"It's a tournament of champions. Each night human clan can enter one person to fight for you except the clan you belong to. By not arranging a marriage before your seventeenth year, they forfeit the chance to marry you." Arianna looked down at her hand, only an inch away from his; she hadn't noticed her hand drift over to Devin and neither had he. He continued talking. "So twelve men then fight through a series of challenges where several are eliminated each time. At the end, it comes down to individual duels and challenges. The family who wasn't represented, your family, will decide on all the challenges since they don't have anyone at stake."

"Who is my family then? I'm both dearg-dul and baku?" Their fingers were intertwined. It was more familiar to sit touching him than not when they were alone. Something about his energy kept her grounded.

"If we need to decide, we will say that since you turned dearg-dul first that's your clan, that way we can enter a certain baku if needed." Devin looked down at their hands. It was nice to be able to touch her.

"You have this planned out?" Arianna asked in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me that this would happen?"

"I have lots of things planned out, and several plans for every scenario. There's so much in this world you don't know. So much I wanted to shield you from. Your life is hard enough without your parents or grandfather around to help you; you don't need any more than the clans have been busy throwing at you. Therefore, yes, I have it all planned out." Devin stroked his thumb across the fingers intertwined with his, making Arianna remember they were holding hands. Quickly she pulled her hand back.

"And now that I went out to rescue that night human, we'll have to deal with this?" Arianna was causing him more pain every time she turned around. It was his fault to for not telling her, but Arianna couldn't help but feel responsible.

"No, we would've had to eventually. There was no way that I was going to tell you that you needed to be married by your birthday this year. Now it won't matter if you get married or not. The clans will all object and say that it's not legitimate. The clans are a problem because I didn't want to make you have a harder life than you already did. Just imagine how you would have felt if I said you had to choose a husband by your birthday; you wouldn't have seen Andrew the way you do now." Pity, not jealously, was shooting through him. Arianna felt his longing to go back and change the past.

"And what is in the closed door?" Arianna asked. She moved over to him to lay her head on his shoulder so that he wouldn't have to look into her face when he answered.

"Go see for yourself. It's closed, but not locked," Devin explained. He couldn't put into words the memories behind the door. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but she would have to go see it herself.

Arianna leaned back into his mind and let his warmth encircle her. Devin had always made her feel safe and content. Even with all the emotion she felt for Andrew, Arianna still felt comfortable with Devin. Everything was back in its room but the doors were all open except for the last door. Arianna pushed her way through the few remaining memories, trying her best to not stop and look at them. Devin was a mystery to her, and here he was, finally completely open. Whatever she wanted to know, he would tell her now. Arianna approached the closed door. Devin was correct; it was unlocked. Arianna hesitantly reached and pushed it open. Memories began to tumble out by the hundreds. Arianna froze, unsure what to do as they just continued to keep coming.

'Look at them,' Devin urged in his mind. It sounded like his words surrounded her.

Arianna looked around at all the bubbles. They easily filled the open room on their own even though his other memories were contained in their own rooms. She watched as more pa.s.sed by, tumbling out. Her face was everywhere. She could see an image of herself in each pa.s.sing bubble, from her childhood up to now. Each bubble was a memory about her. As they finally slowed down, Arianna felt it all around her: love. Intense, overwhelming love surrounded her in all of these memories.

'This is the door I open when we're alone,' Devin explained as if he were standing beside her now. 'I can't let any of this cloud my judgment to keep you safe, but when we're alone, this is what I feel.'

Arianna pulled out of his mind and quickly turned around. Devin was seated, and she was eye-to-eye with him on her knees. His crystal blue eyes gazed at her. He didn't move or say a thing. She could just feel it. It almost felt like it did with Andrew, but without her night human senses, it was hard to tell. He felt it too. Devin reached over and brushed her cheek, sending tickles down to her toes. He slowly leaned forward.

"Wait," Arianna said as he was just inches from her.

Arianna turned into her dearg-dul night human form. It had been awhile since she had been just a dearg-dul, but it was still familiar. Arianna was a mutant night human, but if she chose, she could take on dearg-dul, baku, or her combined form. Devin waited where he had been, a mere inch from her face. Arianna watched as the edges of her dearg-dul form came into focus until she saw it. Her night human essence was doing the same thing to Devin that it did with Andrew. Arianna stared in shock. Devin used the paused moment to his advantage as he finally leaned forward and kissed her.

Arianna felt his lips before they even met hers. Her mind wanted to protest, but her body knew everything after spending the past year, almost every waking moment, beside him. Devin reached forward and pulled her to him. His kiss was softer than Andrew's, and his hands more callused, but there was no denying that it was the same feeling moving her heart. She loved Devin as much as she loved Andrew. Life just got more complicated than Arianna wanted to admit.

"What does that mean?" Arianna complained, pulling back. Her night human form couldn't have chosen two mates.

