The Genesis Project (14 page)

“I want my precious pure when I take her.”

Gen quickly dressed and placed six bracelets on each wrist. Excitement for the night's events consumed her. Xander has promised nothing would happen to her and she trusted that. Making the situation far more enjoyable. This would be her first official tasting. She made sure that her collar was visible. She wasn't participating in the ceremony and didn't want to give the wrong impression. A female would only remove her collar if she agreed to a match. The same was true of males, they would uncover their wrists. There was a knock at the door when she was pulling the hood over her head. The bracelets made a nice clanking sound
as
they slid around on her wrists, almost like chimes. She placed the siphoners over her left finger and attached them to her wrist at her arm. There was a long delicate gold chain that hooked on to her bracelet, and hung loosely. Gen looked at the door and wondered who it was.

“Yes.”

“It's time. Everyone is waiting Miss Blackmore.”

Gen's heart stammered against her rib cage. Her legs were jelly and threatened to melt onto the floor. She was experiencing extreme anxiety with a hefty dose of adrenaline mixed in. It wasn't like she was participating. But she still felt the effects as if she was.

The large hand appeared before the man did. It was Scion.

“
Scion.”

He bowed low at the waist and slowly rose.

“Miss Blackmore, it would be my honor to escort you to the Atrium. Your beauty was the only thing Master Treegold talked about. If you don't mind my saying so, he is correct.”

Gen felt her skin heat at his compliment. Was she actually blushing? Scion gently took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm.

“Thank you Scion, those are very kind words.” She had manners, she wasn't about to disrespect him. He was a formidable strategist. She could see it in his eyes as he took in everything around him. He noticed the smallest of details but didn't voice any of his concerns. Scion was a man of enterprise and very few words.

There
was a bright orange glow in the atrium. Tall candles, thick with a sweet scent lit the area. The fern trees now cast shadows on the marble floor. In the center, twelve hooded females stood around the altar. Bianca and Adam were off to the side, both dressed for the ceremony. The males all bare from the waist up. Their only coverings were the gold arm torques. The males all wore white draw-string linen like pants. The fabric was a bit harsher, but at the same time softer. It was a synthetic blend. White was the symbol of purity, only to be blemished by one's life blood.

The males were not at the circle but knelt at the edge of the enclosed area, behind each female. This was symbolic. This was a show of fealty and the promise of their security. Long ago the society had been of a matriarchal hierarchy, but after their
home
planets Blood Rivers dried up, the female's relinquished power to their clans and admitted deference to the male species. Males were adept at handling matters of war and strategy. Now, as they stood behind the females, arms at their side, muscles defined, they exuded strength. The female species was all powerful, sister to the Goddess of the Moon. Stronger and more attentive to the emotions with the natural ability to care for one's family. But the males were the force. The driving strength to see their kind survive.

Xander had yet to make an appearance. She walked into the atrium's inner circle on the arm of Scion. Her hand tightened. The air was thick with an unnatural scent that mixed with the heady fragrance of the blooming night orchids. It clung to her robes and skin, giving her a feeling of
expectancy.
It was a chemical reaction. She could smell things that were not of New Earth's biological make-up. Something was off.

“I am to stay by your side.” Scion said down to her. Gen nodded as they walked closer. They didn't disrupt the circle, instead they were close but off to the side near a bench. Scion gently took her hand and helped her to sit. He kneeled next to her. His eyes assessing everything.

“You are not dressed.” She meant no disrespect and thought it odd he would still kneel next to her.

“No, but I honor the tasting.”

A slow buzz began to invade the inside of her body. She felt dizzy but relaxed at the same time.

“Scion?” Gen could barely say his
name,
as wave after wave of nausea struck. She knew if she stood, she'd fall.

“Miss Blackmore, it's the candles. Master Treegold always laces them with Phorem.”

