The Gathering

CHAPTER 11

When they returned a few hours later he was wearing the suit and on the computer, frowning as he read of the latest on history for while he had been asleep. When the six entered he looked up and marveled, however not about the history. “Since becoming what I am I have never had a shirt fit so well and feel so light,” he pulled at the suit. “Same here” Anna smiled “Richard must be a real genius. This material is unheard of, let alone the suits.”
“Rick said Sassel made it for him” Lance added “that he gave it to him to use.”

“That explains it” Johnathon said softly “it is magically enhanced. Sassel’s talent was for armor and clothes that repel attacks. That is why our robes are so resilient.”

“Rick says that it’s because the energy of magic is weaved through the fibers of the cloth so it makes it like a barrier.” Lance spoke out this “it also affects the wearer similar-only it senses the wearers talents and enhances them like it does the cloth, like Johnathon’s crystal.”

They understood this and Sky switched the computer off and rose, stretching his legs a few times and testing their strength. Then he nodded to them “they are fine now. Let us go.”

“I’ll see you guys out” Lance said, followed by Payton and the group moved to the hangar. They opened one door and sat back to watch Johnathon weave the spell that would turn the three of them into small black bats, with the instant knowledge of how to fly.

They then watched the three lifted into the air and the one that had been Paul started to dash around the room, screeching in what could only be enjoyment. However one screech for Tommas’ form and he was back to their side.

They were about to lift off when there came a voice over the nearest intercom “what a minute guys. Something is headed this way fast.”

“Hawko?” Anna asked a little in fear as she was back again and the answer came “We don’t know yet, we can’t get an image. I suggest you close the door and come inside, just in case.” The spell was instantly gone and they were back to human form. Johnathon closed the door and backed everyone deeper into the center despite Paul’s protests.


After a few minutes they reached the control room to find both Veronica and Steven there, watching a distant figure approach on the monitor from the camera outside. The others appeared behind them and they all watched in silence until, while the figure was still a dot in the distance, Tommas suddenly frowned and sat forward “it can’t be.”

“What is it?” they looked at him and Cathrine asked him softly “Father what do you see?”
He blinked a few times and then looked at her “I thought they were all gone.”

“Who where father?” Cathrine asked.

“Before you came into my life and I went to the village I found out THEY were being hunted and killed by humans jealous of their power. I traveled, trying to find any survivors to protect but found none, not a single one left. They were all gone. Desolate and alone I went to Africa to be alone but instead found myself saving a village in trouble. My people.”

“And you stayed there because you felt you had failed these people” Paul said and when Tommas nodded he asked “But who are they?” When Tommas didn’t answer Payton looked at Steven “can you zoom in on it?”

“I don’t know” Steven said. “C.C zoom in on approaching form. Show us who’s coming this way.”

“How far zoom in, designate Steven?” a computerized female voice asked. “Fill the screen. We want to see it as clearly as Possible.”

“Understood Designate Steven” it answered and the screen flickered and then fully revealed the figure heading towards them. At first he was merely another Idar or Renegade to them, a teenager who was pale and thin with the red cat-like eyes and the strangest shade of hair color they had ever seen. So strange they immediately assumed it wasn’t a real natural shade, only bottled.

But on close inspection they knew it was not only real but also natural. Johnathon and Gwin both sucked in breath sharply and Gwin repeated Tommas’ earlier words “it can not be.”

“What?” they asked them and Johnathon spoke out to his best friend “Santon look closely and tell me what you see.”

“What do you mean?” the warrior asked. Veronica must have seen it too for she gasped and grabbed her husband and loves arm “Santon really look. At his eyes and remember, the purity and goodness.” Steven really looked and froze also “by all that’s holy…” Together all four adults from the past followed Tommas and Paul breathed two words “Fire Race.”

“Fire race?” the others questioned them “who are they-him? He’s obviously an Idar.”

Sky suddenly spoke, frowning thoughtfully “Fire Race. Ancient sorcerers from before human and mutants began. The first intelligent humanoids to exist on this world their purity of spirit and kind souls make them innocents and incorruptible. They are unable to commit violence but CAN fight if protecting innocents and those unable to defend themselves. It is these people who invented not only the written word but also spells-and in so doing-when mutants first appeared, created the old sorcerers. In return the old ones revered and protected them.”

“Rick’s memories Sky?” Anna questioned him.

“Combined with what my master told me. He told me also that if I ever saw one to trust it instantly. He claimed he had been friends with many in his youth-each as trustworthy as the last and worthy of our awe and friendship.” Johnathon frowned “then your master must have been very old.”

Sky nodded to him “he was. He also told me they would NEVER let themselves be slaves to evil or do anything towards that way, and are pure as the mountain snow.”

“True” Johnathon nodded and Steven added “in our time they were thought to be angels-made-flesh to guide us and keep us on god’s path.” The warrior suddenly looked to Tommas “you said they were hunted and killed off by humans?”

Tommas nodded this time, solemnly “it was said that some of the humans who had been following them got corrupted by the power they got and decided they were competition for it. They started killing them off and those of the other humans they couldn’t convert they murdered also. I was told this when I was in a place called Brisbane in a land called Australia and happened upon the scene just after the murder happened. The human there had enough breath and life left to tell me what happened when he realised who and what I was. Once I heard I started to look, but was too late.”

The female computerized voice suddenly spoke out, interrupting any further talk. “Approaching figure now within range of defense lasers. Should I fire?”

“Well?” Paul turned to them “do we let him come or stop him there.”
“He could be an Idar” Payton said, “it would make sense you know.”
“What do you mean Payton?” they asked.

“Think about it. Somehow he ends up among the Idars before this series of murders happened. Not only is he sheltered and protected among them from these guys hunting his people but since they live out here so isolated they never know he exists.” They had to agree with his thought, especially when Sky adds “if he is a new member of my people he would be protected with the very lives of the others. We take our group very seriously and we are tighter than any family could dream of.”

“Guys what are we going to do?” Paul asked them “he is getting closer…Wait, he has stopped. Why?”

“Tommas” came a soft voice and they found the man sitting up straight in his seat, face smoothed into concentration. When they looked at Cathrine they found her mimicking him, suddenly opening her eyes and looking at them “father’s using his senses to see if he’s human or one of these guys.”

“And this guys seems to know he is” Steven said “Cathy bring him out.”

“I can’t. We’ll have to wait.” A few long seconds later Tommas opened his eyes and looked at them, blinking blankly for a few seconds then coming too. “Tommas?” they questioned softly. “He’s half human and half Fire Child.” Tommas answered them “his human side is stronger and it is that part that allows the Idar Virus to exist inside his body. Without it, it would burn away within seconds.”

“Who are you?” came a booming voice in all their heads, filled with confusion and caution. “No one has ever been able to scan me so easily before.” Cathrine looked at him “ father tell him who we are, what you told us about his people.”

“I will, but we must be cautious. If he knows about his kind being killed off he may assume I’m one of those who was killing them off.” The figure outside had obviously heard this-or read it from their minds because he asked, “how do you know about that? Who are you!”

“My name in this time and place is Tommas, son-of-fire. My race is and once was the brothers of your race for many centuries. You may not know this but the humans that killed your kind off were also…damaging to my people.”

“What do you mean?” the voice asked suspiciously.

“After I stupidly exposed myself to them in an effort to find and save your people the others of my only surviving race were also hunted down and killed off. Like you I am the last of my race and line. My daughter Cathrine and three sons in Africa still are all of…different stock without any of my genetics. Although they are my family they are not my race.”

