The Supremacy

by White, Megan

  “Make it a triple.”

  “Before you leave,” Declan added, “Tell me about the additives.”

  “Proving… effective.” Slowly walking to the door, Kellan smiled back at Declan, “Genetically modifying the food supply won’t be instantaneously obvious, just like you prefer it. The sicknesses will spread slowly, remaining completely undetected.”

  “Thank you for all your hard work.” Declan stretched out his hand.

  “Pleasure is all mine,” They shook. “I’ve been waiting too long for Tarant to fall.”

  “So what do we do now?” I asked Declan once the door closed on Kellan’s retreating cloak.

  “We wait.”

  I was tired of waiting. I understood Declan’s point of view, but the longer we sat by waiting for my blood to poison Tarant, the more innocent people died. Every day, more and more Testers were strapped to a metal table and drained. I couldn’t justify their deaths for the convenience of plausible deniability. I would rather kill another Supreme, one that may prove themself to be a problem later on.

  His fingers brushed the side of my face as he looked into my eyes, “What are you thinking about?”

  I shrugged, knowing that the truth might anger him, but not caring either way, “That I agree with Kellan.”

  “Of course you do.” Declan laughed and took the open seat on the couch next to me, “You’re just as impatient as he is.”

  “No,” I exhaled harshly and stood in front of him. With my clenched fists pressed to my sides, I spoke in a rush, “I’m tired of waiting around as innocent Testers die just to save you the headache of finding a ‘scapegoat’.”

  “I would end up looking like the smoking gun, Erin. The son that was too eager to rule to wait for his father’s natural death. This project will see its fair share of snares. I don’t want to create them.”

  He was right. There were so many complex issues at hand. Something was bound to go wrong, eventually. But were we ready, prepared enough for something to pop-up. I knew relatively nothing about his plan other than the role I was to play. It felt like he was purposely keeping me in the dark, drop feeding me information only when it was prudent for me to know, or when I actually saw it with my own eyes, like Corina, like my mom, and even the most shocking, what I was. He openly admitted he was not going to tell me anything, not yet.

  “Why are you keeping me in the dark?”

  “The less you know, the safer you’ll be.”

  “No, the safer you will be.” I spat, walking away from him before I did something that I might have regretted.

  Once I reached the bedroom, I flopped on the bed, too exhausted to fight. For someone that had slept twelve hours straight, my body was ready to collapse.

  I felt Declan enter the room before I saw or even heard him. His presence was palpable, demanding and unrelenting in its pull.

  “Everything I have done has been to protect you.” He whispered, climbing onto the bed next to me, his arms wrapped like a serpent around my tense torso.

  “Knowing would make me a liability.”

  “Do you really think anyone could harm you with me around?” He nuzzled his nose into my neck, causing chills to run up my spine.

  “I really don’t know what to think anymore.” I answered him truthfully.

  “How about this,” He smiled as he pulled me onto his chest. “How about we forget about all this, just for one night.” His eyes twinkled with mischief, causing my stomach to tighten as I watched his face light up. As much as my body wanted to feel his touch, I wasn’t ready. There was still too much I needed to know. Too much my exhausted mind had to sort through, “All men,” I giggled, rubbing my nose against his, “are the same.”

  With his arms tightening around me he pulled me to his chest, his lips covered mine in a soft, reassuring caress. “Can you blame me for wanting you?” No, but I blamed myself for wanting him.

  “One day you will love me as much as I do you. And I am prepared to wait as long as it takes.”

  “How do you know so much about me?” I asked him, trying to push his words as far back in my mind as they could possibly go. I was not ready to face my feelings for him, not yet.

  “Speaking of that.” He beamed as he leapt off the bed and out the door, leaving me reeling.

  The sound of cabinets opening and closing echoed from the other room, accompanied by a flickering light glowing from the hall, “What are you doing?” I shouted as the lights in the hall dimmed, followed by the bedroom going dark.

  Declan’s shining face appeared in the doorway, illuminated by a lone flickering candle, “Happy birthday, Erin!” He smiled as he walked toward me singing, holding a pink cupcake in his outstretched hand.

