Bloodlines: Everything That Glitters (32 page)

“So I’ve heard,” I responded.

She pulled me into her father’s office and shut the door behind us. “Most of us you have already met, Centure, Benjamin, Gillie and Skylark. Have they not told you the story?”

“Bits and pieces of it. I don’t think they believe I’m strong enough to handle the whole truth.” I sat down in one of the office chairs. “And they may be right,” I mumbled.

“Give up wanting to be human and they may tell you. Why do you want to be one of these people anyway, why is it so important?”

I inhaled deeply; there was no real reason why I wanted to be like everyone else. Maybe if I knew a little more about the person I am now I wouldn’t want to be the person I used to be. “Tell me what you know, I’m sick of being in the dark. Also, who is Skylark?”

“Skylark is Psenora’s sister and also the one who was entrusted by Centure to watch over you. The rest of us have settled down and had children of our own. The names are unimportant, what is important is the fact you know; there is a war coming. You should be getting ready for that, instead of busting your ass here.”

             
“Maybe you’re right,” I agreed while twirling a loose thread hanging from the chair.

“There’s no maybe to it, I am right,” she got up from desktop and walked toward the door. “This whole thing has become bigger than your poor family history.” 

“Did it honestly take nine people to escape Xyonthis? Did everyone else lose their memories like my mother?” I questioned while rising up from chair.

“Benjamin created something that would reverse that side effect of leaving our home in the forest. But after your father died, your mother decided that she didn’t want her memory anymore, the pain was too much for her to bare.”

This was more information than I‘d gotten in a while and I needed time to digest it. “It’s pretty crazy out there, I should get on the floor before Louise comes looking for me. Which, by the way, is he one of us?” I walked over to the door.

“No, he is human. I’ve altered his brain to make him believe that I am his daughter. Just a fair warning, don‘t
ever
make me slap myself again.”

I smiled as I walked out of the office, after tying the apron around my waist I trotted into the main floor. Two families had already sat down at my tables, waiting to be served. I grabbed the order ticket pad from behind the bar counter and walked over to family number one. “What can I get you guys today?”

***

Eight o’clock came before I realized it; I had just finished cleaning my tables when Nikko came strutting through the door. “Are you ready to go?” He asked, following behind me as I tried to untie the apron.

“Yeah just a minute. Untie this please.” I replied while moving my hands so he could take the knot out. I walked to the back of the store and hung the apron up on the hook; in the last eight hours I had manages to smell really foul.

“See you tomorrow Louise,” I said as I passed his open office door.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Yeah it is a little passed eight o’clock,” I replied, stopping to look into his office door. I always wondered what it was that kept him crammed in there so much; today was one of the first days that he had actually came out and interacted with anyone.

“Well, see you in a few days.” He half smiled then looked back at his computer screen.

I walked back to the front and passed Christina at the bar. “I’m ready Nikko, bye Christina.” I reached out for Nikko’s hand then led him out of the front doors. I inhaled the late
autumn air as I stepped onto the lit porch. “Have you ever tried to talk to your mom about me?”

He hesitated for a moment then looked down at me. “Well,
technically
, your mom is my mom’s sister.”

My mouth dropped open. “Don’t tell me you said what I
think
you just said,” I responded as my stomach cramped.

“I said technically. Since Genesis woman aren’t born of blood, they’re not related as Wade and I are.”

I shook my head; I was already in too deep. “But they are still sisters. Which would
technically
make you my cousin.” I stepped down from the concrete porch and onto the graveled ground, “This just got weird.”

“You can talk to my mom about it when you meet her tonight. Please don’t be offended if she showers you with hugs and kisses. She’s wanted me to bring you over for a while now. You are her niece, after all.”

“It’s when you say things like that, that makes me feel so dirty,” I responded as I walked around the wood building and into the dark surroundings while Nikko followed behind me and slid his fingers through mine. Ovals of light blue light flashed around me and the gut-dropping feeling came and went. Suddenly we were standing in my bedroom.     

“I told my mom we would be there around 8:30 so you have enough time to do whatever you need to do.”

I walked over to the dresser and got out of a nice pair of panties and a bra from the top drawer then took a step toward the closet and slid the door open and pulled down a pink and white stripped button-up shirt and a pair of slacks. I held them both up to face Nikko, “To dressy?”

He sat on the bed and shrugged, “Not if you were going to church or on a job interview.”

I laughed then hung them back up in the closet. “Jeans and tee then?” I said while taking another look in the closet. I felt Nikko’s warm body heat emitting from behind me.

“Nothing is always an option too. At least for me it is,” he spoke softly as his hand made its way up my outer thigh then traveled slowly up my back.

I passionately kissed his firm yet soft lips; my body uncontrollably began to heat as I welded my body to his. Small sparks nibbled at my body, gradually increases the beat of my heart until it was bound to jump right out of my chest. Nikko’s electrical surges swarmed around me, daring unstoppable moans to escape from my lips.

“Is anyone here?” he whispered.

“You would have to go and check for cars outside.”

Although I would have rather have dealt with the consequences later, it was probably the best idea that he go and scope things out. He pulled away from me slowly while dropping tender kisses down my neck. His hands wondered down the sides of my body and lifted the black shirt I wore up and over my head. They shirt landed with a small thump on the floor and my bra was next to follow.

I broke away from him, “Go check, please.” I saw the light frustration pass over his face.

“Meet me in the shower,” he replied before disappearing. 

