Tentyrian Legacy (31 page)

“Last time I did, she didn’t respond well.
She ran off! She thinks this is a cult and I’m the evil
mastermind.”

“She will come around. She can’t deny what
she is forever.” What am I?

Beep beep beep.

“Have you tried reaching her in her
mind?”

“Yeah, but she has a wall like a fortress.
And since she isn’t human, I couldn’t even apply any basic
suggestions.”

“Try it now. She has enough of the drug in
her still so she is in a slight dream state. Her subconscious will
be more open.”

A warm hand smoothes my brow. I hear a
whisper, “Matia mou, let me in.” The warm hand is replaced by a
cool energy on my forehead that grows stronger and starts to
tingle. His energy, it’s crackling, it’s pushing at me. I’m weak,
but rather than fighting against it, I accept it. Maybe because I’m
too tired? But maybe it’s because too much of what I’ve heard and
seen indicates I’ve misunderstood something . . .

Within a flash, I’m no longer aware of what’s
happening outside my body. Instead, I’m acutely aware of what’s
happening within. I’m standing inside the pristine white walls of
my mind, the safe place I go to in meditation. I appear as I always
do in my safe place, in a white simple tank dress with my hair
loose. But this time, I’m not alone. I see Maximos. I know that I
am not imagining him . . . He is actually standing there as if it’s
real life. No one has ever breached my mind or my dreams before.
But there he is, standing with his hands clasped behind his back
like the devil himself. Or a vampire. His jaw is locked tight, and
his eyes are glowing like sapphires.

“I didn’t think you were going to let me in,”
he says, letting genuine surprise show on that chiseled face.

“I’m tired. And I let you in because I need
answers. I can hear what you are saying about me, out there.” I
gesture beyond the white room we are standing in. “Something is
going to happen to me. What is it?”

“Your body is embracing your genetic code and
undergoing the final process for you to reach Tentyrian adulthood.”
He says it matter-of-factly, like this is all supposed to make
sense to me.

“You told me you . . . were a vampire. That .
. . I’m going to be a vampire.” My words come out an awkward
stutter.

Maximos comes closer and takes my hand in
his. This time I don’t run. There isn’t a rational explanation to
the events of the last couple days, and there isn’t a rational
explanation as to why Maximos is in my head. For the first time,
the reality of what Maximos has been saying sinks in. I feel . . .
lost.

“I’m going to help you through this. You have
nothing to be scared of,” he says.

“Now you are the one that is lying,” I reply.
The hard lines of his mouth soften in sympathy.

“When you undergo the Turn, you will
experience the Tentyrian thirst for the first time. It’s difficult
to control. The first twenty-four hours are the hardest, but after
that, it will get easier . . . I promise.”

“You mean for blood? You are saying I’m going
to want to drink from and kill people?”

“Yes. But you won’t kill anyone. I’ll make
sure you have the nourishment you need. You aren’t in control of
your powers yet, which means you won’t be ready to feed on
humans.”

“Oh my God, oh my God, feed on humans?” I
start to pace the white expanse of the room. My bewilderment is now
full-fledged panic. This is not a reality I want to live in.

Beep beep beep

“You need to calm down.”

“How am I supposed to calm down!”

“You must try. Can I show you something?”

I stare at him in disbelief. What can he show
me that is going to make what he’s telling me palatable, or even
calm me? But that innocent question, combined with the melody of
his voice, is enough for me to pause.

That’s when I feel something cold and wet on
my feet. I look down to see that it’s water. A small stream is now
flowing between us. How did water get in my white room?

“Are you doing this?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yes.”

“How? This is my space. I control it. No one
has ever even come in here . . .”

“My skill is in dream walking. I can create
things—experiences in dreams that we have when we sleep. You aren’t
in REM sleep right now, but it’s still possible for me to enter
your dream because the lingering drug is keeping you in a
transitional state. With humans, it’s much easier.”

Maximos waves his hand at the water, and it
becomes wider and deeper. I step back quickly to keep my bare feet
from touching the icy water. But when I step back, it’s onto soft
green grass. I see now that we’re in a meadow dotted with white
hydrangea. My favorite—how did he know? I even spy a family of
rabbits. The white walls around me are now gone. Instead, there is
only beautiful blue sky and downy white clouds. The stream between
us bubbles, and I can hear a faint hum of cicadas.