  My heart stopped as I watched him make his way to me. I hadn’t celebrated my birthday since I was five. The last birthday I had with my mother was the last birthday I wanted to remember. The rest became forgettable, just another day in time. I hated thinking about it, and so did my father. Five days after we celebrated in the meadow, watched the clouds dance over our heads as we named them; she was gone. I told my dad I no longer wanted another birthday, not without her. He never pressed the issue. On that day every year, we would take a walk in the meadow. We never said a word, we watched the clouds roll by, felt the warmth the springtime air brought to our cold bodies, and smelled the daisies as the wind blew their scent over us. It was perfect.

  That was, until he was gone too.

  “Thank you.” I choked out, taking the cupcake from his hand.

  “I know you don’t like celebrating your birthday, but…”

  “How do you know?” I sighed, throwing my head onto the pillow, “How do you always know.”

  A smile took over his gentle expression as he leaned forward and pulled a tiny white box from his back pocket, “Because I made a wish on a star for the heavens to bring me an angel.” He slowly cracked the box open, “And they brought me you.”

  Through the flicker of the candle, a gleam escaped the tiny box. My heart lodged itself in my throat and a lone sob escaped my lips. Unable to hold myself back, I jumped from the bed when he opened the box with a grin, “H-h-how do you have that?” I cried, my fingers brushing over the silver star that laid tucked in velvet. My wishing star. The day I lost it was the saddest day of my life. It felt as though I had lost my parents all over again.

  Whenever I wanted to talk to them, I would hold it in my hands and wish they could hear me. After it was gone…I never spoke out to them again.

  “A friend of mine gave it to me.” He whispered into my ear once he fastened the chain around my neck.

  “W-w-who?”

  “Max.” He breathed, rocking me in his arms.

  My dad. My heart broke, shattered into a thousand pieces, my mind unable to process what Declan just said. He knew my father. Knew him well enough to have been given my necklace, knew him well enough to know about the smallest moments in my life. Betrayal gripped my chest as I thought of him with my dad, as I thought about the days, the years that my father had lied to me.

  I straightened my spine, trying to hold onto the sliver of sanity I still had, “How did you know him?”

  Cold fingers brushed away my falling tears as brilliant blue eyes captivated mine, “He said you wouldn’t fully believe me unless I had proof.” The tips of his fingers tapped on the star that hung from my throat, “He gave me this to give you when the time was right.”

  “What’s right?” I sniveled, trying to stop the flow of tears from escaping my eyes. Nothing was right. Nothing was ever right, “How did you know him?” I repeated through clenched teeth.

  “Because, Erin.” Declan sighed as he held me tight to his chest. “Max is the one that leads the rebels, the one that has orchestrated this entire mission.”

  “No.” I shook my head, trying to dislodge his words. I backed away from him, “My father is dead!”

  “No, Erin, Max is very much alive.”

  I fell. Clasping to my knees, I sobbe
d, racked with unfathomable emotions. The excruciating pain of a knife sticking through my chest could not have rivaled the pain that I felt in that moment. “No.” I shook on the floor, “He wouldn’t have left me with that woman.” Curling into a ball, I bawled into my hands, hoping that the smaller I made myself, the less pain I would feel.

  I felt as Declan wrapped his body around mine, holding me tight to him, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t matter, “It wasn’t time for you to join him yet.” He breathed softly, “You had a role to play first.”

  I shut him out, shut the world out. Nothing he could say would have lifted the boulder from my chest, or heal my broken heart. My father abandoned me for his own freedom, left me with a woman that not only killed my mother, but had also been plotting my death for years. My father was not a hero; he was a traitor.

  ***

  “Erin,” My name was whispered from overhead while I watched the clouds dance by in the midday breeze. The sun shined its brilliant rays, lighting up the meadow around me, revealing all its springtime glory.

  “Erin.” The hypnotic voice sang my name again, “Don’t run.” He pleaded, “I will always protect you.”

