I draw in a breath as we are now staring at… me!
She steps closer, peering at us curiously, and inclines Her head.
We follow suit and She smiles then. “Welcome, Aefre. It is nice to finally meet you in person. I am Tiamat, Empress of the Dragon Realms and Underworld.”
Empress? That’s impressive. No wonder She wields such Power.
We are both speechless and staring, so She continues, “I have waited a long time for you to take your rightful place, my daughter. Constantine, I was most disappointed that you weren’t the one to fulfil her destiny. I had such high hopes for you.”
Daughter? Huh.
Recovering first, not unexpectedly, CK says, “Yes, I have to say I am most disappointed myself.”
She laughs. A beautiful sound and probably nothing like my own.
“It is nice to finally meet you, Your Imperial Majesty, The Power behind Aefre has been quite the mystery,” he says smoothly.
“Please call me Tiamat,” She tinkles at him, clearly smitten, and he inclines his head in acknowledgment.
“Tiamat. Babylonian in origin? Yes?”
She simpers. “Why, yes, it is.”
“Mother of Life if I’m not mistaken.”
“Indeed!” She says, clapping Her hands. She is delighted with him.
Okay, smarty pants, you can stop showing off now. There again, at least he is talking. I am still in shock, silent as a mute.
“Aefre,” Tiamat addresses me.
I snap my attention back to Her, me, Her. “Yes,” I croak.
She raises Her eyebrow at me but says kindly, “I understand you must be in shock. This has all been a bit sudden.”
Pulling myself together finally, I answer, “Just a bit. There is a lot I still don’t understand.”
She relaxes somewhat now that I’m talking. “I’m sure. Corinne and Ahmed will be there to help you when you need them. All you need to know now, Daughter, is that you have been chosen to unite the Underworld. We have all lived as strangers for too long. It is time to bring all the supernatural creatures together.”
“How do I do that?” I ask in panic at the mounting pressure.
“They will come to you. Choose who you trust very carefully to make your council. The rest is up to you.”
“You call me Daughter. Am I?” I ask boldly.
She smiles gently at me, “Yes, Aefre. You are mine.”
“So, does that mean I am part Dragon?” I ask further. Even CK leans in now intrigued to learn the answer to that.
“Yes, my child. You have always had the ability to Shift, it probably never occurred to you to change your species,” She says and laughs.
My eyes bugging out, I look at CK, “That’s why I’m the only one!” The realization finally hits me, I add, “It’s not a Vampire Power, it’s a Dragon Power.”
Tiamat nods. “Yes. All of your new abilities are Dragon Powers, my dear. You have mastered the basics of, I believe you call it Astralling, and being able to bring things to you. You have been given a special gift with the armory. Use it wisely. You will become even more Powerful as you find those you can trust.”
Now burning with curiosity, I ask the question that I have been dying to know for nine hundred years. “Is the Shifting passed on to my Vampire charges?”
CK raises his eyebrows at me.