“Right now, they’re chasing them around, tiring them out,” Isda continued. “It’s only a matter of time before they catch them. You shouldn’t get your hopes up.”
Just then, one of the double doors opened slowly, and Amal snuck in. She kept looking around, as if worried that the Perfect guards from the hallway or from outside the dome would see her.
Isda and Monos said nothing more from this point onward, leaving us with a knot in our stomachs regarding Ben and Rose’s team. If they were right, then we would soon see them brought here. I had no choice but to hope that Abaddon, as savage as he was, wouldn’t kill any of them. Then again, having seen his behavior myself, I knew that chances were slim even with other Perfects around him.
“What is she doing here?” Sofia whispered, watching Amal as she carefully made her way toward us by moving through groups of prisoners. They were all quiet, their eyes fixed on her as she got closer to us.
This wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence, at this point, but it still surprised Sofia. Sometimes, Amal only came to deliver medication, but this time, her behavior was different. First of all, I could tell from the way she snuck around that she didn’t want any of the Perfects to see her here. Second, she didn’t bring any medication for the injured prisoners.
I gave Sofia and the others a brief nod, then walked toward Amal, in order to intercept her. She was definitely looking for me in particular. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Isda and Monos moving to another group to serve more food and liquids, then shifted my focus back to Amal, who finally found me. She seemed worried.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
She nodded once. “I just wanted to let you know that Abaddon is about to close in on your children. Isda and Monos only get snippets of hearsay from the others. I was in the control room just now,” she said. “They’ve been hounding them for two days straight, not giving them a chance to rest or sleep. Knowing your physical capabilities well enough, I can assume that your children and their group are extremely exhausted.”
I let out a deep breath, trying to fight the wave of fear and despair that threatened to grip me by the throat. “I suppose they still have orders to take them in alive,” I mumbled.
“If Araquiel manages to get Abaddon under control, and if your people stop riling that maniac up like they did the last time,” Amal replied. “None of the Perfects are happy that Abaddon was let loose.”
“Thank you,” I said. “But why are you telling me all this? Why are you helping us?”
She raised an eyebrow at me, and I knew I’d touched a nerve somehow. “Don’t insult me,” she murmured. “I’m not helping you. I’m merely keeping you informed.”
“Then why are you sneaking around like this? It’s the first time I’ve seen you in fear of discovery, using the prisoners here to shield yourself from sight. You’re clearly avoiding the Perfect guards’ detection, Amal. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Amal groaned, determined to show her frustration. Silence settled between us, awkward and irritating as hell. She seemed to be under a lot of pressure, and, at the same time, eager to talk to me… maybe even to ask me something. Since she wasn’t one to voice her intentions or thoughts, in general, I decided to take the leap for her.
“Is there something you want to know? You seem like you’re trying to ask me a question. Maybe I’m wrong,” I said.
“You’re not,” she replied. “I do have an inquiry.”
“Mind if I ask you something first? Then, I’ll gladly answer any question you might have, to the best of my knowledge,” I offered, knowingly lying.
If she were to ask me anything that could potentially jeopardize my people, I sure wasn’t going to tell her. But still, I figured my apparent cooperation might coax her into revealing more information about the Perfects’ movements and Ta’Zan’s plans. I wasn’t getting much out of him myself, other than a sense of megalomania practically oozing out of the guy, whenever he took me out for a walk around the compound.
Amal pursed her lips at me. “I’ve already told you useful and important things. What more do you want? Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re in no position to negotiate with me, or anyone else, for that matter.”
“I’m not looking to negotiate. I just want to know what the issue is with Cassiel,” I said. “Is Ta’Zan sending him out to get my people? If so, when? And what can you tell me about him?”
