Run To Earth (Power of Four) (52 page)

Aaron paused, trying his best to push down his rising annoyance. “Where’s Uncle Mike?” he asked.

“He had to hold back,” Chris replied. “He’ll be here in a few days.” He looked at Aaron and took in a deep breath. “Aaron,” he started. “I owe you an apology. I know I asked a lot from you.” His whole expression showed regret, from his troubled eyes to the lines on his brow. “You had to be on your own for months and...and I’m sorry, I really am.” He walked closer, putting both hands on Aaron’s shoulders. “I’ll explain everything to you, from the absolute start. I promise. I’m going to make this up to you. I’m...” He stopped, eyes narrowed at something past Aaron.

Aaron turned to see what had caught his dad’s eye. He found Kyran, still training in the ring, his sword swinging this way and that. Turning back around, Aaron caught the look on his dad’s face, and it made his heart skip a beat.

Chris was staring at Kyran without blinking, his mouth open, his body frozen stiff, the colour drained from his face.

“Dad?” Aaron called. “Dad? Dad?” Aaron gave him a little shake.

Slowly, Chris looked over at Aaron, his eyes wide and filled with disbelief. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but his voice seemed to have failed him. He turned to look at Kyran again. “Who...who is he?”

“That’s Kyran,” Aaron said. “He’s a friend.”

“Kyran?” Chris said. “Kyran what?” he asked, a note of desperation in his voice. “What’s his family name, his surname?”

“I don’t know,” Aaron replied. “I’ve never asked. Why? What is it, Dad?”

Chris didn’t answer. He stood staring at Kyran, gaping at him in such a way it unnerved Aaron. He turned to look at Kyran too.

As if feeling the weight of their stares, Kyran’s gaze – that had been watching the blades – shifted to them. The moment Kyran’s eyes met Chris’s, he stopped, his sword forgotten in hand. A look of disbelief clouded Kyran’s expression before something shifted in his intense green eyes. It sent a shiver down Aaron’s back.

A spinning blade grazed Kyran’s arm, snapping him and Chris out of their locked stare. Kyran threw down his sword and grabbed his bleeding arm. Raising his other hand, he commanded the blades to stop and fall to the ground.

Without a word to Aaron, Chris hurried down the steps, heading towards the ring. Aaron followed after him. Kyran raised the stone archway and exited the ring. He had just re
ached down to pick up his coat when Chris and Aaron reached him.

Kyran slowly straightened up, his eyes on Chris. “Look who’s back,” he said, a little tightly. He looked to Aaron. “I guess you were right. You win.”

The way Kyran said it, with so much bitterness, it made Aaron’s stomach twist into knots. Regardless, Aaron stepped forward.

“Kyran, meet my dad,” he said, introducing them. “Dad, this is Kyran.”

Chris’s gaze roamed over Kyran, taking in everything. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Forgive me for asking, but what’s your family name?”

Kyran’s eyes darkened a shade. “Who needs family names?” he asked. “We’re all individuals.”

“Yes, but it’s still your name,” Chris said, moving closer, his desperation evident. “What’s your father’s name?”

Kyran’s persona shifted, growing visibly darker, so dark in fact that his eyes were almost a different shade of green now. He smirked and tilted his head, observing Chris. “Why?” he asked. “Think you knew him?”

Chris didn’t say anything, but his face blanched, losing more colour than Aaron thought possible.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Kyran said, his poison-green eyes fixed on Chris, “I have to get cleaned up.”

He turned and walked away, leaving Chris to stare after him and Aaron to wonder what was going on.

***

“He had a son,” Chris muttered. “How could he not tell me he had a son?”

“Chris, you have to listen to me,” Drake said. “Sit down.”

Chris paced the room like a caged animal, his hands running through his hair and down his face, brow knitted and eyes clouded in confusion.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” he continued to mutter. “He can’t be...but he looks
just
like him.”

“Chris, listen.” Drake had to step in and hold on to Chris’s shoulders to still him. “He’s not Alex’s son.”

“He must be.” Chris shook himself out of Drake’s hold, moving back a step. “Have you seen him?”

“Yes, I’ve seen him,” Drake replied, exasperated. “I’ve been living in the same city as Kyran for the last year now. I see him every day.”

