Awakening: The Elder Chronicles, Volume 1 Page 14

  After the woman had gone and brought back their coffees, Alec began, All right, Elena, I'll tell you what I can. But please understand there are many things going on even I don't understand.

  She smirked at him. She never had a perfect dig to interject into a conversation, but this time she couldn't resist. Wow, I think you killed any illusions I may have had of you as an omniscient archangel type.

  He smiled back, but she could see there was something behind his smile. Something maybe like shame? She couldn't tell.

  What's the face about? she asked him.

  What face?

  When I mentioned the word omniscient, you made a face.

  Ah, he murmured. You saw it? What am I saying? Of course you did.

  What is it, Alec? You're keeping something from me. She studied his face. When she spoke again her voice had changed. It implored, almost begged. Please don't keep things from me. You're about the only person I can trust right now.

  Alec's face flushed with color. Um. That's part of the problem. You trust me. Which—don't get me wrong—you should, but I am afraid I have also not been entirely truthful with you.

  What are you talking about? What is it? She had a sinking feeling in her gut.

  He studied his folded hands resting on the table. Well, you see, the thing is I don't think I am what you think I am. I am not omniscient. In fact, right now I have no idea what to expect. Right now, I am not entirely sure what I am doing as your protector. Every Daimon has a different awakening, and through this process each one of us learns our powers. Your powers, however, are far more advanced than mine. You can hear others' thoughts at will, while I can hear those either directed at me, or those inadvertently let loose. Your strength keeps growing each day. And you also seem to be able to add new powers as you need them, almost as if you create them at will.

  Despite her confusion, she kept her face as stoic and unreadable as she could. You may not believe me, she said to him, but I kind of suspected something was different. But what does this mean? Her tone dropped slightly, tinged with a hint of sadness. I mean, who are my parents?

  Unfortunately, nobody ever told me. But I think they both must have been very powerful Daimones.

  She perked up a little. Really? she asked. Why?

  Well, you see, he explained, it's the things you're able to do. He paused. Most Daimones can read limited thoughts and speak to each other mentally, but you can do much more. You can inflict mental pain. Hell, you can actually inflict physical damage with your mind. Those are abilities a very few third generation or older Daimones possess.

  Elena nodded. She found something attractive about the idea of being from a strong Daimon line. Well, okay, here's another thing. What do you mean by third generation?

  It's how we understand our kind, Alec explained. The Elder is the progenitor of our kind. Kind of like the prime. His first offspring would then be the first generation of Daimones, and so on. To my knowledge, two first-generation Daimones survive to this day, but they both have been in hiding for thousands of years. It is believed with each successive generation, the abilities we possess diminish. Most of the Daimones remaining in this world are sixth generation. Myself, I am the lone seventh-generation Daimon in existence. I was the last one born before the great plague rendered us sterile.

  Elena nodded. Why am I here? she blurted. I mean, how was I born a Daimon if the plague sterilized our entire kind?

  He said, I think whoever created you was unaffected by the plague. It is possible some of the older generations may not have contracted the plague since so many were in hiding during the wars.

  You never did finish telling me about those wars, she prodded.

  Alec waited a few moments before responding. Well, the funny thing is you likely already know the story. Do you remember the Christian tales of how there were angels cast out of heaven?

  She nodded. Yeah, Lucifer was cast from heaven for rebellion and banished from the light of God.

  According to our own legends, there was a Daimon early pre-Christian humans followed as their god. This Daimon was a very cruel, wrathful, and cunning ruler who expected tremendous amounts of tribute from her human subjects. The Daimon revolted against the Elder, who wished us to remain humanity's benefactors. But many Daimones came to the Elder's defense, and there erupted a great war between the two groups. We are still today fighting the same war. It is the war for humanity.

