picture; Lorelai Ylisove
song; "Fear The Fever" by Digital Daggers - it's such a good song. Play it now!
author's note; I've been working really hard on making sure to develop character relationships really well. Sonya and Lorelai's relationship is incredibly close, so I'm taking my time in portraying that clearly very early.
Also, thought it'd be helpful to tell you guys how some of the names are pronounced:
Lorelai Ylisove ~ Lor-uh-lie You'll-ih-sov
Ankiel Ylisove ~ Ayn-keel You'll-ih-sov
Siern Reinove ~ Seern Ray-nov
Codaihme ~ Co-daym
Aven Vierseut ~ Ah (like the "a" sound in apple)-ven Veer-sut
Seilyar ~ Sell-ee-ar
Siekrov ~ Seek-rov
Sorcha Preudova ~ Soar-cha Proo-dove (like "dove into the pool" not like the bird)-ah
Meisente ~ Mih-sen-tay
Dalyhke ~ Da (like the beginning of Dad)-lick
If there's any I missed, you guys can let me know and I'll tell you how they're pronounced. Comment + Vote, enjoy!
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I guessed Sawyer really had some distaste for Genevieve.
I wondered if he was just biased though because she obviously didn't get along well with someone who was close to the person he cared most about in the entire world—his Mate, Eloize. Curiosity burned me as I neared closer and closer to Genevieve's office.
I raised my hand to knock on her office door but the sound of glass shattering on the other side rushed to meet my ears. My eyes widened in panic and I pushed the door open quickly to see Genevieve cursing under her breath.
She turned to see who walked in, and a beautiful smile spread over her face.
"Sonya, please, make yourself at home." Sarcasm dripped through her tone and my eyes turned down to the cup she must've accidentally dropped.
"Sorry, Mistress," I cut back dryly, a sly, small smile slithering onto my mouth. Genevieve scowled at my use of her formal title. "I thought you were hurt or something." My tone had turned serious now as I sauntered inside.
"I can assure you I am well-passed fine, Princess." Genevieve poured herself another drink with a new glass and offered one to me as well.
Her normally pale skin was slightly pink around her cheeks and she seemed even more serene than she usually was. I knew the bourbon was quality and did well to thoroughly warm me from the inside out. I accepted the glass and took a swig before sinking in to the seat on the other side of her massive black oak desk.
"How was your first lesson?" Genevieve sat across from me and levelled her beautiful cerulean eyes directly on me. I remembered suddenly how I used to be intimidated by her icy gaze, but I'd grown so used to their intensity that I was now completely unfazed.
"It was interesting." I started, leaning back and sighing, swishing the bourbon up around the glass nonchalantly. "I feel kinda dumb though since I know basically nothing about the Unknown World and even less about how my own body works apparently." Genevieve raised a brow, curiosity skittering across her face.
"Elaborate." She said simply, taking a swig of her own glass.
"Well," I started on a sigh, leaning forward to place my glass on a coaster on her desk. "I didn't know that Vampyres could have Mates. I know that a Lycan's biology and the beast's spirit immediately creates the Thread upon meeting them, but I didn't know the same thing could happen to me. Sawyer was telling me all about it."
"Ah," Genevieve actually smirked and her brilliant eyes peered down into the cup she was holding at her lap. "Sawyer Codaihme, yes."
"You know him?" I wasn't surprised. Sawyer made it clear that he knew, and didn't like, Genevieve. "Do you know he's Mated to an ancestor of mine? An Elder named Eloize."
"Yes, I know of Eloize, but I've never had the pleasure of meeting her." I nodded, looking away thoughtfully. "Are you wondering why I've never offered to contact her for you?"
"No," My voice was flat as I spoke with a shrug. "She obviously knows about me, because Sawyer felt the need to speak with me after class and let me have her journal."
"Oh?" Genevieve seemed surprised, which was another expression that I rarely ever saw grace her beautiful face. "Did you want to meet her?"
"Yeah," I said slowly, musing it over for a moment before a small smile pressed over my lips. "It'd be nice to have some semblance of family again." My eyes met Genevieve's and something like hurt flicked through the deep, cerulean-blue orbs, but she quickly, and graciously, rose from her seat before I could be sure.
She twisted around and then moved over to the windows that looked out over the vast darkness of the Centre.
"Of course, Princess. I hope that meeting her will bring you great joy." She sounded like that was exactly what she didn't want, but I didn't comment on her tone. I didn't mean to hurt Genevieve with my comment.
She and Lorelai had really become the only family I had here at the Academy. But the piece of me that missed my mom and sister more than ever yearned for a connection to someone who shared the same physical traits as me, the same blood.
