by Mia McKimmy
Elle chuckled as if Riana had meant to be funny. She hadn’t.
Thirty minutes later, Kyra finished going over their class syllabus. She turned and glanced at the wall clock behind her. “Take a fifteen minute break until Commander Oz comes to speak with you about Sivadia. He runs the League of Protectors, and was on the ships that came to Earth. He was the most decorated warrior on Sivadia and continues to be a warrior for our race on Earth. Please accord him your highest respect.”
Riana and Elle went outside to stretch their legs before the next class. The compound hummed with activity. A group of girls entered the gym at the other end of the building.
“I’m not looking forward to the self-defense classes,” Riana said.
“Why? You’ll be fine. I’ve taught you all the moves I know.”
“Yes, but we’ve also made that Kyra chick mad enough to kill us both. Did you see that look when we got to class?”
Elle chuckled. “You mean me, don’t you? I’m not so sure she really is a chick.”
“You’d better not let her hear you say that,” a small voice chimed in.
Riana and Elle’s eyes met before glancing around for the tiny, disembodied voice. They both stepped back as a young girl jumped from behind a shrub next to the building. Long, dark hair in loosely braided pigtails framed a face so perfect all she needed were wings to look like an angel.
“Why is that?” Elle asked.
“Because I’ve seen her mad, and it’s not pretty,” the child said in a singsong voice.
What on earth is a child doing at the compound? And from her warning, she’d seen their ill-tempered instructor become violent. Riana plastered on a fake smile to cover her surprise. “How old are you?”
“I’m nine. My name’s Lily Magnolia. Kyra is my sister.”
Riana and Elle looked at each other with wide eyes.
“Hi. I’m Riana, and this is Elle. Are you visiting your sister?”
“No, I live here.”
“Do your parents live here, also?”
“No. They’re dead,” Lily said in a matter-of-fact tone as she skipped around the shrub. “Feeders killed them. That’s why Kyra and the Protectors are going to kill them all. Just for me.”
Riana’s heart clenched at the thought of such a young child losing both parents. Feeders had taken her father’s life. Even though her mother stayed focused on work, at least she’d had one parent.
“I’m sorry.” Riana kept her head down so the girl wouldn’t detect the pity in her eyes.
Lily grabbed two of the branches and began dancing as if the shrub was her partner. “It’s okay. I like it here. The Protectors are my family now. I’m going to marry Cy when I grow up and become a Protector like him and my sister.”
“That’s cool. Is Cy your boyfriend?” Riana asked.
Lily’s warm brown eyes flashed and her face lit with a smile. “Oh, yes! He calls me sweetheart, and beautiful, and his special girl.”
Riana smiled at the child’s crush on the Protector. “Well, it sounds like he’s very special. You’re a lucky girl.”
Lily’s small chest puffed out. “Yes, I am.”
Kyra came out one of the other doors and called Lily’s name.
“Bye,” Lily yelled over her shoulder as she ran toward her sister. She reached Kyra, took a leap and landed piggyback on her. The sisters laughed and headed across the compound toward the Protectors’ lodge.
“Man…my respect for Kyra just shot way up,” Riana said.
Elle nodded. “Mine too. With her job, it couldn’t be easy raising a child.”
Riana and Elle went back inside to wait for the next class to begin. A serious-looking male strode through the door, and a hush came over the room. His large, muscular frame dwarfed the auditorium. A ruggedly handsome face and short, caramel colored hair with matching eyes did nothing to soften his look. A stark, black mustache and goatee added to the intensity. When you looked at him, a voice in your head screamed, “Do not mess with me unless you’re ready to die.” He sat down on the edge of the desk and it actually had the nerve to creak under his weight.
A deep, rumbling voice echoed through the room. “My name is Ozeas. You can call me Commander.”
Commander. How appropriate. When this man spoke, he commanded your undivided attention.
“I’m going to tell you a little about our planet and why we were forced to come to Earth. I do this for each new class. I believe hearing it firsthand from someone who was there, gives a better understanding of what your ancestors faced.”
The commander’s gaze scanned the room, and then froze when he reached Riana. Her breath caught, and she wanted to shrink further into her seat under the scrutiny of his stare. His mouth parted as if he were about to speak directly to her, but instead gave his head a slight shake and continued his lecture. Riana released the breath, more than a little thankful for whatever pulled the intensity of his stare away.
“The world we came from was beyond anything you could ever imagine. For those of you who have witnessed the lights of the Aurora Borealis, that’s what every night was like on Sivadia.”
He walked over and dimmed the lights, picked up a remote control and turned on an overhead. “These are works of art done from memory by an artist who came to Earth. Although nothing could compare to being there, they give you an idea of Sivadia’s splendor.”
Riana’s eyes widened as a picture of lush mountainsides flashed on the screen. Instead of the deep greens of Earth, the trees were vivid shades of teal, some almost blue. The picture changed to a city. Muted sunlight reflected off tall, golden buildings, the streets crowded with people going about their day. When it changed again it was night but not dark. The sky was lit by swirling colors similar to those found in a rainbow. It looked so… enchanting. The next slide was of a glistening ocean lit by three moons hanging over the horizon. The beaches sparkled as if diamond chips were strewn throughout the sand.
