Chapter Three
Kira jerked awake and moved to stand up, promptly smacking her forehead against Luke's chin.
"Ow." Kira brought her hand to her head, rubbing the now aching spot. "Luke, there is this little thing called personal space..." He cupped his jaw, moving it around to fix the slight displacement Kira had caused.
"Hey, I was just trying to wake you up. How was I supposed to know you'd shoot up like the Energizer Bunny?"
Kira ignored him and stood up gently this time, easing out of her seat. She grabbed her things and followed Luke off the plane, realizing the Councilman had already left the two of them alone.
The first thing Kira noticed when she exited was that it was hot, scorching hot. Almost instantly a slight sweat rose on her arms. There was no breeze, just the heaviness of still air letting the sun bake her.
After she let the temperature go, Kira looked around at the small landing strip. The airport was almost nonexistent. There was only one runway, one building and two of these small planes resting in the open air. And then she noticed the car that was waiting a few yards away. She assumed it was the one that would take her and Luke to Sonnyville, and started walking over.
"Are you excited to be home?" Kira asked when Luke sat beside her in the backseat and closed the door.
"More than you know," he replied and Kira could almost feel his excitement sizzle in the air.
A driver sat down in front of them and revved the engine.
"Where to, Mr. Bowrey?"
"The town square, please." Luke responded, reaching in his bag for a few papers. Kira was taken aback by the formal use of Luke's last name. To her, he was the slightly cocky, mostly goofy best friend. But here, Luke was treated with the utmost respect. It was strange to see him so grown-up, Kira thought as she studied his concentrated features.
"What?" Luke asked, turning and catching Kira's stare.
"Nothing," she said and flipped her attention to the world outside of her window.
For a few minutes, nothing seemed different. Trees flashed by, a blue sky danced above them, the road was made of gravel and it was painted with striped yellow lines — nothing unusual. But then, they pulled to a halt outside two large, scroll-topped, cast-iron gates. Kira watched as the driver lifted a remote and pressed a button. The gates slowly creaked open and the car inched through them.
For some reason unknown to her, Kira expected something crazy to happen when they entered the town. But, the deeper in they drove, the more normal it looked, like the perfect picture of suburbia. They passed white-picket fences, shingled roofs, mowed front lawns and there was nothing out of the ordinary at all. In fact, if anything, Kira thought it was eerily silent. She didn't see people anywhere, despite the sunny day. There were no children hopping through sprinklers or parents watching over them from a shady porch. The longer they drove, the more spooked Kira became. Where were all the people?
"We're almost there," Luke said, tucking all of his things back inside his bag. Kira shifted her attention from the ghost town to her friend.
"Where is everyone?" Kira asked.
"They're waiting for you," Luke laughed.
"Me? Why?"
"Kira, you're the only mixed-breed anyone has heard about in modern history. Believe it or not, you're a huge deal." Kira felt a knot of butterflies grow in her stomach. Being the center of attention was never something that had crossed her mind when coming to Sonnyville. Training? Yes. The Council watching? Yes. Children gawking? Definitely not. Stupid, she chastised herself, of course my being here is a big deal.
"Here we are," Luke said. A wide smile lit up his features and crinkled the corner of his eyes.
The first thing Kira noticed when Luke opened the door was the cacophony of voices in the air. When she looked outside, she understood why. Every citizen of Sonnyville must have been in that town square. The grassy park looked more like a sea of blond hair as Protectors of all ages spoke excitedly to one another. Ever so often, Kira saw a streak of fire soar through the air, only to land in someone's open palm to be absorbed back into his or her skin. Happy, was what she first thought. All of these people looked happy and content with their lives.
Luke stepped out of the car first and the crowd started to quite down. With slight hesitation, Kira emerged, greeted only by a deafening silence. She had never felt so self-conscious in her life. Between the yellow hair, the blue sky and the green trees, her red curly hair stood out like never before. Her flame-tinted eyes were the same as everyone else's, but that similarity seemed far too small for Kira to notice at the moment.
"Well, you sure know how to make an entrance," Luke whispered, taking her hand. "Follow me."
Kira couldn't speak. She just let Luke lead her through the crowd, which parted like the red sea as she approached. When she met someone's eyes, they looked away. She saw little children cling to their parents, afraid to approach. Are they scared of me? Kira wondered. But she didn't have time to complete the thought because she bumped into Luke who had stopped walking. He dropped her hand and moved aside, so Kira could see the Council waiting for her.
They sat overlooking the crowd on a raised wooden platform, each man resting on a large carved throne. She assumed this was the space where they held town meetings, but after the completely modern airplane, this archaic arena was the last thing Kira had expected. There were seven people on the Council. All of them were men, all of them wore suits, and all of them were intimidating. She approached the platform and slowly walked up the steps, all the while fearing her legs would give out before she reached the top.