  Alec continued. Daimones loyal to this ruler, we call them the Opposition, have been seeking out the Elder's hiding spot to eliminate him. But so far, his location remains hidden. As I mentioned to René, older generation Daimones can identify his resting place. René was one of them. He was reportedly one of the last Daimones alive to have ever spoken with the Elder.

  If he actually did, then we'll never hear it from him now. But I suspect he was telling the truth. If he had actually known, then why not divulge the information to the Opposition instead of defecting to their side?

  Elena paused for a few seconds. Okay, so now what can you tell me about my abilities?

  Still early, the cafe had few patrons. While Alec sipped his coffee, Elena managed to polish off the remainder of hers and order a second. Alec finally replied to her question.

  Unfortunately, he said, I understand little about your abilities or what to expect of them. No young Daimon I've ever heard of has had any of the abilities you've been displaying. The legends of such powers, as I mentioned before, concern very old Daimones who were much closer to the Elder. And, as I said, these were legendary.

  But why did the Daimon woman in London say she could not be hurt by my parlor tricks when I tried to inflict pain upon her? Elena asked him. She was, at first, unhurt by my attacks on her.

  Alec's brow furrowed. Describe her, he said.

  Elena described the woman from London and Alec's eyes grew wide with amazement. Can you show her to me in your mind? Elena conjured a memory of the woman and projected it into Alec's mind.

  No! Alec exclaimed. It can't be! You fought with Mairya and lived to tell about it? He paused. This explains a lot, he said, especially about why your abilities didn't work against her. He stiffened. Mairya is very powerful. She is an assassin for the Opposition. She has been referred to in several human religions as the Angel of Death. Alec paused for a second. Remember I told you a Daimon was followed by pre-Christian humans as a god? Well, according to the legends, Mairya was the Daimon's right hand. She did all of the dirty work. She was the punisher, the executioner, and the bringer of death. She is also a third-generation Daimon and very powerful in her own right. She has powers many of us do not understand and very few of us can survive. It was through tales of her murders I learned of some of the powers you possess.

  Alec's tone changed, Did she ever say anything to you about why she was there?

  Yes. Elena replied. She told me her "Mistress" wanted to speak with me, but once I resisted, she decided she had to kill me.

  So, he said thoughtfully, you have drawn the attention of some very powerful enemies. Mairya's Mistress has walked this earth for many thousands of years. She has seen the rise of human civilization from small hunting and gathering tribes and clans to mega-farming, nuclear-powered democracies. And still she desires to place all of humanity under her thumb and demand tribute for not destroying it all. From what I hear of her abilities, she possesses such powers. He paused. Or at least she would if it weren't for those of us who constantly attempt to thwart her efforts.

  Elena sighed and said, Well, then she shouldn't be much of a problem. She hung her head in exasperation. After a few quiet seconds she added, Why me?

  Alec took a few seconds and a few sips of his drink to get around to answering. Well, the most obvious answer is you are the source of the Daimones DNA code your father found, he said. Aside from that, the best answer I can come up with is you are valuable. You obviously have tremendous power. I mean, I could never have survived an attack from Mairya, let alone get away from her.

&nbs
p; I think I escaped because I broke her arm, Elena interrupted.

  Alec coughed, choking on his coffee. Wait. What? Alec's eyebrows arched high. Did you say you broke Mairya's arm?

  I actually broke both of them. Crushed them in my bare hands. She paused. I felt bad about doing it, but she seemed intent on killing me. I had to defend myself. Elena paused for a moment, and then added, And I nearly tore her jaw off.

  Alec choked on his coffee and spat it out across the table. Elena, surprised by this reaction, reached across the table and started slapping him on the back, lifting his arms up.

  "Ow, stop...stop! Stop!" Alec had to shout to get Elena to stop pounding on his back. Several sets of eyes in the room were fixed on them. After several minutes, the eyes turned away.

  Goddamn, that hurt! Alec complained.

  Elena laughed. Very funny, Alec! Dripping with sarcasm, she continued, Ha! Ha!