They felt the high wave of pity and kingship from the figure at this admittance and he spoke with gentler words “I had no idea…I thought I was alone, the only one to have suffered as I did at the hands of the Rebel Rentallians. If you are the brother race of my kind that would make you a child of...”

Before he could finish the thought Tommas interrupted “Yes. My people and yours have been brothers since we began.” The voice frowned thoughtfully “you don’t wish the others with you to know about what you really are.”

“I have spent so long hiding in and among humans that it is pure reflex. The others understand that even though I am now beginning to trust them I am not ready to show who I am really yet. They are willing to wait, as they would be willing to accept you.” The suspicion was back “and I accept you because you know of my people’s destruction and those we were kin too?”

“No but there are those in here who worshiped your race,” he answered and the other said “That means nothing, so did the rebels before they turned on us.”

“They are of the old ones. The sorcerers and warriors of the past.” The figure seemed cautious but curious “who? How?”

“They were sent here from the very distant past by a spell and even though they had the option later to return they chose to stay here with others and aid the helpless.” Johnathon spoke to him “and had we known about you and your kind’s murder we would have gone back and stopped it. However the spell only worked once. I am sorry child-of-Hauleric.”

Still stunned the figure managed to say softly “I’m sorry as well. I thank you for your compassion but my mother died giving birth to me, and my father was killed so many years ago. I have been among the Idars for at least ten years. They are my family now and more than I could ever know in the past and wish for. My father was all I had known when he was alive, he was very quiet and sad without my mother and extremely protective of me, so much so that I never knew any other or saw the world outside our home. When the rebels found us father sacrificed himself to save me, much good it did though.”

“What do you mean?” they asked him curiously.

“After they killed father they attacked me. I managed to escape and they allowed this for they had poisoned me and knew I wouldn’t last. I ran and ran until I had no strength left and then collapsed not far from here. I was afraid they’d find me and finish me then but they hadn’t bothered to even follow me. I was almost dead when I sensed another presence with me but was too weak to try and fight or escape. When I awoke I was in the Idar caves being tenderly cared for by both Little Plains Sweetwater and Little Eagle Strongheart.”

“And you’ve been there since” they supplied and he agreed “yes. They are the family and friends I never knew before the rebels.”

“How long ago were the killings?” They asked him “Ten years ago was when they got me, but fathers past tells me it started at least forty years ago. Father’s parents were among the first victims and he was only five years old when that happened.”

“Your mother was human wasn’t she” they said and he answered “yes, one of the faithful that wouldn’t be turned against our kind. Father was a pure breed Fire Wizard, mother was a powerless human but they loved each other with their entire being, heart, body and soul. When mother died giving birth to me after escaping from an attack a part of father died with her. He loved me totally but he never seemed…all there.”

“Losing the one you love can do that to you” Lance said with deep melancholy then blinked and added “speaking of which, why are you here?”

“Oh” the other blinked and seemed to be waking from a distant memory “I have a message to you I was sent to deliver.”

“Oh? Then what is it?” Before anyone could speak Sky had, and he seemed angry for some reason “you tell Eagle I will meet him.” The other seemed startled “You’re Sky?”

“Yes young one.”
“You’re free?”

“I was never a captive in the first place. The boy is mine and Eagle will pay for his defiant act.” The other seemed worried “don’t be too hard on him. After you left Eagle was forced to lead on his own through Hawko’s attacks and slaves and spies. He’s done the best he can do and has been forced to become a leader through the millenniums you were gone. Not an easy thing to accomplish.”

“Do not fear, child of fire, he will only get what he disserves. Go tell him we’ll meet him outside the cave in ten minutes. When I arrive the boy better be alive and I mean ALIVE or I might forget my word. Deliver my message to him. Go.”

Reluctantly the figure turned and left and when he was out of sight it was then they realized they hadn’t asked his name. “The Idars call me Firehorse but my human name was once Corin.” Came the last thought to them from the departing figure. “Corin!” Anna gasped “the suit!”

“Indeed” Johnathon nodded to them “and Eagle, the other.”
“Now we only need to find this Alex” Paul said, “I wonder who he is?”
“Only time will tell” Johnathon said softly “perhaps he also is an Idar.”

“No” Anna said, “He is human or at least mutant.”
Paul frowned, “now what?”

“One question” Lance said, looking at Sky “what was that about? You said ‘the boy better be alive when I arrive or I might just forget my word.’ Was it Rick you were talking about?” Sky nodded solemnly. “I picked up images from his mind when he mentioned the message. Eagle and the others have Rick.”

“How?” Paul asked excitedly and he answered, “When Hawko and his slaves took off with Rick they had too pass our home. When they did two guards spotted them and assumed…”

“They had a human as a victim and were going to either kill him or turn him. But after they had fought them they discovered he was another like them and didn’t know what to do with him so they took him to Eagle.” They guessed the rest. Sky nodded “and when Eagle smelt my blood inside him and then entered his mind to find out I was here with you all he immediately assumed I was a captive being used to feed Rick.”

“So Eagle sent one of your people, powerful in his own way and incorruptible so any lies we told wouldn’t work to tell us if we wanted Rick back we had to do an exchange, you for him.” And Sky nodded again. “What do we do now?” Paul asked.

“Just what we originally planned” Sky said to him “we go to rescue Richard. Only the who from has changed.”
“You really think Eagle will hurt him?” they asked in horror “that your people would try and kill him?”

“He is the product of Hawko, despite my blood inside him and out link. Eagle is conveniently forgetting that if I was a food source for Richard only he wouldn’t have as much as I have.” This made sense “so Eagle should have figured out by now that since Rick is so powerful he isn’t a slave of Hawko because you wouldn’t let him take it from you by force? That in order for Rick to be so powerful it has to be your choice-a gift from you.”

Sky nodded “Eagle will be punished for his act of defiance.” Before they could go on Sky stood and said firmly “We must go now before out time is up and Eagle does worse than he has.”

“What do you mean?” They asked again. “How do you think Eagle got your location. Do you think Hawko told him? Or even they knew already?”

“No” they frowned “what are you saying?”
“Rick wouldn’t have told him,” Lance said and Payton added “Not willingly anyway.”
“Correct” Sky nodded at Payton. Lance frowned at them “even torture Rick wouldn’t talk.”

“What about the hypnotism or even telepathy?” Anna said. “If hypnotism didn’t work he could forcibly enter his mind and pull it out. Remember Eagle has Sky’s power as well and Sky can easily enter my or anyone here’s mind as well.”

“Except his” Sky looked at Tommas “his shield is surprisingly strong. I get nothing from him when I try, not even surface thoughts.”

“And when Eagle tried to force it out Rick would have fought him all the way” Cathrine said, voice trembling and again had one of those ‘smarter’ moments. “Because of the damage he already went through because of the device and Hawko’s attack this might push him over the edge. We may loose him for all he has suffered.”

“Rick’s a fighter, you know that” Lance frowned at her “he would never give in.” Cathrine turned to look him fully in the eyes and her total calm conviction was unnerving “can you be totally and honestly sure about that?”

Honestly they couldn’t.

Lance and Steven saw them off and when they were out of sight the blonde man suddenly turned on heel and started away from him. “Where are you going?” Steven called after him, afraid at first that he was going to go after them. “To medbay” Lance answered to his relief “to get it ready.” And as if sensing his thoughts he stopped and looked back at him, saying in a soft voice-not even blinking once “I could go after them but I’m not. I choose not to.”