"Luke Bowrey." Kira jumped at the loud, booming voice, and glanced at the older man who spoke. His hair was pure white, almost blinding to look at, and he sat in the center seat. "Won't you join us?"
Kira looked back at Luke, who smiled as if he were the picture of serenity and walked up to stand beside her.
"Councilmen," Luke greeted them with a bow. There is no way I'm curtsying in front of this crowd, Kira thought. She didn't want to let on how scared she was, when all of these people had different expectations of her.
"Hello. Nice to meet you all," Kira said in the strongest voice she could muster, which seemed almost like a squeak to her, but clearly was not what they had expected. Luke looked over at her with eyes brimming in annoyance.
"Miss Dawson, we're aware you are not familiar with our customs, but when the Council is in session, do not address us so informally. We are a society built on traditions, and though you don't know them yet, we expect you to respect them."
Kira stared at the man who spoke, her eyes wide in shock. He stared right back, looking down on her — not at her, but on her, as if she was a bug that needed to be squashed. His hair was perfectly coifed, pulled back to hide a gleaming bald spot. Slight wrinkles framed his eyes and his skin was leathery from too much time spent in the sun. His voice was loud and commanding.
Who are you, she thought, to sit up on your throne and judge me? Her fear had been replaced with anger. These were the men who were responsible for keeping her entire life a secret and a lie. They sat on their dais overlooking the crowd and were content to be there. They were comfortable, too comfortable, and Kira thought it was time for a change.
Almost as if sensing her altered mood, Luke reached out for her hand. Kira swatted him away. Her neck tingled with the sensation of Luke's frustration. It was palpable, but she wouldn't be the docile girl these men could push around.
"I meant no disrespect," Kira said, starting off politely, before continuing, "but seeing as I had no idea that any of you even existed for the first seventeen years of my life, I hope you'll be a little patient with me...Councilmen." She finished by crossing her arms over her chest and cocking her hip to the side so all of her weight rested on one foot.
The older man shook his head and shifted his eyes to look at Luke. "We expected more from you, Mr. Bowrey, much more." Luke shifted his weight from one foot to the other and opened his mouth to respond. Kira knew he would apologize for her, but that wasn't what she wanted. Sure, the Council could make her life horrible for the next few weeks if they wanted too, but they didn't own her.
"Leave Luke out of this. He—"
"He can't be left out of this, Miss Dawson. Luke was supposed to train you. Luke was supposed to teach you about our ways. Luke was supposed to get you ready for this life. Instead, he befriended you. He let too much slip because he cared about you. Twice, you have almost been captured because you have not been trained properly."
How dare you, Kira thought, how dare you blame the one person who's been there for me when I had no idea who or what I was. When she had no one to trust, not Tristan and not even her parents, Luke had been there for her.
"Don't you understand?" Kira stepped forward, leaving the shamefaced Luke behind her and hating this man in front of her for speaking to him that way. The six other men on the Council disappeared. The silent crowd slipped away. Even the trees and sky seemed to fade, until all she focused on was the nameless man before her. "You were the ones who failed. You were the ones who never told me who I was. You were the ones who kept everything secret from me. And, you are the reason I wasn't prepared when Diana and the others decided I would be their next meal. Luke was the one who saved me. He told me what I am and made me trust myself again. Luke kept me alive. He saved me from your mistakes."
When she stopped to breathe, Kira felt a sense of happiness and pride break through her anger. She wasn't sure where it came from, but it burst into her chest, blossoming like a flower. Her tunnel vision receded and she suddenly remembered where she was...smack dab in the middle of a mass of people she had probably just royally offended. The Councilmen glared at her. She looked past them at the crowd behind, not daring to turn her head to look at Luke or the people behind him. All of them looked shocked. No one moved and no one shifted his or her eyes away from the platform. Even the breeze had stopped.
Kira gazed around the sea of statue-like bodies, searching for one friendly expression, until she saw a woman whose face held a small smile. She was old with sun-kissed skin and white hair that gleamed in the sun. Kira felt herself calm down as she gazed in that woman's face. It was somehow familiar and comforting. But, the moment was ruined when she saw the man start to stand.
He eased out of his chair, pushing his hands against his knees for the extra strength. Kira watched as he reached behind his chair to grab a long stick she hadn't noticed before. One end was topped with a gold ball and the rest was smooth and polished, and she realized it was a cane. Placing the tip of the cane on the ground before him, he stepped down from his raised chair and ambled over to her.
No longer angry, Kira took in the situation from a different angle. Off of his throne, this man no longer scared her. She saw him for what he was: an old man afraid of change.