"I hope so, too." My voice was tender and I stood as well, moving beside Genevieve. "You've been an amazing Mentor, Genevieve. I've come to see you as family, too."
"You don't have to console me, Sonya. That's my job." Genevieve faced me and set her glass down onto the shelf beside her. A tender small was spread over her mouth and she grasped my hand in hers.
"I will always be here for you. I think you having a relationship with Mistress Eloize will be a good thing." Genevieve's voice sounded genuine and motherly now; she squeezed my hand comfortingly once, twice, then let go.
"Thank you, Genevieve." Genevieve had been a voice of reason and such a comfort over the years, and I truly did appreciate her for being there.
She settled me into my dorm, helped me work through the horrendous night terrors, and she checked in on me a few times a week to see how I was adjusting to life at the Academy, and life without Meredith.
Genevieve had even arranged for my father to attend my mother's funeral. Colton declined of course, but I had been grateful. She'd even told me not to be angry with my father for not being there for me when I needed him most, to not be angry with Cetilayn for never coming back.
"There apparently is a party happening in the woods Sunday night." Genevieve's voice interjected into my gloomy thoughts and yanked me back into her office. She looked at me knowingly, and polished off her bourbon. "I am expecting you to be safe and drug-free."
"Of course." The grin on my face was wicked though my words sounded so innocent. "I am the poster child for safe and straight-edge."
"Sonya," Genevieve's tone was motherly once again, but held a warning.
"Oh, I've been wonderful the entire summer. I deserve one night." Genevieve rose a brow and I clasped my hands together firmly and offered her a pleading look.
"Lorelai is a bad influence." Her voice was matter-of-fact, and her ocean eyes turned away to peer out the window again. "If I find you in the infirmary, Princess, I'm going to be... what's the word you children use today?" The look on Genevieve's face was thoughtful. "Pissed?"
"Trust me, Genevieve. We'll be fine." The bell resounded and Genevieve and I both paused at the sound of it. I took a step back towards my chair, still facing her. "I'll see you Tuesday."
Genevieve silently watched me gather my things and make my way to the door. "Goodnight, Sonya. Be safe." Throwing a smile and small wave over my shoulder, I exited her office.
I'd walked a few paces before I stopped, realizing I should fish my phone from my bag and text Lorelai about where I was and to let her know I would be on my way to meet her for dinner.
Slowly, my heart started to speed up as I couldn't find my phone anywhere. My brows knit together as I delved deeper into my bag, but my cell wasn't there. Blowing out a raspberry, I turned my eyes toward the ceiling in annoyance and my phone buzzed just then. I felt like an idiot as I pulled it from my back pocket.
Typing in my password and letting my feet move forward, I began to text back Lorelai when I became aware that someone was walking my way.
My eyes rushed up to see a man a few paces away, the expression on his face completely unreadable.
The air surrounding us seemed to spike up a few degrees and I began to shake, my heart's pace quickening and slamming against my chest with a severity I had never felt before.
Cerulean orbs delved into me, and I felt the heat around me curl over my body. My breaths were coming out in ragged, shallow pants and I felt myself get weaker as he cautiously moved closer, almost like I was a frightened, wounded animal.
The stream of fire enveloped me until every inch of my entirety was set ablaze. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin.
His image branded into my mind and I knew I would never forget his face. His blonde hair was a golden wheat, but seemed washed out against the light the moon poured over the desolate hallway.
His wondrous cerulean eyes burned and darkened with an indescribable intensity as they raked down my body. The blue there was undeniably radiant, swimming and inviting and intoxicating, drowning me in a stunning ocean that I was elated and willing to die in.
His skin was pale, but not deathly—just a soft, creamy perfection. That's actually what this man was—perfection. He was so perfect to look at it was almost agonizing. Everything about him was drawn with precision, not a fault to be found. It was obvious he was God-sent, an angel perhaps?
Almost as if it were instinct, he reached out to touch me, and though it was strange, I didn't even attempt to shy away. The pad of his thumb brushed against my collarbone and I shuddered away at the blinding, white-hot fervor his touch held.
And oddly enough, as soon as I'd shuddered away, I desperately yearned to be near him again. I suddenly was leaning forward enough to feel his breath brush over my skin when he finally spoke.
"Sonya," His voice was so husky I felt the most private area of myself clench in desire when he spoke my name. "I've dreamt of you."
Some of my senses slowly came crashing back and I scrunched my brows together in confusion. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to ignore the nearly overwhelming urge to push my mouth onto his and let him fuck me right there in the hall. "Have we met before?"
