Chapter 40

A/N: Would you enjoy it if I organized a monthly giveaway, even if the prize is something small like a chapter dedication or a shout-out?

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And yes, I know I can see the comments on Wattpad, but without looking at the notifications in my mail, I wouldn't know how to reply to inline comments - you know, the ones you leave on a certain part - because I wouldn't know which part of the chapter you had in mind. I'll answer as soon as I stop seeing the little blue fella with the wrench.

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Expect a second update this week, over the weekend.

*****

"The Sentinels." My eyebrows pinched together as I mused over where to start. Should I go for a history lesson style 'The Order was founded in/by' or stick to what was important?

I decided that the latter option was the winning one. It was going to be less boring and a lot shorter; I preferred moving on from this subject back to the Bullets or at least shifters in general.

"You remember that I told you there are humans with supernatural abilities, right?" I asked my mate and when he gave me a nod, I went on:

"At many points in history the shifters, Dayers, Nighters, Gifteds and ordinary people were at a quarrel or a full-blown war with each other. Since ordinary humans found it difficult to protect themselves against us, the Order of the Hunters appeared. It consisted solely of humans - some gifted, others not - and many of them cared little weather a supernatural creature was guilty or not; they just wanted the prize they would get from the head of a shifter or a vampire. They committed many atrocities, going as far as to hunt even children."

My last words understandably made Riley shiver. I tried not to pounder on how once upon a time, children - innocent, little kids - had been hunted down like animals and murdered without a blink of an eye by people like Ace Darrell.

Instead, I moved to sit next to my mate, with my back against the wall and my arm around his shoulders. He leaned into me, placing his hands over my speeding heart, electrical current simmered through my chest at his touch.

"That was when a second order arose," I continued. "The Order of the Sentinels. Their goal was to stop the chaos that had ensued. Unlike the Order of the Hunters, the Sentinels included non-humans too. Back then, it was comprised of Dayers, shifters, Gifteds and occasionally by normal humans. They also had rules, which for the most part apply today. They prosecute all species, not just the supernaturals, and offer protection to those who need it, regardless of race or species. Consider them the supernatural police. They are the ones we contacted when we found out the murderer was a werewolf. Nowadays, their Order consists mainly of gifted humans."

"Why the change?" It was Riley's turn to furrow his eyebrows, a cute little crease forming on his otherwise smooth forehead.

"Back in the day, the shifters and vampires were hunted so it was in our interested to have representatives in the Order; now, we live in secret. Vampires stick to their families and so do werewolves. As I've often said: we are a close-knit community, Riley; it's not often that someone would set out on their own."

"So that's why you don't make yourselves known: you are afraid that you would be hunted once again?"

"That is correct." I nodded. "There is a reason for all those horror stories about vampires and werewolves: some of us like to hunt and humans in particular."

"But not all of you are like that."

For the umpteenth time tonight, Riley's words went straight to my heart. It paused, then fluttered happily at my mate's statement.

And it had been a statement, not a question.

He truly believed that my family and I were incapable of ill-willed violence.

If only we could convince all humans of that.

"Do you think that some of us being peaceful would matter to everyone? Just remember how you reacted."

"I'm sorry about that." He whispered, grasping my shirt tightly, the fabric bunching up in his fists.

"It's normal, Riley. I would've probably acted the same way if our roles were switched, perhaps I would've taken it even worse." I reassured my guilty mate and kissed the top of his head. "But as you see, it's safer for us to remain a secret. Sure, there will be some who will understand, but others would wish to kill us because we are different. And don't let me get started on scientists; a lot of them would like to study us for potential disease cures, to use our abilities as weapons or simply to see what makes us tick. Besides, there aren't that many of us out there. No one actually keeps count, but I doubt all vampires, shape shifters and humans with special abilities make even a tenth of the world's population. Even if the species somehow got over their differences and united, a lot of them wouldn't want to fight the ordinary humans because they are in love with one, or good friends with some, or simply because they'd think it would be wrong to attack innocent people."

"How come there aren't armies of angry werewolves and vampires out there though?" Riley questioned. "I mean, surely someone could accidently discover a supernatural and spill the beans on them. Then all those problems with frightened humans and excited scientists would commence."

"For starters, that's part of the Sentinels' job: to assure ordinary humans that they didn't see what they saw or to convince them to keep quiet about it."

"Would you get in trouble because you told me?" His grip had loosened and he was now swirling the scrunched up fabric between his fingers.

"Only if you spread the word." His eyes widened - perhaps he even paled; I couldn't tell in the semi darkness of the room - and he opened his mouth, his head shaking left to right and back again.

