Chapter 130 - A taste of history

Zandras pov

"That was many descriptions, but yes, I live in Great Falls and have for a very long time...That I was Aayla’s best friend...that is an understatement. We were friends, absolutely, we were also sisters, we are sisters.”
“Aayla hated my father, to her core she hated him.”
“True, she did.”
“Do you?...Zandra the White witch, do you hate my father?” He looked at me, his gaze wasn’t cold, it wasn’t hard or threatening...not in a normal way. It was warm, caring and loving, not for my sake, but for his father.
“I did...for a very long time I did.”
“And now?”
“Tony, right?”
“Tony, short for Antonio, that’s right.”
“What do you know about your origins?”
“I know you had a part in it, without you I wouldn’t exist ...”
“I don’t know if that’s true, he probably would have found a way..but yes, I was the one way he chose...do you know how that happened?” Tony rolled his head a little, to loosen up tension in his neck, probably from watching over Ana.
“I’ll admit I don’t know every detail.”
“I could show you…but first I need your word that you’ll take it for what it is…history.” He chewed his bottom lip a little and wrestled with his thoughts. If his father hadn’t shared the true story with him, was it okay for him to find it himself? Or was it defiance? I rolled up armed on the blouse I was wearing. Sure, I could do this just by joining our brains, but that would give shattered images and feelings, not the whole story. Not all emotions that were required to understand it. He looked at me questioningly as I held out my arm.
“Drink...if you want to know, you drink.”
“Father would take my head if I drank from you.”
“Then it must be our secret...if you want to know where I come from, my history with your father, then you drink.” I could see the conflict in him, how he was torn between his greed to know and his loyalty to his father.
“Antonio..Tony...as you say, without me you wouldn’t exist, shouldn’t you show me some of the loyalty you show your father?” His eyes had a glossy coating when they met mine.
“Like a mother you mean?” I had never thought of it that way, had never seen them like that…vampires…the ones created with my sacrifice…my children? Or my curse?
“Yes...like a mother.” I looked into his eyes warmly. I didn’t mind the young handsome man in front of me, on the contrary, he was attractive, seemed to have a warm heart. He took my arm and his thumbs drew circles over my veins as he slowly brought it to his mouth.
“Between you and me then? If he finds out, will you protect me?”
“With my life, I promise!” He closed his eyes and I saw the glimpse of his fangs before they sunk into my flesh. I closed my eyes too, and as my blood left my body I followed it into his. My cells with all the history would show him what he needed to know.
“How do you feel?” It had been a few minutes since he let go of my arm, his eyes were still closed and the frown between his eyebrows a little deeper. He took a deep breath before finally opening his eyes.
“I’m sorry Zandra...I’m so sorry for what you had to go through to create us…” I smiled silently and looked at him.
“You don’t have to be sad, it was a long time ago...”
“True...however, that doesn’t make me calmer, I know now that you can’t have any love for my father...after what he did to you.”
“You know nothing...The gods mated us, I have many mixed feelings for your father.”
“Are you a threat to him?” His question was honest, he needed to know. I still held his hand so I pulled him closer and kissed his forehead. He looked lost and surprised when I looked at him.
“No, I’m no threat to your father…not anymore.” After sitting in silence for a while, I felt it was time I found out.
“Can you tell me about his behavior? As soon as we got here it was as if nothing but her existed.” He looked at me and smiled.
“She has that effect, it hurts me not to be in the same room as her...but for him it’s different.”
“How?”
“He is the one who turned her...Hrm..when we turn someone, a patronage awakens...it’s different each time but we feel responsible for the one we turned. My father...those who are turned by him. ..they do not become foot soldiers or weak creatures...no, they become strong, thirsty and faithful.” He looked me deep in the eyes before continuing.
“Zandra, I’m not turned, I’m born, yet I feel the strong bond to him, it physically hurts not to be in his light. A turned…a turned feels it ten times over. But so does he . When he turn someone...his parental instincts kick in...the person in question is all that matters, in this case Ana. She is his creation, his daughter...he will protect her with his life.”
“But has he not turned thousands? Has he gone through this every time?”
“No, he hasn’t turned everyone, not after the first generation…Me and the rest of his trueborn and his other generals have. Now he has a true daughter, not as true as me but you know what I mean… “ He winked
“How long before she wakes up?”
“It varies, but should happen soon, within the next 24 hours.”
“So it could happen during the attack?”
“Yes, very likely.”
“Will he feel it? Will he know when she wakes up I mean?”
“Yes, he will know when she takes her first breath as his daughter.” My vision from the night replayed in my head, combined with Tony’s information it set the stage for my decision .
Claus finally brought our drinks. Tony got a goblet of what I assumed was blood, but I didn’t ask. I myself got a glass of cool iced tea. I would have liked it to have some kind of alcohol in it but it was after all, not even lunch. After we finished our glasses I looked at Tony. He still looked worried but he didn’t say anything.
“I’d like to go back to him now…if that’s okay?” He nodded slowly before he stood up and held out his hand, I took it and together we walked down the hall, back to Ana’s room.We stopped before we reached the door and Tony looked at me.
“You understand what happened right?”
“No, not really…”
“My father hasn’t turned anyone in a very long time…and the process when we turn someone is complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
“It’s like any birth I guess, though not . In this case..I don’t think...or rather, I know he didn’t go out to turn someone, this woman must have had something that made him take this step, but when my father takes the step... then it is for the right reason.”
“Is that why he’s acting so...odd?”
“Well, I guess you could describe it that way. Let’s put it this way, if someone, anyone, even you or I were to walk into that room and pose the slightest threat to his new daughter...it doesn’t matter who you are, son or mate, he would tear you to pieces without blinking.”
“That’s enough Tony.” None of us had heard him coming, but there he was. His gaze rested on me, watching me, as if to see how the information I had just received affected me.
“Zandra, do you want to join me?” He held out his hand and silently I took it and followed him back into the room. Ana was still lying still with her eyes closed, nothing had changed except for Ambrogio. He was still tense but seemed a little calmer.
“It’s like he says…pretty much.”
“You mean the instinct to protect her?”
“Yes...she is my creation, of my blood...my blood is working in her as we speak, I can feel it, how it builds her, transforms her.” He bent down and kissed her forehead.
“When will she wake up?”
“Within the next 24 hours I would think.”
“Does that mean you won’t take part in the attack on the Sons?” A little hope lit up inside me when I realized the second possibility that my vision could change.
“I’ll join in, with any luck I’ll be back here before she wakes up.” As quickly as I felt the hope ignite, it disappeared.
“Then you need to rest, this is the time you usually do it, am I right?” My thoughts went to the times his dreams reached me, it was daytime.
“You’re always right Zandra...”
“So, come... Let me follow you back.” I took his hand and he followed albeit a little reluctantly, unwilling to leave his daughter’s side.