I grabbed the towel that hung on the back of the chair and headed for the bathroom down the hall. I wrapped it around my exposed chest and stepped out into the dark hallway. From the darkness I could tell that no one was here, not even Corey. The light in the bathroom was on however and I could see the steam from the running water seep from under the door. I smiled and pushed the door open; Nikko was standing in the middle of the bathroom completely naked. “Took you long enough,” he said as I stepped into the room.

“So I take it we are all alone then?” I said as I dropped the towel to the floor and stepped closer to him. Once again I was thrown into a sea of hot kisses; with one hand cupping my breast, Nikko used his free hand to tug at the button my shorts. Anticipation built with every small yank until the button was finally free and he slid then down my legs and to my ankle. I stepped out of them and brushed past him and got into the running shower. The water beaded gently on my skin, stinging in all of the right places. Nikko got in behind me, stepping in front of the water and blocking its every approach.
             

“I love you,” I whispered, jumping onto his waist. “It’s soon I know, but you’re the only thing that makes sense.”

He ran his fingers through my hair then kissed me softly, “Loved is relative,” he smiled.

A small tear appeared in my eyes and slightly blurred my vision as I realized then that he was everything I could ever dream of and from then on, I didn’t want to live my life without him in it.

Friday November 19, 2010

The last week of school had ended for the holiday break and I found myself only balancing trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together with work. I looked down at the small diamond and watched as it glistened in the sunlight- it was always a reminder of better days.

Things between Ash and I were getting better, now that I was beginning to accept my new life; I had Nikko to thank for that. Although it was snowing, I continuously rocked back and forth on the porch swing. I didn’t care much for weather; it was always one temperature in my world. Today was an
all-out do-nothing day, no work, school or any other obligations and I loved every minute of it. I heard Corey moving things around in the living room as I gazed out into the distance, I figured she’s come out here to check on me so I cleared the books I’d been reading from the seat next to me.

Soon enough she was opening the door and stepping out onto the porch. “Are you alright? It’s freezing out here.” She held out a sweater for me but I turned it down.

“Yeah I’m fine, thanks but no thanks for the sweater but I only feel one kind of temperature.”

“Can I sit here?”

I patted the cushion next to me and she walked over and sat down. “Do you want to go for a drive?” he asked while she looked at me. “I haven’t gotten my license yet, but I do have permit. I promise not to wreck your car.”

“Yeah sure, let me just run and grab my phone.” I got up from the swing and took a step towards the door.

“No need. I saw it on the couch and grabbed it before I came out here.”

I smiled and reached out the grab the phone from her. “It’s about to die anyways, I should probably go and put it on the charger but I won’t.” I put it into my pocket then walked towards my car. “Did you happen to grab the keys before you came out here as well?”

“Yeah I have them,” she said excitedly as she got into the driver’s side of the car.

“Do you have some place you want to go in particular?”

“Not really, just want to get away from the house.”

She pulled out of the driveway and drove down to the main road. The sun was high above us, shining down directly through the sunroof. As we drove, I gathered a lot from our conversation, suddenly realizing that I was indeed overeating about a lot of things and humans weren’t all they thought they were cracked up to be.

I looked ahead through the windshield at the yellow lines on the road, noticing that as we drove the lines seemed to shift from in front of us to directly below us until I was looking down at them. We were at least ten feet from the ground.

In the distance, I saw a lady walking in the middle of the road; her intense blue hair was short and silky. I watched the shadows of the trees began to move forward and pull apart as Corey prepared herself for battle- this was obviously not one of the good guys.

The doors opened on both sides of the car and we were invisibly forced out of the car, snapping the seatbelts in half. The unknown force was binding; I struggled in vain to break free but the more I moved, the tighter the grip grappled me. I glanced down at the blue haired woman, she was much taller than me and her eyes burned an intense orange. I opened my mouth to scream for my brother but something clasped my lips shut. Beside me Corey was still kicking and trying to break free.

“No need to try and get away or yell for the human. I would just like to speak to you briefly, if you agree with what I say, I shall let you go.” She stepped closer to us then looked up at Corey, “Hello Skylark
, long time no see,” she smiled. “My name is Masaya, the Lord Steward of the Queen’s Court. I have been searching a very long time for you, young one. I’ve been here for a total of three days and I believe that you are of more used to me alive than dead,” she paused then nodded her head. The crushing force ceased and we were slowly placed back on the ground.

“For what?” I demanded after I had the use of my mouth back.

“There are rules Alizarin, rules that both of your parents broke. By now you should know that you are half Genesis, half god and although impure, still a Goddess.”

“So you‘re Skylark?”
I looked over at Corey with confusion.

“Yes,” she replied while looking down at the ground.

As much as I wanted to I couldn’t bring myself to hate her, at least she wasn’t on the bad team and was working with me for a change. “So what do you want from me? Why go through all of this trouble to find one bastard child?”

She smiled at me warmly. “If you are not for me then you are against me. Join me in the royal courts of Xyonthis or die, those are your only two options.”

Do not be afraid my child, she can only temporarily harm your body.
The whispered thought was from a man- one I did not know.

Who and where are you
? I answered.

My name is
Hero, where I am is unimportant. Accept who you are and you will know a power like no other
.

My mind raced as weighed a great deal of options; embracing who I am came easier than I thought as I closed my eyes and gave in to the force that clawed away at me from the inside every
day. Being a human was great, but being a Goddess was even better.