  No. Seriously, that really hurt! Alec pulled his shirt away from his shoulder quickly, and Elena gasped. His back, red as a beet, had several bruises already forming.

  Oh my God! Did I do that? How? I mean, how could I hurt you? I saw you take a bullet and shrug it off.

  First off, Alec replied, don't worry about it. You didn't break any bones. It hurt like hell, though. Second, it's what I said before: your strength keeps growing. It'll be a lot of fun to see what other abilities of yours develop over the next few years. Finally, simply because it takes a lot to hurt us, doesn't mean we cannot be hurt.

  Alec glanced across the room at a flat screen television hanging on the wall. Elena could see his jaw drop open and his face turn pale.

  Elena, he said, we have to leave. Now.

  Why? She asked. I don't hear any voices. You said we were safe here.

  Alec shook his head subtly, his eyes glued to the television screen. We were safe. He placed a distinct emphasis on the word were. Slowly turn around and check out the television.

  As she did, Elena felt her face flush. There were artist-rendered drawings of her and Alec plastered on the screen with footage running in the background of the pub they had visited yesterday. She turned pale as soon as she realized a fire consumed the bar.

  Alec translated the French news program, there was a massive terrorist explosion at the bar we were at in London last night. And it appears we are the two key suspects in the investigation. He paused as he listened. Ah, and I guess we are to be considered armed and dangerous. Apparently, Mairya did not like getting beaten up by you last night. Unfortunately, this little twist of fate will make things a bit more complicated as we try to get across Europe. His voice took on a note of caution. All of Europe's police authorities now think we are armed terrorists.

  Alec stood and fished into his pocket for some cash. Remember: Play it cool. Alec slapped the Euros necessary to pay for their drinks and a reasonable tip down on the table, then stood casually and waited for Elena to join him. Together they walked together from the café back out into the morning light.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Despite having their faces plastered all over the news channels, Elena and Alec managed to leave the bar without attracting any attention. Luckily, the recent news broadcast would not have been seen by most of the on-shift drivers. They took a cab to the Parc de la Mairie in Choisy-le-Roi. From there, they made their way to the train tracks nearby and climbed aboard a slow-moving freight car.

  They rode for several hours, keeping the doors closed, and saying very little. The car rolled west across much of France and to places they knew not where. As the sun began to set, the train slowed to a crawl. Elena peered out through the crack in the doors. "Alec, we need some food and something to drink. And honestly, I really need to pee."

  "Agreed," he replied. "But I think we need to give it another hour until it's dark. We may be able to cover some distance if I am able to fly at night." He paused. "And if you really need to go, you can be discreet behind some boxes over there."

  Elena rolled her eyes. Given the pressing urgency of her need, she knew she could not hold it any longer. But as long as she addressed one source of discomfort, she decided to bring up another.

  Alec, I have to say these past few days have been absolute hell for me.

  Do you really want to talk about this while you are doing that? She could hear the discomfort in his voice. Or, can this conversation wait a few minutes?

  Elena grumbled. Did it really matter at this point? I dunno. I guess it can wait, she conceded. And then, she asked, Why does it even matter?

  No response came until she zipped her pants. It matters to me, he said. Even though I cannot see you, I think it more polite not to be talking to a pretty girl while she's doing what you are doing.

  In her corner, Elena blushed. He thought she was pretty. She remembered his strong arms wrapped around her, his sapphire eyes staring into hers. It aroused a desire within her. Despite the large set of wings springing from his back, she really didn't mind seeing him without his shirt, either. She allowed herself the indulgence of imagining their intertwined bodies in a moment of passion, enjoying the fantasy. As the train hit an odd patch of track it threw her off balance and rudely reminded her of the situation at hand.

  Getting her mind under control, she slowly made her way out from behind the stack of boxes. She drifted back to his earlier comment about her being pretty. Her take away from the interchange had nothing to do with his chivalry and everything to do with him thinking she was pretty. She tried to suppress a smile.

