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Divergent Status

By Danicka Castro

Copyrighted 11-27-2011

This book is dedicated to the loves of my life my daughters Jazmine and Kamya- little girls can grow up to do anything.

About the Author:

Danicka is my pen name given to me by my daughter Jazmine, playfully as she teased me one morning while making breakfast with her. I have spent the last twelve years of my life in Social Services telling people that they can meet their true potential. They can control their own lives. The countless number of faces and situations that have crossed my desk is too numerous to mention. But in the realization of fate you must also come to terms with your own life. I write this series strictly from my mind. A place that can belong solely to me until I share it with you. A place that can be as safe as I want it to be or as dangerous as I chose. The realization of my character came to fruition when I sat down one Saturday morning write a letter that I wanted my kids to read one day when I have left this world. Intent on hiding it under my life insurance policy- but instead it turned into this series. Aside from that I live in Southern Illinois near Saint Louis, Mo with my husband of forever and my two dogs, Kourtney and Kloe.

Foreword

Camea sat perched on the ledge of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 50 stories up. The wind left her refreshed after flying thousands of miles to follow Austen to Dubai where he sought Kounsel from his leaders.

“Sure, seek Kounsel now, cry later.” She thought to herself with a smirk.

Camea beautiful skin was covered with impenetrable scales, her nails long and talon like, her teeth sharp and skin piercing. To make matters better she could use her sonic scream to bleed out a deaf man. She was a killer. She left a wake of bodies in her aftermath to prove it. The only thing that resembled Camea former human form was the life growing in her womb.

She perched there waiting. Waiting for the opportunity to settle the score between her and her previous owner as she was his property but in order to be even she had to make sure that she ripped him from limb to limb. Out of her peripheral vision she realized that a bird was perching with her as if comforting her. But she did not need comfort she needed to be vindicated. Camea screeched at the bird. The feathers blew off of it as it tumbled 50 stories below. But the thing was dead before it began its descent. A tear of blood trailed down Camea’s face.

In the months following Mila’s death Camea came to realize that bondage was in the mind as well as in the flesh.

As she wiped her mouth of the blood from her last meal she smiled thinking to herself how much she is going to enjoy dealing with Austen. The monster within Camea allowed three drops of gold to fall the distance to the ground. She was less than human but more than a clone.

I always wondered what it would be like to be human. To have a family, to live out of love, and to be loved. But that opportunity passed me. Pining away for something that you can never touch, have, or hold. It is like needing air but being in a room filled with carbon. It is the worse feeling in the world. That is the only thing that I was able to retain from my previous self was my feelings. I can feel everything now. I can feel the world and every emotion in it. Something that is a blessing and curse at the same time.

“Forever young, do you really want to live forever?”

“I’ll be here forever.”

Not Too Much To Ask

In a time when a woman was at high regards Camea was not interested in her worth but rather in her anonymity. She needed to travel light never spending more than one or two nights with the same person. The end result of her visit was usually the same…the person ended up dead. She never left witnesses to what she was doing. She laughed to herself when she thought about the Old Russian woman she had to kill because she came home when Camea was in the process of killing her neighbor. The Old Russian made a funny sound when she died. She lost her bowels at the same time as her heart gave out. The stench that the Old Russian woman gave out nearly knocked Camea over. However, she was dead and that was all that mattered.

Camea allowed one man to live in the wake of her transformation. She allowed Austen to live because he had another purpose… then he would die. He would still die but she wanted him to suffer before he died. She wanted him to be the bitch that he tried to make her.

Camea thoughts turned to the house where she lived before Austen came to get her. She thought about the things that she did not know. She never in her wildest dreams thought that she would encompass the power that she did. She never thought that she would turn the tables on her tormentor and be able to do the things that she could do.

Camea watched as Austen exited his car. “Nice car.” She thought to herself as she watched Austen advance to the building she was perched on. The Bugatti was nothing more than a Volkswagen but it was beautiful. Candy apple red with black leather interior. As the valet took the car Camea moved to the other side of the building and swooped down. She made her way to the garage where Austen’s car was parked. With little effort she made the doors open. Climbing into the back of the car she waited. To occupy her mind she turned her powers to Austen. She wanted to witness his demise with The Kounsel.

Camea lowered down into the back seat and tapped into Austen’s mind. She was watching Austen’s interactions as if she was Austen. He had no idea that Camea was so powerful to blanket his thoughts and loop them to her. He had no idea that she was able to do this.

Austen made his way through the entrance of the building. It was beautiful, with marble columns, highly glossed marble floors. Austen walked up to the two guards behind the large wooden control desk and nodded as he walked past to the metal detectors. He then went to the elevator and pushed a sequence of floor numbers. This would take him to the floor that no one went to. The sub basement floor where The Kounsel convened in to decide about the fate of one of their own due to some atrocity committed upon the precious human race.

The Kounsel members were all similar to judges as they were well versed in their laws and their traditions. They were all older than the human race itself and were the founding fathers of the covenant. The Kounsel consisted of 11 members so that there would not be any tied votes of indecision. They were as precise as a scalpel and as curt as their mission. They were the most powerful of their kind, bending anything to their will with simple will power and mind control.

