A cough behind the closed door brought Arianna back to reality. Quickly, she slid off Andrew and sat down on the ground, feeling a slight blush return to her cheeks. She tried to bring her focus beyond the door to her Uncle and waiting protectors, but the slight beating of the heart behind her kept pulling her attention. Andrew laughed aloud.
“We need to get downstairs to finish this,” Gabriel added from behind the door. Arianna stood and continued to blush as she hurried over to the door. Andrew was right behind her, now fully dressed, and back to his human form. Arianna hesitated to open the door, feeling like she just cheated on the two men on the other side. Two men that had been protecting her since the moment she joined this new bizarre world in which she was now living. Andrew stepped in front of her and opened the door. Arianna waited to feel the jealously hit her, but nothing came. Turner and Devin still were radiating the same loving feelings as before she had entered the room. Arianna turned to Turner and tried to question him, but he just smiled.
“You’re never going to be mine alone,” he replied a little reluctantly. Arianna grabbed his hand and felt the loving warmth emitted from it.
Gabriel led the group back down to the family room, where the other two purebred baku were waiting.
“What is your vote?” Gabriel asked Rafael.
“I’d say her power is double that of yours,” Rafael replied. “She will need excessive lessons on how to control it, but with even a little skill, she will surpass anyone that we’ve ever seen or even read about.”
“And yours?” Gabriel turned to Andrew’s uncle, who was now back to his greasy-haired human form also.
“I cannot render a decision. I wasn’t allowed to complete my assessment,” he replied, smiling wickedly at the three people standing behind Arianna.
“It’s taboo to drink another baku’s blood,” Turner replied.
“Not if they are offering it,” the man shot back.
“I don’t recall Arianna offering it,” Devin moved in front of Arianna slightly, challenging him. He smiled, ready for a fight. Gabriel placed his hand on Devin’s shoulder and ignored Andrew’s uncle.
“And your vote?” Gabriel turned to Andrew.
“I agree completely with Rafael,” Andrew replied. His uncle looked on in horror at the young man, as if he were committing a sin.
“Then the vote is two to one. Arianna will be given the number one position, and everyone will move down a rank,” Gabriel replied. “She will function as the head of the baku, and I’ll be her aide.”
“But,” Arianna replied. “I know nothing of this world.”
“Don’t worry,” Gabriel turned back to her. “Until you are comfortable with it, I’ll help to keep things running.” Andrew continued to ignore his glaring uncle. “So, let’s go outside and tell everyone the good news.” The three purebred baku led the way to the garden. Arianna hung behind and found herself frozen in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Turner asked, coming back to grab her hand and pull her along.
“There’s someone out there, sleeping, for me to feed on,” Arianna guessed about the delicious smell. “I don’t want to.”
“Sorry, but you don’t get much of a choice on that now,” Turner replied. “It’s part of who you are for the rest of your life.” Arianna remained in her spot, and even with pulling on her arm, Turner was no match for her strength in baku form. “It’s really not that bad. You feed on Devin and I all the time. Just tell them you would like to pass on that meal and have brought your own.” Arianna had to smile at the offer.
“I can’t feed on you guys right now,” Arianna said quietly, as Devin returned inside also.
“Then just tell them you refuse to eat,” Devin added. “It’s not like you haven’t done that before.” He winked at her, and she finally smiled. “No one can make you do something if you don’t want to. Didn’t you hear Rafael? You’re the strongest baku around. You need to follow your instincts.” Arianna smiled and took his outstretched hand. With both of her protectors on either side of her, she walked back outside.
“Finally joining us?” Gabriel asked, noticing that she was warily looking over at the sleeping ten-year-old. “It’s time for you to complete your transformation.”
