The First Touch

by Alice Sweet

  Drake was watching her closely now, “Helen.”

  Helen snapped shoving Ivan’s hand away, “I told her that the first kiss was not important.”

  Then Ivan snapped, “Why did you tell her that?”

  Flanagan answered that, “She answered your door half dressed.”

  Ivan frowned, and then Drake asked, “Did you tell her that you were sleeping together?”

  Helen lied not looking at him, “No.”

  Flanagan jumped at that, “Liar.”

  Drake replied, “So you deserved it then.”

  Helen snapped, “I did not deserve that.”

  “Well you should not have told her that her mate was sleeping with you. Besides she healed you afterwards.” Flanagan added.

  Helen huffed and snapped again, “She is not his mate.” Ivan growled then, then Helen rebutted, “She has not felt the call. Besides…,” she added trying to deflect some of his anger, “She did not seem to be complaining when Drake was kissing her.”

  Drake snapped, “Stop trying to change the subject.”

  Ivan stopped looking at Helen anyways, and turned to look at Drake who scowled at Helen, as she happily added, “She was smoking and everything.” Drake growled back, and Helen continued spitefully, “You should watch the tape.”

  Drake flamed on one of his hands and Ivan turned back to Helen then, “You taped it?”

  Helen shrugged, “They kissed during the test.”

  Ivan scowled and replied, “You said it was just a little kiss.”

  Helen shrugged, “I lied.”

  Flanagan replied snidely, “Which is why you deserved it.”

  Helen retorted, “I did not deserve that.”

  Drake flamed off and huffed in disagreement. Ivan snapped, “Get your things and get out of my room.”

  Helen looked hurt, as she grabbed her things, and scurried from the room mumbling as she left, “I did not deserve it.”

  Ivan walked over and scooped Autumn off of the floor.

  Drake called out as he left the room, his eyes filled with raw emotion again at seeing Ivan holding her, “I’ll let the rest of them know.” Then he walked from the room, thinking, But first I am going to get that tape. Ivan meanwhile headed towards Autumn’s room, Flanagan following closely behind them as Ivan asked softly, “Get her something to eat please.” Flanagan nodded and disappeared, his mind still mulling over the image of Helen’s glowing body.

  ***

  Flora answered the door much in the same way that Helen had earlier, “What is it?”

  Drake said seriously, “There is a problem with Autumn we need to talk.”

  Flora opened the door further and Drake stepped inside, “She has not finished her transformation.”

  The large man asked angrily, “What?”

  Flora snapped, “Shush Henry.”

  Drake continued, “She hasn’t eaten yet.”

  Henry’s eyes widened and he replied, “She hasn’t eaten since she awoke?” Drake nodded.

  Henry asked, “Does Ivan know?”

  Drake nodded, “Yes, and he is with her now, in her room.”

  Henry pushed his hands though his thick hair in exasperation, while Flora asked, “Is he all right?”

  “Furious.”

  Henry snapped then, “Go and tell the others.”

  Drake was about to turn and stopped then he added, “There is more.”

  Flora and Henry both said, “What?”

  Drake explained everything that Autumn had done to Helen in detail and then finished with, “She was asleep when I left her last.”

  Flora’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she said, “She really healed her?”

  Drake nodded, “Then she fell asleep.”

  Henry asked, “Like before?”

  Drake frowned, “Not likely, she was snoring.”

  “Good news.”

  Henry continued frowning, “Inform the others.”

  Drake nodded, and disappeared. Flora spoke then, “I hope they are mates. Otherwise I fear Ivan will not take their separation well.”

  Henry continued frowning, “I don’t think that will be a problem.”

  Flora seemed surprised by his words, “You really think so?”

  Henry replied, “I have never seen a vessel’s power diminish after the first phase was complete.”

  Flora replied, “She is special but she could simply be another council member in waiting, what happened during Isisa’s transformation?”

  Henry replied, “It happened in a matter of days, they never kissed and he died.”

  “Then how did she change?”

  Henry replied dressing slowly, “She drank from the same cup.”

  Flora replied flatly, “So she might not be it then?”