As the next picture popped on the screen, Riana took a sharp breath along with the rest of the room.
The commander’s voice boomed in the silence. “This is a Haagon. The head of a jackal on a body like ours. Only they ranged between seven to ten feet tall and averaged five to seven hundred pounds. These creatures were monsters. When they invaded Sivadia, their massive size and numbers made them impossible to defeat. If you were lucky, they killed you outright. Those who survived capture were placed in bleeding camps and used to feed their enormous population, while they raped our planet of its resources.”
As the commander stared at the hideous creature, tension pulsed in his jaw. His gaze returned to Riana, and his features softened, giving her a glimpse inside the outwardly hard exterior. The sadness in the depths of those caramel eyes took her breath. It must have been horrible to see so much violence, death and suffering.
“Only two hundred Sivadians escaped our planet with their lives. When we arrived on Earth, the year was 1725AD. Once we realized the advantages we held over Earth’s population, we vowed on the death of our king never to use humans as a blood source, or prey on any species the way Haagons had on ours. That vow became the first law we made in our new world. Little did we know, one day it would start the war that divided our race.”
He turned the lights back up and clicked off the projector. “King Cieran had two sons. Cygan was chosen to succeed his father on the throne. His twin brother Vindius was chosen to command our army. The war began when we discovered Vindius and his troops had begun feeding from humans. No longer satisfied with the synthetic blood we drink to survive, they became addicted to the endorphins released in human blood, which causes volatile, unstable behavior.”
The commander walked around and stood in front of his desk as if he wanted to make sure he had everyone’s attention. “Female feeders lost the ability to conceive when a group of witches cursed them. The curse was specific to anyone who kills to consume human blood, leaving us unaffected. That’s where you come in. They’ll use you as a breeder,
until you are a hollowed shell of your former self. When you’re no longer able to conceive, they’ll either turn you into a feeder, or drain you.”
A collective gasp came from several girls behind her. Her mother had explained in great detail what happened to abducted girls. But hearing it from a stranger sent a chill up Riana’s spine, neck and scalp. Every hair on her head prickled.
“The other part of the curse leaves feeders unable to walk in full sunlight. While we are only sensitive to bright sunrays, the curse amplified their weakness to it. Between the changes brought on by their addiction, and the witches’ curse, we no longer consider feeders as Sivadians. They are merciless killers. What you learn while here will become your best chance of avoiding abduction. We’ll teach you more than you ever knew existed about feeders. More importantly, we’ll teach you to defend yourself. The next few weeks will be fast paced and exhausting, but absolutely necessary for your survival.”
The commander dismissed the class and stood beside the desk with his gaze locked on Riana. He was so intimidating. She clutched her notebook to her chest, and kept her head down as she passed.
“Ma’am, may I speak with you for a moment?”
Riana stiffened, but turned and looked into his eyes. “Yes, sir?”
“What is your name?”
“Ayriana Martin.”
“You resemble someone I used to know. What are your parents’ names?”
“My mother is Analae Martin.”
His breath hitched and he cleared his throat before speaking. “And your father?”
“His name was Cadas. He died before I was born.”
The commander paled and eased down to sit on the desk.
“Commander, are you all right?”
Maybe he knew him. I shouldn’t have blurted out he was dead. “I’m sorry, commander. Did you know my father?”
“Yes…I believe I did.” His voice was a little flat and uncertain. “Your mother…is she well?”
“She is. She works for the Sivadian Extension Council, and stationed at the CDC in Atlanta. Did you know my father well?”
He stared vacantly into space, nodding his head.
A million questions catapulted through Riana’s mind. If he knew her father, maybe she could get some answers she’d always wanted—answers her mother had avoided like a CDC pathogen. “I’ve never met anyone who knew him besides my mother. It seemed to upset her when I asked questions, so I actually know little about his life. If you have time while I’m here, I’d love to hear anything you remember.”
Riana waited for a response. The commander’s continued silence and head bobbing, suggested he wasn’t even in the present.
Damn.
“Okay…well, it was nice to meet you, Commander. I’ll tell my mother we met.”
She turned to leave, but stopped when she reached the door and looked back. His expression was unchanged, but she could’ve sworn she heard him mumble. “So will I, sweetheart.”
That’s strange. I must have imagined it.
Elle stood in the hallway waiting for her. “What was all that about?”
Heat radiated from Riana’s face. “The commander knew my father. But he clammed up the same way mother always does when I ask questions. Before I leave here, he’s going to tell me what he knows about my father’s life, whether he wants to or not.”
Chapter 6
The next day Cy and Oz worked in Asheville scanning the minds of shop owners downtown.
“I can’t believe no one saw anything suspicious,” Cy said. “Or that no more feeders were found during last night’s search.”
Oz ran his hand down his goatee and tugged on the ends. “If feeders were in Asheville or the surrounding towns, they would have been killing humans. Maybe the two we caught were the only ones around.”
