The Immortal 5 The Beginning: Rena's Story

Secrets revealed

Secrets revealed

Rena set her bag down just inside the door of the apartment she just entered. She felt a twinge of regret about keeping a lot of her assets a secret from the others. She was a wealthy woman. Her entire life spent acquiring this wealth; it meant nothing to her if she didn’t succeed. While she was contemplating how it would be divided between her family her cell phone vibrated. She had forgotten that she had it on her.

“Hello.” she answered it hesitantly.

“Rena?” the voice was Adrian’s. The one person she didn’t want to deal with.

“What do you want Adrian?” she asked rather rudely.

“I want to know where you are. Your friend Max will not give me any information to where you might be.” She thanked the gods that Max was still loyal as a friend. She didn’t want to talk to Adrian because she knew he would try to talk her out of her plan.

“It’s bad enough you know this number you are not stopping me from needs to be done. This is my problem I will handle it.” she could tell that he didn’t like that answer because she could faintly hear his teeth grinding as he fought to control his temper.

“Damn it Rena, I can’t lose you, we can’t lose you.” she knew he was angry; most of his anger was self-directed. Because he failed to protect her.

“Don’t Adrian, depending on people is hard for me. You and Xander should know, the two of you made it hard for me. This will be over soon, trust me. If I should not,” Adrian interrupted her.

“No do not say it.” but she continued as if he hadn’t spoken.

“If I don’t make it through this I have left instructions with Keith to take care of my family. You cannot stop me Adrian. I have to do this on my own.” She knew he wasn’t happy, but before he could respond his voice was replaced by Omri’s.

“Rena?” she had to bite her lip to keep from crying.

“Hmmm?” was all she could say.

“Please let me help you. You do not have to do this alone.” She bit her lip harder and tasted blood. She wanted so badly to have his help but keeping him safe was first and foremost in her mind.

“ I’m sorry I can’t allow you to get hurt. I think that would kill me even if Anton doesn’t.” as she was speaking she felt a ripple go across her mind.

“Too bad, I am coming to you. I will be there soon.” with that he ended the call. Rena just looked at her phone and shook her head. His powers were stronger then she thought if he knew where she was. But then again he did promise he would stay out of her mind, looks like she had to kick his butt for breaking that promise. She must have stood there in the same spot thinking when the doorbell scared the crap out of her. She thought about ignoring it when she felt the same ripple go across her mind pushing her to open the door. She moved to the door and asked

“Are you alone?” she held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

“Yes.” was all he said. She braced herself for everyone to be with him. But when she pulled open the door true to his word he was alone. She let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. She moved back to allow him entrance into her apartment. One of many she had under alias names throughout the city.

“Nice place,” she smiled at him words because they were not the words she was expecting. She kept her face averted as she closed the door to hide the smile.

“Thanks, I like it even though I rarely use it.” They had moved into the living room before he spoke again.

“Rena, this is suicide. I cannot stand by and let you die. I watched my family die needlessly, I don’t want to stand by and watch you die because you need revenge. I understand your need to do this. I really do, if I were in your place I would probably be doing the same thing.” He stood there defiantly waiting for her to argue with him. But was surprised when she just sank to the couch, shoulders slumped in resignation. He knew then she was on the verge of giving in.

“I didn’t want you, any of you, to get hurt. You mean too much to me. You can stay to help me get ready but you cannot get involved when the fighting starts. Do you understand? This is my battle.” She heard him snort.

“Yea right, did you forget he tried to blow us all up? “ It was a low blow and he knew it. She waited for him to nod, knowing in the back of her mind he would wait until she needed his help before he would interfere.

“How exactly did you manage to get out of the house without anyone following you?” He smiled at her diversion tactic, and looked guilty.

“That proved to be a little difficult at first. Both Adrian and Xander are extremely pissed at you. Kali is almost in hysterics, Riley is, and well you know Riley. It was actually Breanna who helped me leave. It was under the pretence that she needed help in the kitchen . Once we were in the kitchen she quite forcefully, I might add, pushed me towards the door explaining that she would handle the others.” Rena’s face had her disbelief and confusion written all over it.

