Winning the Legend (20 page)

“Oh yes, even normal day humans can have a
pint of blood taken and not have any adverse effects,” Mori
replied, looking up at Arianna. She was the only one he would
actually look into the eyes of. He trusted her completely. “You
should immediately feed afterward and then rest two days before any
more blood can be taken.”

“How do you know this will work?” Turner
asked. He had to be protective of Arianna with Devin weak and
bedridden for the moment.

“Um,” Mori replied shyly. “I tested it
myself, and found out I am part tengu.” Dark black wings snapped
open behind the dearg-dul. Mouths dropped around the room. “Seems
that whatever family traits are most prominent will come out. So,
for Arianna, her father being baku and her mother dearg-dul, those
will be her traits. Seems I have a great-grandmother somewhere that
was tengu and hid it from the family as she didn’t pass on any of
her genes, so she thought, and the rest of my family was dearg-dul.
I’m not one hundred percent sure how to use them yet, but they are
completely functional and not just for show.”

No one knew how to reply. Mori’s new black
wings flapped behind him. There was still tension between the clans
that Arianna was the head of no matter if she thought nothing of
it. Years of hate and anger were still present. No one knew how to
approach a life without being very well defined as one type of
night human or another. Everyone feared the hidden skeletons in
their own family history.

“So, you’re saying I might sprout wings like
the bird?” Turner asked in disgust.

“I highly doubt it,” Mori replied. “With all
the hate between tengu and lycan, I doubt your family history has a
background with tengu.” Mori logically stated his answer. “But I
wouldn’t be surprised if you turn into an albino wolf. Now that
would be cool.”

“Besides,” Thomas replied. “We already took
enough blood to change, and neither of us turned into a sidhe.”

“Oh, this should be fun,” Devin said quietly
from his bed. He was actually smiling at Mori comments, knowing
that Turner would find being anything except lycan an insult.

“Thanks, Mori,” Molina added before shutting
the computer down. “So, is this what you want to do?” Molina asked
Arianna. Molina had always taken Arianna’s will into account for
any action they did. She promised she would never lie to her again,
and she would not make Arianna do something she didn’t wish to
do.

“Yes,” Arianna replied. “Now or never.” She
was trying her best to remain positive about everything, but the
idea of her blood changing people still scared her. Would people
resent what she could now do? Or possibly hate her for what she’d
already done, as her blood had been used to treat people when they
were attacked a year ago. Maybe some got enough to change already.
Arianna glanced over to Ken. He would have had plenty to change
into the three night human mix she was over a month ago when she
saved his life.

‘You won’t be alone
anymore,’
Andrew replied, taking her hand
at her hesitation.
‘We will all be like
you. You won’t be the only one with mixed genes.
’ Arianna smiled as his hand slid down her arm and loosened
her clenched hand open. She never thought of it that way. Andrew
was right. She wouldn’t be alone anymore.

“Let’s do this,” Arianna replied with more
certainty.

Molina easily set up a bag to collect her
blood. Blood was such a constant in their lives, everyone in the
room could have done what Molina was doing, but Arianna appreciated
Molina’s gentle touch. Arianna sat and watched the blood as it
dripped out of her. Everyone roamed around in their own thoughts
while they waited. It would only take a few minutes. Gabriel
collected a glass for every night human in the room. Molina took
the bag of blood from Arianna and added her blood into each glass,
mixing it with whatever drink Gabriel had poured.

Knowing that the world was changing held
everyone quiet. They were making a choice right now from which they
couldn’t turn back. They each took a glass as Arianna sat with
Andrew and watched. He had already taken enough blood to change his
night human. He already felt the change, knowing that he could feed
on any person in the room without the need to put them to sleep.
For a baku, it was an empowering feeling. The dearg-dul in the room
anticipated the ability to walk in sunlight the most.

“Here’s to the future,” Gabriel added,
lifting his glass to toast with everyone else.

“God, I hope I don’t sprout wings,” Turner
mumbled, as Devin chuckled again.

