[A/N] Soooo, yeah. I’ll make this short, cause that cliffhanger must’ve sucked eggs. I’m addicted to I Don’t Need a Soul, by Relient K. Listen to it. Seriously. ALSO. If you’ve never seen David Henney, just quick google him. I kiiiiiiinda want to maul him. :] Okay. That is all.
The breath whooshed from my body, and I dropped Fletcher, who yelped. I could hear the rush of blood in my ears as I gaped at Mikhail. “What?”
“You’re mother is alive.” He smiled maliciously at my reaction then inspected his nails with a nonchalance that irked me. “That’s where your grandparents went, in case you were wondering.”
“What?” I repeated stupidly, still unable to believe he was telling the truth.
He waved a slim hand in the air before my eyes. “Hello? I just told you, your mother is alive. Prisoner, but alive. Snap out of it.”
“She’s a prisoner?” My eyes widened, and I felt the slowly rising tide of fury in my chest. I growled lowly at Mikhail, who didn’t even flinch. “Where?”
He rolled his eyes. “If I knew that, why would I be telling you this? I believe I know who took her—not for certain, mind you—but I haven’t been able to pinpoint her location. That’s why I told your grandparents. Their resources are vastly superior to mine.”
“So you would’ve kept it a secret, if you hadn’t needed their help?” The flames rose higher in me, and I beat them back, wishing it was Mikhail I was beating. “You would never have said a word?”
“Of course I would have!” He gave a bark of laughter. “What do you take me for? I just would’ve waited until after I’d rescued her, of course.”
I frowned. “Why would it matter if you had?”
His eyes went dark, his face blank, as he uttered in a voice void of emotion. “It doesn’t matter.” I blinked, and his fake smile was back. Maybe I’d imagined it. “What matters is the test you’re undergoing, and by this current display of control, I’d say you’re looking at a pass.”
“Test? What test?” I blinked at him, confused.
He smirked, and I shuddered. “The one that determines whether or not you live. Surely you know the Council didn’t just release you unconditionally? No. Of course you don’t.” His sigh was heartfelt, and I shrunk back in embarrassment. “Well, if you can handle yourself going to school, this school, for a year, they’ll lift your sentence permanently. As it is, you’re only on a sort of probation.”
I nodded like this made complete sense to me, and it did, I just hadn’t quite caught up emotionally to the implications. Like, my grandparents pretty much lying to me. Oh, and I have to behave myself for an entire flippin year. I took a deep breath and let it out. Realistically, I was already planning on doing that, but being told to do it? It triggered some inner rebellious teen I hadn’t known existed. Gah.
“Don’t get any ideas about running after your grandparents,” He said sternly. “I know you were thinking it, but if you leave without permission, you automatically fail the test.”
I sagged slightly. He was right, of course. “So I just have to sit here and be a good little girl until the time’s up?”
“Yes.”
“Fantastic.” I grumbled. Mikhail chuckled, and I glanced back at him. “How do you know all of this?”
The smile slid from his face, and he started to look scary again, before he shook his head. “It really doesn’t matter, Eleanor. Just—“ He paused as if hesitant to continue, and I waited. “Just don’t tell anyone I was here. I’m not exactly a good guy.”
He said the last bit with a winsome smile, but I could still feel the malice lurking in him, so I knew he wasn’t joking. Not really. The corner of my mouth kicked up. “Thanks, Mikhail. Regardless of your baditude, this was a nice thing to do.”
“Yes.” His smile went slightly sad. “Remember that, Eleanor.”
“Wh—“ I sucked in a breath as he pretty much disappeared before my eyes. After a beat, I smacked my forehead. Of course! He was a Darim. His skill was probably teleporting. The adrenaline started ebbing from my system, and I sat hard on the porch steps as my legs finally gave out. I raised a shaking hand to my head.
Mom was alive. I didn’t want to believe it. Nine years I spent being responsible for my parents deaths, and she wasn’t even dead. He hadn’t said anything about my dad, so I assumed he really had died in the fire, but….no. One hope was enough for now.
I slid my phone out, scrolling to the number Hannah had given me earlier, and listened to it ring. “Hello?”
“Hey, Hannah.” I squeezed my eyes shut as a pulsing headache started right behind my eyes. “Is it cool if we postpone the hanging out? Something really important just came up, and I need to take care of it first.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed, and I heard Geo in the background going, “What? Who is it? Is that Ellie? ELLIE! Get over here now!”
I smiled slightly. He definitely sounded more awake than earlier. “Tell Geo I’m sorry, okay? I promise we can do it tomorrow.”
“Sure. I mean, if you’re sure?”
“Yeah. Sorry, Hannah.”
I heard her tell Geo, who started shouting profanities at me. “We’ll see you tomorrow at school, okay?”
“Of course.” I sighed. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
I hung up, feeling kind of like a bitch, but there was no way I’d be able to pull off cheerful in my current mood, and I really couldn’t explain it to them. No wonder our kind never had human friends. There were so many secrets.