Chapter
12

Phorem was a drug that relaxed the body and heightened a Pars' senses. It was having the opposite effect on Gen. She wasn't feeling euphoric but sick. Her father helped develop the drug. Back when Pars lost their heightened abilities due to the wars. Before the wars Pars were predators, the apex animal of Earth. They were stronger, faster and more potent than any other species, especially Earth. But that was when they thought they were alone in the universe. When they thought there was nothing out there that could touch them. They had been wrong, and it had cost them more than they were willing to give when it came to the Uni-wars. Phorem wasn't used widely among Pars, and this wasn't because they
didn't
want to use the drug. It was because like water, it too had been rationed. Until the only way you were even able to get it, was if you had the right amount of credits. Now only the elite could afford the drug. Gen wasn't surprised Xander could afford it.

“Phorem, why?”

“To heighten the males and relax the females.” Now, she remembered. Gen mused to herself. Phorem only heightened male's sense, and females were made docile by the drug. She wasn't relaxed at all, but hyperaware. The nausea had abated and now she was alert. The feeling was strong enough to amplify her body. It seduced her, weaved its way through her body and settled between her legs. It made her body quake with uncontrolled lust. Her vision sharpened when Xander stepped out from somewhere behind
the
altar. He looked powerful. His hair was wrapped around his neck. Wrists covered his gold torques glinting around his arms. He'd changed his pants. Gone were the leather gel replaced with the traditional white fabric. Images of the two of them danced in her mind. She desperately wanted to see his hair down. Wanted to run her hands through his hair. Sift through its silky strands and grip his roots tightly as he entered her body.
Where did that come from?
The Phorem was making it harder and harder to concentrate on what was real and what was her imagination.

When Xander got closer to the altar he glided across and approached with predatory grace. He was just as effected as everyone else. The hooded females bowed, then presented their hands palm up, exposing their wrists.

“
Tonight, we honor Luna. We honor freedom. We honor the right to pass through this life and the next with our match at our sides.” His voice was loud and clear. The words rang true as he spoke.

There were nods all around including Gen. She couldn't help but nod. The mood and the atmosphere were getting to her on a molecular level. Everyone deserved to have someone at their side. She did to.

“We are not parasitic, or Pars as the other verses have deemed us. No, we are life and death. We are the legends of old. The future of New Earth. It is our right as the Goddess decrees. Even if our true life's blood is not there to greet us at the altar, we are still Strigoi.”

Voices united everyone said. “We are Strigoi.”

“
I stand here before you, not as a male, not as your peer, but as your brother. Our people are a proud race and I hope tonight one of you, if not all, will find their match.”

With his final words each female in the circle removed their hoods. Even Bianca, who was not participating removed hers, and walked to the circle with the other females. Once again they offered their palms face up displaying their wrists. Each female wore bloodletting bracelets circling their wrists. In unison, they turned their bracelets counter clockwise, activating the bracelets. Blood flowed into the basin of the altar. Bianca's wrists were bleeding as well. She had no bracelet, but used her fangs to spill blood. This was their pledge to the Goddess.

“May my life's blood sustain the Goddess
and my matched until the end.” Bianca said as her blood mixed with the other females. As she backed away, Adam was there to seal her wounds. He held her delicately and something inside of Gens body stirred. She couldn't quite name the feeling that surged through her, but she didn't like it. After Adam tended to Bianca's wrist, he and Xander walked up to the altar and took the daggers from their waist and did the same.

“May my life's blood sustain the Goddess and my matched until the end.” They said together. Each male and female spilled their blood into the basin. Scion was the last until everyone was at the altar except for Genesis. Xander looked to her and smiled. He was urging her to join the others. This part of the ritual was not hard. No one would be tasting her
blood.
It was harmless. The stone soaked everything up that spilled into its waiting pores. She didn't have to taste or be tasted by anyone. Pledging to the Goddess would cause no harm to herself or others.

