“I didn’t realise who she was quickly enough. She’s been bitten.” He saw his father stiffen, and whilst his revelation had not been the sum of his emotions, he hoped it would be enough justification for his father to explain his current temperament.
“And who is she?”
“The cure, the reason PB and unwanted transitions are so low.”
His father placed the chopping knife down with a care that spoke volumes about the control he was mastering. As a Blue Coat, Conrad knew his father would have a barrage of questions, but clearly he had read his son well enough to know now was not the time.
“The cure’s a person?”
“It was, until she was attacked,” he growled.
“Grab a knife, help me cut up some more fillets.” His father gestured towards the magnetic knife block on the wall. Grasping a handle Conrad saw his knuckles whiten and made a deliberate effort to slacken his grip, but he knew his father would have seen. He saw everything. “Get cutting. Let’s get you looking a little less ‘hell hath no fury like an if’—”
“Do not mention what we are!” He slammed the knife into the wooden chopping board, splintering the wood.
“I don’t know why you’re so ashamed. We’re something incredible, pulled into existence by Solomon himself. Do you know how many other races can claim to be birthed by escaping from the sorcerer’s cauldron? Our history is fascinating. Our very existence on this plane is noble. We hunt down murderers, answer the cries for vengeance from the deceased. How can you find shame in that?”
“I didn’t use to. But you didn’t see… you weren’t there. Never again. We will not speak of it in her presence. I care for her, and even if we can never be together, I can’t face her rejection.”
Selene listened intently as the young girl before her bared her heart, speaking in depth about things she had held so close for so long. She looked so pale against the redwood table. While her room was part laboratory, that section was sealed off by a wall-to-ceiling sliding partition, which allowed her to have this half of the basement room as more of a work space. Along with the table, where they currently sat, were several book cases containing rare and valuable research and data, along with a few of her own favourite books. Lined with carpet tiles, she liked to think the room had a homey feel, less sterile than had she not opted to divide the rooms. Ashley spoke to her not only of the attack, but of the gift she had awakened just before the age of fourteen. Hearing her talk was fascinating. Ashley was the very thing she had been searching for all these years, and now she had been stripped of her gift.
Selene wrapped an arm around her as she sniffled, speaking of all the things she had intended to do; how she would travel, finding a way to liberate those who had been claimed against their will. There were two things which were curious. The first was that her performing a single reversal of transition could place her on the border of unconsciousness. Someone who was intended to have this gift should have the facility to utilise it without such an extreme detriment. The second was the tears she shed. Ashley had said her saliva had lost its ability to cure, otherwise the tag would have faded, which meant there was no way to explain her tears.
“And they just fled without reason?” Selene continued asking her questions, committing every detail to memory. She watched intently as another tear fought its way through Ashley’s damp eyelashes. With a quick movement, she caught it in a small tube, earning a curious look. “You’re something special. Neither vampires nor Atelís can cry like this, partly because they develop a nictitating membrane from the moment of infection. It’s something you lack.” She answered the unasked question, studying her eyes again. “May I take some blood?” She pulled the metal trolley that had been near one of the bookcases closer, waiting for Ashley to nod before retrieving her supplies from the small drawers within. “Any family history of illness or preternatural bloodlines?”
“No. Well, I mean I don’t know. I was adopted.” Ashley played with the small tree of life pendant nervously, bringing it to Selene’s attention.
“May I take a look?” The moment she lifted the pendant, the cool metal grew warm within her grasp as she sent a small amount of energy to probe it. Turning it towards the light, she saw a multitude of hidden etchings. She had not seen symbols of their like for a very long time. Any other being would overlook them, thinking the soft alterations were merely imperfections of the metal, but she could see the truth, the hidden disc within the pendant. Since their creation, her kind had been attuned to recognise the many works and seals of Solomon. Closing her eyes, she visualised the disc, gasping as the seals and binding works shone through. It was enchanted in levels, intended to increase in strength every seven years. That the person before her had unlocked any abilities at all was inexplicable.
“Do you wear it all the time?”
Ashley nodded as Selene released the pendant. She rubbed her thumb and fingers together, dispelling the intense heat that would have been agonising for any other being. “I think part of you knows this already, but you should never remove it, not unless your life is in jeopardy.”
“Why?”
“Let me run my tests first, then I will answer your questions to the best of my ability. Now, with your consent, after we’ve eaten I’m going to give you an injection. It’ll make you feel dreadful for a few days, but it’s for your own safety.”
“Will it suppress the cravings? I don’t want to be one of them. I won’t!”
“I’m not sure that’s your biggest concern at the moment. As I said, we’ll talk later when I know more. We have a guest room and I would feel better if you stayed for the night. I do have a few more questions about the night you were attacked. Did you know any of the people who attacked you? Did they feel in any way familiar?”