Once Austen reached the bottom level he exited the elevator and preceded past yet another pair of door guards. They were both in their true form. Austen did not speak to them as they already knew of his arrival. However, they were powerful enough to sense that Austen was not alone. One of the Amegion stopped Austen by extending his forearm out. Austen puzzled as to why he was being stopped stepped back. The guard exposed the light, making Camea sense the pain from the True Light. Camea shut her connection down to Austen’s mind right as the guard seemed to be satisfied that Austen was not high jacked. After a few moments Camea opened up her connection to Austen. She could smell his scent in his car. She could feel his despair over her departure.

Camea watched as Austen entered the chambers of The Kounsel. She knew that she would never be allowed in the chambers as she is a half breed. Anyway, Austen was summoned there because of her so she would definitely not be on their Christmas list. The ironic thing about the entire situation is that is still Austen’s fault that this all happened in the first place.

Camea envisioned The Kounsel being called to order. The stately characters of The Kounsel that was around and in the chamber looked solemn and regal in their demeanor and black cloaks draping the distance from their high seats to the floor. The farthest one spoke. “Miuminot, it has come to our attention that you have allowed your property to destroy several humans in the United States and possibly abroad? Causing panic and chaos for both our people and theirs. Its status has been upgraded to Divergent and therefore it cannot be allowed to live another moment. The Kounsel have decided to dispatch the part of its guard units to retrieve and destroy this abomination and the offspring that it is carrying. You are weak Miuminot, for it is has an undeniable link to your mind as if you are not aware of this control that it exerts over you?”

Austen stood there silently absorbing what was given to him. He knew that he had no other choice. He could not argue with The Kounsel they would destroy him within one second of thought and move on with their plans anyway. If he wanted Camea to be safe he needed to help her to hide until the baby was born. Austen was taken aback by the news that Camea was pregnant. He wondered how The Kounsel knew that she was with child and he did not. He was sad about the situation but a small part of him was happy that she was going to have a baby. Then it crossed his mind that their child could be a monster as well. This was not something that happened all the time. Normally humans transition into Amegions with little complications. Camea’s transformation came at a high cost. It went wrong and she became this horrible monster with the strength of ten like him. He could not control her. He was feeding her live chickens and she would devour fifty of them a day. His beautiful fiancé was a blood thirsty animal. It came back to haunt him when she turned on him and Lemmons. No longer able to control her with his mind he afraid of her. He tried to physically hold her with chains but she ripped out of them as if they were made of paper. She did not have the option to hang around. She threw Austen through his plexi-glass window, destroyed the roof on the house, hung Lemmons by an electrical cord, and flew off, the stream of gold she left disappeared into the ocean.

Austen was heart-broken when she left. He was physically sick for weeks. Camea thought that Austen had something to do with Mila’s death but he did not. Sure he was jealous of Camea’s and Mila’s friendship but he would not hurt Mila just to hurt Camea. He wanted to Camea to be happy but his overwhelming possessiveness for her it was hard to watch enjoy anything other than being with him. He would listen to her conversations from a safe distance seething in his own anger over her voice. The smallest things she would do would drive him to near convulsions with jealousy. Of course he wanted her back, he wanted the child that she was carrying, and Austen wanted her more now than he ever did. He felt sick for the emotions that he should not have because the only emotion he has ever known was desire. Austen’s thoughts were broken by The Kounsel’s commands. Camea envisioned intently.

“Young Miuminot, you will return to your life and presume to live two cycles without a mate. You will not spawn, you will not have contact with the beast, for if you should break these commands The Kounsel is in agreement that you will be destroyed and your light will be extinguished, forever. You are no longer pure, you have emotions, and a weakness that we do not show in our race, the beast have expressed its weaknesses onto you. Leave this chamber and do not return unless you are summoned by this Kounsel.”

With that Austen turned on his heels and hurried out of the dark chamber and back to the entrance to wait on the valet. The Kounsel members were the only beings on this earth that could cause him to worry. They had the power to destroy Austen as he stood before them. But yet they allowed him to live? He did not like the emotions that he felt but he was ashamed of his actions. If he felt like this then how did he cause Camea feel? It must have been horrible for her. To be powerless against his attacks, his anger, his wrath, and his jealousy. As the valet moved to get Austen’s car Camea concentrated on making herself disappear in the car. She had so many powers that she could not count them all. This was just one of them. She also emitted a senses killing toxin in the air. If she did not do this Austen would be able to smell her presence in the car.

