Inger smiled.
There was a short silence. In those brief seconds of uncertainty, a number of scenarios, each worse than the other, flitted through her mind. Tahlia was near-indestructible, which didn’t rule out that there weren’t any vulnerabilities. And it didn’t mean that she didn’t feel any pain, either. Tahlia never complained, but Inger knew that it must hurt a lot for her to do what she did to keep them safe.
She needed to get to her mother. She would want to know. She knew that Tahlia needed to do it, but she couldn’t help but feel a little angry at her. Jemima would be heartbroken if something were to happen and she didn’t know about Tahlia.
Inger felt warmed at Paloma’s agreement. It meant the vampire would always think of her before she did something that could potentially kill her. On the other hand, Paloma agreeing with her wasn’t very reassuring. It meant that Tahlia was in much bigger danger than they knew.
There was a firmness in Paloma’s voice that Inger had not heard before. Was it possible that Paloma was trying to convince herself as well? She decided not to delve into it any further. Tahlia was quite resourceful. That, coupled with her tenacity, would save the day.
She looked at her daughter and smiled. She was a gorgeous little girl. Her eyes were a blue grey mix, a perfect blend of both her mothers’ eyes and with a fluff of dark hair, she was destined to be a heartbreaker.
The rest of the conversation revolved around their daughter and plans they had made to extend their home to add a playroom for when the others came for playdates. With her wife’s voice echoing through her mind, Inger found herself relax enough to doze off again.
†
Copernicus opened his eyes and moaned softly. It felt like he had run into a brick wall. He gingerly touched his head and then his face. There was swelling around his eye and jaw. He tried to move his jaw and almost cried out at the excruciating pain that shot through is head.
“That woman doesn’t like you very much.” The shaman’s voice sounded nearby and Copernicus carefully sat up to find himself in the main hut, lying on a makeshift bed on the floor. The shaman sat on the couch, watching a soccer match with the sound muted. He sported a large bandage around his neck.
“What happened?” All he remembered was being knocked out. Lake! The woman was alive! He had seen with his own eyes how Syria had killed her. He climbed to his feet and swallowed when his head and stomach simultaneously protested at the movement.
“You missed a lot, senõr.” The man looked faintly apprehensive. That was so out of place considering how overtly confident the man was. “She was here.”
“Yes, the woman who knocked me out. She…”
The shaman sighed. “The Dark Queen. She came to assist the blonde vampire.”
Copernicus stumbled over to a chair, his legs suddenly having lost their strength to hold him upright. “The…the Queen?” He took a deep shuddering breath. That explained the bandage. “Did you fight her?”
Mopi’helma snorted. “If you want to call her toying with me, a fight, then yes.”
Oh no! He needed to get out of here. “But why didn’t…. Did she not see me?”
“She didn’t even spare you a glance. She came for something and she left as soon as she got it.” The man reached for the bottle in front of him and Copernicus noticed a faint tremor in the shaman’s hand as he poured two drinks. He handed one to Copernicus, who gulped it down. He held the glass out for another and the shaman complied. He took it slower with the second drink.
“What was she after?”
“The toxin.”
He blinked. “How did she know about the toxin? You’re all so secretive about that. I didn’t even know of its existence.”
Mopi’helma’s eyes slipped from the screen to rest on him. The look almost incredulous. “Are you serious, senõr?
“About what?” What was the man talking about?
“Your bodyguard was planted in your life. How do you call it in the movies…?” He gesticulated with is hands. “Ah, a mole. You had a mole.”
The same thought had crossed his mind earlier. But it didn’t make sense. If Syria was so close to Tahlia, why hadn’t she kill him already? Instead she had gone above and beyond to keep him safe. Why? She looked at Mopi’helma and the shaman shrugged.
“I see you don’t believe me.”
Copernicus sighed, his heart heavy with disappointment. “I do believe you. I just can’t figure out why she didn’t kill me when she had the chance. And she had plenty of opportunity.”
“I told you in the beginning it is important to understand your enemy.” He took a sip from his drink. “These vampires don’t kill freely. They can, but they don’t. It’s too easy for them. Now, if you don’t want to kill someone, but you still keep them alive, what is your plan with this person?”
Intel. What they wanted was for him to reveal his cards. They knew he would explore other options of getting to the Pillars. Syria was reporting back to them.
“They wanted me to lead them here.”
The shaman nodded. “All your plans and strategies are now known to them.”
“How could I not have seen this?” Valiant followed her and documented her life and movements thoroughly. He couldn’t believe that they were both duped by Syria. Everything, even that little fight with the Royals, which brought her to his attention, had been staged. He had played right into their hands and all they had to do was sit back and be fed intelligence by their spy. And now Lake Noble, another duplicitous bitch, was also in their camp. As a vampire, Lake was a great threat to him. He was strong, but his strength didn’t compare to the strength, speed and predatory shrewdness of a vampire. She was turned by a Royal, which made her a more sophisticated upgrade than the normal Renegade.