"Which I know you wouldn't." I couldn't resist pecking him on the nose and the electric tingles flowed to my lips.

"Second," I continued as there was more to my answer, "shape shifters can't turn a human into a shape shifter; one of the parents has to be a shape shifter and then maybe the children will be as well; on rare, really rare occasions, it could skip a generation and the grandchildren of a shape shifter and a human could be shape shifters. Also, the Dayers can't turn a human into a vampire; only Nighters can. The good thing about Nighters is that once they turn, they are too focused on getting their pray to actually bother making more of their species. It takes time for them to become sentient - as sentient as a Nighter can be - and a large number don't get to live that long."

"How come?"

"They are killed by the Sentinels or sometimes by shape shifters or Dayers; sometimes they even kill each other, especially if food is scarce, but sometimes over nothing. Well, maybe it's to prove their dominance; we can't know for sure. That's one reason why the sentient Nighters don't create more in bulk: they have to watch over the initiates - if we call the newbies that - train them, help them come to their senses sooner. That was what the Great King did after he realized he was capable of doing it: first it was only him and his General, then he created another and then another, and then another; once there were more sentient ones, they could watch over more initiates and that sped up the process. But it would be unwise to create such a large coven nowadays. Just imagine how many people they'd have to kill to feed; they are not like Dayers who need only a small quantity of blood every other month; Nighters need a lot more to sustain themselves and it would gain too much attention which of course would lead to the Sentinels hunting them down."

"How come the Great King was sentient from the start?"

"He wasn't, Riley." I shook my head, wondering whether I'd been unclear before. "I told you: he killed his own man when they came to save him, even his favorite and most trusted General."

"But then he brought the General back to life," he pointed out, looking up at me.

"Accidently," I stressed. "No one knows how much time he spent feeding; maybe it was days or weeks before the General was revived."

"So it doesn't matter how long someone's dead for?"

I frowned, then chewed on my bottom lip.

Did it matter?

"You know, Riley, I've never thought about that," I admitted. I've always been too focused on learning how to survive a Nighter's attack to actually think about aspects of the creatures' lives that didn't include making a meal out of me and my loved ones.

"Because if they could revive just about anyone," Riley went on, "they could wait for a person to be buried, dig him or her out, fill the hole with soil and then revive the person somewhere private. No one would know that person is missing because everyone would think that they are dead. That way, Nighters can revive more people without much commotion. There's still the matter of food of course; the people who would serve as food have to be alive so someone would know if they disappear. Unless they are homeless and without any friends. But yeah, reviving corpses and feeding on the homeless would attract less attention and Nighters could make more of themselves," he ended wisely.

"I hope they never figure that out," I murmured through a gulp.

"How come Nighters can make more of themselves and Dayers can't though? I mean, you don't buy that whole 'the Spirits blessed them' story, do you?"

"I'm not sure. The Spirits don't appear to us anymore and I expect that after all this time fact gave way to fantasy. But the story is a central part in our beliefs, just like the story of Christ is to Christians although there is no conclusive evidence. No one knows for sure. A lot of scientists who know about us or are one of us have tried to figure out what really happened. Maybe one day they will succeed to find some rational reason for our existence and for the differences between the vampires, but some of us are simply satisfied with the idea of our supernatural origins and just accept it the same way ordinary religious humans say 'it's the work of God' or 'it's the work of the Devil'."

"But you don't believe in God?"

"As a matter of fact, a lot of the Bullets - my family and I included - are Christians."

His jaw slacked and I chuckled as he blinked at me.

"But you said you believe in Spirits..." His voice trailed off.

"We believe that God created the first man and woman and that he also created the Spirits who later transformed us. Some even believe that the Spirits from our legends are angels."

He shook his head and rubbed his forehead.

"Too much to handle for one night?" My voice was soft as I looked into his tired eyes.

"Way too much." Riley agreed and I sighed.

"Then I guess it's time to take you home. Unless you want to stay with us?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I think I need some time by myself to go over all this, but I also want you to be there as I know I'd have more questions."

"You could sleep in my bedroom and I in Everett's," I offered. "That way you'll have some privacy, but you'll also have someone to talk to when you are ready."

"That's a good idea," he answered thoughtfully. His next words sounded more confident: "Yeah, I think I'd like that option."

"Then let's go."

I rose to my feet, reaching down to help my mate up. Our fingers intertwined on our way out and a smile slowly spread on his lips. I answered with one of my own before we made it to the street.

I was walking home with my mate who knew who I was and accepted me.

****

A/N: Rhys and Riley are together, yay! Will they really separate or will they both end up in Rhys' bedroom?

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