“Why?” Steven had to ask.

“I’d only get in their way. I trust them-at least Paul-to bring Rick back to me. I can be more help going to the medbay and getting it ready for them, in case Rick is in a worse shape than Sky was.”

Steven remembered Sky’s order-go straight to your room and stay there until one of us comes to get you-yet he was going to medbay. How is it Lance could defy hypnotic commands like this? Especially Sky if he was so powerful. And why was it they had never noticed how different he was until now. Was he like Tommas and didn’t trust them fully yet or was it something else? Maybe it was his disability preventing any sort of mind control or suggestion.

No wonder Zimmer wanted Rick so bad and Lance when the man so obviously couldn’t and wouldn’t be controlled and Rick could in some ways. “Yes” came a voice and Steven wasn’t sure if it was Lance answering his thoughts or his own reasoning.

A distance from their Head Quarters Sky and the four small black bats were approaching another mountain. They couldn’t have been more than a few meters when a couple of shapes flew up in front of them and snarled mentally “this area is forbidden!”

The group hovered to find two Idars-or Renegades-blocking their way, claws ready for action or a threat. Both were young men, one negro and one obviously Italian, around the same age-about late 20’s early 30’s. Sky only said calmly “we are here to see Eagle. He is expecting us.”

“So says you” one snarled “but if I had a dollar for every Renegade who said that I’d be rich.” Anna spoke with her mind before they could “you don’t know Eagle is waiting for us? You should. This is Sky Highgrass-Eagle’s creator and the most powerful of all.”

“So says you,” he snarled again. “You are guards and protecting the tribe and for that reason only I understand your attitude and am sorry for what I am about to do. But we need entrance and you are in our way. Forgive me.”

Before they could ask what he was talking about Sky had made a strange motion-like a wave-at both figures. As they watched both suddenly cried out and doubled over, clutching their stomachs.

“I am sorry” Sky said to them, flying forward to take them up in one arm each and continuing on with them in tow until he could gently deposit them on a low ledge. He looked at them calmly and said soothingly “Once we reach Eagle the pain will stop I promise, but until then we can not be stopped. Stay here until the pain stops and then you can return to your posts. Hawko and his slaves wouldn’t dare try anything while I am here. That is why they had Richard when you attacked them, to try and get to me. Remain here and when it stops you may go back to work-to guarding.”

Before they could even try to speak Sky rose up and motioned Anna and the others to follow “come” and they were gone past the two before they could try to stop them.

They soon reached a high mountain where Sky approached a small barely visible tunnel. He looked at them “I will go first. If you try Eagle will take it as an invasion.”

With Sky in front the five flew inside the tunnel until they reached an open cavern on the other side. Instantly all five changed back to their original forms and looked around in wonder. Inside was an obviously bustling home for many. The lights were made of purple glowing flame torches and so bright it could be day.

There were hundreds of various races doing things from talking to kissing to reading or teaching to read. They could hear at least five separate languages among them, the two main seeming to be English and Sky’s native tongue.

Sky saw someone he knew among the group and centered on him, calling out “Little Plains.” The head of a young American Indian Idar about early twenties nearby which had been lowered as he conversed with a female other snapped up and moved towards them.

He saw them and looked shocked, standing up quickly and crying “SKY! You’re back!” in clear English. And as he did nearly every Idar stopped and turned to look. The Indian Idars all looked happy or relieved but the other ones all looked suspicious or angry.

“Little Plains I need to speak to Eagle, bring him too me.” The other saw his anger and frowned “what did he do to disserve your displeasure, maker of my maker?”

“That is for us to resolve, fledgling of my fledgling. Go get him now.”

“Alright” the other said reluctantly and left them for a few minutes. When he returned he was leading another Idar brave, only this one was tall and thin and at least ten years older than the one leading.

One look at this figure and they knew he was Sky’s best friend and leader of their people while Sky was gone. He had the look of a noble and gentle soul but there was also a strong and powerful stance to him, like he had learnt the best way to avoid fights was to seem so powerful that it would disconcert someone for trying to disobey or defy.

Yet when they looked they could see the carefree boy he had been in the past with Sky as a child. Or maybe that was because of Sky’s story and only they could see it.

The figure saw Sky and the four of them but ignored them, eyes only for the older figure in front of them. He saw him and started to rush forward in joy to hug his creator and childhood playmate when the smile wavered and he slowed to a stop. “Sky?” he queried softly, smile almost gone in confusion “what is it?”

Even they could feel it now, the power coming from Sky in anger and threat, ready any minute to lash out at him. Slowly he said to the other from gritted teeth and fangs “where is the fledgling?”

“Fledgling?” Eagle frowned and seemed thoroughly confused “what fledgling?”

“The child Hawko grabbed and your guards brought you. The fledgling.” Understanding came to Eagle “the slave of Hawko.”

Sky’s movement was so sudden no one saw it, only the end result. Eagle was crumpled in a loose heap against the far wall, hand raised to wipe up the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were totally confused and shocked. Little Plains-the other-moved to help him up with a disturbed frown at Sky but the figure just motioned him away and his head snapped towards the crowd watching “SHUT UP AND GO AWAY!”

It wasn’t until then that they noticed there was a loud serious of growls coming from around them, growls of threats on Sky for his action towards the one they had learned to accept as their leader and protector. “GO AWAY!” Eagle snarled again “LEAVE US ALONE! THIS IS NONE OF YOUR DAMNED BUSINESS!!”

Slowly the group moved away to go on with their previous actions and Eagle looked up imploringly at his best friend, asking thickly “Why Sky?”

“The boy may have been attacked by Hawko, but I turned him-he is MINE.”
“Why Sky?” Eagle repeated.

“The boy’s soul is true to the right path, he and his family and friends are doing what we SHOULD be with our powers and abilities, protecting and saving mortals from evil like Hawko. He is but a mortal child and yet everyday he risks body, soul and life to selflessly protect and save others-those he doesn’t even know. I choose him as my heir instead of Hawko and you will submit to him or be punished for your traitorous act. You will take us to him now while I have any patience left with your actions.”

Eagle smiled to their shock and rose slowly “I knew it.”
Sky frowned “knew what fledgling?”

“That you’d find the right person for the job, unlike Hawko. When I pulled the information from his mind on your where about I caught a glimpse of his past and strength of spirit. I wasn’t sure it was what I could see so I decided to see what was going on for myself between you two by making you think I was all ready to kill him.”

Paul frowned at him and spoke “you KNEW Sky was helping him and not Rick was using him as a blood source?” Eagle just smiled wider “I doubt even at his weakest Sky could be overpowered by such a child.”

“It was all a test?” Anna asked him, aghast.

“Not in the way you think” Eagle said to her “I had to make sure it wasn’t just my desire for Sky to get the heir thing right clouding my judgment so I decided to go through with it.”

“And where is Richard now?” Johnathon didn’t seem convinced “have you left him to bleed to death by himself or have you helped him?”

“This way” the figure turned and motioned them to follow and started deeper into the caverns “he is further in here.”

“He better be alive fledgling…” Sky started to warn him and Eagle laughed softly “he is maker, never fear. I would never kill your heir.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Tommas’ look was unnerving.

Eagle ignored this as lead them deeper into the caves, passing many caves carved out of the stonewalls and meant to be individual rooms for the tribe. Some entrances had stone doors or wood, some had blankets strung up or curtains or even beaded curtains.

