Chapter 20
Riley's POV
"Who is she?" I barked.
I hated being interrupted and I did not care who it was. I hated it more that Miguel had done so while I was with Casey. I could sense the hatred he had for him just by being near him. I could sense the darkness. It was calling me. It was stronger than before. Something was changing.
I knew I had to get rid of Casey. There was still some light in me. I knew I was being cruel telling him to go suddenly, but I needed him gone. He had to be shielded from Miguel and whoever he'd brought with him. Also, I wasn't ready to tell him I wasn't even human.
"She's in the kitchen, come and see her", Miguel said softly.
I rolled my eyes and limped to the kitchen. When Miguel noticed that I was limping, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "What happened to your leg?"
"I had a minor accident", I said nonchalantly.
"Oh, don't worry. You can heal yourself" he said directing me to the kitchen as if I were the guest.
"I can?" I could not hide my surprise.
"Of course my Lord, how do you think you survived the bike accident? No human could have survived that. You had a brain injury. You healed yourself without the doctors noticing", he said.
I leaned on the kitchen wall.
"How do I heal myself?" I asked.
"Your body does and it decides when", he said walking, leaving me leaning.
It took my body only a month to get rid of a brain injury, but it could not get rid of a simple sprained ankle quickly?
I entered the kitchen. A woman was sitting on one of the kitchen chairs at the table, drinking what I presumed was coffee. She reminded me of mom, although she was definitely years younger than her.
"Isadora, this is the young man who will wake us, Riley...Dark. My Lord, this is my wife, Isadora", the introductions were made.
The woman bowed her head. "Nice to meet you, my Lord", she said.
What was with the Lord thing?
"Yeah, um, nice to meet you too", I said indifferently.
"Riley, Isadora is your aunt. I am your uncle, your father's younger brother", Miguel said.
"Where is he? My father", I asked, rubbing my chin.
"He's in Lands of Azuria, waiting for you. Everyone is waiting for you", Miguel said.
"I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally meet you", Isadora said in a delighted voice.
"I am glad to meet one of my own too", I said. It felt sincere. I was losing control.
I don't know how it happened, but Miguel and Isadora already felt like family, despite never having met them in over 18 years. They just...fit in. I was itching to meet the rest then.
"If you don't mind me asking, who was that boy my Lord?" Miguel asked.
"No one important", I said.
He seemed reluctant to ask the next question. "Is there anything between you?"
I shook my head.
"Phew. I almost thought you were whatever these humans indulge in these days. Gay, is it? You simply cannot be. You are the Awakener, son of Isandro, the chosen descendant of the great Lucius Dark, the first Awakener", he said. "Like everyone before you, you are mated to the chosen one, the bearer of the future Awakener".
"The chosen one... how do I know if someone is the chosen one?" I asked.
It all made sense why mom was keen on me having a girlfriend. She had to make sure I was not gay, so I could produce an heir. Were they open to in-vitro fertilization?
"Well, symptoms vary really. There is something you will feel in the presence of the chosen one. I cannot tell you what it is because I have never experienced it. Your mot...Emily told me something was interfering with your powers. You might have met the chosen one already. Do not worry, when the time is right, you will know", Miguel said.
"So, I cannot have a relationship with anyone other than the chosen one?" I asked.
"You could, but it has to be a darkener. Your father is the village whore", he said and chuckled. "The chosen one takes priority. There is something that worries me and I hope you can put my mind at ease. As the awakener you have to have a child with the chosen one. Your blood in anyone else other than the Awakener is dangerous. No stray child out there, right?"
I laughed as if he had cracked a joke. "Of course not", I said in between laughs.
What did he take me for? I did not sleep around. I was only attracted to one person. The last thing I needed was a baby. I was not ready for that.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes", I said curtly.
"We have something to tell you. Tell him Isadora", Miguel said.
"Well my Lord. We have spoken to you father. The stars will truly align soon. The sacred door is opening. It's time for you to meet your people", Isadora said.
"When?" I asked quickly. Even though I knew it had been building up to this, I felt uneasy.
"Tomorrow", she said giving me a wide smile. "You are going home".
Something was nagging at me. "How did you find me?" I asked as I shifted on the balls of my feet.
"We are only two of many deployed to find you. Little did we know we'd find you right here where our city breathes. It's like the walls knew to keep you here, our second home...where we come to feed", Isadora said, not answering my question at all.
I coughed. "Feeding...um, like vampires?"
She chuckled like I'd cracked a joke. "If vampires bring darkness, then yes. We don't maul people to death; we suck out the light in their lives, scarring them. That's how we feed, and sometimes when we are done, we physically toy with our preys".