Arianna looked down at the child. With each beat of her sleeping heart, she looked more and more delicious. The blood flowing around inside the child pulled her closer. Arianna drew near and paused as she looked at the child’s face. Dark ringlets circled her round face. Even one drink would probably kill the child. Arianna reached underneath the child as the audience hushed. Pulling her from the sleeping mist, the child began to stir, and all that was enticing Arianna vanished. The child groggily rubbed her eyes as Arianna walked into the crowd. Near the middle of the crowd, a dark haired couple with their teenage son stared at her. She walked over and handed the child to her father.
“A child is the most valuable thing you will ever see. Keep track of her,” Arianna said, turning to walk back.
“Thank you,” the mother whimpered.
“But our debt,” the dark-haired teenager beside her complained. The father grabbed his arm, and he stopped talking.
The crowd began to whisper. No one had ever refused their sacrifice before.
“Without blood, the transformation won’t be complete,” Gabriel explained as Arianna stepped on the stage. Arianna shrugged.
“That means I need to drink some blood?” Arianna asked, and Gabriel nodded. Arianna’s baku form faded. “I can take blood whenever I want. I fed earlier today. I feel fine right now.”
“But you won’t if you keep avoiding drinking blood,” Gabriel replied.
“I’ll feed when I get home,” Arianna replied, reaching for her uncle’s hand. ‘It’s not safe to feed on either Devin or Turner, as they need to protect me with someone hostile around.’
Gabriel looked down at her hand, which wasn’t making a direct blood connection. ‘That is true. When did you figure out how to do this?’ he asked. ‘Only high-level baku can talk through blood without a direct connection.’
‘Aren’t I a high-level baku?’ Arianna teased.
‘I meant a highly trained baku,’ Gabriel replied. ‘And you do need blood. The baku transformation probably used up most of your blood from this morning, and that’s why it wasn’t painful to transform. If you keep denying what you are, you will get hungry, and then it won’t matter who it is. If they have blood, you will attack them.’
Arianna let go of her uncle’s hand and looked at the crowd. She didn’t want to be the monster everyone feared, but most of the people were beginning to look tasty. Arianna turned back to Turner.
“I think we should leave,” she added to him. He nodded and offered his hand to her. Turner led her back inside the house with Gabriel right behind.
“If she needs to feed, we need to leave,” Devin explained. Gabriel nodded. “I’m sorry for our quick exit, but we need to protect her most of all.” Gabriel agreed. Devin led the way through the house to the front door. “Please explain to your guests she’s not trying to be rude, but there are two sides of her that need to be taken care of. If you arrange everything with uncle, she will be present at all the baku functions required of the family.” Devin moved to open the door but stopped. Andrew was standing in front of the door.
“If you need a little snack, you can have my blood,” he offered. Arianna turned red, remembering their meeting inside. He just calmly smiled and turned his wrist up towards her. “In my human form it’s not as strong as pure baku blood,” Andrew turned to answer Devin’s unspoken question. “And don’t worry, puppy, I’m not trying to drug her.” A slight growl escaped Turner’s mouth. “It would be extremely rude to leave now, before meeting the people you are going to have to spend your life protecting.” Andrew smiled up at Gabriel as his last remark was directed more towards him than Arianna. Arianna closed her eyes and felt the rush of his blood through his body. As much as she wanted to deny the fact, she was, indeed, hungr
y for blood. Her dearg-dul form flickered before she returned to being human.
“Do you trust him?” Devin asked. Arianna nodded. It was his blood that changed her to begin with. He could have poisoned her then. And she could not deny the loving feeling she felt before continuing to radiate from him.
Andrew’s hand gently stroked the side of her face. Arianna closed her eyes and felt the rush of his blood through his veins. Without thinking, Arianna took his wrist and bit down.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Arianna walked back out to the party of people that hated the dearg-dul they felt feeding inside the house. The mood changed as she returned, for they sensed the new, and very powerful, baku. Arianna sat beside her uncle and tried to ignore the curious glances she received throughout the meal. She tried to follow the conversation he was having with Rafael, but her mind kept wandering to Andrew, who sat silently beside his obviously upset uncle. He didn’t fear her dearg-dul form, even as she was taking his blood. He merely smiled and thanked her when she was done. As blood was brought to the tables for a toast, a flash of dearg-dul instinctively washed over her. Arianna tried to suppress her dearg-dul form as the people around her hissed their disapproval. Arianna pushed away the glass of blood in front of her and stood up.