Some they went past had dirt floors and some held beds or even air mattresses, which held the dirt inside they didn’t want to bury them selves in, they guessed. They reasoned the ones with dirt must be the older Idars, Sky’s original group and not these new ones.


They went deeper and deeper, passing what where supposedly cells carved out of thick stone-to obviously hold those Renegade Idar they captured. They also passed what appeared to be tunnels in the rock with thick stones plugging them. On the ground under them lay some empty coffins of steel, the lids with screws.

They shuddered when they realized what they were for.

Eagle reached the end cell and motioned the guard Idar away “leave us Great Hunting Bird. This is between us.” The Indian guard frowned and bowed low his compliance, both to Eagle then Sky before leaving them.

When he was gone Eagle unlocked the door and entered, moving aside so his master could enter followed by the others. It was so dark inside the small room that Johnathon murmured a few words and his crystal up, lighting up the entire space.

At first they saw nothing, then they looked at the far side and saw a horrifying sight. A figure was there, slumped in a corner, pale as bleached bone and blood showing here and there. Paul gasped in horror when he saw the blond curly hair and blood and rushed forward before they could stop him.

He reached his best friend’s side and knelt down. In the light of Johnathon’s crystal he was able to see the extent of his injuries and although they weren’t as bad as that first time they were still scary to see.

“Rick!” he cried, shaking him, trying to do it hard enough to wake him but not too hard so he wouldn’t move and open his wounds. “Rick! Rick wake up please!” They were about to tell him to stop, that Rick couldn’t hear him, when the boy stirred and moaned weakly “Paul?”

“Rick?” Paul nearly yelled in his relief “are you awake? Really?”
“Yes” he almost hissed the word “they took my blood, the blood Sky replaced.” Paul glanced at the others “the Idars?”
“No, Hawko. I can barely move and I feel so weak, so…”

“Hungry” Sky supplied and he nodded without looking up. “Rick you remember what happened? About Hawko’s attack and Sky and everything else?” He asked it curiously.

“Of course he does” Sky said to the other teenager “I told you we are linked, that I have all his memories since his birth just as he has mine. He would remember what I did to help him and what he went through. I keep that part of him that has suffered from the trauma in his life from overriding his soul.”


“You mean with your constant link to his mind you are keeping him from going mad from all that stuff that was keeping him incapable before” Johnathon said and Anna nodded her agreement and said “a nice way of saying that if Sky wasn’t here Rick would go insane-worse than he did before.”

“I remember the pain, the weakness not being able to stop it” Rick shuddered in Paul’s supporting arms “I felt myself changing and I could do nothing to stop it or call for help.”

“What do you remember next?” Johnathon asked him soothingly. “Stumbling around, hearing his voice in my head calling me and not wanting to go but I could not stop my body. I was then stuck, I could not go any further forward and not knowing that all I had to do was turn around and go the other way.”

“When C.C. first sensed him, Payton told me what happened.” Anna said this to them then said tenderly “go on.”
“I could sense others with me but I could not understand their voices or see their faces clearly, my eyes were funny.”

“He was still changing then” Sky said “the trouble with his sight was the change in his eyes happening, out of focus so they could be adjusted to be sharper and stronger.”

“Why he didn’t seem to recognize us” Tommas spoke out “with his sight out and mind clouded by the change he truly had no idea what was going on and who he was-WE were.”

They nodded in understanding and he went on “even though I could not understand there was something about father’s voice that made me remember a time long ago when he also wanted to calm me so he could help me and I was stuck between then and the past, I did not know which was which.”

“Why he froze and let Lance approach even though he obviously wanted to flee from us” Johnathon said “and why, when Lance touched his neck he broke that control.”

“It hurt, really hurt” Rick’s voice trembled “it hurt and he only made it worse. I do not know what I did then but suddenly some smell caught my attention and I could not help myself, I needed it so bad I had to even taste” He blinked and suddenly looked up at them with fear in his red glowing eyes “Dad, did I hurt him? I did not…”

“He’s fine Rick” Paul soothed him down “he hit a wall when your arms came up and bit through his lip. You smelt the blood and moved towards him. But all you did was after he had wiped it on his hand you licked it off. You didn’t hurt anyone-don’t worry.”

Rick looked relieved and relaxed weakly against Paul’s arm. “The next thing I remember is father in pain, about to loose conscious as he tried to protect me. I had to stop it, no matter what happened, I had to protect father from being hurt. He is all I have left.” They could sense the temporary burst of wild will to keep the only other of his line safe and sound before the weakness was back.

“So you interrupted Hawko’s concentration and defied him, even though he could still control you-you bluffed him.”

Rick nodded and continued. “I felt nothing but more pain next. When it stopped I was barely alive, but when it came back-this time in more that one


place I knew that no matter what I had to get away and run, not to stop for any reason whatsoever.”

“But when the rush of adrenalin wore off you had to stop and hide. You instincts told you that to climb into that ice tunnel and fill it up after you would hide you for a while. Then what?”

“I do not know” he said honestly “all I could think of was what being captured meant, more pain. I think somehow deep down I knew you guys would find me and was only planning on hiding until you could help me. It did not work out that way though.”

“No, instead you awoke Sky and he helped you. You were lucky young one” Eagle spoke out “If it wasn’t for that you would have been truly dead long ago. However if he is willing to give you a chance then so am I.” Before the others could speak Sky had by looking at his first “and you will submit to him or I will know this is all talk, fledgling.”

“I already said I believe he is, have I not, maker?”
“Submit fledgling or I shall never believe your word again. Do it.”
Eagle looked at him in disbelief soundlessly.

“Do it, first.”
Eagle didn’t move.
“Do it fledgling or else.”

Still he could only look at him in shock. “Are you defying me, fledgling? Do I take this as Rebellion?”

“No Sky” Eagle blinked a few times then moved forward into the cell to Paul’s side, taking the weak boy from his friend and bringing him out of the cell and laying him out on a thick layer of earth nearby. He then helped him sit up slightly, raised his own right wrist to his mouth, biting down hard and then moving it to the boy’s mouth, saying in a compelling voice similar to Johnathon’s hypnotism voice “drink young one.”

When Rick didn’t move, the blood staining his lips and eyes only half open the other grimaced as if aware he was failing what he was doing and pushed the two bleeding wounds closer to him, “drink, you need strength or you will take too long to heal. Allow me this as an apology for not helping you before, for mistrusting you. If Sky is to ever forgive me my actions against you and not healing you I must submit my blood to you. If you don’t accept it he will reject me from his heart and you will never become all you can be.”

“Rick” Anna said, “remember the legend. If you die who’ll fore fill it and save the world from evil? What about your dad? If we return without you-living and breathing-he’ll never forgive us.”

“Lance shall die inside and then out without you” Johnathon put in “you know this is the truth. Without you here to constantly give him reason and purpose he will allow himself to die-and there will be nothing we can do to stop it. I know the lure of joining Dale is powerful but could you drag Lance down with you? And what about Cathy? She needs you as much as you do her. Fight the desire to let go and come to us, back to us.”


“Do you think Dale wants you to join her so soon?” Sky said softly “do you think she would wish the only think holding the man she loves in this world to fade away and then him to join you both? Even she would know you have a purpose here you need to fore fill. When your lifetime is truly at an end she will be there with open arms for you. Do you wish to upset her?”

“Do it for Dale and Cathy if not for us, Rick” Paul said, “please live. You have to so you and Cathy can be together.”

