Darkness Is Rising

by C. M. Sipes

“Um, are we walking there?” Emma asked.

  “I keep forgetting that we have a mortal,” Lilith said to Vittoria before turning and grabbing Emma and disappearing from sight.

  Vittoria looked at Marcella and offered a smile.

  “She terrifies me still,” Marcella began, “but I must say, she is exciting.”

  Vittoria laughed before they both took off in a sprint. They easily weaved through the streets, keeping to alleyways to avoid crossing paths with mortals.

  They arrived at a small new-age shop on the other side of town, in the Pike Place Market. Emma and Lilith were already waiting outside for them when they arrived. A shocked expression resided on Emma’s face while Lilith appeared smug. Aerona rounded the corner shortly after, meeting the group in front of the shop.

  “Good timing,” Vittoria said to her friend with a smile.

  “I saw you breeze by on my way here,” Aerona replied with a smile. Her body was tense though, as she looked at the ancient vampire.

  “Shall we?” Lilith asked as she turned and entered the shop.

  As they entered, Vittoria’s eyes skimmed over the various shelves and cases filled with artifacts and materials. She recognized many of the numerous herbs and artifacts from Isabel’s apothecary. The thought saddened her, her mind drifting back to England. She could feel a set of eyes on her though, and she looked to the side, finding Lilith staring intently at her with a soft expression.

  “Do you need help with any—thing,” the girl behind the counter began. Her mouth opened in an ‘o’ shape, eyes widening as they landed on Lilith. “Lilith.”

  The group froze, their eyebrows all rising in surprise.

  Except for Lilith.

  Lilith sniffed the air a moment before a slow grin spread across her face. “Namtilla. Lovely to see you again.”

  “You know each other?” Vittoria asked, moving forward to stand close to the ancient.

  “That has not been my name in centuries, Lilith.” The girl looked at Vittoria. “My name is Eva.”

  Vittoria looked the girl over and sniffed the air. The witch blood coursing through the girl’s veins smelled powerful. She had tanned skin, slightly darker than Lilith’s, and her dark black hair fell around her face in loose curls. She had dark brown eyes, a gentle face, and looked as old as Vittoria and Emma.

  “My apologies, Eva,” Lilith said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

  “I was wondering when I was going to see you again,” Eva said dryly.

  “Oh come now, you can’t still be sore with me,” Lilith said, cocking an eyebrow.

  “You ripped my throat out in a fit of rage. Of course I am still sore with you.”

  “Jesus, Lilith,” Vittoria grumbled next to her.

  The elder vampire merely looked at her with an innocent expression. She then looked at the young witch. “I apologize, Eva. Truly.”

  Eva eyed Lilith a moment before sighing. “I accept your apology, Lilith. After all, it is ancient history. You seem softer now that you’ve awakened from your slumber.”

  “Hang on a second,” Emma interjected, “How do you two even know each other? I doubt Eva is a vamp, and she looks mine and Vi’s age, so?”

  Eva eyed Emma curiously for a moment. “I wondered when our paths would cross again—”

  “I would not finish if I were you, Namtilla,” Lilith said sternly.

  Emma looked between Lilith and Eva in confusion. Marcella’s face remained stoic as always, but Vittoria could see the curiosity brewing behind her hazel eyes. Aerona looked intrigued as she came to stand closer, curious to what the young witch said. Vittoria had tensed considerably, but forced herself to relax before Marcella realized that she knew more than she had let on.

  “Of course,” Eva said with a grin. “To answer your question, reincarnation. I’ve been around for…oh, I can’t even remember anymore. Just know that my first life was during Lilith and Anatu’s reign. I was a witch and a healer. I also advised Lilith…occasionally.”

  “You hid this from me,” Vittoria said, her eyes looking to Lilith.

  The ancient vampire slowly turned her gaze on Vittoria. “Only because I did not want you to have knowledge of any of this until it was time.”

  “So, it is time then?”

  “Not quite,” Lilith replied with a small smile.