“I need to use the restroom,” she said, her uncle stared curiously.
Arianna walked back into the house and didn’t go down the hallway to the bathroom. Inside she turned and walked back into the family room where Andrew had been waiting earlier. He was right. It had the best views. She walked back to the window where there was a good view of the people outside.
“Not enjoying your party?” Gabriel asked, as he silently followed her. He wasn’t far behind her when she entered the house.
“Not really. This sort of thing just isn’t for me,” she replied.
“And that has nothing to do with how the people out there react to your dearg-dul form?” Gabriel knew the truth.
“How can they hate a part of me but love the other part?” Arianna wondered, not really looking for a reply. “Dearg-dul,” Arianna turned into a dearg-dul and immediately felt the seething hatred from the people at the party before reverting back to human. “Or baku.” Arianna turned into her new baku form and felt the overwhelming love. Arianna returned to her human form and looked at her uncle. “Your response doesn’t change. Why can you look beyond what I am and they can’t?”
“I wasn’t raised to hate dearg-duls, as this generation was. You know that I was a friend of your grandfather’s long ago. I may be leading the war against him, but I hate neither him, nor his followers.” Arianna nodded at the facts she already knew, but it still didn’t change the situation. “Besides,” Gabriel added. “You are not just a dearg-dul or just a baku. You are both, and you will always be both. In dearg-dul form you can walk through daylight like a baku can. I’m just guessing, but I bet you can change into baku form even during the day just like a dearg-dul can. You cross the boundaries between the two night humans. There’s nothing for me to fear or dislike. You are you.”
Arianna reverted back to her dearg-dul form and closed her eyes. She could still feel traces of her baku blood running through her veins. Opening her blue dearg-dul eyes, she stared over at her uncle. “I can feel it. You are right. I’m both at one time.” Arianna closed her eyes again and tried to change over to her new baku form. Arianna noticed, as she opened her eyes, that her uncle actually looked surprised as he stared back. Arianna felt the change. Where she had been mostly dearg-dul and a little baku before, she was now evenly split. “This is my true form, isn’t it?” Gabriel smiled and nodded.
“You are not one or the other, you’re both,” Gabriel replied.
“Took her long enough to figure that out,” Devin replied, stepping from the shadows.
“I couldn’t explain to her how to do that,” Gabriel replied. “She truly is the first of her kind.”
Arianna continued to stare at Devin. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Arianna didn’t doubt the connection she was feeling. Arianna could sense his blood without seeing him, and knew exactly how far away he was. Arianna closed her eyes and searched the party. Turner was standing outside the doorway, and Andrew was still sitting beside his uncle. Things felt different now. She could always sense her uncle before and those she had drank their blood, but now she was even sensing the slightest movements as Andrew flicked his hair out of his eyes. Arianna turned back to Devin and her uncle.
“It seems she can control it now,” Gabriel explained to Devin. “She didn’t even use any of her blood to do that.” Devin smiled.
“About time. That will make my job so much easier,” Devin replied.
Arianna’s thoughts continued to jump between the people she could now feel before she realized what Gabriel had said. “I’m not using up my blood?” she asked.
“Not now,” Gabriel replied.
Arianna stared at him. She hadn’t changed anything, but he was right. She didn’t feel exhausted at all. Arianna looked to Devin, and he nodded in agreement. She closed her eyes and began her search across the country. Nothing changed. She wasn’t tired at all. She found her connection easily, Grandfather. His heart beat slowly. Arianna looked down at her watch. It was early in the night, but he seemed to be resting. Arianna waited a second before she heard it.