Sky suddenly frowned at the boy and said, “I know why you truly will not feed. You are afraid of being Idar for the rest of your existence, of being forced to live off and hurt those you care for just to live. We are not the vampires you have seen in movies and read in books, young one, those are stories only taken to scare people. As for such as Hawko-he is a perversion of the soul as any other mortal human could be. Like those you have faced in your past and will in your future-nothing more. Like those others you shall rise against them and win. As for being Idar the rest of your life I have only one thing to say-if it is in your future to be so it won’t be from a Renegade like Hawko. His days are numbered and once his counted days are ended he and his slaves will be destroyed forever. Then you shall be free of this.”

They watched silently for a few long minutes, holding their breath, and then suddenly the boy moved. He surged up against Eagle and his mouth locked to the wrist, lips locked to allow no leaks and they knew by the others wince that he had dug his teeth into the wounds.

They watched his throat move for a few swallows and then he lay still against him, eyes half open hooded slits as he took what his raging body demanded to heal and appease the burning hunger. As they watched color crept back into his skin and cheeks while the hideous wounds started to close up and over, the strange copper flush returning to his flesh with the new strength and healing.

He suddenly released the lock over the others wrist, licked it clean with a brief swipe of his tongue and then was out like a light against his supporting arm. “I will take him to his new room to sleep now” Eagle said softly to them “the earth will help him heal completely mentally as well as physically.”

“I will take him fledgling” Sky said as he took Rick gently from him “you are drained and need to feed yourself. Go, I will care for the comfort of my heir.” As he stood Eagle was leaning heavily on the stonewall “I will…”

“Fledgling you can barely stand let alone carry him with you. Go, get your first to aid you.” When the other opened his mouth to protest he added firmly “you do not need to keep proving to me your wish for forgiveness, I believe you mean it now. Do as I bid now, care for your own comfort before you worry about my or the child’s feelings. Go.”

Pursing his lips the other nodded and his face looked intent for a few seconds. Then there was a noise from the entrance of the cells and the figure of the one Sky had called Little Plains appeared, looking concerned as he helped him leave them and they realised this one was Eagle’s ‘first’ as he was Sky’s.

When he was gone Sky stood with Rick in his arms and said softly “come.” They followed him to a cave room they had seen before with just a cupboard and airbed filled with earth where he gently laid the boy down over it and pulled a thick rug over him so he was comfortable. He turned to look at them then “he shall sleep for a while before he is able to fully comprehend and get up and be around on his own energy. What do you wish to do before that happens?”

Johnathon spoke “I wish to see and speak to the Fire Child Idar, to discuss his history and what he does and does not know about his kind. If his knowledge of his people is limited I wish to help him extend it.”


Sky nodded “I understand” and Anna felt the summon tremble in her blood and body. A few minutes later the red haired they had seen earlier appeared ahead of them, a frown on his face “what is it? How did you do that?”

“That blood inside you that you received from Little Eagle is part of me, as is every Idar here. I merely send out a message to it.”

“What did you wish of me?” the red head frowned. “Johnathon wishes to speak to you” Sky motioned at the sorcerer “he is one of the ones from the past who knew your people.” This immediately caught the other’s attention. “You can tell me more about my father’s people? About his ancestors?”

Johnathon nodded slowly and the figure looked suddenly excited and smiled “then I would be grateful. It gets harder each day to remember who and what I am. Father’s lessons and teachings were so long ago. I would like to know all you can tell me about myself.” Johnathon nodded again and spoke “where can we go to talk?”
“My cave, come.’

“Wait Johnathon!” Paul called “how will we contact you if and when we leave?”
Sky answered this for him “I will call him again and he can tell him.”
The two nodded together and this time left before anything else could be said or done.

“Well I am gonna stay with Rick” Paul said after they left him “I do not care how long he sleeps for-I am staying right here.”

“I’m going to wonder around for a while,” Anna said to them “for a while. I’m curious about this group and its inner workings. About its medical workings.”

“Fair enough. Just remember, if the doors are closed or curtains are down…” Sky started but Anna interrupted “I know I know. Respect their privacy and don’t go in or near.”

When they looked to where Tommas was they found him gone, nowhere in sight and none of them had sensed or heard him leave. So where did he go and when? Paul frowned as he spoke out “he probably left with Johnathon and Corin. After all, he did say this guys people were his brother race.”

“Sky” Anna looked at him “did your master ever mention this race? Any brother race to the Fire Kind? Child Of something?”

Sky looked thoughtful for a while then said slowly and evenly “once he told me a story about a race older than the Fire Children and twice as powerful. He said they were warriors and soldiers who knew only battle and death and the need to fight. In fact their blood lust got so strong that they would join any war they could find-even against each other. Soon there was only a handful left, twenty at the most.”

“How self destructive” Anna said softly, pity in her voice “no wonder Tommas is the last.”


“If it’s true it explains a lot about Tommas” Paul said softly “like why he needs Cathy so bad-if she sooths him. It also explains why Zimmer’s torture months ago did not even faze him. If he really is one of a warrior race he would be used to people trying to force information out of him.” He looked at Sky again “what happened to them? How did they get in with the Fire Kind?”

“One of the race was a man named Kerantara. He was said to be the leader and most powerful of all, that he was the first of their race and therefore different to them all unique among his people as well as the truest breed. His strength and speed was amazing and the extent of his powers was unknown to even himself. They said he was born when the earth was new so he was therefore immortal because his life force was linked to the planet itself. He took control and care of his people from them for their own good and ruled them with an iron fist to prevent anymore war participation and deaths but when the battle lust turned them against each other he took control and lead them out and around the world, carefully choosing any battle they entered and looking for something to help him sooth his people’s souls.”

Anna frowned “this guy was taking a lot on his shoulders for his race. Why?”

“My master said it was rumored the entire race came from him-but it is an unconfirmed story.”
This kind of made sense and they prodded him to go on.

“My creator said that Kerantara was said to have saved the life of the Fire Leader and first Hauleric and his children and in return the Fire man offered a pact of brotherhood between their peoples, that whenever the desire to fight was too strong they could seek them out during the ages and they would help them stop such desires. They were together at least a few centuries.”

“What happened to them? To separate them?”

“My creator did not know. He said just before medieval times the Fire Leader was assassinated by humans. Both races disappeared but the Fire Race popped back up later-revered by the human sorcerers and worshiping their ancestor, as their God and Teacher but the warriors were never seen, heard or mentioned again. They were gone just like that.”

“Could they have bred with humans and died out?” Anna suggested curiously.

“If their anything like Tommas, no way” Paul said “he’s stubborn about such an idea. He has said many times in the past that it should stay between races or they die out too fast.”

“What about Cathy and her brothers then?” Anna looked at the boy human.

“They are not human, not even part” he answered “I get the feeling their mother must not have been mutant either, even though they NEVER talk about her or even mention a thing about her-it’s like she never existed. Maybe she one of the race also only lesser powered.”

“Perhaps it was a prearranged marriage or mating” Anna said thoughtfully “meant only to give Tommas kids-or there’s another possible reason.”

“What?” Paul asked her.
“Perhaps it’s guilt why Tommas never mentions her.”
“How so? And what about Cathrine?”


