Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,90
hell is Iabartu?”
I took a deep breath and answered. “She’s a demi-god. She’s the blue bitch who Alex scryed and who killed John. She’s the…thing that sent through the terrametus and the ispolin. She’s looking for me because she wants my blood.”
“But why your blood?” He looked frustrated and his fist tightened on the paper. ‘What does this mean?”
Alex took it from him and glanced at him with a serious, warning look. “Mackenzie is one eighth Draco Wyr. She has dragon blood in her veins. It’s what makes her stronger and what fuels the bloodfire. It’s also why she can do things that most humans can’t. It’s diluted enough by her human side that no-one can detect it unless they go looking specifically for it.” He waved the paper in the air. “Which your alpha obviously did.” Alex looked back at me. “You’re still human, Mack Attack. It’s only a fraction of you, and it’s not your fault. It’s not as if you could control it.”
“I should have known,” I said dully. “You worked out within just a couple of days that I couldn’t be fully human. I’ve lived with this for my whole life. Even though I realised that the bloodfire was strange, I didn’t try to work out why I had it. I just pretended that it was normal. And it got John killed.”
“But he knew, Mack.” Alex’s voice was soft and insistent. “He knew and he didn’t tell you.”
My eyes blazed and I growled. “Are you trying to suggest that it’s his fault that he was killed?”
He sighed and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. “No. What I’m saying is that he was trying to protect you. He was your alpha and your guardian, and keeping you safe was his job. If he’d thought it was something you’d needed to know, he would have brought it up. But he didn’t. Remember what you told me about him trying to break the geas when you originally arrived? If he’d had this letter and he knew your mother then he must have made that part up to keep your identity secret even from yourself. Everything you’ve told me suggests that he loved you like a daughter; that it didn’t matter to him that you have the fire of the Draco Wyr in your veins, but it did matter that you were safe. He knew what he was doing.”
I sank back down in my chair. “If he knew what he was doing, then why is he dead?”
Nobody answered. After a moment, Tom cleared his throat. “So, this Iabartu half god woman. Why does she want your blood?”
Alex answered for me. “Draco Wyr haven’t been seen for centuries.” I looked at him, startled. He shrugged at me. “You’re not the only one who can do research, Mack Attack. Anyway, as I was saying there’s not been sight or sound of them for longer than even the Fae could remember. Not just on this plane but on any plane. Most people think they didn’t ever really exist in the first place. The stories say, though, that their blood is strong enough to bring down an army. Or to cure the most terrible afflictions imaginable. It depends on how it’s used. Even though Mack is only an eighth Wyr, there is still power there.”
“And Iabartu must need it to kill and destroy or because she wants to open up a pharmacy.” My fire was still flickering but I knew with cold certainty what I needed to do. “Tom, I need you to hide these papers. It’s still enough to hurt the pack if the Brethren find them.”
“But it means you’re not human!” He exclaimed with sudden realization. “They won’t do anything because now we’re not breaking the Way.”
He could be really naïve sometimes. “And until now we all thought I was completely human so whether we did break the Way or not, we had the intention of doing so.”
Alex frowned. “And the dragon blood is only a fraction of you. In essence, Mack Attack, you are still human.”
Whatever. The point was moot as far as the Brethren were concerned. But I looked steadily at Tom and gestured expansively. “You see? Corrigan still can’t find this out. Please, Tom. Find somewhere to hide this stuff.” I gently touched the letter quietly saying, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen my mother’s handwriting. It’s proof that she might still be alive, still exist somewhere. I don’t want to lose it.”