Purity War

by Laurel Night

  “Well, that went better than expected,” he said, plodding ahead. “I was worried it would upset her. Now that I say it I don’t know what I was thinking, the queen has never been the angry type,” he chuckled to himself relieved.

  “Yes,” I answered, “It was never Mother I worried about. I wasn’t sure how Shanii would react, although Drake’s attitude definitely took me by surprise. And the news about Jakob. I would not have suspected that of him at all. Why would the vimpiri who was so keen for us to integrate with humans suddenly be against pairing with them?” I suspected there was more to the faction that disliked pairing with humans than Mother had told me. They were a larger group than she let on. What else was she keeping from me?

  She could play the diplomatic waiting game with my friends, but I knew better. There were more than ‘arrangements’ that needed to be made before testing on Emily began, and I needed to find out what exactly was going on.

  THE LOST WARRIORS

  LUCY

  We had a pleasant evening, strolling in Hall in Tirol and exploring the small village. It wasn’t decorated for Christmas anymore, and I found the lack of lights and decorations disappointing somehow. I knew it was unfair to judge every day by holiday standards, but in my mind, the tiny Alpine village was like a snow globe, with twinkling lights and swirling snowflakes, every day of the year. Now it was warmer, but not quite spring. Most of the snow was melted but things were just beginning to turn green, and with no sprouting flowers or lush greenery to mask the remnants of winter the town just felt… dead. There weren’t many people wandering the narrow cobblestone streets or peering into frosted windows, sipping Gluhwein, as they had been during our last visit.

  We window-shopped for a while, noting the seasonal change in the window displays from our last visit, then ducked into a tiny, warm restaurant for a late dinner… or more accurately for us, lunch. The owner greeted us enthusiastically and delivered menus. Emily and I watched Todd and Mick engage him in conversation, sharing a small smile with our silent communication. All things considered, we probably should try to learn Austrian, but there was something sexy about their language skills and allowing the guys the chivalrous act of taking care of us.

  Mick was in his element, laughing boisterously with the restaurateur and ordering wine with a variety of dishes to share. He clearly knew the man, and they were reliving some history. The humor in his eyes and his relaxed, comfortable manner warmed me from the inside out; this was how I fell so hard for him the first time. Despite the myriad of attractions I held for him, I had danced around it, trying to hold back for so long. He was mysterious, and dangerous, and confusing at first. After arriving there the first time and seeing him open up, I couldn't resist any longer. I had assumed, when we left Austria, that our relationship was sorted out.

  And for a while, it had been. It was several weeks of bliss, romantic dates, and kisses that ranged from tender to heart-pounding to swoon-inducing. He never attempted to ‘bite’ me during that time. He told me he wanted to wait until I was ready; that after seeing what Emily went through, he knew I must have been worried, and he didn’t want to go somewhere we couldn’t back away from until we were both on the same page.

  Little did I know that went both ways. I had imagined, when he told me, that he meant he was ready and was just waiting on me to be ready. So, when I told him one night I was prepared to move our relationship to the next level, I did not expect him to tell me no. His tone changed, his body stiffened, and he said he wasn’t ready and wanted to keep things as they were, for now.

  The rejection washed over me with the force of a wintery ocean wave. Buzzing with the warm glow of vishut and Mick’s passionate kisses, I was abruptly cold. It left me with the beginnings of a killer hangover, the kind you get when the story ends and you realize life isn’t the fairy tale your parents told you as a child.

  I pretended I understood and continued kissing, but my mind clanged with a thousand explanations for this change, and Mick eventually sensed I was not into it. I feigned exhaustion and went home, leaving an impossibly handsome, half-naked man watching me from his doorway with worried eyes.

  Since that day, we had been awkward. I tried to pretend it hadn’t happened, that we were still taking it slowly. I tried to act as if nothing had changed since we had agreed that we both needed to be ready to move forward.