“Maybe she never knew her mother. Imagine Tommas and the female are an arranged marriage to produce kids for heirs for both sides of the families. The boys-Cathy’s brothers are born but while she is still pregnant with Cathrine Tommas stumbles on the site of those murdered Fire Kind he mentioned before. This immediately tells the murderers his race still exists and are a threat to them so they start killing them off to. When he returns he finds one or two of his people-or better yet his worshipers in the village-have saved his sons and new daughter but all the rest are gone, murdered, including his ‘wife’. Out of guilt for not saving his people and the Fire Race he remains in the village and to protect whom he has left from the attention of those killers. Which is why he was previously so against leaving the village for any reason, for his and his daughters safety.”

“Wow” Paul said softly in awe “if that is really true he must have trusted Dale incredibly to let her bring Cathy out here in the open.”

“It’s just a theory” Anna said softly “I don’t know if any is true.”

“No it makes a lot of sense-especially to why they never mention the mother. Cathy does not know and Tommas feels too guilty to even think about her. Good one Anna.” The woman blushed, embarrassed by her sense of pleasure at the simple compliment.

Richard awoke well before sunrise and allowed Anna reluctantly to look him over. Satisfied he was fully healed he was then introduced to Eagle properly and then to Corin, stating he remembered the Fire Race from Johnathon’s stories when he was younger. Rick and Corin made fast friends within the next few minutes despite their age and history difference. But they had come to accept that about Rick, he made friends quickly despite his past terrors and the other person’s history or deeds.

In fact he even agreed to go back to HQ with them and Sky.

So they returned to the center via a teleport spell from Johnathon who explained once he knew the mental location of somewhere he could use his power to pop in and out whenever he needed or wished.

Lance, Steven and Payton were waiting for them when they appeared in the hangar and the newly healed boy had to convince his father he was fine before the man would stop checking him over with careful eyes and finally back off a little-but not very far and he continued to watch him carefully and full of concern.

Here Anna and Payton saw signs of the true friendship among the group-the concern and love they had for the boy was deeper than any normal relationship as in friends could ever be. It was more like a large tight-knit family then pure friends or associates.

Peter and Andrew clutched his arms tightly with concerned eyes looking up at him closely, looking him over as Lance had seconds ago, despite Rick laughing slightly and telling them he was okay. He seemed have had fought off his fear of touch for the comfort of the two boys, even picking them both up and allowing them to cuddle into him, arms wrapped around his neck so they could hug him, murmuring of their fears of loosing him to him, Rick playing the ‘big brother’ and soothing them gently until they finally felt convinced enough to let him put them both down.

Cathrine seemed happy enough just to watch him from her father’s side. Rick then led them over to meet Corin.


Peter looked shyly at the half Idar and half Fire Child and suddenly decided he didn’t want to know, trying to move away but Andrew took his little friends hand and as if enchanted by one of the race his father and mother had taught him about and pulled the boy to his side.

Andrew looked him up and down, pulled gently on his pant-leg until Corin knelt in front of him and then took the opportunity to put his arms around him and hug him, saying innocently “a new brother.”

Rick smiled from where he stood and said before the Fire Idar could speak “that’s right Andy.” After a long hesitation Peter copied his little friend and Corin found himself not only being held close by two young small forms but was surprised to find he had wrapped his own arms around them both and there were tears of fire in his eyes.

“What is it Corin?” Anna asked him, seeing them.

“Even though I’ve been with the Idars for so long and they’ve accepted me among them it’s not the same. I have been different to them and even I know that even though they do what they can to make me feel a part of them. It’s been so long since I’ve just been loved without hesitation and condition like children do.”

“Surely the Idars don’t put a condition on your friendship with them?” Cathrine said softly “It doesn’t seem that way with Sky, Anna and Rick. I mean after tasting both their blood Sky immediately accepted as if they were his children.”

“It might seem like they don’t but there are things you just sense or feel when you’re with them. Like with what happened to Rick. Instead of accepting him when Eagle felt the goodness inside him and the trueness of his soul he tested him and Sky, and your reaction to it.”

Payton spoke “In a perfect world people would accept each other without hesitation and tests but this isn’t a perfect world Corin. There is still too much evil and manipulation inside people and desires that are more than true. And in order not to be hurt we may have to do things we sometimes think are either unnecessary or wrong. Children on the other hand haven’t learnt that yet and act by feeling or instinct, which is why a lot of people would rather shelter or hide them away to prevent those things happening.”

He looked meaningfully at Lance and Rick and the red head understood the message he was sending. Then he went on “one day there may be such a world but until now we can only work towards making it. It will be hard and sometimes we might loose but in the end we’ll get what we want.”

Corin nodded in agreement to this and for a while he just the two children hold him close and tightly. Then after a while he sensed something they couldn’t-maybe one of the boy’s yawned but he pulled back from them and said softly “you’re tired.”

“No we’re not,” Peter said but the words were punctuated by a loud noisy yawn that took up nearly his entire face. “Yes you are” Corin said softly “you should go to sleep. If you don’t sleep you won’t have the energy to be with Rick tomorrow.”

This got both boys who immediately went to Johnathon and Lance and wanted to be put straight to bed, as long as they were allowed to be with Rick when they woke up. “Of course” Rick said out to them himself “we can play together tomorrow. But first promise me you will get s good long sleep. You have both been up a long time.”

“We promise” the boys chorused and allowed the two men to lead them away to their rooms and bed. When they were gone the group started into the centre and separated, going their own ways. Anna took Payton’s arm and started to lead him away, towards their room. When Payton asked what she was doing she grinned and said, “I want to try out some of the things I saw at the caves.”

“What sort of things?” the other negro asked innocently.

She pushed him up against the wall beside the door and trapped his mouth with hers; desperately seeking while her hands went from his hands up his arms to his chest and then down. Payton groaned when she touched him gently, stroking him through the material of his jeans, returning the kiss with as much urgency as her.

When they finally separated for a minute he grinned at her and said softly “what’s wrong with you, girl?” Grinning back she said to him “what do you think, Mr Holmes?”

“I think you’re crazy, girl.”

“But you like it” she laughed and kissed him again. When she let him up for air he said “and how” and kissed her this time. As their kisses deepened and grew more urgent Payton guided her to the door, glad it was automatic and without stopping got her to the bed, only pulling from her mouth long enough to growl out “CC, lock the door and shut off the camera’s in here.”

“As you wish” the computerized female voice said and they both heard the beep of the door lock before they went back to each other’s lips and body. After some time with only the sound of the whisper of their hands on clothes they started to undress each other.

Anna unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it down his shoulders, Payton stopping touching her long enough to allow her to remove it before he was unbuttoning her blouse. Before Anna could touch his pants Payton had pulled her bra up and had ducked his head to work on her nipples with his lips and tongue, followed by a torturous gentle graze of his teeth.

All Anna could do was moan and grip his head there in pleasure. She moaned for Payton to keep doing what he was doing but before she had even realized what was happening he had pulled back and was working on her pants with such an intense look than she squirmed.

She raised her buttocks off the bed to allow him to pull them down and off and before she could speak she could feel his mouth working at her through the thin cotton of her pants which make her gasp out “oh god” and start to writhe anew.

When she felt him move the material aside she couldn’t help the cry of mixed joy and triumph.

After what seemed like forever she felt the bed move and his face appeared to her, eyes clouded by desire as hers were from pleasure. She felt his arms go around her shoulders, his lips to hers and tasting of her fluids. When his fingers found and pressed a certain spot over her spine a spasm shook her and his mouth sealed over hers cut off a choked cry of pleasure.

