The Blood Moons

Chapter Seven

The tent was sparsely decorated and quite small and intimate. With only a cot, trunk, and small table to hold a bowl and pitcher, it was hard to believe it was Din’s personal tent. Cyla assumed he would have something more grandiose with him being the leader and protector. He must be a humble man to live like this, she thought. Or just very poor. The color of the tent was a creamy white, the only one Cyla had noticed in the whole camp. This made it difficult for her to confirm or deny the rumors that Dinasis was a supernatural as well. Nothing was helping her in figuring out who this man was and doing everything to frustrate her. She and Bug sat on the low-to-the-ground cot that he motioned towards. She picked at the coarse brown blanket silently as she waited expectantly.

Dinasis paced in front of them, his hands flexing just a bit. He did this for so long, she thought maybe he was going through a nervous breakdown. Bug glanced at her questioningly, to which she could only shrug. Finally, he stopped in front of them, taking a deep, steadying breath. “As I said before, this camp is a safe haven for supernaturals. Everyone here is one.” He gazed pointedly at Cyla. “Everyone.” Cyla blinked, waiting and unsurprised.

“You mean you are as well?” Bug asked with a gasp. Suddenly, she was on her feet, circling Din while sniffing here and there. A quizzical look crossed her perfect, freckled face. “You're not like anything I've smelt before.” Din smiled a crooked grin that caused Cyla’s heart to skip for a brief second. She squeezed her hand tightly around the blanket, forcing herself to refocus.

“I'm pretty rare. Only one of a pair of us in existence, actually. I'm a phoenix.” Bug gawked, frozen behind him. Cyla looked between the two, perplexed. She'd never heard of a phoenix before in her training.

“I thought they were a myth!” Bug exclaimed in a whisper. She circled the towering man again, this time at her full vamp speed. Cyla's hair fluttering with the speed as she noticed offhandedly that she could still see Bug as she ran, despite being told humans normally couldn't follow their true speed. “What can you do? Can you shift? Do you drink blood? Do you do magic?” Bug stopped in front of him, chest heaving excitedly. “Can you fly?!” Din chuckled and waved her questions off with both hands.

“No, no, none of that.” He paused, c*****g his head. A strand of gray hair fell over his face and Cyla once again felt that familiar pang in her gut. She fought the urge to tuck it behind his ear by sitting on her hand and biting her lip thoughtfully. “I guess you might actually say we do have a little bit of magic since I can turn things to ash at will just by touching them.” He reached out and grasped Bug's arm, making her gasp and her green eyes widen. When she didn't crumble in front of them, she ripped her arm away, hissing indignantly at Dinasis as she sat down on the cot as far away from him as she could. He chuckled.

“Like I said, at will. I can control when I do it. It was a wild first year the first time I found out, though. Lots of broken furniture.” He directed his attention to Cyla again, his face sobering some. “I first found out when I turned twenty-four.” Cyla wanted to blink, wanted to do anything. But she found herself frozen at his words. “But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning.” Dinasis cleared his throat, staring off at the space above Cyla's head.

“At the beginning of time, there was nothing on the land. Then The Goddess looked down on the land and saw that the land was plentiful despite being empty. So she decided to fill the land. She created the humans and their beasts. She taught them how to farm and trade and reproduce and for centuries there was peace and harmony.

“But as any story has seen, not all the hearts of the humans stayed pure. Greed, jealousy, and lust started to bleed into their hearts. Soon, these feelings produced actions. The Goddess looked down and saw the murders, the r***s, the stealing, and her heart was saddened. A solitary tear fell from each eye, falling from the heavens to the earth in a fiery light.

“They crashed into the land, and from those craters crawled forth two beings, a man and a woman. They walked into the land of the humans, the ground falling to ash wherever their feet touched. Frightened by what they did not know, the humans took the first opportunity they had and murdered them. Much to The Goddess' surprise, she saw that the souls of those two beings fled those bodies to land in the wombs of two women. She watched them be born as infants and saw that they were the same as the humans, by all outward appearances. Yet she could see that their cleansing power of fire was still raging in their souls. So, she placed a lock on them, one that would not be undone until they had come of age. Then she waited.

“As the years went on, the dark hearts started to outnumber the pure. She knew that the growing beings and all the humans of pure heart were going to need help if they were going to keep themselves from being overrun by the bad. So, she went to work creating the supernaturals.

“As a human died, she would visit them. If they were pure of heart, she would offer them a gift in exchange for being reborn and fighting for good. She gifted a few men and a few women the gift to shift into animals and to continue to possess their animal abilities in their human forms, but they would have to stand up for the smaller and weaker people. To a few others she gifted them strength and speed and the ability to survive harm if they continued on in their dead state—making them living dead or undead—as long as they swore to keep the blood of the bad from taking the blood of the good. And to a third set, she gifted them the ability to commune with the earth, to give and take with the land as long as they would keep the earth from turning black with wickedness. Many others had been created, but they did not survive the ensuing wars. At least as far as I know.” Dinasis paused, wonder filled his eyes. Cyla glanced at Bug, the vampire seemed to be hanging onto his every word.

