“Any other questions?” King Kincaid asked.
We were shaking our heads right as Antonio raced into the gym. He slowed instantly, panting, and gave a little wave before climbing the stairs of the bleachers. I gawked at the man. He actually had a video camera in his hand. I wasn’t sure what shocked me more: the fact that he even knew what a video camera was, or the fact that he was possibly filming my demise.
Typical Antonio.
“Well.” King Venclaire was staring at Antonio, like the other Kings. “Let’s begin.” He ushered the Vampire volunteer forward first — probably because he was the youngest — directly in front of us. “This is Benedict Rochfort.”
We nodded to him in greeting.
Unsurprisingly, he was staring at me.
I had never seen the guy before, but I knew he was shocked at my size. I wasn’t even able to hide my face under the ceremonial robe like I had at my own Awakening, because King Kincaid had ordered my robe specially made for my smaller frame. There was, also, the fact that I looked like shit. I knew I was pale, but add in the sweat and my pounding heart, well, that probably didn’t endear me to him, since he knew this was going to be painful anyway. Although, I had to give him his praise due because he calmly peered away from me after a few moments and looked over the rest of my much larger best friends. His heartbeat was a hell of a lot calmer than mine, and I tried to breathe evenly and relax before I started hyperventilating.
Ezra took a large step in his direction as King Venclaire took a hefty stride away.
It was show time.
Moving woodenly, I stepped behind Ezra, to his right, while Pearl moved directly behind him, and Jack moved behind on his left. I breathed deeply, and let my eyes glow like I knew my friends were doing as our power surged. A minuscule amount at first, just a tiny spark traveling to my palm. Another heavy inhale, then I rested my hand on Ezra’s shoulder, feeling his warmth beneath the thin black silk, my sweaty palm gluing to his robe.
Ezra breathed heavily once, from the awkwardness of each of us touching him, before the instant serenity and warmth took over.
Concentrating closely on my Shifter power, making sure it was only Shifter power, I began gently pushing my raw power into him, Jack and Pearl doing the same, the Kings having assured us — unknown to them they were dealing with a hybrid — that it would be done exactly like funneling, except with power instead of will, and that the magical charge the point person experienced would be more intense.
Outwardly, it was, because Ezra grunted, his chin falling to his chest.
“Breathe through it,” King Venclaire said softly, the other Kings now standing behind him. “It’s what you need to pull him through the Awakening.” They had said the pull was the hardest part to accomplish of the Awakening.
Ezra nodded jerkily, as I, and my friends, kept pushing raw power into him.
A few moments later, he asked quietly, “Are you all at max power?”
Pushing the last little bit remaining, I was still concentrating, and my eyes glowed brightly. “Yes.”
Pearl and Jack repeated my answer.
Ezra muttered under his breath, “Thank God.” A shallow breath in and out, and he lifted his hooded head. His eyes must have been shut before because when his face was completely lifted, the Vampire volunteer’s face glowed with blinding spring green light, the guy blinking hard and furiously. Ezra raised his hand, placing it on Benedict’s head.
To which, Benedict surprised us by jerking back and breaking the connection.
King Venclaire steadied the dazed guy when he teetered, still coaching Ezra the whole while. “Keep the power out of your hand until you’re already touching him. The contact needs to be made before your enhanced power releases. You do it before and it’ll shock him.”
That would have been good to know beforehand, but the Kings were firm believers in experience. Now, I could see they were treating these volunteers as a grander experiment than I had initially thought. It didn’t surprise me.
Ezra nodded stiffly, and raised his hand when Benedict stepped forward, albeit this time a little less calmly. He watched Ezra’s hand progress warily, but when he didn’t get “shocked” from the connection he closed his eyes, his face peaceful.
“Push, Ezra,” King Venclaire murmured. “You’ll feel it instantly.”
Ezra was quiet for a moment, then he stiffened, his muscles bulging rock-solid under my hand.
“Good,” King Venclaire continued speaking quietly. “Now, pull, but do not lose the link you have with him.” He went silent. Watching. Same as the other Kings.
