“Since we're the last three male pure blood Supay, or whatever we should be called now, do you know who Elias and Anthony hail from?” Michael asked.
“I do,” she replied. “Elias, you are the descendant of Inti, who was known as the Sun God. He was also blond. You resemble him, actually. And Anthony, you are descended from Supay himself. You also favor your ancestor. His features have been dominant in the faces of the men of your line.”
She turned to Michael. “If you’d seen me in my youth, you would think we were brother and sister. Apparently, the blood of my people is extremely dominant. Being around you three makes me miss my kinsmen more.” She lowered her head as she stood beside Michael at the window. She seemed old and exhausted.
Michael tentatively put his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but she jumped and backed away as soon as he touched her. “Oh goodness, you shocked me!” she said, looking rather uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, I’m not one for hugging and the like. I’ve been on my own for so long.” She trailed off.
Seeing her sorrow calmed me. If she could survive hundreds of lonely years away from her family, I could find a way to stay with mine. All was not lost. I would find my people, there must be a way. “Mama Pacha, why did you not reveal yourself to your descendants sooner?” I asked. Surely, she was miserable looking in from the outside.
She turned and stared at me sadly. “How could I? Even my own children were raised to believe Supay created them. They were raised by humans and never saw my face. That alone almost broke me.” She plopped down on the spare bed and turned away from us.
“I spent the better part of a century searching for portals. I then spent at least half a century retracing my steps and searching for more immortals.” She took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. “I would constantly return and find my descendants; keep an eye on them. But I found no other immortals, and the portals I found were closed. Supay’d been right all along.”
She turned her body and looked at me. “When the last of your ancestors died, the portals closed. I don't know why, and I onlythinkI know why they'll open for us.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I won’t tell you. It isn't my story. The only thing I want is to go home.”
We were startled as she lost her melancholy and jumped up energetically. “Right then, any more questions?”
I shook my head at her. I was too overwhelmed to think of a question. “Right, then!” she exclaimed. “Let’s be off!”
“Now?” Anthony’s tone was incredulous.
“Now. Why wait?”
I raised my hand like a school child. “Um, how far will we be walking? It’s almost dark. It’ll be cold, and I’m hungry. They need blood. Remember, I’mjusta frail human.” I rolled my eyes and may have pouted a little.
“Stop!” exclaimed Michael. “The portal is here on the island? How can that be? I thought it was in the Andes!”
We turned to stare at Michael. “What do you mean you thought it was in the Andes?” asked Elias. “What the hell are you hiding from us?”
“I wasn’t hiding anything. We said all along we suspected it would be there. I’m merely surprised. I really did think this island would be a dead end, I’m only here to find a library with more clues.” Michael shrugged and looked at us like we were crazy.
“Michael, darling.” I walked over and took his hand. “You did make it sound like you were clueless about the location before.” He gave me a bewildered look.
He ran his fingers through his hair, catching on the bun. Jerking out the hair tie, he quickly tied it into another knot. “I don’t know. I feel like the past few days are a blur. Maybe I’m more affected than I thought by the potions.”
Mama Pacha grabbed his face and pulled him down to her level. His cheeks were squashed, and his expression perplexed. She studied his face inch by inch. She even looked at his eyebrows and in the short beard on his face. Then she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on his, breathing deeply and evenly.
Michaels eyes darted to me, bulging at the angle, and his expression clearly said “Help!” I shrugged. I wanted to see what she did.
“You are the one throwing me off,” Mama Pacha declared. “You don't feel like a pure Supay.” She licked his skin on his right cheek from the top of his beard up to his hairline. He let out a squeak and tried to pull her hands from his face, but she wouldn't let go.
“You taste off.” She wrinkled her nose. “You say you were filled with potions?”
“Yes ma’am,” he said, his words muffled by his compressed cheeks. “Witches and sorceresses and a few warlocks poured potions over me, forced me to drink them, breathe them in, you name it.” She released his face, and he shrank from her, wiping the saliva from his cheek.
He sidled around her and stood behind me.Oh, way to protect me, big strong vampire man. Hide behind the only human in the room. I gave him a shaming look over my shoulder.
“Do you think he’s ill, Mama Pacha?” I asked. “His memory has been spotty. They were trying to erase it, but his genes fought through most of the poisons. He only has small holes in his memory.”
“Whatever is wrong with him, our home will fix it. He can drink from the spring and any ailments will be healed.” I nodded and smiled, relieved. Even if I was never able to find a way to extend my own life, at least our children would have their father, and two exceptional uncles.
The thought made pain shoot through my abdomen. I’d been in pain for so long. Finally, I had hope, albeit a thin sliver. My first love, my husband, was back, and along with him, the possibility of an unconventional, yet incredible relationship with three gorgeous men. I gave an exaggerated sigh. I’d probably just end up dying on a hike.
Michael put his foot down and refused to allow us to go on the excursion that late in the afternoon. He argued our need to eat and rest before such an unknown adventure. He didn’t mention me specifically, but I knew his only reason to stop our expedition was my human limitations.