They transported back to the compound courtyard. Once inside the gates, Cy glanced over at Oz. “I’m going by the interrogation chamber to see how Miles and Kam are coming along with the prisoner. Earlier today he wasn’t talking, so they called and asked to use the ‘Judas Cradle.’ I hated to let them drag that medieval torture device out, but between a feeder and innocent victim, the feeder will lose every time. I told them to try stripping his clothes and leave him hanging above it for a while first.”
Oz grimaced and shook his head. “No one in their right mind would let you lower their naked ass onto that pointed thing. Just looking at it is a form of torture.”
“I’ll come by your office and let you know how it went.”
“I might not be there. I have an errand to take care of,” Oz said. “Not really sure how long it’ll take, so I’ll call when I return. Would you keep an eye on things this evening?”
“Sure. I’m going back out to patrol with Miles tonight. I’ll text everyone to call me first.”
Cy walked to a cinder-block building behind the Protectors’ lodge. It housed the cells where they held prisoners until their sentencing. He went through all the security checks to get inside, and then took the hall opposite the cells. The scent of fresh blood and astringent filled the area.
Miles and Kam came out of the torture chamber and met him in the hallway.
“Well, did he talk?”
Kam snorted “He didn’t hang over that contraption ten minutes before he started screaming he’d talk. When we got back in there, he became quite the Chatty Cathy.”
“Can’t much blame him,” Miles said.
“Were they here looking for us?”
Miles released a deep breath. Cy recognized his best friend’s reaction to stress, always accompanied by bad news, always at the worst possible moment, and always something he never wanted to hear.
“He and his friend were trackers hired by Vind,” Miles said. “And they were looking for the compound. A few months back, Vind received a tip that our headquarters was located somewhere in the Eastern U.S. He hired trackers from all over the world to cover the entire Eastern Seaboard. Those two had been searching North Carolina. They started at the coast and worked their way west. Since they were almost out of the state, they decided we weren’t here and dropped their guard.”
“Were they the only trackers in North Carolina?”
“He said they were,” Miles replied. “Soren is still Vind’s second-in-command, and they call him once a week to check in. He denies knowing the location of Vind’s headquarters.”
“And you believe him?”
They both nodded.
“I think he’s telling the truth,” Kam said. “That guy wanted no more of what we were dishing out.”
Cy’s lips thinned as he slowly shook his head. “It’s only a matter of time before someone realizes they’re missing. Instead of sending this guy to the rehab facility, let’s keep him here and force him to make the calls. At least until we’re finished with this class. In the meantime, we can rally the other Protectors and plan a strategy.”
Miles pushed a swoop of hair from his forehead. “Once the girls leave, we can make him lead Vind to us. Then we’ll have the upper hand. Better him on our turf than us on his.
“Sounds like a plan,” Cy said. “Miles, I’m going to patrol with you tonight. Since Kam whined about first rotation for escorting the girls.”
“You’re just jealous you’re not going along.” Kam smiled like the Cheshire cat.
“No, really, I’m not.” Cy left and headed across the compound to his apartment. He planned to take a long, hot shower and relax before heading back out with Miles. Oz, Kam, and Miles were the only Protectors who knew his true identity. Everyone else believed Cy stood for Simon. The idea of Cygan, their future king, and Simon, second-in-command of the Protectors, being the same person was inconceivable.
He could always count on the Royal Council to run their mouths and keep the lie alive. During his weekly council meetings they never hid their disdain. They’d called him many things throughout the centuries, his favorite being, ‘the playboy prince,’ believing he shunned his duties. If the council knew
their future king fought feeders every night, they would still try to stop him. Bunch of up-tight assholes.
Cy turned the corner and came to an abrupt halt. The girl he’d met yesterday was walking toward the trainees’ lodge with a blonde woman. Her long, auburn hair pulled into a ponytail drew attention to her brilliant, emerald eyes, framed by long, thick lashes. Her skin was flushed, indicating she had been exercising in the gym. His heart kicked into high gear as an image of her beneath him flashed into his mind, her skin moist and flushed from making love.
She laughed at something the blonde said. It was the most intoxicating sound he’d ever heard. His groin swelled to the point of pain inside his tight leathers. After they entered the lodge, Cy leaned against the large oak, bent at the waist and propped his hands on his knees to ease the restriction inside his pants.
What the hell? I know it’s been awhile since I was with a female, but this is ridiculous. He gave himself a minute to recover, took some deep breaths to clear his head, and continued toward his apartment. That long, hot shower he’d looked forward to had just turned into a long, cold one.
***
Oz materialized on a screened back porch in an Atlanta suburb. He sat in a porch chair, determined to stay there until Analae Martin arrived home. One way or another, he’d find out if Riana was his daughter. Even though she had Analae’s eyes, she reminded him of his own mother. From the exact shade of deep auburn hair, to the way she looked you in the eye while you spoke, like you had her undivided attention. Even the confident way she carried herself was identical to his mother.
Maybe I’m just imagining things.
No…too many things pointed to Riana being his. Unless Analae had been seeing someone else while they were together. If so, she needed an Oscar for a performance well played. They were so in love, they couldn’t stand being apart. Right up until the day she walked out without a word. Before that, he would never have believed her capable of up and leaving. So who’s to say what the woman was capable of doing? Maybe he’d never known her at all.