The wood creaked with his steps. And Kira saw now that his eyes held the strength his frail body clearly didn't have. Maybe, Kira thought for a moment, the Council didn't rule with fear like she had expected. Maybe these people really do love these men, she thought.
He stopped in front of her, straightening his body to its full height, trying to regain some of the composure Kira could tell he had lost.
"You remind me of my daughter," he said at last, after staring at her face in silence for a few moments. Kira exhaled, releasing a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. "She too struggled with following rules and it killed her. I saved your life seventeen years ago despite knowing that the fate of our world would rest on your shoulders. Do not make me regret it."
His eyes seemed about to water as he walked past Kira, not looking back. Shuffling tired feet, he reached the edge of the stage and used his cane for balance as he walked down the steps. The woman who had smiled at Kira made her way over to the bottom stair and hooked her arm through his. The gesture looked more like reflex for the elderly couple, and the crowd parted for them as they walked away.
Kira watched until they disappeared from sight into a car that slowly pulled away from the curb.
"Luke, were they...?" She asked quietly, turning to look at her friend. He gazed back at her sadly and nodded — those were her grandparents. Kira's legs grew weak and, almost in slow motion, she plopped down onto the wooden floor. The locket felt heavy around her neck and she reached into her shirt to grab it. After opening it, Kira wondered how she hadn't realized they were her family. The old woman looked so much like her mother — eyes slightly too large with a reserved smile that seemed full of secrets. The look she had been giving Kira was the exact same one her mother held in the photo. It was obvious now.
Kira heard a cough and looked up to find the source of the noise. Councilman Andrews looked over at her with impatience, but Kira also thought she noticed a bit of concern in his expression.
"Miss Dawson, if we could resume the meeting."
She glanced at Luke, who shrugged apologetically and offered her a hand. She took it and tucked the locket back under her shirt. There would be more time for ruminating later. After taking a deep breath and pushing the hair out of her face with both hands, Kira was ready to hear what the Council had to say.
"On behalf of everyone, I would like to first apologize for what just passed between Councilman Peters and yourself. Clearly, there were some lingering emotions that we did not previously notice. Now," Kira watched as he turned his attention from her to the crowd and silently thanked him for that little bit of kindness, "You were brought to Sonnyville to learn about our society and to strengthen your abilities. Before we know how to train you, we must test you to find out what you already know. In two days time, we will meet back here to have a formal examination of your skills. Until then, you will be staying with Mr. Bowrey and his family. Is that alright with you?"
Kira just nodded, not sure if the question was for her or Luke. She was still caught on that last bit, that formal examination thing he mentioned. Two days seemed like an awfully short amount of time for her to really learn anything new or get prepared for a test.
"I call this meeting to an end. Councilmen?" Mr. Andrews questioned. Kira watched as the six remaining Council members stood.
"May the sun shine down upon you for all of your days," they said in unison.
"May it protect you until the end," the entire crowd responded. Kira even heard the rumble of Luke's voice as he murmured the words. Yet another thing she didn't understand, another thing that separated her from the others.
Kira started to walk off the platform, but Luke put his hand on her arm, gently stopping her.
"Wait," he said, letting the six remaining Councilmen exit before them. The crowd parted like they had for her Grandfather, but this time no one walked quite so far away. Instead, the Council dispersed to find their families. Kira assumed they would want to enjoy the day, because despite everything, the weather was still beautiful. It was nearing late afternoon, but the temperature was warm: the perfect weather for a dip in the pool.
"So, where to now?" Kira spun to Luke, ready to follow him home.
"I'm going to find my family. I know they're here somewhere. But, I don't think you'll be able to get very far." He smirked.
"What do you mean?" Kira asked. She followed his gaze to the stairwell where a circle of little kids had formed. They were staring her down. "Oh lord. Luke, you can't leave me here alone."
"Welcome to Sonnyville," he said with an even wider grin. "Oh, and before I forget," he leaned in to whisper, "no healing, okay? It's the one thing I never told the Council." Kira nodded in understanding, but Luke had already jumped off the stage to find his parents.
Warily, Kira turned back to the crowd of children. She had nothing against little kids, but she knew they had endless resources of energy and there was a lot of day left. She sighed and took a step forward. The kids took a step back. She kept walking until she reached the top of the steps. Each child looked on with wide eyes. Slowly, she dropped one foot down. They all put one foot back. She lowered again and they stepped back again.
"What? I'm not scary," she said, reaching her hand out to try and make contact. Her apprehension had been replaced with determination. These little kids would like her even if it killed her. She would never be okay with people fearing her. Vampires? Yes. Five-year-old conduits? No.