When the car arrived to where Austen was waiting the human boy left the door open for Austen. Austen climbed in and took off. Camea was still in the back seat. Austen felt something but gave it no further thought. Camea was looking at Austen’s profile and his movements. He was silent as he drove past an array of buildings and businesses. Camea for some reason wanted nothing more than to touch Austen to reassure herself that she was in the car with him. Thoughts of their time together flashed back in her mind. Camea thought to herself that not all of it was bad. Some of it was good, very good. But when it was bad it was bad. That was apparent. Austen was an open book of anger. But, Austen tried to make her happy during some points during their time together but at other times he seemed to not care at all. Austen made his way to his hotel room. It was a nice hotel. Very upscale considering the surround areas were crime ridden and very third world. Gutters of open sewer ran with a stench of certain sickness. The rats scurried as fast as the emaciated humans. Camea looked at the expansive stretched and overly decorated entrance as they passed it. Austen parked the car and he exited. Camea still using her abilities waited until Austen was gone to the elevator and exited the car as well. But this time she did not remember to kill the electronics in the car. When she exited the car the alarm sounded. Panicked she stepped to the side of the car and dropped to the ground hoping that the alarm did not grab Austen’s attention. Too late, Austen was rushing back to the car. As he approached the car he looked around and found that the passenger door was open. He closed it and continued to inspect the car and the areas around the car. Austen was suspicious but he could not sense anything. So satisfied that he had secured the car and the passenger door he moved back toward the parking garage’s elevator. Camea followed him. Her image not noticeable to anything or anyone that she passed so she thought. One woman with a small spoiled dog barked at her, surprising Austen and Camea. Austen however, thought that the dog was barking at him. He paused for a second, stared at the dog, and then continued on his way. The old woman and her dog smelled of blood money. Camea made a mental note to go back and find the dog and kill it. As she smiled to herself she maneuvered into the elevator with Austen. She stood so close to Austen that she could see the pores on his skin as he passed for a human male. A very sexy, attractive, and rich human male. When they arrived to the door of his room Camea slipped in the room with Austen undetected.

Austen tossed his keys on the table near the entrance to the room. Camea immediately noticed a smell. It was a peculiar smell that she remembered but could not place it. When Austen turned on the light to the room Camea instantly noticed the form in the bed. To Camea’s surprise it was a woman. The woman looked just like Camea. She was wearing Camea’s cologne that Austen loved. Mi’ Amour- the cologne cost forty six thousand dollars because it was made of oil from the glands of a whale. In a process that did not kill the whale but caused great pain staking measure to not kill the extractor. Camea thought it was a waste of money but Austen wanted her to have it. It was taken from a pregnant whale and the pheromones drove Austen crazy. Austen walked over to the woman and stood there. Camea was surprised to no end. She grew angry and started to despise the woman. But she wanted to see what Austen was going to do with the woman before she exacted her revenge on them both. The woman would be killed simply for the fact that she was Camea in imposter form and Austen for being a cold hearted creature.

Austen plainly said, “I am not sure why Lemmons insisted upon you as a replacement to Camea but I am not happy with you and I do not want to be with you under any circumstances.”
The young woman stood up and as the bed linen fell from her body, she revealed her nudity. She started to plead with Austen to be with her, she said things to Austen to entice him to have sex with her. Something Camea never had to do with Austen. However, Austen did not sway in his statements and his thoughts. Camea heard enough and manifested right there by the door to the bedroom. When Camea manifested she formed clothes of gold as she controlled the elements around her. She formed a gold chain as well. Within one second of the other woman gasping at the sight of Camea, Austen turning to the direction of the imposters gasp, Camea wrapped the chain around Austen’s neck, and took control of the woman’s mind. With her arms extended she slammed the woman into the bed and then into the wall with a swooping motion. Austen dropped to his knees. He was powerless against Camea. He was shocked, but he was also immediately entranced by her, she was so beautiful, he loved her so much, he wanted to share his life with her, the love he felt for her was overwhelming him. At that moment the only thing he was thinking about was being with Camea. The chain continued to wrap around Austen’s neck and body. If the chain was made of normal materials it would not have been enough to hold him down the way that it did with certain efficiency. Austen was not fighting the chains. But the amount of energy that Camea was forcing through the chain was enough to hold down anything. Austen thought to himself how powerful she became. Camea was deadly. She shimmered in the light of the room, her hair golden on fire with anger, her skin glowing with anger, and her eyes were glowing green like two emeralds, also with anger. He could barely look at her, he knew that she was angry, angry with the two people in the room. They both were going to die at Camea’s discretion. He knew the replica was going to die, he thought that he was also. With a flip of her wrist Camea whipped him on the bed and bounded him at his feet and wrists to the bed. The replica was pasted to the wall screaming. They were exact duplicates of each other except Camea was glowing of gold. Camea was so angry. Austen had never seen her like that. He was washed with fear. He was not able to do anything. Camea was in control of the entire show. It was the Camea show. Their bodies would rest at her feet. She would mock them in death- as she was doing in the last moments of their lives. Austen knew that the replica did not deserve it but that he did. He deserved it because of the way he treated Camea.

With another motion of her wrist, she summoned the replica to her, the replica futile in her struggles to stop Camea floated seamlessly across the floor until she was upright and hovering off the ground right in front of Camea. The fear in the replica’s eyes was apparent. Austen continued to lie in the bed silent and powerless the chains of gold keeping him bound as he watched the scene before his eyes. Camea spoke to the replica, “Are you afraid?”