  But everything had changed, and it took me a while to recognize the discomfort for what it truly was. In the beginning, we had a certain balance: I had the power; the ball was in my court, and I could choose when I was ready to serve and send it sailing over the net to Mick.

  The problem came when I hit it, and he suddenly wasn’t sure if he wanted to be playing on the same court. I felt naïve, and a little foolish, to have assumed he was in the same place as me. I thought we had been through so much together that we understood each other, that we were one unit, one team. Often I could tell his moods just by the darkening or lightening of his lamp-like eyes. The green changed from a brilliant jade to a deep emerald depending on his emotional state, and I could read it plain as day on his face. It was almost as if I had some sixth sense with Mick. I just felt so incredibly in sync with him, that his sudden withdrawal shocked me.

  The last several weeks had been difficult. We both pretended everything was the same as before, even while we both acted differently towards each other. Eventually, our habitual closeness felt forced.

  I knew this confused him, but he said nothing. Truthfully, it confused me as well. In my heart, alone in the quiet emptiness of my bed, I wanted nothing more than his warm embrace, his fiery kisses. But I didn’t tell him that. I theorized that it was self-preservation since I needed him to be back in sync with me before we could move forward. I couldn’t go back, and he wasn’t ready to go forward, so we were stuck in this impossibly awkward moment.

  Then this issue with Emily arose, and here we were, back in Austria again. I felt like we had come full circle, and I was now at a new crossroads: do I follow the same path, hoping it will change? Or do I follow a new one and hope it leads somewhere I want to go?

  The food arrived, and we ate and chatted and traded jokes. My laughter was a little dull, my humor a little forced, but no one seemed to notice and that was fine with me. In the background, my mind was churning over the possibilities this trip presented and considered the potential outcomes.

  Once we had Emily taken care of, Mick and I needed to sort ourselves out. Although it frightened me, I knew I had to find the courage to speak up for what I wanted.

  And as I watched him laugh and eat with our friends, I admitted what I still wanted was for Mick to bite me.

  ***

  LUCY

  The waiting for ‘arrangements’ dragged on a few days. We adjusted to the night schedule and spent time as a foursome, just hanging out in Mick’s apartment, cooking meals, occasionally strolling through town in the unpredictable early spring weather. Finally, Mick received a summons from the queen, and we headed down the secret passage and through the salt palace to the now-familiar receiving room.

  Shaline was there, alone. She greeted us individually with a gentle embrace and light kisses to the cheek before settling into the love seat and indicating we should all sit on the couch again. Today she wore another all-white ensemble, an unremarkable pant and blouse combo elegant in its simplicity. However, today she also wore what I could only assume was a crown. Her golden locks were half-pulled back from her face, elegantly woven around a formation of shining crystals that emerged from the braids in a rough arc, their peaks bearing a striking resemblance to rays of light beaming from her head.

  “Thank you for joining me,” she began. “I have spoken with the physicians and they are prepared to begin testing… quietly.” Her brilliant blue eyes landed on Emily. “You are welcome to bring your friends, and your mate, to the labs. Todd should know the way. They are expecting you.” She smiled warmly, then added, “I know this has been a… confusing experience for you, and yo
ur reception here wasn’t exactly warm. I hope you understand that this is an interesting situation for us, and some take longer to adapt to change than others. It does not mean you are not welcome, or cherished, as one of our own.”

  Emily’s eyes seemed to be glued to the striking crystals on Shaline’s head. When she realized Shaline had ceased speaking, she quickly swallowed and answered. “Oh, yes, thank you. I understand.”

  “Very well,” Shaline brushed an invisible speck from her snowy pants and stood, turning to Mick. “Son, I would like a word with you.”

  Mick nodded, his hair falling forward in his eyes. He stood, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him. “Lucy, go ahead with Todd and Emily, I’ll be there in a minute. Okay?” He appeared almost nervous as he encouraged me, the light in his eyes dimming to a dull glow.