  I have a strange question. She paused. I'm not sure how to ask, but are we related? I mean, are we family, or something?

  He seemed to consider this for a few moments. Not in a traditional sense, no.

  Elena huffed. How come you can never give me a simple answer?

  She really wanted to ask something else, but couldn't muster the courage. What were his feelings for her? Did he have butterflies around her, too? Did he feel for her the way she did for him?

  Alec touched her arm softly and smiled, electricity passing between them as it had been when she'd fallen on campus. Because, nothing is ever simple. Other than the fact we are both Daimones, we have no shared blood lineage. So, no, we are not related. However, it has been my responsibility to take care of you and watch over you since you were a baby. I have been your guardian and benefactor your whole life. Perhaps this is why I feel so protective of you.

  She wondered even as he said it if he spoke the whole truth. Could his interest in her be purely professional, merely a reflection of his duty to care for her? His job to love her? Was his the love of a parent for a child, or a guardian for his charge? She wanted it to be something more, needed it to be.

  I have always cared for and loved you, he added.

  His voice sounded a bit choked and her heart fluttered a little at his words. Her face felt flushed.

  Yet, even as she watched him, he tensed, his face turning pale. Her heart sank. He spent too long choosing his words, otherwise he would have spoken instead of acting like a fish sucking air. She wondered what passed through his mind —what he wanted to say.

  Aggravation tainted his voice as he blurted, Elena, I don't have time for this nonsense. My job is to take you to the Elder. Nothing can get in the way of that happening. Do you understand me? Nothing.

  The words stung her like a slap across the face. Her heart sank. Nonsense? Job? She wanted to throw up. Her stomach turned sour. He was her companion, the one person she knew who actually understood something about who, or what, she was—something which she herself knew very little about. She hung her head and nodded.

  She sulked back behind the stack of boxes where she had relieved herself fighting the urge to cry with every ounce of strength she had. It took several minutes, but after getting her disappointment under control, she responded to him.

  Okay.

  A barely audible sigh drifted across the car from where he sat. The sigh said it all to her. He knew he'd made a terrible mistake in the way he responded. At least, it
's what she hoped the sigh meant. She wished he'd been developing feelings for her as much as she had for him; even though she'd been his ward—his charge for protecting, he'd fallen in love with her. But it was fantasy, her dream. This is real life. And despite the fact she flitted about Europe with a bona-fide Angel, the rational part of her mind couldn't accept his sigh had any deeper meaning than being a sigh. She shook her head, attempted to get control of herself, and took a deep, cleansing breath.

  When Elena finally stepped back out from behind the boxes, she asked, I still do not see how I fit in? As she approached he stared off at nothing.

  We continue to be at war, and for the last several thousand years, there have been numerous omens and premonitions foretelling a young female with very strong powers would be the one to end the war. So, when your birth came to our attention, it was decided it would be in our best interests to keep your existence a secret. You were hidden away in the safest place we could imagine—with a human family. We all knew one day your abilities would emerge, as they had with us all, and you would eventually need to be brought into the Daimon fold.

  However, once the Opposition learned of your existence, they moved quickly. They were diligent but unsuccessful in their attempts to find you. They tried stealing your father's research in hopes of finding you. But I got the jump on them. You see, they wish to have you for themselves because, as the prophecies forecast, you will be the one to end the war. But if they cannot have you to themselves, then you must be destroyed. That's the reason they're trying to kill you. Alec finished.

  Okay, but how did they find me at college? She stopped pacing and sat on a crate across from him.

  I'm not quite sure. My best guess is they probably suspected something and were watching you. Once they saw me on campus, they must have concluded they had their target. When they reanimated the football player and attempted to kill you, they knew they were right. I had to protect you. I couldn't let you be killed.

  Elena interrupted him once again. Daimones can reanimate the dead?