Chapter 22

The competitors were sent home for another
week as Arianna claimed she needed rest, but in reality she needed
time to change enough of her people at the manor. Devin spent the
week recuperating, and by the end he was completely healed. Nessa
spent the week watching her brother, and mentally reporting to
Arianna since her brother forbid her to say anything but never told
her not to think anything. Due to her age and inexperience, most
didn’t expect Arianna to make a mental connection with other night
humans without a blood connection. Rhys was as easily fooled as
most. By the end of the week, Arianna had created fifty new night
humans as they took blood three more times from her. They were
chosen from her top supporters, people who would be present for the
public fights. Nessa had been gathering more supporters outside the
grounds that were as ready for change in the night human world as
much as she was.

On the day the last competition was set to
start, Arianna sat in the dining room as the men returned. Even
those not competing came to watch the competition. She listened as
each entered the estate, and did her best to ignore them as they
arrived to see who the top competitors were going to be. She had
left a list on the front door with five men chosen to compete.

“Is this seat taken?” Rhys asked, joining
her at a table.

“Um, no,” Arianna replied with a mouth full
of food. As she had asked, Andrew was sitting at the next table
with Devin and Turner. She didn’t want to make Andrew a target,
also knowing that Rhys’ plan involved eliminating anyone that stood
in his way of taking Arianna by force. Andrew needed to be seen as
not a threat.

“All isn’t well in paradise?” Rhys asked,
nodding toward Andrew.

“Everything is fine,” Arianna gave a clipped
reply. It was hard to look at Rhys and not see the conniving person
he really was. Nessa sat down on her other side and smiled. Nessa
was her new constant guard when Andrew couldn’t be close. Somehow
she had come to some sort of agreement with Arianna’s guards
including Devin and Andrew, and Arianna didn’t know what it
entailed.

“Hello, Brother,” Nessa said cheerfully. She
was much better at playing the game. “Back so soon from your run?”
His run was just an excuse to get away from everyone inside the
house and contact his people outside of the grounds.

Rhys smiled pleasantly back even though he
was seething inside at his sister’s comment. “Since everyone
returns today, I thought I should get back early to make sure no
one hits on my sister and her new friend.” Always pretending to be
the courteous person he was not. Charm rolled off Rhys, but it was
fake.

“Are you are ready to fight everyone for
Arianna’s sake?” Nessa kept up the pretense that Rhys was going to
be the knight in shining armor. Rhys smiled sweetly, but Arianna
saw through the deception.

“I don’t believe in forcing any woman to
marry against their wishes. That’s just barbaric. Between me and
Turner, I am sure we will save you from that fate,” Rhys added. He
seemed to be equating his own position with that of one of her
keepers.

“And Devin,” Arianna replied. Rhys’ head
turned abruptly to her from the stare he was giving his sister.

“Devin?” he asked, more worry in his voice
than surprise. “I mean, we’re all glad to see him up and around,
but surely he is in no condition to fight. He was mortally wounded
not even a week ago. Thankfully, he could be saved. You wouldn’t
ask him to strain his body so soon. There’s no reason to do so. I’m
sure Turner and I will be enough.” Rhys reassured Arianna. Arianna
smiled.

“That’s so kind of you, but I think my
chances are better if I have three people fighting for me in the
competition,” Arianna replied. Rhys needed to agree to keep up his
deception, and Nessa was having fun watching him try to think of
another argument.

Rhys pondered a bit in silence before
changing the topic, “Have you decided on who the matchups will be?”
He was plotting again, and both Arianna and Nessa knew it.

“Not completely. I listed the competitors on
the front door while you were out running, but not the order,”
Arianna replied, watching to see if Rhys would bolt to the door
like Nessa predicted.

“Really, you’ve decided that already?” Rhys
feigned disinterest.

“That was the easy part. Matching everyone
up is harder.” Arianna pretended like they really didn’t already
have a plan. “I’ve been going over everything with my advisors to
see who would make the best matches.”

“You should have Nessa help you,” Rhys
added. “She’s really good at strategy.” Arianna nodded along with
Rhys’ attempt to get more information. She was being as cordial as
she could to him. “Well, I’ll leave you ladies to yourselves while
I go get cleaned up. It seems like the last person has arrived, and
I am sure you’ll want to meet with us all soon.”

