Her throat felt strangely full as she looked at Paloma. At that moment, she wanted to embrace her. She had thought of the idea vaguely, but was not sure how it would be received by the others. Giving an order that could place the babies in danger, was not an easy one to make. She would be crazy to take the babies to a continent where their arch nemesis was enlisting the help of someone to harm them. She squeezed Paloma’s hand gently by way of showing her gratitude.
†
The smell of wood fire permeated the stale air. They were close to the village. Chuey’s gait seemed lighter, almost eager. He couldn’t wait to reach their destination and that alone made Syria more alert. About an hour ago, night had fallen and the men had lit some torches to light the way. It bothered her somewhat that Chuey and his men didn’t need any light to see where they were going. On their side, only she and Copernicus had that advantage. The latter had moved up the convoy to walk just behind her and she could hear this heart beating furiously in his chest.
Syria could make out a glittering of lights in the distance and knew that they had arrived at the village. She didn’t know what she had expected when they entered the village. It was well lit with large fires and torches everywhere. Neat bamboo huts were built in a two half-moon shapes, with a larger, more spacious hut in the middle to close the circle. Chuey turned to them and smiled, a genuine smile. That seem to unsettle Syria more than the fake crocodile smiles of earlier.
“You wait here, while I inform the shaman of our arrival.” He left them standing there, exposed to the eerie flat stares of the villagers. They all looked malnourished and hungry. The men who had accompanied Chuey, moved away to mingle with their friends and relatives.
Syria took the time to study the layout of the village. There were approximately fourteen huts excluding the large one that Chuey had disappeared into. The clearing extended behind the huts until there was a circle of sharpened bamboo spikes possibly designed to keep wild animals at bay. She noticed that the path they came in on was the only one leading into and out of the village, but she knew that could not be true. The villagers who had been spying on them since their arrival on the bank, had used a parallel trail to reach the village. She took in the large fire in the center of the village. It was huge, big enough to light up the whole area, but she somehow felt like it served another purpose, too. Though, not one she wanted to explore at that moment. Chuey stepped out of the large hut with a look of reverence on his face.
“Looks like we’ve found Chuey’s weakness,” Copernicus said as he came to stand next to her.
Yes, Syria thought. But she knew deep down that this knowledge might not be advantageous to them at all. Chuey was a high functioning psychopath and for him to have that kind of look on his face for another person could mean only one thing. Chuey’s role model was an even worse kind of monster than he.
He was smiling when he reached them. “Please, follow me.”
“All of us?” Syria asked quietly. “I’m not leaving my men out here.”
The smile froze on Chuey’s face and his eyes frosted over. “The shaman’s tent is a sacred place, not some…” He seemed to look for a word. “…some cheap bar where everyone is welcome.”
Syria was not going for that. “In that case, your shaman will have to meet with us out here.” She thought Chuey was going to have a stroke right there and then. His jaw dropped and he stared at her as if she had just licked the tip of his nose. Before he could recover from his shock, Copernicus stepped forward.
“I’ll meet with the shaman, while they wait for me out here.” Syria gave Copernicus a warning glare and he gave her a reassuring one in return. She prayed the shaman was a smart man who would consider the consequences before he acted on his instincts. Copernicus cannot die here.
Chuey seemed to snap out of his frozen state and after giving Syria a poisonous stare, turned to Copernicus.
“Please, follow me, senõr.”
Syria turned to the men. “Be ready for anything. Harry, have your flame throwers, hand grenades, everything that will make noise, at the ready.”
X
“What did you miss the most?”
Jemima smiled at the girls. “Pizza.”
“Now you’re talking,” Jessica said with a moan. “New York has the best pizza places.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Gabriella said to Inger. “Call them.”
Jemima frowned. “Who are you calling?”
“Mother and Paloma. They could pick up the pizza for us and bring it home.”
Jemima gaped at Inger. “Right now? You want me to try a pizza tonight?” And she wanted to send Tahlia and Paloma, of all people? Those two would not be caught dead in a fast-food place, reeking of melted cheese and cooked meat. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You’ll never know unless you’ve tried it,” Inger said as she covered her phone. “Hi, honey. Where are you now? Ok. I need a favor.”
Jemima sat frozen as she listened to Inger’s very short conversation. What had she gotten herself into? She met Gabriella’s twinkling eyes.
“Are you nervous?”
“Wouldn’t you be, darling? I haven’t had pizza in over thirty years.”
“That’s not bad. I know of a lot of people who gave up certain foods for decades. And it’s pizza that we’re talking about. Everyone loves it.”
Inger rolled her eyes. “They’ll pick up the pizza.” She took Jemima’s hand in hers. “You can try a tiny piece and then we’ll wait and see.”
“Ok.” She could handle a tiny piece. Time to change the subject, since her stomach was already roiling violently at the thought of cooked meat. “Are you going into the office tomorrow?”
“None of us are,” Inger said as she took a sip of her coffee. “We’re going shopping, seeing as the babies didn’t give us a heads-up about their growth spurt.”
“Maybe I could join you girls.”
“No can do,” Jessica said quickly. “We’re each taking our partners. Trinity and Clarissa already went for their UV shots.”
