Blood of the Pure (Gaea) Page 7

  I had to make use of all my will power to overcome the fear and dragged my feet across the ground, my knees shaking with each and every pace, as I forced myself to obey his command. I stopped right in front of him, noticing for the first time how tall he was, probably even taller than Michael. His white hands moved, making me hold my breath as I recalled the pain of his touch from last night.

  However, he didn’t touch me. Instead he pulled at the dark satin wrapping his body and uncovered his chest, his skin as white as his hands, his muscles finely outlined.

  “Kiss me,” he said with his intoxicating voice as he rested a finger over the place where his heart should be. “Only then will you be certain that I’ll fulfill what has been agreed.” I didn’t understand. I didn’t want to understand. The only thing I wanted was for everything to be over, as soon as possible.

  I leaned forward, my tense body trembling, and he pulled his hand away. I allowed my lips to touch his skin, cold and soft like silk, and sweetly scented, and kissed it briefly. When I stepped back I noticed a mark similar to mine had remained. The red of the burn against the fairness of his skin almost shocking, and yet he hadn’t even winced when I vividly recalled having screamed in pain.

  He covered himself once again and his movements made me step back even further.

  “Now our Contract as been established,” he confirmed, although I couldn’t feel anything different; I was still me and the same from just moments ago. “I must go now. We’ll meet later.” And before I could say anything else, he disappeared leaving that sparkly dark dust in his place.

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  That day, after dinner and a few moments of mother-daughter quality time, I said my good-night and went up to my room. I hesitated for a moment outside my door. But when I finally opened it, I found there had been no reason for my nervousness.

  He wasn’t there and everything else was in its rightful place. For a moment I’d considered the possibility that the effects of his Magic might have worn off during the day and that, when I returned home, I’d find everything in pieces again.

  My gaze fell upon the heavy book as anger took over me, but I immediately censured my childishness. That pile of paper wasn’t to blame for my idiotic decision. And a bright idea crossed my mind, which made me grab the book and open it on the first page.

  I’d start there, I thought. If a spell from that book had set him free, then maybe the book would contain the Magic formula that would imprison him once again!

  I read the book all through the night and Saturday morning. Needless to say I stood up all night and only put it down to have some breakfast. I went back to my readings until lunchtime and, in the afternoon, Rachel and I went to the supermarket.

  I went back to its yellowish pages after dinner and it was past five in the morning when I finally finished it, completely frustrated for not having found a single thing that might help me. The book told nothing about how to Seal evoked creatures. In fact, if I’d understood correctly, the book’s author seemed to find the idea of anything materializing itself during a ritual utterly impossible, since the recipes on its pages worked solely with energetic and spiritual entities. As it was, there was no need to include spells to expel or cast away such entities back to their original dimensions.

  I sighed, putting the book back in its place on one of my bookshelves, and fell on the bed, falling asleep without even noticing.

  The rest of the weekend went by in a rush. My research on mythical creatures and Magic Spells progressed on the Internet, and it didn’t take me long to understand that subjects like Magic and occult were in vogue everywhere. There were dozens of sites about the stuff, and all said totally different things.

  Even so, and although I spent those few days under an absurd tension, waiting to see him appear out of thin air at any time, or looking for him on every tree branch I passed by almost as if I were a mad woman, he didn’t return.

  Chapter Three

  BAG

  – The Vision of the Dawn of the Aeon of Horus. 1 –

  “And thus my world, forever unmoving and suspended in time and space,

  fell unto the Wheel of Destiny and into the stormy waters of unknown seas.

  And although I feel like I’m drowning, in this strange and new movement

  a smile persists on my dying lips, for I’ve finally found out what has always been there,

  beyond this constant and unchanging inertia.”

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  “ G

  ood morning, Mary!” I raised my head and smiled.

  “Morning.” Steph dragged her chair to take her place and Joanne entered the classroom approaching us.

  “How in all sacred heavens did you manage to arrive before me?” she asked Steph, sarcastically, and Steph stuck out her tongue. “So? How was your weekend?” She asked us and I thought I saw Steph blush. “Uh! I see we have some progress here.” Joanne observed maliciously. “Spit it out! Did you go out with the guy?”

  “His name is Mark,” Steph corrected and Joanne looked at her wide-eyed.

  “His name is Mark, I see. So? How was it?”

  “How was it what? We went to the movies.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing!” Steph replied defensively. “Why must there be an and? We hardly know each other.”

  “I suppose,” Joanne conceded, resting her arms on Steph’s desk. “So? What do you think of him?”

  “Nothing special,” she retorted with a grumble looking away. I couldn’t help smile while Joanne was trying really hard not to laugh. It was obvious that Stephanie had enjoyed Mark’s company a lot. “I guess he’s nice. We talked a lot.”

  “Are you going out again?” Joanne insisted with enthusiasm, as if she were watching an episode of some soap opera, and Steph simply nodded. “That’s great! Finally! You’re always turning guys down.”

  “It’s not like I’m interested in him or anything,” Steph countered immediately, her cheeks blushing, and Joanne patted her hand.