  “Okay…” I hesitated. “See you.” I had a sudden urge to kiss him, if for no other reason than to bring the light back to his eyes, but it had been awkward for so long now I chickened out.

  Instead, I turned for the door and followed Emily and Todd further into the caverns.

  Eventually, we reached the chamber that held the vimpiri spaceship. I was rushed during my previous visit, so this time I marveled at the incredible structure, my eyes roving over the multitude of facets and edges that formed the craft. The ship was like an enormous mass of crystals, pearly with a slight opalescent sheen and an impossible glow. It seemed to be lit from within, radiating out a cool light similar to that of Mick’s walls. I wondered idly if that was the same technology he mentioned before when explaining the stunning feature in his apartment.

  Todd paused, allowing us to admire the ship that had been his home when his people fled their dying planet. A smile formed on his full lips, and his eyes lit in response to the glow emanating from the ship. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” He asked quietly.

  Emily nodded, and I answered aloud, “Yes, it’s incredible. Was it… built? Constructed? I don’t even know the proper words… assembled, maybe? Out of smaller… crystals?”

  Todd just shook his head. “The technology we used at home differed from human tech. We didn’t destroy the planet to harvest what we needed. We asked, and she provided it to us.” His tone didn’t invite further questioning on what that meant. I made a mental note to ask Mick about it the next time we were talking.

  Todd tugged gently on Emily’s hand, pulling her into action and towards the facet that concealed the entrance to the ship. I followed closely behind, gazing at the incredible crystalline structure. As we passed through the doorway and down the hall, I watched a vague, smoky reflection of myself in the crystal walls. I saw a dark shape moving behind the wall a split second before the metal door we were passing slid open, revealing a vimpiri in her natural state. This one was just as surprised as I was, and tall; the eyes much higher than I expected them to be. Mick had explained to me that the female vimpiri were taller than the males, so I assumed it was a ‘she’. The crest on her face was smoother, the texture of her mottled green lizard-like skin looked softer than I remembered Todd’s. His transition to his vimpiri state had been a shock, but the image of his stubby body and slightly pudgy appearance was seared into my memory. This vimpiri appeared more elegant, her figure leaner and more powerful, her fingers longer. She wore a white toga-like garment that draped elegantly and flowed around her feet like a gauzy cloud. Her amber eyes sparkled, and despite the distinctly turtle-like appearance of her face, there was something beautiful about her. I had frozen in front of her, and she gazed back at me with curiosity.

  “Lucy!” Todd hissed from a distance. He was several yards down the hallway, his eyes wide as he nodded his further down the hall. “Come on!”

  I turned back to the vimpiri I was blocking from the hallway. “Excuse me,” I muttered, then turned and hurried to catch up to Todd and Em.

  Todd gave me a look that reminded me of the way my mom would look at me when I’d embarrassed her.

  “What?” I asked defensively. “It surprised me, that’s all. She didn’t seem upset.”

  “Dude, you can’t stare at people like that. It’s rude.”

  “I wasn’t staring, I was just startled, and… well, I thought she was pretty.”

  That surprised him. “You did?”

  “Yes. Mick explained your females differed from males, but I didn’t really notice the last time we were here. With you two being so sick and all I didn’t pay attention to that detail. So I didn’t know what I would think, but she is pretty. Her eyes, the shape of her face, her statuesque form… very elegant.” I shrugged.

  Todd’s lips pushed out as his chin lifted and eyebrows raised, and he nodded as if to say, “Well, all right then,” before turning and continuing down the hall.

  After a few more doorways he paused in front of one, gripping Em’s hand tightly. Turning to her, he asked in a gentle voice, “Baby, are you ready?”

  Emily wrapped her other hand around his and nodded. “Let’s do this, baby.”

  The door slid open silently as they approached it, and together we walked inside.

  ***

  MICK

  I gazed back at my mother’s serene expression, the only sign of her feelings a slight crease on her otherwise smooth forehead.

  “You’re certain about this?” I asked. I didn’t doubt her conviction, I just could scarcely believe it myself.

