Phobia (Interracial Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria) (23 page)

“
Franklin wasn’t a Red Phoenix stronghold.” Wisteria wanted to add,
it was a small town of scientists trying to figure out a cure and they also believed Felip was helping them,
but Merce was right. “Radala was my friend and the one of the few members of your Family who was ever nice to me.”

“
You do not understand why.” Merce guessed. “You believe all of us hate humans?”

Leaning against the wall to stop herself from slumping,
Wisteria didn’t answer.

“
Look around, there are no Thayns here. Like the rest of the Fifth Pillar, I do not keep them. I would not imprison them and I do not believe your people should be slaves,” Merce assured her. “I hope in time, you will believe that I am your friend.”

“
Sure.” But Wisteria had been tricked many times before this.

“
Our people almost killed her and her beloved, I would be cautious too.” Merce glanced at Enric. “Leave us, everyone.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but Merce waved him away.

Once they were alone, Merce turned to Wisteria. “I can tell you a lot about the First Pillar and probably some things about your father and Ivy. I am sure, you’re mother told you a lot, but I hope I can fill in one or two of the blanks.”

“
How did my father die?” Wisteria asked without thinking. “Who from the Family did it?”

“
He was killed by an immortal.”

“
An immortal, as in the Family or the Dy’obeths?”

“
We are not immortal. We simply live longer than most humans. Dy’obeths live extended lives, because they feed on each other and on the Family’s essence.” Merce shook her head. “The immortals are pure magic.”

“
Why did they kill my father?”

“
The Family are not the only ones who wanted the First Pillar to stay away from the discovered realms. You have a lot more enemies.”

“
Other aliens hate humans?”

“
Other Supernaturals fear the humans of the First Pillar,” Merce corrected. “It is hard to believe that humans, a people so child-like, can be so feared.”

“
Why?”

“
Because you are powerful. So much so, they were sent away from Earth by the humans three thousand years ago because they mistook their knowledge for witchcraft.”

“
Why are they so advanced?”

“
If I knew, I would be like them. The First Pillar do not want this, so for the most part, they keep away from other races and the humans from Earth. When Hemlock came, I had to track him down personally. I needed to see at least one First Pillar before I died.”

“
What did he look like?” Wisteria asked.

Slowly, Merce reached into her pocket and t
ook out a small piece of paper, which she offered to Wisteria.

Sitting next to the woman, Wisteria took the paper.

It was a photograph of a short teenage-boy, smiling as he stood next to a slightly younger version of Merce. She looked to be in her fifties. The boy had short hair and wore a white shirt buttoned up in the front.

Wisteria
studied the picture and asked, “Where was this taken?”

“
Hong Kong, almost twenty-six years ago. It was the last time I saw him.”

“
He was a kid.”

“
So, are you.”

“
He
was
very short.” Studying the image of the boy who was barely Merce’s height, she imagined what her life would’ve been like if he’d been around. “I mean—tell me what I need to get from the Hall of Ages.”

“
I cannot tell you what is in the Hall of Ages. No one alive has ever been inside and no records exist on what was stored within the walls.”

“
You’re sending me in there and you don’t know what I’m supposed to get?”

“
No.”

“
How many artifacts and other junk are in there? In the Room of Ages, there were thousands of things. This hall is supposed to be even bigger.”

“
According to the stories of my people, there are millions of artifacts, maps, books and documents.”

“
Sen-Filla Merce, how am I supposed to find something when no one knows what it is?”

“
Because you are First—”

“
Don’t say First Pillar because that’s never helped me before.” As she spoke, a glass flower vases next to Wisteria cracked.

“
You are more powerful than you believe,” Merce continued. “Your instincts have kept you alive, as long as you keep on trusting them.”

“
My instincts?”

“
That was how you opened the threshold that brought you back from Jarthan. On some level, you discerned what needed to be done.”

“
I got lucky.” Wisteria rubbed her sweating hands.

“
Your instinct tells you, you remain bonded to Bach even though he has been transformed into a Dy’obeth.”

“
That isn’t instinct. I can feel it.”

“
And your tiredness and dizziness—you understand that is more than a side effect of the blood serum Coia gave you,” Merce continued.

“
Enric told me.”

“
But you know what it is.”

“
I’m recovering from the treatment and it’s probably complicated by the Mosroc.” Wisteria shrugged. “That’s not instinct, it’s common sense.”

“
Child, your body is changing—”

Suddenly
, a loud scream cut through the air.

Enric burst
in and ran across the hall. “It is coming from outside.”

Mome
nts later, Turia hurried through the front door without her scarf. Her once elegantly long dress was ripped exposing her legs, her knees were bloody and her face was bruised. Her tanned skin now looked almost completely white. “Grandmother, I—” She raced over to Merce.

“
What’s wrong?” Merce asked.

Bewildered, Turia
seemed to slow down as she made her way to her grandmother. “I do not understand.”

“
Turia, what is it?” Merce rose.

Grabbing Merce, Turia shook her.
“We cannot stay here. Everything has gone insane out there.”

“
Calm down and talk to me.” Enric stepped in front of her. “Who is out there?”

