Insight

by Tina Engel

I was feeling a bit miffed at the fact that everyone seemed to think they knew what was best for me and I was feeling sick to my stomach, I assumed from whatever it was that the animal put into my body. I looked at Rose and she knew immediately what I wanted.

  “Okay everyone, let’s let the princess rest, and she needs some nourishment, so leave!” Rose said with a sharpness in her voice.

  Lily started to chuckle softly as she headed towards the door. “Well, as I said before, I don’t think we have to worry about Princess Emilee getting into any more trouble.”

  I started to stand as I spouted off, “Wait just a minute, I can take care of myself and further more…” before I could finish my sentence, the nauseous feeling I had, took over and I felt faint. The craving that I had wasn’t for Rose, but Brett and that hunger was growing rapidly.

  I sat back down and saw everyone staring at me; their faces were all distorted as if I was seeing them through a carnival mirror. My eyes were burning, and the hunger grew more intense.

  Brett came over to me but Lily hollered before he reached me, “Brett, don’t touch her. Let her feed on Rose. Everyone, leave!”

  They all left one by one but Brett stood nearby. Rose sat down on the bed next to me, but it wasn’t Rose’s blood that I wanted; I wanted Brett’s, and Lily knew this. I had no desire for Rose’s blood anymore. Lily had a look of sadness on her face.

  Rose lifted her arm to my face and the scent of her skin, caused my stomach to rumble, so I guessed Rose’s blood would do.

  Lily said with a slight chuckle, “Brett you too, out of here so she can eat in peace.”

  I heard Brett in my mind, asking if I was okay, and should he leave. It was such a safe feeling having him there, with me, never far away.

  I reassured him that I was fine but he then commented gruffly, “And no, you are not going to see the creature. Not without me anyway!”

  I smiled, knowing that I had won yet another small battle, he couldn’t go back now. He said not without him. I was going to go, as soon as this nausea passed.

  I took Rose’s wrist and placed it in my mouth and biting down gently, I sucked. As the liquid entered my mouth, my taste buds, happy to have nourishment, seemed to tingle. Rose’s blood tasted funny though, but my body was hungry, so hungry, that I got a bit rough with her. I couldn’t get it in fast enough. Rose’s blood wasn’t satisfying my hunger, at all.

  Rose let out a cry of pain and fear as Lily came to me, put her hand on my forehead, and said quietly, “Emilee, slow down and be gentle.”

  I looked from Rose to Lily, and saw the fear in Rose’s eyes and the concern on Lily’s face. My eyes were no longer burning and I could see clearly again.

  Brett was still standing in the door way, and as we joined again, he said with a smirk on his lips, “Emilee, she is your meal ticket, don’t drain her, not a good thing to do.” As he shook his head and chuckled.

  I removed Rose’s wrist and looking down, saw a few small gashes that I had caused, and put my hand over it, to heal her.

  “Rose,” I said humbly, “I am so sorry, I was so hungry for…” I stopped suddenly, looking at Brett, and Brett and I both sighed, at the same time, as he walked out of the room.

  I didn’t finish my sentence, there was no need. I could feel the vibration that was always there from Brett, we were always connected but his mind was closed off. Or was it mine? I couldn’t hear his thoughts.

  Lily, still looking unhappy, suggested that I lay down and rest, let Rose’s blood work its magic, so to speak, and Rose was to stay with me. She headed to the door, mumbling something about the timing being off, and I thought she said something about Rose and her blood, as she looked back at us both, shook her head side to side slightly, and seemed then to just be staring off into space, not seeing us at all.

  I did as she suggested and Rose, sweet Rose, covered me with a blanket, saying that she would be here if I needed more. I wondered what Lily was mumbling about, what about the timing, and what did this have to do with Rose?

  As I shut my eyes and I started to drift off, I heard Lily say to Rose, “Don’t let her drink from you while you are both alone. She can’t control the hunger. It’s not for you, that her body hungers for, but it isn’t time yet.”