“I need to get away from here.”
The shaman laughed; a hard, empty sound. “You brought them here, Senõr Bohme, and you will remain with us until they leave or decide to kill us.”
They were still here? Why would they still hang around if they got what they wanted?
“How sure are you that they’re still around?”
“The forest, is like a woman who likes to gossip. She talks loud and boastful when the person under discussion is not present. The moment that person is near, she is quiet. She feels intimidated.”
Copernicus threw his hands up. He had a hard knock to his head and was probably suffering from a concussion. He didn’t have the time or capacity to unravel the shaman’s little riddle. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.”
The man sighed and gave him an indulgent look. “The forest is particularly quiet today. That means that a predator, a big one, is in the vicinity.”
“Aren’t there any other routes out of the village? I’m sure we could leave when they’re all asleep. Like now. Vampires don’t operate during the day.”
“These ones do. They are out there right now, just watching us.” He shook his head. “I sensed that you were trouble the momen
t you set foot in the village. Your aura gave you away. Dark and swirling. A man who was comfortable in the shadows.” He sipped his drink. “If I could repeat that day, knowing what would happen, I wouldn’t have allowed you into the village. But I did and I still demand the hundred million you offered.” His eyes were hard. “It will help us move to a safer place.”
†
The smell of death was almost suffocating. Tahlia glanced around taking in the bodies littered at her feet. Did she do that? She looked at her hands and wiped her mouth. Nothing. No blood.
“It’s not your doing, my daughter.”
She turned. A man stood with his back to her, seemingly engrossed in something far off in the distance. She joined him, her eyes never leaving his profile.
“Why are you here?”
He turned to look at her his dark green eyes filled with amusement. “I should ask you that.”
She looked around her and then back at him. “Where are we?”
He pointed at the horizon where a dust cloud had formed. “That is a moment I’ve always wanted to experience. The clash between Alexander the Great and King Darius III of Persia.”
Tahlia raked her brain for a date. She shook her head. It couldn’t be possible. This battle took place over two hundred years before she was born.
“I don’t understand,” she said cautiously.
“I know.” He curled his arm around her shoulder. “When I chose you as my heir, I did so after carefully studying you.”
Tahlia blinked at him. He had never told her why he had chosen her, when there were so many other more apt candidates she could name. “I would be very happy to know why you decided on me.”
Lecrac laughed and threw a glance at the approaching army. He obviously didn’t want to miss the battle. “I was stuck in the British Isles when the battle took place. Reading about it later, I wanted to kick myself for having missed out on one of Alexander’s proudest moments.” Tahlia glanced at him, but said nothing. He might not be on the same conscious plane as she was, but he was her sire and she would not disrespect him by rushing him.
“If I may ask, what were you doing in Britain that kept you from witnessing this?”
He laughed, a naughty twinkle in his eyes. “A beautiful Celtic warrior princess.”
Tahlia grinned. He reminded her a lot of Pierre. He was just as handsome and she could see the women flocking to him. “Well, there are things more important than war.”
Lecrac laughed deeply. “There? That’s what made me choose you, Tahlia. You came to me with glass-half-full attitude. When I first took your blood, I was enthralled by your zest for life. You weren’t going to let the fact that you would be tied to the shadows, stop you from living your life fully. And I knew you would seek out your human lover.” He cupped her cheek. “You are patient, loyal, resourceful and brave. All those combined with your lust for life, made you the ideal candidate. Your devotion to your human lover, filled me with confidence that you would protect not only the vampires, but the humans, too.”
Tahlia thought of her daughters. Jessica. Strong, courageous humans. Yes, if she could find them amongst the many, she believed there were so many more.
“I needed someone who could reign over a race of apex predators and mold them into a sophisticated clan with a benevolent attitude towards the weaker races. And I must say that what I see from here, convinces me that I have made a superb choice.”
Tahlia wiped at her cheeks and encountered tears. She couldn’t remember when last she had cried. She’d have to ask Jemima. Her eyes widened slightly. Shoot! She forgot to tell Jemima about her plan. Babble mouth Paloma was sure to have told Inger and it would reach Jemima.
“Anything amiss?”
“I forgot to tell my wife that I was going to ingest a dangerous poison and would be out of action for a while.” She smiled sheepishly. “She will kill me for not having told her.”
Lecrac placed his hand on her shoulder. “You wondered earlier, how come you could live through a time that predates your human birth.” She nodded. “You have access to an arsenal of weapons through my personal memories. You can walk through time as long as you have a memory of it or a tangible link to a place or period. You know and love your wife, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Then what is stopping you from going to her?” He turned back to the army. “As long as you live; I live. You’ll always find me in your memories.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “In the future, refrain from provoking your wife. Wives make dangerous adversaries.”