Too bad that wasn’t what Benedict did. He arched, his shout flaying the air.
Ezra stepped forward, not letting his hand leave Benedict’s forehead and, in turn, Jack, Pearl, and I had to move with him to keep connected, even as the guy dropped to his knees, screaming bloody murder, all of us having to bend at the waist.
The Kings gave no further instruction.
Ezra knew he was supposed to pull until Benedict’s power touched his Core, so that was, seemingly, what he was doing as his massive body began trembling.
At least, I assumed that was what it was. Not me. Not my nature pulling him down.
The key was four powers. Always four. Add another one in and it screws things up. But, like with funneling, I could feel my Vampire side — my weaker side — dormant, like it was hibernating for this and letting the stronger magic overrun my body. I seriously hoped it was enough.
King Venclaire covertly glanced at his watch.
I could have told him it had been a minute and a half. I was counting in my head as the guy continued to scream. He had begun writhing on the ground in torment, but Ezra was keeping his head steady while we squatted around him, keeping our raw power at max.
At two minutes and twenty-three seconds, I felt Ezra’s trembling body jolt.
He exhaled harshly, his muscles instantly relaxed…motionless.
“Let it go,” King Venclaire ordered swiftly, dipping in Ezra’s line of sight. “Let it go!”
Ezra sucked air, nodding languidly.
Abruptly, Benedict stopped screaming, his mouth still open from his last round of agony-induced shouts, so I got a close-up view as a pair of fangs magically grew from his normally flat, white teeth, and when he blinked, his eyes were glowing bright brown and his power charged the air.
I stared as a showcase of emotions swirled through my mind too quickly to process.
Holy shit! I had done it.
My vision went blurry…I fainted.
I woke to a Vampire’s hiss.
Pearl and Jack yelling.
The Kings shouting. The loudest was King Kincaid. I had never heard his wolf growl as viciously between bellows as his wolf was now.
Heat bathed my front, but I was lying flat on my back on a hard, cold surface.
Rapidly blinking my eyes open, I stared in a daze at black material as more shouts erupted around me. The heat on my front intensified as the black blurred at me, then warm, massive arms were wrapping around me and lifting me off the ground I lay on, my feet dangling in the air. I sniffed, still in a stupor. The scent was familiar. It was Ezra, who was crushing me to his chest, his Vampire hissing violently.
“Pearl!” King Fergus shouted behind, and above, me. “Stop this! Right now!”
“No!” Pearl retorted, her voice cracking.
“Jack, let us through!” King Nelson roared. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Screw off!” Jack shouted instantly, his voice strained.
King Kincaid’s wolf growled so loudly it hurt my ears.
Ezra’s Vampire hissed just as fiercely.
Sluggishly, I lifted my hand, unable to see anything except Ezra’s chest, and pulled lightly on his ear. “What’s going on?”
Silence.
All shouting and growling and hissing stopped dead.
Ezra gently drew my face away from his chest, his glowing gaze on my face.
I blinked hazy eyes across the room.
Jack had a ring of translucent, blue water surrounding King Nelson, who looked furious, and King Venclaire, who was merely standing in the middle of it with his arms crossed.
Pearl had King Fergus inside a golden bubble suspended about ten yards in the air, who didn’t appear too happy, either.
King Kincaid was in shifted wolf form about five yards from us with his teeth bared at Ezra and me…or, maybe, just Ezra, since his Vampire had been hissing.
“What’s going on?” I asked again, blinking, peering farther back in the gym, and saw Antonio sitting on the bleachers, appearing amused as hell, recording whatever had happened, but below him on the gym’s floor level were four freaked out Mys volunteers. One of them sporting fangs and glowing brown eyes. “Oh! Oh my God!” Memories bombarded me.
The Awakening! I had done it!
I peered up at Ezra, whose fangs were also showing, and grinned hugely. “I did it!”
His face was slowly turning from scary-furious to normal. “You were unconscious.” He might now look like he was fine, but his voice held a very real worry.
