Chapter 20: part 2
Chapter 20: part 2
Mara’s Pov
The next morning, Silas led me to a shaded courtyard, where he began to unravel the mystery of my Aetherborn nature. “You’re not just a vampire,” he began, his voice steady as he sat across from me on a stone bench. “Aetherborn are extremely rare, born from a bond like ours—love so strong it ties you to the cosmos.” he paused and took a breath “Your power isn’t just strength or speed; it’s celestial” pausing again, taking in my reaction to this news “You can sense energies, manipulate them, maybe even touch the stars’ essence.” He gestured to the sky, where faint stars lingered in the dawn. “That’s why the void couldn’t hold you. You’re its opposite—a light born from sacrifice.”
My eyes widened, my fingers grazing the faint scar left on my arm, the void’s mark now a mere whisper. “So, what can I do? Throw starlight at bad guys?” I asked, half-joking, and rolling my eyes, but my voice held a tremor of awe.
Silas chuckled, but his expression grew serious. “It’s different for each Aetherborn. Some can sense life, disrupt dark energies, heal others, hear thoughts without a connection, sense the future” he paused for a long moment, as I waited with baited breath “I don’t know what yours is” he continued “But it takes time to master, and… blood.” He hesitated, watching me closely. “Human blood is the most potent. It’ll make your powers flourish, grow stronger.” he paused “we can eat food, as humans do, but it does not sustain us” he continued
My face tightened, and my stomach twisted at the thought. “Human blood? Silas, I can’t just… I’m not a monster.” my voice cracked, the marine in me warring with the vampire I’d become.
He took my hand, his grip firm but gentle. “You’re not a monster. There are ways—animal blood, for one. It’s enough to sustain you, but it won’t unlock your full potential. Human blood, willingly given, is what fuels Aetherborn power. It’s not about killing; it’s about connection, a sacrifice offered.” Silas paused “like how you offered me your blood willingly” a gentle smile touched his lips at the memory.
I shook my head, pulling away. “I don’t know if I can do that Silas, I’ve seen too much shit and fought too hard to keep my humanity intact.” I paused “what if I can never do that” I hung my head low, worry creeping in.
Silas nodded, his eyes soft with understanding. “Then we’ll start with hunting animals. You need to feed Mara, or you’ll weaken. Let’s try.” I agreed reluctantly.
Silas POV
I led Mara into the desert beyond the oasis, where the sun cast long, jagged shadows over the dunes, painting the sand in hues of gold and ash. The air was dry, sharp with the scent of baked earth, but my focus was on her—my Mara, her silver eyes gleaming with a celestial fire that still took my breath away. She was Aetherborn now, a rare creature of starlight and sacrifice, but the weight of her new nature pressed heavy on her heart. I taught her to track, guiding her to sense the frantic pulse of a jackrabbit’s heart, its life a faint, fluttering rhythm in the vast silence. “Feel it,” I said, my voice steady, watching her tense with her newfound speed, her movements fluid yet hesitant, like a blade caught mid-swing. “Let your senses lead.”
She struggled, her instincts sharp as a honed edge but her heart resisting, a marine’s stubborn humanity clashing with the vampire within. When she finally caught a rabbit, its warmth fading in her trembling hands, she froze. Her fangs bared, glinting in the fading light, but her silver eyes were clouded with conflict, a storm of guilt and resolve. “This feels wrong,” she whispered, dropping the animal, its limp form hitting the sand with a soft thud. The sight of her pain twisted something deep in my chest, a fierce ache to shield her from this struggle.
I knelt beside her, the sand warm beneath my knees, and kept my voice calm, a lifeline in her turmoil. “I understand how you feel, but remember, it’s survival, love. You’re not taking more than you need.” I gently urged, my hand resting on hers, feeling the faint tremor of her Aetherborn strength. “But human blood—it’s different. It’s not just food; it’s power, connection. You’ll need it, Mara, to face what’s coming, whatever the void left behind.” I hated pushing her, knowing how her marine’s code recoiled at the thought, but her Aetherborn power—tied to the stars themselves—demanded more than animal blood could give. The void’s shadow lingered, a faint scar in her soul, and I knew she’d need every ounce of her celestial strength to face it.
Mara looked at me, her silver eyes searching mine, raw with vulnerability. “And if I can’t? If I refuse?” Her voice was a quiet plea, and it struck me like a blade, her fear of losing herself a mirror to my own dread of losing her.
“Then we’ll make it work,” I said, pulling her into my arms, feeling the electric spark of her touch, her warmth a reminder of the woman I’d fight eternity for. “You’re my forever, Aetherborn or not. We’ll figure it out together, my love,” I whispered, my voice soft but firm, knowing the road ahead would test her in ways neither of us could predict. She was no weakling—her fire had burned through gods and void-spawn alike—but this battle, this grapple with her new nature, was hers to face. I believed in her, my marine, my star-born miracle.
Back at the mansion, we sat on the porch, the night sky ablaze with stars, their light a silent echo of her Aetherborn essence. Mara leaned against me, her head on my shoulder, the weight of her new reality settling like dust after a storm. “I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice soft, a rare crack in her armor. “Not of the void, but of losing myself.”
I kissed her forehead, turning her face to mine, her silver eyes catching the starlight. “You won’t. You’re the strongest damn person I know, marine. Aetherborn or human, you’re still Mara.” My words anchored her, a promise against the uncertainty, and I felt her relax, her trust a warmth that steadied my own heart. But as she gazed at the stars, feeling their distant call, I saw the faint shadow in her eyes—the void’s lingering mark, a whisper of trials yet to come. I held her closer, vowing to face whatever came, together, our bond a light no darkness could extinguish.