Page 1 of Tempted
Prologue
Ihavepulledyouall, the mortals of my choosing, from many places of this world. From wetlands to dry deserts, and everything in between—bringing you here to become united. Together you’ll be one tribe to grace this earth and bless those amongst it with powers of the earth, water, air, and fires of the sun and moon. You will be warriors of grace and acceptance. Fiercely loyal and strong. Going forth, you will be taller in height, wider in build, stronger in heart, and wiser in mind. I grant you this blessing, here and now. On the night of the next full moon you shall complete your bonds and you will find that you’ve been given the gift of a son. May your firstborn child be strong and powerful. May they be gifted in the ways of the heavens and bless this world you’re sought to protect. All your future children shall be one with the earth, privileged to become a caretaker of the elements that call to them and pass their fortune along each of those that continue throughout your bloodlines. However, none of them will reach the peak of their full power until they’ve reached their eighteenth trip around the sun. You are destined to be the keepers of this land now and always. You will work with the other chosen families to keep this earth safe for all it is to become. I warn you now, should any of you attempt to obtain more power than you’re given, all will be doomed. Work together selflessly and faithfully. For that is where you’ll find your truest blessing of all. And remember to trust in your blessing, even if it doesn’t look the same as thy neighbors.
A long, long time ago there were seven families brought together by the goddess Toci. They came together from all walks of life to live as one, becoming the head council amongst the people of Santa Catalina Island. It is said that the goddess blessed these families with unique traits that allowed each first born son to obtain their own blessings. Not only those of the elements, but also that of mind, body, heart, soul, enchantment, and lastly that of sight.
It is believed that the first family was that of Toci’s own bloodline, making them unique in ways no one really ever fully understood. When they followed Toci’s commands, they had in fact been gifted a child. However, they wondered if they were rather cursed instead. For how could they be the descendants of Toci herself, the goddess of healing, patron of midwives, and not conceive the firstborn son the other six families had been blessed with?
It is said that they had begged and pleaded for answers, trying desperately to keep faith in the goddess in which they shared their very own blood. She was the reason for their existence at all, so surely there was a reason their first born had been a female…
Chapter One
Felix
“Iunderstand,mother,” I snap, annoyed that I’m being lectured once again despite already having had this conversation at least five times in the months leading up to me leaving for Catalina Island. I’ll likely pay for using that tone, but damn. I’ve barely made it off the ferry.
And here I thought I’d finally be rid of the unrelenting ridicule. How silly of me.
My hand tightens in anger, white knuckling around the little buggy cart door as I refrain from slamming it. I offer the cyclist a tight smile and small wave as I close the door carefully making a mental note to add a big tip onto his payment in the rideshare app I used. After all it’s not his fault my mother is a raging bitch who makes me want to scream like some sort of manic lunatic and he certainly didn’t deserve to be subjected to the same painful experience I’m currently living.
“Do you, now?” her cool tone reaches through our conference call and I take a deep breath to keep myself from snarking at her about not being an idiot.
You are an adult. You are capable of rising above. It is unbecoming to throw temper tantrums like a toddler…
My reminders to myself only help so much, but I can’t avoid responding forever I suppose.
“As you know, this is not our first conversation on the matter,” I reply, keeping my voice as calm as I can, simultaneously wishing my dad would jump in to defend me for once in my miserable eighteen years of life.
I guess, the fact that my dad is also on this call is astounding in and of itself, seeing as he’s always too busy with this or that. He hasn’t even bothered to say more than three words the whole time our call has been connected, only bothering to respond to my mother with a curt, “yes, I’m here” when she’d asked, only to go silent for the remainder of the call.
There you have it folks, the world’s biggest joke—the thought of my parents actually deigning to pay attention to their only daughter for something other than to criticize or belittle her. I take a second to justify his lack of intervention, knowing he’s especially busy right now thanks to my mother’s recent findings in Mexico. It was enough to warrant a new exhibit in his museum about the Mayans which basically gave him a hard on unlike anything he’s ever known.
Gross analogy being that he’s my father, but no less true.
He’s obsessed with Mayan history. Legitimately, unapologetically consumed with all things related to their lives, culture, and history. He also happens to believe we’re of Mayan descent. He has a working theory from the tales of our family. According to the legends of our past, we’ve spent centuries constantly changing our name throughout time to remain hidden from the evil that’s hunted our bloodline down over the course of the last several hundred years. “There’s magic in our blood,” he used to say to me as a little girl, making me truly believe I was a halfblooded Mayan princess that could conquer the world once upon a time.
