Queens of Wings & Storms

by Angela Sanders et al.

  “How do you get used to all his finger snapping and disappearing?”

  “After a few millenniums, you don’t even notice, but enough about Death. He is right, and we have a lot of work to do.” Constantine slid down off the table, landing gracefully on the floor. “I have a few places to visit tonight, so get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be an early day.”

  “You don’t want me to come with you?” Sergius asked as he sat down.

  “Don’t give me that lost puppy look,” Constantine told Sergius.

  “I’m not doing anything.” Sergius pouted his lips and made his eyes wide and innocent.

  “Of course not.” Constantine glared at him. “Where I’m going, you won’t fit. Go to sleep. You will have plenty to do tomorrow.”

  Before Sergius could say anything, Constantine jumped out of the open window. Sergius ran to the window, but Constantine had already disappeared.

  Chapter 3

  Constantine and Sergius prowled the city before dawn. They avoided the stares of onlookers by staying on the deserted streets before sunset. They made their way past the colosseum and arrived at the Market of Trajan. Trajan was a work of art. Five stories high and housing over one-hundred and fifty vendors, artisans, and business people, the market was a jewel to the Romans who loved to shop. Constantine had one special vendor in mind and they made their way as quickly as possible to the booth.

  “Grab that basket.” Constantine pushed a discarded basket at Sergius as they walked up the stairs.

  “What exactly am I carrying in this thing?” Sergius asked, pulling the basket up.

  Constantine leap inside. “Me. We don’t need to draw any unnecessary attention. I’m too recognizable in these parts.”

  “And too humble by the looks of it.” Sergius threw the basket over his shoulder and made his way up the market.

  “Remember, we are looking for Marie,” Constantine whispered from the basket.

  “If you are trying to avoid drawing attention, not talking would be a great help,” Sergius replied, keeping his face down while examining the vendors out of his peripheral vision.

  The vendors were busy setting up for the day. Nobody paid any attention to Sergius or his talking basket. They climbed all the stairs and headed towards the far side of the fifth floor where the most affordable vendors were located. None of the wealthy patrons of Rome, or their slaves, ventured to that area. That was left for the poor citizens of the empire. By a wide window, a beautiful maiden organized breads, fruits, and jams.

  “Your beauty illuminates this entire hallway,” Sergius announced as he reached the young lady and her merchandise.

  “The words just flow from your tongue like honey. What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Sergius? And are you alone?” The maiden’s eyes flicked every direction around Sergius.

  “Of course not, he would never make it back from courting every pretty girl he sees.” Constantine jumped out of the basket and strolled towards the young lady.

  “That I do believe,” she replied, crouching to rub Constantine’s head.

  “I don’t court every girl I see. You are special, Marie,” Sergius replied with his hand over his heart.

  “Whatever you say, Sergius.” Marie laughed softly. “What is the real reason you two are here. Something must be going on for both of you to be here before sunrise.”

  “Why do you have to assume something is wrong? Maybe I just can’t stay away.” Sergius dropped to one knee and grabbed the young lady’s hand.

  “Because she is right and we are wasting time.” Constantine slapped Sergius over the head and leaped on the windowsill. “Marie, we need information, and it’s urgent.”

  Marie pulled away from Sergius and sat next to Constantine by the window. Sergius stood up and joined them both, wiping his hands on his tunic.

  “I’m listening.” Marie peered down the hallway before talking. “Keep your voices low. You don’t want everyone here listening.”

  “Have you heard anything about bloodsuckers?” Sergius whispered to her.

  “Shh.” Marie pulled Sergius to her and covered his mouth. “Definitely do not talk about that in here.”

  “What do you know?” Constantine inched closer to Marie.

  Marie looked a little pale, and she chewed her bottom lip, then she squeezed her skirt tightly.

  “Marie, what is going on?” Sergius asked, trying to make eye contact with the young lady.

