Oriana, Girl of Legend

Chapter Eighteen

Oriana watched her friends as they slept. Lucas tossed and turned shortly after falling asleep, Vera's name whispered softly in the night. She could feel the love he held for her best friend just as she could feel the gentle breeze that touched her face and softly moved her curls against her cheek.

Duncan laid curled on his side this his hand under his cheek and his legs slightly bent under the blanket he used to cover himself for the night. She could see that the consistent hunt that Tristan had insisted they do was helping her friend to deal with his anger. She gazed at him as she pondered about his dragon and what will happen when he imprints. Tristan spoke that it would be extremely painful but she didn't feel like his dragon wanted him to go through that pain.

A soft touch on her shoulder told Oriana that Tristan had returned back from his own hunt and she could smell the raw meat and blood that he brought back from his hunt. She smiled slightly as she lifted her head to look up at her new friend who had helped her more than he could ever know.

"I'm going to put this meat up away from the animals and then I would like to speak with you if I could." Tristan whispered quietly as to not wake their sleeping companions.

Oriana nodded and stood as she watched the vampire prince moved quickly to hang the venison in the tree before moving far away from their camp so they could speak without waking the others.

When Tristan came to a stop, he turned and his blue red eyes pierced Oriana to the heart at the concern she saw there. There was a tenderness and affection that she knew he had for her as they have grown closer, but she knew that whatever he was going to say to her wasn't going to be easy.

"I need to know, Ori." Tristan said quietly as he reached and tenderly grasped her left hand and squeezed gently. "You do so well hiding your grief and I know that the burden you have knowing that Salome is hunting you even ask we speak has to be weighing on you. But how are you doing? How is the power we know that is dying to burst out of you able to be contained?"

Oriana's eyes filled her eyes and blurred her vision as she struggle to hold the small control she had on her emotions and feelings. She longed to let her power be released. Its was light a pressure building up until she thought her body would be so consumed that she would burst.

"I can't lose control yet, Tristan." She whispered as he stepped closer to her and searched her watery eyes. "I need to be near Drakon first. He, aside from King Kheelan, can only contain the power I need to unleash. I could kill or hurt any of you. I don't want to do that. I can't do that."

Tristan nodded slowly and then closed his eyes before taking a deep breath in. When he opened his eyes, Oriana saw that they were nearly all red except for the blue ring that circled the iris. She knew that Styl was present now, but how much was she.

She is just lending her power to the prince, Drakon spoke to Oriana, never far from her thoughts as his gentle voice soothed her worries. She can feel he is anxious and wishes to help him to help you.

Oriana's eyes widened as she felt something that almost felt like liquid fire pouring into her veins, but it didn't burn. It seemed to fill her up with strength and light. Her tears fell from her eyes as she realized that Tristan was passing his power to her to help her contain her power. Even as she felt the tears fall down her face, she could feel the pressure from her power slowly ease back into a more of a slight tingle that unbearable pressure that she had been dealing with.

Tristan's eye slowly faded back into their red blue mix and then he softly smiled at her as he cupped her cheek with his hand and gently wiped the tear that was clinging under her eye away. "I can't do much to help you, but I want you to know I want to help ease your burden. I want you to know that I will always be here for you. No matter what."