by P. Mattern
Disclaimer
All characters,places,details and events depicted in this novel are purely a work of fiction from the authors’ imagination and unrelated to actual persons living or dead, circumstances, places or events.
Dedication
As always, gratitude and special thanks to the following for inspirational contributions:
Ravenwolfe Teu you are always the wind beneath my writing ‘wings’, a marvelous soul and a freaking brilliant muse.
Jim Barnett/LUMINOUS whose ethereal and most excellent prose appears with permission in Full Moon Series: I am in complete awe of your talent sir and grateful to have made your acquaintance.
I love all my Betas and new and original readers Y’all rock and encourage me so much:Raine Phoenix, Ruthie Sturtevant Cunliffe,Natalie Golden Scribner,Rosalie Nealon Lizzio,Lori Moscowitz Weisberg,Pam Allen,Christina Correll,Tonya Allen,Eve R.Pines, Rachael Botson, Tianna McCormick,Johnna Stepanek,Ronnie Jackson,Bones Thompson,Steph Jordan,Simi Rambo Park, Roy Usal Baird,Teresa Goodman Brown,Aimee Smith,Tyra Cruz,Davis Brenda,Christine Young,Denise Pattin, Lora Knuth,David James,Patricia Soper Sensor,Betty Visotski,Linda Fisher, Naomi Paul Martin, Jennifer Furlong Martin,K.Ogle,Trista Baldwin, Tris Diane,Natalie Mussche,Nancy and Thomas Zerdin…there are more. I am so grateful for you all!
Thank you Jacob Nordby and Lisa McCourt, famous authors, for invaluable insights and input!
A special shout out to Wolfgraphix, our Artist in Residence Steph Jordan and Ginger Crum with her artistry, poetic contributions through Gem Shade used with permission and mad adminning skills!
“Lean in everyone…this will be EPIC!”
- Castor “Cass” Noble, Full Moon Series Book Four,‘A Quanta of Magick’
IMMORTAL FIRE
Burst of electricity
Pours thru my veins
Blood flows
Burning
Throbbing
Venomous fire
Shards of glass
Pierce the flesh
No one around
You lay in Distress
Darkness surrounds you
Screams of pain
When will it end
Quivering
Transforming
Calmness
Senses heightened
Alive and Wild
Fresh as rain
Filled to the core
With a raging desire
All you want is more
Neurotic
Compulsions
To tear you apart
No longer to hear
The beating of your heart
Erotic
Addiction
Tortures the soul
To devour completely
With loves sweet caress
Lose all control
Put the beast to rest
Mated forever
Entangling the night
Til death do we sever
~Gem Shade
Full Moon Series Book Four
A QUANTA OF MAGICK
The new leader of the Cavedwellers, Balik, hurried down the long corridor to the Gathering cave, flanked by his followers and with his arm in that of his queen, Amaranth. Amaranth was wearing a beautifully embroidered gown, with the bodice completely cut out in the style of the Cavedwellers. Baring one’s breasts in their culture was a privilege only afforded to royalty. As a result Amaranth’s firm, slightly tip tilted breasts with their deeply roseate nipples were proudly on display.
Balik glanced over at his queen, feeling a pleasant stirring in his loins and a complete contentment.
If Amaranth did not actually love him, she gave him the deference any Queen of the Cavedwellers should accord the King. She was playful and attentive and literally insatiable when it came to intimacies.
He had also noticed that she was less rigid around the common population and more playful, showing some belated tenderness , especially to the few children residing in the congregation. Balik found those signs promising, as he desired more than anything that she would grow a woman’s heart to match her glorious woman’s body.
A heart that could grow to love her King and husband , given time.
At the moment he was about to greet a messenger from the V-net. The accords that had been reached provided for information sharing among the Cavedwellers, the Cliffdwellers, and the Vampire Net, as well as assurances of military assistance in the event of attack.
Walking up into the naturally immense cathedral ceilinged room, lit up by reflections of rough ‘skylights’ cut into it’s pinnacle in a circular pattern on the gemstone floors and walls, he saw a lone figure dressed in black, the insignia of the V-net thickly embroidered on the right side of his tunic.
Upon seeing Balik enter, he bowed politely, saying ,”I hope this proud day of our Alliance finds you well, King Balik.”
Balik also bowed and extended his hand outward to the messenger, his exotic handsome features breaking into a grin,”IAN!” he said.”So nice to see you my friend. I admired your bravery in battle at the cottage. I am glad that we are on the same side now.”
Ian returned Balik’s smile.
“I am glad as well. You fought just as bravely as I, Balik. I am grateful for our Alliance .”
The two men took seats opposite each other. A low naturally occurring yellow, brown, red and orange agate table was between them, upon which the choicest delicacies were proffered on huge trays for consumption. Several carafes of blood, pickled and sugared insects, mushroom caps filled with meat fricasees , fresh fish from the nearby streams and rolls baked over the cooking fires, everything hot and giving off exotic odors, were displayed for consumption.
Balik poured a glass of blood for himself and handed one to Ian. The men toasted to the Alliance. Ian, thirsty from travel, downed his in a few gulps, and then looked seriously into Balik’s obsidian black eyes.
