Awakening - Book of Fire (Blood Heritage #1)

by Gray-Fee, Krista

  Returning to reality Amber realizes only a moment has passed, no one even noticed her silence. The vision fills her with worry; what if it is real? He is so tiny, his body barely bigger than the hands holding him. What if he is somewhere out there bleeding to death, his sad little cry echoing in her mind. Can she help him? She cannot let him die. They are near the water, dark still water. Water that smells of blood and death. She has to ask Rissa for help.

  When she explains what she has seen, Rissa insists they call James immediately. She promises not to reveal Amber's secret; Rissa tells him of her premonitions when they come, they have been known to help them with missing persons and murders, so this will not be a shocker. This time unfortunately, she doesn't know where to send them. She hopes the information will be helpful, but knows it's probably not enough for them to find him.

  Feeling like a freak of nature, Amber doesn't understand why this stuff is happening to her? She doesn't want to see the pain and suffering of others, doesn't want to see things she shouldn't know. She wants safety, normalcy, and a life of her own. Unfortunately she is well aware this gift, or curse, will forever haunt her whether she wants it or not. She will dream, she will know, and bad things will happen all around her. They will not save the child just as no one saved the woman who died, she will see their faces and feel the last moments of their lives and though it will fade, it will never completely go away.

  Amber doesn't want to hear what James is saying when Rissa calls, but she can't help herself. She sits nearby hanging on every word and wishing there was a way to hear the other side of the conversation. She’s afraid he will decide they’re crazy and won't want to see her anymore. Though Rissa has protected Amber from having to explain herself to him, she feels guilty and strangely out of sorts. How can he possibly understand the sort of knowledge she has, he will never be able to love a woman who's mind dwells in such dark and horrible places. Eventually she will have to tell him the vision is hers. She won't be able to live with herself otherwise, she wants a relationship built on truth not secrets no matter how risky that may be.

  James sees the truth of her words immediately, he knows it's one of the children he is looking for. The ritualistic scene Rissa describes fits right into the theories surrounding the murders. Is it possible the man is the one he has been looking for? At least she gives him a general description, and it is more than he had before. It is saddening to hear the child or perhaps the children have been killed. The up-side is the feeling growing deep within his bones they are catching up to the answer. He takes down everything Rissa says and thanks her for her help. Telling him she will call if there’s anything more, Rissa feels a deep gloom that she can't help more. James knows how much it hurts her to have the visions, but they have saved lives in the past. It always seems there is a price for everything. He for one is grateful for her abilities.

  The place she describes could be just about anywhere, the stagnant swamp waters are not exactly a rarity in their area. The idea that the infants are still nearby however, sets the team into motion organizing a search. They map out the possibilities and are surprised at the immensity of the challenge. They will most likely be out all night chasing ghosts, but James is glad to have something to chase no matter how elusive it may be. Bringing in everyone they can get, they divide the most likely areas up between fourteen two and three man teams. There are still quite a few daylight hours, so they head out immediately to take advantage of what light remains. This is one of the most full scale efforts their area has ever seen.

  Rissa calls a gathering of the circle, to share with them the vision Amber had. The women are attempting to generate a stronger vision, focusing on bringing on one that might guide the police to the child. Standing in their ceremonial circle, chanting the corners in perfect unison they call on the spirits seeking the power to channel the vision. Stepping into the center of the circle, Amber does not know what has come over her but she suddenly understands what must be done. The other girls watching her with tense expectation, wait for something to happen. The air is filled with tension and an overwhelming sense of urgency holds them silently despite their growing fear.

  Amber pulls a box cutter from her pocket and cuts deeply into the tender flesh of her palm. Throwing her hands high above her she lets the blood flow down over herself and onto the ground, as she has seen the man in her dreams do with the child. She feels the power of the blood rushing though her. She would never have thought to do any of this before, in some ways it seems darkly evil to her, but the world of black and white has shifted into shades of grey. Somehow the blood offering also makes her feel pure and connected. Rissa follows suit taking the blade to her palm, the others pause, unsure what all of this means. Blood ceremony has been forbidden and they all know the penalties for breaking the sacred codes. They’re not trained in rituals like this, and they’re not sure whether they should be a part of it. Dawn follows Rissa and the three girls stand offering the sacrifice, receiving what the blood has to offer. Feeling the power in the blood the others spill, Amber fills her mind with it's intoxicating fire; it feeds her, allowing her to see. Standing together within the circle, the three girls are a terrifying vision with their blood mixing as it drips down onto their faces, hair and bodies. The fear and excitement has each girl so completely fixated on the ritual, they find it difficult to even breathe with consistency.

  Rissa and Dawn both feel the pull, they know Amber is feeding on their strength somehow. The other girls stand in fear, but do not break the circle. Amber closes her eyes and guides the sight to what she needs to see. He is the father, and he is the sun, he has been called a god. The names he has known are many and he brings life and death as he chooses. He stands among men, but is not of men, their rules and laws mean nothing to him. The child is a sacrifice, born for no other purpose. His heart does not feel remorse for the squirming life he extinguishes. He wears no clothes and his body is covered with scars, but his muscular torso is stunning in its perfection despite the markings. Small barbs of bone pierce his skin, and he is in a state of euphoria as he drains the child dry.

