Flutter (The Discover Series) (67 page)

“Sara this is David, and this is Rhy. They’re like us…” he said slowly, gauging my reaction.

I looked at him, trying not to appear horrified. “Like…us?”

“Yes, they’re dragonflies. That isn’t our official name, but we’ll talk about that later,” he replied, as he turned toward the boys. “I can’t thank you enough for being here,” addressing them.

“Of course,” they both said, and turned toward me.

“Princess, it was a pleasure.” He said with a slight bow. Definitely not something I was going to get use too. “We better get out of here Andres,” the one still standing with us said. “We won’t be far though.” He added.

“Thank you David,” he answered.

And then they were gone and all that was left were my unanswered questions.

Looking at Andres I asked, “Now what?”

“She can’t stay here any longer Andres. It’s not safe.”

             
Adan told Andres for the tenth time in the last hour.

             
I sat on the porch, hugging my knees, my head leaning against the railing of the stairs. I was exhausted, defeated. The first light of dawn was sweeping across the sky, a brazen promise of a new day. The warmth was starting to pour over my and I could already feel the energy coursing through my body. The force was intoxicating.

I continued to listen to Andres and Adan argue over what would be done next. They talked
at
each other; each one of them had an opinion about my future. Neither one of them had bothering to ask what I wanted.

             
With each breath I took, I inhaled the bitter sent of destroyed memories. It had been hours since the fire department had finished putting out what was left of the fire, but the smell still lingered. They had gathered all the details from Andres, but everything had seemed like it was passing by fast forward and slow motion at the same time. Like time was spinning, but I was caught in the middle watching it all play out before my eyes.

             
“It’s not going to be any safer back in
Spain
either.” Andres countered pacing up, and down the front lawn.

             
“She has better protection there. My people will help protect her too. That’s more protection than she has now. She can’t endure another attack like last night. She’s exhausted. Look at her!”

             
Adan pointed in my direction. I wanted to argue, tell them I was fine, or that I would be fine, but I wasn’t entirely sure that was true. I was exhausted physically, and I was spent emotionally, but I didn’t like having them talk about me as if I wasn’t here.

             
Andres came, knelling in front of me. “Sara?” he asked, looking concerned. He frowned. “Are you okay?”

             
I looked up at him, but I didn’t really focus on him. Looking past him my eyes found Adan’s. I could feel every emotion he was going through, everything he was feeling was like a blow, and that only made me more tired. I saw him wince and knew he had heard my thoughts. I gritted my teeth angrily, I was tried of not being able to have a thought to myself anymore. Focusing, I tried to push him out.

             
“You’re a
wolf
.” I said softly. “You’re
my
wolf.” He didn’t say anything and I looked at Andres. “I’m a
Dragonfly
.”

             
“Yes you are Sara. I know it’s a lot to take in right now, but-”

             
“We’ll worry about that later? You realize that can’t be you’re automatic respond to everything Andres. At some point I am going to have to actually worry about it
now
.”

             
He nodded.

             
“The other… Dragonflies from tonight, who are they? Where did they come from?”

             
“Most of our kind come from
Spain
, but bringing you here, meant leaving all of our protection behind. I brought them alone with us, just incase they found us, found you.”

             
“Is that what I…will look like? Like they did?” I asked, I couldn’t get the image of what they had looked like out of my head.

             
“When you change, it’s different for everyone, and we don’t know when it will happen, yes that is what you’ll look like. You’ve already showed signs of changing, well we call it a Shimmer.”

             
I frowned. “I have? When?” How could I have not noticed something like that?

             
“In the mountains.” Adan supplied. “When I pulled you out, your body had started to transform, but it was subtle. It didn’t last longer than a minute.”

             
The image of their tanned skin, the intricate swirls filled with the iridescent colors imbedded inside, scattered in random patterns on their bodies filled my mind. The design inside the swirls was the same design of a dragonfly wing. I tried to envision looking like they had, but I couldn’t grasp the image.

             
“It’s a lot less creepy then I thought it was going to be. They are actually very…beautiful.” I finished.

             
“Yes we are. We’re an evolving species. A new introduction to the supernatural world.”

             
“And my power, it has to do something with light?” a lifted my hands, looking at my palms. I knew this, but I felt the need to repeat it again. To make sure I wasn’t leaving anything out.

             
“Yes. You can influence and manipulate light. It seems to be your strongest power, although I suspect you will have all three abilities.”

             
I looked at him. “Three abilities?”

             
“Our people are made up of three different types of influences. Water, Wind, and Light. It’s one or the other, but a few handful can control more then one, and only a few rare can manipulate all three. You are one of those rare Sara. You’re a
mixed
species. You’re father and mother, they were from two different sets of clans, and you’re the result of that. You’re the first of you’re kind, and that’s what makes you so unique..”

             
I nodded, not really understanding everything he was saying, but too tired to ask for more details.

             
“And those other guys from tonight, they want my power?”

             
“Not them specifically, they work for your uncle.”

             
“And if they he gets it, what happens?”

