Embark on a thrilling journey with Dria as she grapples with newfound magical abilities, family secrets, and a destiny she never asked for. In "Her Kind," the line between myth and reality blurs as Dria navigates a world filled with danger, teenage...
Opening the crate, Dria's attention was immediately drawn to the old, weathered brown fabric that covered the contents. Carefully placing it aside, she uncovered a large brown leather book tied together with what appeared to be string. She pulled it out, revealing four more similar books beneath it.
Passing the books to Pierce, she delved deeper into the crate, discovering an array of weapons—small and large guns, knives of various sizes, and a peculiar long string with arrowheads at both ends. A nearby box contained bullets, much like the ones she had found in her father's metal box at home.
Pierce, his curiosity piqued, couldn't help but inquire, "What was your father doing with all of this?" Dria turned to him, her eyes locking onto one of the leather books he had opened. Inside, there was a picture of a man holding one of the knives from the crate in one hand and something akin to fire in the other.
Their gazes met, and while Pierce's mind was teeming with questions, Dria's primary concern was informing Uncle Jeremiah about her father's stash. She needed to unearth more about her father's secrets.
After repacking all the items into the crate and securing the boot, they locked up the car and storage unit. Holding the keys in hand, they exited the facility.
Throughout the entire journey back home, Pierce's gaze seemed to lock onto Dria every five minutes, and it was starting to irritate her. She suspected he had a multitude of questions swirling in his mind, yet she couldn't provide any answers, and most of those questions were ones she grappled with herself. As the miles passed, it felt like he was silently imploring her to divulge some information.
The drive back seemed interminable, and both of them were growing increasingly frustrated.
"I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of the charade," he finally admitted, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I had hoped you'd open up to me, but the more I keep it in, the more questions flood my mind. If I don't get some answers soon, I feel like my head might explode," he confessed.
His knuckles had paled due to the intensity of his grip on the wheel.
"Open up about what?"
"I know, Drietta!" he exclaimed, his grip on the wheel tightening further. "I know that Kane isn't your cousin, and you're a terrible liar. I also know that he and Marcelo are different."
"What are you talking about?" Dria whispered, even though she had a sinking feeling that she knew exactly where this conversation was headed.
"At first, I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me," Pierce began, his voice laden with uncertainty, "but then I deliberately irritated Kane just to test it. That's when I saw his eyes turn this bright orange, like flames. I did it to prove I wasn't losing my mind, but when I witnessed that, I hoped it was all in my head. Then, one day, while I was goofing around with Marcelo and he was enthusiastically explaining the Milky Way to me, something strange happened. First, the room got so cold, and then his eyes turned this vivid blue. When he touched me, it sent this chilling sensation down my spine," he paused, sighing deeply, "I went home that day, and the spot where Marc had touched me had turned purple. I recognized that color because it looked just like when I once played outside in the snow all day, and my fingers turned purple, like they were about to fall off."
"I know your uncle has been training Kane, but I don't understand what he's training him for. I don't know what you guys are. I don't know why you're like this. There are so many questions, starting with what was your dad preparing for when he stored all that and gave it to you? What is coming?"
Dria turned her gaze away from him, realizing they were just a few blocks from her house. She exhaled, a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Pierce parked the car and switched off the engine. Both of them remained in the car, afraid to say anything that might unsettle the other. However, a thought nagged at Dria's mind, a question she needed to ask, one she wanted to address.
"Are you scared of us?" she finally inquired, her eyes averted, but she could sense Pierce's gaze upon her face.
"No," his fingers brushed her skin as he gently gripped her face and turned her to meet his eyes, "are you?"
"Yes," she breathed out, a small tear falling down her cheek. He wiped it away before exiting the car. She watched as he walked around the vehicle and opened her door. He picked her up and closed the door with her on his lap.
She laid her head on his shoulder, his fingers brushing her arms smoothly. "I don't know the answers to your questions because they're similar to mine," she confessed.
"I'm still trying to find out everything I can, and the more I learn, the more questions I get," she sighed and buried her face deeper into his chest. He held her tightly for some time. For a moment, she enjoyed the warmth and sense of security his arms brought, the sense of serenity, and she bathed in the emotions she felt.
She breathed his scent in and didn't want to let go, but she knew that she couldn't hide forever. She drew away from his warmth one last time before looking into his grey eyes and saying, "Thank you."
He cupped her cheek gently before placing a small kiss on her forehead, saying, "Thank you for not shutting me out."
Dria rolled her eyes with a small giggle, then opened the door and exited the vehicle. She grabbed her phone and bag from the backseat and walked towards the front door, hearing Pierce's footsteps following behind. Upon opening the door, she noticed the TV was on, but what left her stunned was the woman sitting on the couch with a young man next to her.
For a moment, a sense of familiarity hit Dria when she met the young man's eyes, but she couldn't dwell on the feeling any longer as the woman grabbed her attention. "Finally, I was beginning to think you'd never come home,"
"I'm sorry?" Dria excused herself, confused.
"Don't tell me Jeremiah didn't tell you about our arrival," the woman said, noticing Dria's confused demeanor, "trust my husband to not communicate important information."
"Well, is this how you welcome all guests, let alone your aunt?"