  The energy of the blood he sheds is taken inside him, strengthening him. And then she loses it, cannot hold the string of thought. She knows there is so much more there, but it is gone, out of her reach. The other girls feel the power disengage. They feel the energy dissipate, leaving only a silent emptiness, and they are relieved. Most of them have never felt or seen anything like this before, though they all have some power it is truly minute compared to what has just happened. Amber feels a sense of connection with Rissa and Dawn, she has touched them, shared their power, and she knows it is a gift they have allowed her. Smiling at them Amber waits, they all sit in silence, each afraid to be the first to speak.

  Amber determines she will learn to control her visions, she has to accept this power is real and beneficial instead of seeing it as a curse; find a way to see it as a gift. Amber knows she must discover how to call on the power within herself. Amber understands something about the blood is the source of her power, and it can be forcefully taken or freely given to magnify and help her guide what is already within her. Realization flashes within her mind equally terrifying and exciting; her hand is no longer bleeding the wound healing quickly upon the completion of the ritual. She feels alive, and restless. Amber feels an overwhelming desire to shed her skin and escape the bounds of the flesh, though she has no idea what this means. Amber wonders what in the world is happening to me?

  She doesn't really have anything new to give them from this vision except a very detailed description of the man. He is an amazingly far-fetched twisting of fantasy and truth. He can't actually look like that, everyone would notice a man like him running around town. The scars, the dark complexion, the long dark hair. He is not exactly inconspicuous, covered with piercings and dark tattoos that make him easy to identify if he can be found. The tribalesque persona makes him stand out easily, even among a crowd.

  Amber isn't ready to trust she’s see
ing things in a literal light and not wrapping things up with the elements of dreams. Perhaps there is only some truth in what she is seeing and her mind is filling in the rest with fairy tale details that make up her fantasy world. Her dreams and nightmares are bleeding into the message. It’s not like she is trained at this kind of thing, she’s practically a virgin to this pagan world. The only thing she is absolutely sure of is that Rissa and Dawn helped her to make it happen, feeding the vision and the rising power within her. They are still bleeding so Amber rips the bottom of her skirt tying pieces around their hands. The girls are intrigued Amber has managed to heal and are too stunned to say anything. She has power, there’s no denying that, and Rissa is very glad they are friends.

  No one speaks much as the girls say their simple goodbyes. The tension in the air is palpable. Amber is a bit worried the other girls are judging her, that she’s not as accepted in this circle as she previously thought, but in truth they are just unsure how to react. They’ve never felt this kind of energy within the circle before, and they are completely unsure what to say or do next. Each is very new to the magic experience. Dawn stays behind clearing the energy of the casting, grounding the power and putting out the fire. "This group is made up of new initiates and some of them have only seen a couple of ceremonies; their powers are simple, natural and unguided for the most part." Rissa explains, on the way back to the shop. Rissa and Dawn are the only higher-level practitioners within this small coven. The three will go together next time, without the others to ensure no-one gets too uncomfortable. Rissa worries about how much she should tell the Circle and without the presence of the others she has more control over how much information gets to them. Dawn she knows is trustworthy and Amber has no ties with the group as of yet. Rissa hopes to keep it that way as long as possible.

  Amber doesn't know Dawn and Rissa shared her vision until Rissa asks if they always look that clear. Rissa explains her visions are more like shadows in a fog and she doesn't experience the vision in the way Amber does. "I understands completely now the panic you felt during the birthing vision now, and I am so sorry I wasn't a little more sympathetic at the time." The intensity and overwhelming reality of Amber's visions is far greater than anyone could have been prepared for.

  Dawn isn't feeling talkative and her cold gaze makes Amber nervous as the girls part ways. Wanting some time alone to process what she has seen, it felt like she was standing there watching the entire scene right next to the horrible man. She smelled the foulness of the water, she felt as if she could simply reach out and take the crying child from the hands that held him. She needs some space to catch her breath. To be honest, Amber's power scares her. Dawn has known many powerful women, but none that can invade her and take from her like that. Though she freely gave of herself, she felt the pull, and is painfully aware Amber could have continued to take, and then what?… Could she have stopped her had Amber decided to kill her?

  Dawn knows some of the prophecies and she thinks she understands the triad, she is just not prepared for the overwhelming nature of Amber's awakening. That is what this was, she is sure of it. She read about it in the Circle's Book of Answers, and remembers the text clearly:

  "The bonding of three dark children shall deliver her to where the ancient power flows into the river of darkness forever awakening the sight of the chosen."

  There were three of them and they had stood in the dark waters, sharing the blood, the power and the sight. That must be the bonding of bloodlines the prophesy described. Together they opened Amber to what she will become. It is done, and now they will have to reap the consequences. Rissa is sure Amber will be an asset and a champion for their cause, and Dawn can only hope she is right. Something doesn't feel right to Dawn and she can't put her finger on it.