  “It started a few weeks ago. A couple of men came around asking the vendors questions.” Marie looked down at the ground, trying to catch her breath.

  “What were they asking?” Constantine prodded her to continue.

  “At first it was all innocent. How we felt about the empire and if we were happy with our faith.” Marie’s voice became softer and Sergius had to lean in to listen.

  “Did they say anything that made you uncomfortable?” Constantine asked in a gentle tone. “Breath Marie and just tell us.”

  “The questions always sounded normal and conversational, but they only spoke to the young man.” Marie pointed to an empty space near her booth. “Last time I saw Titus, he was speaking with one of those men. Titus told me they had offered him an opportunity to join a prestigious group to serve the empire. Titus refused. He never came back to the market after that visit.”

  “How long ago was that?” Sergius asked, walking over to the empty vendors’ space.

  “Six days ago.” Marie covered her face with her hands and wiped her cheeks. “What is happening?

  “That’s exactly what we are trying to find out,” Constantine told her, rubbing his head on her shoulder. “Anything else you can tell us?”

  “People have been leaving the market. The strangers come over and talk to the vendors. Some take the offer and leave their shops. Anyone who declines goes missing the next day.” Marie wiped her face with her hands.

  “Please don’t cry. It is going to be fine.” Sergius walked over to Marie and kneeled in front of her. Taking her hands, he peppered her hands with soft kisses.

  “I’m going to be sick,” Constantine mumbled while making choking sounds. “Marie, be careful and avoid any type of conversations about this topic. Sergius we need to go. It is time we get to the bottom of this.”

  “Marie, promise me you will be careful.” Sergius held her hand tightly.

  “I will, as long as you stop overreacting.” Marie pulled her hands away from Sergius, and before she stood, she kissed his forehead. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

  Constantine glanced at her one last time before he left the market with Sergius.

  ***-***

  Present day- Texarkana, TX

  Bob leaned down closer to Constantine, listening attentively. More cars had arrived at the Whataburger, making the drive-thru line at least ten cars long.

  “We should have never left her alone.” Constantine faced the parking.

  “You never saw her again?” Bob’s sea-green eyes were wide and his mouth hanging open.

  “That was the last time we saw her as a human.” Constantine turned to face Bob. “There are many things I regret about that era. Her loss is one of the greatest. I can see the error in our actions now. We had so little information and underestimated our enemy gravely.”

  “Boss, what…” Bob stopped himself as he followed a group of teenagers with his gaze as they approached a small Honda. “Are those our werewolves?”

  Constantine lowered his window and focused on the group, sniffing the air for several seconds. Bob waited quietly for further instructions.

  “I wish, but no.” Constantine watched as the eight youths squeezed themselves inside the small four-door car.

  “Do I want to know how they managed to get everyone in that car?” Bob asked Constantine, and the cat shook his head.

  “Three witches, an elf, a shapeshifter, a pixie, and three humans, which is also the beginning of a horrible joke.” Constantine stretched himself in the seat before getting comfortable again. �
��Trust me, you do not want to know how they all got in.”

  “They had a shifter in that group?” Bob took a sip from his shake and watched the car drive away. The amount of weight was making the back fender scrape against the ground. “How many more species are we expecting to join us in this little haven?”

  “Those are only the beginning. Soon, the wealthy ones will start moving in, so we better get things under control before that happens. Last thing we need is spoiled kids with money running the street.” Constantine smoothed the fur on his stomach with his paw and turned back to watch the other cars in the drive-thru line.

  “Boss, what happened to Marie?” Bob asked.

  “It happened when we were away. I’m still not sure if she was taken, or she volunteered,” Constantine resumed. “Sergius and I were having horrible luck in Rome getting any answers. Nobody wanted to talk to us. We took drastic measures and left the city. I still question if we should have taken Marie with us when we left.”