“No. I didn’t get a good look at them, though. You don’t think they’ll come back, do you?” Hearing the fear in Ashley’s voice, Selene reached forward, grasping her hand briefly and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“I won’t lie. If my suspicions are correct, you’re in more danger than you could imagine, especially if whoever bit you that night knows where to find you.” Selene flicked the test tubes containing the samples, her gaze fixated on the ruby fluid. Now it was away from Ashley, she could feel the power calling to her even from within the small, stoppered phials. She had a feeling she knew exactly what this girl was, and whoever had placed that necklace around her neck had saved her from a horrific life. But before she spoke with her about what the blood showed, she had to be certain. She had to run the tests.
“That’s all for now. This’ll take a while, so why don’t you join Conrad. If you want to freshen up first, there’s a bathroom just off the hall.” Ashley nodded in response, whispering a quiet thank-you before leaving.
Selene turned her attention back towards the blood samples, a weighted expression lining her brow. She could not even consider keeping a record of what she was about to do. If this girl’s blood fell into anyone’s hands, her life would be over before it had begun.
Opening one of the small metal cabinets lining the far wall, she removed a tiny transmitter before plugging it in. When all the lights were aglow, she logged into her network, selecting her own personal decoy data mode.
One of the more convenient aspects of her role was the leeway she was given. Many of her groundbreaking discoveries had emerged from hypothetical work achieved by tricking the computers into believing something existed in order to see how things would react and interact. When first she had attempted this on a live system, she had created a building-wide panic resulting in a twelve-hour lockdown. Since then, she had been given a privacy tool, and a data mode which allowed her to utilise all the system’s functions, while not broadcasting or storing the data unless instructed to do so.
The second benefit was, of course, this impressive laboratory, which had its own manner of preternatural-repelling Faraday cage specifically engineered to prevent detection and infiltration by magical forces. Anything
that happened within here didn’t exist as far as anyone outside the room was concerned, which was just as well, given what she was holding.
Chapter 6
Ashley stared at herself in the mirror. It had seemed like a good idea to wash her face, hoping to remove the tell-tale signs of her tears. The problem was, not only had it failed to soothe the redness of her puffy eyes, but now that she had washed away the make-up, the harsh tone of the purple bruise seemed to stand in stark, eye-drawing contrast against her pale skin.
Her stomach churned and she wished she could hide herself away in the bathroom until she could leave. Gritting her teeth, she forced her shoulders back and emerged from the safety of the locked room. This family now knew more about her than any of her closest friends. She had felt compelled to tell them the truth, to share her burdens. More than that, she had felt safe. She liked to think of herself as strong and independent, but the truth was, since the attack she had felt anything but. Steeling herself, she walked slowly through the entrance hall, hoping the hair falling across her face would hide the mark.
Following the sound of a hushed conversation, Ashley made her way towards a large room. It was a kitchen any chef would dream of. Black granite work surfaces encompassed the room corner to corner, sitting atop of the ebony cupboards with their contrasting white outlines. In the centre of the grand room was an island, with a number of high stools surrounding it and a vase of brightly coloured flowers. The sizzling from the brushed steel hobs drew her curiosity as the fragrant aromas assailed her senses.
“Please tell me you were serious when you said I could stay for food.” She tucked her hair behind her ear coyly. “It smells heavenly.”
It had only taken Conrad turning to look at her, for her to regain her internal balance, to feel at ease. It was strange the effect he had upon her; one look from him seemed to set her world to rights. But his smile faltered as his eyes were drawn to the bruise. Before she could rearrange her hair, he closed the distance between them, his eyes smouldering with anger as he raised his hand, gently cupping her face. The touch sent small jolts of energy chasing through her and she felt herself leaning softly into the touch her, own hand finding its way on top of his, almost as if to hold him in place as their eyes met. She found herself frozen, losing herself in the powerful emotions in his gaze. The golden flecks seemed to intensify, growing brighter until gazing within his eyes was akin to staring at the golden hues of sunlight upon a turbulent ocean’s surface. Dazzling. She felt herself being drawn closer, the heat from his body enveloping her in a strong aura of protection. Biting her bottom lip, she committed herself to this one final pleasure, bringing her lips closer to his. His warm breath upon her flesh caused her heart to quicken as she moved to close the remaining distance.
“Welcome, pull up a stool.”
Ashley startled on hearing another voice in an existence that, for a moment, had only been herself and Conrad. She hadn’t even noticed the other figure standing there. Heat flushed through her, her cheeks burning in embarrassment as she turned away, removing his hand from her cheek as she turned her back to Conrad and the other figure.
“I’ll get you a drink,” the older man said. She could hear the amusement in his tone, and dared a glance towards him, relieved to see his easy smile. With a nudge, he handed the spatula to Conrad, urging him towards the cooking food. “What’s your poison?” She must have paled because he stammered over his next words. “W-what I mean is, we’ve a well stocked fridge. Orange juice, apple, lemonade, something stronger maybe?”
“Orange will be fine, thank you, Mr Mendel.” She smiled.
“Reuben,” he corrected, opening one of the cabinets to reveal an integrated fridge.
“You doing okay?” Conrad asked over his shoulder as he attended to the skillet.
“I’m sorry about earlier. That wasn’t how I wanted to tell you.” Ashley grasped the glass, turning her focus to the orange segments floating on the surface of the juice. She took a sip, seeing a flash of annoyance cross Conrad’s features. It wasn’t until he spoke again that she realised he’d misinterpreted her statement.