  Dawn disperses the last of the embers, closing her eyes and soaking up the calm and the smell of the warm earth. She is truly a daughter of nature enjoying every moment outdoors. Sitting down for a moment, she stares at her wounded hand, wondering if stitches might be in order. She laughs as an absurd idea pops into her head. Perhaps Amber can just zap it closed, hmm… She healed herself apparently, maybe she can work that magic on others too. Too late now, Amber isn't here, she thinks as she heads home, finally feeling the stinging ache of the day's events.

  Rissa, on the other hand, is with Amber, and by sheer accident discovers that Dawn's inkling of understanding is absolutely true. Amber reaching for Rissa's hand to look at the wound, feels a warmth building inside her. She focuses of how badly she wants to see her friend whole again letting the warmth spread out into the damaged flesh. Rissa pulls away, crying out, “What the hell You burned me"!... when she looks at her hand, the flesh is whole again. There isn't even a scar in place of the wound. Amber feels the pull from within her and understands immediately there is a price to pay for her action. She feels the energy pulsing through her leaving to do her bidding. She feels weakened, and she is suffering, but she is exhilarated. She wants this gift, she can accept this, she will actually be able do some good with this power. She has not fully come to grasp the physics of all things: Every force must be opposed by another equal and opposite. All things must be held in balance.

  When Amber finally makes it home, falling into bed, she is far more exhausted than she has been in a long time. She has seen evil, touched power, and become a new person all within a few hours. Now she needs to sleep, needs to dream of happy things, of flowers and beaches, and horses with wings. She’s practically mumbling when her head hits the pillow. Immediately drifting off, she dreams of the things she asked for; not quite in the way she anticipated.

  She sees meadows of white flowers, covered in the blood of a thousand tribes, she sees war, and devastation and a past that no one remembers. She sees children running for their lives, and fire falling from the sky turning them to ashes. She watches their tiny bodies blowing away in the wind, as their mothers stand weeping. She sees men falling to their knees begging the Gods to stop punishing them as their heads are cut from their bodies with invisible blades. She sees women slashing their own throats to appease the demon gods to no avail.

  Dark horses with wings of steel and hooves of lightning trample those still standing, beating their battered bodies into the ground. No one survives, this is the first cycle of humanity, and it has been a failure. The onslaught continues until the rains come. When the waters wash away the sins of the world, they become dark and rise slowly, waves full of blood, beaten and broken bodies moving back and forth over once fertile and glorious lands. The Eden of Humanity is no more, and Dante's Inferno looks like a child's nightmare in comparison to the reality of this end.

  The Master has tired of his playthings, they have not followed his rules and he is set on punishing them. The destruction is complete and what was once lush and beautiful lies in ruins as the waters recede. The earth is scorched and full of pain, the ghosts of the slain tainting the purity of the earth so nothing grows where they have died. The cavernous deserts swallow the water and their desolation is beautiful to him. The forests and lakes are given venom in all forms to challenge the new breed to survive. The fruits of the earth are no longer safe to eat, only the strong will survive. Only the purest will live, and the weak and unworthy will fall at his feet.

  She sees a tremendous pyramid partially complete on the site of the slain, to keep the spirits quiet, they said. She is seeing Egypt... Her breath catches in her throat and she knows what she sees actually happened. She knows this world is reality, and the history books have no bearing on the dark truth of it all. The world is hidden behind a veil of shadow and mist. There is someone, something pulling the strings, and humanity consists of nothing more than surplus pieces on a huge chess board. The Gods are cruel and dangerous creatures with no mercy or sense of justice.

  Getting up quickly, in the darkness of night. It is time to open the box, could it be a Pandora's box unleashing a hell on earth? She hesitates, but has no choice, it is her destiny. She is amazed to find t
he latch, which was locked, now opens without a struggle, revealing the sacred contents within. She has to read the book, the book with the symbol on the cover, The book of Answers, her dream revealed to her the knowledge she seeks sleeps within the beautiful and well-aged leather covers. The crispness of the pages feels heavenly between her fingers. The paper smells of old temple incense and smoke. She wonders at the hands recording these words so meticulously, so long ago. Voices echo from the pages, whispering memories of times lost but not forgotten, like the fragrance that lingers forever, reminding Amber of love.

  The time passes quickly as the pages reveal their secrets. Her story is there, spread out before her. The story of time, impossible amounts of time. The story of children born to feed his need for blood. The story of cities sacrificing every single first son born of their loins to save themselves from the wrath of his anger. "And the angel saw the blood of the lamb on the doorways and passed them by." She remembers the stories, she heard them as a child. She reads of towers built to touch the sun, to climb to the heavens where the god rides in his golden chariots. She reads how the tongues of the infidels were ripped out of their mouths by an angry wind for their ignorance. Amber understands this is not the God so many worship, but some dark and powerful beast. This God represents all that is horrible within mankind. In a twisted way this makes sense to her, we were created in his image, to be like him. Maybe he doesn't like what he sees of himself when he looks at us.