DESCENDANTS (THE DESCENDANTS SAGA) (10 page)

-20-

“W
hat’s
it like?” Kai asked interrupting her thoughts.

“Hmm?” she said, turning her head away from the television and studying his face.

“You know, this… the ocean, TV, planes, cars. What is it like seeing them for the first time?”

“It’s magical,” she smiled in response.

Finding satisfaction in her answer, he slumped back into his chair, and Sollara turned back to the television. She replayed the last few days in her mind as she watched the images flicker before her.

“Kai, where are we going? I have been so overcome with everything I didn’t even think to ask.”

“I was wondering when you were going to ask that!”

“Hey, I can’t help that I’m easily distracted.”

“Victoria, British Columbia.”

“Victoria, British Columbia,” she repeated. “That's in Canada isn't it? What is Asima doing in Canada? It seems a long way to go to meet up,” she thought aloud.

When he didn’t respond, she smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders before turning back to her window. The rest of the flight was quiet. Sollara let her thoughts drift to how far she had come in so few days. And how Sugoi and Mari must be desperately searching for her. The thought of their distress made her smile.

…
Kai gently shook her shoulders to awaken her. She hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep. With a slight nod he motioned out the window. She could feel the plane descending and was to
ld to put her seatbelt back on.

“Sollara, I have to warn you. The people we are going to stay with are not normal people.” He wanted to tell her more but waited for her to digest what he had said and ask for herself.

“What do you mean they are not normal people?”

“W
e are going to be staying with a house full of Dark Ones. They will be responsible for helping us learn our abilities.” He watched her face to read her reaction.

“Our abilities?”

“I tell you we are going to stay with Dark Ones, and you ask about our abilities.” He laughed and shook his head before continuing. “Au
…
sima told me she was a reader and could sense that you have strong elemental abilities and other powers unknown to her.” He was so offhanded with his response that it caught her off guard.

“Really? I never thought of myself like Mari, with all her gifts. I wonder what I can do. This should be interesting; I have always been fascinated with Dark Ones, ever since Sugoi told me how a Descendant from Atlanticus named Phoebe wanted to have immortal life so she drank the blood of an Elemental. She was granted immortal life but also given an unquenchable thirst for blood.” She paused to take her first breath before continuing to ramble on. “He went on to say that she went on a mad killing spree for many years before her husband, Coeus, found her. Apparently Phoebe was venomous and turned her husband, and they are now the matriarch and patriarch or Royalty of the Dark Ones. He called them SODs though; I think it stands for Spawns of Darkness.”

Kai shook his head and laughed in wonder to what actually went on inside her mind. “Well, then yes this will be interesting.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The people we will be staying with just happen to be named Phoebe and Coeus.” He watched as realization dawned on her.

She tried to hide her look of fear from him and come up with something smart to say, but all she could manage in response was an “Oh!”

She couldn’t help but wonder why Asima would send them to learn their abilities from a house of SODs.

They disembarked, and Sollara took her first steps on a new continent. Kai gave instructions to the pilot and then followed after Sollara to collect their things. She was almost at the luggage cart when a muscular woman with long blonde hair and tanned skin stepped in her way.

“You must be Sollara,” she said.

Sollara was confused as to how the woman had known her, so she nodded bashfully. It also seemed odd to Sollara that she couldn’t get a good read on this stranger. Most people display their feelings somewhere on their face, through a twinge of the lips, a glint of the eye. But this woman was unreadable; it was almost as if she didn’t feel.

“I’m Bonnie. Phoebe asked me to come and greet you. I knew it was you because I was told to pick up the girl with the most amazing
red
curly hair.” Then she leaned in closer to Sollara and whispered in her ear.

“I’m not a Dark One. There are some mortals permitted to live with their house. I do most of their random jobs like picking up and dropping off. It keeps people from wondering why they never age. When you see Phoebe, you’ll understand.” She winked at Sollara and then extended her hand out to greet Kai.

After the formalities were done, they grabbed their things, and to Sollara’s relief, Bonnie helped her with her bags. When they got to the parking lot, Bonnie walked up and stopped in front of a luxurious car, a car fancier than Sollara had ever seen. She stood, gawking at the car.

“Wow, look at that
beast
!” Sollara whistled.

“You like it?” Bonnie asked.

“Like it? No one can just
like
a Quattroporte GTS.” Kai cut in.

“A Quattroporte? I have never heard about a car like this. It looks like a space ship,” Sollara said in awe.

“Haven’t you read about sports cars? Or do you spend all your time reading about planes? And how would you know what a space ship looks like anyway?” Kai teased.

“Really funny,” Sollara said as she rolled her eyes. “I did read about cars, but Sugoi stopped ordering car magazines years ago. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about modern automobiles.”

“Well, never mind that. I’m just glad you like it. Phoebe wanted me to give it to you as a gift. She has bought something for you as well, Kai.” Bonnie pointed to the space beside Sollara’s new car. “She had it delivered here this afternoon for you.”

“Fantastic!
A
motorcycle. I’m going to like this woman!” He laughed as he inspected his bike.

Both the motorcycle and car were painted in the same dark red that looked black in most lights. Sollara ran her fingers over the car as she walked around it, hardly believing it was actually hers. One of her most frequent dreams was to learn to drive. She smiled at the close proximity of a dream she had never thought to be possible.

“If I had known how much luggage you two brought with you, I would have brought the truck,” Bonnie teased. Kai laughed and pointed at Sollara.

“Sorry about that,” she blushed. “I got out of hand. It was the first time I was permitted to buy my own clothes.”

