The Legend of the Blue Eyes (29 page)

Rafael chuckled. “Teenagers,” he nodded his
thanks to Gabriel. “And what about below, in the party.”

Arianna closed her eyes and drifted down to
the sounds of the party. People were talking joyously to their
neighbors. Each conversation seemed like it was taking place in the
same room as Arianna. Sounds slowly became distinct voices. She
could make out the shapes and sizes of each person by following
their blood flow.

“Good, good,” Rafael replied. Reluctantly,
he let go of her hand, knowing that his decision was already made
up the moment he saw her sleeping.

“That’s it?” Arianna replied.

“Each of us test in our own way. I can tell
from that where you should be ranked,” Rafael replied. Arianna
stood to leave. As she neared the door, Rafael added, “Your father
would be proud.”

Arianna wanted to stay and ask him what he
meant, but Gabriel already was ushering her to the next room.
Standing at the window, Andrew’s uncle didn’t even turn to her as
she entered. Arianna could easily feel the contempt coming from the
man, and he didn’t try to hide it. She moved further into the room
and stood in the middle, alone.

“Arianna Grace, only child of Travis Grace,
purebred baku,” he replied, still not looking at her. “From such a
prestigious family. Eighty-two baku in written history, five ahead
of my own family.” Arianna continued to stand still, trying not to
provoke the man further as he vented. “And now they have the prize:
a female baku.” Arianna felt him struggle to contain his
temper.

“Close your eyes,” the man ordered. Arianna
did as he asked. She listened as he slowly drew near and walked
around her. More contempt radiated from him. The man paused behind
her momentarily.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Devin
replied. Arianna turned around to find Devin, Turner, and Molina
all holding swords at the man’s throat.

“Isn’t it taboo for one baku to bite
another?” Turner asked.

“No one bites her,” Molina replied. “Without
killing me first.” Arianna shivered at the complete evilness and
hatred that filled the room. All three of her guards radiated
enough hate to match the man behind her.

The man smiled. “Then I guess I cannot vote
on this matter.” Arianna turned to her uncle, who was gripping the
doorway to keep himself from rushing in. Arianna hurried over to
him in an attempt to calm his rage. She wrapped her arms around his
waist.

“I’m safe,” Arianna said quietly, and she
felt as the rage completely disappeared. “They wouldn't let it be
otherwise.” Arianna walked out of the room, leading her uncle away.
“Andrew is downstairs, right?” Gabriel nodded, still unable to
completely contain his anger. At the bottom of the steps, Arianna
stopped.

“He wants me to come in alone,” she
explained to the four people following her.

“No way,” Turner complained.

“He’s right,” Devin said, smacking Turner
for being so blunt. “It’s not safe to leave you alone.”

“Uncle, do you feel anything bad from that
room,” Arianna asked. She could feel something herself, but didn’t
want to tell Turner or Devin that the only thing she sensed from
the baku waiting in the room was love.

Gabriel sighed. “I’ll monitor the room. If
there’s even a hint of malice, we will be there in a moment. I’ll
not be standing back again.” Molina nodded. Turner and Devin had no
choice but to let her go in, alone.

Arianna closed the door behind her before
turning around to view Andrew. He was leaning, shirtless, by the
window across the room, staring at the sky. His pale, chiseled body
glowed in the slight light coming through the panes. While she had
originally thought all the baku looked the same, she could now make
out the slight difference. Andrew’s long white hair had a slight
curl that reminded her of his day human form. Arianna felt her
heart race a little as she looked over at him with her perfect
night vision.

“Did you know that there are over three
hundred billion stars, just in our galaxy?” Arianna asked in a
whisper. Andrew turned his gaze to her. Arianna stood still, her
skin tingling. Instantly, he was standing only inches in front of
her. Arianna jumped slightly, startled. In another instant, Arianna
was across the room with Andrew, who was holding onto her next to
the window.

“Every last one of them is waiting to see
you, to know if it could possibly be true,” Andrew added quietly,
looking at the people still milling around the patio.

Arianna turned her head sideways and
continued to stare only at Andrew.

“You’ve known about me for a long time.”

‘Forever,’
Andrew thought.

“How can…?” Arianna began ask, but stopped
as a multitude of questions filled her mind. There was so much she
wanted to know from him, yet at the same time, nothing needed to be
said.

‘I’ve waited a long time to
find you again,’
Andrew
explained.

“Again?”

‘We were kids the first
time we met. I didn’t know what baku were at the time, but I knew
you were special.’
Andrew’s hands gently
pulled Arianna closer. While she stood almost eye to eye with
Turner in her baku form, she was now a head shorter than Andrew.
Arianna instinctively leaned her face against his chest. Her lips
gently grazed the smooth, white skin in front of her, and he
shivered in response. Andrew stopped his story when he felt her
touch.

Does he feel it too?
Arianna wondered.

‘Yes,’
Andrew replied. Andrew’s hands gently traced her back.
Leaning slightly forward, he kissed the top of her head.

Complete happiness poured off of Andrew as
she tipped her head back to look closer at his face. There was no
need to see his expression to read the emotions he was emitting,
but Arianna looked anyway. Andrew’s eyes were closed, and he took a
deep breath. She could sense that his fluctuating power was coming
back under control.

‘Why are you holding
yourself back?’
Arianna finally asked,
understanding that they were communicating only with their minds
and no blood contact.

