Becoming a Legend (2 page)

“
Can’t you just let me protect you?” Devin asked, exasperated by his attempts to keep her safe, which she kept ignoring. Thomas slid into the seat beside Arianna.

“
And what would you’ve 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 ignition. “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 this same argument the week before, and possibly the week before that as well. Arianna opened the door before Devin moved 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 pulling up to the bus shelter. Thomas was close behind, sans his books.

Arianna climbed onto the bus
, and found a seat located at the back. Thomas hesitantly stood nearby, wondering if he should sit beside her or not. Thomas was in the position of being her bodyguard, not by choice, but to work off a life debt owed Arianna’s uncle. Arianna smiled up at him.

“
I won’t bite,” she said. This was her usual comment when he wouldn’t come near her. Tengu weren’t 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 knew that was true. He just couldn’t stop the basic instincts that every tengu had around dearg-dul.

“
I wish he saw Andrew the way I do,” Arianna added, staring off to the street as the sky began to dim and street lights turned on. Arianna felt both Devin and Andrew turned around to follow the bus. Running away was never really an option when she was the sun that everyone gravitated to. Arianna really needed girl time with her friends, but again, they were too busy with their normal day human lives. Thomas would have to do as the only neutral person on her team she could talk to about everything.

“
You know, he’ll never let you be alone with him, so why do you keep pushing his buttons on this?” Thomas asked. Thomas actually sided more with Andrew than Devin, but since his job was to follow Devin’s orders, he had to go with Devin on this issue. “I think Devin could be persuaded to let you be near Andrew if you had more guards and not me. You could’ve had someone else come with us.”

“Like who?
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 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.

“
So 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.

“
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. He had slacked on all his subjects in school for the past year.

“
Sorry about that. I bet spending half the week away didn’t help much,” 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.” Thomas had found his year of indentured servitude fun, though he would only admit that to Arianna.

“You a
lways blame Turner for everything.” Arianna sounded just like a mother scolding a child.

“
Well he’s almost always at fault,” Thomas added. Arianna couldn’t disagree. Turner brought trouble everywhere he went, and slacking off school work was his style. “Let me restate that—not almost. I actually think he’s 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, who also didn’t get along. Arianna figured the dislike came from the food source. Baku and dearg-dul needed blood to survive and thus were in constant competition for day humans while tengu and lycan could use blood, but preferred meat to survive, and thus were also always in competition for food.

“
And after high school?” Arianna turned the conversation back to Thomas’ nearing departure from her security detail. “Once you get away from this crazy life, what will you do?” Arianna asked. Thomas heard a slight hint of jealously in her question. 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 had been the head of a family of dearg-dul, and she was the sole heir. The baku based their leadership on strength, and she was the head there by being twice as powerful as the baku next in line.

“
It will be college. I’ve already been accepted into three colleges, just not my favorite. The eventual plan is for med school, actually,” Thomas replied. Arianna turned back, shocked to hear the answer. “What? I don’t seem like the doctor type to you?”

“
Not really,” Arianna replied. The bus reached their stop, and Arianna led the way off. “More the mad scientist type.” Thomas pretended to be hurt, but that just made Arianna laugh more. Arianna stopped laughing before they crossed the street.

Turner
Winter was standing outside the diner run by Arianna’s aunt and uncle. Arianna indicated for Thomas to be quiet. She walked quietly behind Turner and jumped onto his back. Turner laughed as he caught her in mid-jump and twirled her upside down. Arianna slid out of his grasp and twisted to land on her feet. Turner swept her back up and locked her in his arms. It had become a game to practice sneaking up on Turner. He had the best senses out of anyone in her protection unit, and if she could beat him, then she would be able to sneak up on anyone.

“
You thought you’d get a jump on me?” Turner asked. He slid his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face into her hair. Thomas moved around the display of affection and walked into the diner. Turner held her hand as she slid to the ground. He began to lead the way into the diner, but Arianna stopped him. Things between Arianna and Turner had moved more toward best friends than boyfriend mode over the past year. It wasn’t that Arianna still didn’t adore Turner and his freedom, but she just didn’t feel for him the same way she felt for Devin. Turner, as always, never pressured her for anything more.

“
Um, maybe a walk?” Arianna asked, sensing Devin parking the car behind the diner. Devin walked into view, and Arianna looked away.

“
Sure,” Turner replied. “Bird brain, we’re going out for a walk.” Thomas stopped mid stride and turned back around. Turner ignored Devin as well, but already had his approval. Devin trusted Turner, just not Andrew.