Gen rose from her bench. Her instincts felt muted and her head was light. Scion was there to catch her. Whether it was fear or anxiety causing her to be hesitant she wasn't sure. But when she finally made it to the circle no one said a word as she removed her hood. This would be okay, this part was easy. She'd done this with her father plenty of times in private. He always made sure she spilled minimum blood. Three drops. She wouldn't spill any more than that. Instead of activating the bloodletting bracelets, like Bianca, she used her fangs to prick her skin. The pain was dull as the three drops broke free of her skin and fell.

“
May my life's blood sustain the Goddess and my…” Gen hesitated on the last part but said it anyway “and my matched until the end.” She watched as her blood mingled with the others. Seeping into the porous surface of the rock.

There was an ominous silence that descended in the atrium. No one moved. Time stopped and everyone, save Gen, was harshly breathing. Gen pulled her wrist back away from the altar and put her mouth to her wrists. Before she made contact with her mouth Scion was gripping her arm in a painful grip.

“You're hurting me.” She hissed. Scion didn't answer. He began dragging her away from the others until Gen pulled them to a stop. She could hear the others behind her hissing, Xander included.

“
Scion! Stop!” Xander's voice was harsh, altered by the lengthening of his fangs.

“She's mine.” Scion said. His nails dug into her flesh. She didn't understand what was happening and things were quickly spiraling out of control. Scions grip was strong.

“No!”

That was Adam voice. Panic filled as she took a deep breath and tried to gather her thoughts. She needed to be free of Scion. Figure out what had happened to make him act this way towards her. She put her hand on Scions arm searching for a bone that would not cause too much damage when she broke it and pinched hard. She knew asserting her strength over him was a bad idea. But whatever was happening around her had the potential of being far worse than breaking a
bone
in Scion's arm to turn her loose. She felt the bone crack and then Scion dropped her arm with a grunt. He was cradling his appendage, but seemed even more determined to get to her. His face contorted. The bones in his cheeks were more pronounced and the fangs in his mouth were dripping with saliva. Gen took a step back and Xander was there to stop her. His fangs rested on his lower lip and the fire in his ice blue eyes was back. There was a gleam in his eyes now. Something close to madness or the loss of one's self control. She could see he was barely hanging on to whatever sanity he had left.

“Gen… you need to go… Now!” He spoke slowly trying to get his words to form properly around his fangs.

“I did nothing wrong.”

“
Bring her back.” One of the males said. “She will be matched to me.”

“No… me.” Another said.

Even one of the females vied for attention to become mated to Gen.

Could this have been the effect of the Phorem?

“Where do I go?”

“You will go and wait for me at your home. Take the car.” Xander turned back to address everyone.

“Why is she leaving?”

Scion reached for Gen, his hand out in supplication and a sincere apology in his eyes. He pulled keys from his pockets and nodded his head while handing her the keys. She heard Xander talking as she left.

“
You're all reacting to the Phorem. Gen is not participating in this tasting. Let's wrap this up quickly.”

Chapter
13

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Xander was frantic. She wasn't a Par. There were definite physical differences between them. Everyone knew that but she was not a Par. He knew it in the deepest part of his soul. She was something else. Something everyone would want. Did Adam suspect? No one could know, especially not the Chancellor himself. Scion knew though. He'd reacted violently to Gens blood. Fuck! Was Scion trying to help her? And how did she take him out? Scion was huge. He'd been one of the originals that had fought in the first of the Uni-wars.

“You should have kept her here.”
Roland
was saying.

“No Ro, she isn't for you. Besides, Gen and I are matched. Have been since before we left the Academy.”

“Bullshit.” Adam said. “Why were her wrists bound by bangles?”

“She was nervous and didn't want to tell anyone until after Luna.” Xander was starting to believe his own words. The lie he told was going to be truth. But first, he had to keep everyone calm. He didn't want to raise suspicions. This would be bad for everyone. He knew exactly what she was and he had to protect her at all costs. All.