Bound By Blood (51 page)

             
“There is more…” she pulled out another scroll.
“
Many of you had your memories erased
, for example
Monéaklá Mãrquis
ŕa. You are
not
a Mãrquis
ŕa but a Lampiŕ.
"

             
What is this? What were they up to now?

             
"
Your mother was Chymeŕah and you were stole
n from her at the time of your birth.
We also stole
Samanthŕa
from Kalãe Lampi
ŕ
,
switching you
.
That
was the reason for her madness. The loss of a child she did not know but felt. That is the reason for your closeness to St
a
phãyn
,
Samanthŕa.
"

             
"My brother,
yes
, but by father only, and
not
by Kalãe," Samanth
ŕa refused to believe it. "Chymeŕah is my mother!"

             
"
The scrolls speak the truth.
”

             
Another gasp filled the room.
Chymeŕah
started to rage with protest. “Lies, these are lies!”
Someone grabbed her.

             
“I don’t blame you for refusing me!” Monéaklá screamed and cried, burying her face or at least trying to
,
into Daŕ
ēus chest. He moved away
,
though
,
so she was forced to run to Dĩas
,
who welcomed her with open arms.

             
"Tis why I have been so ugly." Monéaklá ba
wled. "Why I have felt so lost! Why I have hated Samanthŕa and the sisters so! I only wanted what my heart felt to be mine!"

             
“I speak the truth.” Aréel shed more tears. “These are the scrolls to prove it. You can verify these things with the Oracles.” The scrolls fe
l
l from her hands.

             
"Who do you think you are?" Samanthŕa hissed. "Ripping our lives apart like this! You think we will fall for this?"

             
“
You must! And
I must reveal these things now, for
much is at stake. For all the Vii's must be with their proper Awakeners! Power must be returned!
Daŕ
ēus is Monéakl
á’s destined Awakener.”

             
“This is madness!” Daŕ
ēus yelled. “I am the
F
ather of the Blood. Do you
not
think I know
who
I am to awaken?
Do you think I am foolish enough to believe in such nonsense?
”

             
“It is true,” Aréel begged him to believe her, handing him the scrolls. “While you were in the sleep, we tampered with your memories as well. It is all true and much more. Please, everyone stay calm so we can get through this. If these things are not announced by midnight then they will do you no good. Evil will still claim the power and they will be forgotten by morning.”

             
The
room was filled with absolute
buzzing, arguing, and screaming.
“Samanthŕa!” Chymeŕah cried out
,
but the Priestess
did not answer.

             
She was gone.

~
Chapter 16
~

Trust In me

***

I am dream, hazy dream
.

Drawing unto you, wanton of me
.

Trappings we bear
;
fear not these things.

For under these wings,
you can
trust in me
.

***

             
S
amanthŕa ran from the room and attempted t
o leave
the
Realm
entirely but she lacked focus or even a destination. Her entire life had been literally ripped from her in just a matter of minutes. She nearly flung herself over the roof of the North Tower, needing air, needing the night, needing the moons to swallow her up and give her some means of escape. Tears burned her cheeks. Her hair was wild and fallen. Her dress had snagged
and torn
i
n her rush to free herself
,
p
ossibly on a piece of furniture. C
urse it all, she didn’t care.

             
In her agony, in her trifling
disgrace
of pain, in her complete and utter loss of birthright and those she adored, she screamed with all her soul devouring
misery, falling helplessly to the cold, lifeless stones beneath her.

             
In an answer to that pain, feeling it deep with
in his soul, two arms of Daŕ
ēus lifted her and misted them away before she could take notice
of
what was happening
.
The world around
her changed to that of his
Realm
, to his darkened Gothic chamber, to the layered
masses of furs before a
roar
ing
fire. Her limbs weakened, let go of him gently
,
but not his of her, no, he held on, pulling her tightly into him, there on the floor.

             
“It cannot be…” she bawled helplessly into his chest.
“
Tell me
this
cannot be.”

             
“Hush now,” he soothed her, “and pay no mind to these lies. I promise you, we will get to the bottom of this. Just give me time and
trust in me
.”

