“But, if one drop can heal a wound like that, why can’t I help at least some of these people?” Arianna complained.
“One drop, diluted in water, could heal a lot of people,” Turner guessed.
“It’s against the rules,” Molina replied, putting an end to their train of thought.
“But,” Turner began his protest.
Arianna involuntarily shivered as she felt grief overcome her, not to Molina’s response, but from someone close. Arianna closed her eyes and began to wander the estate with her senses. Arianna paused at her grandfather’s apartment. Gabriel was all alone in the room. One tear trickled down her face as she reopened her eyes. She looked straight across the group around her into Devin’s eyes. Devin nodded, as the conversation around them continued to argue over why she couldn’t use her blood.
“Is this your decision?” Devin asked, interrupting the arguing.
“Yes. I want to use my blood to help,” Arianna replied.
“But Lord Randolph’s order…” Molina tried to remind Devin.
“We follow the orders of the leader of the family, correct?” Devin asked in reply. Molina nodded in confusion. “Then we will follow her orders.” The group stopped, and all turned to Devin for an explanation that wasn’t needed.
“We won’t let her overuse her blood,” Devin replied to Molina, who was still in shock. Devin offered his hand to Arianna, pulling her away and back down the hallway, to the ballroom.
Turner ran and grabbed the closest pitchers of water.
“One drop in each,” Devin explained.
“Just one?” Arianna asked.
“Your blood is more powerful than all the dearg-duls in this room,” Gabriel replied, coming up behind her. “One drop is more than enough.” Arianna followed their orders while not looking directly at Gabriel. Devin and Turner hurried around the room, pouring water into the glasses of the injured people.
“I need to leave now,” Gabriel said quietly to Arianna. “I told Patrick and the others to head back, and I must meet them there. All sides have been attacked.” Arianna wanted to protest, but remained silent as she still couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Everything is changing, and I’m needed at home to make sure it is alright. I’ll check on Lilly and Dean when I get back.”
“Is he really gone?” Arianna asked.
“Yes,” Gabriel replied.
“What does one do when a night human dies?” Arianna asked, still unsure of the world she was living in.
“Celebrate their lives and remember every moment you spent together.” Gabriel placed his arm around Arianna to comfort her. “And the answer to that question is: nothing. Dearg-duls turn to dust and are gone in the wind.” Gabriel took Arianna’s hand and placed a ring in it. “He lived a long life, regretting only the loss of you and your mother. He did his best to make amends.” Gabriel nodded to Devin, who was still circling the room. “They’ll take care of you.” Arianna nodded. “You are in charge now, here and back home too. Don’t worry about home for now, as I’ll be there to take care of everything. I’m never too far away.” Gabriel vanished as fast as he had appeared.
Turner returned with two more clean pitchers of water. Arianna nodded and pricked her finger another time.
* * * * *
Arianna was glad to return to her own room after the long day dealing with the injured. Opening the door to her apartment, Arianna paused, catching the faint scent of her grandfather. She looked absently across the room to the stairway. He was already gone, but there was something of him that lingered on.
“Why don’t you go get some rest?” Devin suggested. Arianna nodded. “I’m sure the council will all be arriving soon. This is only just beginning.”
Arianna opened the door to her room and stared around the neatly organized space. The whole mansion had been in chaos all afternoon, but her room looked like it hadn’t been touched. On her desk, a small laptop computer was playing the same clip over and over. Arianna paused to stare at the new addition to the room before scanning for any intruder. Arianna walked closer to the computer before sitting down. She could faintly sense her uncle, and didn’t fear that the computer was part of a stunt to kidnap her. The screen loop began again. Reaching over, she turned up the sound.
In the main ballroom of the Randolph manor, a small blond-haired girl ran across to an older man. The child giggled and laughed as she caught up to the man. The man reached over and placed the young child on his own feet. As they whirled around the room to the sound of a familiar tune, Arianna finally caught a close look at their faces; it was her grandfather and herself. She watched her younger self gracefully dance around with her grandfather, giggling at every chance. As the song ended, her grandfather paused near enough for the camera to pick up their conversation.