  Rose must have had a pouty look, not that I could see it but I know Rose so well, and Lily said, kindly, not like the typical Lily, “She still needs you but she won’t for long in this manner and I’m not sure...” And she stopped her thought in mid-sentence and I heard the door close.

  I drifted then, not going to my dream world, the wheat field, but just drifted, in the darkness, a greyness, but soft and warm, sounds of a soft humming, a wind blowing far away. The smell of salt water, sea weed, pine trees, a spring rain, as I drifted through these fragrances, feeling nothing around me, as if I was floating in the greyness.

  Chapter 6

  Hunger,

  Not for food!

  Hunger,

  It pushes you to the limits,

  Hunger,

  You need it to

  Survive!

  I heard voices, it was Brett and Rose, talking softly, close by. I lay there with my eyes closed, listening as they spoke, Brett insisting that he stay until I wake, just in case, and Rose not really wanting to co-operate with this.

  “Just in case, what?” I asked, still with my eyes closed. I smiled slightly as I waited for an answer.

  I opened my eyes and sat up slowly, leaning my back against the head board of the bed.

  “Well Emilee,” Brett started, “I don’t want you to…” and he looked over to Rose, “over indulge.” And he came over and sat down next to me on the bed, with a silly grin on his face.

  Rose wasn’t at all happy with what he had said or the fact that he was here, in my room.

  Brett asked me if I needed to feed on Rose again, and if not he would like to be alone with me for a bit.

  Well Rose wasn’t going to go along with that. She huffed and puffed and stormed around the room, letting us know that she would go talk to Lily if need be.

  At some point on this journey it seemed, Lily had taken charge, and I was a bit perplexed and amused, by this.

  Brett and I both laughed slightly and I assured them both that I was not hungry for Rose, and I wanted to get up and take a walk.

  Brett and Rose looked at each other, and Brett informed me that I was not going to go see the creature that was locked up in the mess hall.

  “Who said anything about that?” I asked innocently, but yes, that was exactly where I was planning on going, with or without them.

  I brushed Brett aside as I uncovered my legs and turned them out over the side of the bed to stand. Brett stood and reached down, took my hand, and helped me to my feet. I felt very strong and rested but let Brett think he was helping me. I wanted him on my side, to go see the piece of the creature, so if I had to act a little needy, then so be it.

  Rose interrupted my acting, by clearing her throat loudly, and asked if I needed to eat more. I reassured her I was feeling fine and just wanted some fresh air and to go see Trevor, the cook, whom I so enjoyed visiting with, in the mess hall, of course.

  Brett, scowling, grumbled, “You’re not going to see that thing, Emilee. I forbid it.”

  “Excuse me?” I said, with an attitude. “I will do what I want, when I want, and how I want. This is my quest and I need to see it.” I turned and walked out the door, letting it slam behind me.

  I hurried down the hall and up a small flight of stairs, as I heard Brett yelling behind me, to slow down. I had no intention of doing this. I wanted to get to the kitchen and see the piece of the creature that had tried to drag me down to the deepest part of the waters that we were sailing in.

  Brett was there, in my mind, not happy at all and saying a few words that I had never heard him say before. Now I, on the other hand, had no problem saying them, back when I was a human.

  As I reached out to grab the handle of the door to the mess hall, a hand clas
ped over mine and looking up I saw Brett, a very upset Brett, with eyes glowing red and his mouth twisted in an unpleasant way.

  “Emilee!” He fumed, “This is no way to act. You’re behaving like a spoiled child and I’m here to protect you and keep you safe, no matter how I do it.”

  At that, he removed my hand from the door and scooped me up in his arms. What could I do, but laugh. I laughed as I looked at his furious but concerned face, then put my arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. (Yes I really did)

  At first the kiss was all one sided, I shocked Brett, but it was only moments before the kiss was reciprocated. This kiss was different from the other few we had, this was a deep, intense kiss. My entire body tingled, a strange sensation swept over me, I became warm, but not warm as if I was in the sun, a warmth that came from within, deep within me.