             
“They won’t get it.” My eyes flew to Adan’s at his intense response.

             
I looked at Andres again. “
If
they get it,” I asked again, “what will happen?”

             
He looked away. “Everyone will be destroyed.”

             
I nodded. “So no pressure.”

             
“Nothing will happen to you Sara. You have an entire army, a kingdom that will make sure that never happens.”

             
“I’m scared.” I confessed quietly. I had been staring at my hands, but I looked up to get Andres reaction.

             
“That fear will motivate you to be a great ruler. There is nothing wrong with fear. You were born for this Sara.”

             
I didn’t like that an entire population of people’s lives dependant on me, and the kind of ruler I was going to be. I didn’t want to be the cause for blood shed, lived lost, and a kingdom torn apart because I failed to do the one thing I was born to do: Save them all.

             
“I want to believe that I can do this.” I wasn’t talking to one of them specifically. “I want to have the faith that you do, but I don’t.” I looked up at them. “I can’t be responsible for an entire world I know nothing about. Please,” I begged, “please don’t make me.”

             
Adan rushed to me, kneeling in front of me, he took my hands in his. His eyes bore fiercely into mine. I could feel the weight of his stare, it was encasing me.

             
“I know this is scary. You have every right to be terrified, confused, and angry even, but you can
do
this Sara. Not because you were born too, but because you’re the strongest person I know.”

             
“These abilities make me strong-”

             
“No,” he said firmly. “
You
, you are strong Sara. What you are, what you can do, they don’t define
who
you are, they don’t limit what you’re capable of doing.” I couldn’t help the tears that started to fall. “You’re so much more than any of that, you’re extraordinary all on your own.” His thumb brushed my cheek gently, before his fingers weaved in my hair, wrapping around my neck. He pulled me close, his forehead resting against mine. “Believe in yourself the way I do.” He whispered softly.

             
I closed my eyes, knowing what my decision was going to be. If I chose not to go, a kingdom would be destroyed. If I went, there was a possibility that it could still be destroyed, but at least I would have tried. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, no longer trying to keep him from my thoughts. Adan was smiling at me, and more than anything I wanted to return it. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, I wanted to lose myself in his warmth. Being with Adan was like being consumed by thousands of flames, a slow fire burning.

             
He seemed confused, but he smiled deepened. Standing he looked down at me. “I think there is a chorus to a song out there somewhere dedicated to us Spitfire.” Adan said. “Let’s set this world on fire Sara. We will definitely burn brighter then the sun.”

He held out his hand to me, waiting for me to take it.

I stared at his hand for a minute. Looking up at him, I pushed aside the last desperate plea my body tried to scream at me. I stood up, and looked at him. He dropped his hand away, his smile faltering and he was shaking his head, refusing what I was about to say before I said it.

“This thing between us… it can’t continue.” I finally said.

The pain in his eyes was too much for me to bear and I looked away. It was the first time I had noticed Andres was gone.

“No!” he growled.

“If being together was the right thing to do, it wouldn’t be hurting so many people Adan.”

“I don’t care-”

“Please,” I begged. “There are rules Andres said. You and I were never supposed to know about each other. There was a reason for that.”

“To hell with their reasons.” He said angrily. He took a step closer to me, his eyes pleading with me the way my heart was. “We tried doing the apart thing Sara, it didn’t work, remember.”

“The circumstances are different now.” I argued. Having him this close to me, I was starting to forget why this needed to be done. “You’re family needs you, and you’re engaged to be married.” The thought of him being with someone else, it was too much to endure.

“I already explained that, I told you that was my mother desperate attempt to keep me-“

“Safe! For some reason she thinks I’m going to be the one to kill you Adan, and I’d rather you marry and be with someone else than let that happen. Can’t you see that?”

“She doesn’t know what she is talking about. Nobody knows what’s going to happen yet Sara.”

“I’m not willing to take that risk.” I said simply. “I will go back with you and Andres, but after that, I can’t see you anymore.”

I tried to sound firm, but my body was rebelling, pushing me toward Adan until I had to physically force myself to stay where I was. Unfortunately, he knew what was happening too. His arm shot out, wrapping around my waist, bringing me up against him. I couldn’t help the sigh that escaped my lips at the feel of his body against mine. My body’s betrayal was bitter sweet as it arched into Adan’s welcoming warmth.

“You don’t want this Sara, I can feel it. I know you’re trying to do the right thing, I understand, but this isn’t it.”

I saw the kiss coming, I expected it to be hard and angry, but the minute his lips touched mine – it dissolved. I knew I should have pushed him away, I swear that’s what I meant to do, but instead my arms slipped around his neck pulling him closer. I could feel the heat developing in my chest, spreading through my body and into his. We were melting into each other.

Pulling away, he nipped gently at the sides of my mouth, his lips sweeping down my neck. “Please don’t do this Sara.” He growled.

Before I could answer I heard Andres clear his throat. I froze, blushing furiously and he looked just as uncomfortable. Adan was the only one who seemed irritated at being interrupted. Lifting his head, his eyes found mine, waiting for Andres to speak.