Turner held Arianna
’s hand as they began to stroll down the sidewalk. Thomas was half a block behind them as extra security. Nothing needed to be said as they walked. Turner felt the tension rippling off Arianna from dealing with Devin. Arianna smiled up at Turner and laid her head on his shoulder. He never questioned her judgment, no matter if he agreed or disagreed with her. Turner was the only one that understood her need to be free. Arianna reached up to put her arm around him. She paused and tried to sense the people around her again. It was only slight, but she smelled a new scent coming from somewhere behind them. They were being followed, and she didn’t know by whom.

TWO

Turner sensed her slight hesitation, and wrapped his arms tighter around her. Arianna relaxed a little with her hand on Turner’s back, and she signaled to Thomas to back up further. Thomas paused by the bus stop and pretended to wait. Arianna took Turner’s hand, and they continued to walk to the nearby park. Soon, two people slowly walked behind them: a rather short guy with dark spiky hair and a bleach-blonde who was taller than the guy. They were close enough to sense, but oddly Arianna still couldn’t tell what they were. Turner slipped a protective arm around Arianna’s shoulder, which would be interpreted by anyone else as a display of affection.

“Y
ou ran off without telling Devin again?” Turner asked, while concentrating on the people behind them.

‘
I can’t tell what they are; they don’t even seem like any type of night human I know,’
Arianna said in her head, projecting her thoughts to Turner.

“
I wouldn’t say ran off. I did go to the theater. I just happened to meet Andrew there,” Arianna replied. Turner tried to suppress the small growl that slipped out at the mention of Andrew. The two people backed slightly away, misinterpreting his growl.

“
You know you can’t be alone with him,” Turner brought his reaction back under control. “He isn’t safe.”

“He’s
as safe as you or Devin,” Arianna replied. “Besides, I wasn’t alone. Thomas was with us.”

“
And Thomas is on his side,” Turner added. Thomas coughed his displeasure at the bus stop, now over a block away. Thomas had excellent hearing. The guy and girl following them didn’t hear or pay attention to Thomas.

‘
Neither can I. If you hadn’t been hesitant, I don’t know if I’d have sensed them at all. They seem close to baku and dearg-dul, but not completely,’
Turner replied.

“
You know someone your size needs protecting,” Turner commented, exaggerating his height to make a point.

“
I don’t need protection,” Arianna complained. “At least not from Andrew.” All the dominant testosterone drove her nuts. It was hard enough to be caught between them all the time, but the excessive competition was crazy.

‘They’re
stalking us,’
Arianna commented, not turning around. She felt the followers behind her. Because she was the first female baku on record, Arianna assumed that the girl must be a dearg-dul, but the girl was just a bit different than what Arianna would call a dearg-dul. Arianna couldn’t sense a physical difference, but the girl’s scent was just off somehow.

“You know, I’
m running out of short jokes.” Turner tried to lighten the mood to keep the people behind them guessing. Arianna pulled away from him and punched him lightly in the gut before crossing her arms in protest.

‘
This is exactly what Gabriel was talking about. We need to take them back unharmed and alive. Something is really off with them.’
Arianna continued her pout while they walked.

‘
They almost smell like you.’
Thomas referred to the mixture of night humans that Arianna was.

“
I’m not finished growing,” Arianna complained. Turner was an excellent tactician. She knew where he wanted this conversation to go. “But if I wanted, I could be as tall as you.” Arianna changed from day to night human form. She grew almost eight inches in height. Now she was only slightly shorter than Turner. Turner smiled as she understood his jab at her height.

“
But I’m still taller,” he added, changing instantly to his night human form also. He was now still a head taller than her. Fur covered much of his body and long, sharp claws protruded at the end of each finger. He was an excellent fighter. Those claws could be deadly when he needed them to be.

“
Not fair,” Arianna complained, and Turner swooped her off her feet and into his arms, retracting his claws to be safe. The normally overwhelming feeling of love that pulled Arianna to Turner was subdued by his concentration. “Put me down.” She playfully hit his chest. Turner nuzzled his furry face to hers to make her squirm.

‘
We can’t strike first,’
Arianna complained.
‘Devin and Molina are on their way but want us to wait.’

“What’s the magic word?” Turner rubbed his furry face against her cheek.

“Now?” Arianna guessed. Turner laughed and put her down. He really did have to follow her command, even if he didn’t like to follow rules. Arianna slid to the ground and pretended to pout. Turner then dramatically dropped to his knees and bowed before her.