  Henry shrugged and then opened the door beckoning his mate out of the room. Flora walked towards him and stopped at the door looking at him incredulously, “You really think that she is the one?”

  Henry shrugged again, “She reminds me of Isisa when she was younger before her mate died.”

  Flora replied, a little happier, “I am glad then, I like her.” Then she kissed him on his cheek and smiled at his smirk, as they headed for Autumn’s room together.

  ***

  Autumn tossed and turned in bed as Ivan paced back and forth watching her sleep, his anxiety building. Flanagan was already sitting in the chair in the corner his eyes watching every flutter of her lids, his feelings similar to Ivan’s, although for completely different reasons. His mind flashed over and over again to the images of Autumn torturing Helen and then to her healing her. The door opened suddenly and Galen burst in, as Ivan turned and stood protectively in between him and Autumn, growling low. Galen held up his hands and said, “Drake explained.” Ivan backed off and stepped aside allowing Galen to get a look at her, still sleeping peacefully.

  Galen smiled sweetly at her, “She does not look like an eye.”

  Ivan grumbled, “The jury is still out.”

  Galen smiled sarcastically in response, “Yes that would make things so much easier.” Then he perched upon the window ledge in the room.

  Flanagan spoke up then, “I disagree I hope that she is the eye.” Both men shot Flanagan a look and he shrugged in response. Then he went back to staring at her. The door flung open and Grayton and Serena burst in.

  Grayton came and stood next to Autumn’s bed looking confused asking, “I thought she was awake?” Serena looked at Ivan for answers and he explained while they hung on to his every word. Flanagan gave more details during the final portion when Autumn lost her control on Helen.

  Grayton asked still looking at Autumn sleeping, “Busy girl.”

  “Where are the tapes at?” Serena asked.

  Ivan replied, “Still in the great hall, “

  “She still has not eaten?” She reiterated.

  Ivan frowned, “No she has not woken up yet.”

  Grayton looked at Autumn obviously pained, “I am going to watch the tapes. If she wakes up send for me.”

  Ivan and Flanagan nodded solemnly and Serena looked at Grayton’s stressed face offering, “I will come with you.”

  He nodded and left the room still looking pained. Flanagan watched as they left the room and asked, “Grayton has formed a bond as well?”

  Ivan nodded hard faced and said, “Sophia was not his mate. I believe that he is hoping Autumn will be the next eye, and that she will choose him.”

  Flanagan replied surprised, “You’re frightened that he might succeed.” Ivan did not answer he simply stared at Autumn’s sleeping face and Flanagan nodded understanding immediately, “You are in love then?” Ivan nodded and Flanagan frowned and then smiled, “You are going to have one hell of a fight on your hands when she finally changes, no matter the outcome.”

  Ivan nodded, “Yes I know.”

  Drake entered and saw that Autumn was still sleeping and eyed the three men waiting for her to awake. He said nothing as he took a seat in the back corner of th
e room, where he fished another rock from his pocket and began twirling it slowly again. A few minutes later, the door opened again and Henry and Flora came in. Both of them observing the men, all gathered in the room, watching Autumn sleep.

  Flora broke into a wide smile and said, “I am not the only one who likes her.” Henry smiled and nodded.

  Minutes later, a man came in with a large pitcher, and glasses. The soft hum of a machine could be heard in the hallway. Glasses were poured and as Ivan absentmindedly took his first sip and she awoke with a start. Ivan was by her side at once. She smiled brightly and slid her hand up about to caress his cheek softly when she remembered Helen and stopped. He continued to stare at her intently, and she asked, “Grayton’s here?”

  Ivan nodded and replied, “He and Serena arrived a few minutes ago.”

  Autumn frowned listening to the voices in her mind for a moment, “He is hurting… so Sophia was not for him then?”

  Ivan nodded sadly, “Do you wish to see him?”

  She whispered, “Yes please.” Ivan did not look at her then as he stood, and lightning fast Autumn shot her hand out and grabbed his arm. He stopped and looked at her surprised, “Can you send someone else to get him I don’t want you to go, if that’s alright.”