The replica nodded but did not answer. The sound of Camea voice was different it was as if a thousand people was speaking at the same time. Camea smiled, “Good, you should be.”

The replica was tensed upright and unable to move. Camea shifted her weight. Her midriff exposed slightly enough to show a small amount but the signs of her pregnancy was apparent in her abdomen that was normally flat was extended slightly. Austen’s heart leaped when he noticed that she indeed was pregnant with their child. His child. Camea spoke again, “Awww-oh my do you love him?” The replica responded with a nod. Camea taunted her again, “I bet he doesn’t love you…” With that Camea flipped her hand again and slammed the replica into the wall knocking the pictures off the wall. When the replica let out a moan Camea slammed her again. Then Camea took both of her hands and made a ripping motion as if she was ripping the girl in two. The replica spit from the middle exploding blood and body parts all over the room. With that Camea summoned the girl’s heart and ate it right in front of Austen. Austen was riddled with fear. His every muscle fiber wanting to not be there at that moment. Another emotion he was not used to. He knew that the same fate was coming to him. Camea had the power to extinguish Austen at any moment. With a wave of her hand the replicas body turned to blue ashes and disappeared as if she never existed.

Camea turned to Austen. The blood was still on her mouth from the replica’s heart. In all of Austen’s existence; he did not fear anything. He did not fear life, death, or pain. But at this moment Austen feared everything about Camea. Camea casually strolled over to Austen not knowing whether or not to kill him instantly or play with him for a while. But something in her refused to let the beast within her kill him. He looked familiar to her. He looked committed to her. She knew that he would never be with anyone or anything else because he was committed to her. Even though her temptation was to keep Austen captive she wanted to toy with him for a while. She climbed on top of Austen and straddled his body in the bed. She released his arms from bondage. The tricky thing about Austen was that he looked so innocent. Large blue eyes and soft lips. He looked like he was an inexperienced twenty something year old. Not the true portrayal of who Austen really was. But he was inexperienced in loving anything. He never owned a clone before and he did not know how to treat one. When Camea released his hands from their constraints he did not try to strike her instead he reached up and touched her face as if he could not believe that it was really her. To Camea’s surprise she laid her face into his hand. She relaxed her body on top of his. With his other hand he touched her womb. Camea felt the instant love that Austen had for his child that was growing in her body. She felt his connection to his child, and his intention to help her, she felt the safety that he wanted to provide her with.

Austen wiped the blood from Camea’s mouth and whispered, “I-I never touched her, I was repulsed by her.” Camea knew that he was telling the truth. Just as she was about to respond she sensed danger converging in on them. With the flash and speed of lightening she jumped off of Austen, swooped him against the wall placing a barrier between him and what was about to burst through the wall.

Camea stood expectedly with fire coming from both palms of her hands. Her hair was flowing around her head and her eyes were emitting green light. She looked worse than when she first appeared in the room. Her intense body was aglow. Austen could see the child in her womb from the light. Camea was nearly transparent with energy. Or anger Austen was not sure.

Austen was confused at her quick change in demeanor. He did not have time to think but instead witnessed what was the bloodiest scene he had ever seen in his existence. The wall burst open and Rock Soldiers poured in. These soldiers were charged with the protection of The Kounsel as they were hard as rocks, but were controlled only by The Kounsel, made of materials not known to the common human. Camea hit the first two in the chest with the fire, a third and fourth she swooped in and bit their bodies into two with her mouth, the fifth and sixth she ripped with her bare hands. She was so tiny against the huge soldiers that stood at least 7 feet tall each, but they did not stand a chance. Blood was pouring all over the room. Camea moved with the speed of a sure predator. One soldier tried to charge at Austen but was sliced in two by Camea’s hair- right as he was about to behead Austen with his sword made of elder bone. The fight ensued for what seemed like hours to Austen as he watched helpless in his bubble of protection. He was amazed at Camea’s power. She was bending the fabric of existence. That is why The Kounsel wanted her dead. She could diverge power with time. She was dangerous to everything around her. Soldiers continued to pour into the room, as Camea annihilated them as their bodies feel to her bare feet. Camea took all of the metal objects in the room and launched them at the soldiers. She pulled moisture from the thin air and washed a wave of water at the soldiers. When she was satisfied that they got the point she morphed into her true form. Austen was stunned and a little taken aback.

Camea resembled a golden dragon, she looked amazing but she looked dangerous at the same time. She reached over through the barrier and grabbed Austen in an instant. She crashed through the large window. Austen watched Camea’s powerful wings carry them away in the night. He simply did not understand what went wrong with her transformation. Camea carried Austen across the ocean for hours. She did not speak to him or even look down at him. She just carried him as if he was a feather in her claw.

After some hours they came upon an island. The island seemed deserted except for a few animals scurrying around and the ocean. Camea gently set Austen down on the shore of the island and landed. She lowered her head to the ground. Austen just stood there and watched her. The woman he loved was a monster. She was a killer. She was a beast that no one could control. He stilled loved her. He did not want to approach her and meet the same fate as the Rock Soldiers did so he hung back. But he still wanted to approach her. Just as he was debating his next move she morphed back into her human form, without clothes. Austen heart skipped when he looked at her round belly. His child was growing larger. When he first seen her in the room he did not notice it as much. Now it seemed as though she progressed just in a few hours.

