The Bestowed Mate

A Dusted Aconite

Noah

As we were guided towards what I can only presume is a grand conference room that would accommodate the hefty number of people, I noticed how, despite the air of confidence and often arrogance most of the guests displayed, there was an undeniable restlessness and tension in their posture. Once we reached our destination I realized that the main guest is not present yet. The head leaders seated and their assistants standing by. The minutes ticked by and I started to get nervous myself because there was no tête-à-tête nor small talk. It felt as if everyone dreaded this; not even my poker-faced bosses could cover up their discomfort completely. 

Some more minutes went by, and just when I was about to nudge Alan, footsteps were heard approaching. I could tell that it was "time" not from the sudden deadly quietness that came down but from the upright posture everyone took as if not permitted to have the slightest bit of dishonoring slouch. I held my breath myself and straightened my back preparing for what will take place in a few. The door opened, everyone stood, and in came a man whose presence is unquestionably celestial. No man is to be that … holy and walk among men. Beautiful? He is beyond. Intimidating? Frighteningly so. Soothing? As if being touched by the hands of the gods. He was just wholesome. Never have I ever seen a man like that. I was weak in the knees and my entire being felt surreal. He stood at the head of the table and looked down at every single one with eyes greener than the liveliest leaves of spring with swirls of cloudy white. I could only sneak glances at him; I just could not look at him properly. I could not dare and would not even think of myself worthy to. “Welcome, please be seated” he spoke and I was sure that he is above us for a reason. A voice so serene and yet embedded with strength and authority. Everyone obliged and I was tremendously grateful to be seated for I lost my entire vigor to carry on doing … anything. From then I zoned out and kept my eyes on my notes and robotically wrote whatever word I caught every now and then but I was utterly useless and infinitely incapacitated.

Sometime later I heard the door slam open and I jumped in my seat startled. If I thought I was a disoriented before, then right then I believe I just lost a part of my soul. He came in screaming might and vengeance. I felt like prey in the presence of the most vicious predators to ever reign at the top of the food chain. In mere seconds, I was trembling and my heartbeat sounded louder and louder that it masked all the surrounding noise or perhaps everyone was just as surprised. For the life of me, I could not tell. I tried to get a hold of my scattered self and how I wish I remained frozen instead. I searched for him and there he stood next to the celestial one staring back at me. Those eyes were blacker than the darkest nights and I was his captive. But, romanticizing that was stupidity in its epitome because I closed my eyes to a pain that surged from nowhere yet chose to nestle in my very core and I was a goner… pathetically a goner.

Aziah

After all these decades I resigned my fate to a never-ending hell on earth and my sole redemption was him: my sire. Yet, to finally find her in the least expected places at the least wanted times made me, us, agonizing and furious. 

I was barely done with instructing the stuff at the lobby when I was summoned by my sire. It has been a few years since he mind-linked me instead of using whatever technology was available at hand. He valued my privacy more than I did despite my paramount fidelity. He says repeatedly, “I shall not condemn a friend I treasure dearly” If only he knew he was my reason for living.

“Come up, Aziah” echoed in my head and I bolted to the conference room with as much moderate speed as not to raise the suspicion of humans around and just as I started to reach for the door, Orien shifted for the first time in five decades and I halted in my tracks. Orien is the hunter of us, the alpha predator, and the beast. He is not easily agitated for he knows he is the apex in the food chain but once he is awakened, blood will be shed. Why now though? There is no threat to my sire nor to us and he has been dormant for too long to be effortlessly brought to the surface. Far too unsettled, I marched inside and slammed the door open and walked with purpose to my master’s side. The closer I was to him, the more fidgety Orien was getting and even the other two showed presence yet they were not as perturbed as he was. My sire looked at me and ushered me closer with a slight gleam in his eyes I have not seen since he decided to start this collective business. Once by his side, he spoke first, “Aziah, stay here for a bit” and then turned back to the staff, “Shall we resume?” and just like that, I was left to decipher this. Same faces only slightly older and some a tad bit shrewder; a few new faces and… No! It cannot be! I sniffed the air once, twice, and thrice. No, no, no, NO! "Mate..." whimpered Orien while both Vasilios and Tyrone manifested but remained quiet. She is messing up everything I worked- WE worked to put together... Just why again?

"Aziah?" upon hearing my name I am out of my head. I look at my sire, the only one who is capable of seeing through me with a mere glance. "Which one?" he said scanning the room. Damn it, he knew. "The one with glasses taking notes" I indicate and wait. He looks at her for a few seconds and tilts his head. "Do not do it" he says looking back at me with an expression I do not understand. He then smiles at me and says, "She is different". To hell with different, I do not want her or anyone else. I know that I was losing grip of my pheromones but to cause her to be this terrified that the air is pungent with her fear was baffling. None of the rest noticed anything. Damn, damn, damn!! “Get a hold of yourself Orien!!” I screamed internally but I receive a snarl in return. “We can’t do anything you damned beast! She is human! You’ll kill her!!” I tried again but the snarling was replaced by threatening growls as I could feel the hackles of the beast rising. “Tyrone?! Get him under control!! Now” I directed towards the demon in us. He is the only one who Orien does not regard as an enemy – most of the time. “I ought not, neither should you Aziah” I heard his baritone voice that befits a demon of a league of his own. “GODDAMIT!” None of them is willing to help and Vasilios has been starved for decades and his sanity is inadequate at the moment to ask for his involvement. I instantly blink back from my internal realm to find myself looking at her intently only to then see her body crumbling to the floor. “Grab her!” yelled Orien and my body run without bounds to take her in my arms before she hit the ground. I was electrocuted upon touching her frail body and a painful tingle traveled throughout my whole being and even transcended to the beings of the other three. I heard the sigh in unison and I did too. I gathered her close and stood up. Murmurs and questions engulfed the place and I knew I messed up by moving inhumanly quickly. I looked towards my sire and he kept the same smile from earlier. “Ah, the agility of Aziah is utterly phenomenal, isn’t that so gentlemen?” everyone's attention was on my sire’s words and he carried on, “Please see to it she is given proper care, Aziah” I nodded and headed towards the exit. “She is tended to with the utmost regard, rest assured Salvi” hearing the words I look back towards the Italian siblings and nod at the concern they had marring their faces. The hospital first and then I will have to sort my thoughts all over again. Damn it all!