"Your dearg-dul has always wanted me. Your grandfather told me that last year when we brought you home. That's why you didn't kill me when you turned," Devin explained, gently stroking her face. "The only way a human can survive being a sacrifice for a newly-turned night human is if they are bound already."

"Then with Andrew..." she started again, confused.

"And your baku wants him," Devin replied, still holding her close. Arianna felt the regret. It wasn't jealously or anger now, just regret.

"And Turner backed off because he could see this?" Arianna finally had her answer.

"Mmm hmmm," Devin replied, leaning in to kiss her again.

Loving two very different people was difficult and wrong.

"No buts," Devin replied, pulling her back onto his lap. "I only have one last moment with you before we have to be downstairs. At least let me enjoy it." Arianna wanted to ask why but gave in anyways. She was enjoying the moment too. The dearg-dul part of her was completely satisfied in his arms, even if her baku side was screaming no.

"I'll love you forever Arianna, but you need to be with Andrew," Devin said as he slowly pulled away. "I don't want to be making a choice for you, but I'll do everything in my power to make you happy. That includes handing you over to Andrew. I can see that this is pulling you apart. First with me and Turner, and now with me and Andrew. I won't ask that of you because I can't be what you need." Arianna felt the pain hit her. He was ending his connection with her.

"This is the end?" she asked, trying to keep the tears at bay. She needed a straight answer.

"My love will never end, but we can't be together any more. You need what Andrew can give you." Devin pulled her close, hoping to avoid seeing her cry. It broke his heart to make her sad, but that's all he could ever do.

Shocked, Arianna pulled back and stared at him. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She wasn't as hurt when Turner ended things, but something was different with Devin. Sitting alone with him, everything felt right.

"That door that opens in my mind when we're alone will always be closed. I can't change that. You deserve someone like Andrew who can always give you the love you need. I can't keep tearing you apart. Your choice is between one guy with issues that cannot love openly, and another that has as many issues but never lost the ability to love. It's not a hard choice. Andrew is what you need. He will always make you happy. I'm sure of it. And I will always love you."

TWENTY-NINE.

Andrew was waiting with Turner when Arianna returned downstairs. Nothing had really changed in their situation with their guests. Molina did what she did to protect Arianna, and Devin did what he did to protect her, too. But now everything would have to change. The challenge was inevitable. Devin held her hand as they walked downstairs, and he handed her over to Andrew once they reached the table. Andrew didn't question or get jealous now. He already knew what Arianna just found out, and he could feel the sadness coming from her. Devin was back to his normal self, completely in control.

'And just like that, you don't care?' Arianna asked, intently watching Devin as he sat down at the table, getting back to business.

'I will always care, but, first and foremost, I'm a.s.signed to protect you.' Devin was true to his word upstairs. All emotions were closed off.

'And what if I don't want protection, but just you, the way you were upstairs.' Arianna felt her anger control her as she lashed out at him.

'I'll never deny you anything, but that's not the man I am. I can't pretend to be something I'm not. All I have ever wanted is for you to be happy and to live a life of your own. Not the life others try to force on you. You're free to make your own decisions now and always. I will support you in your choices. I love you, and that will never change.' Devin needed to emphasize that he was acting out of love, as her eyes told him all he needed to know. He had hurt her, and she was now angry at him.

"What do we do now, boss?" Turner asked, sitting beside Devin. He felt the tension but ignored it. Turner's greatest strength was the ability to stay happy no matter the situation.

"Did Molina and Thomas talk to Mori?" Devin asked, looking into the adjoining room.

"The older Katsulas brother is coming here right now. He can't tolerate the midday sun, but he just left," Molina explained, coming to the table. It was still too early for any of the dearg-dul to be outside.

"Mori thinks we have thirty minutes, tops, before he gets here," Turner reported, looking around the table and then glancing between Devin and Arianna. Molina and Thomas joining them at the table was a good distraction for Turner. There were strong vibes coming from Arianna that everyone wanted to avoid.

"And Gabriel?" Devin asked Andrew. Devin avoided Arianna's sad and hateful glare also.

"Said to wait for the brother to show up. Seems they now owe us, and Gabriel is going to use that to get Arianna to safety," Andrew replied, wrapping his arms around Arianna to support her. She was light headed again. The poison still wasn't completely out of her system, but she ignored the feeling.

"If they owe us, then he should keep his mouth shut," Arianna spat out. She needed someone to vent her anger on. The Katsulas guy that they had saved wasn't the real problem at the moment. He was just the catalyst.

"I wish it was that easy," Thomas replied. Molina nodded. "You're worth way more than a life in their eyes, and probably the eyes of everyone else."

"Then that won't work? Saving their child isn't worth my freedom?" Arianna was shocked. Night humans valued their children so little.