  Our lips parted, but our faces were still close, and I could see his eyes, green with need and I could see myself in his eyes, as if they were a mirror. It wasn’t me, I saw. Not the me, I was used to.

  Behind Brett, was the door with a window in it. I could see my reflection and it was someone else in Brett’s arms. Oh, I knew it was me but I had a glow that radiated from my body. My eyes were green, the same as Brett’s but my skin was not the tan color anymore, but silvery white.

  I looked back at Brett, his eyes still green with hunger and he placed his lips on mine again. I felt my fangs protrude as our kiss deepened and I bit down on Brett’s lower lip, breaking the skin.

  My tongue glided over the puncture as we released the kiss and I wanted more, so much more. Brett just stared at me as if in a trance, not moving his face from mine, eyes still green. I leaned my head just a bit, to his neck, and somehow knew that I wanted to drink from him.

  It was Rose who stopped me. She let out a squeal that sounded like a cat in a trap, and Brett dropped my legs, placing me on the ground. If I hadn’t still had my arms around Brett’s neck, I would have fallen.

  I turned towards Rose as I let go of Brett and he turned away from me, in Rose’s direction too. Rose had a look of panic on her face and she was pale, as if she had seen something that frightened her. I was sure it was us, me and Brett who frightened her, and it frightened me a bit also.

  “What are you two doing?!” Rose shrieked, as she came over to me, grabbed my arm rather roughly (I might add), and tried to pull me away from Brett.

  I went with her willingly because I wanted to calm the situation down that we seemed to be in.

  The mess hall door opened then with a crash, bumping Brett and sending him flying a few feet but he caught himself before he tumbled to the ground.

  It was Trevor, with Jordan following. I must have still had a strange look about me, all silvery white, I assumed, because when the two of them looked at me they had a concerned look on their faces too.

  Jordan came over to me, placed a hand on my cheek and said, “Emilee, what happened, are you alright?” and he then glanced in Brett’s direction.

  I did too and Brett’s eyes were still green, with a faraway stare. Brett then inhaled deeply and looked up at me. His eyes where back to normal and he seemed focused again.

  “What are you all looking at?” Brett inquired rather gruffly. “Emilee, are you okay?” He came towards me, but Rose still holding my arm, yanked me behind her and away from Jordan, in a rough manner and stood in front with a stance that let everyone know she meant business.

  I looked down at my arms and they were still silvery white and the taste of Brett’s blood was still on my lips. I wanted to shove Rose out of the way and be back in Brett’s arms, but before I was able to make a fool of myself and do that, Lily came walking down the hall towards us.

  “Back away, everyone please. Can I not get away from you all for just a bit, to find a nice tasty snack down below?” Lily said in an annoyed voice, that if a cat could talk, is how they would sound.

  Brett stepped aside slightly, not moving far from me while Jordan moved to stand next to me. Neither of them had any intention of moving away too far. Rose didn’t budge but as Lily approached her, she placed a hand on Rose’s arm and with a kind smile she gently removed Rose from in front of me.

  “Princess, now what have you done to yourself?” Lily asked.

  Lily looked over at Brett and with raised eyebrows said, “Brett?”

  Brett gave her a confused look and shrugged his shoulders.

  She looked back at me and took both my hands in hers and said, “Talk to me Emilee, tell me what you need?”

  “I need to go see that thing in the kitchen. Brett tried to stop me and …” I looked over to Brett, our minds were one and he remembered, as I did, what had just happened.

  “Emilee,” I heard him say, but no one else did, “Be patient, we will do this together.”

  Lily looked over at Brett and then back to me and whispered, so only I could hear, “He’s right.”

  I looked at Lily, and she grinned slightly, then looked down at my hands. I followed her gaze and saw that my hands were my normal color again.

  “What do you need, Princess?” Lily asked again, calmly, as if I would tell her something different.

  “I need to see the creature’s limb. I feel it inside of me, please.” I said.

  Rose was still out of sorts with what she had witnessed, so of course she had to express her disagreement in a way only Rose could. She threw up her arms, and in a frenzied tone, said, “Are you all crazy, did you see what she looked like? Did you see his eyes and hers, for that matter? Am I the only one who is rational right now?”