“Then explain this,” Chris said. “Explain how he can be the exact replica of Alex without somehow being related to him. How can he be so similar? The hair, the face, the way he talks, walks, everything!”

“Kyran doesn’t talk like Alex,” Drake objected. “I don’t think Alex could ever be that mean.”

“Drake!” Chris yelled. “Look at him! Go outside and
look
at Kyran.” He pointed a finger at Drake’s window.

Drake didn’t move. Instead, he asked Chris a question very calmly, “Can you feel him?”

Chris paused, wide eyes fixed on Drake. “What?”

“Kyran,” Drake asked quietly. “Does he feel like family?”

Chris swallowed heavily. “No,” he admitted, with great pain.

“Then how can he be Alex’s son?” Drake asked.

Chris sagged into a chair, hands in his hair. “I don’t...I don’t understand. How can he be so similar if he’s not....?” he trailed off, his eyes clouded with confusion and heartache.

Drake knelt next to Chris’s chair. “Alright, listen to me, Chris, and listen well,” he said. “Kyran is not Alex’s son. He’s the son of Fredrick Lamont.”

Chris looked up at him in surprise. “Lamont?” he asked. “But...but Lamont only had daughters.”

“From his marriage, yes,” Drake said. “Kyran is Lamont’s other child, one out of wedlock. No one knew about him until Lamont was on his deathbed. Kyran’s mother and step-father died in a Lycan attack when he was very young. Lamont knew that since he was about to die, Kyran would feel the connection break and would come looking for answers. He told his daughters and wife about Kyran, so that when he came, they would give him his right.”

“Did they?” Chris asked.

“Like hell,” Drake scoffed. “The girls aren’t so bad. They keep in contact with Kyran and he watches over them, goes to protect them every full moon. It’s the mother who can’t get over her husband’s infidelity, of which Kyran is a living, breathing reminder.”

Chris narrowed his eyes. “How do you know this?”

“I investigated him.” Drake smiled sadly at Chris. “When Kyran walked through Salvador’s Gate for the first time a year ago, I reacted like you did. I was certain he was Alex’s son. I pestered him but he wouldn’t tell me what his family name was. After a few months, I noted he left every full moon. I followed him at the next one and saw him go into Lamont’s mansion. When I confronted him, he told me the whole story. I swore to keep Kyran’s secret.” He gave a pointed look to Chris. “I’m only telling you so you know the truth. Kyran’s understandably touchy about his family name, so don’t ask him. He can’t say he’s a Lamont for the shame it’ll bring on his sisters, something that he’s reminded of almost every time he meets Mrs Lamont. The only ones who know about his family are myself and Neriah’s niece, Ella.”

Chris sat in silence, processing all the facts. He shook his head, reaching up to rub at his eyes. “But why does he look so much like Alex then?”

“I don’t know,” Drake replied. “Sometimes there’s no blood connection, but there’s a resemblance nevertheless.” He looked into Chris’s tortured eyes. “Kyran has a likeness to Alex, but that’s all it is. Kyran’s not your family, Chris, no matter how much you’d like him to be.”

***

Kyran walked into his room after taking a shower to find Aaron waiting for him.

“What was that?” Aaron demanded.

“What was what?” Kyran asked.

“That thing with my dad?” Aaron said. “Why were you staring at him?”

Kyran pulled a face. “I think it was the other way around.” He combed his fingers through his damp hair as he walked over to the dresser.

“You were staring at him too,” Aaron said. “Don’t lie, Kyran. You stopped in your tracks at the sight of him.”

“I was surprised,” Kyran admitted. “It’s not every day you find the Adams have returned to Salvador.” He pulled open a drawer to take out a hooded top to wear over his vest.

“That’s not it,” Aaron said. “You were staring at him as if...as if you knew him.”

Kyran turned to give him a look. “How could I know him? I’ve not met him before today.”

“My dad looked like he had seen a ghost when he saw you,” Aaron said. He paused for a moment, frowning. “Why was he so interested in your family name?”

“You tell me,” Kyran said.

Aaron shook his head, failing to work out why his dad seemed so interested in Kyran. He looked up at him. “Come to think of it, what
is
your family name?”

A slow smile crossed Kyran’s face as he zipped up his top. “Trust me, Ace. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

***

Aaron and Kyran walked out of the cottage together. Aaron took a seat next to Sam at the table, while Kyran went to sit with Ella.