Eagerly she took his tongue into her mouth, body spasmodic as she jerked and cried out under his administrations, licking herself from his mouth and lips. Finally he drew back long enough for her to moan, “Payton let me…”

“Not yet. I want to taste you as an Idar and let you rediscover yourself as one.” He spoke as he moved to her breasts again and Anna moaned a protest as she writhed under him “But I want to taste you as one as well Payton. And you know I’d rather have you come when I do as well.”

“All in good time” Payton said against her flesh “let me do this, girl.” Anna tried to protest again but his mouth to hers and the feel of his fingers sliding into her from below stopped all breath or argument. When his other hand went to spot on her back and start to press and stroke it she couldn’t help it, her body arched beneath him and she cried out, the gathering pleasure sweeping her up and ignoring all else as it peaked briefly.

He released her and let her lay on the bed, panting heavy, eyes glazed as she wound down.

Suddenly, before he could speak, she rose and climbed over him, face-showing determination to return to him her pleasure and not to be argued with. She kissed him urgently to halt any protests from him this time and started to run her hands all over his body, using her enhanced strength from the Idar part of her to hold him down into the bed and unable to do anything to try and arouse her and distract her.

Before he knew what was going on his pants were down and her mouth was surrounding him, causing him to grunt as he felt her wetness cover him, followed by the teasing graze of her teeth and fangs.

At first he tried to distract himself to prolong the pleasure but Anna seemed to know what he was doing and every time he tried it he felt the punishing nip of her sharp teeth, which only reminded him of what was happening and made him gasp louder.

Finally he felt her mouth leave him and their lips locked, Payton giving as much as Anna had this time, hands going to her hips almost of their own will, fingers ceasing them with an iron grip as he fought the urge to pull her up over him and bring her down around him. He knew if he did this then it would bring this pleasure for both of them too soon to a close.

However Anna took the decision from him, pushing him fully onto his back on the bed under her as she rose and slowly lowered herself down over him, moaning against his mouth long and hard, eyes clenched as he filled her and fingers locked to his shoulders, her claws helplessly sliding out.

Payton felt the brief short stab of the sharp pain of her claws sliding into his flesh but the feel of them in his skin and shoulders somehow made it more like they were joining together, not just sexually but becoming one body and as her fingers followed nails into his shoulders it only aroused him more.

Anna moaned loudly against his mouth and bucked once before starting to move over him, but when she suddenly smelt blood her head snapped away to look at her fingers. Her eyes widened at his blood on her fingers and nails embedded firmly in his flesh and she looked panicked, Payton sensing she was about to pull away from him in fear of what she was doing to him and might continue to do.

“No” he moaned and seized her hands, forcing them to stay where they were while his eyes told her exactly what they were doing to him, not what she thought they were. “But Payton!” she started to protest in fear “I’m hurting you and I didn’t mean to.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” he moaned, trying to catch her mouth with his without releasing her hands. “Don’t be so stubborn Payton! I mean my fingers are INSIDE you.”

“Like I’m inside you,” Payton moaned against her breasts, having been unable to get her mouth. “Don’t turn this into an arousal thing, Payton! I’m probably causing some internal damage here!”

“No organs are there, you know that” he moaned against her nipple “only flesh to damage. Besides you know I heal quickly.”

“But there’s muscle and veins Payton!” she protested, trying again to pull away from him. Instead he rolled her under him so he could keep her from moving away and keep himself inside her, moving inside her where she had stopped from fear, lost in his pleasure and desire, his need for her body.

“I’ll heal” he moaned at her “trust me as I do you. Please Anna I need you to move with me, I want you to do this with me. I love you and your body so much. Help me do this for us.”

“But I…” Anna was starting to reluctantly believe him and accept his word, after all he had never lied to her before and what did she know about exactly what they each felt during sex when it came to Idars? Payton drew one of her hands out with a wince and wiped her fingers onto her lips to spread his blood there, painting her lips with it before pushing her claws back in, hissing briefly as they went back before moaning and moving into her deeply once with the feel of them.

Anna hesitantly licked her lips.

Pleasure and need filled her with the taste, making her gasp under him and twist up over him which only made him move deeper and harder inside her. But he let her hands go and moved to caress her body and she was free to pull her fingers out and lick them clean, leaning up to lick the ten small wounds and follow the trail of blood seeping from them as they moved down his body with each of his desperate and urgent moves. She twisted under him to follow a trickle down his back and to his hips, gently nipping his buttocks with her sharp fangs as they slid out in reaction to the blood, listening to him cry out shortly in desire at the feel of them.

Then when she heard him moan in need she moved back to lay under him properly, still and only moaning before wrapping her legs around his hips and urging him deeper and harder, which didn’t happened until he felt her fingers back inside him, gasping in pain and need and moving harder, lost to the pleasure and need and the feel of her under him and urging him on, urging him harder and faster.

Their lips met briefly then Anna’s lips wondered to his throat, sucking it, licking it, nipping it, almost of their own will and she moaned in want. “Do it,” he moaned against her nipple as he went back to it for a minute. She continued to play with it for a few thoughtful minutes and he repeated with a cry of need “DO IT!”

It was so strong, the need, that Payton felt somehow they both wouldn’t be able to complete until she did. The pleasure and need was driving Payton crazy, moving in her, having her move over him but being unable to bring her to her peak-and his own.

“I can’t” she moaned against him “I don’t know if I could…” Then Payton said something to her that she would never forgive herself for believing later on. “I trust you Anna completely or I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me. I know you, I know you wouldn’t hurt me and I know you’ll take only enough to give yourself the rapture you’ve given me with your love and body. Do it, please, trust in yourself and your love for me.”

When she hesitated a few seconds he said thickly “please do it Anna. I need you to come with me, please.”

Unable to resist his heavy desire and need in his voice and her own driving hunger and arousal she rolled him onto his back again and locked her fingers deeper into his shoulders and causing him to cry out again. However he still didn’t reach his peak as she felt she couldn’t, not until she had more of him then his deep moves inside her and out.

When she licked his neck and grazed her sharp teeth over it he moaned “more. Give me more of it, please. Do it Anna, don’t tease me.” By instinct alone Anna found where she was suppose to go. With one sharp movement, a thrust of her head her fangs had driven through his skin and flesh and deep into the nearest vein of his shoulder next to her hand.

Payton’s cry was of pain and pleasure combined, his back almost bending in half as he thrust himself as hard and far inside her as possible, so far Anna felt like he was driving into her past her navel and into her stomach. She moaned against him as his blood spurted into her mouth and in her fangs, feeling him loose all desire or need of a rhythm, pounding inside with all his need and strength, arms locking her head to his shoulder, body pumping into her savagely and moaning and crying out in utter loss of control, begging her between cries of pleasure to go on, to keep taking from him, to take as much as she wanted. Meanwhile his fingers constantly was working at the spot in her back and then down to her hips to allow himself deeper and easier access to her.

And as she drank her own pleasure became incredible. Payton’s memories and feelings, his pleasure and need for her swarmed and covered her mind, making thought hazy and her need all that more powerful. Now, with the blood of the man she loved and was loving flooding her senses and body she couldn’t help herself, her fingers dug deeper, as far as they would go into him, ignoring his cry of pain and further hard thrusts.

With his blood filling her body, his memories through it flashing in her mind and his movements inside her with his moans Anna was so lost to the pleasure and need she continued to writhe under him. Her teeth and tongue worked at the wounds so she could suck more out and faster, harder, unable to control herself and her desire for more and stronger.