  “I’m not running,” I smiled into Declan’s sad blue eyes, “I’m dreaming.”

  Looking away from him, I stood. Tilting my head to the glorious blue sky that covered me, protected me, I screamed a chilling, blood curling, heart-stopping cry, “WAKE UP!”

  ***

  I was catapulted from my dream just to enter an even bigger nightmare. I remained on the bare floor of Declan’s master bedroom, fully clothed in the outfit I wore the day before. Bright light filtered through the floor to ceiling window, telling me of the new day, but Declan was gone.

  I jumped to my feet when the sound of glass breaking clashed from the living room, “Where is she!” A furious female voice boomed from the great room. It was a voice I knew too well. Fear gripped my throat as the tick-tick of her stilettos echoed off the wood floor. She was coming for me.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” I heard Declan deny her.

  “LIES!” Corina screamed as more glass shattered, “I know Tarant has been drinking from her. I know the mutt’s scent. He reeks of it, and so do you!”

  Declan’s voice came in a soft flow, a cadence, “Does Tarant know you are here?”

  “Does it matter? The girl will die.” She cackled into the silence of the room. “And so will you if you stand in my way.”

  My hand flew over my mouth, a small shriek escaping, “No!” He wasn’t going to die because of me. Not another that I cared for would die.

  I ran from the protective walls of Declan’s bedroom, ran right into a scene that ripped my heart right out of my chest.

  I staggered to a halt once my eyes caught on Declan’s lifeless body on the floor, covered in blood and glass. My focus soon zeroed in on the dozens of shattered batons that had been scattered around him, shattered over him.

  “Stop!” I screamed at Corina as I saw her arm rise above her head, a glass baton ready to deliver the deathblow.

  “There she is.” She crooned. Turning from him, her glowing green irises locked on mine and a sinister smile took over her plump red lips, “You have taken everything from me, you little mutt.” She spat as she slowly closed the distance between us, “But I have taken from you too.” A cackle left her parted lips, “Your father, what a pathetic excuse of a man.” She came closer, the tick of her stilettos tapping off every step she took, “Oh, and your mother.” She laughed, “What a pleasure it was to watch her die.”

  Liquid began to pull in my mouth as Corina took her calculated steps that brought her mere feet from me. Her laughter still hung in the air as she continued to tell of how she killed her own sister, “It was so easy.” She purred, swinging the crystal baton around aimlessly, “A few drops of poison, she never saw it coming. Her worthless commoner and half-breed child blinded her. She had no idea what was right under her nose. Me.”

  The liquid began to build; a metallic copper flavor filled my mouth, numbing my tongue as it flowed freely. My vision clouded, turning a bright crimson around the silhouette that was the woman that had single handedly ripped my family apart.

  She laughed once more as she brought the glass baton over her head, ready to shatter it over my own. My lips twitched as my anger soared to a fever pitch. Through my parted lips, the liquid spilled, rolling freely down my chin.

  “What is that?” Her eyes flashed to the star that hung from my throat, “Where did you get that?” Her eyes shot to mine.

  A smile took over my lips as I watched a panicked Corina back away from me, “My father.” I whispered, grinning when she inhaled, her hand shooting to her mouth. The baton shattered at her side, “Impossible,” She breathed, still looking at my necklace, “He’s dead.”

  Liquid continued to dribble from my lips, sliding off my chin and onto the star that hung suspended from my neck. Corina’s stare held on the tiny star as it became saturated, her eyes following the line of moisture until she froze, “No.” Her head slowly shook side-to-side, “You couldn’t be.” A shriek left her lips as she stepped away from me, “It’s not possible!”

  Without thought or care, I leapt at the crimson silhouette that was Corina, her screams of terror when I landed on her back only enticed my driving need to destroy.

  The liquid seeped from my mouth as I lowered to her neck, ripping flesh from bone with one twist of my jaw. Her gargled pleas hung frivolous in the air as her lifeless body fell to the hardwood in front of me.