“Ah, Cassiel,” Amal replied dryly, crossing her arms. She didn’t look eager to talk about him. Ta’Zan had introduced me to him when he came out of his artificial womb, portraying Cassiel as the perfect… Perfect. Or, better said, the Perfect 2.0. Better, stronger, and with more abilities than his other siblings. Ta’Zan had considered using him to hunt my children and their friends, to bring them back alive and whole, worried that Abaddon was too unstable and prone to mindless violence, despite his excellent tracking record. “What do you want me to tell you about him? He’s currently going past his training limits and discovering the extreme extent of his powers.”
“So, Ta’Zan isn’t sending him out?”
“Cassiel is on standby, let’s say,” Amal said. “He can get to Abaddon in less than five minutes. Your children are approximately three hundred miles from here by now.”
The concept made me pause. That was unfathomable speed. Amal gave me a flat smile.
“I know. Too slow,” she continued, the sarcasm dripping from her soft and husky voice. “Anyway, Cassiel is currently quite literally moving a mountain on a nearby island. If Araquiel calls for him, he’ll go. Father wants to see if Abaddon is foolish enough to actually kill one of your people. It will lead Father to terminate him if so, and it’s not a decision he reaches lightly. He loves all his children.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her. “You already know that what you’re telling me is nonsense. Ta’Zan hasn’t even decided whether he’s going to let the Faulties live. That includes you, Amal. You’re all his toys—”
“You’re wrong,” she said, cutting me off, and ice bloomed in my veins. She had this way about her, switching from calm and composed to downright terrifying in under a second. I was still getting accustomed to these sudden shifts.
“Anyway…” I conceded. “Thank you for clarifying. Though I’m not comfortable with the idea of Ta’Zan waiting until Abaddon actually kills someone for him to pull the plug on the guy, I’ll move on. Now, tell me, Amal, what did you want to ask me?”
She didn’t answer right away. She took a minute to look around, measuring some of the prisoners from head to toe. There was a glimmer of curiosity and fascination in her bright yellow eyes. I, myself, was intrigued.
“What’s it like?” she finally asked. “The Shade? You mention it a lot. You always compare us to it. I’d like to know more about it.”
“Is that why you snuck in here? To ask me such a mundane question?”
She nervously scratched the back of her head. “It’s not exactly mundane. Father prohibited us from getting too close and personal with any of you.”
That was an interesting nugget. As loyal and as valuable as she was, Amal, too, was subject to the same rules and regulations. Ta’Zan insisted that the Faulties keep an emotional distance from us. Was it because he considered them weak or prone to manipulation? Probably. Nothing else made sense.
“I understand,” I replied gently. “The Shade was once a place of darkness and misery. Before we, as vampires, evolved to a more peaceful species, The Shade was where humans were brought for the vampires to feed on them. I started out as a hunter, actually. I turned into a vampire by a cruel twist of fate and ended up in The Shade. But, anyway, I digress. It was designed through powerful magic to have a perpetual night. A haven for vampires.”
“Where is it?” Amal asked, already drinking in my every word.
“On Earth,” I said, with no intention of giving her a precise location. “In the middle of an ocean, hidden from the human world. It’s secluded, with wide beach
es, tall mountains, and deep caves. Redwood forests fill it with beautiful and thriving life. We share the island with all kinds of creatures. Dragons, werewolves, witches and warlocks, fae and Maras, jinn and sentries, humans… You name it. Creatures from all over the universe have come to us because we don’t turn anyone away. We live together in harmony. We aim for progress and acceptance, but we do have rules. And we’re strict when enforcing them.”
Amal nodded slowly. “Is everyone happy there?”
I chuckled. “Of course. Amal, no one is inherently evil or inclined toward violence. If people are nurtured and have everything they need, if their minds are constantly challenged, and if they have a good and peaceful societal model, very few will stray off the path. We could’ve easily wiped the humans out, if we wanted to. Yes, they’re complicated and easily fearful of what they don’t understand, but common sense often prevails. We’ve constantly pushed these policies of peace and acceptance. Sometimes, we had to get… firm. We used force. But never simply to assert our position as superior creatures. The universe is big enough for all of us. Hell, we’ve recently added an extension to The Shade because more creatures from this universe want to stay close to us.”