Camea spoke first, “The closer I am to you the faster it grows, it needs both of our energies to progress, with mine alone it will survive, but it has to be around both of us to thrive. I am going to deliver it soon and I have to kill it.”

Austen did not know what to do, he was pondering if Camea turned from his and raised her hands to the thick brush that was behind her. The brushed moved back and exposed a cabin. The cabin was huge but Austen did not notice it until Camea exposed it to him. It blended in perfectly with the brush and trees. Camea walked towards the cabin and as she did her golden ribbons appeared around her body as if on cue from thin air. Austen was entranced by her beauty, he followed her like a love sick puppy, not knowing if she was going to kill him or keep him prisoner. He did not care. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to touch her, feel her heart beat, be her everything.
Camea walked into the cabin as it started to illuminate light. Austen reached the cabin and was taken aback by everything that was in it. It was all covered in gold. Everything was golden in the cabin. Camea was dropping a trail of gold as she progressed toward the lounger that was in the corner. Austen realized that it was from a wound on her back. He rushed over to her. He dropped to the floor in front of her and laid his head into her lap. He touched her thigh with his hand. She was the only thing in his life that mattered. He could feel the baby in her womb and was instantly protective of it. He wanted it to live. He did not want her to kill his off spring. He would do anything that she wanted but he hoped that there would be a way for them to keep the baby.

Camea reached down and touched his thick blonde hair. She remembered rubbing his hair while they lay in the bed with each other. She felt love from him. She knew that he loved her regardless of his past actions she knew that he was committed to her. She was silently committed to him as well. But she still wanted to kill him. Her possessive side wanted to keep him on the island forever, she wanted him to herself, forever.

Camea reached up and touched the wound on her back. It healed as she was thinking about it. She spoke to Austen in his mind, “I am going to have this thing in three days if we do not kill it.” Austen emitted his sadness at her words. Camea felt it.

She wanted to make Austen happy but she did not know what was being brought into this world. What would this beast unleash on the world? Would it have a blood lust that would consume humanity? Austen’s feelings were overwhelming. He was consuming Camea with his sadness. Camea did not like the feeling that she was yearning to satisfy Austen’s wishes but she did not like feeling his sadness and despair. “How would we be able to keep it safe?” Austen raised his eyes to meet hers. “I will do anything to keep it safe…and you.”

The last pieces of human left in Camea felt compelled by his words. She searched his mind for any kind of deceit and found none. She felt his remorse for everything that happened, her choices, his choices, and the choices that she made out of anger. She killed Mrs. Quigley simply because Austen was not home when she went there to kill him. Mrs. Quigley had nothing to do with the events that occurred between Austen and Camea she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Camea simply broke the woman’s neck when she screamed out loud as Camea crept through the cabin, stalking around, and looking for Austen.

Camea watched Austen to lay his back on the chaise lounge. Austen watched as Camea clothes melted away to reveal her body. He stared at her stomach in awe. Camea’s tiny frame was the same but her stomach was extended and swollen. She looked uncomfortable from the pregnancy. He touched her womb. He could feel his baby inside of her. He leaned over and kissed her womb wrapping his arm around it. Austen did not want to make love to Camea he just wanted to hold her. He wanted to sit with her and wait the next three days out. It was then that Austen realized that the illumination from the cabin was not light but from Camea presence. She left it everywhere she went. He thought about the time he found it in his garage. She had been in his garage in the corner. She was waiting for him there.

Austen leaned further down and starting kissing Camea’s soft mound. He wanted her so bad. Instead he slid his tongue inside of her and felt the rush of warmness. He continued to rub her stomach as he worked on her body. He wanted to do something, anything to make her feel better, she looked as if she needed someone to show her that she was loved. He tasted her familiar taste and fought his urge to rise up and slam into her body. He wanted her so much but he had to resist the urges that he felt to possess her again. He wanted to feel Camea wrapped around his body, her soft body a mere projection of her beauty. But he continued to enjoy her soft moans and stiffening of her body. She tasted sweet and trusting to him. Camea reached down and pulled Austen up. She worked his pants off and grabbed him towards her body. She allowed Austen to insert himself into her body. She felt like silk as Austen slid into her body. He did not want this moment to end. He dreamed of being with her again after she left and wanted it to be special again between them. He knew that she was enjoying it. He wanted her to trust him again. He wanted her to want his baby and love it. He wanted so much. He was becoming the weak human he despised. He was becoming the men that stared at Camea entranced and captured by her beauty. The men that acted out of foolishness to gain her attention when they thought that she was a clone or a human woman. She would leave them speechless. Austen was jealous of the attention she received because it kept the door open for her to be taken from him. At that moment Camea could have asked for anything and Austen would have submitted to her wishes. She was the one that was in control of the situation. She saved his life. She meant everything to him.

