“I can’t feed on you guys right now,” Arianna said quietly, as Devin returned inside also.
“Then just tell them you refuse to eat,” Devin added. “It’s not like you haven’t done that before.” He winked at her, and she finally smiled. “No one can make you do something if you don’t want to. Didn’t you hear Rafael? You’re the strongest baku around. You need to follow your instincts.” Arianna smiled and took his outstretched hand. With both of her protectors on either side of her, she walked back outside.
“Finally joining us?” Gabriel asked, noticing that she was warily looking over at the sleeping ten-year-old. “It’s time for you to complete your transformation.”
Arianna looked down at the child. With each beat of her sleeping heart, she looked more and more delicious. The blood flowing around inside the child pulled her closer. Arianna drew near and paused as she looked at the child’s face. Dark ringlets circled her round face. Even one drink would probably kill the child. Arianna reached underneath the child as the audience hushed. Pulling her from the sleeping mist, the child began to stir, and all that was enticing Arianna vanished. The child groggily rubbed her eyes as Arianna walked into the crowd. Near the middle of the crowd, a dark haired couple with their teenage son stared at her. She walked over and handed the child to her father.
“A child is the most valuable thing you will ever see. Keep track of her,” Arianna said, turning to walk back.
“Thank you,” the mother whimpered.
“But our debt,” the dark-haired teenager beside her complained. The father grabbed his arm, and he stopped talking.
The crowd began to whisper. No one had ever refused their sacrifice before.
“Without blood, the transformation won’t be complete,” Gabriel explained as Arianna stepped on the stage. Arianna shrugged.
“That means I need to drink some blood?” Arianna asked, and Gabriel nodded. Arianna’s baku form faded. “I can take blood whenever I want. I fed earlier today. I feel fine right now.”
“But you won’t if you keep avoiding drinking blood,” Gabriel replied.
“I’ll feed when I get home,” Arianna replied, reaching for her uncle’s hand. ‘It’s not safe to feed on either Devin or Turner, as they need to protect me with someone hostile around.’
Gabriel looked down at her hand, which wasn’t making a direct blood connection. ‘That is true. When did you figure out how to do this?’ he asked. ‘Only high-level baku can talk through blood without a direct connection.’
‘Aren’t I a high-level baku?’ Arianna teased.
‘I meant a highly trained baku,’ Gabriel replied. ‘And you do need blood. The baku transformation probably used up most of your blood from this morning, and that’s why it wasn’t painful to transform. If you keep denying what you are, you will get hungry, and then it won’t matter who it is. If they have blood, you will attack them.’
Arianna let go of her uncle’s hand and looked at the crowd. She didn’t want to be the monster everyone feared, but most of the people were beginning to look tasty. Arianna turned back to Turner.
“I think we should leave,” she added to him. He nodded and offered his hand to her. Turner led her back inside the house with Gabriel right behind.
“If she needs to feed, we need to leave,” Devin explained. Gabriel nodded. “I’m sorry for our quick exit, but we need to protect her most of all.” Gabriel agreed. Devin led the way through the house to the front door. “Please explain to your guests she’s not trying to be rude, but there are two sides of her that need to be taken care of. If you arrange everything with uncle, she will be present at all the baku functions required of the family.” Devin moved to open the door but stopped. Andrew was standing in front of the door.
“If you need a little snack, you can have my blood,” he offered. Arianna turned red, remembering their meeting inside. He just calmly smiled and turned his wrist up towards her. “In my human form it’s not as strong as pure baku blood,” Andrew turned to answer Devin’s unspoken question. “And don’t worry, puppy, I’m not trying to drug her.” A slight growl escaped Turner’s mouth. “It would be extremely rude to leave now, before meeting the people you are going to have to spend your life protecting.” Andrew smiled up at Gabriel as his last remark was directed more towards him than Arianna. Arianna closed her eyes and felt the rush of his blood through his body. As much as she wanted to deny the fact, she was, indeed, hungry for blood. Her dearg-dul form flickered before she returned to being human.