  As I watched Rose carry on, our eyes locked for a moment, and in that moment I knew there was something else going on. Rose was afraid of that thing in the cooler, not afraid for me, but for her?

  When Rose was done with her rant, she looked at me and she knew, I knew. Why she was afraid, I didn’t know but as she realized this, she turned her gaze towards Lily. As they looked at each other, I knew something was about to happen and they both knew it.

  Lily nodded her head and Rose put her head down slightly, looking away from Lily. Rose headed towards the door to the mess hall, pushed the door open and went in.

  Lily, being the old Lily that I knew and loved, said, “Well, that was very entertaining, now wasn’t it? Shall we follow her inside and see what other form of entertainment she can provide?”

  Lily chuckled as she headed for the mess hall, still holding one of my hands. Even with the chuckle, which I felt was faked, I felt there was something going on.

  Brett followed closely behind as the others, Jordan and Trevor came in last.

  Rose was mumbling and flinging her hands about as she headed into the kitchen. “Let’s just get this over with, why not just do it, let them see each other, it is supposed to happen eventually, anyway. She has to learn it all, so why not now?”

  I was so confused by what Rose was saying, she was make no sense at all. When we entered the kitchen, Rose was at the cooler door and as Lily released my hand, I went to Rose before she could open the door and asked, “Rose, what are you mumbling about? You’re not making any sense.”

  I put my hands on her shoulders and she looked up into my face. There was such sadness in her eyes. “What is it Rose? You’re not afraid for me, but for you, Why?”

  “It doesn’t matter Princess Emilee, but I think you should eat one more time before you go in to see that thing.” Rose said, and when she said, that thing, she said it with acceptance in her voice.

  I told Rose that I didn’t need her right then but maybe later. That was the wrong way to put it, for Rose looked at me with pain in her eyes, as if I had rejected her. I immediately realized how it sounded and corrected myself, saying that I just wasn’t needing her blood right then, as I was remembering the odd taste that it had the last time I drank from her.

  “You won’t need it at all, soon, Princess, so take from me now, to gain any strength you will need, before seeing that piece of meat in there.” Rose said, as she looked
towards the door of the cooler.

  I informed Rose that I would always need her and want her by my side. I took her in my arms then and hugged her lovingly.

  Rose’s body was trembling slightly, and as I released her and reached down, I took her hands in mine, and said, “Rose, it can’t hurt anyone as long as we are all together. We are all strong, as one.”

  Rose had such a sad expression and said, “Princess, we are here, all of us, for you. We each have a different reason for being here, but you won’t need me, in this manner, soon.”

  I was dumfounded by this statement and looked around the room at everyone. I saw that Adam and Angelina had joined us. I had no idea when they came into the mess hall, but as they all stood there looking at Rose and I, I realized that Rose was right. They all had a purpose on my journey and I would always need them all.

  It was Douglas, who spoke as he entered the room, in his usual take charge voice, “Rose is right…” and he walked over to us, smiling down at Rose as she removed her hands from mine and stepped away from me, so that Douglas could open the cooler door. “…we are all here bringing different pieces of your journey, to help you reach your destination.”

  I thought about Queen Anahita then, down in the water, wondering if Douglas knew something about her being there. Was she really there? And who was the other water fey?

  I looked at Brett then, realizing he knew what I was thinking. He was confused by what I had seen too. If it really had been Queen Anahita, he knew nothing about it.

  Brett’s thoughts seemed protective as he said, “Let it be for now. We can ask questions of Ana, later.”

  Was Brett being protective of me or her, I wondered? And with a look of embarrassment and frustration, he shut me out of his thoughts.

  With the cooler door open, Douglas reached out his hand in a gesture for me to enter. Brett, of course, was not extremely excited about this and said sharply, “Douglas!”

  Douglas turned his head in Brett’s direction, gave him an almost scolding look that quickly changed to understanding of Brett’s fears, but turned then, looked at me and told me to go in.