  Chapter 4

  475 AD- Island of Capri

  The deep blue water splattered against the tall cliffs. The island was breathtaking but only accessible by boat. Back in 27 AD, Emperor Tiberius had picked the island, both for its beauty and of its strategic location. The cliffs were dangerous to scale, with jagged edges and deadly rock formations. The main road leading to the palace was heavily guarded by legionaries.

  “What are we doing here? You are not thinking of invading the palace?” Sergius asked Constantine over his shoulder.

  Sergius had created a pouch with one of his tunics and placed Constantine inside. Supporting himself and Constantine proved to be challenging, but he was doing it.

  “Have you lost your mind? That’s a worthless suicide mission,” Constantine replied in Sergius’ ear. “There! That cave to your right is where we are going.”

  “How did you see that?” Sergius angled his body towards the cave and continued his climb.

  “Unless you know where it is, you will never find it.” Constantine leaped out of the tunic to a small ledge formed by rocks.

  “You couldn’t find an easier way to get here. I climbed all morning.” Sergius pulled himself up the ledge and sat next to Constantine, breathing heavily. “By the way, you really need to lose some weight. You are a lot heavier than you look.”

  “Boy, I’m solid muscle.” Constantine admired his physique, then stretched his limber body flat on the ground. “To answer your question, there is no way to get to the cave from the outside. The only other way is through the Grotta Azzura, and everyone who has tried to navigate that cavern has drowned. Figured you rather face your chances on the cliffs.”

  “Those were our only options?” Sergius wiped the sweat from his face. “I hope this person is worth all this trouble. I’m tired already.”

  “She is worth it, trust me. Now come along.” Constantine led the way on a thin passage towards the mouth of the cave. Before entering the cave, Constantine whispered to Sergius, “Whatever you do, don’t touch anything.”

  Sergius only nodded and followed Constantine inside. The entrance to the cave was dark, and it reeked worse than the fish market. Sergius’ steps made low crunching sounds while Constantine’s were completely silent. Sergius looked down at the ground but the place was too dark to see anything. Deep inside the cave, a small candle was lit.

  “I think it was better without any light since I know what’s on the ground now.” Sergius covered his nose and took shallow breaths. “Please tell me those are not human bones?”

  “Not all of them.” Constantine made his way towards a large cauldron near the light.

  The ground was littered with bones of all shapes and sizes. Herbs in a variety of colors hung from hooks on both walls of the cave. A small table that looked more like an altar was placed next to the empty wall.

  “Where is this person you are looking for?” Sergius asked, staying a few feet behind Constantine.

  “Right behind you,” a raspy voice whispered in Sergius’ ear.

  Sergius screamed, but before he could move, a knife dug into his neck, making him freeze and Constantine turn around, almost as if in slow motion.

  “Balbinus! There you are, my favorite demented witch.” Constantine smiled, and the light made his canines glow. “Put the knife down before you hurt someone. If you kill him, I will be forced to rip out your throat, and that would be a pity.”

  “Isn’t that a lovely offer?” Balbinus pressed the knife harder to Sergius’ neck. “Why are you here? Don’t tell me you missed me.”

  “I have a job offer,” Constantine said, stalking towards the witch.

  “Sorry, I’m not looking for work. How about you and your frail little friend leave now?” Balbinus pushed Sergius towards Constantine.

  “I’m not frail!” Sergius whined.

  Balbinus made her way to the opposite side of the cauldron away from Constantine and Sergius. She wore a long, wool robe with the hood hanging over her face. Even though it was dingy and tattered, it covered her entire face and body, making it difficult to see any of her features.

  “You are pretty small compared to most soldiers.” Constantine inspected Sergius, his eyes moving up and down his body.

  “In that case it’s a blessing I’m not a soldier.” Sergius crossed his hands over his chest and stuck his tongue out at Constantine.

  “Are you two done with your couple’s quarrel?” Balbinus pointed to the entrance of the cave with her knife. “Leave.”

  “We need your eyes.” Constantine looked at the witch from across the room. “We are not leaving until you help us.”