             
She looked up.
Seeing her reflection within his eyes, t
he glittering dust
was
smeared from her face, the raw splash of anguish bleeding through in its place. “All I have ever known,
taken.
All that I am…
my
birthright,
my
mother…
gone.
”

             
“No, I will not allow it
.
I know who you are.
I know.” He said
this
with words that held the power to carve stone.

             
“But they said, they
said
you
do not know
. They said that your memories have also been taken. They said you belong to…” she could not say her name. She could not speak the name of another especially where he was concerned. Not in that way, no, never in that way. But why? Why couldn’t she say it? Why was her mind in conflict with what she felt, deep inside her very soul?

             
“It is not true. Do not give them this power.
Do not believe
.
” He grabbed
her face w
ith his hands and br
ought
it forcefully, passionately to his face. His hungry lips devoured hers in such a way she never knew
was
possible. In such a way she never even allowed herself to dream. His breath became her breath. His blood, what little blood he had given, burn
ed
inside her, her
beast screaming for release, her fangs, peaking, begging and
dying for more.

             
The flames from his touch consumed her. The fire from his mouth that gave her such life frightened her. She jerked away, choking on her own misery and tears. Her eyes filled with paralyzing horror.

             
“No…” she managed to whisper.
“
No…” she forced herself to her knees, backing away. “You are not mine.
You…are…not…mine
.” More tears spilled from the very eyes that shattered before him. Her trembling
limbs
were
snapping her away as he
obviously
desperately needed to bring her back to him.

             
And silence, silence exploded a barrier of revelation between them. And that revelation spoke the most awesome of truths to her…for the first time, the very first
time;
she
felt
something
…
felt
for a man
.

             
Frozen by such
genuineness,
she managed to get to her feet when Chymeŕah’
s withering voice called out from behind them. “
My daughter
…”

             
Samanthŕa
had
barely turned when her mother embraced her. Her tears created another landslide as she collapsed into Chymeŕah’s arms.

             
“I care not what they say
. I know
what I feel and Monéaklá is
not
mine.
You
are my daughter.
Tell her
,
Daŕ
ēus.
Tell her
!” Chymeŕah ordered him.

             
But he said nothing
,
causing both women to cease their crying and look towards him. His eyes were bleak and cold. He stared soullessly into the fire.

             
“Daŕ
ēus,
tell her
.” Chymeŕah demanded
,
begged of him. “What will we do to correct this?”

             
“I have told her already. There isn’t anything else I can say to conv
ince her. She believes more
the ramblings of
supposedly
reformed Evils than she does in those who embrace her.” He tone was rigid, shocking and without a word more, he left, slamming the door.

             
“
We've no time for the mysteries and nonsense of men.
Come
,” Chymeŕah wiped her face and took her daughter by the hand. “
My mind will remain clear and on track!
Let us return to
our
Realm
.
“

             
“But,” Samanthŕa started to say
,
looking towards the door, wondering if she should go after him.
Something, possibly his blood within her, urged her to . . . urged her--

             
“Leave him to his thoughts. I am sure this is as overwhelming to him as it is to us. In times of tragedy and deception, it is up to women to know what is best and
what
needs to be done. Come,” she raised her hand to mist them away. “
Women set things right. We were made in the image and the strength of the Goddess.
Such is the way of things.”

             
And they were gone.

***

             
F
our nights passed as Samanthŕa heard nothing from Daŕ
ēus
. Chymeŕah’s
Realm
remained
empty. Not even the sisters came. Rumor was they were making their visits to
Daŕ
ēus
’
s
Realm
,
though
, to see the Brothers
,
but Samanthŕa had not he
ard hide
n
or hair of them. Weren’t
they concerned that her birthright was being ripped out from underneath her? Why would they be
?
N
or did she hate them for it. They were free to
A
waken now
,
as were all the other Viis
' whose names of Awakeners were released daily by the lips of Aréel
.
Not that they ever needed the names revealed before. If Evil had not tampered with the fates, a Vii and her Awakener would have found each other naturally. Unfortunately, nothing would come naturally concerning
anything
whatsoever, for quite some time.