‘It’s just a little harder
with you so close,’
Andrew replied.
‘No one knows what my true power is, not even my
uncle, and he’s raising me. If I let go, for even an instant, Uncle
will make a claim to be the top family. With his greed, he doesn’t
deserve such a high spot. I respect Gabriel, and I know he is a
better fit to run the baku clan.’
The
slight contempt beneath Andrew’s feelings surfaced. Arianna reached
up and touched his face. It was as smooth as she imagined. Love
returned to Andrew’s face as he smiled down at her.

‘Sorry,’
Arianna apologized, finally realizing how close
they were standing. She tried to back away, but he wouldn’t let go.
Andrew pulled her closer to kiss her. Arianna wanted to protest,
but the same feelings of love she felt earlier won out. Arianna
wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her off the ground, into
his arms. Arianna traced the hard muscles of his chest as he pulled
her on the couch on top of him. She couldn’t stop her hands as they
wandered over his body. The touch of his skin made her heart
flutter, but at the same time, made her want to continue. Andrew
smiled at the response and kissed her again. She didn’t protest
this time. He easily won his battle.

A cough behind the closed door brought
Arianna back to reality. Quickly, she slid off Andrew and sat down
on the ground, feeling a slight blush return to her cheeks. She
tried to bring her focus beyond the door to her Uncle and waiting
protectors, but the slight beating of the heart behind her kept
pulling her attention. Andrew laughed aloud.

“We need to get downstairs to finish this,”
Gabriel added from behind the door. Arianna stood and continued to
blush as she hurried over to the door. Andrew was right behind her,
now fully dressed, and back to his human form. Arianna hesitated to
open the door, feeling like she just cheated on the two men on the
other side. Two men that had been protecting her since the moment
she joined this new bizarre world in which she was now living.
Andrew stepped in front of her and opened the door. Arianna waited
to feel the jealously hit her, but nothing came. Turner and Devin
still were radiating the same loving feelings as before she had
entered the room. Arianna turned to Turner and tried to question
him, but he just smiled.

“You’re never going to be mine alone,” he
replied a little reluctantly. Arianna grabbed his hand and felt the
loving warmth emitted from it.

Gabriel led the group back down to the
family room, where the other two purebred baku were waiting.

“What is your vote?” Gabriel asked
Rafael.

“I’d say her power is double that of yours,”
Rafael replied. “She will need excessive lessons on how to control
it, but with even a little skill, she will surpass anyone that
we’ve ever seen or even read about.”

“And yours?” Gabriel turned to Andrew’s
uncle, who was now back to his greasy-haired human form also.

“I cannot render a decision. I wasn’t
allowed to complete my assessment,” he replied, smiling wickedly at
the three people standing behind Arianna.

“It’s taboo to drink another baku’s blood,”
Turner replied.

“Not if they are offering it,” the man shot
back.

“I don’t recall Arianna offering it,” Devin
moved in front of Arianna slightly, challenging him. He smiled,
ready for a fight. Gabriel placed his hand on Devin’s shoulder and
ignored Andrew’s uncle.

“And your vote?” Gabriel turned to
Andrew.

“I agree completely with Rafael,” Andrew
replied. His uncle looked on in horror at the young man, as if he
were committing a sin.

“Then the vote is two to one. Arianna will
be given the number one position, and everyone will move down a
rank,” Gabriel replied. “She will function as the head of the baku,
and I’ll be her aide.”

“But,” Arianna replied. “I know nothing of
this world.”

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel turned back to her.
“Until you are comfortable with it, I’ll help to keep things
running.” Andrew continued to ignore his glaring uncle. “So, let’s
go outside and tell everyone the good news.” The three purebred
baku led the way to the garden. Arianna hung behind and found
herself frozen in her tracks.

“What’s wrong?” Turner asked, coming back to
grab her hand and pull her along.

“There’s someone out there, sleeping, for me
to feed on,” Arianna guessed about the delicious smell. “I don’t
want to.”

“Sorry, but you don’t get much of a choice
on that now,” Turner replied. “It’s part of who you are for the
rest of your life.” Arianna remained in her spot, and even with
pulling on her arm, Turner was no match for her strength in baku
form. “It’s really not that bad. You feed on Devin and I all the
time. Just tell them you would like to pass on that meal and have
brought your own.” Arianna had to smile at the offer.

“I can’t feed on you guys right now,”
Arianna said quietly, as Devin returned inside also.

“Then just tell them you refuse to eat,”
Devin added. “It’s not like you haven’t done that before.” He
winked at her, and she finally smiled. “No one can make you do
something if you don’t want to. Didn’t you hear Rafael? You’re the
strongest baku around. You need to follow your instincts.” Arianna
smiled and took his outstretched hand. With both of her protectors
on either side of her, she walked back outside.

“Finally joining us?” Gabriel asked,
noticing that she was warily looking over at the sleeping
ten-year-old. “It’s time for you to complete your
transformation.”

Arianna looked down at the child. With each
beat of her sleeping heart, she looked more and more delicious. The
blood flowing around inside the child pulled her closer. Arianna
drew near and paused as she looked at the child’s face. Dark
ringlets circled her round face. Even one drink would probably kill
the child. Arianna reached underneath the child as the audience
hushed. Pulling her from the sleeping mist, the child began to
stir, and all that was enticing Arianna vanished. The child
groggily rubbed her eyes as Arianna walked into the crowd. Near the
middle of the crowd, a dark haired couple with their teenage son
stared at her. She walked over and handed the child to her
father.

“A child is the most valuable thing you will
ever see. Keep track of her,” Arianna said, turning to walk
back.

“Thank you,” the mother whimpered.

“But our debt,” the dark-haired teenager
beside her complained. The father grabbed his arm, and he stopped
talking.