“What?” Arianna replied. How could someone who sat in the back of the room know anything about her? They had only just first talked together two days ago. “Doubt it,” she added.
“You love chocolate, but only if it’s dark chocolate. You return home every day at 3:48 to help the cook chop vegetables for the evening meal. Your prized treasure is a small bracelet Lilly gave you that she told you came from your mother. On weekends you change clothes at least twice a day because you finally have freedom from your school uniform. You love daisies and hate roses. Should I go on?” he asked as her mouth dropped. He was correct. He knew her quite well. “Now, I promised you last night to give you answers after you had time to sleep. Do you have any questions?”
Arianna stared at him, unable to form a sentence. How could he know so much? Devin smiled and laughed at her confused face.
“I can leave then?” he asked as he stood up.
“No, wait,” she called, reaching over the bed and grabbing his arm. Devin sat down beside her. “Why do you know so much about me?”
“It’s my job,” he replied. “Like you believed about yourself, I have no family. I owe everything in my life to your grandfather. He took me in, gave me a home, and raised me. This is the only way I know how to pay him back: taking care of the most precious person to him in the world, his granddaughter.” Devin’s sincerity brought back her questions.
“What is a baku?” Arianna asked, remembering the word Gabriel used the night before. “Gabriel said I’m a purebred dearg-dul, and a purebred baku.”
“Like dearg-duls, baku are also night creatures that survive on blood. You met a group of them the first night I picked you up from Gabriel’s house. Those men with long white hair and pale skin were all baku,” Devin explained. “There are four types of night humans you will encounter: dearg-dul, lycan, baku, and tengu. You have met dearg-duls, as most of the people here last night were dearg-duls who are loyal to your grandfather. They are what you would call a vampire. Mixed in with the guests last night were also lycans, or what you’d picture as werewolves. Your uncle and cousin are both baku, a night human that’s like a vampire but can also feed on dreams and feelings. Tengu are more like lycan because they feed on meat as well as blood, but instead of being a bit on the furry side, they grow large wings that can support their body weight and allow them to fly. There were no baku or tengu at last night’s party. Night humans don’t get along too well.”
“Were my parents human like you?” Arianna wondered.
“No, your father was a baku and your mother a dearg-dul.”
“And that’s why my families don’t like each other?” Arianna asked.
“For hundreds of years, baku and dearg-duls have been fighting for control of the night. Lycans and tengu, which don’t necessarily need blood, but can eat raw meat to feed, each joined sides of the fight. Lycans allied themselves with dearg-dul and tengu with the baku, but it’s really just a fight between both baku and dearg-duls who need human blood to survive. Your grandfather is the leader of the dearg-duls. He had been leading the fight since he was a teenager against Gabriel, the leader of the baku.”
“My parents both came from different sides? Like Romeo and Juliet?” Arianna asked. Devin nodded. “And you are human. Do humans get involved in this also?”
“Mostly not by choice,” Devin replied.
“Why would my grandfather take a human child home to this strange life?” Arianna asked.
“Because my family was murdered by a baku as they slept. Whether I want to or not, I’m involved in this. Now, though, I’m here by choice,” Devin replied. “I can leave at any time if I wished. Your grandfather has told me, time and time again, he would get me out of here with a new identity and all, but I want to stay.”
“So, you were raised here amongst night humans?” Arianna asked.
“Yes, but as you will find, there are almost as many normal humans as night humans living here at your grandfather’s estate,” Devin replied.
“Then you can tell me about the blue eye legend,” Arianna deduced.
“All that I’m allowed to say is what you already know. When a person turns into the dearg-dul form, whether their eyes are blue, green, or brown, they all turn a reddish brown color when they transform. Your eyes do not.” Devin explained. “There’s a legend that goes along with finding a dearg-dul with blue eyes, but your grandfather has forbid us to tell you it. He doesn’t want you to feel added pressure to live up to some legend.” Arianna nodded. She could understand her grandfather’s reasoning, but she still wanted to know.