Chapter 9
9
ZEPHYR
I could've cut the tension between Aria and Chris throughout dinner with a knife, it was that rough. I'd watched them from across the table, noting how they barely made eye contact. Aria had made a point to sit on the other side of Lydia, who had tried to ease the awkwardness by chatting about the day's training session, but her efforts only highlighted the strained silence between the two.
Now, as we lounged in the communal area after the meal, I couldn't help but notice that Chris hadn't walked with Aria. It was clear the wolf had a soft spot for her - anyone with eyes could see that. But tonight, he was distinctly absent, having mumbled some excuse and disappeared as soon as we'd left the dining hall.
It was odd behavior, especially for a werewolf. They were typically such social creatures, always gravitating towards their chosen companions. This sudden distance was... intriguing. Not that it was any of my concern, ultimately. I had enough of my own problems without getting embroiled in werewolf drama.
Still, as I watched Aria sink into a nearby chair, her eyes distant and troubled, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. Whatever had happened between them was clearly weighing on her.
Lydia caught my eye from her perch on the arm of a sofa, her expression mirroring my own curiosity and concern. After a moment of silent debate, I decided to break the ice.
"So," I said, keeping my tone light, "quite a day, wasn't it? I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this Dracarian magic business. And dragon shifters. And, well, all of it I suppose."
Aria's eyes refocused, and she managed a small smile. "Yeah, it's a lot."
Lydia nodded in agreement. "I still can't believe we're here, that we have some old magic in our blood. It feels interesting though. Like it's combining with my panther side when I focus on it."
"Same, like it's heightening my power," I agreed, twirling a strand of my silvery hair around my finger. "Though I must admit, the magic here is... intriguing. The stuff that the Dracarians wield, it's more along the line of witches, but a hundred times more powerful and potent. Different from what we fae are used to."
That seemed to pique Aria's interest. "What do you mean? How is it different? What is fae magic really? You said it was like the elements in a way?"
I paused, considering how to explain. "Fae magic is... well, it's part of us. As natural as breathing. And yes, we harness the elements around us to wield magic, earth, air, water. We draw from nature, it flows freely, doesn't deplete us, and our magic differs from witches. We can conjure magic with just thought, whereas they need incantations and spell-work, recipes and whatnot, and their magic tends to come from within. This Dracarian magic is different, seems to be made by mental thought as well, but it feels more... structured, somehow. More rigid. Like the magic comes from within more than the elements and world around them, yet it harnesses both."
"Fascinating," Aria murmured, then hesitated before asking, "What was life like back home for you, Zephyr? Before all this, I mean."
I grinned, always eager to share the wonders of my realm. "Oh, it was marvelous. We fae, we're all around, you know. Some cafes and businesses in your world have back doors that lead to secret parts of our world, or just parks and streets. Only we can enter, of course."
Her eyes widened with wonder. "Really? That's amazing! You did say it was a plane of existence, and you told me a bit of it. It's still hard to understand. So it's pretty much just an unseen part of earth, right?"
I nodded. "Yes. Think of it like the earthly plane you know is the path between main areas and buildings in the fae plane. Yes, you can get to a lot of places entirely in the fae plane, but jumping into the earthly plane is more like a shortcut, and you get to be in the human world, which is enticing in its own way as something different."
"Wow, that's incredible," she said.
"I'm part of the Summer Court. Our kingdom is hidden just outside the human city of Detroit, there's several doorways all over Detroit that lead into it for the fae. It's a place of eternal summer, with golden trees and flowers that sing in the breeze. The air is always thick with magic, and time... well, time moves differently there. Slower. Then again, Fae live very long lives, we're not immortal like vampires, but we can live hundreds of years before we begin to show our age."
"That's amazing," Aria said softly, "and your home sounds beautiful," she added with a hint of longing in her voice.
"It is," I agreed, feeling a pang of homesickness. "Hopefully I can show it to you sometime. Humans rarely ever step foot in the fae plane, but I think you would be the exception considering everything."
"Really? That'd be wonderful!"
"Of course, when we get home, I'll take you there," I said warmly, and she grinned. "You too, Lydia," I added quickly as Lydia watched me with intrigue.
"It would be fun, I've always wondered what it was like in your plane," she said with a shrug.
"But what about you, Aria? What was your life like back on Earth?" I focused back on our special human companion.
She seemed surprised by the question, as if she hadn't expected anyone to be interested in her mundane human life. "Oh, well, I worked as a counselor at a community center. It was challenging but rewarding. I helped people work through their problems, find coping strategies..."
As she spoke about her work, I found myself fascinated. Aria had a deep love for the work she did, a drive to help others as much as she could. It was warming to see.
"That sounds like important work," I said when she finished. "You must have helped a lot of people."
Aria shrugged, but I could see she was pleased by the comment. "I tried. It wasn't always easy, but it felt meaningful."
"I can imagine," Lydia chimed in. "It takes a special kind of strength to bear the weight of others' problems."
