The First Chimera.

Chapter 7

Ria's POV

****

I toss and turn in bed, that meeting between the rulers of the different races rattlling through my mind again and again.

They didn't want the different spieces mating. They didn't want them producing children. Why?

My beasts move around my mind, uneasy, on edge.

What would they do if they discovered what I was?

Probably attempt to control me, like that group of rogues did. Attempt to break me, make me submit, then use me to gain more power for themselves. Isn't that what every power hungry creature would do when they find a source of unlimited power?

Kasumi snorts in amusment while I produce a small ball of witch light, about the size of a firefly before sending it dancing across the ceiling.

So many troubles, which is the one I'm meant to fix?

The goddesses have got to have had a reason to create me, and gift me to mom and dad. They couldn't have created me for no reason.

Was it to prove a person could live with more than one beast in harmony? That a person can control more than one beast, and their abilities?

Or was it to stop the forced rejection of the mate bond?

Or to stop the needless war and slaughter between the races?

Whatever task the goddesses created us for, would not be an easy one.

Why were the were-creatures falling to sickness, and maddness?

Why were the Fae losing their connection with the earth and losing their magic? For that matter why were the witches producing magically weaker children?

Why were the dragon and phoenix rulers flames weaker compared to ours? It'd been frightening just how much weaker their flames had been. Surprising, and frightening.

Why were the vampires struggling to create new vampires?

It's as though we're heading towards extinction and no one else can see it yet.

They could easily stop the wars. They only needed to create a council of representives, two from each race, a male and female, but not those in a leadership role.

I didn't suggest it, because I already knew they'd never agree with the idea.

The only ones who'd agree would be uncle, and maybe the Siren Alpha King Eros. He, his Queen and his second seemed to be completely at ease with the other races, were friendly and polite, and relaxed. I couldn't let them into the lake here though, Selkie wouldn't let me.

"Our lake, I claimed it when we first shift," She pouts, her black eyes staring back at me from inside my mind. I shake my head at her because that's been a pattern my beasts have followed ever since we first shifted here.

"What's wrong?" Mbali, my lioness asks. She's a pretty lioness, white with pale lemon coloured markings behind her ears, a star constellation I think, her indigo eyes full of concern.

"I don't like this. All the leaders in one place, it'd be a temptation for that rogue group. The leader could be planning to attack the pack, to prove their not safe here. It would destroy all of uncles hard work,"

It's not my only concern, but its not a lie either.

Chipo, my cheetha, and Esha, my tiger watch me, nodding with understanding. Chipo is stunning, her marking like that of a King Cheetha's, her fur a mixture of white and light tan with her markings in black, her eyes a stunning mix of green and gold. While Esha is white, her pale chocolate strips soft yet striking. She has a marking mixed in with her strips, a rossuet of dots in silver, probably another star constellation. Her eyes are beautiful, silver lavender in colour.

"If those runts attack us, then we'll deal with them before they have a chance to ruin uncles work,"Kaiyi, my bear, says, her honey eyes striking against her creamy coat. She's bigger than any other bear I've seen, although she has the features of a black bear. Bellona and Lacadema, my Jagua and Leopard watch me, their gazes questioning. Bellona is pure black with the left eye the colour of a storm cloud that lights up with lightening when she's angry, her right eye amber. Lacadema is a snow leopard with bright blue eyes. Asha, my Hyena watches at me with her unique eyes, shocking white with silver, then black outlining the iris.

Angel pushes her reasurrance, and confidence at me. I can even sense her eye roll.

Fae are different to what people assume. Those in the pack believe that Fae's have what they have in their wolves, but they don't. They have an inner voice, without the voice.

I can feel Angel's emotions, her desires, her fears, but I don't hear her voice. I've heard pack members say Fae are peaceful and weak, that they're happy beings, but that's not true. Angel is a guardian of nature, a predator in her own right. She is actually one of the more violent and protective parts of me.

Uncle must have said something to the leaders, because they all knew who I was, had heard of me apparently. They'd all stared at me with open curiosity, some had even pushed their aura's at me, but it didn't feel threatening. It had felt as though they were doing so out of curiosity.

I send another small ball of witch light into the room, watching as they dance together.

I'm sixteen, I should be carefree, not worrying all night about the fate that each race faces. I can't stop the thoughts running rampant in my head though.

The goddesses that created me with such love and care, would have created the other races with just as much love. They wouldn't want any of their children to suffer. But suffering they are, and probably by their own hand. So why create a being that was a full combination of the races they created and loved?

The phoenix spirit within me shifts, her wings beating against my ribcage, her fire pooling through my body and meeting with Seren's flame. From my palm a small fire bird, the size of a falcon, forms and chrips as I watch it.

We're not going to get our answers unless we ask.

