Lightning cries

Decision of the making

I can still sense his eyes on me even as I stare straight ahead watching the white-haired man at the top of the stairs rambling away, his words not reaching me as blood rushes into my ears and drowns away his words. I know without a doubt Oren will be listening and will fill me in later. I could kill the wolf if it was needed, but that would bring unwanted attention. The white-haired man finishes his speech and gracefully walks down the stairs holding on to the woman's jewelled fingers. Once they land on the last step, everyone moves forward to greet him.

"Who is this guy Oren?" I whisper into my glass before taking a sip of the bubbly liquid. Placing my empty glass on a waiters' tray as he walks past, I slowly turn to face Xeno, who scans the room, always alert. "That would be the head of the high court, Deception and manipulation got him into that seat of power. He is as dirty as they come, possibly even dirtier with the things he turns his back on or sweeps under the rug. Enough of that, we need to mingle and find a group of whom we can trust for a time and get through some of these trials with." he whispers confidently into my ear, I don't believe anyone is trustworthy enough in this place, they all want the artefacts just so they can shove it on a pedestal and tell everyone they have it, to gain power or even fame. But not me. I will be using it to set this world right and put these fuckers in their place. My teeth grind together as anger slowly seeps into my chest and leaks outwards. "Come baby cakes, let's dance." Xeno grabs my hand and with a flick of his wrist my cloak falls from around my shoulders, he quickly catches it and throws it onto a statue behind us. I raise a brow at him, this is going to draw attention, my armor is going to draw attention. Before I can refuse, he drags me into the middle of the room, nudging people with his dark energy to get out of the way. Once, in the middle of the room, slow sensual music starts kicking my heart into a faster pace, eyes burn into us from all angles. 'This is another way of investigating baby cakes, we can listen to the conversation around the room as we move'. Xeno tells me through our bond. I nod slightly in acknowledgment as his hands wrap around my waist and we begin to move swiftly next to each other. It feels alien, as I haven't danced in many years. I wish I had, but the more we move, the more flexible my body becomes and, as they say, 'it's like riding a bike'. Xeno's honey brown eyes stare at me. If I wasn't looking I wouldn't have caught the twinkle, causing me to narrow mine in return. He is up to something, I just don't know what. We spin and dance like the good old days, except this feels different and more intimate. His hands engulf the sides of me and his black hair brushes into his eyes, eyes that burn through mine, reading me. I look over his shoulder to watch the people surrounding us, their gazes burning into us, but now there are several couples joining us and beginning their own dance. 'Did I tell you I missed you?' I ask, meeting his eyes once again, as there were no immediate threats, except the one burning through me, the wolf. 'I know baby cakes, I missed you too, more than you will ever know,' he replies placing his hands softly on my cheek and then moving it to the back of my neck, he leans me backwards as the song begins to end. 'They was entranced by you, they will all want to be apart of your team now,' he informs me, pulling me up into a standing position with my hands braced against his chest. 'That was your plan all along wasn't it?' I reply as another songs starts up. I knew there was more to the dance. Before he started to move me again, my back bristles and my neck hair sticking up on end as the smell of musk and fresh leaves hits my nostrils. "May I have this dance with the lady?" A male voice interrupts us, my hands clench into Xeno's suit jacket. "Of course," Xeno replies to the male and I know who it is before I even turn around but before I do, Xeno leans forward and kisses my forehead before taking a step back. 'I will be right here, I've got you,' he tells me and disappears into the crowd. I turn around and meet the greenest eyes I have ever seen. His nose flares slightly, He is built like a wall, a wall made of muscle, which I remember seeing all of him in my dream. "My name is Xander, yours?" Even his voice is masculine, with a slight growl. Whispers pick up around us, making my ears twitch with annoyance, "Why is the Alpha talking to that woman who doesn't even have the decency to dress in proper clothing?" I hear from the crowd, I knew this would happen. What I didn't expect was the growl coming from the male in front of me, causing the whispers to die down. "Regin," I tell him with a sigh, making him meet my eyes. "I also don't give a s**t what these pompous fuckers think. shall we." I offer out my hand wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Tingles race up my arm as soon as his much larger hand holds mine, ever so softly, as if I might be made of glass. He moves towards me, casting me into a shadow and starts to pull me around the make-shift dance floor to music that I am not even paying attention to. "So Regin," I shiver as he rumbles my name. "Why would I be dreaming of a pretty thing like you and meet you here, is that a coincidence? or was it all planned?" He asks me quietly but with a warning as he grips me tighter. I stiffen slightly and relax as we spin around the room. 'You okay over there baby cakes?' Xeno links with me. 'I'm fine, nothing I can't handle.' I reply and focus on the wolf in front of me that is watching my every move. "It's coincidence, I don't know you, nor anything about you," I tell him honestly letting him see the truth shine out of my eyes. His hold loosens a little bit, but not to the extent that I will be putting my guard down. "So, the dream?" he asks and spins me once more. "It was just a dream, nothing more than that." I reply and take a step back, knowing the music has ended, Xeno stands to the side of me and places a hand to my back offering support. I smile softly at him and give him a wink, his thumb on my back rubs rhythmically back and forth. "I would like you to join our team, a fae like you could be what we need in some of the trials." I'm slightly taken aback but there is something underneath all of that excuse of me being able to help, he wants to keep a close eye on me. "I'll think about it," I tell him and step back into the crowd with Xeno.

What felt like hours later, the bells rang for the beginning of the blood offering. Several supernaturals went first as I wanted to watch what happened first, but it was nothing significant. "You can do this," Oren whispers in my ear. I straighten my shoulders and walk up the stairs. I can do this. I will do this for my family. The white-haired man whose name I found out was Lance, offers me a knife with a golden handle and a smile. Slowly taking it off him, I notice the room has gone quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Exhaling, I cut into the side of my palm and clench my hand into a fist to get as much blood out as possible before it closes shut. Should I do this? Is this the right thing? Before I can question myself any further I place my hand over the chalice and let my blood drip into it.

Light shines brightly out of the chalice a blue and green, vibrant enough to enlighten a few feet surrounding it. The potion worked, thank the gods. I exhale and take a step back, just as I begin to think that everything will be okay to a certain degree, the chalice shakes and a sputtering of golden light barely manageable to see starts replacing the blue and green, my heart thunders against my ribs, No! this can't be happening! as whispers surround me I feel my gut twist and my impending doom. They will know if it becomes any brighter and envelopes all the other colours. Before it has chance a manly hand hovers over the chalice and the light sputters out, into complete darkness. Black smokes rises slowly and my heart rate slows. I follow the hand to be greeted with the honey brown eyes of my familiar. He joined the trials. He joined the trials to save me.

What has he done?