a thousand instincts (#1)

A Viceroy (28)

Aeress

     She turned at the sound of her heavy southern american accent. Not favoring any region in particular-it was not so simple to recognize. 

     Before her stood a shorter woman with dark brown dreadlocks, black-as-night eyes, and skin spotted with different shades of brown, mostly of a lighter, warmer tone. "Mind telling me who you are?" 

     Aeress slowly stood up, and saw she had a decent amount of height on the mysterious woman. "You first." She lifted her chin in challenge. 

     The woman took out a knife, and it glinted with a lethal promise, matching her glossy eyes. "I could kill you here and now for simply disrespecting the Temple of Godhead." She lifted the dagger and Aeress did not flinch as it was pointed straight at her throat. "If you value your life, you will answer me." 

     Aeress decided to take a risk. "I don't think it'd be wise to threaten the mate of Premier." 

     Her eyes widened slightly and her thin eyebrows raised just slightly. "Easy to make such statements, harder to prove them. I doubt they would let her out at this hour anyway. She'd run into lunes like you." 

     Godhead must've been fed up with being threatened as Aeress could tell her presence was rising to the surface. "I advise you to back off, or you're going to get hurt." 

     "By who?" she measured Aeress up and down. "You?" 

     "I doubt I could land a punch. But she can."

     Her body burned with power, scorching with the heat of transformation. It was like stepping into another body that felt strangely familiar, just of more brawn and ability.

     The woman immediately got into battle mode. She removed another dagger and started aiming her precise slashing at Aeress. 

     Meanwhile, Aeress felt that feeling of losing control. Now it was like she had given the wheel over to Godhead so that she was the one driving. 

     Are you going to kill her?

      It took a few seconds before Godhead had the woman pinned down. Perhaps. I have not made my decision yet. 

     Aeress looked down at her hands to be larger and dark blue, with great, big claws that had a terrifying glint to them. Godhead just had one claw at her throat, and that was all she needed to end the woman's life. 

     "My human tried to warn you," Godhead spoke, "but she does not yet understand the power we yield over our children. And tell me, pup, what do we do to disobedient children?" 

     "Godhead? Could it really be you? There were rumors, but the information coming off the island wasn't credible... Is it you, mother?" 

     Aeress felt a beautiful emotion bloom from within, infused with both love, adoration, and possibly hope. "It is. And this is my vessel, my home where I dwell. I have not spoken with any of my children in thousands and thousands of years. You are the first." 

     "I am honored, Godhead. Please, forgive me, mother. I was only trying to maintain the safety of Premier's mate-"

     "Yes, he is mine. You have nothing to fear, only if you are damned should you tremble so."

     Her dark eyes widened with both fear and earnest submission. "If I am damned, I will not fight your decision to release me." 

     You want to understand me, Aeress? I will show you what I see. Focus on her, look through my eyes.