Chapter 77: Power

The leader orc sat down next to me. A drink appeared in front of me. It seemed like one of the red fruity cocktails. I didn't really have a preference, so that was fine. A glass of something dark and tall showed up in front of him.
"What just happened?" I asked.
He gave me a sideways look. "What do you think just happened?"
"I think everyone in this room just got high off of me."
He chuckled, well probably. It sounded like a rolling growl. He took a long drink, then set it down purposefully and turned to me. "It's a little bit more than that. You just succeeded Matei."
"Succeeded? No, wait, no, no, no. I'm not in charge of anyone. I'm not a leader." I waved my hands in front of him as if warding off the responsibility.
"Kira..."
"I'm not Kira."
He frowned. "The sister then? The one that propositioned me?"
I shook my head. My face turned a little red at the memory of Lanie fighting with the orc. I hadn't realized it was the same guy. I didn't want to say they all looked alike, that would make me feel speiciest, but I really couldn't tell. "I'm... both. I'm just one person."
His forehead wrinkled further. "Then what is your name?"
"I... I don't have one yet."
"It's going to be very hard getting your jacket embroidered without a name."
"Then you probably just shouldn't. I don't want this. I don't want to be the queen of the bikers or whatever is going on here."
"You don't want to be the alternative. At least in this gang, we treat our beloved as royalty. In some harems, they are only slaves."
"Beloved? Harem?" I cringed as I looked out over the love-struck people in the room. Anton still sat tied in the chair, looking resigned to being the centerpiece. "I have to have sex with all these men?" My voice sounded a little incredulous.
He shook his head. "No. Just share your power with them. You don't need to have sex with them. That is up to you. But they will treat you like a queen. We respect our beloved in this gang."
"What did Matei do with them?" I asked.
He looked out over the crowd. "Mostly, he looked after us. People do best with a purpose, and he supplied us with that. When he was gone... we struggled. Not only were we deprived of his love, but also his leadership."
"I don't think I can fill those shoes."
"You don't have to. All we need is your power, but..." He took another drink. "They will do anything you ask."
"I can't be a leader. I can barely take care of myself, let alone Anton. I work double shifts and night shifts just to pay rent. I have no real career. My car is breaking down. My life is a complete mess, and now you're asking me to run a biker gang?"
"Maybe you seek purpose."
I was quiet awhile. I sipped at my drink. I couldn't even get my brain to start thinking over this new situation. I was too busy pushing the power around inside me. I was mentally creating wells and filling them with power. I was doing anything I could not feel so full.
"Who are you searching for?" He asked suddenly. He didn't look at me, only stared across the bar at the female bartender.
"Just a guy I know."
"We could help you find him. We can give you a place to stay and fix your car."
"Why would you do all that?"
He turned to me. "I don't think you understand how much we need you."
I glanced over at Anton. "But you have him. He has the same father. He must have the same power."
He shook his head. "We tried when you ran off. He may have the same father, but he doesn't seem to have the power or know how to use it. He's not even outside the Veil. He's useless."
I looked over at Anton. I felt the same way. He had only made my life more challenging. I did feel a sense of responsibility for him, though. I shouldn't, but I did. He'd never done a thing for me.
"Give it a try, at least. We won't hurt you."
"Like you did before? Like you hunted me down continuously and beat the shit out of me. How am I supposed to trust you?"
He hung his head. "I'm sorry. The withdrawal was making us scared and crazy. We only knew you were the last to see him. We had to find him. We couldn't sense him anymore. All we could sense was you. And now that makes sense. I promise you; you will have complete control over us."
I stood up. I was getting frustrated. "I don't want control. I don't want power."
He looked at me, unphased by my sudden anger. "What do you want, then?"
I felt the steam leave my sails, and I sat heavily. "I don't know."
"Then why not attempt it. Think of it as helping each other out. You humans like that stuff."
I sat in silence, sipping at my drink. I wasn't sure what to do. The Lanie inside of me said go for it, it was more tools to get things done, but the Kira inside of me was so scared of making the wrong move. What did this mean for the future? How could I get out of this if it went south? The battle inside of me raged on.
Finally, I turned to the orc. "What's your name?" I asked.
"Liam," he said.
I stuck my hand out in a handshake. "Alright, Liam, I accept."
He accepted my hand in his cold iron grip. A big toothy grin spread across his face. "Deal, Beloved."
He pulled me around in front of him while he faced the crowd. "Listen up!" He roared.
The noise died around us. The music stopped. I stared out across a sea of faces.
"Our beloved has agreed to join us. Clear out Matei's things. Empty her apartment and bring all of her and her brother's things here. Make her feel welcome and at home." He lifted a finger. "And do not break any of her things, or I will break yours."
The crowd cheered. I could feel my face turning red. What had I just gotten myself into?