“This is amazing,” I remark.

“Watch, what do you think of this?” Maximos
coaxes his finger at the ground, and a young sapling starts to inch
its way upward. At first it’s just a small thin trunk, but with
more urging, it grows into a fully aged tree. The limbs and vines
then groan, bend, and twine to form two swings.

“Shall we?” Maximos asks as he smiles
playfully and hops over the river to my side. He then sits on one
of the swings. I’m not sure what to say, so I mimic his actions and
sit on the swing next to him. My hands hold onto the green vines
that serve as rope, and I give myself a light push with my feet.
The tips of the grass tickle my toes. My dress billows with the
motion. I could never dream up such a tranquil place on my own.

“Feel better?”

“Yes.” I breathe deeply. Rather than
reflecting on how only moments before I was about to have an
aneurysm, I find I’m captivated by the air. It’s lightly perfumed
with that same flowery but exotic scent I smelled on my skin
earlier.

“What is that scent?”

“Lotus and myrrh. It’s an ancient Tentyrian
perfume. It reminds me of home.”

“Tell me about your home?” I ask. Maximos
looks at me with an arched brow. I’m surprised at myself for even
asking.

“I will, but are you ready to hear it?”

I keep swinging and ponder the thought. The
wood seat underneath me is firm. The vines I’m holding are strong.
I’m not about to fall, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m
Alice, fallen down the rabbit hole. Since I first met Maximos, I
had been followed, my mentor kidnapped, my apartment invaded, and I
had tried to escape Maximos not once but three times. Not to
mention I had been shot with a tranquilizer dart. Or I think all of
this happened. Is it possible that I’ve gone crazy?

“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s real
anymore—like these beautiful flowers and this stream. Maybe I’ve
lost my mind? Maybe I’ve been a schizophrenic this whole time and
my hallucinations have finally caught up to me. You may not even be
real . . .”

Before I can finish my thought, in a blur of
motion, Maximos plucks me from the swing and places me on the soft
grass in his lap. My arms instinctually reach for his
shoulders.

“What was that for?” I ask.

“Does me holding you right now feel
real?”

“Yes . . . but it’s not.”

“But it is, though. A mind, Tentyrian or not,
is a powerful thing. What you can experience in a dream, for
example, can feel just as real as ‘real life.’ Just because it
isn’t happening out there doesn’t mean it’s any less significant.”
I look at him doubtfully, but his strong arms don’t falter. I push
myself away into a sitting position across from him. I already miss
the comfort of his arms around me. But the sensation and confusing
emotions I’m feeling are overwhelming. For me to accept everything
that’s happening requires faith, which I’m not sure I have.

“It’s difficult for young Tentyrians to come
of age,” says Maximos. “And it’s been especially hard for you, I
imagine, because you haven’t understood what’s happening.”

“I still don’t.” I roll a dandelion in my
palm, scattering the fluff into the breeze.

“You will, with time. You were fortunate to
have someone like Aman Raad who recognized your unusual situation.
I’ve read your file, and it’s a miracle he found you and developed
the treatment regimen he did.”

“He did what no one else could figure out,” I
say softly. “He did what we call ‘Guardians’ do,” replies
Maximos.

“You’ve lost me.” I know I’m staring
helplessly at him, but what else can I do?

Maximos patiently leans back on his hands and
smiles like he is about to begin a teaching moment. He hands me a
dandelion.

“When every Tentyrian child is born, a
Guardian is appointed to him or her. They are sworn to protect and
help the child grow into his or her legacy. Guardian families run
in parallel to Tentyrian ones, and their ancestors carry on with
the duty to protect the Tentyrian children.”

“But why? What’s in it for them?”

“Honor, love, protection, wealth. They aren’t
like employees or even your modern-day notion of slaves, Arianna.
They are part of our own families too, and they are treated as
such.”

“You said Guardians help them grow into their
legacies. What does that mean?”