  Ivan nodded and smiled weakly, so Galen volunteered, “I will get them.” Then he opened the window and jumped out.

  She called after him, “Thank you, Galen.”

  Galen smiled, as the wind hit his face, his mind told him she was the eye. He knew it then, just as sure as he knew that his feet would not touch the ground. Suddenly he felt safer somehow, and the cold wind felt good on his face. The window was open and he heard as he swooped in, “Grayton now you are being irrational.”

  Galen sat on the ledge and said smiling, “Autumn is awake and she asked for you.” Grayton nodded and shot Serena a look, then huffed righteously before walking from the room.

  Meanwhile, Autumn sat up in bed frowning at Ivan, “You look awful. When is the last time you ate something?” Ivan looked over at the glass on the nightstand and took a sip as she watched closely licking her dry lips.

  He asked concerned, “Are you hungry?”

  She nodded, “I am starving; I would love some pizza.” Then she frowned as soon as the words left her mouth, “Oh you probably can’t get that way out here.”

  Ivan frowned as well, encouraging her, “You are not perhaps hungry for something else?

  Autumn looked at the cup in his hand and took it from him, sniffing it cautiously and made a face, “Ugh that smells awful.”

  Flanagan suggested, “Perhaps if you were in your other form?” Autumn looked at Ivan for guidance, and he nodded his approval.

  She shook her head, “I will try that after I get some real food.” Ivan looked at her apprehensively, and then she asked, “When you are in your other form real food isn’t even appetizing for you?”

  Ivan frowned, “It smells alright but it tastes of nothing.”

  She was upset by this news, she asked, “Really? Nothing?” Ivan nodded solemnly, and Autumn replied, “So then there is no regular food here at all?”

  Ivan frowned but answered, “Yes there is....”

  She cut him off, “Then please bring me something.” Ivan nodded to a man at the door who disappeared quickly.

  Ivan then turned back to Autumn who was rubbing her temples, “I want a big glass of water too.” Ivan nodded again and another man disappeared from the doorway. “And can you please stop whatever is humming in the hall its grating my nerves.” Ivan did not drop his gaze, he simply snapped and the machine was pushed down the hall away from the room.

  She smiled then, “You should eat,” Ivan watched her closely, then Autumn added sweetly, “It would make me feel better if you ate.” He nodded and began drinking again. She watched as his eyes changed as he drank and then as he finished her pupils began to dilate. Then she watched as the circles under his eyes began to look better. She smiled a toothy grin and then smelled the food coming up the hallway towards the door.

  She pulled the covers back and slid her feet out waiting for the men with the trays to enter. Seconds later, she grabbed a glass of water and chugged it down. Then she lay back for a moment smiling, allowing her body to absorb the water. She sat up and picked up a piece of chicken sniffing it cautiously and then biting into it and spitting it back out.

  The entire room watched eagerly for her next move. Autumn picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth and as Ivan had warned, it tasted like nothing. She swallowed it anyways and after a few more her body wracked with pain and then she vomited them back up into Ivan’s empty cup. She cursed and Ivan handed her a napkin as she wiped her mouth, asking for another glass of water. He handed it too her and she drank it and then drug herself back under the covers, shaking miserably.

  Eat

  Autumn sat there sweating and shaking, as Ivan moved in closer to her and said soft but firmly, “Now you will try the other.”

  Autumn smiled and nodded twitchily, “Maybe it tastes better than it smells.” He nodded though he did not seem convinced by her words. She smiled weakly as she took the glass that he offered her and frowned, and then she sniffed and took a sip, spitting it back out her nose wrinkled, “Oh, no, that is not good. It tastes worse than it smells.” Ivan frowned at her disappointed, as Serena and Grayton walked in. Autumn gave them both a warm smile and handed the glass back to Ivan.

  He took it, sniffing it, before taking a sip, adding, “It tastes fine to me.”

  She shook her head and grumbled, “It’s cold, and bitter.”

  Serena, seeing the dilemma, reached for the glass and sniffed it saying, “Three days old and from an older male.”