“
Get up grandmother.” Moving to Merce, Turia helped the woman to her feet. “Get to the threshold.”

“
Turia tell me what is going on?” Merce insisted. “Have Dy’obeths come to make us swear the loyalty oath?”

“
No—I saw—Father,” Turia stuttered. “He is outside.”

“
You are not making sense. He died twelve years ago.” Merce frowned.

“
Grandmother, I saw him. He attacked me with a knife.” Turia’s eyes darted from side to side. “Yes, he was dead, but he is—not. Listen, we must leave now.”

“
Relax, we are anxious because Dy’obeths have taken over. Do not worry. Soon, we will leave the desert,” Merce said.

“
Grandmother, I said I saw Father. He had a scar on his cheek.” Pointing her trembling finger at the door, Turia moved past Enric and Wisteria. She raced down the hall to the room where Hailey and Garfield were. “Enric, I will activate the threshold, get her over here.”

“
I am going to take a look,” Enric suggested.

“
Hold on, we should leave.” Wisteria grabbed his arm, escaping seemed like the right thing to do.

He glanced at her hand and slowly at her as if to sa
y,
do not touch me
.

Letting go, she
gestured back toward Turia. “Maybe we should listen to her.”

“
There is nothing out there.” Enric marched toward the front door. Opening the door, he revealed a large sandy garden with green and purple cacti. “Nothing and no one is out here.”

Across the garden was a six or seven foot decorative metal fence and on the other side
, members of the Family were passing by. Like Enric and Merce, they were dressed in 1930s style clothes, though most weren’t as finely dressed. This must have been because Merce and Enric were wealthier.

But that didn
’t matter now, she needed to keep away from the race who more often than not wanted to kill or enslave humanity. Fortunately, the people didn’t see her. They seemed pre-occupied as they hurried about their business. Strangely, all the people on the street were heading in the same direction and with great speed.

“
Is it normal for people to be moving like that?” Wisteria instinctively pulled out her sword as Enric looked out the door. “It’s as if they’re running from something.”

Grimacing, Enric closed the door.
“Okay, it is a little odd.”

Unexpectedly,
the door swung back open, hitting Enric in the face.

A
seven-foot tall man stormed in. From his decaying skin, rotting clothes and foul stench, it was obvious he was a biter, except this one had faded green eyes, not red like the human infected.

“
D’cara
,” Enric cried as he fell. “Do not—”

“
There’re biters here?” Wisteria charged at the massive flesher. Leaping up, she sliced off the man’s head.

The head rolled down the hall
, stopping a few inches away from Merce, who stood frozen staring at it.

“
I did not need your help.” Enric got up.

Not answering him, she inspected
the biter’s body as a black liquid oozed from its neck. “How long have you had biters here?”

“
They are not biters because he was a Famila.” Slamming the door shut, he bolted it. “I also did not need your help in protecting me. I would have stopped it on my own.”

“
Enric, you needed my help. The reason you brought me here is
because
you need me. Don’t ever forget it!” Hopping over the biter, Wisteria headed back to the room where Garfield and Hailey were. “You—” Something grabbed her ankle. Glancing down, she saw that headless biter’s hand clinched her leg. “No.” She kicked at the biter to try and get it to release her foot, when that didn’t work, she swung at it with her sword and sliced off its hand.

The
headless creature kept crawling toward her.

“
Why isn’t it dead?” Wisteria backed down the hall.

The biter
’s body reached over and picked up its decapitated hand, seemingly screwing it back on.

Moving back, she bumped into Garfield who
’d stepped into the hall.

“
What is that?” Garfield drew out his crossbow and arrow.

“
Oh— dear—it is Manric!” Merce edged out of the end room, glaring at the biter’s head that had now rolled down the hall. “My son. “

“
Radala’s father?” Enric raced toward Merce.

“
He was. He’s a reaper now.” Merce crouched down close to it. “What kind of evil knowledge did this?”

“
Return back into the parlor. I will take care of this.” Enric told Merce.

“
It is a reaper.” Merce shook her head. “Have you ever dealt with one before?”

“
Reapers do not exist,” Enric replied.

“
Well, it’s pretty impressive for a non-existent creature.” Garfield poked at the head with one of his arrows.

A
banging and screaming came from outside the front door.

“
They are coming for us.” Staring at the front door, Merce got to her feet and backed into the parlor. “We need to leave like Turia said.”

“
Sen-Filla Merce, what are reapers?” Wisteria followed her.

The boys trailed after them.

Enric slammed the parlor door shut behind them. “Sen-Filla Merce that—was not a reaper.”

“
Like there are no Dy’obeths,” Merce replied.

“
Sen-Filla—” Enric continued.

“
After everything you have seen, you still question what I tell you?” Merce gasped in frustration. “The Dy’obeths used reapers to wipe out entire cities.”

“
Those are stories,” Enric remarked.

“
According to those stories, reapers hunt down and murder their bloodline starting with their closest relatives. They do not stop until everyone is dead. The longer it takes to track them down, the less stable reapers become and the more likely they will attack people who are not from their bloodline,” Merce explained.