Back then, it helped me feel connected to something in a world where my dark hair, dark eyes and tanned skin didn’t match my blonde haired, blue eyed, porcelain skinned mother. Nor did I fit in with the girls who were in my classes at whatever prestigious, overpriced academy I’d been attending at the time. Eventually my parents pulled me from the multitude of academies I’d attended, opting for private tutors instead so I could travel with them on their work trips. At least that’s what they told people—God forbid my mom appear as the absentee parent she truly is to the world.
Honestly though, I think it went deeper than that, even. I think she was ashamed of not having a popular daughter. Especially when I hadn’t met the standard for normal societal beauty constructs. It hadn’t taken me long to work it out. The small digs at my hair or my clothes became more frequent. Her blatant disgust at how poorly I failed my etiquette classes, even though I was still well mannered and did everything I was told. Apparently the knowledge obtained of the inner workings of a shrimp fork meant more than I’ve ever been able to comprehend at the whopping age of seven.
Little did I know then, I’m no princess and there’s no magic living anywhere inside of me. I can’t even conquer the disappointment I breed within my own family, let alone take on the evil that roams the earth. I think I’ll stick with keeping to myself and getting lost to the history buried beneath the surface of rock, soil, and clay.
“Don’t take that tone with me, young lady. You may be off on your own now, but I still pay your way. You’re attendingmylegacy and will be learning frommycolleague. The last thing I need is for you to get some fantastical hairbrained idea in your head and embarrass me in front of Dr. Carmichael. As you know, Winston is a good friend and has agreed to work with you to ensure you get ahead. PhD’s don’t come easy and they don’t happen when you live in fantasy land with fairytales of magic and other such nonsense,” she scolds me, pulling me away from my inner musings and wishing my dad would stand up to her for once. I know he loves me, but sometimes I wonder if he loves his job more. It’s clear mother does.
“I’m taking this seriously,” I argue earnestly. “I’ve been working my ass off since my elementary grades.”
“Watch your tone! This is your last warning. You’ll not speak so foully toward me. I’ve given you everything,” she reprimands, causing me to grind my teeth in frustration. All she’s ever done is give me a rotating door of nannies and a crippling anxiety for fear of not living up to her standards.
“I know how important it is to live up to your academic standard, mother. I won’t disappoint you at your alma mater,” I grind out, desperate to get off this phone call.
I’m just standing here on the walkway like a nutjob, hoping no one walks by as I get treated like a child throwing the very tantrum I’ve refused to let loose. “You’ve barely allowed me time to get off the ferry, let alone settle in. I have two whole weeks before classes even start, and I’ve already completed all of the pre-assessments and prerequisite reading for each of my classes. I’ll make sure to learn the island and campus this week. I promise, within a matter of seven days people will assume I’m a native to the island and grown up on campus. I won’t disappoint you or father.”
“Is that so? Do you think I don’t know how you’re dressed right now? How you left the house to go to the airport?” She questions haughtily, making me roll my eyes in response as I look down at my outfit.
Truth be told, Ididn’tthink she’d know since she couldn’t bother making an appearance to wish her only child well as she sends her off to University. No, not my mom. The prestigious Dr. Grace Reichmann. A woman so independently affluent, she refused to take her husband’s poor commoner surname. My dad is wealthy in his own right but Jackson is apparently not fancy enough of a surname to appease the snobbish side of my mother or her family. It’s a wonder she even married him in the first place. God forbid she shares a name with my father and me.
“I dressed for travel, mother. No one wants to haul luggage from place to place, sitting uncomfortably in a pantsuit as they’re shuffled from planes, to boats, to trolley cars and bicycle buggies. Besides, don’t you think it’s a little dramatic to sneer at shorts and a t-shirt? I’m starting freshman college courses, not arguing my doctorate thesis, or applying for a job. It’s expected to dress casually as I move and engage socially with the people on the island,” I argue, picking at my plain black t-shirt and denim shorts.
“You should be dressed for success no matter what you’re doing or where you’re at. As my daughter, you’ll be well known amongst the faculty and I’d appreciate you living up to the legacy mapped out for you.”