  “I have no idea what any of you are on about,” Aerona interrupted with a growl. “You two can have your little lovers’ quarrel later,” Aerona said to Vittoria and Lilith before turning to look at Eva. “What do you know about this influx business?”

  Eva chuckled. “Right to the point, Aerona. Well, the whole reason for this influx and teaming up between the low-lives of the species is fairly simple. They want to rule for a change. Overthrow your leaderships, expose themselves to the mortal world, and live their blood-thirsting lives as they believe Lilith and Enki created them for.”

  Everyone slowly looked at Lilith, who remained stoic and expressionless.

  “I can assure everyone here that this is not what I want for my kind or the wolves.”

  “I believe you, Lilith. Obviously,” Eva said seriously. “But the fact remains that you and Enki are worshipped as gods by the bloodlusters and devourers, respectively.”

  “I wonder how Enki would feel about that,” Lilith mused.

  “Not thrilled, I would assume. He hates you with a passion,” Eva said with a chuckle.

  “So I guess Enki is our number one suspect for who is behind this,” Aerona muttered. “This isn’t good. If the wolves find out that Enki is the one leading the alliance, I can’t guarantee that they won’t move to his side.”

  “Why do you say that? Are the wolves in discontent?” Marcella asked, breaking her prolonged silence.

  “The wolves are always in discontent,” Aerona replied with an exasperated sigh. “Many of them would love to not have to hide in the dark anymore, but many are in favor of remaining hidden. We are divided.”

  Marcella nodded. “I am sure there are many vampires within our ranks that feel the same.”

  “I don’t doubt it. Many council meetings consisted of talk of our subjects wishing to expose ourselves to the world,” Vittoria added. “We need to keep this as quiet as possible while we sort this mess out.”

  “Do you believe that the vampires would turn against us?” Lilith asked seriously, her eyes flickering to Marcella and then to rest on Vittoria.

  “I have no doubt that if one First was offering protection from another, promising freedom, and had a larger force at their disposal—that many would certainly flock to Enki’s aid,” Vittoria replied.

  “So Enki is definitely behind this? But no one has seen him in forever,” Emma added, crossing her arms and looking to Aerona.

  “She’s right. Enki disappeared about two hundred years after you began your slumber, Lilith. At least that’s what I heard.”

  “No, your estimation is correct, Aerona. Enki remained in the world for two hundred years and then seemingly vanished. Even I could not tell you his whereabouts. Although, I believe that if Seattle is the only area experiencing such a heavy influx, that he would be here,” Eva explained.

  “It isn’t. I have received reports from my noble houses that there are small influxes everywhere, around the same size as the ones here,” Marcella added with a sigh.

  “So Enki could be anywhere,” Vittoria concluded.

  “We need to continue the plan of infiltration, learn what we can about the forces at his disposal, their plans, and their hideouts. We can worry about Enki when we have more information,” Lilith said.

  “I’m happy to have been at your service, Your Majesty,” Eva said with a smirk and brief bow.

  “Now that this has been settled, could you all wait outside for a moment while I have a word with Eva?” Lilith asked the group, her eyes remaining fixed on the young brunette.

  “You aren’t going to rip her throat out again, are you?” Marcella asked with a raised eyebrow. “She is a witch, I c
ertainly would not be opposed.”

  “A witch that helped you, remember that, Marcella. We witches could be powerful allies. Do not be so hasty to pass judgment on us all for the mistakes of a few,” Eva said as her eyes flickered to Emma.

  Marcella wordlessly turned around and exited the shop with Aerona following behind. Emma lingered a moment, curiously looking to Eva before glancing at Vittoria and leaving the shop.

  “She does not know,” Eva stated as she looked at Lilith and Vittoria.

  “No. She has no idea. If I had known that you knew I would not have agreed to bringing her along,” Vittoria said crossly, her eyes looking to Lilith though.

  “I wanted to be certain,” Lilith said honestly.

  “You should have informed me of her, though,” Vittoria growled out, her hand gesturing to Eva.

  Eva’s eyebrows rose in amusement. “You speak of me as if I am some sort of ex-girlfriend of hers,” Eva teased.

