Page 76 of Crimson Shadows
She looks down at the bottle in her hands, then back up at me. “Did you see...?”
“Yes,” I admit. “I saw you open the bottle. How do you feel?”
Adelaide takes a deep breath, considering the question. “Different,” she says finally. “Stronger, somehow. More aware. Was this from you? What was in it, Zaiah?”
I sit down next to her on the bed, close enough to feel the warmth from her body that has dimmed a bit since the last time I was close to her. She is becoming more of a vampire and lessof a… I want to say human, but that can’t be right, can it? A Vesperidae in our midst is unexpected. There again, so is a djinn, so I guess we were meant for each other. “It’s called Essence of Awakening,” I explain. “It’s a very rare and powerful elixir that enhances latent magickal abilities. It only works on those who it deems worthy.”
“And you think I’m worthy?” Adelaide asks, her voice small and uncertain.
“Not me,” I say, touching the bottle. “Although I wouldn’t disagree with the elixir’s assessment.”
I take her hands in mine. The contact sends a jolt of electricity through me, our bond humming with energy. “Adelaide,” I say, my voice sincere, “you are more than worthy. You’re extraordinary. Your potential is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
She blushes, looking down at our joined hands. “I don’t feel extraordinary,” she mumbles. “I couldn’t even become House Captain.”
Ah, so that’s what upset her. I squeeze her hands gently. “Adelaide, look at me,” I say, waiting until she meets my gaze. “Being passed over for House Captain doesn’t define your worth or your abilities. You’ve accomplished so much in such a short time. You completed the scavenger hunt, didn’t you?”
She nods, a flicker of pride crossing her face. “Yeah, Zephyr and I found all the items.Hegot Captain, and I didn’t.”
“But who did in your place?”
She purses her lips and sighs in annoyance. “Corvus.”
“And you don’t think he deserves it?”
“No, it’s not that! But we won, me and Zephyr, and he got it, and I didn’t.” She blinks and then growls. “I realise I sound like a petulant child. Obviously, Corvus deserves it. He has been here longer, he has more experience, Christ, he has been a vampire his whole life!”
“So have you.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “No, I haven’t. Not really. And I’m not even a real vampire. Only half a one.”
“But a powerful half. The other side of you makes it so.”
Her gaze flies up to meet mine. “You know?”
“I think so.”
She leans into me slightly, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. We sit like that for a while, the silence comfortable and charged with unspoken feelings.
“Zaiah,” Adelaide says finally, her voice muffled against my chest. “What’s happening to me? With these powers, with us?”
I take a deep breath, considering how to answer. “Your Vesperidae nature is awakening,” I whisper. “The Essence of Awakening is accelerating the process, bringing your latent abilities to the surface. As for us...” I trail off, unsure how to put into words the complex tangle of emotions and mystical connections between us.
Adelaide pulls back slightly, looking up at me with those piercing eyes. “I feel drawn to you,” she admits. “To you, to Corvus, Ignatius, and Zephyr. It’s like there are threads connecting us, pulling us together. Is that normal?”
I chuckle softly. “Normal? No. But then again, nothing about you is normal, Adelaide. You’re special. Unique. The connection you feel is real. It’s a magical bond, one that’s incredibly rare.”
“But why?” she asks, frustration creeping into her voice. “Why me? Why us?”
I reach up, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The simple touch sends a shiver through both of us. “I don’t have all the answers,” I admit. “But I believe it’s because you’re meant for great things, Adelaide. And we - Corvus, Ignatius, Zephyr, and I - we’re meant to help you, to support you on your journey.”
She’s quiet for a moment, processing this. “It’s a lot,” she says finally. “Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in all of this - the magick, the expectations, these feelings.”
I pull her close again, resting my chin on top of her head. “I know,” I murmur. “But you’re not alone, Adelaide. I’m here for you.”
We stay like that for a long time, the warmth of our embrace keeping the chill of the night at bay. I can feel Adelaide relaxing against me, her earlier distress fading into a calm contentment that resonates through our bond.
“Zaiah,” she says after a while, her voice soft and sleepy. “Will you stay?”