Clearing his throat, Dinasis came back to the present. He smiled shyly at Cyla. “As the two reincarnated souls approached the age of twenty-four, The Goddess decided it was now time. She reached down and unlocked the cage. The fire returned to their command. But also with it came all the memories of falling to the earth. The Goddess knew that they would need each other in order to process and come to terms with what they were, so she placed a mark upon their hearts. This was their mating mark, a unique bond that led them to each other. They found one another, and in the process of learning about themselves and their limits, they fell in love. Again, The Goddess marveled to see that the love they felt for each other only strengthened not only their bond, but their powers. They were as if two halves had become whole, completing each other.

“When they had become strong enough, The Goddess knew that it was time to gather all the supernaturals together. She went down to the land the humans called Vera and told the two everything. She told them that they were to meet with the shifters, the vampires, the witches, and the others. Once they were all together, these two were to lead them all in order to vanquish the evil and to lead the humans back into a land of harmony.

“But they were afraid. When they told her that they feared they would die, that they would not be able to complete their mission before their deaths, she kissed them both. ‘With this kiss,’ she told them, ‘you may truly never die. You are phoenixes. You will be reborn as you did before and you will grow and learn and when you come of the same age as before, your powers and your memories will come back to you. This will help you remember the task that you have been given. This will help you remember the leaders you truly are.’ And with that, she returned to the heavens to wait and to watch.” Din closed his eyes as if remembering long ago. Sadness and agony lined his face.

“The wars were long. And they were bloody. The wicked humans had long since gotten used to their ways and did not back down so easily. Eventually, the phoenixes were killed. With their deaths, the supernaturals were without their leaders. Not all the wicked had been killed, but to them, it was enough. The supernaturals stopped fighting the humans and started fighting among themselves. They split up, keeping to themselves.

“The shifters reproduced quickly, their animal sides overriding their humanity many times. They ran off to hide in nature, where they didn't have to worry about discovery. The witches lived among the humans since they lived and breathed like them, hiding in plain sight. And the vampires, the vampires were forced to run, always on the move as their appetite for blood grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, The Goddess found she was having to mark everyone's hearts to help them find a match—a mate—so that they would be complete and no longer full of such unrest. The angry found someone meek and soothing. The crazy found someone controlled. It was through this way that the supernaturals found themselves slipping into their own worlds, hiding from the humans for so long the humans no longer remembered they existed.

“And always the phoenixes would find each other, remember, and find their way back to the supernaturals, trying to lead them back to their original mission. But they found that each time they were reborn, the mission was more and more forgotten. The phoenixes found they were fighting alone. Sometimes, literally, as one would be killed and jump to be reborn while the other lived on, fighting and waiting for the other to return.

“It could get very lonely.” Cyla found herself climbing to her feet and placing a comforting hand on his. He started, looking at her in surprise and then with gentle care. He slid a strand of her unruly red hair through his fingers before lightly brushing her cheek.

“You always were the day to my night,” he breathed, barely above a whisper. Cyla's sharp ears caught it, though. She froze again, panic welling up inside her.

“Do you mean—” Bug whispered in shock. Dinasis nodded, cutting her off.

“You are the other phoenix, Cyla.”

Cyla stared blankly, her brain hardly registering anything. Bug stood on the other side of Dinasis, just as dumbfounded. “Cy-Cyla?” Din queered, stooping just a bit to look her better in the eye. “Cyla did you hear me?” Cyla stiffly took a step backwards, her arms limp at her side.

“Are you saying I’m a supernatural?” she whispered. Outwardly, her face was frozen yet calm. Inwardly, she was screaming in denial. No! I can't be the same as the things that killed Mika. He has to be lying. He has to be! Dinasis reached for her hand and was barely able to hide the pain in his face as she turned away from him.

“Yes, Cyla Fillas. I am saying you are not only a supernatural, but a phoenix. One of only a pair of the rarest supernaturals in Vera. You are a phoenix and we are destined to be mates.” Cyla curled her fists, suddenly angry.

“I am not a supernatural. I am not a phoenix and I am not your mate!” she declared through her teeth. “I am Cyla Fillas, daughter of Mika Fillas. I am a bounty hunter for the Blood Moons guild where I hunt down supernaturals, not be one of them. I have no powers! I have no mate! I am just me, a human, and nothing else!” She turned sharply on her heel and disappeared out the entrance of the tent in a moment.