“Papa, again,” the young Arianna demanded.
Lord Randolph laughed. “I am an old man, child. One dance is enough for me.”
“Again,” she demanded, the stubborn child that she was.
Lord Randolph plopped unceremoniously to the ground and lay on his back, giving up.
“Really, I’m old and tired,” Randolph complained. Young Arianna climbed up onto her grandfather’s lap and stared intently at the old man.
“Hmm,” she paused and pushed a bit on his wrinkles in his face. “Nope, not old,” she determined, and Randolph laughed, much more happily than Arianna remembered hearing.
“I am old, child, even if you do not think so.”
“You can’t be old. Old people die. If you die, then there would be no one to take care of me,” young Arianna began to sniffle.
“Child, child,” Randolph comforted the small child as he hugged her. “You will never be alone. You have so many people that care about you. And remember, Devin promised he would watch over you some day when I am gone.” Arianna looked up to the camera before smiling. Quickly, she jumped off her grandfather and ran over to the camera. The camera shook as the person holding it tried to dodge the child running after them.
“And that’s why I’m going to marry him,” Arianna declared before the camera dropped to the ground. Feet momentarily blocked the view as a young Devin ran from Arianna. Lord Randolph slowly stood, and walked over to the camera while the two children ran around the ballroom.
“You are special. You have the power to change the world, and I am too old to stay around to see it happen. Good luck my child. Your destiny awaits,” Lord Randolph said to the camera. “And know that I love you, very much.” The computer screen was momentarily black before the loop restarted at the beginning. The same scene began again. Arianna watched the loop continuously until there was a knock at the door. Devin let himself into the room.
“They have all arrived,” Devin commented. Arianna stared at the screen and nodded. “If you want to wait, we can deal with this tomorrow,” he added. “I can tell them you’re too tired.”
“It won’t change anything, will it?” Arianna asked, finally looking up. “I’ll still have to deal with them?” Devin nodded. “Then we deal with it now.” Arianna looked down one last time at the child dancing with her grandfather. She smiled and closed the laptop.
“I love you too,” she whispered in the direction of the closed computer before accepting Devin’s outstretched hand.
“We do this together, right?” she asked, wavering slightly.
“Together,” Turner replied from behind Devin, offering his hand also.
Arianna left the room, not looking back. Destiny was waiting.
Coming Soon—Book 2: Becoming a Legend by B. Kristin McMichael
Chapter 1
Arianna Grace stepped on the brake harder than she expected, and the occupants of the car all jerked against their seat belts. Arianna blushed as she put the car into park. She had officially been driving with her driving permit for three months now, but she still couldn’t step softly enough on the brakes to keep everyone from lurching forward each time.
“Sorry about that,” she said with a gig
gle. Thomas Collins scowled in the back seat, having been jerked from the book he was studying. Thomas’ one year stint as Arianna’s personal guard was coming to an end in less than two weeks, and he was anxious to get on with his life. Part of getting on with life included getting his grades back up so that he could get into a good college.
“Stop apologizing,” Andrew Lucan said, flipping his dark curls out of his face. “Everyone is a bit choppy when just learning to drive. Arianna nodded, though not completely reassured. Legally, Andrew was old enough, at eighteen, to be teaching her how to drive, but he was really only a year older than Arianna.
“So, do you have a date for your birthday party at Gabriel’s yet?” Andrew asked as nonchalantly as he could.
“No, are you asking?” Arianna teased.
“Only if you’d say yes,” he replied. Andrew looked across the movie theater parking lot that they were now sitting in. After concentrating for only a few seconds, Andrew looked back to Arianna, who refused to look in the same direction.
“You didn’t tell him you were out with me?” Andrew asked.
“Um, no,” Arianna replied. Thomas’s head snapped up from the back seat.