"No, afraid not," Turner answered this time. He had seen her struggle over the last year. Being raised by day humans made her who she was, but it also made her sensitive to the life of being a night human. She didn't value power like everyone else; she valued life. It was the one trait he hoped would never change.

"We will implement plan three," Devin replied. Everyone nodded their heads yes, but Arianna. She didn't know plan one or two let alone three.

"Do we get to question our guest first?" Thomas asked. Arianna's head began to pound.

"We should just leave him here," Turner replied.

"But he could have information we could use," Molina added, siding with Thomas in the escalating argument.

"We don't have time to mess around with it," Devin answered his side on the argument. Voices were rising as they all disagreed and an argument broke out.

"Stop," Arianna barely whispered. "Everyone just stop." Arianna closed her eyes and leaned back into Andrew's chest; he held her upright. The pounding continued, her vision was starting to blur and both were throwing off her thinking.

"Ari?" Andrew asked softly as he stroked her face. "I can take you back to your room where you can rest. You still aren't completely better." Andrew hated to see her in pain. Her pain was his, and he felt it beating loud and clear.

"No, that's just it. I want to be better now," Arianna complained. Arianna paused and caught her breath as they all quieted but continued to argue. "I want to be the legend."

Everyone around the table stopped and stared at her. While they thought she already was, until she drank the blood of the five keepers, she would not truly be the legend for everyone else. By becoming the legend, she would have to accept her fate. Only Devin seemed to understand wasn't necessarily a good thing.

'Ari, you don't need to be the legend to get better,' Devin pleaded, trying to save her from the destiny she was choosing.

"I have my lycan," Arianna replied, ignoring Devin. Turner nodded. To him she was always allowed to make her own choice, no matter Devin's judgment. "Along with my tengu, baku, and day human. All I need is my dearg-dul and there are currently several in the house. I have everyone I need. I just will use some blood from everyone, and then we can do this." Arianna tried to fake a strength that wasn't there.

"Is it safe?" Andrew asked Thomas, who began typing on his laptop.

"Mori got the lab to work out all the details months ago, but kept it to himself," Thomas replied, reading the screen. "It should be safe, and it should work as long as we follow his guidelines. The blood needs to be pure from each kind."

"Meaning?" Andrew asked. He wasn't about to let Arianna take any risks, even to get better.

"All the keepers must not have any of their own." Thomas continued to read. "So Nelson is out, but Seeger or Mica should be fine."

"Seeger and Mica are not fine. That would only work if she were able to take their blood. There's no dearg-dul she can use, so this isn't a point we need to talk about." Devin knew all too well that Arianna had a problem drinking blood from random people. She refused after changing last year to the point of stopping her forced transformation just because she didn't like the blood available. Arianna moved to protest but Devin continued, "Arianna, would you drink either of their blood?" Devin asked, already knowing the answer. Arianna gave it some thought as she searched the house. While Seeger did smell strongly attractive to her because his blood overflowing with love for her, something was off with it. It wasn't true love but more a love of the creature she was. She wouldn't be able to drink his blood. She knew the hidden ingredient that made blood right for her was love. She looked beside Seeger and found Mica guarding him. While Mica was nice and attractive, she never felt anything but friendship from her dearg-dul guard. It wasn't love like the friendship with Thomas. Thomas was the love of a sibling. It was stronger than friendship like Mica. She wouldn't be able to drink Mica's blood either. Arianna sighed. She wanted, for once, to prove Devin wrong.

"No, neither will work," Arianna replied, defeated.

"Then we need to just keep doing what we're doing. We feed her from Andrew, and she will get better. It will take longer, but it will happen. Mori said the numbers are getting better," Devin replied, closing the matter. Devin stood to indicate they were through.

"Except they're not," Thomas added as he typed more. "They are slowly plateauing. She needs the five bloods to get better. We need another human blood in the five to make it work. It doesn't have to be a dearg-dul. Could we use the Katsulas boy? He's a different kind of night human. The legend never stated it must be the five she rules over." Arianna shook her head no again. While his blood did smell a bit different, it wasn't something she could drink. "Maybe you'll change your mind when his brother gets here." That was a possibility. Arianna felt the brother in the distance as he ran to their place. He felt different than his brother, and it was a possibility, but Arianna feared meeting him when she was not at full strength.

"We can't wait that long," Arianna said. The older brother was on his way. His intentions were to come to get her, and not his brother. If she were too weak, it could cost her any of her guards or even her keepers, who were now the only family she had left. Mori said the Katsulas' brother was just below Andrew in power, but not by much. Arianna needed strength now.

"I can give my blood," Molina replied from across the table. Everyone around the table turned to stare at her. Keepers were always of the opposite s.e.x. No one had considered Molina.