"No," he responded, looking so much like he wanted to place his hands on me again. "I'm Derik. You're... you're my Sufletul Oglinda."
We stood there in the empty hallway for a few more heart beats. I took a step away, overwhelmed by his words and unsure of what to do. Derik silently watched me react to the information, and a nervous chuckle left my mouth as I again started to move further away.
He swiftly reached out and grabbed me by my upper arm, effectively holding me in place and causing tendrils of fire to continue rocketing over me.
Derik's eyes had darkened to a Navy blue, and his brows knitted together in what appeared to be annoyance. He towered over me, eclipsing my average 5'7 height with his own.
Derik had to be at least six foot, and I could tell even under his leather jacket his body was perfectly lean with muscle. His golden-wheat hair was long—much longer than I knew most male Protectors to wear it.
The satin yellow wisps stretched all the way down to his shoulders, and it was unkempt, but somehow in a stylish I'm-too-good-looking-to-care sort of way and not in a I-just-rolled-out-of-bed-and-am-a-perpetual-mess.
Derik had the typical boy-next-door traits with his blonde hair and blue eyes, but the scorching fire that burned within his crystal orbs and the intensity that seemed to never leave his face made him profoundly intimidating.
There was absolutely nothing "cute" about him. As I surveyed his appearance, I suddenly became aware that he could effortlessly throw me over his shoulder and take me wherever he wanted; I also became aware that I doubted I would object.
"Don't back away from me like that." The words held such an authority they commanded me to instantaneously lean forward again, unable to disobey.
His accent was Northern English, but his voice itself held such a deep baritone that his words seemed so intimidating.
A rolling hunger pulsated through me and I swallowed, my mouth feeling dry. I think I was beginning to sweat under his heavy, abyss-like gaze.
"I... Sorry, my friend is waiting." My phone buzzed again in my back pocket, and again. Lorelai was getting impatient. Another buzz.
Derik didn't seem to notice, or at least he didn't care. The cerulean in his eyes slowly returned and, after eternity, he released his hold on me and took a step back of his own.
"Be seeing you, Sonya." The desire that was thick within his voice as he spoke my name had a lucid pang of longing throb between my legs.
One corner of his mouth tilted up into a sexy, lopsided smirk, the darkening of his eyes alerting me to the fact he could probably smell how aroused I had become in his presence.
Derik brushed by me, and the arresting, feverish swirls that skittered along my skin dissipated the further away he moved.
It took me a minute to collect myself, and my mind continued to be foggy throughout my entire journey down to the Centre Plaza to meet my best friend for dinner.
I couldn't bring myself to tell Lorelai just yet; I still was trying to understand what had happened, and why he walked away from me so easily.
My mind wandered back to what Sawyer had told me only a few hours ago: ... she tried to resist the pull for a long time... I finally graduated from the Academy and Eloize finally gave in...
So the urges can be resisted, maybe even ignored. I wondered if they could be flat out denied. Lorelai would probably be able to answer my questions since she witnessed first hand a Mated couple together her entire life, but I decided I would wait to talk to her about it. She most likely would smack the shit out of me for letting him walk away.
Lycans took Mating more seriously than any of out kind. There was a law amongst the Lycan faction that no matter what a Lycan's Mate had done, they can never be tortured or killed. The law applied as long as the Lycan wasn't a Rogue themselves.
"What the hell, Sonny! You left me waiting out here for forever. I was beginning to feel like a friendless loser." Lorelai's arms were crossed over her chest, and her gray eyes were alight with irritation.
A snicker flowed out before I could stop it and a smirk fixed itself onto my lips.
"Well, you are a friendless loser." Lorelai didn't appreciate my teasing.
"I have a friend!" She defended herself loudly. "She's a dumbass though. And tells really bad jokes. And she has a lopsided tit."
My mouth fell open at her comment and I instinctively folded my arms over my chest, effectively covering myself. "Rude!"
"Leaving me waiting out in the cold for half an hour isn't rude?" Her voice was incredulous. "You didn't even say sorry." Lorelai's curvaceous mouth poked out into a super adorable pout, but her words sounded so childish that I had to roll my eyes.
"Okay fine. I'm sorry, Lori." I huffed, not really feeling that bad at all. "I got caught up talking with my IOS Mentor. Guess what he told me after class."
"Ooh, was he scheming on you?" Lorelai's Cockney accent sounded even edgier and rougher than it normally did when she was being suggestive, or when she was mad and ranting.
"What is with you? He's my Mentor." I reminded her, but Lorelai just kept that stupid sly grin on her face and her brows kept wiggling up and down.
