Ariella
I wake up starving.
Meat, meat, meat. It’s all I can think about. More specifically, beef.
Once the cravings for beef arrive, you’re basically in countdown to your werewolf change. Mom was rare because only one of her parents was a werewolf, so she found out really late that she’d be changing. And not only that, girls are rarely born to wares, that’s why so many women are changed by their mates.
Except in our family, female births seem to be quite common.
But as my parents are both wares, I was guaranteed to be one, too. I’ve always been strong since I was a baby, and my hearing and sense of smell is also slightly heightened. Nothing near how good they’ll be after I go through my change, though.
I pull on a robe and head down the hall.
“Ariella?” mom calls from her room.
“Can’t stop, mom. I’m starving.”
I hear her coming out of her room as I reach the bottom of the stairs and then she’s at the fridge and passing me a bowl of cubed beef before I reach the island.
“Y’know,” I say as I take the bowl from her. “For a pregnant woman, you still move pretty fast, mom.”
She rolls her eyes playfully. “Pregnancy might make me feel big and tired, but when it comes to my baby, nothing could slow me down.” She kisses my forehead and then moves to switch on the kettle. “Coffee?”
I eat a piece of the beef and feel my hunger instantly calm in my stomach. So good… “I can make that, mom.”
“Sit, eat, you’ve gotta leave for school soon. You want some water, too?”
“Yeah, please.” I sit down at the island with my meat. I eat it quickly and thank God that mom has her back to me.
“I remember my cravings. God, that steak your dad gave me the first time was life. It tasted so bloody good.”
“Mmm-hmm,” I nod before I swallow. “The hunger comes on so suddenly.”
“It does. Dad’s made a couple containers for you to take to school with you. Don’t forget them.”
“I won’t.”
She passes me my coffee and water, but I have to down them or I’ll be late for school. “I better get ready to go. How are you feeling about… Y’know, the Pires thing? Are you and dad managing to work it through?”
“Yeah, we’ve done a lot of talking and made our decision. We have to protect warekind, so we haven’t really been left with much choice.”
“Hey,” I say as I get up to go to her. “Everyone knows how much you care about wares, and how seriously you and dad both take your positions. You could say no because of your own feelings about how they did Clantius, but you will say yes because you are putting us all before yourselves. That’s what a leader does, and you and dad are great ones. Don’t feel bad.”
Mom narrows her eyes at me before she smiles. “Look at you, all wise and giving sound advice. God, I can remember the day you were born—”
“Mom, we will continue this convo later cuz I really have to go.” I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and then make a run for it.
“You were the most beautiful baby!” she shouts, and then I hear her laughing.
I take the steps two at a time. “I know!”
***
I wish I never went to school.
Davonyé wasn’t around after lunch, and classes were boring because I’ve already moved ahead in all today’s lessons. My mood took a further dive when I realised that Carisse was missing after lunch, too, which means they skipped school together. Most probably to fuck.
Shit pissed me right off.
Harmony kept banging on about her party tomorrow, too, and made me feel bad for not being more excited. I am excited for her but also have my own issues to deal with. I’m always there for her, no matter what cost I have to pay emotionally myself, but this time, I’m finding it hard. My impending change is consuming the hell out of me and I know I need to put myself first for once.
Just once.
I think about how out of sync my life is right now as I drive towards home. Maybe if I just had sex with someone, lost my virginity, I would feel a bit better emotionally and physically.
‘Ariella, it is Aura. I need to speak with you,’ I hear inside my head.
“Aura?” I say in surprise. What does she want with me? “Uh… I'm just driving. Hold on. I'll pull over.”
I’m frowning my face off as I find a place by the side of the road to park. Why would she be coming to see me? Surely it can’t be because of my situation with Davonyé?
“Hello, Ariella,” she says as she appears on the passenger seat.
I gotta admit, the things she does with magic is so damn cool. “Hey, um, you okay?” I ask, suddenly feeling nervous.
She smiles. “I am well, thank you. Do not be alarmed. Please, relax.”
I sigh as I relax in her presence. “Alright. So, why have you come to see me?” I ask, trying not to sound rude as I sense the sudden hunger pangs in my stomach. I grip the steering wheel tightly because it’s come on so suddenly. I can definitely tell that my change is only days away now.
“You are hungry?”
“A little.” Ugh… I need some meat badly; this hunger is getting so extreme – I just ate twenty minutes ago. I guess an apple isn’t that satisfying to a soon-to-be changing ware, though.
My eyes light up as she holds out a bowl of raw steak slices. I feel like snatching it out of her hand. “Eat, Ariella. You should not travel without food while you are so close to your change.”
I eagerly take the bowl from her. “I know. Mom and dad keep goin’ on at me about it, too. They want me to skip college for a while and study from home because they say I’ll become unpredictable.” But I'll miss Davonyé, though...
I pop the first slice of steak into my mouth and taste the coppery juice of the blood on my tongue. I swear steak has never tasted so good. I even moan. Oh, God, this is so good...
“Have you spoken to him yet?” she asks as I cram more meat into my mouth.
I chew the last piece and then hand her back the bowl. I feel disappointed that it’s done, I wonder if she could make me some more? “No,” I sigh. “Could you magic me some more of that, please? It tasted really good.”
She refills the bowl as she passes it back to me. “Why not?”
I look at the meat and feel my mouth water. “Because... I don't know if I like him because he’s fine as hell, or if he's my mate. Seriously, though, Aura, he is just so...” I feel my cheeks warm as I think about him. I’m obsessed. “I can barely even look at him, let alone talk to him... My heart goes crazy whenever I'm around him. He's got these mesmerising eyes that are so dark brown, almost black, and his skin is just the perfect shade of brown...”