“And how did you want us to find out? When you suddenly had to deal with the blood-lust, or were you planning to go missing?” His eyes bore into her accusingly, reading something in her expression. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
Closing her eyes, Ashley promised herself that as soon as she could, she would have to work on guarding her expression, as Conrad read her too easily.
“What I don’t get is why I can’t smell their affliction on you. You’d been wronged, but why didn’t I know?”
Ashley brought her hand to her nose, giving herself a tentative sniff. “I do shower, you know.” She blushed, feeling strangely defensive.
“Yeah, but…”
“Haven’t you noticed, Con?” His dad quirked an eyebrow, taking over the cooking. He wafted the rising steam towards him before reaching to the wooden spice rack to add something from one of the many tiny glass jars. “She doesn’t carry a scent at all. Just laundry powder and soap.”
“Scent? Wait, are you—”
“Shifters,” Conrad interrupted, before his father could respond or offer a correction to whatever she may have been about to say. The realisation caused her mouth to hang slightly agape as she finally placed the feeling she had within his presence, although a second later she felt her brows furrow. That couldn’t be right. What she felt when near him wasn’t the same as she had felt in the presence of other shifters. There was something pure, earthy and natural about the sensation she normally had from them, but being near Conrad caused her temperature to spike and a pressure build within her chest. Being near him somehow seemed akin to a warm drink on a bitter day. Warm and comforting—safe—her mind added. Every preternatural species seemed to possess their own different sensation. The only time it seemed wrong, something other than natural, was when someone had been forced into a change against their will. That was when her saliva worked, or had. It didn’t reverse preternatural alignment, it merely gave those who had been forced into the life a chance to be born anew.
“So you can’t tell specifics then. How did you know when you’re needed?” Conrad questioned, something akin to relief in his voice.
“It’s hard to explain. Natural preternaturals have a certain feeling about them. I knew you weren’t human, but I couldn’t place you into any group I’ve encountered. I guess different shifters must have different presences, it’s not something I’ve noticed, but then again, it’s not like I go around asking people what they are. My talent wouldn’t undo the natural or willing, only those exploited or forced into something they don’t want. It’s like their essence calls to me, telling me of the violation. Those in desperate need will seek me with their eyes, their souls calling to mine. The further into their transition, the more taxing it was to reverse.”
“That’s why you collapsed the other night. He was a vampire.” Ashley saw something akin to relief flicker briefly across his stunning features, before his eyes rested on her with such intensity, she couldn’t help but shiver.
“He was, but it looks like those days are behind me now.” The sound of a plate being placed down caused her to startle.
“Just in time.” Selene smiled as she saw the table being laid. “After we’ve eaten, we have something important to discuss. Ashley, I’m going to have to ask you to trust us. Do you think you can do that?”
Ashley raised her gaze to meet Conrad’s and she knew the answer without any hesitation.
Ashley’s cheeks burned from the easy smiles that had crept over her during the meal. It had been a long time since she had last sat around a table with a family. She had almost forgotten how it felt. Reuben had dominated the conversation, telling her about the area where they had lived before coming here. It wasn’t until he started recounting some of his more grisly investigations that she realised who he was, but his tales were soon cut short by Selene warning him that the meal table was no place for such gr
aphic stories. When Selene excused herself from the table at the end of the meal, Ashley stood, collecting the plates and taking them towards the large double-sink.
“Please sit,” Conrad instructed. “Mum would not approve of a guest helping out.”
“But you cooked, so surely I should clean?” she protested, clutching the plates close.
“Our house, our rules,” he teased, echoing a phrase she had used during their movie night, when he had attempted to help her clean up the following morning.
Clicking her tongue, she placed the crockery down and returned to her place, sitting awkwardly as Reuben scrutinised her. After a few moments of silence, the sound of running water and dishes being loaded into the dishwasher gave him the perfect cover to ask the question that had clearly been preying on his mind.
“Did you file a report?” His intense gaze was overbearing, the weight of his stare causing her to shift uncomfortably in her seat. It was no wonder he was so renowned for his investigation work. Just being trapped in his gaze made her want to confess her every indiscretion.
“Pardon?” she questioned, adjusting her cardigan slightly. Her fingernail snagged in her hair, making her feel even more flustered than before.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help noticing the bruise, and Con mentioned you’d been—”
“Dad!” The dishwasher door slammed closed, causing the crockery within to rattle. “You’re not at work. Ashley’s our guest.”
“A good detective is never off duty,” Reuben proclaimed, before passing a hand through his hair. “But he’s right. Sorry, Ashley, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“’Interrogated’ is the word you’re after, dear.” Selene placed her hand on Ashley’s shoulder, causing her to flinch. “Honestly, this is why our son never brings anyone home.” She shook her head slowly, her gaze fixed on her husband until he seemed to wilt before her unimpressed expression. “Speaking of privacy, I’d like to discuss what your blood has revealed but, given what I’ve learnt, I’d like for Reuben to be present. What I’ve uncovered is complicated, and I would value his input. However, the decision is yours.”
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