The Story of Amara Kuran | Mariah Bryant
Book One, Chapter Four
My Strength
He was outside the door, waiting for us. When we filed out of the door, he was unseen except to my vampiric senses. I kept my face and body calm, but I made sure that I angled myself between Mike and him. Once outside the door, I paused and closed my eyes. Then, I took off my sunglasses slowly and put them into my coat pocket.
"What is it?" Mike asked, nearly bumping into me from behind.
"Ah, Amara. How lovely to see you here!"
His voice was feminine and friendly. He spoke in Japanese. He was like an angel. I knew what he looked like before I opened my eyes.
"Botan. Your visits are quite interesting. Surely you did not stop by on accident?" I said quietly, opening my eyes slowly. Maybe, just maybe, the person I saw would not be who I suspected it was if I gave the person time before I saw him to change. My wishful thinking was in vain: it was in fact Botan I saw when I opened my eyes.
The girls popped their hips unconsciously and looked him over. The guys stared at the angelic creature, unable to piece together his beauty with his gender. Botan had blond hair and perfect sky-blue eyes. He smiled like a child.
"I am afraid not, Amara. The reason I am here is the reason you suspect. Yet, I do come bearing room for negotiation." he said.
All that my friends heard was a friendly, beautiful voice speaking in another language.
I knew him, and did not allow my hopes to rise. "Let me here it."
"I won't make your death painful if you let me drink from your friends, and you let me enjoy it." he smiled, speaking as if he was telling me about the weather. His eyes sparkled.
"I do not have a choice, do I?"
"Let us put it this way: if you act cruel, your death and theirs will be cruel. Do we understand each other?"
"I have nothing for you to understand." I said. He stared at me for a long moment, conveying a threat. I sighed. "I do understand you." I forced a beautiful smile, knowing it would please him.
He smiled in return. Then, he smiled at my friends.
"Translate for me, will you?" he asked. I nodded once, and he began to speak. "Greetings. I am Botan. I am a friend of Amara's, visiting from Japan. How do you do?" This I translated for my friends.
Mike watched my eyes cautiously. I tried my best to seem happy . . . and not to meet his eyes. Who knew what would happen if I did? This man whom I loved . . . I could only pray I would be able to save him.
The rest of the day, Botan conversed through me with my friends and there was nothing I could do to protect them. All I could do was be with them. They loved the man who wanted to kill them . . . to slaughter and devour them like animals. Then, the time came. He lured them behind the bathrooms and gave me a grin.
"Now is the time. Although you were very polite and kind today, I am afraid that killing you all painfully is my better choice."
Anger flared in me.
As quick as lightning, Botan grabbed Anna's arm and yanked her into his embrace. He tilted her head back; she was drunk with his scent and did not mind.
After being so numb and happy for so long, I questioned the new emotion that roared through my veins, making me breathe faster and my face become fearsome. I did not like it. Though it empowered me and took control of my senses, it was also like a gate breaking. I did not like the new, destructive power and freedom that I now possessed. Once I let it take control, I did not trust that I would be able to stop. Yet, it was the only part of me leading my body to violence, and that was the only way to save my friends . . . my new family.
I struck with great speed. In one swift move I pulled her away and kicked his feet out from under him. Before I could punch him into the ground (while he was still falling) he punched me – hard – and I flew into the wall. I hardly felt any pain, and was soon going after Botan again.
"I do not see your reasons." I told him.
"You don't?"
"I see your reasons for killing me, but not for being cruel like this. Vampyre hunters are not cruel, and do not torture their victims. Why are you?"
"I am not a vampyre hunter. I am an assassin for the vampyre council. You know that."
"Yes. But are we vampyres not supposed to be pacifists, like my brother?"
"Kuran is not the only leader. It is not fair that he gets to make all of the choices. He, actually, is on my list."
I laughed. "You think killing me will be easier than killing my big brother?"