  Vittoria merely glared at Eva before looking back to Lilith.

  “I apologize for not informing you, but I wanted to be certain so we could proceed with caution. If Marcella knew—”

  “I know,” Vittoria interjected with a sigh.

  “We need Emma to go at her own pace, informing her of the past will only cause delay,” Lilith said.

  “Enki has been getting stronger, resting and waiting, allowing his hatred to fester. His beast blood has only increased his strength. I hate to be the bearer of bad news ladies, but Enki is stronger than you, Lilith,” Eva said.

  “I am aware,” Lilith replied. “Enki may be stronger, but he is not faster.”

  “Oh I know, you never would have outrun him if he was,” Eva said.

  “So, you remember all of your former lives?” Vittoria asked suddenly. “I had heard that it existed among the witches who chose it.”

  “Indeed. My path was always destined to be a long one. Well, so my grandmother told me. She had the gift of foresight. She could see into the future and knew my destiny. Although she didn’t tell me much about it other than it would be long and end in a less than pleasant death.” Eva rolled her eyes. “Thanks, grandma,” she said as she looked to the ceiling.

  “Eva is the witch who has consulted me about my plans,” Lilith said, looking to Vittoria.

  “About me and my blood?” asked Vittoria, seeking confirmation.

  Lilith merely nodded. “Now, if you would, could you please join the others? I wish to speak to Eva alone.”

  Vittoria eyed Lilith and then Eva for a moment before nodding and exiting the shop.

  “So that’s the one,” Eva said slyly.

  Lilith nodded. “Indeed.”

  “Well, I guess the time has come to research what you are supposed to do exactly, then,” Eva said with a sigh. “I was wondering how many centuries it would take.”

  “You still have no idea?”

  “Not completely. Blood magic is a very tricky thing, Lilith, and while I am skilled in it, let me find someone who does know for certain and I can keep you updated,” Eva said. “To my knowledge, if you attempt this and succeed, you will certainly be able to defeat Enki. However, if it fails…”

  “Vittoria could die,” Lilith finished.

  “Or worse,” Eva added. “She could live a horribly painful eternal life. Blood magic has a lot of whacky repercussions. Even the smallest error could screw you up,” she said pointedly, her eyes glancing to the entranceway where the others left.

  “I do not wish that for her,” Lilith said softly.

  Eva stared at Lilith for a few moments, decoding the vampire in front of her. “You care for her.”

  Lilith nodded and swallowed thickly before glancing down at her hands. “I have been watching over her for centuries.”

  Eva hummed, a small smile on her face. “Well then, I say go for it.”

  Lilith rolled her eyes before turning and heading to the exit.

  “Hey Lilith?” Eva called, causing the vampire to stop short of the door. “Stay safe yeah?”

  She rolled her shoulders and gave a slight nod before exiting the shop.

  “You and Lilith know more than you’re telling,” Aerona said quietly to Vittoria as Lilith exited.

  Vittoria gave a slight nod.

  “But you can’t say,” Aerona whispered.

  Vittoria nodded again, her eyes flickering to where Marcella and Emma stood, chatting idly about the situation.

  “Glad to see they’re getting on all right,” Aerona commented with a nod toward the two.

  “Indeed. I am surprised. I believe that Marcella is starting to become fond of her.”

  “Don’t let her hear you say that,” Aerona said with a laugh. “I’m going to head back to my den and consult a trusted few. I need to see if we successfully infiltrated any ranks.” Aerona turned on her heel and departed as Vittoria moved back toward the others.

  “Will you be present for tonight?” Marcella asked Vittoria as they sat in the library mulling over the visit to the shop. Emma had left after their outing due to a night class that Vittoria insisted she attend. Aerona was meeting with her wolves, and Lilith had disappeared after their visit with a mere glance in Vittoria’s direction.

  “What is tonight?” Vittoria asked as she glanced at her phone to see the time. 11:00pm.

  “Council meeting. I have to address the influx and see what information I can gather from them about their cities.”

  Vittoria hummed. “I should really do homework.”