Payton was so lost inside her and the heat of her, the feel of her writhing under him, fingers digging deeper with her teeth that when his vision started to waver dizzily he merely closed his eyes. Next his head started to feel heavy-and he laid it on the other side of her head, kissing her neck and making her squirm and moan longingly.

The next thing was he started to feel cold gathering in his entire body from feet up.

As the cold increased his limbs steadily started to feel heavy and slow but he wasn’t going to let that interfere in his pleasure and the overpowering need to taste and feel her body, to feel her writhing under him and her mouth and lips gnawing on his neck. But the cold and lethargic feel increased steadily and without mercy, as did Anna feeding at his throat.

Payton began to slow, he couldn’t help it. With the last thread of consciousness he managed to jerk inside deep one last time and moan as he reached his peak.

Then all went dark.


Anna was in heaven, so lost in Payton’s blood and memories, the feel of his body over her that she didn’t even notice what had happened, that he had stopped moving over and in her, or massaging the spot and was laying still. All she could do was roll Payton over under her and move over him on her own need.

Even when the blood started to change flavor, to become thin and weak she couldn’t stop even though a part of her KNEW what was happening. She was all but ready to dig her teeth deeper when a voice in her head snapped “Fledgling!”

Anna jerked slightly but couldn’t let go even for that. But the next cry not only stunned her but was so loud she was thrown off the bed and Payton “FLEDGLING STOP IT NOW!”

Curled up on the floor she was stunned for a few minutes until she finally managed to say thickly “Sky? Why’d you do that for?”

“Look at your mate and love, fledgling” he said in her mind gently and soothingly.
“But why? What do you mean?”
“Just do so, Young One. See what you almost did to him.”

With a frown Anna shakily got to her feet and made it too the bed, gripping the side to keep her legs under her as the numbness from Sky’s cry slowly wore off. Looking down at her Fiancee she asked, “what am I suppose to be seeing Sky?”

“Look at his neck, Fledgling. See what you have done to him.”

Anna frowned deeper and grasped her loves head in one clawed hand, turning it from side to side. When she saw the place she had just been feeding from she gasped in utter horror, leaning closer to examine the sluggishly seeping wounds.

“Lick the wounds, child.” Sky’s voice came through her shock and horror “It will close them and prevent any further blood loss.” Obediently she leaned over to lick them closed, noticing for the first time how pale Payton was under his dark skin, how still he was and how he seemed to have to struggle to breath even unconscious.

That’s when she also noticed her bloody fingers and nails and the bloody slashes at his shoulders, which she hurried to lick closed as well. As for her fingers and nails, the thought of licking them clean horrified her. She tried shaking him awake again and again, growing more and more panicked every second that ticked by. Finally she cried loudly in terror “He won’t wake up Sky! What do I do! I could have killed him!”

“Unlock the door so I can come in.”
“But…”
“Trust me Young One.”


So despite the warning screaming in her head Anna called out “CC unlock the door.” She heard the answering click of the lock and settled in the corner as far from the bed as she could get to wait, curling herself up in a ball of misery and guilt.

By the time Sky arrived with Veronica, Tommas and Cathrine in tow Anna was in hysterical tears. She had pulled the sheet up to cover Payton’s nakedness but the sight of his pale and cold skin and still body set her off. She hadn’t worried about her clothes, instead had curled back up in the corner, naked and hiding. Hiding from herself and what she had done, from others.

Veronica came to her side to comfort her while the other three headed to Payton’s side. Tommas and Cathrine were on one side and Sky on the other as they examined him thoroughly. When Tommas moved to set up a blood-drip though Sky stopped him “that will not work.”

“What do you mean?” Cathrine asked him. “He has lost too much blood. The change is in him.”

“You mean he’ll become like Rick and Anna?” Cathrine gasped. Sky nodded solemnly “too much Calla has been taken. If they had not have gone so far and so fast…”

“You mean if I hadn’t of almost killed him” Anna suddenly sobbed from her corner where Veronica was trying to sooth and calm her “oh god, I could have killed him!”

“But you didn’t” Veronica soothed her. “But only because Sky stopped me, otherwise I would have gone on until there wasn’t a single drop left.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself Anna” Veronica said gently “you wouldn’t have gone THAT far.” She looked up at her and said thickly “what makes you so sure I wouldn’t.” Cathrine left her father’s side and knelt in front of Anna “what was it like?”

Sensing something urgent in the girls’ voice she looked up at her. There was such a need to know in the girl’s eyes that Anna knew she couldn’t lie to her. She was going to, to save her and Richard risking the same mistake at the later time they finally were strong enough to be together.

But she couldn’t, she couldn’t lie to her and ruin that one possible chance of them being a couple like her and Payton, of sharing what she and Payton had so much of. “It was incredible,” she said softly, awe in her voice. “It was like nothing I ever felt before. He wasn’t just inside me but INSIDE me but so was his body and blood. The more I drank and the more he moved the more I knew him, truly knew his heart and soul. His memories were mine and his feelings and I knew what he was feeling. What he was feeling and what I was feeling was just too much-I nearly killed him!”

“You wouldn’t have,” she said to her softly. Anna looked back up to deny her words but found herself looking into Cathy’s eyes in another moment of higher intelligence. And somehow when nothing else would work this convinced her. She believed her when she wouldn’t believe in herself. How could she not?

There was a sudden noise from the bed, a choked cough. Anna immediately sat up, her voice urgent and hopeful but hardly daring to wish out loud “Payton?” There was another cough and she was up and by his side before Cathy or Veronica could move, regardless of her nudity in front of two other men but her fiancée.

Payton’s lips shone with the blood Sky had given him to spur his change faster and his head was slowly rolling from side to side, eyes open a tiny slit, his body shuddering with deep quakes at the inner invasion of the virus.

“I’ve done that to him” Anna thought with a new bout of guilt. But a hand on her arm made her look around at Cathrine whose eyes wiped away the guilt again. There was a third cough, Anna’s eyes snapped back to see her loves body convulse, fingers gripping the mattress on either side of him.

Sky frowned and put his wrist to the others mouth again but Payton sucked in breath sharply and his entire body heaved away, although there was no denying he had no idea what was going on. Sky drew back, unsure and licked his wrist closed “he’s rejecting it.”

“Then make him Sky!” Anna exclaimed in panic “you just can’t let him die!”
“We have no choice, fledgling.”

“Force him! Make him take it!” Anna almost screamed her terror of loosing her love but Sky said gently “HE is not rejecting it young one. His body is. He is mutant and may be immune.”

“But he can’t be!”

“He may fledgling, we can only wait and see what will happen to him.” He looked to Tommas “try your blood transfusions, they may help him.”

The other man nodded, immediately starting to set it all up, Richard appearing in the doorway with a curious look at them all. Sky spoke again to Tommas “Check his eyes regularly. If his color goes red then feed him directly through the nose and into the stomach. If his teeth grow attach tubes to them and feed him through them.”

Then he looked up at Rick and said to him “I must sleep. Enjoy the day fledgling for when the sun is gone your training begins. It will be long, hard and sometimes frustrating but necessary.”

“Yes Sky” Richard said as he helped Tommas load Payton on a gurney without the man’s asking. While the Idar king left they took Payton to the lab, so they could hook him to CC’s systems and keep an eye on his condition. Anna was every step with him, now dressed but unwilling to leave her loves side.

Once settled in she sat on a comfortable chair beside it and gently laid her head on the pillow beside his. “Stay with me Payton” she murmured “please don’t leave me like this. I need you to stay with me. Please my love, come back to me even if it means as an Idar.”