Aria turned to Lydia, curiosity evident in her eyes. "What about you, Lydia? What's your story?"
Lydia's face softened, a mix of joy and sadness crossing her features. "Well, I used to be a flight attendant, allowed me to travel a lot. I met my partner while traveling in Peru. We... we bonded instantly. I was a stay at home mom when our kids were young, then started working locally in childcare afterwards. The hours suited me better, and I could be home with my family more often."
"Ah yes, the sacred shifter bond," I commented, unable to keep a hint of fascination out of my voice. The sacred bonds of shifters had always intrigued me. Connecting with someone on such a profound level, claiming them as your lifelong mate, it was the thing even the fae dreamed of.
Aria looked intrigued. "What's that?"
Lydia explained, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. "It's like finding your soulmate. You can feel each other deeply - emotions, sensations. You can sense your partner no matter where they are." Her voice grew sad. "Right now, though, I can't sense him. I know he's okay, I can feel that much, but it's like there's a wall between us. It's... tough."
"I'm so sorry, Lydia," Aria said softly, reaching out to squeeze her arm. "That must be incredibly difficult."
Lydia nodded, blinking back tears as she forced a small smile. "It is. But knowing he's out there, that he's okay... it helps. And our children, they're my strength now."
"You said you had a son and daughter, right?" Aria clarified, her voice warm with interest.
Lydia's eyes lit up as she began to speak about her family. "Yes, just the two. A boy and a girl. They're both panther shifters too. My daughter had her first shift just before... before all this happened. She was so proud. She's twelve now, my son is ten."
As Lydia spoke about her children, I found myself watching Aria. Her face was a canvas of emotions - empathy, wonder, and a touch of something else. Longing, perhaps? It struck me then how young she seemed, how much life she had yet to experience. I may have looked the same age as her, but I had a few decades on her.
"Do werewolves have that bond too?" Aria asked suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts.
Lydia nodded. "Oh yes, their bonds are the strongest. Some even develop telepathic connections."
I noticed Aria's gaze drift to the shifter hall, as if expecting Chris to appear. When he didn't, a flicker of hurt crossed her face before she quickly masked it.
"And fae? What about them?" she continued.
"We don't have any such bonds. Fae are more like humans in that regard, although some of the regal families of the Courts will have arranged marriages to forge stronger alliances, but that stems from a time when the Courts would be at war. The past century has been one of peace," I shared.
"Do you have someone at home?" Aria asked carefully, and Lydia arched a equally curious brow at me.
"No, I have no one waiting for me," I stated, not wanting to dive into my failed attempts at courting the fae women.
"War, what is a fae war like?" she asked, shifting the subject.
"Political more than anything, but there was a time it was fought with sword and magic," I shared. "But we've evolved with the times, becoming far more diplomatic and peaceful, much like humanity."
"Peaceful my ass, humans are the worst for maintaining peace, no offense," Lydia said with a snort. "We're lucky half those in charge are supernatural."
"Really?" Aria was stunned by this.
"Yep. Some are even witches, they're some of the most neutral parties out there," Lydia said.
"I know there are even some fae in positions of power in the human plane. They've chosen to spend more time in the human plane, wanting to harbor peace. Our connection to mother nature means we like to keep the earthly plane healthy and peaceful as well," I explained.
Our conversation was interrupted by the appearance of one of the vampires - Ossian, I recalled. I watched him warily as he passed through the room, noting how his eyes lingered on Aria for a moment too long.
Once he was gone, Lydia lowered her voice. "I heard from the other shifters that the Dracarians haven't found a way to feed them yet."
Aria frowned. "Couldn't they just offer blood bags?"
I couldn't help but snort. "We're 'tainted ones,' remember? Why would Dracarians offer up their own blood? Besides, humans are the food of choice for them."
"Because they need us," Aria argued, a fire in her eyes that I found oddly compelling.
"Touché," I conceded. "But they still turn their noses up where they can."
Lydia stood, stretching. "I think I'll call it a night, we can let the vampires figure out their own crap. See you both tomorrow."
After we bid Lydia goodnight, Aria turned to me, her eyes alight with curiosity. "Tell me more about vampires, Zephyr. What are their feeding habits like?"
I leaned back, considering how to explain. "Well, some vampire bites can even feel good. They don't usually drain their victims unless they're consumed by bloodlust or are newly turned. New vampires struggle to control their hunger and need guidance from their sire or another vampire."
"How are they turned?" Aria asked, leaning forward with interest.
"A vampire will drain a victim nearly dry and then feed them their blood. There are rules back home - they can't turn more than two people per two hundred years."
Aria looked shocked. "Two hundred years?"
I shrugged. "They are immortal, after all."
"And this bloodlust… how bad is it?" she said, hesitating as her brow furrowed with unease.
"It makes them go rabid. Some believe zombie lore stemmed from vampires in a bloodlust state. They can't just feed normally, they tear their victims apart, needing the blood so immensely that they can't even slow down to drink it properly. They go into a frenzy, killing and mutilating until they're quenched, which, considering how messy a bloodlust state is, can take quite a few bodies since so much blood is wasted in the ripping apart."