I quickly stop, realising that I’m rambling. I eat some meat instead to stop myself. He looked so good this morning, especially in that new coat… I wonder what his body looks like naked…
I choke on my mouthful because I know Aura must have heard that. I clear my throat and then give her an embarrassed glance. “Shit, sorry Aura, I didn't mean for my thoughts to go in that direction. It's my body, it's like it’s got a mind of its own at the moment – if that makes sense?”
She smiles and it feels genuine. “Do not apologise. It is very normal for you to feel this way. Your change is close. Your urges to be intimate with someone will be all consuming. You are still a virgin?”
I’m surprised by her being so blunt with her question. Besides, I thought she would know? “Yeah,” I confess. “Not for lack of trying, though.”
“You should tell Davonyé how you feel, Ariella. Trust your feelings.”
I nod as I eat another piece of meat. I would tell him, but even if I did, surely wares and humans having sex is a big no-no… “What if I hurt him?”
“You are strong, yes, but you are still only human for now. After your change, it will be trickier regarding intercourse with a human. However, you will be able to cope better than most.”
I frown. “What do you mean?” Please say I’m going to pick up being a ware quickly like mom did…
Her dark eyes become even darker as she gives me a cautious look. “Ariella, you will gain the ability of magic once you turn twenty. Remember the words I spoke to you as a baby. ‘Hush, little one. For now, you have arrived. Remember my name, Aura, and know that one day I will return—’”
“‘To give you the gift of magic’,” I recite with wide eyes. What the hell? “How do I remember that? I was just a baby?”
“I made sure you would remember.”
I remember when I was a child, I always remembered those words, almost like a nursery rhyme. They were soothing and somehow familiar… “But I thought it was just a dream?”
“No. It was not, Ariella. You will one day become an elder of your kind. How do you feel about this?”
Oh, fuck! Me? An elder? I feel my eyes trying to pop out of my head. “An elder? Magic? Are you serious?”
She looks amused by my reaction. “Yes. Very much so. Your family need an elder, and I cannot be here in this world all the time.”
Excitement and fear race through me. I’d have magic? Wow… Um… “But what will mom and dad say, though?”
“I will speak to them when the time comes. Do not worry about that for now. You do not have to tell them until you are ready. I will not speak a word of it to them until you are. But regarding Davonyé, once you have changed and you have told him how you feel, your magic will help you to control your strength and emotions. So you see, you have nothing to fear in talking to him.”
Oh… “That’s a relief to know… Mom’s given me the talk and so did dad.” I shake my head. “I know the desire is hard to control.” I suddenly feel full and pass her back the bowl of meat. It’s still full, even though I ate loads of it.
She takes the bowl and it disappears in her hand.
Magic—cool as shit…
“If it would put your mind at ease, I could remove the memory of you confessing how you feel to him from his mind iffor whatever reason, your feelings are not reciprocated,” she offers.
“Yeah, that would be good. Least I wouldn't have to worry about being embarrassed if he rejects me, especially because he already has a girlfriend.”
“I see.” She doesn’t even blink or make me feel bad, and I’m grateful because I feel hopeless enough as it is right now.
I sigh. “Yeah. Story of my life. Nothing is ever simple.”
“Give it time. Your life will fall into place,” she says reassuringly, and somehow, I believe her.
“I hope you're right.”
“I always am. So, tell me, have your parents decided about the bane?” she asks, suddenly changing the subject.
I sense a change in our relationship, as if I’m more her equal now that I’ll soon be like her. She’s asked me about my parent’s decision, but as much as I wish I could give her the answer, I just don’t know for sure.
I slump in my seat. “I’m not sure. They've had a few heated discussions about it, and I know that mom's been worrying. I wish I’d changed already because then I would’ve just given you the bane myself and we could’ve left them out of it.”
“It was my intention to do that originally, but Princess Vallessa is running out of time. It is not only her that is in grave danger without the bane to defeat her enemies.”
That world sounds messy as fuck. “What are they like?”
“Like yourself, in a way. To look at them, you would not know that they were what they are.”
“But don't they have fangs and shi–stuff?”
She smiles at that. “Yes. But they are not on show at all times.”
“Hmmm.” So they can show and hide them like most books I’ve read have described them. “They drink blood, though, right? Mom and dad call them Pires, but they are vampires, aren’t they?”
“They are. They were only referred to as Pires when Ariya was alive, so when she told your mother of her ancestry, she would have used that name.”
Hmm, that explains it. “Will I meet them one day?” I kinda hope I do…
“Most likely. You will be able to travel between worlds, as I do. We have a long road ahead, teaching you your magic.”
“Magic, wow, I still can't believe it. I'm gonna be like a werewolf witch... That is crazy.”
She smiles but her black eyes suddenly begin to swirl. That always happens before something has come up and she has to go. “I will leave you now to continue your journey home. I must go to speak with your parents.”
“Alright. Good luck.”
“Thank you,” she replies before she disappears.
***
Mom and dad seemed a lot more relaxed when I finally got home. I guess they made peace with their decision to give their bane to that Princess. I took my time coming home after sitting at the side of the road for quite a while. I still can’t believe I’m gonna be a witch. Shit is so damn crazy…
I’ve decided not to tell mom or dad yet. I wanna keep it to myself for now, just until I get used to the idea. I mean, it’s unbelievable enough to think that I’m gonna be a werewolf next Thursday, but to be a magical one, casting spells and shit…
I need some time to come to terms with that.