  “Yeah, yeah, we understand,” she responded condescendingly. Mr. Frederich’s stern voice interrupted us as he entered the classroom and wished us a good morning, although he sounded more like he wanted to throw us all out the window.

  Now there was someone who looked like he’d had a terrible weekend, I thought as I noted the dark circles under the teacher’s eyes. Frowning as usual, he looked like he was in an even worse mood than normally.

  “Even though it’s unusual and against this school’s policy …” He began as soon as there was silence in that tone of reprehension that lead to many expressions of dismay. The probability of someone having committed some mortal sin had everyone ready to listen to the sermon on high alert. “… and although I‘ve opposed it vehemently, the college board of directors has decided to include a new student in this class.” The expressions of dismay disappeared instantly. Mr. Frederich turned towards the entrance, making a short signal with his hand, and everyone’s attention was immediately fixed on the opened door. “His name is Gabriel Lawless.”

  Whispers filled the room as a tall boy entered the classroom, stepping forward in wide, slow strides, until he stopped next to the teacher, whose head stood at his shoulder height. He had short, black hair, a few wild bangs falling over his forehead and eyebrows, and slightly elongated black eyes. His skin was too pale, as if it hadn’t been touched by the sun in ages, and the simple black shirt he wore had the first button undone.

  I felt like I’d just frozen ... that terrifying, suffocating feeling again, and I immediately focused on my breathing. Even though I was there, looking at him, I still couldn’t believe it and, in my mind, I could only ask what the hell he was doing.

  “It’s a pleasure.” I heard his velvet voice and my mouth filled with a bitter taste. Beside me, Steph whispered a ‘Wow!’ that left me painfully aware that now everyone could see him. And I panicked. My eyes rapidly ran through him. It was him! No doubt about it. But, at the same tim
e, it wasn’t. There was no extra long hair, nor purple eyes or black wings. He smiled and my heart jumped into a frenetic race. He was looking at me.

  “Oh, that’s right,” the teacher said dryly and in an annoyed tone that I could hardly hear. “As it seems your new classmate is related to Miss Mellis. Am I right?”

  A wave of murmurs rose all around me, as surprised exclamations and many others of disbelief filled the air. The only thing I could hear was my name in some distant echo and I hardly understood what was going on.

  “We’re cousins. It’s been a while since we last saw each other,” he clarified, his voice the only thing I could clearly comprehend. I looked at him incredulously. He was still smiling.

  “Very well, then! Silence!” Mr. Frederich demanded. “All questions will be asked after class. You may take your place at the back of the room.” The new student nodded obediently as he stepped down the board’s platform and crossed the room in his wide steps, passing right beside me.

  I thought my heart would stop, closed my eyes and only opened them when I heard the sound of his chair rasping against the floor while Mr. Frederich told us to open our books to page fifty-three.

  “Mari! Hey, Mari!” I looked in the direction of that whisper and was faced with Steph’s curious smile. “Is he really your cousin?” For a moment I could hardly hear her. My throat felt dry and rough, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to utter a single word. So I nodded and she looked at me wide-eyed. “You never told me you had cousins. And you’re so different!”

  I turned to my book so that the teacher wouldn’t reprehend me and forced an answer.

  “We’re not close.” It was all I could say, basically repeating his words, but Steph seemed satisfied, for the time being.

  The whole time during class I had the disturbing feeling that he was staring at me, as if his gaze could bore holes into my back. Needless to say I hardly heard a word about the life and work of Shakespeare. But, as time went by, I managed to regain the ability to think clearly and easily foresaw what awaited me as soon as the bell rang. I told myself I had to stop reacting like that to his presence; that there was nothing to fear, now that we had a Contract. Just to make sure, I tugged at the blue velvet ribbon around my wrist, the one that replaced the too flashy white bandage, and there it was, the small red mark.

  Still, I couldn’t help cringing my teeth in deep annoyance. What was he thinking? School belonged to my world, a world I did not wish to share with him! Deep inside, I felt invaded by his presence. Up until then I’d been the only one to see him, almost as if he really were in some other dimension. Now even Steph thought that thing belonged to my family!

  Unnoticed, as I constantly stumbled on my own messed up thoughts, time went by. And, when the bell finally rang, I still hadn’t come to terms with him being there, much less be prepared for the storm of questions that certainly awaited me.

  I quickly got to my feet, holding my things, and rushed out of the room, ignoring the voices that called my name.

  As I left I saw him sitting on his chair, smiling at the girls surrounding his desk curious about the new student.

  Without even waiting for the bell to ring again, I entered the classroom of my next class, Philosophy, and took my place, hoping for a few moments of peace and quiet and for the chance to put my thoughts in order. The recess was over all too soon, before I could make any progress, and the classroom began to fill. Kevin greeted me as he took the seat beside me, but didn’t ask about my weekend, continuing with the reading that had probably kept him busy during recess.

  The teacher arrived, leaving me tense and, just as I’d expected, the scene from last class repeated itself.

  Had to learn to live with it, I thought. There was no other way around it. And I wasn’t about to allow him to change my life, I decided, strengthening my resolve. He would not take over my world!

  I sighed half despairingly. If I could at least stop shaking like a dying leaf every time he came close to me.