“I’m afraid the news from the human/V-net part of this world is unpleasant. The government recently decided to implant RFID’s in the human population en masse, with no concern for the long term effects of messing up humans’ electromagnetic field, long thought to be their first defense against illness and disease.
In the meantime they are on a hunt to round up what they can of the V-net population, whom they consider Resident non-aliens. So far our reports have been sketchy but it appears they want to do experiments on our kind both in an effort to figure out how to control our population and also to discover how effective vampires employed in the military can be in combat situations.
So far there have been two incidents that affected our local clave. One involved Fressenda Egnarts being accidently picked up in a human ‘round up’ and ‘chipped’. Only through the decisive actions of Dr. Caligare was she spared. He was able to remove the implant before it exploded.
The second incident involved myself. I was picked up one night while inebriated and carried off to a government facility for study and experimentation. The humans in charge of the lab had already killed one of us by overexperimenting and were about to start on me. It was only the defection of one of their key employees, a half-fay woman named Ruthie Lilly, that resulted in my rescue. She saved my life.
And she is my fiancé now!” he added proudly, raising his glass to toast with Balik again.
His face fell along serious lines again as he continued.
“I have come to ask on behalf of the V-net in Fort Hunt if you would be willing to shelter any V-net vampires that refugee from Fort Hunt to escape the persecution. I have no way of knowing if you have the facilities to do so, or how they could be a productive part of your culture while they are encamped here i
n the caverns. This would likely be a temporary move for most of them until we make permanent arrangements . There is also a chance some humans would be looking for escape from the invasive government chipping program and seeking asylum. If you would like to take some time to decide on this situation we fully understand. It is a huge request, and would involve much accommodation on your part. Perhaps too much.” Ian finished, his face grave.
Balik seemed to consider the request for several moments. At his side, Amaranth shifted her position , her body language indicating boredom. Balik guessed that she was hoping that the visitor would finish his business and leave so that they could have some private time. Then suddenly she sat up as if remembering something. She made the traditional Cavedweller gesture of hands folded together with the tips of her fingers pressing against her forehead to request permission to speak.
Pleased with Amaranth’s observance of manners, Balik nodded to her and said, ”Yes, Amaranth, you may speak.”
“I wanted to ask if there will be females, human and vampire, if we harbor these fugitives.” She stated.”And if we are allowed to feed on the humans.”
Ian got a concerned look on his face and sought Balik’s eyes.
“Amaranth, I would expect the humans to contribute some blood in exchange for their asylum,” Balik said,” But instead of feeding on them they will ‘donate’ blood to feed our population just as we will make sure that they have sustenance also. This will result in a symbiotic exchange that benefits everyone. The blood will be harvested and kept in containers much like a blood bank. I don’t think that you have ever fed on packaged blood before my dear, have you?”
Amaranth shook her head, indicating that she had not. She again pressed the tips of her fingers to her forehead to ask permission to speak again.
At Balik’s nod, his mouth twitching with bemusement, she asked,
“Does the container blood taste good or is it stale tasting?”
Even Ian seemed to stifle a smile, as Balik responded.
“It’s not quite as fresh, but very palatable . Do you have any more comments or questions my dear? Ask now because Ian Tanner and I will be speaking privately for awhile.”
Out of habit Amaranth touched her hands to her forehead before commenting, with the excited smile of a child,”I would so enjoy having more females for company, my Lord Balik. If you should choose to invite them of course.”
With that, the room was cleared of all but Balik’s personal guard and he and Ian dined and discussed more particulars. Balik had many questions and also stipulations surrounding inviting the refugees to live in the karstland caves.
“They will have to adapt to our culture here.” he stated in all seriousness. “I wonder if that will be a problem? And any disruptive individuals will be dealt with very harshly, but no more harshly than we deal with our own lawbreakers.”
“I am sure that is more than fair.” Ian commented ,”And some may prefer to remain here permanently. You are well positioned for the Great Upheaval, Balik. Your people are not likely to be threatened here.”
Balik chuckled.
“I find it somewhat ironic,” he confessed to Ian, ”That we who were rejected so thoroughly, even by those of our own phylum that considered us primitive and uncivilized, are now being seen as the saviors of both vampirekind and humankind. I’m sure you see the irony also.”
“Yes.” Ian agreed.”But I am not surprised that a people who have remained so close to the earth have proved their superior survival ability.
No. Not surprised at all.” He finished, draining the last sip of blood from a carved crystal goblet.
“I’m not.” Kimbra said to Cary.
“Pregnant I mean.”
Cary felt a smile forming on his face and, realizing that, quickly knit his brows into a frown, sliding a comforting arm around his young wife.
“Did you really want to be K? I mean right now? With everything going on?”
Cary noted with a slight sense of amusement that Kimbra’s naturally pouty mouth seemed to increase its considerable quotient of poutiness.
“Not really, Cary. But I would have been excited. It’s something that I look forward to..and you do too, right?”