Her words were supposed to be bone-chilling, but they made me...happy. I could imagine destroying someone and leaving them a shell of themselves. I knew where I wanted to start. Matt would learn to fear me before I sucked out everything, leaving him just a ghost.
Miguel and Isadora left a little bit after our talk. They seemed very excited to finally go to Lands of Azuria after they'd worked hard to find me. When they left my urges got stronger. It was about time I visited Matt. He had to explain to me why he had not told the police it was me. I wanted to prove to him that I was untouchable, that I was superior.
I instantly transmitted myself to his balcony. This time I did not want to waste time. I remembered the surroundings very well so I could utilize instant transmission to perfection. I scanned the room through the thin curtains covering the balcony doors, utilizing my normal vision. There was no movement in the room, so Matt had to be alone. I opened the doors slowly and walked in.
I stopped dead in my tracks. Grey eyes were looking straight at me. The grey eyes did not faze me, the still figure lying next to the grey eyes' owner did. I could have been a hundred meters away and I could still tell it was Casey. Anger stirred inside me.
The still figure suddenly moaned, yawned and turned. Eyes opened. He stared at me. Big blue eyes stared at me, pinning me to the ground. I could have escaped, but for some reason I couldn't.
"Riley?" Casey enquired sleepily.
I turned, as if to walk away.
"Gosh Matt. Why didn't you wake me? What time is it? Riley, what are you doing here?" he asked.
Matt just stared at me, no doubt remembering the last thing I had done after our encounter.
"Your dad was worried sick that you aren't home, thought you were in some kind of trouble, so I thought I would look for you. You don't look like you need rescuing though", I concocted a lie, making my way to the door.
"Wait!" Matt found his words.
I turned and looked at him, frowning.
"How did you get in here?" he asked. His voice was barely audible. It seemed he had lost his bravery already.
Casey looked at me. He clearly wanted to know too. Seeing him next to that good-for-nothing bastard angered me. He had gone straight there after the moment we had shared! He couldn't have waited to be in Matt's arms. The anger that was stirring in me could not be controlled. I already imagined my fingers curling around Matt's neck.
"The same way I did last night", I said, knowing fully that I was admitting in Casey's presence that I had been there the previous night.
His surprised look pierced through me.
"I'll show you how", I said.
With that, I instantly transmitted myself to the other side of the room. I went back to the spot I had vacated shortly, still using instant transmission.
"...And oh, I actually did levitate myself last night", I said, levitating myself to about thirty centimeters off the ground.
The horror look and the fear in Casey's eyes could not be hidden. His mouth was gaping. He held on tighter to the sheet around him. At the same time, he seemed excited.
"See?" Matt said to Casey.
"What...what...what are you? What have you done with Riley?" Casey found the courage to ask.
"I am Riley sweetheart, always been", I said, glaring at him.
He cowered back and ended up in Matt's arms. That only served to infuriate me further.
"What happened to you Riley?" he asked, looking at me with...with loving eyes.
I was...confused. As I stood there showing him what I could do, he feared and still loved me. He did not hate me! I could see the shock and fear in his eyes, but I could still see the love. Instead of believing I was something abnormal, he thought something had happened to me.
"I was born this way", I said quietly. Casey's presence was turning me meek. I could feel the dark hold on me slipping. That couldn't happen. "Now Matt, how is it you didn't tell the police that you saw me? You saw me perfectly well before I gave you that black-eye", I said walking to them.
Matt reached for his phone. With the speed of lightning, I was on top of him, callously pushing Casey off the bed. I could not bring myself to hurt him.
Matt winced in pain. No doubt I was sitting on bruises that still hurt.
"Don't you dare!" I snarled.
"Get off me!" he said, pushing me hard.
I got off him and indicated that I had asked him a question.
"Because...because..." he stuttered.
"Well..." I said.
He sat up straight, wincing in the process.
"Because...I thought it was my imagination", he said.
I chuckled. It was pretty obvious he was lying. My hands went to his throat.
"You know pretty well..." my voice broke off.
"Stop hurting him! Just stop!" Casey cried.
"Not until I paint this room with his blood darling", I said.
A soft cry entered my ears. Curled up on the floor, Casey was crying softly. He didn't look up even when I looked at him.
I stood rooted to the spot, just looking at him. He looked so fragile. I was instantly reminded of the time Eugene embarrassed him in front of the whole school by denying their relationship, stating that he was straight; and the time his parents told him they were divorcing. I'd promised I'd never reduce him to that state, and yet I had.
"I have to go", I said quietly and transmitted myself to Aqua St Claire Park.