Anger rose that he was able to inspire such nervousness in her with a simple question. “I don’t think he meant to, but I asked him a lot of questions and that was all he told me. When I probed for more, he deflected me rather skillfully.”
“The chakra we house can consume us completely. We feed our beasts on rage, fear and pain, and whatever that is dark and unholy gives it the most satisfaction. Even though it is part of us, our beast has its own intelligence, cunning, and deceptiveness. The more it feeds, the stronger it becomes, and if the Darkan is not strong enough, the beast can become the dominant being and then madness, rage, and mayhem normally ensue.”
She shivered. “But how can the elixir help?”
He had stopped massaging her feet, but he held them cradled in his palms, lightly circling his thumb against her instep in a smooth circular motion. Needed warmth pervaded her limbs relaxing her more.
“The connection we have with our beast is psychic. We determine how much of their chakra we consume, and how we use their powers by lowering the psychic shield between our essences. Using too much of their power gives the darkness and evil more control. When the beast takes charge, there is a psychic crack that the wielder cannot close anymore to subdue his beast. The elixir has proven to heal this crack and help us regain control. ”
She pulled her cloak tighter as the chilled air of the Darkage raise bumps on her skin. Saieke remembered the violent chakra that had rolled around him when he came to her rescue. The darkness, the rage and lust for blood, had been overwhelming.
“Are you close to this madness?”
His hands ran from her calf, slowly raising her caftan revealing her shin. “Far from it. I am fully bonded with my beast.”
“Fully bonded?” Warmth rippled along her skin, and Saieke purred deep in her throat.
There was the slightest of hesitation. “We fought for dominance and I won. I can access all the powers my beast has to offer and still retain control.”
“Can everyone do that?”
“Many have tried; those who lose to their beast descend into rage and madness.”
She wriggled closer to him. “What kind of madness?”
“The evil kind. The kind that kills and rampages indiscriminately,” he said.
“What happens when someone loses control and there is no elixir?”
“We have hunters. Whether they travel to other kingdoms, Earth or the realm of Serange, we have to hunt them to protect others.”
They actually had hunters of their own kind to protect the world that reviled them. “How is it that our kingdoms are ignorant of this?”
“You are not ignorant. Other kingdoms have encountered Senjis— Darkans who are controlled by the demon inside of them. It is merely assumed that that is our true nature.”
A thoughtful frown marred her features. “If you do not have the elixir, how are they contained by the hunters?’
“They are killed.”
Decisive and merciless.
Her eyes roamed the paleness of his face, the beauty that blended so well with cruelty. “It must be horrible to fight a constant battle to be in control.”
“Many of our civilians keep the psychic leash tight on their beast and do not use their power at all; however it is there for them to tap into at any time. It is a decision made by the individual of how far they want to go and how much power they want to harness. Lachlan, for example, suppresses his beast completely.”
“So you willingly merged with your beast?”
He grabbed her as she drew the cloak tighter, placing her in his lap, wrapping his arms around her, cocooning her in his warmth.
“Yes.”
Saieke wondered if she should pounce on the fact that she was seated in his lap, in his embrace.
His fingers nudged her chin to meet his gaze. “Your curiosity seems unending, Princess.”
The rasp of his voice did things to Saieke insides. “I am but fascinated by you and your people.” She leaned in the crook of his arm. “What does it mean to be fully bonded?”
“As we train and tap darker into the chakra present in us, our powers and ability grow. Many of our elders, if not all, are fully bonded. The older you are, the less strenuous it is to control the sheer rage that comes from the beasts, and the more opportunity to bond without descending into evil.”