Kira sat down on the last step, waiting for one of them to approach her. The more time passed, the bigger the crowd became. Parents and older siblings had made their way over. She looked in their eyes and saw caution as well.
"What to do, what to do..." Kira mumbled to herself. She thought back to the only memory she had of this life, the memory of her last moments with her parents. Before the attack, they had been playing with their powers. Kira had loved it. The colors and the warmth of the fire were exciting. And, she realized that was it.
Kira reached her hand out before her with her palm facing up. Slowly, she let a tiny flame rise over her fingers. The moment the fire started, she knew she had their attention. Each child looked on in fascination. Their eyes were wide and their bodies leaned toward her instinctively.
The flame was small enough that it demanded none of Kira's attention, so she searched the little group until her eyes landed on a little girl that reminded her of Chloe, her sister. Not in looks of course, but in stature. Something about her, maybe the fact that she stood a few inches closer than the others or the adventurous glint in her eye, made Kira think of Chloe and her care-free nature. Her sister was down for anything. No jungle gym was too high and no adult was too scary. Perhaps not even a mixed-breed would frighten this little girl.
Before she could change her mind, Kira shot a little stream of light at the girl. The child smiled and, right as the flame was close enough to light up her features, clapped her hands together, squashing it. Then, she giggled. Success, Kira thought.
"It feels funny," the girl laughed once more and moved closer to Kira. "Again! Again!"
Kira listened and felt herself grin. She arched the next flame over, so it rained down on the girl like an exploding firework. More giggles followed and the girl came closer still.
"What's your name?" Kira asked.
"Kayla," she said, retreating into a slightly shy place now that she had to speak directly to Kira.
"Does it start with a 'K' like my name?" Kayla nodded and let the sun rise on her own palm. Wanting to leave talking behind, Kayla released her powers. Kira caught the girl's stream in her palm. It felt pure and refreshing, like a cool drink on a hot day or a first kiss. There was something innocent about the light. Kira had only ever felt Luke's power, which was strong and comforting. Apparently, power had personality too.
"What does my fire feel like?" Kira asked.
Kayla shook her head. Kira wanted to ask again, but suddenly another flame shot at her face. It hinted of mischief and Kira scanned the faces before her. A little boy smirked from the other side of the circle, happy to catch her off guard. Kira playfully shot back, until she felt a little sizzle hit her butt cheek and heard a squeal behind her. She spun, letting a few flames rain down on the kids who had snuck up on her.
Before long, Kira was just shooting sparks into the air every which way. The little kids had moved in closer, to barrage her with fire and all she heard were cackling flames and high-pitched giggles. She surrendered and fell to the ground, letting them climb all over her and tug at her hair. The little girls kept pulling on her ringlets, just to watch them bounce back into place.
"Enough," she finally heard a man's deep chuckle. "It's time to go home." A different fire, one drenched in authority, rained down on the group. Immediately, all the children stood and walked to the side. Kira saw one man with his hand out-stretched and knew it had been his power. Kayla ran over and hugged him around the knee. He picked her up and swung her onto his shoulders before turning to walk away.
Kira hadn't noticed the darkening sky until that moment. She was having too much fun. Before coming, freely using her power frightened Kira. But now, she had seen a glimpse of the life she had missed and was excited to maybe learn a thing or two from the inhabitants of this special town.
"Kira!" She heard Luke called from a distance. Kira stood and dusted herself off before turning to the sound.
Luke was walking briskly across the open field, waving at her. She looked over his left shoulder to the group of four people he had just left. A tall man with his same crooked nose smiled at Kira. He had the same build as Luke, slightly gangly but still strong and sturdy. His arm was wrapped around a woman's waist. She was much smaller and slightly rounder with full cheeks. Her smile was also warm.
Running behind Luke was a little boy. He was a mini-version of Luke, except for the wide-rimmed glasses that threatened to slip right off of his nose. His face was covered in freckles. He called after Luke to wait up. Luke rolled his eyes at Kira and stopped walking. Kira guessed that Luke's brother was eight, maybe nine, years old.
Not wanting to put it off any longer, Kira finally looked further to the side. Waiting with hips cocked to the side, arms crossed, and a special glare meant just for Kira, was Luke's sister. She was tall for a girl, all legs and super skinny like a model. Kira knew she was a year or two older than Luke, but she seemed more mature and far more adult than Luke. Maybe it was just the irritated look in her eyes, but Kira was wary. She figured Luke's sister would be the most difficult to meet, but she now realized she may have underestimated the situation.
"Kira, come on." Luke waved her over.
"Yeah, Kira. Come on," his little brother yelled, copying Luke's gesture.
Kira laughed and shook her head slightly. Ready or not, she thought and approached Luke.