Tahlia found herself back in the ground, her body still frozen in sleep. What a strange dream? Was it even a dream? Maybe a vision. She needed to talk to the others about this. They could help her make sense of this. She didn’t know why, but she was getting scared; scared of her powers. They seemed suddenly limitless and that was unsettling. Such power could corrupt an individual. Jemima would be a great choice for a listener. She closed her eyes. Lecrac said she could will herself into Jemima’s presence.
Here goes nothing.
†
Jemima was incensed. “I’m going to kill her,” she hissed through her teeth.
“I thought so,” Inger said warily. “Maybe you should sleep on it a bit. It’s already five p.m. and you haven’t slept a wink, Mom.”
Jemima shook her head. “Can’t sleep,” she said curtly. She was terrified that while she was asleep, Aria would start vomiting again. If grownups could choke, what about a baby. Nope, she was staying up until she was sure that her child was not in danger anymore. She turned to the bed where Isis and Aria lay, fast asleep. What was so sweet, was the fact that they were holding hands while asleep. If what Paloma had told Inger about the link between these babies was correct, she wondered what it would be like when they reached their teens. Kids that age liked to ride bikes and skate. They climbed trees and played sports. She might be admitted to an insane asylum by then, for she doubted she would be able to live through another synesthesia episode.
“We could lie together and keep watch over them. What do you say?”
She nodded and allowed Inger to lead her to the bed. She lay on her side, so she could keep her eyes on the sleeping babies. Inger did the same on the other side of the bed.
A few minutes ticked by in silence.
“I really think that with all that was going on, Mother simply forgot to let you know,” Inger said softly and Jemima sighed. Inger would do anything to protect Tahlia.
“Maybe.”
“Ah, Mom, don’t be like that.” Inger reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Paloma said that Syria was in really bad shape when they got to her.”
“It’s the truth,” Tahlia said unexpectedly and both Inger and Jemima squeaked. They sat up and saw Tahlia standing a few feet away. She was dressed in her usual dark shirt and trousers, her hands behind her back. There was a contrite expression on her face. “I forgot, but I wanted to come tell you before Inger got to you.”
Jemima sat up and was about to approach Tahlia, when her wife held up a hand. “It’s only my consciousness that’s here. I don’t want you to be frightened when you touch me and there is nothing.”
Her mouth agape, Jemima did approach Tahlia, circling her. “How do you do this?”
“I really don’t know. All I know was that I had this weird vision where Lecrac and I met and he told me that I could do this.”
“Lecrac? Like your sire, Lecrac? But he’s been dead for over two thousand years.”
Tahlia shrugged. “I know. But we are getting off track now, my love. I came to tell you not to worry about me. I have to shut my body down to stop the spread of the toxin while I analyze it. With Syria in an induced coma, the babies will be fine for the time being.” Tahlia glanced at a wide-eyed Inger. “Hi, darling. I will get you and your wife back for almost landing me in big trouble.”
Inger blushed and opened her mouth, but closed it again.
“Almost?” Jemima asked softly. She came to stand as
close as she could to Tahlia. “You are in trouble.”
“Then I apologize for my lapse, beloved. When I saw Syria so close to death, my instincts kicked in.” She raked Jemima with an intense look. “I will make amends, I promise.”
“I know. And you’re forgiven, by the way.”
Tahlia smiled. It was that soft lifting at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes glistened like pools of warm oil.
“Thank you.” She grimaced. “I need to go, but I’ll see you after all this.”
“That’s fine, vampire.” She gave Tahlia a quick once-over. “Next time, make sure you bring your body along.” Behind her, Inger groaned and Jemima winked at Tahlia as the latter’s shape began to fade. She turned to Inger. “I think I could sleep for a few hours now.” She could almost feel Inger rolling her eyes at her.
XVII
Jonas watched Izaura as she walked through the jungle, her eyes wide. He had forgotten that it was the blonde’s first time using the UV serum. It was a revelation to watch her walk from tree to tree, touching the sun-kissed leaves. She would turn her face up and smile broadly as the rays that filtered through the canopy touched her skin. For Jonas it was quite a sight to see the sun bounce off the blonde hair, causing a halo to form around Izi’s head. She looked up and caught him staring.
“It’s been thirteen hundred years since I last felt the sun on my skin.” She moved over to him and threw her arms around his neck. “I want to kiss you in the sunlight.” She gently took his mouth in a breathtaking kiss and Jonas had to mentally remind himself to stay upright and not melt in an embarrassing puddle at her feet. When she pulled away, he met her gaze with a piercing look. Would the time be right? She smiled and cupped his face.
“You are such a contradiction, my love.” She brushed her thumbs over his lips. “You appear so unapproachable on the outside, but inside…” She pushed her fingers through his hair. “You are like bougatsa.”
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