  “Yes, I am positive. Three other Lost Bachelors are petitioning for approval to pair with a human mate. It’s unprecedented.” Her cool tone belied the incredible nature of the information she was sharing.

  “Well, this is fantastic!” I exclaimed. “If there are other Lost Bachelors who are experiencing the same thing, clearly Todd and Emily are not a fluke. We should be allowed to continue! This is the opening we were hoping for, Mother.” The happiness I felt at this news radiated from my face, and I smiled so big I must look ridiculous but I was too excited to care. Here was the proof, what I felt for Lucy was real. I wasn’t just imagining that I could be the same as Todd, a lucky one in a million shot at a real life.

  My mother’s careful tone alerted me she was not as hopeful. “Yes, it is definitely news of interest, but we need to figure out what it means, first.”

  “What else could it possibly mean, Mother, but that we’ve now reached a point of compatibility with humans and all the Lost Bachelors have an opportunity to find mates?”

  “Well, part of the current argument against it is that you young males are just desperate for mates. That you are willing to risk your lives on a connection that is tenuous at best, that will never be a true brashule, and you will lead a hollow existence. You will straddle two worlds until your mate dies of old age long before your time. Then you will die, because your life-force is tied to hers, and thus you have cursed yourself to an incredibly diminished life.”

  “First, that is not true. I’ve been around Todd and Emily for months. Their connection is as deep as any vimpiri pair I know. There are still things they are figuring out about themselves and each other, but I know their brashule, their bond, is legitimate. Plus, we don’t know how much Emily has been changed by the pairing process. Perhaps her life is extended as well? We don’t know what we will discover through the testing.

  “Second, even if it were true, why does it matter? We’ve been cursed with a long life and no chance for a mate. That means we have no opportunity to pair, to be complete. Why wouldn’t we be allowed to choose a shortened life that at least promised to be happy? You saw Todd and Emily; you know their pairing is real. If there was such an opportunity for us, why would those who love us want to deny us?”

  My mother sighed heavily, the weight of centuries on her breath. “Well, my son, there are those among our people that find the blending of our blood with that of humans to be… distasteful; dangerous, even. They view humans as primitive and not worthy of the gifts our pairing could bestow on them.” She raised a hand to stop the angry retort I was about to offer. “Peace, please. I know that is not a
logical argument against such a possibility. However, there is a growing number of our people that do not believe this is your last hope.”

  “I don’t understand. What other hope could there possibly be? There are no other intelligent beings on this planet or any within light years. We have settled here, we will not travel in space hoping to stumble across a better option.”

  “Well, there is a rumor, practically a legend now, that has been slowing gaining steam over the decades.” Mother dipped her head, rubbing between her eyebrows as if trying to relieve herself of pain. “I’m not saying I believe it; in fact, I find it ridiculous and more than a little insulting. However, it has grown in popularity and is being offered as an alternative because of some new information.”

  My curiosity was piqued. “What rumor?”

  “When we fled our home, we lost many of our females who remained behind to ensure we got away safely,” Mother’s voice was sad as she recited this, remembering that day so long ago; perhaps recalling the sister I lost during that time. “They ran the tunnels, checking every home, every nook and cranny, protecting our people to make sure none were encased in the rapid crystal growth from the freezing planet. There were so many who did not make it to the ship, and eventually, we could wait no longer. We had to leave them behind,” she said, her tone apologetic as if it were her fault.

  “Mother, we’ve been over this,” my answering tone soft. “You waited as long as you could. There was nothing more to be done, they were likely already trapped in the crystal. If we had waited any longer our ship might have been stuck and we would have all perished.”

  She nodded. “Yes, that is what we believed. We had to leave, we had no other choice.” She breathed in deeply, then let the breath out slowly. “However, there was a group who did not believe that. They felt we should have waited longer, that there were many still alive, and they were angry we had departed. If we had held out longer, another five minutes, another ten, how many more could have come with us?”