Austen released quickly. He lay down on the side of her. Looking at her profile Austen was drunk in her presence. He could not resist how beautiful she was. He could not deny that he was in love with her from the first time he set his eyes on her descending down the stairs of her compound. She was mesmerizing. He tried to make her feel less than she was but it didn’t work as he planned. But this time he would be wiser in his actions. He would honor her instead. She deserved that. Besides the fact that she could kill him at any moment and make his remains disappear as she did with the replica.

Camea did not move. She sat there feeling the warmness of Austen’s body. She wanted to return to the way things used to be but she was also happy at the power she could exert over him at any moment. What she did not realize is that she could have exerted the same control over Austen regardless of her powers because he was in a stupor in her presence. He loved her from the beginning. He wanted nothing more than to be with her every possible moment. Even when she slept he kept vigil over her. It was not until he was no longer able to control her every move -did he allow her some freedom in the relationship. Holding her captive and resorting to hitting her when he felt like she needed it. That is what ultimately led to their demise and Camea’s condition. When Austen turned Camea while she was recovering he had sex with her. This resulted in the pregnancy. But time went by as when she awoke she was not what Austen thought she would be but rather she was something else. She was a monster. She was so powerful he could no longer control her Physically she was dangerous. She simply tossed Austen about as if he was a rag doll. Lemmons attempted to intervene but to no avail he was also tossed around as well but not killed. Camea spared their lives. After destroying half of their home Camea burst through the window and flew off. But the only reason he treated her that way was because his friend and mentor told him that he needed to treat her ill so that she was afraid of him. Austen did not want to be the monster that he developed into when he was with her the first few years. But it got easier to victimize her because she would try so hard to please him when he was upset with her. Giving her body when she did not want to for Austen to do as he pleased. Making sure that she was with him in... his shadow. Hiding countless bruises and bite marks from people that her lover inflicted on her. Refusing to leave their bedroom when the bruising was not disguisable. She did all of that for him. For their love.

When Austen woke up the next day he realized that Camea was gone. Panic stricken he ran to the edge of the cabin. He found Camea in the water up to her waist. Her long golden brown hair was flowing in the water. He had not realized that her hair had grown substantially and it was strong. When Camea turned around her womb was noticeably larger than the night before. Camea was glowing golden, Austen could see the outline of the baby in her womb. Austen was staring at Camea, she looked beautiful with her hair flowing around her face, her skin glowing in a warm amber tone, and her womb pronounced in pregnancy. She was stunning. He felt drawn to her. Austen stepped out of the cabin and walked to Camea as if he was in a trance. He reached her and stood in front of her. He realized that she was not looking at him. She was in a trance like state. The small sparkles of light danced across her face but Camea was unaffected by his presence or her environment. She was within herself standing there as if frozen but at rest. Austen did not want to disturb her. He just stood there in the water staring into her face hoping that everything was according to her plan. She stood perfectly still with the water dancing around her body.

After some time Camea spoke to him, “Our child will age just as fast, nearly a year in a day, she will be powerful but I do not know how powerful she will be yet.” That was all Camea said as she walked past Austen back to the cabin as if she was just strolling around town. Austen followed Camea back to the cabin. He found her lying on a bed in another part of the cabin. She appeared to be resting with her eyes open. Austen went in and lay down on the side of her. He pushed his body up to the side of hers. He did not want to crowd her out but he wanted to be to be near her at all times. He was preoccupied with Camea’s well being. He wanted nothing more than to be with her at that moment-at that time.

Camea knew it she felt the devotion. She was satisfied that she could control him. She still wanted to know if he had anything to do with Mila’s death. She sat up and leaned over to Austen’s face. She bit him on his neck. She searched everything about him in reverse as fast as she could before her thoughts turned to rusty blood. Before her thoughts took her where she did not want to go. She did not want to kill him. She wanted to make sure that she could trust him at her most vulnerable time. She was in control of everything. She was in control of her life and his as well at the moment. Austen did not resist Camea’s actions. He instead allowed his memories to be searched slipping from him as if they were liquid between his fingers. He thought that everything was an illusion to him at this point.

Camea seen everything pertaining to the time she was with and not with Austen. She felt his true feelings about her. She went all the way back to the day Austen first laid eyes on her. She felt the desire Austen felt for her. She witnessed the conversation between Austen and his mentor that came with him to pick her up. In front of her while she was waiting in Austen’s truck she heard the man tell Austen, remember to keep her in line, you have to or else she will be running all over you, human women don’t like weak men, Austen you have to beat her into submission. Camea was shocked at what she discovered but at the same time she was relieved that Austen had nothing to do with Mila’s death. She was relieved that she could move past that and figure out how she would keep The Kounsel at bay. She did not want to tell Austen what she concerned with it. Austen was becoming human. He was aging. He was feeling all the things that a human man would feel in his situation, including hunger for the first time. Amegions did not need to eat they did it out of courtesy but they could rely on their organic plant DNA to revive cells and tissue, as long as they had a source of ultra violet light and water of any kind. Camea looked over at Austen, “You are hungry.” He looked shocked that she could read him so well. He mused whether or not he was that transparent to her.