  When class was over Kevin and I met with Steph and Joanne, who awaited us by the end of the corridor, and together we went down to the ground floor.

  “Is everything all right, Mari? You just ran out the door, before ...” Steph complained, and I made myself smile apologetically.

  “Sorry, but all those people with all those questions,” I honestly answered, feeling miserable, and Steph laughed gently.

  “Oh, I understand. Your cousin is not one to go unnoticed. And Fred even said that the school wouldn’t normally take in transfers this time of year. Things like these will only make people even more curious,” she justified, and the subject immediately became my ‘new cousin.’

  Joanne agreed with Steph while Kevin asked to be put up to speed, since he was completely oblivious to the whole matter. Steph gladly reported that morning’s events and Kevin repaid by informing the girls that my ‘new cousin’ was also attending Philosophy. They were on it when the rest of the group arrived, wanting to know what all that ruckus was about, and Steph basically went back to the beginning, describing the mysterious appearance of that strange, tall being that, after all, was from my family. I just kept nodding every time anyone needed a confirmation to the two girls’ tale and wished I could simply disappear.

  “Hello there. Mind if I join you?”

  Suddenly everyone was completely quiet, or maybe it was me who had become unable to hear the world around me. His voice had come right from behind me and my legs shook as if they were too tired to hold me standing. The line of people in front of me became distorted and twisted and I felt my consciousness slipping away.

  “But of course,” Steph answered pleasantly. “I’m Stephanie.” She introduced herself and I wished I could scream at her and just tell her to run. “This is Joanne. We’re both attending you English Literature class.” She went on as if it was her duty to introduce the rest of the group. “This is Kevin and, as it seems, you have Philosophy together. Then we have Joe who belongs to the Sports and Health Department, and Sarah and Albert, both into Arts.”

  “Nice to meet you. My name is Gabriel.” They returned their greetings.

  “Oh, and of course, you already know Mari,” Steph added, placing an arm over my shoulders like she always did, the sudden movement bringing me back from my state of stupor.

  “Of course ... Mariane.” My heart jumped and I forgot to breathe. My name in his voice was like a magic key containing enough power to, just like that, completely destroy me. The others started asking him casual questions and Steph dragged me along the line.

  Surprise hit me when I finally dared to take a peek at him. The perfect statue smiled and laughed openly. His dark eyes seemed genuinely interested in what my friends were saying. He looked indecisive when he had to make food choices and ended up picking what Joe recommended. He was obviously taller than most, standing out in the crowd, perhaps the tallest in the whole school. But, that apart, no one could ever point anything strange about him.

  We took our places at an empty table and the conversation went on. My new cousin was telling stories about his old school, how they also had a sulky teacher, just like Mr. Frederich. I saw him raise his fork and fill his mouth with food. I felt lost. The perfect statue ate. When I realized I was the only one not eating and stupidly staring at him. I immediately grabbed my fork and stuffed my mouth with food.

  I’m such an idiot!

  Why was I the only one who had to deal with that uncontrollable feeling of fear when he was around? How could everyone else accept his presence so naturally? How did they not feel the ice cold waves emanating from him, even while he smiled gently as he heard Steph’s tainted opinion about Mr. Frederich?

  “But really, no one would ever guess you guys are related,” Joe pointed out and I slightly choked.

  “Right? You two are so different!” Joanne unusually agreed.

  “That’s because my mother is Mariane’s father’s cousin.” I put down my fork and knife to hide how my hands were shaking. “It’s not
like we’re first cousins. Besides, as it turns out, I take after my father’s side,” he added casually and I feared I wouldn’t be able to keep down what little I’d been able to eat.

  “Right. It had to be,” Joe agreed laughing. “Mari’s family must be all shorties!”

  “Joe!” Steph’s reprehensive tone was lost amongst everyone else’s laughter. Only she knew how much that subject hit a nerve.

  “Um, not really,” Gabriel disagreed and everyone was suddenly quite once again, as if it were forbidden to utter a single sound while he spoke. “Aunt Rachel is quite tall, for a woman.” I don’t know what shocked me the most, him knowing my mother by name and appearance or if the feeling that he had somehow defended me.

  “Oh, then Mari is the only one with a problem,” Joe replied with a smile and Steph kicked him under the table. His loud ‘Ouch!’ made everyone else laugh and I stood up, knowing I’d never be able to finish my lunch.

  “Going already?” Joanne asked and I noticed that, unlike my usual self, I hadn’t even bothered to make sure I’d leave as unnoticed as possible.

  “Hey, Mari, you sure that teacher isn’t kind of exploiting you?” Joe asked, sounding worried. I stood there trying to make sense of his question. “Making you categorize all those books, every single day!” It came out more like a protest and I forced a smile as I understood that had been Steph’s excuse for my daily absences and early departures from lunch.

  “I don’t mind,” I answered, praying my voice wouldn’t falter. “It’s only for an hour...”

  “Just go already!” Steph encouraged me with an accomplice’s smile. “And good luck!”

  I grabbed my tray with shaky hands and noticed that he was staring at me. The glass jingled against the plate and I rushed out of there.