I blushed brightly, mumbling, “I just fainted.” I picked at his robe, embarrassed, pulling at it a few times. “I was…overwhelmed.” A quick thought to the Kings listening in, and I added, “The Awakening’s huge. I was nervous.” Truth.
Jack’s hands lowered, and the ring of water disappeared. “You fainted? Like a girl?”
Pearl had already lowered King Fergus, and she was wiping tears off her face as she grumbled hotly, “She is a girl, you moron.” She stomped in my direction, and shoved my shoulder hard, blubbering, “You scared me.” Another shove of my shoulder, then she was hugging me around Ezra’s hold on me, bawling like a babe.
I patted her shoulder awkwardly, because of Ezra, but I hushed her, worrying a smidge about our “no touching” policy, and, ever so slowly, it dawned on me. My friends had thought my unconscious state had been because of my hybrid nature. From what had been happening, it appeared as if they had been protecting me. Keeping the Kings away from me. As Jack pulled Pearl away, comforting her, I muttered quickly, “I really did just faint. That’s all.”
Still in wolf form, King Kincaid took another lurking step forward, his teeth bared.
Ezra completely ignored him to shake me in his hold, all but shouting, “When was the last time you ate? You don’t just faint like that! I know you didn’t eat lunch, so when was your last meal?”
That stopped me, as I rubbed my ear closest to his mouth. I hadn’t eaten breakfast because my stomach had been in knots. Dinner last night…nope, too busy and too nervous, but I had drank from Jack. I had skipped lunch the day before, dealing with one of my touch-friendly subjects. “It’s been awhile.” No wonder every time I had puked today it had been…unpleasant.
His Vampire growled, but he sat me on my feet gently. He was unexpectedly gone. A second later the gym door banged open and closed.
Stunned, I gawked at his speed.
Swiftly, King Kincaid was rubbing against me, his furred body warm as he circled me, growling a little with the movement. Protective and pissed, he was marking his territory. I guess I should have been happy he wasn’t peeing on me. He was my King, and I was his subject. Not only that, his wolf considered me as part of his family. I really was surprised he hadn’t attacked Ezra.
King Nelson marched to Jack and Pearl. “Why did you stop us from helping her?”
“Yes, please explain,” King Fergus ordered through clenched teeth.
“Er…” Pearl, dear God, Pearl, the atrocious liar, began fumbling, “You see, we—”
Jack stepped in front of her and cut her off, stating factually, “We knew she wasn’t feeling well before. She was really nervous.” He shrugged. “She’s our friend. We wanted to help her. We were afraid you might be upset with her.” Not really great excuses, but he had kept it truth to all, not stupid enough to be dishonest with King Kincaid in his wolf form and able to scent deception easily.
King Venclaire was staring at the door Ezra had disappeared through, but he murmured calmly, “We wouldn’t have yelled at her for fainting.” A quick glance to me, then back to the door. “Although, you really need to take better care of yourself. I know the Awakening can be nerve-racking the first time, but not eating beforehand was inadvisable and foolish.”
King Nelson still looked furious, and he pointed directly at Jack’s face. “Don’t ever try that on me again.” His finger swung to Pearl. “And don’t you ever use your powers against a King, or Elder, if they’ve done nothing wrong.” He frowned. “You know better than that.”
King Fergus stretched, popping his back. “She didn’t hurt me. She just stopped my progress.” He shot Pearl a swift, cross glance. “Be grateful I didn’t retaliate.” Quickly, she nodded, and he turned his glare on Jack. “Do that again, and I’ll have you digging wells with only a shovel, and magically filling them, for the next month.”
Jack nodded promptly.
King Kincaid had positioned himself right in front of me, growling at anyone who happened to take a step in our direction. I scratched behind his ears absently, and he leaned against me further, almost resulting in me falling he was so gigantic, so when the gym door banged open and closed again, and Ezra was abruptly at my side, it startled King Kincaid enough that he lunged at Ezra when he appeared.