  Then she said, “Perhaps something fresher?”

  “And warmer,” she asked hopefully.

  Serena smiled sadly understanding, “The only way we can get it warm is strait from the vein.”

  She frowned and then sniffed the air suddenly looking hungry, “What is that smell?”

  Serena and Grayton began sniffing the air and Ivan watched as Autumn’s eyes dilated again this time into the full change. It was a look that they were all familiar with, she was ready o hunt.

  Flanagan noticed it as well, and he jumped to his haunches perched in the chair his eyes ready for the hunt. She pushed past them sniffing the air and saying, “It smells so sweet and hearty.” Autumn smiled a toothy grin and added in a strange voice, “And warm.” All of them were on the alert now. Ivan grabbed her arm, and she jerked it back, hard. It seemed to startle him and she stopped, sniffing him momentarily before registering what she was doing, “Sorry it’s got me on edge.”

  Ivan nodded, understanding her pain, “Do you feel strong enough to try a hunt?”

  Autumn nodded, “Yes.”

  She sniffed the air and ran to the window that Galen had jumped from earlier, and burst through it. The glass cut her face and arms but it healed just as quickly. As Autumn plummeted towards the ground, she felt her prey jump out the window behind her, along with eight other bodies. She vaguely thought she heard Henry yell at the staff as he jumped from the window as well, “Clear the island.” She felt the wind in her face as she heard the thumps on the ground behind her and the curse that broke from Ivan’s mouth as he landed.

  Galen caught up to her quickly and asked happily, as he swooped down next to her, “Which way?”

  Autumn sniffed the air again and smiled, “I can’t tell which way, it splits up ahead.”

  “Any idea what it is?” Galen asked.

  Autumn shrugged, and Galen looked at her seriously then, “Male or female?”

  Autumn replied truthfully, “Male,” and she nearly growled then. Galen nodded seeming pleased and broke off from her splitting the group in half. She spoke in her head then and said, Drake I want you with me. She felt him split off with her group of Ivan and Grayton and Flanagan. The other group Serena, Flora and Henry followed Galen towards the dense forest.

>   Autumn felt the power surge through her and then she slowed as she reached the edge of a cave in a small clearing, she was in the right spot, at the exact moment from her dream. She stopped and stood very still, Ivan on her right and Flanagan on her left and Grayton directly behind her as Drake paced back and forth behind them all. Autumn felt it coming, the dream told her that it was now, and she flexed and whirled it around in her mind.

  It was amazing, the same as before, she felt a pull and heard the boat that hit the sand near the far edge of the island. A large group of vessels was approaching the castle in the same direction as Henry’s hunting party. It was if the planet had all aligned just for this moment, some master plan set in motion to aid her in her first taste of blood. Autumn spoke softly then, “They are in danger Ivan.” All eyes turned towards her now, “There is a group of vessels coming in on the north corner towards Henry’s hunting party.” Flanagan headed off as soon as she spoke the words.

  She continued sounding serious, “They are angry and strong,” Ivan nodded and was about to speak, then Autumn stopped him, “Ivan and Grayton, Serena is going to need you both. Can Drake stay with me instead?” He nodded and Ivan hesitated looking at Autumn’s expressionless face as she stared off into the distance with worry as she pleaded, “Hurry there is no time.” He nodded as the two of them ran from her side heading toward the northern shore.

  Ivan called back to her sternly, “Stay with Drake.” Autumn nodded solemnly.

  She waited until they were gone and then she smiled and looked at Drake her eyes still black coals. Her mind refocused on her original directive again, as she slid her hand out and pulled Drake into the cave. Her stomach growled silently and she smiled as she felt the fire in his chest.

  He did not seem alarmed by her intention to be alone. But as the cave veered left Autumn felt the fire in his chest surge, and she slowed her pace, as not to spook him. She made out a ledge in the limited light and gestured for him to sit on it. He looked back out towards the opening in the cave that was barely visible from where he now stood. Autumn smiled sweetly and raised her eye brow and then answered his thought, “They will likely be a few hours Drake. And none of our side will be hurt.”