Jemima felt a fluttering in her stomach. She and Tahlia going shopping together? She inhaled deeply. Why, for heaven’s sake, was it suddenly so difficult to be around the woman? She had promised that she would fix this and get things back to the way they were, but for some reason she suffered from an inexplicable shyness when in Tahlia’s presence. The vampire only had to look at her and she felt herself blushing. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
“You should ask Mother to take you tonight. That way you can help Viv with the babies when we go,” Inger said as she watched Jemima closely. “Everything alright, Mom? You’re actually blushing.”
Jemima felt her face turning even warmer under the scrutiny of the three other women. Jessica leaned forward with a naughty look on her face and Jemima had a vague idea where the next part of the conversation was going.
“Don’t tell me. Let me guess. Now that you’re a mere immortal ‘mortal’ like us, you feel the same fascination we experience around our partners, don’t you?”
“Jess!”
“Jessica!”
The other two were mortified at Jessica’s forwardness and Jemima almost smiled at it. She had always like Jessica for her bluntness. And now she liked her even more for calling the awkwardness what it really was. She had been denying it for a whole day and that was one day too long already.
“She might actually be right.” All three of them stared at her. Since they were being frank, she might just as well pump them for information. “This change thing has been difficult.”
“Difficult, how?” Inger asked cautiously.
“Maybe I should ask you some questions and see if I’m experiencing the same things.”
“Just hang on for a moment.” Jessica rose and returned after a few minutes with a bottle of red wine and four glasses. “Now, we can talk.”
†
The river was calm, but it was what was under the tranquil-looking surface that worri
ed her. She looked up and down the bank. Those creatures must have had a way to return home, if they were to cross the river. It only made sense to inspect the banks of the river. A few years ago, she had watched a documentary film on survival tips in the jungles of Borneo. It had indeed been very informative. She walked down the bank, careful not to disturb a large caiman lying on the bank. Her search came up empty and she decided to explore the second option. She retraced her steps, reading the undergrowth. A large tarantula skittered away with a brightly colored snake in close pursuit. The sight resonated strongly with her. She had been pursuing Syria for the past three months, blinded by revenge and bloodlust. Unlike the tarantula and the snake, which she thought had a decided outcome. Compared to her, Syria was an ancient. More powerful and resourceful. But what she lacked in age, she made up for in determination and hatred. Syria Manas topped the list of people who had taken from her. She even surpassed that pig, Copernicus. Syria Manas owed her everything. And she was going to collect a blood price.
Everyone would know that Lake Noble was tired of being robbed. She walked over to a tree a few yards inland. The undergrowth looked trampled and she raised her eyes.
Bingo!
†
Paloma almost laughed at the look of absolute revulsion on Tahlia’s face as she looked at the box in Paloma’s lap. She didn’t say anything, just stared at the box. It was interesting how Tahlia had changed from the young girl she had been. The young Tahlia was quite outspoken and wouldn’t have held her tongue in a situation like this. She grinned when Tahlia turned her head and looked out the window. Paloma was sure the dark woman wished she was out there, instead of sharing a space with a gooey pizza. If she had to be honest, she found the smell of the pizza just as revolting.
“I can feel you staring.”
“I’m thinking of how you’ve changed over the millennia.”
Tahlia fixed her dark eyes on her. “We have been through too much to have remained unchanged.”
“I know.” A vague memory of her mother’s face flitted before her. She couldn’t remember the pain anymore, but being a mother herself now, for the first time in millennia, she could envision the pain her mother must have suffered before and after giving her up. She was ready to make peace with that part of her life. But Tahlia’s life took a different turn. She was taken away not only from her mother, but also had to give up a great love. Then she was chosen as the ultimate heir to Lecrac, a great responsibility that had been coupled with her inexhaustible search for her soul mate, only to have them die after the completion of their short human lives.
Paloma was a soldier. She followed orders. Tahlia, on the other hand, gave the orders and had to live with the consequences. Was that the reason why she had become quieter over the centuries? More introspective; less expressive.
“You are right.” She looked down at the box. “But now we have everything we have ever wanted.”
“Not yet,” Tahlia said softly. “There is still so much I want.” Her eyes were warm as they studied her. “I want all of you to be happy. The children should be safe. I want all my clan members to reach a state of contentment.” She looked away. “Then only, will I have everything I have ever wanted.”
Paloma nodded. There it was; the biggest difference between them. Tahlia was bigger than her. She was a whole clan. The future of a race. For her to hate the smell of a pizza near her person and still accept it quietly, was a small sacrifice for her to make. Her whole life was in sacrifice for others. That it had to take something as simple as a pie to gain such insight into her friend and her queen, was astounding and humbling.
“I hate the smell, too.”
“It’s your wife who is going to smell of cheese and cooked meat tonight, better get used to it.”