Luckily, King Venclaire was on the ball and had already disappeared from where he stood and, suddenly, smashed into Ezra, knocking him back and out of the way from King Kincaid’s sharp teeth, which only missed Ezra’s side by less than an inch. The room silent, King Kincaid crouched, growling, while King Venclaire whispered softly to the furious wolf, slowly taking the sandwich Ezra had in his hand, holding it out.
The growling stopped, and King Kincaid sniffed. Gradually, he leaned forward and gently bit into the sandwich, bringing it to me. I removed it from his mouth, careful not to hit any of his sharp teeth, and he plunked down in front of me, baring his teeth at Ezra, who stood still with a carefully blank face.
However, Ezra being Ezra, he muttered harshly, “Eat that, because if you faint from stupidity again, I won’t catch your ass next time.” He glared.
I bit into my gifted sandwich with vigor.
The Kings gave us a fifteen-minute break. I didn’t think it was because I had fainted. The break was for the volunteers, who were really freaked from what they had seen in the first Awakening, and then, afterward. Also, King Kincaid needed time to compose himself.
No one wanted to go near him. That much was obvious, since they were giving me — him — a wide berth. Ten minutes into our break, after I stood motionless, allowing him to know I was fine, he lifted a smidge — he didn’t have to go far — on his back legs and gave my face a big lick. As I was wiping drool off my cheek, he trotted to where Ezra, Pearl, and Jack were talking quietly. Stopped. Turned his head toward Ezra, silently bared his teeth — Pearl’s and Jack’s mouths twitched — and then, finished trotting to where his robe was and shifted.
Turning away from seeing him butt naked, I strolled to my friends and mumbled another simple apology, not embellishing, with the Kings in the gym, on why I had fainted. The sandwich had already made me feel better, but I knew it had also been bottled anxiety and overwhelming relief that had made me faint. Plus, they already knew I had been a bundle of nerves earlier.
Now, I was fairly bouncing on the balls of my feet as they grumbled complaints in my direction. All complaints geared toward the fact I had worried them. If we hadn’t been in front of everyone I would have hugged them, but we were, so, instead, I nodded, failing miserably to keep the grin off my face.
I did it! I did it!
In fact, I broke down and did a little happy dance. Couldn’t be helped.
My friends stopped complaining. Stared. It was like it dawned on them that…I had done it! Then, they were chuckling, and properly vibrating with energy, too. I had done the impossible! I had broken the
barriers! No babies needed to be offed because of some stupid, old ass Law, which held no basis whatsoever.
Hybrids could, in fact, do an Awakening. Therefore, the Mys race could continue with them. I wanted to shout to the rafters in delight and excitement! Maybe, it was evolution that had changed hybrids since thousands of years ago or, perhaps, it was just fear our ancestors had experienced that made them create the Law, but hybrids were not what ancient Mysticals had claimed. A hybrid was here to stay — not a plight on the Mys community — when I finally had my say, or demand, and I most definitely would when my dictate held as much value as it was loud.
“We’re ready to begin,” King Venclaire interrupted our unsaid mini-celebration, “If you four would be so kind?”
Moseying across the gym to the Kings, I grinned at Antonio sitting on the bleachers.
Still filming, he peered around the video camera and smiled, giving me a proud nod.
I did it!
King Venclaire startled me from behind, placing his hands on my shoulders and turning me to the left, murmuring, “Pay attention. It’s your turn.” A squeeze of my shoulders, then he moved away as King Kincaid brought over the Shifter volunteer.
My friends stood behind me as King Kincaid glared directly over my head at Ezra, whom I heard growl a little in his throat, obviously getting irritated. Hell, I was, too, since King Kincaid had no true basis for the real frustration riding him, but nothing could bring my mood down. Not even after the Shifter was hidden under his robe on the floor, and I knelt, my friends quickly touching me and giving me that god-awful jolt.
Warmth came directly after when we made our link. As they pushed their power into me, my own rose with theirs. I jerked, but quickly steadied myself. It felt like I could run across the entire United States of America and not even be winded. Our combined power was hard to control it was so potent. It built inside me like a ticking time bomb, and I knew I was shaking slightly when I whispered hoarsely, “You guys there?”
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