“Every Tentyrian has a unique ability that
starts to show in childhood, but it isn’t until they reach the age
of twenty-five that they have full control over it. Until then,
they must grapple for years trying to hone their skill. Guardians
help with this learning process, and when the Turn happens, they
are the ones who help their charges get through the thirst and
embrace their power.”

“So are there others like me?” I ask.

Deep sorrow shadows Maximos’ face. “No,
unfortunately not. You are now the only one with your unique
skill.”

“You said ‘now,’ though. What happened to the
others?”

“They were massacred.”

“Oh.” I’m not sure what else I should
say.

“It was 52 BC when it happened . . .”

“Wow. That was a long time ago. And you’re
really old . . .” I can’t stop myself before the words tumble out.
Maximos laughs.

“So what happened?” I ask, trying to calm the
growing bloom in my cheeks at my comment.

“We were betrayed by those who were power
hungry.”

“Who?”

“The Dark Coven. They are the same people who
are after you.”

“You’ve lost me again.”

“I’m sorry; I know this is a lot to take in.
And we don’t have to talk about everything now if you don’t want.
I’m just glad you aren’t trying to run away from me again.”

“Sorry about that . . .”

“Don’t apologize. I put you in an impossible
circumstance. And you wouldn’t be who you are if you didn’t try to
fight.” Is that a look of respect he’s giving me?

“Why didn’t you come after me, though? When I
ran from you.” I can see his nostrils flare.

“Because I was afraid I would hurt you.”

Now I’m really confused. “Why? You said
yourself you are trying to protect me.”

“I am, but when you cut your foot on that
china—something overtook me. I was afraid if I went after you right
away, I could have hurt you.”

“So it was because of my blood?”

“It’s more than that. You’ll soon come to
see, blood is an intoxicating thing. Especially the way yours is
for me. Combined with a chase or hunt, it’s easy to lose
control.”

“Will all blood taste the way yours tastes to
me?” I ask tentatively. “Oh, you mean the blood that was so
disgusting to you?”

“Yes . . . well no,” I say awkwardly. “Hmm?”
says Maximos slyly. He knows . . . “Fine, it tasted amazing,” I
admit.

“And that was just now. After the Turn, blood
will take on a whole new meaning for you. But all blood tastes
different. No two people are alike, and neither are the way they
taste.”

“Am I going to be bloodthirsty and evil? Like
in the movies?”

“Not unless you decide to be,” he says
seriously, “and don’t believe what you see in the movies.”

“So it’s a conscious choice?”

“Yes. Although at first it may not feel so
black and white. I’ll be there to guide you, though. You aren’t
alone in this.” “What if I don’t want to drink blood?”

“You’ll die.”

“Is that how you die, then—starvation?”

“No, but it can be. Think of Tentyrians as
super humans. We are stronger, faster, and healthier. Our bodies
are also able to regenerate and self-heal. If an injury is bad
enough, we’ll die just like any other human. However, it takes a
great deal of trauma for that to happen.”

“Will I live forever then?” “It’s
possible.”

“It sounds lonely.”

“It can be. But there are others like us. And
you’ll get to meet them when you wake up.”

“Are you referring to your Navy SEAL team?”
Maximos laughs again. His rich voice gives me butterflies.

“I’ll have to tell the Brothers you said
that.” “Are they your real brothers?”

“Not in the biological sense. But we’ve been
together a long time, and I think of them as such.”

A question is nagging at me and I want to
ask, but I’m . . . what? Scared. It feels like rubber bands have
somehow gotten around my heart. My chest feels tight. I want to ask
. . . but I don’t . . . Oh hell, just ask.

“Do you have a family, like a wife . . . and
children?” “No.” Snap, the rubber bands are gone.

“Did you ever?”

“Not in the way that you think of a family.
But I did have my own people who were like that to me. We were
called the Leo Coven, and I was their leader.”

“Leo, like the horoscope sign?”

“Yep. Who do you think invented it?”

“You? You’ve got to be kidding,” I say,
incredulous.

“No, I’m not kidding.” Maximos looks slightly
affronted. “It’s just, I thought horoscopes were fake?”

“They are—but Leo as an astrological sign is
very much a real thing. It’s just that time erases the memory of
creation.”