“Do you want to drive, Sollara?” Bonnie tossed her the keys.

Sollara fumbled to catch them. “I want to drive so badly Bonnie you have no idea, but, unfortunately, I have never been taught.”

“Well, we
will have to teach you soon tha
n
.
”

Kai was already seated on his bike with the engine running and his helmet on. Sollara looked quizzically at him on the bike. She wasn’t sure how someone would drive such a thing. She was about to ask him where the other half of it was when he started driving in circles around the other cars. He seemed natural on the bike.

…
It took almost an hour to get to Phoebe and Coeus’s house from the airport. Kai followed behind the girls. The whole drive he was showing off by swerving side to side and popping his front tire in the air when he caught one of them watching him. When they drove up to the gate, Sollara’s mouth hung open. The house was huge and in the style of an English castle.

“This is where she lives?” Sollara gasped.

“T
his is where we all live; it is actually a university. There are buildings all around the grounds for different schools. Both Dark Ones and Mortals go to school here; it is the first school of its kind,” she beamed.

“Are the mortals aware of the SODs?” Sollara asked.

“SODs?”

“Oh… Spawns of Darkness. That’s what they called them were I am from,” Sollara blushed.

“Spawns of Darkness, I like that!” she said, her voice and face devoid of any emotion. Bonnie went on to explain, “As far as they know it is a normal university. It is really hard for our students to try to fit in with the Mortals. Normally, they out perform the mortal students in all areas. Basically they learn to conceal their skills here.”

It made Sollara uncomfortable, not being able to interpret anything in a person’s demeanor or responses. All she could do was take Bonnie’s words at face value. It was a wonder that she had learned to read body language and vocal tones even though she wasn’t around many people. That alone may have saved her from approaching Mari when she was angry.

As they pulled up to a large manor house on the other end of the university grounds, Sollara looked around in wonder. It was a beautiful place full of lush, leafy trees, green grass, and colorful flowers.

“This is where our night classes are taught. For obvious reasons we can’t room the mortals and immortals together, so we pretend this is the immortal student's dorms. But really it is a continuation of their day schooling,” she informed.

Kai pulled up next to them and Bonnie rolled down her window. She quickly filled him in on the particulars of the university and they parked their vehicles.

Before they could get to the door of the building, a pair of students came rushing out to greet them. They looked young, at most fifteen years old.
The pair was
caught up in the bliss of adolescent love, holding hands and wearing matching outfits.

The girl was petite with brown hair pulled back in two braids and tied with blue ribbons on the end. She wore a blue dress matching her ribbons. It was plain and hung straight to the ground. The boy wore pants the same color of her dress along with a brown sweater. He had the same color hair and it was slicked back. Both had dark eyes.

“Hello Sollara, Kai. We have waited a long time to meet you,” they said in unison.

“I’m Coeus and this is my wife Phoebe,” the boy explained. Instantly, Sollara understood why Bonnie did all their errands. She couldn't imagine a store selling the two a bottle of wine. She inwardly laughed. Looking at Kai, she could tell that he also seemed taken aback by how young they looked. But he recovered in time to extend his hand to greet them.

They escorted Sollara and Kai inside and ushered them into a sitting room. Bonnie and another mortal saw their bags to their rooms. When the door closed, Phoebe turned to the two.

“I’m sure you are wondering why Asima sent you here.”

“She said you were going to teach us how to use our gifts. I don’t wish to offend, but I can’t possibly think of something a Dark One can teach me,” Kai confided.

Phoebe overlooked the smugness of his response and continued with her rehearsed speech, “Sollara and Kai, you are both Elementals. We are not so far apart in kind you know. I am assuming that you have heard the story of how Coeus and I became Dark Ones.”

Sollara nodded and Kai spoke. “Yes we have,” he said as he offered a knowing look to Sollara. “But how does eating one of our forefathers make us closer in kind?”

Sollara was getting uncomfortable with the situation. She hadn’t known Kai long, but from what she did know of him, she had not expected him to be rude. The fact that Phoebe seemed not to care was some comfort to Sollara.

“Well, how else did you think I got a lust for blood?” she pressed.

Kai snapped his attention back to Phoebe. “I'm sorry? I’m really lost here. I'm not following what you are trying to tell me, Phoebe. Can you explain it more simply? It seems I can be a little slow.”

“Well, children.”

Being called a child from someone who appeared younger than her caught Sollara off guard, and she struggled not to giggle.

“Blood lust is a dormant trait in every Elemental. It is the balance to the preservation of life that your gifts give you. Everything that comes from the light has a balance in the darkness.” She continued, “This is why Asima sent you two to us to train. Once you truly embrace your elemental gifts, your blood lust will overwhelm you. Who better to teach you to control your unquenchable thirst for blood than a Dark One?”

“I think I am going to be sick,” Sollara said as she clutched her stomach and swayed. Kai ran to her side as her legs gave out, and he caught her before she fell to the floor. The shock of his arms around her brought Sollara out of her nauseous state and helped her regain composure. She struggled out of his arms and stood beside him. She hoped he would not register that the new blush on her cheeks was because of him.

“It seems our little Sollara doesn’t have the heart for what she learns,” Coeus grinned.

“I am glad you at least find my new status of one who has to feed on humans amusing,” Sollara grumbled, turning her embarrassment to anger.

“Child, this is exactly why you need us. We said it takes blood to balance the gifts in you; the blood does not need to be human.” Phoebe stroked Sollara’s cheek in reassurance.