Arianna nodded her good-bye. Nessa and
Arianna both knew it was a weak excuse to get to the door to see
the competitors list.

‘Does he always do
that?’
Arianna asked Nessa.

‘What?’
Nessa replied, watching her brother’s figure fade down the
hallway. She followed his essence a bit longer to make sure he was
really leaving. As expected, he detoured by the front door before
going back to his room. Nessa and Arianna both knew why he really
had to leave.

‘Tell people what to do
without really giving an order.’
Arianna
followed his trace before standing. Her guards all stood behind
her.

‘Oh yes,’
Nessa replied, following Arianna as they all
walked back to her room for one last strategy meeting. Nessa
stopped at her door. She couldn’t know the specifics because Rhys
was still her king, and she would have to answer him if she knew.
She gave Arianna a quick hug.
‘I’m behind
you, whatever you decide.’

* * * * *

After their meeting, Arianna stood once
again in front of the men she was learning to hate more each time
she saw them. Until now, they were sure that Nik was supporting
Rhys, but it was beginning to look like Nik was building his own
alliances. Arianna listened into their thoughts a bit, and knew
that Choy and Barret were quietly talking to Nik and Rhys, both
deciding on which they would join. It wouldn’t be much longer
before they either joined them, or made their own team. It was more
likely they would all make fake alliances, and then fend for
themselves when the time came. Historically, none of them had
gotten along, let alone when they were all competing for her. Nik
may think he had Rhys fooled, but it didn’t matter. Arianna already
knew what people were siding with whom.

Silently, the men conversed with their
retainers as they tried to sort everything out. Most of them would
not be competing further, and thus wanted to find a way to still
get Arianna. Plots were growing thicker from the moment they all
returned. The retainers were as much involved as the men competing.
Everyone wanted to win Arianna at this point. She really just
wanted to walk away from the men and tell them all to go home, but
she needed to finish out the tournament. War was growing more
inevitable, but Arianna planned to keep her word. She would finish
the tournament. This was her way of dealing with the chaos that was
her life. Even if war came, and she had to kill people along the
way, she didn’t want to be a monster.

Arianna waited for the chatter to die down
before she spoke.

“As everyone arrived, they could see our
choices for the tournament. Nik Katsulas, Rhys McKinny, Devin
Alexander, Turner Winter, and Loan Durand were chosen for the final
matches. We will start tomorrow evening with the first competition.
You will be matched, and three fights will take place. The
tournament winner will be the person who wins the most matches. If
there are any ties, we will have extra matches to decide then. It
is very simple. The person who wins the most matches, wins the
tournament.” Arianna looked from each competitor to the next. She
didn’t want to pick either Nik or Rhys, but everyone already felt
that, next to Devin, they were the top candidates. If she left them
out, she would have to prove a reason why- and being backstabbing
twits didn’t count.

“And the sixth competitor?” Jan asked
hopefully.

Jan was actually scored right behind Loan,
and he seemed to know that much. Arianna had a choice between Jan
and Loan. Jan was almost twice her age, and had children only a few
years younger than her. Loan was the most decent man of the group
there—probably because he was third in line to rule. Loan wasn’t as
corrupt as the other men who either already ruled their clans or
soon would. She decided to let Loan compete.

All eyes stared at her, waiting and hoping.
Each man wanted to be the sixth competitor.

“Oh, that one was easy. Me,” Arianna
answered before walking away from the shocked group.

Chapter 23

Arianna hadn’t stayed around to sort out all
the bickering. No one was happy to know she was in the competition,
but, as Gabriel pointed out to the group, every night human clan
was allowed to send one competitor. He had decided to send her
since she really was the most powerful of them, even if she wasn’t
fully trained yet. That just started more bickering all around.
Complaints were made about the first tests, and Gabriel patiently
explained that Arianna had competed in all of the tests when she
demonstrated them, and had won each one. No one argued with that.
Arianna was more than happy to just walk away from it all to her
own side of the manor.