by Nicki Ruth
“I’m taking her to sick bay, Alex. Are you all right?”
Alexios tried to find his voice but nothing came.
“OK, I’m taking her,” Marius said. He watched his friend bend to lift the woman. Suddenly, he had Marius by the neck, claws sinking into flesh, unleashing crimson mounds of blood.
“Don't you touch her,” Alexios growled. He couldn't believe that deep, menacing voice came from him.
“Then you take her,” Marius rasped, struggling.
Alexios released his hold and backed away, staring at his hands. What had he done? “No, I’m fine. I’m sorry,” Alexios stammered. “Take her to sick bay.” He turned around, facing the ship’s metal wall and catching his breath.
“Are you sure? You seem out of sorts,” Marius replied, his voice hoarse.
“Yes,” was all he managed to say.
Marius sighed. It was a struggle for Alexios to keep from lunging at Marius again when he touched her. Soon after, footsteps left the room, and Alexios looked at the spot where the woman had been. He fought to control his rage. He couldn't afford to lose himself like that. He would have to apologize to Marius again later.
But he never expected to see that woman’s face after all this time—a face that once filled him with longing and haunted his dreams. Where had she come from? Her line was wiped out centuries ago, a failure he’d had to wrestle with ever since. Her landing on his ship could not be coincidence. But why? Was someone trying to throw him off his quest? And who would even know what she meant to him? Something strange was going on here, and he would get to the bottom of it.
∞∞∞
She woke with a start, surrounded by an intense, bright light. Was she outside? No, it didn’t look nor feel like the sun. Metal rods protruded from a wall that was also made of metal. The room was sparse except for the small bed she lay on and a table with more metallic things on its surface.
It seemed like she was alone. She tried wiggling her toes and was surprised they worked. Good. Next, she tried to move her leg. It tingled and moved only an inch, but she’d take that. Her arms fared somewhat better; she was able to tug the sheet down past her chest.
She needed to get out of here, figure out what was going on. She didn't know where she was or how she’d gotten there. As a matter of fact, she could remember nothing from before, not even who she was! She closed her eyes and tried to keep calm. There was a perfectly good explanation for all this. Of course, there was. She would start with what she did know, and soon everything else would come back.
After a couple of minutes, she let out an exasperated sigh. Nothing! How could she forget who she was? That was ridiculous, she snickered to herself. This must be a dream. That's the only thing that would make sense. Yes, that's the–
“Your emotions are all over the place, young one.” A voice startled her. She looked around, searching for its owner.
“Who’s there?” Her voice steadier than the hammering in her chest.
A man appeared before her, and she jumped. He stared at her, his face blank. He was tall and had smooth, dark skin, like that of a Nubian. His hair was cropped short, and he wore a tight-fitting tunic and pants that seemed to be made of leather. Everything he wore was black, except for the ruby pendant hanging from his neck.
“Wh . . . who are you?” This time her voice didn’t come out as steady as she’d hoped. But she made sure to maintain eye contact.
“I’m Marius. And who might you be?” He gave nothing away with his expression.
“Marius, can you kindly tell me where I am?”
“You are on board the Kona.” His voice deepened and it sounded . . . enticingly masculine.
She cleared her throat. Focus. “And what exactly is a kona?”
Marius didn’t respond but simply looked at her. He stood there for a few minutes as she grew more nervous, her false bravado fading. She shifted on the bed, pulling at the sheets.
“You should rest. Judging by your torn clothing and the dried blood, it seems you’ve been through some type of trauma. I’ll send someone with something for you to eat.” With that, he turned and left the room, the door closing behind him with the click of a lock.
Was she a prisoner? She needed to get out of here. Keep going, don't stop! But she wrapped her arms around herself as fear, desperation, and nausea came over her. I have to get away, I must run. But where to? Why? And most importantly, why couldn't she remember anything?
Chapter 3
Marius entered Alexios’ private chambers. His captain lay on the bed glaring at the ceiling. Today’s events had left a lot of things on Marius’ mind. He sat on the bed next to his friend. He’d never seen Alexios in such a state before, not in all the centuries of being by his side, and that bothered him.
He wanted to ask what was wrong, but instead reached out and placed his hand on Alexios’ shoulder.
They sat in silence for a while because Marius sensed it was what Alexios needed. He tried to think of why Alexios had such a reaction to the woman they discovered in the capsule. She was beautiful, surely, but Alexios was used to the company of beautiful women; they gravitated toward him like bees to honey. And why had the woman been in the capsule in the first place? For how long? He wanted to discuss all of this with Alexios, not to mention their prisoner who waited, now forgotten, in the hold.
He thought back to when he'd first met Alexios, centuries ago when he was a young, ambitious politician in Pharaoh's court. At that time, he was known by another name—a name he barely remembered now. A handsome foreigner had been introduced to Pharaoh at a banquet celebrating the kingdom’s latest military conquest. By his dress, the foreigner was from the Macedonian region, and when he bowed to Pharaoh, Marius’ and the foreigner’s eyes met. The stranger smiled directly at him. Marius had been intrigued. No one had ever been so bold or even bothered to smile at him.