I recall the two firefly sized balls of witch light so they float before me and extend a claw, slicing through the skin of my palm so a small bead of blood blooms from the cut.

"We need answers mother goddesses. Why did you create us? What is our purpose? Which path are we to walk?" We talk as one, the fire bird, witch light and drop of blood becoming one creature, a beautiful phoenix, the size of a Harpy eagle. We press our forehead to hers, for she is a part of our flame, a part of our soul.

Getting up from our bed, we open the window and watch her peer out at the night sky.

"Please, take our questions to our mothers, and then return. We will miss you sister flame," we say, stroking her chest as the phoenix croons, her song so beautiful it fills our soul with joy. She bows her head to us, then takes flight.

"Do you think our mothers will answer us? Artemis, Hekate, and Selena haven't before," Esha asks and I sigh, my shoulders slump in defeat.

"I don't know. All we can do is hope they will," shutting the window I sneak out of my room, and into Zane's and crawl into his bed, thankful he sleeps with boxers on.

"Ria?" He blinks at me as I snuggle into him, Selkie pushing forwards, my PJ shorts ripping as her tail replaces my legs.

"Sleep pile," she whispers, her long, large tail curling around his bed as she snuggles into him, that desperate need for connection driving her to be as close as possible to him.

"Sleep pile," Zane mumbles, his eyes glazing over for a second before Selkie and he get comfortable. Zane smiles down at us and kisses our forehead, running his fingers through our hair as Selkie purrs.

It's not long before Tao and Jayla join us, Tao's large grin at seeing Selkie enough to warm us. I settle in the back of our mind, curling up surrounded by the other parts of me and watch as my siblings pile into Zane's bed, how they naturally move to sleep so they're snuggling with Selkie, just how Siren's would their alpha.

Selkie sighs in contentment, her little (pretend) Siren pack curled up on or next to her softly snoring. Zane has his arm wrapped around our waist, holding us from behind as Jayla cuddles Selkie's tail and Tao is laid half on us, half off, his hand holding ours.

I fall asleep to Selkie softly singing, her happiness spilling over into the rest of us.

****

"No wonder I couldn't find you," Mom's voice wakes Selkie, her low, threatening hiss cutting off as soon as she scents our mom. She shifts me back and I grab Zane's blanket, pulling it around me as Tao groans having suddenly lost his pillow, my feet numb from his and Jayla's hugging Selkie's tail the better part of the night.

"What's wrong sweetheart, Selkie hasn't needed a sleep pile in years," mom's voice fills my head and Selkie retreats further to the back of my mind.

How can I tell her Selkie has ALWAYS needed a sleep pile but has denied herself that connection.

"We couldn't settle last night," I mutter down the mind-link, and run my fingers through Tao's hair as he blinks up at me, a sleepy smile on his face as he reaches out for me.

"Selkie?" He calls out for her, reaching up to touch our face as she pushes forwards.

"Brother," she says softly as I let her have control of our shared body.

"If you ever want a sleep pile you're welcome in my room, or ask me to sleep in your room," he says and leans up to kiss our cheek before getting out of bed. There's no embarressment in seeing me naked, they've grown up with it, especially over our trips away during the summer. Tao kisses our mom's cheek, whispers something in her ear and goes to get ready for the day. Jayla soon following him out after she gives me a gentle hug, and pats Zane's shoulder.

"Mom, you know Sirens have a deeper connection with their pack then we do. Selkie needed that last night, there's nothing wrong with it," Zane says then yawns and stretches as mom sighs and sits beside me on his bed.

"We need to head down for breakfast soon. Your uncle... he would like to tell them," I stare, wide eyed at her statement, Zane's low snarl getting little attention from our mother, who watches my reaction.

"He wants to tell them what I am?" The words come out in a whisper, throat near closing up.

Mom nods and traces circles with her thumb on the back of my hand, a gesture that'd normally provide comfort. Only it doesn't when I'm torn between loving the woman who raised and loves me unconditionally, and realising that same woman is asking I reveal myself for the monstrosity I am.

"He thinks if they know your story, they might be able to see pass their differences. That it might help them move forwards with peace," Mom says her tone gentle, though persuasive.

"Telling them could start another war, does uncle realise it could paint a target on Ria's back?" Zane snarls while sitting up, Kakoa on the surface, his drive to protect me making him a possible threat to our mother.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" I ask, my beasts shifting under my skin, magic crackling in the air, jumping between my fingertips. Thankfully it doesn't hurt either mom or Zane, and neither of them are startled by it's appearance.

"Of course you can sweetheart, but he'd still like you to be there for the meetings," mom says with a small smile as I pluck a t-shirt of Zane's off the chair by his bed and pull it on. I nod and head back into my room.

I can only hope the Goddesses will grant us the answers we seek, because if not I don't know what step to take next.