Sun & Moon

Chapter 31 - Rio

"Nothing we don't already know by now. Blood of firsts. Destiny. That sort of thing." She snorts at that. "I actually thought way too deep about the destiny part at first, like maybe your odd pairing was something bad. Wishful thinking, I guess."

I notice her eyes dart quickly to the side at me, this time noticing the slip herself. So, I ask.

"Does she know you're in love with her?" I whisper.

She shakes her head profusely. "I'm not in love with her. Not anymore. I can't be." Then she feigns a solemn smile. "She has you now by the looks of it," he eyes dart down to Astrid's mark on my trapezoid. "And I have myself and that's fine."

I remember how the First Son in my vision had tied the fates of the first born descendants of Fen and Luc. Maybe the Greywood line ending with Bianca here as Sigma is a part of that tying, though I will keep this information to myself. Bianca already blames herself enough for everything.

However, as the descendant of Luc, I still fail to see how my fate ends when I still have my destined by my side, whether or not she's a tiger. Interspecies mates aren't uncommon.

"Bianca, you realize that we are first born descendants of the first wolf and Lycan created by the Moon Goddess, right?" She nods at my words. "And that obviously covers the blood of firsts part, including the First Son himself. But, what about Astrid?"

"Maybe because it was your destiny bond that kinda sparked all of this in the first place? Drove me out of Silver Bow?"

"Right," I purse my lips at the look of annoyance on her face. "What if she's the key to all of this and the First Son has no clue?"

"No way, Rio. She's not a first born."

"I think she should talk to the Sun Goddess," I suggest.

"Look, I mean no offense to her or to you, but I don't think she would last even a minute in the elders' meditative circle. I think I only lasted 5 because my Sigma power was just about evolving at that point."

I smirk. "You say you don't love her anymore, yet all I here from your protestations is how you still care deeply for her."

Bianca tightens her angular jaws at this and scornfully looks at me, her eyes turning veridian.

"Whatever," she responds. "Let her do it if she wants."

"Then we should get on with it as soon as possible. Or you can rest up while we attempt this."

"No," Bianca says. "I've had enough of sleeping."

With Guru's help, we get a meditative circle going. He says some of the elders were too tired or too distressed to participate so, everything rests on Astrid's endurance. She nods, determined to try her best and it takes all my will not to sweep her up and kiss her good luck in public. She would hate that.

Or so I think.

As 6 elders begin the meditation, Astrid places a little peck on my cheek before taking Guru's hand. I beam at this, although I also hear a small gruff from Bianca, standing off to the far left.

"Good luck, Astrid, and may the Goddess show you the way," Guru says.

The elders sitting in the circle chant at first, but then grow quiet as the minutes pass by until there is nothing but pin drop silence. All six pairs of eyes are aglow in bright gold as I notice a shift in the aural energy around the circle. As Guru leads Astrid in, they seem to have entered into some barrier of sorts. From outside the circle, the vision of them appears lighter and hazier. Even Bianca seems intrigued by this.

Guru sits Astrid down in the middle of the circle, holding her hands. It takes a few seconds, but eventually, the old man's eyes start to glow, then Astrid's too.

I look back at Bianca, who seems to be timing them on her wristwatch, pessimistically thinking Astrid wouldn't last long just the way she predicted it. But I hold out for hope. I have a feeling in my gut that Astrid and I were meant to be for a higher purpose.

As the 4-minute mark comes around, Bianca looks astonished. From where I'm standing, Astrid doesn't seem the least bit fazed by the energy draining circle.

Bianca meets my eyes in a while, letting me know that Astrid's been in the circle for more than 5 minutes now, and I smile at the little victory. That's when I get a text on my phone from Demi, my Delta that reads:

"Web alerts going crazy. Vampire attacks in over a dozen villages east from your location. Alpha Volkov and Crimson Storm pack alerted."

This doesn't sound good at all.

"Any news?" reads the second text.

"Found Bianca," I reply. "But there's a lot more than we expected. Will call in a while. Hope you're still up in an hour." I notice the time back home is currently around 2 am.

Demi texts back a thumbs-up emoji.

I take note of the current time, 5:13 am, and time Astrid myself. After the next 5 minutes, I realize the tiredness from my legs as I stand watching. I sit down on the floor as the clock strikes 5:19 and take a look around at the underground hall. The size of it suggests that the founders of Sanctuary must have been quite optimistic about their mission. Though the dwindling number of tigers outside suggests the stark reality as does the nomadic instincts of their young adults, from what I learned from Guru.

As the clock keeps ticking, I ruminate on ways Astrid and I could possibly help this community grow and flourish when we leave. I could throw in some much needed funding for the infrastructure of this place and spruce up this underground hall. Though all this would be quite a job considering the constraints of the entrance and the thousand steps it takes to get here. I'll have to make use of the opening up above the peek of the mountain.

When 5:40 comes around, one of the elders around the circle comes to. The old woman, breathes heavily and apologizes for breaking from the meditation. Soon after, another elder follows, then two more. Now that the circle is broken, the hazy aura I saw before is gone. However, Guru and Astrid are still sitting together, their bond unbroken.

The elders start to murmur among themselves wondering how my destined has lasted so long. Bianca walks over to me, sits, and nods curtly and with her eyes tells me 'don't you say I told you so.' I grin at this and continue on observing Astrid and Guru.

"I hope the Sun Goddess gives Astrid what we need to win this fight," I whisper to Bianca.

"I hope so," she replies.

Then, just as the clock strike 6 am and the daylight floods through the hall entrance, Guru and Astrid break from their trance. Bianca rushes to help the old man from keeling over as he pants in exhaustion. She asks if he's all right but he waves his hand dismissively. I walk over to help my destined and notice the look of awe on Bianca and Guru's face as they watch Astrid.

"Almighty Goddess," Guru whispers.

Just as I kneel by Astrid's side, I tuck a tuft of her raven black hair behind her ear and I see what the others behind me softly gasp at.

There, around the pupil of her right eye, is a ring of gold.