‘Ari?’
‘Grandfather? Are you not sleeping?’
‘Ari, promise me you will never leave Devin’s side. He is all you have left to protect you. Gabriel and I failed you in the past. I’m so sorry. We cannot keep you safe. Devin will never fail you.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Arianna felt the soft prick of her finger as Gabriel entered into the conversation.
‘Grandfather, what is going on?’
‘Randolph?’ Gabriel asked. ‘You can communicate with Randolph?’
‘Joining the conversation, kid?’ Randolph asked weakly. ‘Quite a child we have there, huh? There’s a blood connection with over a thousand miles between us.’
‘Old man, quit rambling. What’s happened?’ Gabriel demanded. Arianna felt Gabriel’s concern.
‘Poison,’ Randolph replied.
‘Details, now, before she starts to use up her blood,’ Gabriel ordered.
‘Lord Winter and I have been poisoned. We are currently in my wing of the house under lockdown. I do not know who poisoned us, but we do know that the Tricity has been left unguarded with Lord Winter here. It’s an inside job.’
‘How long?’ Gabriel asked.
‘Six, maybe eight hours, max. We’ve been poisoned by two different poisons. I can tell that I’m the cure for him, and he’s the cure for me. I explained that to Bran, but he won’t take my blood and be cured. We both refuse to let the other die, so now it’s a challenge of who passes out first.’ Arianna felt the heartbeat turn faint before it started back up again. ‘Take care of the child. She will be amazing.’
‘How could she not?’ Gabriel asked back. ‘She’s Travis’s child.’
‘And Tiffany’s.’
‘Hold on old man. We will be there soon.’ Gabriel broke his connection, bringing Arianna back to the world around her.
“Get your plane ready,” Gabriel ordered Molina, who was now standing next to Devin and Turner watching Arianna and Gabriel. “Lord Randolph and Lord Winter have been poisoned.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Arianna stared out at the crowd of people that were blocking their chances of a quick exit. Gabriel had explained that the party was over, but they refused to move. Each person there had felt the presence of Arianna’s new form and was curious. Arianna pulled at Gabriel’s arm as he looked like he was truly getting angry.
“They are just all curious,” Arianna replied.
“We don’t have time for this,” Gabriel reminded her. The crowd was complaining, and Arianna listened to the various conversations.
“We are leaving to go help Lord Randolph,” Arianna said to the crowd, and they booed. No one
wanted to let their precious female baku go wandering over to a clan of dearg-duls. “You just don’t get it. I can feel how much you hate my dearg-dul form, but it’s part of me. I’m both dearg-dul and baku.” As Arianna spoke, she changed into her new night human form. The crowd was silent. “I belong to both sides. So if you continue to hate the other side, you hate part of me.”
“You can’t let her go to the dearg-duls,” a brave man in the middle of the crowd complained. “They’ll kill her for being part baku. Gabriel, please keep her safe. Don’t let her go.”
Gabriel felt the genuine worry in the man’s voice. He replied calmly, “With the signatures of Rafael and Andrew, she is now the head of the family. I cannot disagree with her decisions.” He was as anxious to get to her grandfather as she was, but he could never tell the crowd that.
“She’s still a minor,” Andrew’s uncle commented. “Even as head of the family, as a minor, your decision is final.” He didn’t want Arianna to stay around, but he could also tell that Gabriel was anxious to go.
“That is true,” Gabriel replied with a smirk as he had the upper hand. “And her guardian is her closest blood relative, Lord Randolph, her grandfather.” Gabriel finally let the secret out and the crowd became silent. “Arianna is the child of Travis Grace and Tiffany Randolph.” Andrew’s uncle glared at Arianna. “We won’t be returning until we get everything sorted out at the Randolph estate and Tricity. Patrick will be coming with me, so Rafael will be left in charge of the daily duties of the clan.”