“Not again,” Thomas complained quietly to himself.
“Ari, how is he ever going to trust me if you keep running around behind his back to see me?” Andrew asked. Technically there was no running involved, since they were driving, but Arianna didn’t think it was appropriate to add that.
“He’s never going to trust you,” Arianna wanted to elaborate as to the reason for that, but she had promised Devin she wouldn’t. Arianna glanced over to Devin Alexander. He looked perfectly relaxed, leaning against his car, staring down the road they had been driving on. His sandy blond hair drifted perfectly over his sky blue eyes. To the outside world, he was just a teen waiting for someone, probably to meet up with at the movie. A cool, collected teen standing around on a brisk spring day in just a t-shirt and jeans—his normal attire. But Arianna knew otherwise. His arms crossed his chest loosely, but his hands were pressed against his biceps a little too tightly. His thoughtful, aloof look was actually masking his worried, but angry, look. He seemed to be leaning against the car, but he was actually very tense, and he was ready to spring across the parking lot in an instant.
Andrew raised an eyebrow to question Arianna, but chose to not vocalize his opinion. “So, you will be back next week?” Andrew asked, avoiding the subject of Devin.
“Yep, as soon as I can get away from the Randolph estate.”
“That will give you one more day to practice before your test?”
“Yes, if you can help me just a bit more. I really want to get my license before I turn seventeen, but two days after will have to do,” Arianna complained. Everything that had happened in the last year had made it impossible for her to find any time to practice driving. She knew the theory well enough from classes she had taken before she even turned sixteen, but experience was a whole other area left untouched. She only saw her guardians Dean and Lilly a few days a week, and they were always busy with the diner they owned. The rest of the week, she was living at her late grandfather’s estate, and there was no reason to drive anywhere when there were chauffeurs to drive anything that had more than two wheels.
“Yes, but you must promise me, next time you will tell Devin,” Andrew nodded across the empty parking lot.
“Why? He doesn’t tell me where he’s going, why should I tell him?” Arianna was always stuck between Devin and Andrew. Neither really trusted the other.
“Ari,” Andrew sighed. “I need you to behave. Devin will never trust me if you insist on sneaking around like this.” Andrew was a night human, baku to be exact, and Devin was not. Trust was hard to come by, being that a night human killed Devin’s family when he was a kid.
“And what do you need his trust for?” In the baku community, Andrew ranked just below Arianna and her uncle Gabriel. Andrew didn’t reply, so Arianna changed the subject. “The answer to your question is yes.” Andrew still didn’t reply, but she could sense the happiness behind his scowl. “So, I’ll see you next week?” Arianna asked awkwardly.
“Yes, same time, same place,” Andrew added. He reached across the seat before she could open the door and slightly touched her face. She was getting used to the surge of emotion she felt at the touch of skin, but his was always stronger than most. On her previous birthday, Arianna became a night human, a very special night human. While night humans were classified into four distinct races, Arianna was a mixture of two, and she was the only one like that who existed. Arianna wanted to break eye contact, but in doing so, he would just send even more emotions her way. Arianna reached up and touched his hand. He smiled at the emotions he read from her, knowing that his need of her was reciprocated.
Arianna opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. She closed the door and turned to begin her trek across the parking lot to the person waiting for her. Thomas followed Arianna; he didn’t want to get between them when they began to communicate with their eyes only. Devin remained casually leaning against the car, now staring at Andrew as he drove away.
“Next time, tell me before you change your plans,” Devin said, opening the back door of the car for Arianna.
“You are not my parent,” Arianna argued, not getting into the car. Arianna’s parents were dead for crossing the line between the races of night humans. One had been baku and the other dearg-dul, Arianna was a mixture of both.
“How am I supposed to keep you safe if you don’t listen to me?” Devin gripped the car’s door to keep from moving forward.