“Sure,” Cary answered smoothly, with just a flicker of guilt that he’d only just felt a sense of immense relief a few moments earlier. “But timing is everything. And it will happen when it’s supposed to, right? Isn’t that what you said Fress told you?”
Though he would rather kill himself than disappoint Kimbra, Cary secretly wanted a lot more time with just the two of them being a couple. He wasn’t sure that he was ready to start a family--although ,he reflected ruefully, he hadn’t been doing anything lately to PREVENT a pregnancy, in spite of his and Avi’s pep talk to Blue a few weeks before.
Kimbra looked into his eyes with her own guileless green ones.
“Do you remember what the Mage Looz said?”
“Yes.” Cary answered automatically,” She said two years from now I would save your life just as you saved mine during the Hybrid battle…and that I would give you a ‘babe’.
But right now you ARE the ‘babe’, Kimbra. And I want to focus on being the best husband for you that I can manage to be. I don’t want you feeling that anything is missing, at least right now. I want to be enough…everything you need. I never dreamed that I would find a love like ours, especially after the hybrid attack.
So can I? Be your “everything “for a while longer…please?”
Kimbra relaxed into his arms. “Of course you can. I’m just being silly, hearing about all the V-net pregnancies made me want to get ahead of myself. Time flies-and it will happen, sure as Mage Looz said it would.
For right now, I’ll just count my blessings!”
The couple kissed then, their lips moving together. Her lips were insistent and seeking, and Cary covered them with his own in a way that caused all of her anxieties and doubts to float away.
They were about to retire to their curtain covered bed when Avi burst into the ¾ season room , his hair wildly askew and a dumbstruck look on his handsome face.
“What is it man?” Cary asked, instantly annoyed. Avinash was like the proverbial annoying little brother he’d been blessed never to have in his family of origin… at least that was his opinion. Avi’s timing was historically the worst in any situation, though Cary had become used to it over time.
Oddly, to Cary it seemed almost if Avi had been stricken into muteness. Then, breathing heavily he blurted out,
“Oh my GOD Cary and Kimbra! My girlfriend is PREGNANT!”
Absolam stood on a sunlit hillock the next day with Cass, Lux and Pierre, shading his eyes with his hand. Cass was holding the controls to a solar powered drone. Lux had set up a wireless receiver with a screen that was able to display the visual images from the camera on board the drone. Jaxon had joined the other vamps and was raptly paying attention to the images of the landscape, including the aerial view of the miniscule humanoid figures that were the five male vampires gathered there.
Ab was grateful to be included. Since Cory had run away from home Ab and Jaxon had become best friends, practicing sword fighting moves together as well as homeschooling at the Farm. The young men enjoyed each other’s company. Both young men looked at least 15 years old, and the summer had given way to the fall at last.
“I hear your house will be joining our house shortly.” Ab said casually to Jaxon. Jaxon’s treatments to force his immortal body to grow to adult proportions had been successful. Both boys were rapidly attaining their adult height. At 5’10’’ Ab was nearly as tall as Jaxon’s 5’11’’. They both had crushes on the young lady vampires that visited the Farm for parties. They were also old enough to understand that being young adult members of the V-net brought with it both privileges and responsibilities.
Fress and Mitzi doted over the two young men. Lux and Pierre were particularly close to Jaxon and Absolam and invited them along for trips to gaming conventions and concerts
.
“I heard the same thing.” Jaxon replied to Ab. “With all the chaos in the human world, and Aunt Fress almost losing her immortal life from the ‘chipping’, we need to be in greater proximity.”
As Jaxon finished his voice held a sad tone.
“I don’t mind at all moving to the Farm, even bunking with YOU even though I know you fart and snore…”
“I do NOT snore.” Ab retorted quickly ,”And YOU , my friend, are the world champion fartmaster!”
he added, narrowly dodging a cuff from Jaxon.
“Anyway I don’t care about that part-I love being here on the Farm. But I’m worried about having to leave HERE too. If things get worse…and the adults seem to think that they will…we’ll have to move again.”
Ab contemplated Jaxon’s words for a minute, still watching the silvery drone which was emitting a low hum as it traversed the cloud studded blue skies above them.
“Did you hear any of the adults mention a place? Lux, Cass or anybody?”
“Yeah I did,” Jaxon answered, brushing his thick curtain of blonde bangs away from his eyes.
“From what I gathered, most of the least populated states out west are in the running. Lux doesn’t think the government has the manpower to ferret out all the vamps relocating and probably won’t even waste the manpower to try to. The last places I heard them discussing were Nevada and …Boise Idaho.”
Ab laughed shortly. “Boise Idaho? What’s out there besides cows and potatoes?”
Jaxon smiled at his friend.
“Apparently nothing…and that’s the entire point, don’t you think?”
The next day Ian entered the underground farmhouse , slamming the heavy door after himself as he did so. He had taken a trip into town to meet with local leaders of the V-net and report on negotiations with Balik, now the leader of the Cavedwellers. Ian and Balik had stuck up a rapport and parted as fast friends. V-net leaders were pleased with the results of his meeting, as it gave the local vampire population access to a ‘safe harbor.’