Camea stood up and walked out of the room and the cabin. She summoned wood and set it on fire. She waved her hand at the ocean and fish started flopping to the shore. She grabbed some and literally ripped their flesh from their bones. She summoned leaves to wrap the meat in that she knew was safe to eat. As Camea orchestrated this Austen watched her in amazement and awe her actions were fluid. He was not sure what she was able to do. But he knew that she was powerful. After the dinner was prepared for Austen Camea dropped her wings from her back. They were golden, huge, and powerful as well. Without a word she took off and left Austen in the cabin.
Camea went to the main land in search of water for Austen. She knew that he could not drink the salt water it would kill him. When she reached the mainland she draped herself in clothes. Camea was used to attracting every eye as she walked past any humans. They just stared at her in awe too awkward to speak and too scared to approach her. She no longer lived in fear. She found a human gold exchange and manifested gold in her hand. She walked up to the teller. As she handed him the gold he stared at her. He was speechless. Camea was growing impatient with the teller- and gave him a look of such. She had no time for the fool to bumble around staring at her and counting money as slow as the night’s moon. After a few moments the teller returned with money. He just stared at her as he placed it in her hand. She turned and stormed out.

Camea then went to a store and gathered things that she thought Austen could eat to sustain his body until she could figure out how to keep him for dying. She gathered her items she purchased and gave the clerk the money. Her total was around two hundred dollars. But Camea gave the clerk four thousand dollars. He shook his head in disdain. “Cute boy.” Camea thought to herself as she made her way back to the ocean front. Camea took off and flew back to the island.

She found Austen sitting on the lounger in the cabin. She dropped her items when she came into the cabin. She knew that Austen was worried about her when she was out of his sight. She thought she would set his mind at ease. “Austen we are safe here, I have shrouded this island in a telegraphic mist. The Kounsel cannot see you here. However, they did turn you into a human. They stripped your life light to nearly nothing. I need to seek help from a few friends. I bought you food and water so that you will not feel as sick as you do now.”
Although he did not say it his eyes plead that he was okay with his fate and that he would leave this world knowing that he loved her and their child. Camea did not accept those terms. He was a child at mind and heart. He was content living his life as a business owner and boyfriend. He was impressionable. He was the person that would agree to anything if it made her happy. She recalled his reaction when she came back from her shopping trip hours upon hours late with Mila. She knew that he was going to be angry with her. She knew that he would hit her. But she now knew that he was programmed to do those things. Camea turned and walked back to the ocean. She went to so out that Austen was not sure if she was floating or swimming. Then Austen noticed the fin. She was riding on something. He was worried about her safety with whatever she was with. Then he saw the most amazing sight it was a whale that was approaching them. Austen noticed several whales. Camea was with them. He could not believe what he was seeing.

After some time the thing brought Camea back to the shore as far as it could go. When Camea came to the shore birds started to drop fruit out of the sky. Austen was confused. Things were getting crazier by the moment. Then it dawned on him they were doing it for Camea. She could summon on these animals as she needed to. She was the master of everything in her path. She was like a God. But how could a clone encompass this much power? The sweet beautiful woman that he brought home and violated on her first day as a person was actually caring for his every need. She was the one that would save his life eventually if it was at all possible. Austen realized that he was becoming more and more human. He did not like the emotional wreck that he was. He opted for his former self without the uptight emotions. Without the anger and possession that he felt for Camea.

Camea realizing that she was putting on a show for Austen decided to summon him to her. She snatched him from where he was standing and lifted him into the air. It was effortless. She no longer needed to try as she was mastering her skills. She kept Austen in the air looking into his eyes. He was a beautiful creation. Well the manifestation of what he would be if he was human was beautiful as well as his true form. She brought his face closer to hers but kept his body in the air. She kissed him and laughed as he squirmed with the intense pressure from being upside down. She allowed Austen to turn right side up and set him down on the side of her. He just stood there gazing at her. The soft sounds of the waves crashing on the beach along with the occasional seagull was the only music that Austen could hear as he silently watched Camea.

Camea and Austen sat on the beach. The warm air drifting over their bodies with the sun slowly starting to dip in the horizon. The color scheme of the beach was amazing to Austen. Camea relaxed back on the sand and allowed her golden ribbons to part showing her full round womb. It appeared to be disproportionate to her body. Austen relaxed back against the sand as well. “Camea, what will we do when the baby come?”

“I don’t know, I guess we can hope for the best. I can change our appearances and we can go back to the United States but if the baby is dangerous then we will have to take care of it or stay here where it cannot hurt anyone.”

Austen was content with the answer. He could not wait for the child to be born. He would hold his child for the first time. “Did you think of a name?” Austen asked half expecting an answer but afraid of what Camea could say.

“No, I was not planning on really keeping it until just recently. When I sought out advice from human doctors they were too interested in taking samples and sending them to the labs. But they were unable to collect the samples they needed because of my skin. They were not able to penetrate my body. I knew that if they could not penetrate my body it was useless to think that they could help me with this pregnancy.”