"My love for you is like a sister. It should work," Molina explained. Molina would not look around the table. What she was suggesting after being the cause of it all wasn't acceptable to Devin or Turner. Thomas considered the offer more, knowing that Arianna needed to get better. "And I haven't made a keeper of my own yet, so my blood is pure." Molina had yet to taste Jackson's blood.

Arianna nodded. It was a simple solution. There was nothing repulsive in Molina's blood. Molina loved her like a sibling. Arianna had her five keepers.

'You don't have to do this,' Devin pleaded. 'It's always your choice. We can find another way.'

"I'm choosing this," Arianna said to Devin, but also for the sake of her friends gathered around the table. "I'm making my choice now. I'm taking control of my own destiny." Everyone nodded. They couldn't deny her taking control. Andrew beamed behind her. He had been waiting for her to take control since the first day he met her. Arianna had more strength than anyone he had ever met. She just didn't know it.

"What do we do first?" Arianna asked, looking to Thomas who was still on the computer. "I get to snack on each of you now? Does it have to be in a certain order?"

"No feeding needed." Thomas looked relieved. "Mori said all it should take is one drop of blood from each of us. We mix it together and then you drink it," Thomas explained, closing the laptop. It was straightforward.

"Ahh shoot, I don't get to bite you," Arianna teased, and Thomas gladly nodded. He didn't ever want to be bitten by a night human, but he would do anything to keep Arianna safe.

"Hey," Thomas complained. "I never said..."

"No you just cringed every time she's ever fed in your presence," Turner replied, joining in teasing Thomas. Arianna looked between them. Even Turner and Thomas had found a middle ground and were now somewhat friends.

Andrew shimmered away and returned before the argument was even over. He held a small gla.s.s of water in his hand. Setting it on the table, everyone stopped talking. Andrew leaned over and poked his finger. A drop of blood fell into the gla.s.s and mixed to be invisible in the larger amount of water.

"Will this really work?" Arianna asked as Thomas stood and added a drop to the gla.s.s.

"Yes, Mori said the scientists are sure," Thomas rea.s.sured her as he pa.s.sed the gla.s.s to Turner. Turner added a drop before pa.s.sing it to Molina who followed. At last the cup with only a slight hint of color in it stopped in front of Devin.

'You're sure?' he asked Arianna.

'Yes,' she replied. 'This is my choice, not my destiny.'

Devin added a drop to the gla.s.s and handed it to Arianna. Arianna looked at the slightly rose-colored water. To day humans there wouldn't have been a difference, but Arianna's excellent eyesight told her otherwise. Her sense of smell agreed, and she was sure it would work. With her five keepers around her, Arianna lifted the gla.s.s and drank it.

THIRTY.

All five people sitting around the table stared at Arianna, waiting for a sign. She looked from face to face and could read the desperation. Molina wanted forgiveness for her involvement in poisoning her. Thomas wanted Mori to be correct. Turner wanted to be the one to save her. He'd have preferred to do it on his own, but was settling for everyone's help. And Devin wanted to save Arianna from the fate she now chose. Only Andrew wasn't waiting for something. With her sitting so near to him, he could already tell. The poison was gone the instant she finished the drink. While five drops of blood wouldn't be strong enough to heal anyone else, something was completely different with her. She was special.

Arianna's world came back in full color. It was as if she had been walking around in a haze for months. Everything was so much crisper in color, texture, sound, and emotion. She didn't even have to look at each person to know what they were feeling. She didn't have to move to feel Andrew's hand on her back. She already felt it. The cloud that had been over her was lifted "Finally," Andrew said, nuzzling into her hair as he pulled her to him and a collective sigh of relief came from the table.

"Do you feel any different? Are you still feeling unwell? Does your head still hurt?" Thomas asked, studying her in that same scientific way as he always had.

"Not really different," Arianna replied. She stretched her arm and wiggled her fingers to make a point. "Just not tired anymore. My head isn't in a fog." Arianna looked around the room using her night human vision while still in day human form, she hadn't been able to do that since Turner taught her how over six months ago. Everything was clear now. "And I feel in control. Really in control. The last few months I've felt like I couldn't regulate the night human within me. Now I'm in charge." Arianna looked at her hand resting on Andrew, and she could see her night human essence, which was still wrapped around him desperately.

'Well, almost in control,' she added only to Andrew who smirked in reply.

"What plan do we follow?" Arianna asked Devin. He still studied her to make sure there were no lasting effects from the poison. Devin didn't reply, but continued to stare at her. Arianna stared back. After a few moments, when Devin was finally convinced she was fine, he turned back to the table.

"I guess we move on to plan six." Everyone nodded except Arianna. Again, he was using cryptic code talk that didn't include her.

"Which is?" she asked impatiently.

"Mori, set it all up," Devin directed everyone back to the computer. With one click, Mori was back on the screen.

"It will take me a minute," Mori replied from the computer.

"And this is?" Arianna asked.