†
Copernicus ducked as he entered the large hut behind Chuey. He came to an abrupt stop as he took in the interior. He knew his mouth must be hanging open. This was not what he had expected at all. Instead of the more primitive interior; indoor fire pit with animal skins adoring the floor and the walls, Mopi’helma’s hut was something to behold. The hut looked like a hotel room. A king-sized bed was raised on a wooden platform, a 55-inch TV screen hovering over it, fixed to a beam in the roof. He wondered vaguely where they got their electricity from. The other side of the hut was modelled after a lounge area, complete with plush couches and a coffee table. Copernicus realized that he was being watched and noticed another man standing with Chuey. He was much younger than Copernicus had expected. His greying hair hung in strings around his face and he was dressed in khaki shorts, a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. Copernicus blinked slowly.
“Senõr Bohme, welcome.” The man stepped closer. He was at least a head shorter than himself. The man gestured to the couches. “Let’s sit and talk. Chuey, could you bring us something to drink?”
As if in a daze, Copernicus followed the man to the couches and took a seat. Everything felt not quite right. He felt as if he had fallen down a rabbit hole. Mopi’helma smiled.
“It is not what you had expected, no?”
Copernicus shook his head slowly. “No, not at all.”
“Then that is good. Now we can discuss business in an honest manner. No prejudice.” He smiled again, showing a set of surprisingly bright, healthy teeth. “You have gone to great lengths to find me. Why?”
“There was no other way to reach you.” His brown eyes narrowed. “Or is there?”
Mopi’helma chuckled. “Only a select few have my number. Maybe when we’ve finished our business and it has been concluded successfully, I could give you my number.”
“I would appreciate that.” Chuey came over and placed a tray holding a bottle of Macallan with two crystal tumblers, on the coffee table. Nothing should shock him anymore, but…for goodness sake! He served them and went to stand behind the shaman. Copernicus waited for Mopi’helma to take a sip first. The shaman took a purposely long drink.
“If we’re going to work together, senõr, we need to learn to trust each other. Now, tell me what is it you think I can help you with?”
Copernicus took a quick sip, wanting to hum at the taste of the expensive drink. “I heard you could help with almost anything.” The shaman raised an eyebrow. “I have an enemy I need to neutralize.”
“Neutralize? Like in kill?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Mopi’helma took another sip. “It depends on two things. One, my prize.” He held up two fingers. “Two, who is it you want to kill.”
Copernicus threw back the rest of his drink. “I’ll pay any prize, as long as I get what I need. As for the person I want taken care of, she is a vampire.”
The shaman blinked. “Your enemies are dangerous, senõr. But not completely invincible.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here, if you could do it yourself?”
“Because the vampire I want destroyed, is not just any vampire.” Just thinking about her, gave her the chills. “It’s the Dark Queen.”
Mopi’helma’s hand stopped midair and Copernicus wasn’t sure, but he could swear that he saw a faint tremor go through the shaman’s hand. Even here, in the middle of nowhere, the Vampire Queen is known.
The other man slowly lowered his glass, his eyes sharp. “She is a very dangerous enemy to have, Senõr Bohme. Too dangerous.”
Sighing, Copernicus could actually feel his heart drop at hearing that. It would seem he had just trekked through a whole continent and placed himself in great peril for nothing.
“So, you can’t help me?” He studied the shaman closely. The man looked a little shaken.
“I didn’t say that.” He drained his glass and poured them both fresh drinks. “I do have a question for you.”
Now that there was a slight glimmer of hope, Copernicus was eager to please the man. “Yes?”
“What do you know of your enemy?”
“Everything.” And he did. He had read anything and everything that he could find
about Tahlia. There wasn’t much, but he was sure he knew everything that was available.
“Tell me.”
Copernicus hid his annoyance. “She’s over two thousand years old and queen of the Royal vampire clan. She’s a great warrior and possessively guards her family and friends. It suffice it to say that she’s not someone to mess with.”
Mopi’helma smiled as he watched Copernicus over the rim of his glass. “That is not much.” He cradled the glass in his palms. “Want to know what I know?” Copernicus nodded. Anything about Tahlia was of great interest. “Exactly the same.”
He blinked at the shaman. “Excuse me?”
“I know as much as you do. That is not good for either of us.” His expression was severe. “My father used to say that the less is known about an enemy, especially one as dangerous as the queen, the more worried we should be.”
Copernicus sat back. “Will you be able to help?”
“Let’s talk about my prize first.”
†
Lake knew she was under close scrutiny as she reached the opposite bank. It was pitch-dark. She needed to draw them out. Dropping her shoulders, she began to sniff. A vulnerable blonde woman was easy pickings this time of the night and maybe even more so, on this side of the river.
Her ploy seemed to work. The faint crunching of approaching footsteps could be heard behind her. She waited until she could hear them right behind her before she exploded into action. A few minutes later, she stepped over their unconscious bodies, following the streak of invisible marker. Using enhanced speed, she reached the village in less than a minute. The village was larger than she had thought, but it wasn’t the huts and the staring villagers she was concentrating on. Her eyes searched and found the tall form of Syria Manas. She stood with a group of five, heavily-armed men. They were the other half of the group she had run into on the other side of the river. Syria stood motionless, but Lake could tell that she was highly alert. She quickly ducked into the shadows when Syria turned in her direction and searched the shadows with a piercing look. One of the men drew her attention and with a final long look, she turned away.
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