At this point in our blurred fighting, I kicked Botan's head out of place. Still grinning with amusement, I paused to let Botan regain himself. He did – quickly – and frowned at me.
"Yes, actually. Your brother doesn't play with his opponents. He goes straight for the throat."
"Too bad that I am not him then, huh? My toying with your mind the way that I do must be mentally excruciating."
Botan smiled. "I think I am the one playing with you." Just then, he kicked me in the stomach with great force and I hit the wall much harder than before. Disoriented, I watched him zip over and take Mike into a prison-like hug. Mike, whose eyes were wide, cried out.
My heart stopped for a moment, and I let out a mix between a gasp and a sigh. Of course he could not be affected by Botan's power! I had all but claimed him for myself. Mike, in return, had all but announced that he did indeed belong to me. No brainwashing could affect him now, except for mine if I ever decided that it was necessary.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a blur of a person, and felt a burst of power. At this point, I was already flying through the air, screaming like a lioness. In midair I wrapped my arms around Mike and squeezed my hands between his body and Botan's arms. I pried him free before my actual body hit Mike, then I hugged him to me and used my foot slamming into Botan's arms to spin myself around so that I landed on my back and Mike was unscathed.
Awestruck, Mike slumped back on me, unsure of anything. His jaw hung open. In an instant, I was out from under him and launching myself at Botan.
Botan glared at me, but the rest of his body did not respond quite as quickly. I jarred his arms out of socket and yanked them upward behind his back. Then, I pulled back my hand and was about to plunge it straight through his back and into his chest cavity.
"Don't kill him!"
I looked up at my brother, my eyes glowing red and my fangs barred. "Why not?"
Mike gave a small gasp when he tried to sit up. He was hurt, and I was unsure of how badly but I could only guess. This made me even more furious.
Why had everything I ever loved been hurt? Why did the vampyre council insist on tearing me apart? WHY!
I screamed, and punched a hole through Botan's ribs. The warm guts inside of him were like pudding. As if I had experience, I located Botan's heart and ripped it out of him. Then, using the momentum of my hand flying out of his body, I spun and kicked his head straight off of his body.
I threw his heart to the ground.
I felt my brother's incredulous stare. Then, I felt the first wave of hunger pass over me.
"My sister . . ." my brother sighed. With sadness, he bowed his head and closed his dark red eyes.
A millisecond later, I heard Mike moan my name. All of my friends were now blinking away Botan's magic. They would be fine, but who knew if Mike would be? Ignoring everything else, I ran to Mike's side and dropped to my knees.
"What is it?" I asked frantically. Before I could be stopped by better reasoning I ran my hand through his wavy brown hair. My other hand I ever-so-lightly skimmed over his chest, feeling for damage. His thin T-shirt proved non-resistant, and I felt every rib with my super-sensitive fingertips. I let out a small laugh of relief.
"You will be fine. Your ribs are merely bruised." I smiled. "How are your shoulders?"
"Sore . . ." Mike winced as he spoke.
Shoulders were a little bit more difficult for me to inspect, so I closed my eyes and focused as my fingers gently probed his arms. I could sense gas leaking from his left shoulder socket, and irritation in his left upper arm bone. These things made me frown. Gently, I lifted his shoulder into its normal position, hoping it would make a difference. It was not out of socket. It merely had been popped, like when one cracks one's knuckles.
Mike let his head droop back onto the ground, and his eyes closed. He was attempting to calm himself down.
Then, Mike spoke softly.
"Vampire?"
I caught my breath. Everyone else except for Mike would not remember these past few moments. I could not bring myself to make him forget, however. I wanted him to know. I wanted him to be in my life, to know every aspect of me. From the tone of his voice I knew that he would know these things and not hate me for them. I sighed, tears pooling in my eyes. Yes, I would let Mike choose his fate in this one. (Though I knew it was not exactly his choice. . . .)
I caressed his cheek, which was pale with pain, lovingly. "Yes."
Mike responded with a sigh.