"I watch teacher-student roleplay porn. It's hot." Her voice was matter-of-fact, and her demeanor was utterly serious.
"Lorelai, you're sick in the head." We'd made it to a sushi-and-teriyaki restaurant and ducked inside, both of us shuddering off the frigidity of the outside air simultaneously. "Seriously you need to see a doctor."
"Don't fetish shame me. Not everyone is vanilla and boring like you." Lorelai stuck her tongue out at me and blew a raspberry.
"Okay," I drawled, ignoring her comment. "We went way left. I was trying to tell you something important." Lorelai rose her brows and waited, the expectant look on her face just screaming well what is it? "My IOS Mentor is Sawyer Codaihme." Lorelai's face slowly drained of color at the mention of Trenton's last name. "He's Trenton's brother, Lori."
"Did he say anything about him? Does he know where he is?" I shook my head and the glimmer of hope that had sparked in her gray orbs extinguished almost immediately.
"He was actually asking me how I knew him. I told him we were friends."
Lorelai nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I've actually known Sawyer since I was a kid. I haven't been home to the Pack for a few years now since Kel and Trent left the Academy. We always all went back together. It just wouldn't be the same."
"I know." I sighed as I cast her a sympathetic look. "Well," I spoke slowly as we shifted a foot forward in the line to order. "Did you know that he is Mated to an ancestor of mine?" Lorelai looked confused and she shook her head. "Yeah, her name is Eloize, Lori. He's been with her as long as Trenton has been alive. She's an Elder though."
"Well that explains why she's never around for the holidays. I knew Sawyer had a Mate, and I knew my dad was close to her, but both she and my dad were always gone, so I didn't know much about her besides the fact she was old, Sawyer's Mate, and her name was Eloize. Never knew she was a Reinove."
Lorelai paused and seemed thoughtful for a few moments. "Eloize Reinove... holy shit, Sonny. She's old as hell. Eloize is Siern Reinove's daughter. She was his second-born child."
"How do you know that?" We were next up to order, and Lorelai stepped up and ordered a few rolls of sushi for us in Japanese. I had forgotten that she even knew how to speak Japanese.
Novices are required to take three foreign languages over the course of seven years so they are more likely to be able to communicate with other Protectors abroad upon graduation. Japanese was one of Lorelai's chosen three languages and she had been fluent for three years now.
"Textbooks. My parents." She had finished ordering for us and we moved away to the side nearby the pick-up counter. "Eloize had taken control of forces during the Red War and is one of the Elders who helped to create and implement laws. She aided in the foundation of everything the Unknown World is built on. She's like a warrior Goddess."
"Okay, how do I not know this?" I was growing really tired of being so ignorant about my own world and kind's history, my own family history even.
"It's okay that you don't know this stuff, Sonny. You didn't live in the Unknown World. You grew up as a normal human with a normal family. Not with Packs or Protectors as parents."
"I wish I had grown up in this world. My dad is the only family I have left since Meredith died and Cetilayn is gone. He basically disowned me and Cetilayn when she Awakened and started the Change." Lorelai nodded before smiling at me sympathetically.
"I always wanted to ask you about that, but I didn't want to bring it up because I know it's a touchy subject." The look on her face was unsure, and I cocked my head slightly to the side in a questioning manner.
"Ask about what?" Our order was called and we stepped up to collect our sushi.
"Arigato." Lorelai smiled to the woman who handed over our food and we moved towards the exit together. The iciness I was greeted with was shocking after leaving behind the cozy, warmth of the sushi place. "I wanted to ask how old your sister was."
"She's three years older than me and was nineteen when our parents divorced."
"See, that doesn't make any sense." I scrunched my brows together in puzzlement, but stayed quiet as I waited for Lorelai to continue.
"Everyone knows that the Awakening doesn't happen until you're in your twenties. The youngest age ever recorded to start the Awakening was twenty-two, but people usually Awaken by twenty-five. And even after the Awakening, it takes months—even up to a year—for your body to begin the Change. Your sister Awakened way too young, and the Change started way too fast."
"So," I drawled, not really connecting the dots. Lorelai's gray eyes met mine, the perplexion within them turning them almost silvery. "What does that mean?"
"For whatever reason, your sister's body sped through the Awakening and Change. It's unnatural. Something forced her body to do that." My heart dropped at Lorelai's words, and my mind began to race with the possibilities.
She obviously was having issues with her ex-boyfriend Rene—the one who had murdered Meredith, but could teenage angst and a toxic romance be enough to do that? I doubted it.