Bug and Dinasis stood rooted to their spots, surprised and shocked. The silence was deafening. Bug looked at him sympathetically and Dinasis knew she was struggling to understand his level of pain. She stepped forward and laid a cool hand on his warm arm. “I-I think we’re all a little shocked,” she stuttered out. “Just-just give her some time. I know I need some to wrap my head around it, and it’s not even about me.” Din turned his silver eyes to her, the pain of rejection coursing through him. “Give her time,” Bug urged, this time more strongly. He nodded slowly and closed his eyes.

“I think I’ll give you a moment alone,” she whispered before slipping around him and out. The silence thickened impossibly and Din found his strength being sapped. He dropped to his knees, his heart aching. Never before had she outright rejected him. Many times she had been skeptical until the day of her twenty-four birthday and her power of ash had manifested. But she had never rejected him or the idea before, saying she had always felt what he had said was true.

But Cyla hadn’t said anything of that sort. Everything she said told him that she didn’t feel the mating pull like she should. But she was wrong about not having powers. They had all seen the flames around her hands when she had defended Luka’s life. It wasn’t a power he had expected, since they had never expressed flames before. A simple touch would normally turn things to ash. He thought perhaps the phenomenon with the black light earlier that day was the lock on her psyche unlatching and allowing her magic to blossom. But she hadn’t even set one thing to ash, even on accident like they usually did on their first day. No, she was different. Had he been mistaken? Was she not the reincarnation of his everlasting love? No, she had to be. His mate was the only one he had ever met in all the centuries he’d been alive to have those amber eyes. It had to be her. It had to be.

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Cyla stormed through the camp, ignoring the looks and calls thrown her way. The only thing screaming in her body was Run! Anger pulsed through her, but even more than anger was fear racing through her. Could it all be possible? Could this be what Mika knew and why he sent her to find Dinasis, her supposed mate? She couldn’t deny that there was something that drew her to him, something that seemed to call out with familiarity and intimacy. Feelings fluttered in her belly and her heart that was completely foreign to her. But she refused to believe it was some predestined matching that was causing these feelings. Or the idea that she was holding back something as massive as centuries of purpose and memories.

She stopped her marching, threw her head back, and screamed up to the sky in frustration. The sounds of the camp around her stopped for a moment, letting her know that she was being stared at, but she didn’t care. She kept her head c****d back and eyes closed until the sounds of the camp coming back to life reached her ears. Slowly she dropped her head and opened her eyes, one inch at a time. Her hand loosened its grip on her dagger, something that she had done subconsciously. Staring at her hand, she could see the imprint of the spiral design of the hilt on her palm and she subconsciously traced the lines.

Her life goal for the last decade had been one thing and one thing only. Yes, she had had some side goals by training with the guild and hunting supers down. But, deep down, there was always the one goal. To find Dinasis Denor. And now she had found him and it was a disaster. What was she to do now? Where would she go? Would she leave? Of course she would leave. There was no way she could stay here and be subjected to what was clearly going to be brainwashing.

She slowly dropped to her knees, feeling them dampen from the grass. Thoughtfully, she raised her head to see that she was once again in front of Luka’s giant cage. The blanket had been replaced and he seemed to be quiet. She crawled forward a few steps until she was able to lean forward and grasp the blanket. She lifted it up to see the black back of the giant wolf.

“Luka?” she whispered. Slowly, he turned, his large body lumbering, sizzling as it tapped against the silver bars. He faced her silently, staring at her with piercing blue eyes. She felt herself falling into them, as if they were capturing her soul and drowning her. Just as she felt she was about out of air, a voice pulled her out.

“Cyla!” Dinasis called from behind her. Her jaw clenched suddenly, her anger flaring like a flame. The black flames returned to her hands as she jumped to her feet.

“Leave me alone, Din! I am not your mate!” she snarled. Dinasis stopped short of her, his hands up in defense.

“Please, just listen to me.”

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I want to get out of this damn cage! He growled. He shook his great black head before throwing all his weight into his shoulder. The shoulder collided with the bars, his long black fur sizzling as it came in contact with the silver. I am an alpha! They should all be obeying me! He snapped his strong jaws as he threw himself again and again against the bars.

We are not an alpha, Hawk. We aren't anything, that annoying voice whispered at the back of his mind again. Ever since that woman had thrown that strange device at him during their fight, the voice had been speaking more and more. Hawk felt he should remember who he was, that he should have remembered the voice's name. But then, the next moment, he didn't care. He was an alpha wolf, mighty and black, and he didn't care about anything or anyone except his pack. We don't have a pack anymore. The whisper sounded sad, and Hawk fought to not howl in anguish.

