing list that wanted to use me for their own gain. Stupid, naive me actually thought he was my friend. A small part of me thought I could trust him. What a fool I had been. I was alone in this hell. I could never confide in someone who didn’t feel.
“What else can a vibrant do?”
I knew he could heal and he felt my emotions. What other nifty little tricks did he have up his sleeves?
“I think I have divulged enough of my secrets for one day, don’t you?”
“Whatever, I’m bored anyway,” I huffed, getting to my feet.
“Wait a second there, love. A deal is a deal. You owe me a secret.”
I was hoping he would forget about that, but it didn’t matter. The man had been reading my emotions; everything I felt so did he. Whatever he would ask couldn’t be worse than that.
“Fine, what do you want to know?” He looked like he was a kid deciding which piece of candy he wanted. He tapped his finger against his chin thoughtfully.
“Whom is it that you yearn for? Damon has told me of your dreamwalker friends. Your heart is aching for someone. Is it one of them?”
Rage began to boil inside of me again. I wanted to punch him, to knock the untactful jerk on his ass.
“That’s none of your damn business!” I shouted.
“We made a deal, Ashtyn. I told you what you wanted to know. Now it’s your turn.”
“Why do care? You have no emotions. What difference would it make to you?”
“Humor me.”
I thought about Cody, how much faith he had in me. How he went against his own mother because he believed in me. He believed that I would be the savior. No matter what anyone said or who came after me he remained by my side, loyal and kind.