"Holy…" Her eyes were wide as she imagined it, and I regretted going into so much detail.
"In saying that, vampires try very hard to keep their existence quiet, so bloodlust frenzies are almost unheard of. The few rare times it happens, the supernatural Council covers it up. Amazing what can be done when all the supernatural beings come together to protect humanity from its darkest shadows," I tried to assure her, but she appeared lost in thought for a moment.
She nodded, processing this information. Then, softly, she said, "Thank you for being so nice to me, Zephyr. For explaining all this."
I smiled at her. "I like our little group of misfits. And helping you understand is nice, seeing the wonder you have for everything."
"It is extraordinary." Aria cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you keep calling us misfits?"
I explained, "We all seem to be different from those of our kind. You're a lone human, Chris doesn't mesh with the other werewolves, and Lydia's a gothic shifter."
She chuckled. "What about you? How are you a misfit?"
I hesitated, the warmth of our conversation suddenly cooling. "I'm... well, let's just say I'm not exactly in good standing with my court."
Her curiosity was evident, but she didn't push. Instead, she waited patiently for me to continue.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "There's a fae here from my kingdom. I recognized him earlier, and... well, it seems he's shared the story of my falling out with the court. Now, even in this new world, I'm shunned by my own kind."
Aria's face fell. "Oh, Zephyr, I'm so sorry. That's terrible."
I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the ache in my chest. "It's not ideal, but I'm used to being on the outside. The politics of the fae courts are frustrating sometimes."
"Still," Aria said softly, reaching out to place a hand on my arm. Her touch was oddly welcome, the gentle warmth of her hand making a tingle course down my arm. "It's not fair. You don't deserve to be isolated like that."
Her kindness, so freely given, caught me off guard. Among the fae, such open empathy was rare. It was one of the things that had always drawn me to humans, their capacity for genuine compassion. Fae were all high and mighty, thinking of themselves as above many of the other races, especially humans. I found humans quite fascinating and tenacious.
"Thank you," I said, managing a small smile. "I suppose that's why I like our little group of misfits. We understand what it's like to be different."
Aria nodded, a determined look crossing her face. "Well, court politics or not, you've got us now. And we stick together."
As we sat there in comfortable silence, I really took her in, the softness of her face, the way her eyes glanced around the room, always curious, the way her lips parted as she sighed.
For a human, she was quite attractive.
"Do you have someone waiting for you at home?" I asked, since no one had touched on it in all our conversations. Considering the closeness between her and Chris already, I had assumed not, but humans were unique, sometimes having multiple partners.
"No partner, if that's what you mean, just my best friend and dad," she answered as she let her gaze wander vacantly. "I hope they're okay."
"We're the ones gearing up for a war, I'm sure they're fine in the grand scheme of things," I said with a scoff, although her face only dropped.
"Right," she mumbled.
"Hey, at least we're not alone. And we've got cool new skills," I said in an attempt to lighten the situation. "Now you blend in with the supes with your new abilities."
"Right, but only with the misfits," she said with a wink, and I grinned.
Misfits we might be, but together, we were starting to feel like an odd little unit.
And in this strange new world, with all its dangers and uncertainties, that felt like something worth holding onto. Even if my own kind had turned their backs on me, I'd found acceptance among the most unlikely companions.
Perhaps being a misfit wasn't such a bad thing after all.
As the night wore on and the communal area slowly emptied, Aria and I continued to talk. She asked more about fae customs, and I found myself sharing stories of midsummer festivals and winter solstice celebrations. In return, she told me about human holidays - Christmas, Halloween, New Year's Eve, many of which I knew of, but it was nice to hear her take and family traditions. It was fascinating to see the parallels between our worlds, the ways in which all beings sought to mark the passage of time and celebrate life. Her love for Christmas and all the lights and festive cheer had me smiling, especially with how she lit up, telling me of how her family used to put lights up all over the house when she was a kid. Her expression had sobered when she said that had stopped after her mother passed, and I shifted the topic to something new.
We didn't need to wind up in a sad state. My own parents and I weren't close, but it didn't bother me. I was my own person, a free spirit, and I didn't see an issue with it.
Eventually, Aria yawned, the events of the day finally catching up with her. "I should probably get some sleep," she said reluctantly. "We probably have another long day of training ahead of us tomorrow."
I nodded, rising to my feet. "Indeed. Rest well, Aria. And remember, if you ever need someone to talk to..."
She smiled, warmth radiating from her expression. "I know where to find you. Thanks, Zephyr. For everything."
As I watched her walk away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of protectiveness wash over me. Aria was so new to this world, so vulnerable in many ways. And yet, there was a strength in her that I admired. A resilience that shone through despite everything she'd been thrown into.
I made my way back to my own quarters, my mind swirling with thoughts of fae courts, shifter bonds, and the strange twists of fate that had brought us all together.
And the fascinating Aria with all her wonder.