He finally circled and laid his massive body down in the dirt. He laid his head on his midnight paws, eyes watching the world outside from under the blanket over his cage. The varying smells of the supernaturals were chaotic, nearly nauseating when he considered the vampires he smelt. He saw so many people hurrying here and there, children wanting to stop and see him. But he always sent them running by charging at the cage bars, fur raised, and teeth bared. He wanted nothing except to leave this cage.

I’ve done nothing to deserve this. If only they knew. They would praise me, not imprison me, he huffed angrily. Suddenly, a scent caught his attention. The scent of fresh baked cinnamon bread wafted on the breeze and he involuntarily shuddered with delight. It was coming from behind him and, curious, he waited to see what she would do. She was quiet for a long while, though her breath was heavy and agitated. Then he heard her come closer and the blanket move a bit.

“Luka?” she whispered, and it was like his name was meant for her to say. Slowly, he turned, his guard up once more at her close proximity. She was peering at him with her heart-shaped face framed in red curls and those captivating amber eyes. What does she think she is doing? he grumbled. Is she putting me under some spell? Why can’t I look away? He started to back away with uncertainty when the man called out to her. Her sudden anger at the man had Hawk on guard and he watched them closely. They started arguing with each other, black flames flickering on and off around her hands. How dare he yell at her? Only I can do that! He thought back to meeting her at the clearing and their fight. But then, despite the fighting, she had protected him against this same man. He had yelled and screamed at her as she protected him, but she had seemed unafraid of his threats.

Or she couldn't understand you, that voice piped up again, a happy tone to the whisper. You're a wolf, i***t! Hawk growled at being called an i***t. He sprang to his feet, charging the bars at the front this time. The blanket finally slid off completely, exposing himself fully to their situation. This ruckus seemed to interrupt them.

She turned to look at Hawk, her copper eyes curious. She brushed her red hair behind her, causing the cinnamon scent to hit him again. Her face gentled and the flames went out completely.

“Thank you for not killing him,” she whispered, glancing up at the man. A look of pain crossed his face. “I don’t know why, but something inside me seems to want to break at just the thought.”

“Do you really think I could kill someone so easily?” He reached for her, silver eyes searching hers. Hawk growled, seeing the man's hand on her. Cyla looked at the older man in confusion and panic. Hawk, seeing this in her, lost it.

Get your hands off her! You’ve upset her! How dare you?! I'll kill you! For once, the voice in the wolf’s head seemed to agree with him. He lunged towards them repeatedly, ignoring the sting as he burned and split his skin. He was close to passing out, but stubbornly he kept on. He lunged one more time before falling to the ground, eyes closed and panting.

“Shh, shh,” a voice soothed. It was the most wonderful sound in the world. Smooth and light, almost like all she needed to do was breath and words formed. She reached out towards him slowly, lightly touching the top of his head. It was glorious, sparks and tingles shooting through his body. Immediately, he calmed and he leaned into her fingers.

What am I doing? He snapped his eyes open and jumped sluggishly backwards, his lips twisting menacingly. Is she a witch to have entranced me? The sudden movement startled Cyla and she touched the inside of her arm against the bar. She hissed in pain, withdrawing her hand and holding it against her body. The man yanked her up, pulling her against him. Hawk watched intently, concern coloring his thoughts. Dear Goddess, what is going on? I'm so confused. I want to kill him for touching her but feel so sad for hurting her. What am I doing? No. It's only me. I am all I should worry about.

“What in The Goddess’ name was that?” Cyla asked, hugging her arm close to her body. The man—didn’t she say his name was Din?—pulled her arm away and touched the burn line on her forearm. “What is that cage made of that it burned me?” The pain making her angry as she demanded her answer from Din. He simply furrowed his brow and shook his head.

“As phoenixes, we shouldn't burn at all, but especially by silver. That's a shifter weakness.” Cyla huffed with frustration.

“Well, it f*****g burned me!” She gritted her teeth as she grazed the wound with her fingertips. When she accidentally touched Din’s fingers that still lingered, she seemed to realize she was still held close to him. The warmth and comfort she suddenly felt caused her cheeks to turn pink and she took a step away from the man.

Look how adorable she is, Hawk’s pesky voice sighed.

Shut up. Go back to whatever corner you've been hiding in. She's nothing and I refuse to think otherwise, Hawk huffed as though to reinforce his commitment to his independence.

But you already have. Back when we wanted to kill him for touching her, the voice said before retreating from Hawk’s consciousness. Hawk turned away from them, finally glad to have silence in his head. He forced himself to not think about the woman. He would not let himself get caught up in her and her infuriating scent. He had a job to do, and caring about her would jeopardize that job. He laid down again, head on paws, feeling the itchiness his healing wounds caused. The silver kept him from healing quickly like normal wounds. And kept him weak. He was so very tired.