"Something like what?" I finally asked, needing some sort of an explanation.
"I'm not sure." Lorelai replied as we turned into the co-ed dormitory. She pushed the button to summon the elevator. "That would probably be a good question for Sawyer. He's the reason I know a lot of the things I do about our history and physiology."
I pushed my key into the lock of the dorm and twisted, then reclaimed it from the doorknob. "It's crazy that you never knew about Eloize considering how long you've known Sawyer. Genevieve actually did know about her and she never offered to help me meet her."
"Really? Well, that's shitty." I nodded, suddenly reminded that I was so grateful that Lorelai understood me so well. "After everything you've been through with your family, she didn't think it would be a good idea to let you meet one of the only relatives you have left?"
"To be honest, I think Genevieve was being selfish. She's become like a second mother to me at this point. I think she didn't want me to meet Eloize because she didn't want to be replaced. From what you've told me though, Eloize will probably be way too busy to actually check in on me as often as Genevieve does." We settled ritualistically into the living room on the overly comfortable and well-used couch.
Lorelai and I had spent many days and nights binge-watching TV shows or just talking all night about everything from aliens and the afterlife to our families and favorite foods and colors.
"I guess I can understand that. But still was a pretty shitty thing of her to do." Lorelai was surfing through Netflix, trying to find a something for us to watch. She decided on The Vampire Diaries and I groaned. "Don't you act like you don't wanna see your precious Damon."
"I love Damon, but the plot holes are so much more noticeable now that I'm an adult rewatching the show. And seriously. The daylight ring thing irritates me to no end. I know damn well there isn't a spell to protect us from burning in the sun." I scoffed and used my chopsticks to grab a bite of my dragon roll sushi.
"You think that's bad? At least that would actually make sense. Literally, the Lycans turn into a basic arse wolf. If that's not taking the piss, I don't know what is." I chuckled around my bite of food.
I remembered Lorelai getting so pissed off when I first had her watch the show with me when Tyler Lockwood turned the first time. Underworld was one movie that actually got it right with the Lycans.
They're huge, black beasts that walk on two feet and even the smallest Lycans are still over seven feet tall.
"I literally only continue to watch because of Enzo and Kai. I prefer Klaus and the Originals."
"Me too." I agreed after swallowing my food. "Much better story with a lot less plot holes. The Vampire Diaries should've ended after Elena turned. I know Stelena fans were mad as fuck."
"I know. Damon and Elena have so much more passion. Stefan is a dull, bunny-eating loser. He is such a bad person all the way around. He's a shit brother to Damon, a shit friend to Caroline, and he's not that good of a boyfriend either. Damon always handled his shit." Lorelai and I ended up watching around six episodes before we retired to my room to go to bed around 4 am.
I drew the black-out curtains closed and threw a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top in Lorelai's direction. Plopping down face-first into my cloud-like comforter, I groaned happily.
"I love this bed so much." The bed dipped for a moment and I knew Lorelai had sat down next to me. "I'm so happy I got this new blanket and the pillows."
"Me too. I might move in." Lorelai agreed around a laugh. She yanked the comforter from under me and I jerked up to scowl at her. "Move over!"
"This is my bed!" I reminded her, chucking a pillow at her face. She caught it and hit me so hard with it over the top of my head a dull throb moved across my skull. "Ow, bitch!"
She snickered and pushed the pillow behind her before laying down on it. "That's what you get." I resisted the urge to smack her because I was too tired for her antics.
"Whatever." I grumbled, rolling over so my back was facing my friend and pulled the blanket over myself. I sighed contentedly as I got comfortable.
We laid silently in the dark warmth of the room for a while, and I had almost fallen asleep when Lorelai's hushed voice met my ears. "Hey Sonya?" After mumbling a sleepy "hmm?" in response, she spoke again. "I love you."
My eyes opened and I rolled over to look at her. Lorelai was lying on her back, her gray eyes were still visible in the diminished light of the room. "I love you, too, Lori."
"I think I'm gonna find my Mate soon." I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew that, but she continued before I could get the words out. "I've been dreaming of her..." She paused for a long time, and when she finally spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. "I'm scared."
"Hey," I reached across the small space between us and squeezed her arm. "She'll love you, too. And if she ever does anything to hurt you, I'll beat her ass."
"There's literally illegal, Sonny." She tried to remind me but I shook my head.
"I'm a Princess. I don't care about a law." Lorelai finally turned to face me and smiled.
"You're the best, Sonny." Rolling my eyes at the stupid nickname, I turned over again and plopped my head down onto my pillow.
"You too, Lori. You too."
☼