I checked my watch and headed inside, deciding a run would be just the thing to pull me out of this funk. Surprisingly, in the whole time since I’d left the cabin, I hadn’t once felt that itch to get out and move. It was odd, but nice. Still, I jogged upstairs to dig out my running stuff and put it on. I nearly tripped over Fletcher on the way out, who was passed out cold on the front porch. Apparently it had been too much excitement for him. I shrugged and stepped over him, eventually sitting in our front yard to begin stretching.
I took my time, mostly because I had a lot of it. I was a pretty independent spirit. It suited me to come and go as I please. To eat what I wanted. To answer only to myself. It felt strange knowing that wasn’t how I would be living now. At least, as soon as my grandparents came back.
I slid to a stand and started off into the surrounding trees. As long as Fletcher stayed put, I’d be able to find my way home just by looking for his thoughts. I began slowly, easing my heart into a faster beat. It was cooler in the trees. Sunlight flickered across my skin as I went, barely breaking through the canopy of leaves. My feet pounded against the dirt, beating out a steady rhythm as I wove in and out of the trees. Everything was green and brown, with flashes of blue where the sky was showing.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of white, and I skidded to a halt, breathing heavily. My heart raced as I actually saw the whiteness for what it was. A tiger. It stood stock still, piercing blue eyes gazed unblinkingly at me. Slowly, I eased into a ready stance. Now if I had to run, I’d at least get a good start.
Pushing my consciousness out until it brushed the tiger’s, I gasped. There was a wall around its thoughts, something no normal animal could do. Then again, what would a normal white tiger be doing in Vermont? Cautiously, I met its ice blue eyes, a feeling of vague familiarity lurking in the back of my mind. I shook it off.
This was a Darim. One of my people. It was the only explanation. What it didn’t explain, was who it was exactly, and why the hell they were lurking in the woods outside my house. Well, there was only one way to find out.
“What do you want?” I saw the cat start in surprise. Obviously, I was the first to recognize them for what they were. It gave a low growl, and stalked a little closer. I stood my ground, glaring at it. “You apparently don’t know who I am, or you wouldn’t be hiding in the woods around my home. Didn’t your parents teach you anything? The Mansfields aren’t a family you want to mess with. Now, the only way we’ll get this sorted out is if you change back to human form, or open your mind to mine. I’d prefer the second option, as I’m guessing your shift doesn’t include clothes. Am I right?”
After a slow nod, the tiger sat on its haunches and closed its eyes. I took that as assent and I pushed out again. After a gentle nudge on the wall, a section swung inward, and I slipped inside. It was all light and music. I felt weightless, floating in a water that caressed my skin, even as it let me breathe. It was glorious.
A second later, a low voice asked, “How did you know?”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“How did you know I’m actually human?”
“Oh, that.” I basked in the sunshine for a moment before answering, “The wall around your mind clued me in. No real animal would have that, no matter how intelligent they were. And FYI, you’re not human, not technically.”
I felt more than heard his disbelief. “Of course I’m human. I’m just as human as you are.”
“See, that’s the thing. I’m not.” I laughed. “Neither are you. Didn’t your parents teach you anything about us? We’re the Darim, stupid. Not human.”
He was silent. “What?”
“What’s a Darim?”
My eyes rounded. “Oh. You didn’t know? Shit. I’m sorry. You should probably talk to your parents, I mean. Gosh. I’m so sorry!” He growled, and I shut up. His eyes flashed with violence, and I chuckled. What was he playing at? “Seriously, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Now that I know your this is your skill, it’s not even close to a fair fight. I mean, all I have to do is blink and you’d be writhing on the ground in pain. So, just simmer down.”
His voice was a wary rumble, more feline than human. “I could take you.”
“Believe me, there’s nothing I could use more in this moment than a good fight.” I laughed, feeling his annoyance, and reveling in it. “However, I’m sorry to say, it wouldn’t be much of a fight.”
He charged at me while I was still laughing. I stopped abruptly, now slightly angry that he hadn’t listened. Yes, I know I was mocking him, but it wasn’t like I was lying. He didn’t even flinch as he launched himself at me. I waited until he was feet from knocking me over, giving him the chance to back down before I actually had to hurt him. He kept coming.
With a sigh, I took control of his mind, wresting it away from a flimsy consciousness. If he’d been trained to fight me off, which, let’s face it, not many people are, it would’ve been more of a battle. As it was, his struggling mind only felt like the barest brush of wind as I poked and prodded, sending spasms of pain along his body.
I joke a lot about doing this, even use it as a sincere threat from time to time, but I’ve never actually done it. Not since I was very young. Gran saw me making a bird dance on the front lawn. She was livid. To warn me against it, she showed me what it felt like. That inescapable helplessness, the total loss of control. Having to sit and watch like a spectator in my own mind. I never want to put someone through that except as a last resort.