  Corina was dead.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I ran to Declan, collapsing at his shoulders, I brought his head to rest on my chest, “Please don’t die.” I sobbed into his bloodied hair. Looking to the sky, I begged anyone that would listen, “Don’t take him too!”

  “‘Her blood has healing properties.’” Kellan’s voice flitted through my mind, “‘We cannot kill if we are also healing.’”

  Without thought, I brought my arm to my mouth and ripped my flesh away. Blood covered my arm and flowed liberally from the gaping hole. Holding Declan’s head in my other hand, I brought my arm to his lips. I let him feed, forcing my blood into his mouth, “Please don’t leave me.” I begged him, “You can’t die too.” I let him feed from me, anchoring his head so that not a single drop would be wasted.

  Soft light streamed in from the open curtains in the great room, shining off his pale skin and jet-black hair. I shook thinking that I may never see his clear blue eyes look at me ever again, never hear his soft voice or feel his touch on my skin. Holding him close to my chest, I sobbed. Throwing my head back, I cried, “Not him too.”

  The light danced down over his body, illuminating the tiny shards that had imbedded themselves in his porcelain skin. One by one, I plucked the splinters free, allowing them to tink on the floor beside me, refusing to stop until every-last shining crystal was removed from his flesh. Flashbacks to my time in the Farm tortured my already haunted mind, but still I refused to stop. Piles of glass lay around me by the time I finished, my fingers cut and bloodied. Declan remained unmoving but I could feel his shallow inhales, feel his heartbeat, faint at first, but it grew stronger by the minute, “You will be okay.” I whispered into his hair as I continued to feed him.

  I tried to stay awake, fought my tired body with every ounce of strength I still had, but I couldn’t hold on for long.

  Saving Declan meant I would die. I knew I would die, but that was a price I was willing to pay. I wasn’t the first to go in the long line of Testers, and I knew I wasn’t going to be the last, but if there was going to be change, it had to start with Declan. He still had a role to play but my role had ended. I felt myself slipping away with every drop Declan pulled from me. My eyes could no longer remain open. My mind could no longer focus. I allowed my body to fall back to the floor. Declan’s head still rested on my chest, my arm still in his mouth. I knew he would be okay, and that because of him, everyone would f
ind their freedom.

  Kissing his forehead I let go with a smile, “You will be okay.”

  ***

  I felt like I was floating, weightless. I felt no pain or heartache as I flew. I was free. Emotions did not exist in that state, only beauty. Vast green landscapes flourished as I sailed passed them. Glorious white capped mountains grew up from the barren sea that surrounded the utopia below me, but that wasn’t the most stunning part, not by far. As I flew, the most magnificent creature appeared beside me, her dark hair whipping around her striking face as the wind took possession over it.

  Her dark eyes sparkled as we flew together.

  We soared through the brilliant blue sky with no end in sight. I flew, wishing to never have to stop. I had an angel beside me, one that I thought I would never see again. An angel that I dreamed would be waiting for me when I died, and she was. She was more magnificent than I could have ever imagined, and she was with me.

  “Erin!” My name rumbled through the air like a clash of thunder, “Erin!” it sounded again, knocking me to the evergreen grass that covered a lush flowering meadow, my meadow.

  “You need to go back,” My mother’s melodic voice sang to me, “It is not your time.”

  “I don’t want to leave.” I cried as she stroked my cheek, her hands soft and warm against my chilled skin.

  “There are people that need you.”

  “Erin!” The ground shook around me as the boom of thunder clashed, vibrating the landscape in every direction.

  “Go back.” Her voice faded.

  The meadow began to shatter around me like broken glass. I could feel cold hands fluttering up my body, stroking my face, “Please wake up!” I heard him cry, “Why would you do it!” He screamed near my ear, “Why!”

  My meadow was gone, crumbled beneath my feet until there was nothing left to see. The evergreen grass of my utopia replaced by a stark white canvas of nothing as far as your eyes could see. Everything was gone.

  Nothing held me there, nothing was there for me anymore, “Please come back to me.” Declan’s voice rang clear in my ear, “I will do anything.”