She smiled. “And Sofia?”
I ended up laughing, this time. “Oh, that’s a whole other story, Amal. Not one I can fit in a few minutes. But I will gladly tell you the next time you find a minute to join me for a talk.”
“I don’t like it when you talk like that. You make it sound like I’m complicit in something,” she said.
“That’s your impression, Amal. Not mine. I’m always happy to tell you about my world and my people, as long as you take something out of it. I’m not in the habit of speaking to walls, here.”
“Rest assured, everything you tell me has a purpose.”
“And what purpose is that? To invade our world?”
She shook her head. “You give us too much credit. We don’t know where your world is.”
That was very good to know. Fortunately, Earth was also in a different dimension, and that worked in our favor, too. But this was merely a temporary relief. Ta’Zan wasn’t just going to stop with the In-Between. He was bound to spread beyond, into the Supernatural and the earthly dimensions. It was only a matter of time.
The double doors opened abruptly. Ta’Zan came in, accompanied by two Perfect guards.
Amal froze, her eyes widening with horror. She appeared stunned, unable to think or react. I’d never seen her like this before, and I suddenly took pity on her.
“Go to Jax and Hansa,” I whispered. “They’ll hide you.”
She dashed into the crowd, and Jax and Hansa spotted her. I gave them both a brief nod, and they seemed to know what to do. They discreetly motioned for Kailyn, Liana, Cameron, Claudia, Yuri, and the others to move closer to them. As soon as Amal reached their group, they settled around her, keeping her out of sight.
They weren’t conspiring against Ta’Zan, so the collars didn’t react to their actions. I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to have been able to help Amal given the circumstances. Clearly, she’d gone against her creator’s wishes, and I was definitely going to use it against her later. For now, however, I was pleased to see we’d managed to protect her from potential punishment.
Ta’Zan practically glided across the hall as I resumed my place next to Sofia, Lucas, Vivienne, and Xavier, while the others stayed close. He reached us within seconds, wearing a flat, dry smile on his face. His eyes, ever so chilling in different colors, settled on me.
I found it difficult to speak in his presence, particularly since he had taken most of my fleet and crammed them in here with us, after one vicious attack. Every day that went by made me hate him even more, as I understood that he was nowhere near interested in learning a different way. It was either his way, or the highway. Well, death.
“Good evening, Derek,” he said.
“Let me guess. You want to go on another walk with me? You still can’t get enough of me?” I retorted.
Whenever he did get me out of the hall, Ta’Zan tried to find out where exactly I came from, when he wasn’t trying to convince me that his vision was absolute and the only possible outcome. In many ways, I thought he just loved to hear the sound of his own voice. At the same time, however, I knew and understood exactly how brilliant and deceitful he could be. Nothing was what it seemed with this guy.
“Actually, no,” he replied dryly, then looked at Sofia. “I was hoping your lovely wife would join me this time. She looks like she could use a breath of fresh air.”
“Don’t even think about it,” I said automatically. I didn’t want him anywhere close to my Sofia. Based on her expression, she wasn’t keen either.
“I’m not asking for your approval, Derek. I don’t need it,” Ta’Zan replied, purposely staring at the shock collar around my neck, before shifting his focus back to Sofia. His gaze softened when she looked at him. “Sofia, would you like to go for a walk? It’s nice and cool outside, and you’re looking a little paler than usual.”
My blood boiled. Because, deep down, I knew that Ta’Zan was right. I had no power here whatsoever. Most importantly, I didn’t understand his endgame. He hadn’t just come to chitchat with my wife. He wanted something—something I couldn’t or would never give him.
Ta’Zan was planning something, and I didn’t like it.
Sofia
“Sofia?” Ta’Zan asked, his strange eyes fixed on me. “Shall we?”
