Page 59 of Tainted Gifts
The doors blow open, interrupting him as my mother stalks in while holding the hand of her full blood. Everyone turns to gape at her bold entrance, and I bury my head in my hands. Unbelievable.
She was supposed to sneak in unnoticed. I should've known better than to think Araya Crush could use such discretion.
"How about I take a shot at it before you do something stupid like resign and leave the United in the hands of someone who'd be willing to kill a bunch of kids just to appease a nation of cowards," she barks, her eyes fearlessly scolding everyone in the room for the verdict she must have heard from somewhere else.
Jase motions to the podium, offering his approval. "By all means."
Everyone cowers down from her disgusted glare. Uncle Brazen comes toward me, followed by Rex, Melania, Uncle Grayson, and Aunt Angelica. Aunt Angelica pauses to pull Simone by the arm, leading her over to join us, and making me tense.
Kellan's eyes find hers momentarily, but I ignore it. I should be jealous, fuming mad, but I'm not. Not like I would be if it was Jase.
I look away, focusing my eyes on Jase as he too comes to join us. Uncle Brazen's hand comes to rest on my shoulder, and I eagerly await the relief his full blood touch should bring. Waves of confusion and disappointment reach me when his touch does nothing to affect the aching pain in my head.
It makes no sense. Jase's touch is like medicine. Uncle Brazen is a full blood too. I should be feeling the same relief.
Jase shifts down the row of seats we're in, and a woman scoots over to offer him the other seat beside me. Kellan huffs, but he doesn't say anything. I think he feels my disconnect from him. I'm trying, but I just don't feel it. If we're counters, shouldn't it be easier? I shouldn't have to work so hard to feel something.
Jase's hand finds mine, making Kellan's eyes burn with fury, but I ignore the fuming hybrid and cling to the full blood who washes me clean of the pain I feel.
"So Brazen's touch doesn't work?" he whispers, a faint smile trying to play on his lips.
Apparently not. Yours does though. Thank you.
He smiles bigger, covering it with his free hand when it grows too big for him to suppress. Considering the circumstances, he'd look a little odd smiling.
He wraps his arm around my back, pulling me into his chill. I instantly feel my body temperature lowering, offering me a reprieve from the vicious heat.
Kellan stands, going to join Simone at her side as though that's going to spark a jealous bone in my body. I don't care. I wish he wasn't my counter. The draw isn't strong like it was... it was never as strong as the draw to Jase - not even close.
"Stop thinking or I'm going to do something stupid like kiss you," Jase whispers to only me, managing to even escape the ears of the emergent hybrid just behind me.
I squirm, remembering my mind doesn't have a filter.
Sorry. I can't help it.
He smiles, delighting in my thoughts about him. I just feel guilty because it's only keeping him from finding someone he can love.
He squeezes my shoulder with his hand, his way of scolding me, and I lean into him more, resting my head on his shoulder as my mother speaks.
"It's unlikely there's a person here who doesn't know who I am, so let's cut to the chase. Let's start with a little history, shall we?
"So, so many centuries ago, humans created a virus they thought would build a better army - men who wouldn't die so easily while in combat. After several disasters, desperation pushed the madmen to only work harder, make the virus as strong as possible. Each failed attempt proved more hopeless when the virus killed the men instantly instead of changing them. But alas, perseverance finally paid off, and the first full blood was created.
"Others who weren't so desperate weren't as excited as the few who had created this new being, one full of strength and amazing abilities. They hadn't foreseen the allergy they would have to the sun, therefore ruining their indestructible vision. They also didn't plan on the blood thirst that would follow their science. It became wild, crazy, out of control even.
"One full blood took down an army of humans, and then he smelled their blood, craved it, had to have it. In a matter of days, he had infected thousands. Wide spread hysteria broke free, and humans fled, fought, and then they fought even harder, learning the weaknesses the immortals suffered - sunlight and uranium.
"Why bring this up? It's simple. We were created out of panic. Then we were killed out of panic. Humans obliterated so much of their world by trying to kill the very thing they created out of fear. They didn't seek a way to alleviate the blood thirst, they only sought to destroy. It wasn't until much later we learned to dilute the blood, something that could have saved the feud spawned by predator and prey.
"Following the creation of the full bloods was the birth of the hybrids. Full bloods feared hybrids, a fear that stayed in place for centuries. We learned it was safer to inject the virus with the bite rather than a syringe. There's no such thing as a condom strong enough to withstand our sex, and there was once no such thing as birth control, so most of the time, a blood fuck between a human and a full blood resulted in a hybrid child, if the human survived the sex, that is."
Everyone snickers lightly, except for the few humans in the room. I wouldn't find it so funny either if I was them.
My full blood is definitely strong enough to break a human. I almost throb just thinking about it.
"Stop," Jase cautions, chuckling lightly.
I smirk as Mom continues, my smile falling fast when I hear what she has to say.