“How’d it go?” Sam asked.

“It didn’t,” Aaron said. “My dad got...distracted and I’ve yet to see my mum.”

“They still haven’t spoken to you properly?” Sam asked with surprise. “That’s just messed up,” he said. “I get what Rose was saying but your folks aren’t exactly making it easy to forgive them.”

Aaron didn’t know what to say. He looked down at the table, idly tracing the wood markings with his finger.

“Fine. Don’t ask how I am.”

Looking up, Aaron was surprised to find Ryan sitting across from him. His shoulder was heavily bandaged, his face pale and pinched. The dark circles under his eyes told of his sleepless night.

“Ryan?” Aaron blinked. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. You okay?”

Ryan gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Still healing,” he said. “Which in itself is an accomplishment. If Zhi-Jiya and Kyran hadn’t got me and Sarah to the Empaths when they did, we’d be dead.”

“How’s that?” Sam asked. “I thought mages didn’t die easily?”

Ryan snorted. “You call getting chewed on by a Lycan easy?” He shook his head. “Even if Lycanthropy wasn’t fatal, being ripped apart by fangs is a tough way to go.”

“Lycanthropy?” Aaron raised an eyebrow. “You make it sound like it’s a disease.”

“It
is
a disease,” Ryan replied.

Aaron shared a look with Sam.

“Demons are one thing,” Ryan began, “Lycans and vampires are another. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still demonic, but they didn’t come from hell itself. Lycans and vampires were created over time.”

“You mean, they’re an evolved condition?” Aaron asked.

“Lycanthropy and Vampirism are two strains of a virus,” Ryan said. “If infected, the virus takes over the body, mind and soul. It gives the body certain advantages to help its survival: super speed, super hearing, immense strength–”

“Immortality,” Aaron added.

Ryan shook his head. “They’re not immortal. Lycans, vampires and, of course, vamages are powerful but they’re not immortal. They can die, just not very easily. Mages can survive a demon attack but Vampirism and Lycanthropy are viruses that get into our system and kill us.”

Aaron frowned. “But...but what about Hadrian?”

Ryan’s expression darkened. “He chose to forsake his purity,” he said. “He consented to change. It’s what made all the difference. He wanted to become a demon.” He straightened up, looking like he was making an effort to keep calm. “For normal mages, though, it’s pretty straight forward. You get bitten by a Lycan or a vampire, you’re going to die – unless you have a friend like Kyran and a girlfriend like Zhi-Jiya who’ll get you to an Empath in time.”

“How do they help?” Sam asked. “I mean, do the Empaths have, like...like, an antibiotic to fight the virus?”

It was Ryan’s turn to look confused. “Antibio-what?”

“He means like an antidote,” Aaron explained. “Something that kills the virus.”

“Oh.” Ryan smiled wryly. “Yeah, I wish.” He took a sip from his mug. “Nah, it’s the old painful way of flushing the virus out.”

“Drinking lots of water?” Sam asked.

Ryan frowned at him. “That’s painful for you, is it?” he asked. With an annoyed shake of his head, he continued, “The virus has to be drained out of you.” He grimaced. “Trust me, it feels a whole lot less fun that it sounds.”

Aaron didn’t want to even imagine how a virus would be flushed out of a body. “Sorry, Ryan,” he said.

“It’s fine.” Ryan smiled back. “It’s not the first or last time that I’ll be having deadly viruses pulled out of me.” He winked at Aaron. “Occupational hazard.”

Aaron smiled, until he caught sight of his mum, standing talking with his dad and Drake. They seemed engrossed in their discussion. Aaron stared at his mum, watching as the lines deepened on her brow and the corners of her mouth dropped. He couldn’t hear what was being said, and lip reading was never a strong suit of his, but Aaron could tell the conversation was a sour one. His mum held up a hand, objecting to whatever it was Drake had said. Drake, Aaron noticed, kept going regardless. With clear agitation, Kate looked away, rolling her eyes and pressing her lips together to bite back her words. Her gaze caught something and, in an instant, her expression changed. Her eyes widened and slowly the colour drained from her face. Her mouth opened in a breathless gasp. Aaron followed his mum’s gaze, to find it on Kyran as he sat talking quietly with Ella. Aaron turned back to his mum, to see her gaping at Kyran with disbelief. She even shook her head a little, as if in denial.