“If you haven’t noticed by now, I can keep myself safe,” Arianna complained. Devin stood, holding the door open for her. Thomas waited behind, not moving until Arianna did. Arianna sighed as she got no response from Devin and slid into the seat.
“Can’t you just let me protect you?” Devin asked, exasperated by his attempts to keep her safe. She ignored him. Thomas slid into the seat beside Arianna.
“And what would you have said if I told you I was going to go driving with Andrew?” Arianna asked, already knowing his reply.
“Absolutely not. He isn’t safe, and we both know that.” Devin started the engine. “Baku cannot be trusted, and that family is especially unsafe.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Arianna replied. “His uncle isn’t safe, but Andrew is. He would protect me with his life if he needed to.” Devin sighed. They’d had the same argument the week before, and possibly the week before that as well. Arianna opened the door before Devin could move the car out of park. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think I need a ride home after all.” Arianna raced from the car, across the parking lot, to the bus that was pulling up to the bus shelter. Thomas was close behind, sans books.
Arianna climbed onto the bus, and found a seat located at the back. Thomas stood hesitantly nearby, wondering if he should sit beside her or not. Arianna smiled up at him.
“I won’t bite,” she said. This was her usual comment when he wouldn’t come near her. Tengu were not very trusting of dearg-dul, and since Arianna was part dearg-dul, he always hesitated with her. “At least not without asking first.” She grinned at him. Thomas sat beside her. He had watched her for a year, and he knew that was true. He just could not stop the basic instincts that every tengu had around dearg-duls.
“I wish he could see Andrew the way I do,” Arianna added, staring off to the street as the sky began to dim and street lights flickered on. Arianna felt both Devin and Andrew turn back to follow the bus. Running away was never really an option when she was the sun that everyone gravitated around.
“You know, he never will let you be alone with him, so why do you keep pushing his buttons on the issue?” Thomas asked. “I think Devin could be persuaded to let you be near Andrew if you had more guards, and not just me. You could have had someone else come with us.”
“They all kind of hate Andrew,” Arianna replied.
“Turner seems
to be able to control himself around him,” Thomas added.
“Yeah, but the two of them in one car is way too much tension for me.” Turner and Andrew had both made their intentions for her affections obviously clear. “Have you ever been crushed by love? And jealous love at that?” Thomas laughed. Arianna smiled at the sound. Thomas was serious most of the time, and his laugh was something Arianna never grew tired of.
“Then your stint as my protector is almost done. One more week and you’re free. What’s next?” Arianna asked trying to change the subject to calm herself down.
“Fixing my grades. I think I need to get extra credit in every single class,” Thomas replied, pushing up his wire-rimmed glasses to stare out the window with her.
“Sorry about that. I bet spending half the week away didn’t help much this year,” Arianna replied.
“Nah, it was fun,” he added. “I just found it was easier to slack since the dog was setting such a good example for me.”
“You always blame Turner for everything.”
“Well he’s almost always at fault,” Thomas added. Arianna couldn’t disagree. Turner brought trouble everywhere he went, and slacking off of school work was his style. “Let me restate that—not almost. I actually think he is at fault every single time I can remember.” Arianna laughed. The war between Turner and Thomas was more personal than just the difference in their night human forms. Lycan and tengu never got along. It was why they each sided with the baku and dearg-dul. Arianna figured the dislike came from the food source. Baku and dearg-dul needed blood to survive and were thus in constant competition for day humans, while tengu and lycan could use blood, but preferred meat to survive, and so they were also always in competition for food.
“And after high school?”
“It will be college. I’ve already been accepted into three colleges, just not my favorite.”
“So, once you get away from this crazy life, what will you do?” Arianna asked. Getting away wasn’t an option for her. She was born into her life, and she couldn’t change her destiny if she tried. Her grandfather was the head of a family of dearg-dul, and she was the sole heir to it. The baku based their leadership on strength, so she was the head of the clan simply by being twice as powerful as the next baku in line. Thomas could hear a slight hint of jealously in her question.