The time spent on the beach passed within minutes it seemed. There was nothing more that needed to be said. Camea felt complete although she was facing one of the toughest decisions that she would face in her life. She had no doubt in her mind that she loved Austen. She just was not sure how she felt about the life that growing in her womb. As the sun disappeared from view and the moon came out to greet the world Camea knew that she had only a few hours to think about what needed to be done. She knew that she was going to be the one to make the decision.

Camea and Austen moved to the cabin in silence. It would their last night together as two individuals. Without regard to the fact that they would have to make a decision on the life that was about to come into the world. Would it be too much to ask for the baby to be able to have a normal life free of the hurt and disappointments that was all too well known to Camea? Was it not too much to ask? All the normalcy of a human life would offer the baby the safety and anonymity that was needed to be free from the anger that her mother lived with everyday. The beast that she was and the human that she was not. Never gaining the one true thing she wanted. Life outside of the compound was hard, but life in and of itself was harder.

Birthright

Within hours of returning to the cabin Camea felt the pain of childbirth. Given her extraordinary strength and high tolerance to pain she knew that if she was a regular clone she would have been climbing the walls and the ceilings. She tolerated the pain in silence for the first 2 hours. Then as she knew the time was drawing close she had to awaken Austen. He would need to help with the delivery.

Austen roused from sleep immediately started to panic. After a few short words from Camea he was able to gain his composure and follow her instructions. Thankfully Camea watched enough television to know what to expect. As the blood and liquid gold poured from her body she grew weak. The delivery was taking longer than she expected. She turned to Austen and extended her hand. Austen was pale. He was thinking that she was going to die and he would follow her. He did not want to live without her. He did not want to take a moment of breath if she was not there by his side. Right when Camea seemed her weakest Austen noticed that coming from her body was a tuft of hair. He moved in closer as Camea’s body contracted again with contortion and the head of his child was expelled. He reached down and grabbed the baby’s head. The baby seemed to be dead. Austen was sick, his child was not alive. All of this was in vain. The child would be dead and Camea would be sick or dead as well. Austen’s heart was sinking with each second that passed by in the cabin.

As Austen grabbed the small child another contraction gripped Camea and the child was nearly expelled out of her body. The blood and gold ran to the floor, the child covered in blood was still not breathing. With one last bone crushing contraction Camea released the child into Austen’s arms. The baby looked dead. It was grey and still. Austen felt remorse for his child. His daughter. Although she was puffed, swollen, and grey in color she was still beautiful. Austen stood silently holding the child as Camea collapsed back on the bed. Camea’s body was losing blood at an astronomical rate. Austen was frozen he did not know who to help or what to do. He was afraid to set his daughter down but he was afraid to not help Camea. He chided himself, “Think, think, what to do.” As he was clutching the tiny child in his arms, it squirmed. Austen started to think clearly. He needed to act fact. He set the baby on Camea’s chest. He raced outside and found a piece of a long string. He raced back to Camea and the baby. He tied the umbilical cord that was linking the baby to Camea. He quickly chewed through it. He grabbed his shirt off and wrapped it around the baby. Camea was watching him but she was not saying anything or moving. He placed the beautiful baby on the side of her mother and kneeled down on the side of the Camea.

“What can I do to help you? How can I help you?” But Austen did not receive an answer from Camea. Instead he was shoved to the side by a small primate. As he fell to the floor the animal reached between Camea’s legs and pulled out the afterbirth. The animal started rubbing Camea’s abdomen. Austen heard the baby start to cry. He crept over to the side of the primate and grabbed his daughter. Scooting across the floor and into the corner he held the tiny child to his chest. After what seemed like hours Camea color started to return. The blood and gold was no longer dripping on the floor.

The primate satisfied with her work turned and looked at Austen, then stormed out of the cabin. Camea was gaining her strength. She was able to call out to Austen. Austen moved closer to Camea with the baby still wrapped in his shirt in his arms. Camea reached out for the baby. She placed the baby to her breast. The baby began to nurse. Austen sat back and watched the woman he love nurse his child.

For the first time their daughter opened her eyes. She had blue eyes just as deep as Austen’s. After an hour of watching his daughter nurse Austen was given her back. He was protective of her. He wanted to keep her safe. Camea got up and was able to walk around. She was covered with blood and liquid gold. It streaked her legs and her feet. She walked out of the cabin and went to the ocean. She stood in the ocean and allowed the blood to wash off of her body. She seemed to heal at an alarming rate. But this was to be expected.
Austen followed Camea with the baby in his arms. He stood there and watched her. Fixed on her body as it seemed to return to pre-pregnancy right before his eyes. Austen figured it out. She drew power from the water. The salt water. It rejuvenated her. She looked amazing in the water. She was amazing anyway but to see her in the light made it seem as though she was weightless. She waved Austen over. He strolled over with the baby. When he got to the water he handed the baby to Camea. She took the small child and dunked her into the water. Austen was alarmed and jumped to grab the child from Camea. Austen did not want Camea to kill the baby. He did not want his daughter to die. Panicked he grabbed at the baby. Camea inpatient with Austen snapped, “Just wait, Austen.”