“Why me?” I asked, instinctively crossing my arms.
“Why not you?” he replied. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t like to get out of here for a bit. I’m inclined to believe it does get crowded in here.”
Derek and I exchanged glances, and I knew he was worried. Nevertheless, a part of me saw this as an opportunity. I could see the rest of the coliseum and the creatures in it for myself. Maybe I would notice something that my husband hadn’t. Besides, we’d been planting subtle seeds of discord between the Faulties and the Perfects for days, now. I was curious as to what the overall mood was.
I gave Derek a soft nod and a smile, then looked at Ta’Zan. “Sure, I’ll take a walk.”
Ta’Zan seemed pleased with my consent. There was, in fact, a glimmer of excitement lightening up his otherwise firm expression. He motioned for me to follow him out through the double doors. Derek briefly squeezed my hand as I walked past him, and I knew what he was saying with his gesture. Be careful.
I offered him and the others in our group a confident smile, then caught up to Ta’Zan just as we left the diamond dome behind. The hallway was as wide and beautiful as I remembered it, its walls made up of combinations of diamond bricks and panels that broke the light into billions of flakes of colors—ever present, yet impossible to touch.
They offered enough clarity for me to spot the figures moving in different rooms, along with silhouettes of furniture and equipment. I’d understood, by then, that diamond structures were Ta’Zan’s way of constantly keeping everything out in the open. No one could really hide from him—that was the message he was discreetly sending to his creations.
I figured it had to be part of the reason why everyone was loyal to and wary of him, even when he wasn’t around. Both Perfects and Faulties had probably been taught to tell on each other if they ever saw anything out of the ordinary going on—or anything that went against the rules. I was pretty sure that the Faulties were more affected by and worried about these measures than the Perfects, but I’d yet to fully understand the psyche of Ta’Zan’s “children.”
We didn’t speak for a while. I just walked by Ta’Zan’s side as he showed me around the ground floor first. I didn’t need a tour guide to recognize the infirmary and the Creation Labs, as he called them. Even though his technology was alien to us, I could still tell the difference between a mixer and a microscope, for example. The artificial wombs occupied the conception chambers in clusters of eight, with bordered drainage sections on the floor beneath.
; Ta’Zan’s labs and prison dome were separated and secured from the rest of the coliseum. They were heavily guarded, with at least two Perfects covering each door. Once we were out of that section, I was shown some of the common areas.
The shower and hygiene facilities were shared and came complete with running water and temperature settings for each faucet. They were stunning and simple, as far as practical design went.
“I feel like the diamond gives everything a beautiful glow. Wouldn’t you agree?” Ta’Zan finally spoke, keeping his hands behind his back.
“Worthy of a design magazine, sure,” I muttered. He seemed confused. “Never mind. Why am I here, Ta’Zan?”
He smiled, then continued walking. We passed through the kitchen and dining section. Once more, everything was shared here. There were Faulties assigned with cooking and cleaning, but, from what I could see, Perfects could easily just walk in and take what they needed. Of course, they didn’t bother to clean up after themselves, and that seemed to bother the Faulties. I passed by two females who sighed with frustration as they wiped a table and brushed the crumbs away, while the Perfect who’d just eaten dumped the plate in a nearby sink and casually sauntered out of the dining room.
Oh, the Faulties were definitely growing tired of this hierarchical crap.
“I’m curious about you, Sofia. Well, you and Derek,” Ta’Zan replied.
He showed me around the common rooms and training halls next. The former were filled with soft cushions and ottomans, tables with screens and holographic projectors mounted on top—all used for leisure and relaxation. It was late in the night, and there were plenty of Perfects gathered around holographs of old footage, according to Ta’Zan. From what I could tell, they were watching recordings of drama and music, but I didn’t recognize the creatures in them.
A Shade of Vampire 64: A Camp of Savages Page 7