“It’s scary how she knows these things.” Rena cracked a smile at Breanna’s freaking ability.

“Omri, tell me. How bad were Adrian’s and Xander’s reactions? I knew they would be mad but that mad, I am having a problem with.” Omri’s changed to one she couldn’t identify.

“When Adrian found your room empty, he came downstairs vibrating with anger. Which in turn set Xander on edge. But neither could sense you. Don’t ask me how they can sense you because I have no idea. Then you happen to call which really set them off. When I got off the phone with you Adrian called Keith. Apparently Keith wasn’t much help either. When he couldn’t get the answers he wanted from Keith he made Keith swear to call him if he heard back from you. Well, Keith called and said he just saw you, Adrian launched into twenty questions. Some of which Keith didn’t answer. His loyalty to you runs deep. Oh by the way, how is it possible that Xander can sense you?” The way he asked belied his curiosity. She knew that one day she would have to explain exactly how

she knew Xander and the way he acted around her.

“This is very hard to explain. Even Adrian doesn’t know what I am about to tell you. He must never know until Xander is ready to tell him about this. You have to swear you will not tell him.” she waited for him to agree not to say a word about this before she continued, “It was a very long time ago. I was still very young in many ways. I met Xander one night very long ago in a time where war ruled in Europe. This was way before Adrian entered my life. I met Xander in France, in 1790. The middle of the French Revolution.

Let me go back to the beginning, I left Italy in 530 ad. I roamed the world learning as much as I could. Adapting as the world evolved. I even managed to visit Japan. This is where I met Shin. That was the year 1185. I spent ten years with Shin in his mountain village. Learning the samurai way. I was sent out on my own when things got pretty rough between Shin and his neighboring village. I then became a contracted assassin. It paid well. In 1790 I was contracted to kill a French noble man, he owned a vast amount of land equivalent to Texas and Utah combined. Not just in France but in Spain as well from a very well arranged marriage. My contract was from his wife’s familia, seems that he beat his wife to death and terrorized his people daily. Anyway, I had just landed in Paris in the beginning of the season.”

She was thrown back in time as she was speaking. Just reliving those fateful days.

“I was to start my journey the next day to track and study my mark. I was unsure where to begin. I knew that I had to meet up with my contact the very next day. It was on my way to the inn that I was staying in that I ran right into Xander. And I do mean literally ran right into him. He caught me as I fell, which saved me from a very embarrassing scene. His body was cold as ice even though I was wearing a lot of clothes. When I looked up to thank him for saving me I met fawn colored eyes that were rimmed in red. I never in my life seen eyes like his before that day. It unsettled me the way they bore into my soul. His voice lured my senses. I was hooked on him in a matter of moments. It was everything about him that made me forget why I was even there and what I was supposed to be doing.

There was something about him that made me crave him. It was unnerving to crave someone that I had just met. In a mattered of moments I hungered to be with him, which he didn’t seem to mind. He felt the same way or so to me it seemed. He was kind enough to help me to the inn and get settled in my room. After that he invited me to join him for dinner. Which was an agonizing event. I wanted to consume him, not my food. I barely noticed that he didn’t touch his food. He seemed to be devouring me with his eyes. We couldn’t get out of the dining hall and up to my room fast enough. We had just barely made it inside my room when he bit my neck, I was shocked and aroused. He pulled away with my blood on his lips. After that I don’t remember much of what happened. But when I woke he was gone a note on my pillow, saying he would see me that night. I got up and there was blood on my sheets and my body. I was a little freaked but more disappointed he wasn’t there. I didn’t see him that night or the night after either. I finished my contract and left France for good a very rich woman.

I hadn’t seen Xander until the night Adrian allowed me entrance to their coven.