  Marcella rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. “Do council meetings bore you so badly that you would actually choose homework?”

  Vittoria chuckled. “Yes, quite.”

  “Your presence might raise questions anyway,” Marcella replied with a sigh.

  “Immortality must be awfully boring for them if they need to fill their eternal lives with gossip,” Vittoria scoffed.

  Marcella smirked in amusement at her heir. “Well, if you want to come, your presence will certainly be welcome.”

  Vittoria offered a small smile before silence encased them for a few moments.

  “I doubt I will receive an answer, but I will ask regardless,” Marcella began. “What was Eva about to say to Emma at the shop?”

  “I do not know,” Vittoria replied.

  “There is something familiar about Emma,” Marcella said softly. “I feel as if I know her somehow, but that is impossible because we never met until that night.”

  Vittoria merely hummed.

  “I know you know more than you are letting on, Vittoria. You never were good at lying to me.”

  Vittoria raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps I do, and perhaps I do not. Regardless, I would prefer to keep it to myself before I start making assumptions.”

  Marcella grinned but left it alone. “Do you remember the first time I caught you with a girl?”

  Vittoria let out a boisterous laugh. “Oh, that was the most embarrassing moment of my existence.”

  “You were so shocked that I had caught you with your hand up her dress,” Marcella began laughing, “that you looked at me like a terrified deer and stuttered out, ‘I am practicing to become a physician.’”

  Vittoria joined in Marcella’s laughter. “That was a terrible lie on my behalf.”

  “Indeed. Especially since women could not become physicians.” Marcella laughed again before calming.

  “I was worried you would be disgusted,” Vittoria said honestly as she stood and walked to the decanter a few paces away. She grabbed a glass and filled it halfway with bourbon.

  “Disgusted? By your attraction to women? Never,” Marcella scoffed at the mere mention. “You should know that I appreciate the lure of the female form…besides, I am a Roman, dear, we were always more progressive than others. Even today we were more progressive than these barbarians masquerading around in suits.”

  Vittoria chuckled as she sat back down in her chair. “I didn’t know at the time. It was the 14th century and it wasn’t welcomed by any means.�
��

  “Very true,” Marcella replied. “But, we vampires were always more…fluid with sexuality than mortals. Perhaps it was part of the lure of immortality that played a role in that.”

  Vittoria hummed in agreement.

  “So,” Marcella began, “Lilith. You two seem to be…clicking.”

  “Clicking?” Vittoria asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Yes. You two have bonded remarkably fast.”

  “Well, when you are being watched over for centuries, it has something to do with it.”

  “I still wish to know how that is possible,” Marcella muttered.

  “It is strange.”

  Marcella eyed her a moment. “Yes, you slumbered for a while after Isabel.”

  Vittoria nodded. “I could see you and others if I truly focused on it. But, it was just flashes mostly. I didn’t know what I was doing or if what I was seeing was even real. The times changed so fast. One moment I was experiencing memories, the next a flash to the present, then darkness, then memories, then a flash to the present with remarkable changes in technological advancement. It was a whirlwind.”

  “Memories?” Marcella asked.

  Vittoria nodded, silently scolding herself for slipping. “Just memories from the Queens, some of Lilith. I dreamt no more of any of them after the slumber,” Vittoria finished.

  “Ah,” Marcella said simply. Silence encased them for a few moments before Marcella spoke again, “I wonder where Lilith is staying while she is here.”

  Vittoria’s eyes widened slightly at the realization that she had no idea either.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad thing to find out,” said Marcella. “Just so we know where she is if we would need her.”

  Vittoria nodded before downing her glass of bourbon. “I will go investigate.”

  “I thought you had homework?” Marcella feigned surprise.

  “I already have three degrees, what do I need with one more?” Vittoria replied with a grin before rushing from the room.

  As soon as she broke across the threshold of the house, she leapt into the sky, her body effortlessly shifting into the swarm and soaring through the night. She scanned the streets, paying close attention to any abnormal movement. She noticed a few vampires zipping here and there through the avenues, but none were Lilith.