So as soon as I felt him realize what I’d done, I slipped out of his mind completely, staring at the ground away from where he lay. For a moment, neither of us moved. I didn’t want to scare him anymore than I’d already done, and I think he was still in shock. Slowly, he got to his feet, eyeing me with wary fear.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I know it doesn’t make up for it, but I’m sorry. Do you understand now?”
His eyes flashed and went hard, but he nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something, so I cautiously reached my mind out again. He let me in out of sheer necessity. “Who did you say you were? A Mansfield?”
“Kind of. That’s my family line.” I smiled. “Did you know you attacked the Princess of the Darim?” His whole mind reverberated with skepticism. “Really. My grandparents are away right now, but they’re the King and Queen of our kind. Understand?”
“Yes. What I don’t understand though is what you’re doing here? If you’re royalty, what the hell are you doing in Crestview?”
I gave him a sad smile. “I used to live her when I was younger, but I was sent into isolation. Are you sure your parents never mentioned any of this?”
He shook his huge head. “They know as little as I do.”
“Makes sense, I suppose.”
“What does?”
I frowned at him. “Most of our kind is registered in a way. We’re supposed to know the name and whereabouts of every Darim on the planet. Is your whole family like you?” He nodded. “That doesn’t make sense. A whole family of Darim living under the radar? Why?”
His shoulders rolled in the feline equivalent of a shrug. “How should I know? I didn’t even know there were others like us until today.”
“Hmm.” We fell silent, both thinking. I gasped. “Ah HA!”
He jumped slightly. Guess that was louder than I thought. “What?”
“How far back does your skill go?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I sighed, slightly annoyed with his lack of knowledge. “Who was the first of your family to develop this skill? Your mom? Dad? Grandparent?”
He thought for a moment. “My great grandfather on my Dad’s side. He’s still alive, you know. Is that weird?”
I waved a hand. “Doesn’t matter, but no. We all live to five times a normal human life span. But that’s beside the point. I think one of your,” I paused to count in my head, “great-great grandparents got it on with a member of our Order, and this whole skill thing is the result.”
He gaped at me. “No way.”
“Yep.” I grinned, happily focusing on his problems rather than my own. “Do you want me to find out who it was?”
“No!”
I blinked. “Okay. Wow, no need to shout. I get it. You don’t want to know.”
He growled, obviously going for intimidating, but it sounded so much like a purr that I giggled. He glared. “Sorry. You just—I just realized. You’re like a giant cat.”
“What?” He sounded taken aback, but I couldn’t stop the ideas now overflowing through my brain.
“If I pet you, would you try to bite my arm off?”
“YES!” I tried my best to look innocent, but he was seething. Obviously that was the wrong thing to ask. Honestly though, who doesn’t want to pet a tiger once in their life? I mean, come on, how was he not expecting that?
I grinned as something else dawned on me. “You live around here, right?”
“Yeah.” He sounded wary, but that just made my grin broader.
“So, do you go to my school? Would I recognize you?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
He rolled his eyes, and I smirked. “Yes, you would probably recognize me. In fact, we sort of met earlier today.”
“Really?!” The tension was too much, I had to move. I couldn’t pace—I’m just not good at walking in straight line—so I sort of bounced slightly. “When?”
“Well, you insulted my girlfriend and hit on my best friend.” He showed some teeth in a parody of a grin, even as I felt the blood drain from my face. Shit no. No way in hell was this James. Something of my horror must’ve showed in my face, because he asked, “Hey. Are you okay?”
No I am not okay! I wanted to scream. I wanted to run away. This was so unbelievably wrong. He inched a little closer to me, probably in concern because I was acting like a lunatic. And something in me snapped. The little boy I’d loved nearly all my life was gone. In fact, that boy never really existed.
“I need to go.” My voice sounded dull, flat, even to my ears, and I took a step back. “I just—I need to go.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
My eyes were filling with tears. I needed to leave. Now. I turned to go, muttering, “Just go away, James.”
“Just tell me what’s wrong!”
“You’re wrong!” I flinched even as I shouted at him. “You’re all wrong! I don’t want it like this. It’s not right!” He looked stunned, but I was on a roll. “All this time, all these years, and all I wanted was you. But you’re not you! You’re not the same. You’re all wrong.”
I was sobbing now, hands covering my eyes as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt a nudge on my knee and he was there, watching me with fearful concern. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I shoved him away, “It’s me, James. It’s Ellie.”
Now he was the one backing away, shaking his head. I sunk to my knees, watching his eyes fill with the same horrific anguish that showed in mine. “No.”
“Do you get it now?” I whispered brokenly, helpless as the dream I’d allowed myself shattered into a million pieces. “Do you understand? It’s all wrong.”
He wheeled and sprinted away until he disappeared into the trees. I sat, crying quietly in the sunshine, wishing for the first time that those Council lackeys had actually killed me.
[A/N] Sorry, I know there was one of these at the beginning so I’ll make it short.
Oh. Snap.
Vote, Comment, Fan….Whatever. ;]
-Lisa-
[Also, I rushed the editing so I could get this up here before I changed my mind. Sorry about any mistakes I might've missed.]