When I laid eyes on Xander and he on me, there was shock in his eyes. I knew at that moment he knew who I was. I wanted him all over again. That really disturbed me. I opted to deny those feeling because I was falling for Adrian. Even to this day, I love them both. But I cannot be with either one of them. It’s not fair to myself or them that I feel this way. I am just assuming that since Xander drank my blood he can sense me when I am close to him. I don’t know exactly how that works. I guess you have to be a vampire to know for sure.”

She could not go on since there was nothing left to say. She had finally admitted out loud what Xander meant to her.

“Are you telling me that, hundreds of years ago, you had a fling with Xander? Xander who is a stone cold body with zero emotions?” she nodded and rose to look out the window. She was disgusted with herself for feeling so weak.

“Now I understand why Xander treats you the way he does.” She knew her story seemed a little farfetched. She had to great loves in her life which were very real and very much present. Before either could speak there was a knock at the door. A frown marred Rena’s forehead. No one knew of this place save a handful of people and they wouldn’t tell anyone where it was. It was a safe have. She moved slowly across the living room towards the front door. As she opened it she thought her vision was playing tricks on her. Xander was standing right in front of her, but before she could close the door Xander pushed his way in.

‘Xander.” she whispered as she backed away from the door. But larger than life Xander stood in her entryway, breathing fire. It belied his anger towards her. She could see relief briefly flash in his eyes. As the door closed, Rena found herself wrapped in his arms.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again.” Xander ground out. She was getting chilled in his embrace. She could feel how badly he was shaking.

“I’m sorry Xander.” she buried her face in his chest.

“Do you know in my entire life I’ve never been so angry and terrified at the same time? I thought I lost you, my life would be over. I’d gladly follow you in death to where ever my kind goes.” he whispered. That brought her head up sharply.

“No, Xander don’t say that.” violet eyes met anguished fawn ones.

“I can live with you just being there, knowing that you’re alive. But not having you alive would be hell on earth. Worse than this daily hell I live now.”

To get such an emotional response from Xander was mind boggling.

“Hindsight is twenty - twenty.”

They heard a smothered laugh from behind them. Xander’s head whipped around and his eyes narrowed at the interruption.

“Omri?” his gaze collided with Rena’s again.

“I read her mind to get the address.” Omri answered the unspoken question in Xander’s eyes.

“He isn’t coming, is he?” she asked Xander. He shook his head.

“He hasn’t perfected his sensing. Long range sensing his still difficult for him. He can barely sense me long range.” Xander explained.

She sighed a sigh of relief, one angry vampire was more than enough for her right now. Two angry vampires were another story. She removed herself from the safety of Xander’s arms; he was reluctant to let her go but did so anyway.

“Well, you might as well make yourself comfortable. You’re stubborn as a mule.”

She didn’t care if he took offense. But to her astonishment he laughed.

“Rena, try as you might, you cannot make me any angrier then I already am.” That earned him a very dirty look from her.

“Now explain to me why you are pulling this little stunt? I, for one, am very curious as to why.” Rena became very angry at his tone.

“I do not have to explain anything to you.” she shot back.

“I think you do.” he fired at her.

“Xander, I don’t want to fight with you. But you think that your word is law. It’s not.” with that said she moved over to her bag and picked it up. As she slung it over her shoulder, she looked at Xander. She knew he would try and stop her if she let him.

“Rena, stop and think about this for a second. Is going into this guns blazing going to get you anywhere?” As soon as the words left his mouth the doorbell rang.

“What now?” she muttered.

“Rena, uh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but our family is on the other side of the door.”

Before she could say or do anything she felt a ripple across her mind.

“You are going to run again.” Omri stated.

“Damn right I am. They cannot be allowed to get hurt.” With that she went to the window opened it and hopped onto the fire escape. Once she was out of sight. Omri looked at Xander and asked.

“Where do you think she will go?”

“She is a very rich woman. She could have a lot of places to hide out.” Xander explained briefly before the others walked in to the room.

“She is not here, you just missed her.”