  Constantine strolled to the corner of the cave and made himself comfortable on a pile of furs. Sergius followed Constantine but kept looking over his shoulder every other step so he had an eye on the witch.

  “You are insufferable Constantine. Ugh!” Balbinus grabbed a few herbs and mashed them with her fingers.

  “Vampires are back to their old ways and we need to find them.” Constantine causally licked his paw.

  “Are you sure?” Balbinus froze and stared at Constantine.

  “We tracked them all over Rome for the last two months, but we are always too late,” Sergius volunteered.

  “Why didn’t you say that in the beginning?” Balbinus ripped off her robe and got to work, gathering herbs, bones and other ingredients from the cave in a rush.

  “Wow, you are gorgeous.” Sergius drooled at the sight of Balbinus.

  Balbinus was a tall, slender beauty in her early twenties. Her golden hair looked as if it was mad of silk, and the braid she wore tightly behind her head seemed to go on forever. The thin white tunic she wore barely covered her curves. Balbinus had one golden eye and one blue eye, but instead of distracting from her beauty, it only made her more mesmerizing.

  “Yeah, yeah.” Balbinus dismissed the compliment with a wave of her hand. “I’m old enough to be your mother, boy. Do not let this body deceive you?”

  “Impossible.” Sergius shook his head in disagreement. “You are barely a few years older than me.”

  Balbinus laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls of the cave.

  “Relax, my little hero.” Constantine patted Sergius’ leg. “Our little witch here is actually over two hundred years old. Trust her, she definitely could be your mother, grandmother, and almost any other of your predecessors.

  “How is that possible?” Sergius observed the witch more carefully, and Balbinus gave him a flirty wink.

  “I’m sure you don’t have time to hear my little story.” Balbinus circled the cauldron, mixing the ingredients with a large wooden spoon. “Do you have anything that belongs to those filthy creatures?”

  Constantine motioned to Sergius, who pulled a small piece of cloth from his pocket. Sergius inched towards Balbinus, hesitant with his steps. When he tried to hand her the cloth, she refused to take it.

  “Throw it in the cauldron. I don’t need to contaminate it with my scent.” Balbinus continued to stir the
cauldron as Sergius dumped the cloth inside.

  “How does it work?” Sergius asked, peering in the cauldron.

  “I don’t ask how you guys do your job, so don’t question my methods.” Balbinus slapped Sergius’ hand away from her concoction. “I recommend you step away. It is going to get messy.”

  Sergius backed away until he stood next to Constantine, who climbed on the work bench and had a better look at the potion being brewed.

  “What exactly are you looking for, Constantine?” Balbinus asked, her gaze not leaving her work.

  “We need an address. After months of searching, all we have found is that piece of cloth you are boiling in there.” Constantine leaned in closer, somehow maintaining his balance on the edge of the table.

  “Can you really find them from just that piece?” Sergius peered into the cauldron.

  “I can find anyone with less than that, so this will do nicely.” Balbinus stirred the ingredients one more time. “Now quiet, I need to concentrate.”

  Balbinus raised both of her arms straight in the air. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. She swayed back and forth, and the liquid in the cauldron matched her rhythm. Her hands made small circles over her head and the brew mimicked her actions before it changed to a blood red color. Balbinus gave a small cry and her head dropped back.

  “Oh God, should we help?” Sergius lunged forward but Constantine stopped him with one sharp claw.

  “Don’t touch her unless you want to end up in that pot,” Constantine warned Sergius.

  Balbinus slowly lifted her head. Her hair floated in an invisible wind, while her multicolor eyes were now black.

  “That’s not good.” Sergius scurried back as far away from the possessed witch as he could get.

  “The creatures you search for are deep in your city.” A harsh, cold male voice came out of the witch’s mouth. “You will find the one you seek at this location.”

  Constantine leaned closer to the cauldron and looked at the image. A tavern full of people stood by a pier that overlooked a cliff.