Later that night, Marius’ life had changed forever. It began after he found himself on the other side of Pharaoh’s favor. He had greatly underestimated his rivals and was blindsided by their treachery. Lies had been spun in Pharaoh’s ear, and Marius was deemed a traitor. With public humiliation, he'd been stripped of his title and cast out of the palace.
Shaken and desperate, he began walking toward his childhood village miles away with little more than the clothes he wore. Little had he known, his enemies were determined to see him dead; no sooner had he left the palace gates than he was set upon by armed warriors. Not having the skill of the sword—Marius was skilled in other ways—he was quickly overcome. Severely wounded and sprawled on the ground, he awaited the final blow. But it never came. Instead, the handsome face of the foreigner who had smiled was before him, and . . .
“How’s the woman?” Alexios’ voice interrupted his thoughts.
Marius cleared his throat. “She was awake when I left her. Vitals are stable, but she seemed disoriented and very, ah . . . peculiar. She is not artificially made, but a biological being. The blood that stains her clothes and body is her own, but I could find no sign of broken skin or bones nor internal damage. I’m waiting on her blood test results to see what species she belongs to.”
For a time, Alexios gave no response. Marius stayed silent hoping his friend would say something else.
He was soon rewarded. “Marius, have I ever told you about the time I was a soldier?”
“Only briefly.” Marius had always been curious about the life Alexios led before they met, but he rarely spoke of it.
“I served an ancient noble house and devoted myself to their safety. We lived mostly apart from humans, and we flourished.” Alexios fell silent again, lost in thought. “I failed them,” he said sometime later. “They were massacred during the Dāmming when they were most vulnerable. As captain of the guard, I was assigned to the youngest son, although he believed himself to be a man at the ripe age of eleven.” Alexios chuckled under his breath. “One night, I was told I was being summoned by the Queen Mother to discuss the progress of her son, whom I was t
raining with the sword. But it was a ruse to separate me from him. By the time I realized and made it back to him, he was slain—the entire family was. Or so I thought.”
Marius digested what he was being told. It was rare for Alexios to reveal this much of his past. To have an entire family massacred during your watch must be difficult to come to terms with.
“Do you believe Amelagar was behind it?” Marius asked, hoping the name wouldn't enrage Alexios.
“I believe so—he does like to make appearances during the Dāmming—but I don't know for sure.”
The Dāmming came every 500 years, when vampires lost their supernatural abilities or bloodgifts, including rapid healing, and were vulnerable to ordinary, non-magical deaths. Some believed it was nature’s way of culling vampires who lived long lives, keeping a balance between mortal and immortal species. It was a time when vampires laid low. Some even went into hiding, but others took the opportunity to get rid of their enemies, even though the oldest and strongest would still be difficult to kill. That was why Alexios was determined to complete his revenge during the Dāmming, so he could capitalize on that window of vulnerability and defeat his enemy.
Marius thought over Alexios’ tale when something jarred him. Marius frowned. “What do you mean you thought they were all killed?”
Surely, he didn't mean . . . No. Though it would explain Alexios’ reaction to seeing her. But how? That was centuries ago. “Alex, are you saying this woman belongs to the family you served? Because that – ”
Alexios raised his hand for Marius to stop. “She bears a very strong resemblance, and her clothing is reminiscent of that time.”
Marius sighed and rubbed his temples with his fingers. There was a piece to this tale that Alexios was leaving out, but maybe that was for another time.
“Father!”
They both turned as Jason barged into the room. As the youngest of Alexios’ sirelings, Jason was the gentlest and most easy-going. He hardly ever got worked up except during a bloodlust, when he was as deadly as any of them. But, here he was, seething, arms crossed across his lean chest.
“Yes, Jason. What bothers you?” Alexios asked patiently. Alexios was too lenient with Jason—not that Jason was ever a troublemaker, but Marius felt he indulged him too much.
“Why are you keeping this poor girl prisoner? She’s weeping and begging to go home. She’s done no wrong, and I won't stand for it! If the door hadn’t been coded, I would release her myself!”
Marius rolled his eyes. Leave it to Jason to find a damsel in distress. Jason had encountered the girl for all of what, five minutes? And suddenly he was her champion.
Marius eased off the bed and faced Jason. “She’s not a prisoner. We rescued her and are tending to her.”
“Rescued? Really?” Jason asked, mouth twisting. “Then why is she locked in that room, bawling her eyes out, Marius?”
“Look, you’ve just woken up, and you’re highly agitated. We can discuss this later.”
Jason snarled. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten it was you who wanted us put to sleep. You think I’m weak? Don't think I can make it through this Dāmming? You’re wrong. I deserve to be at father’s side just as much as you do!”
“Enough!” Alexios boomed and rose from the bed. “Jason, don't blame Marius for putting you to sleep. It was my decision. I don't want you or Brandr to get caught in the crossfire of my mission. It's mine alone to fulfill. You’re awake now by my leave, but I may still see you back to sleep.”
“But—” Jason started.
“But nothing,” Alexios said gently. “As for the girl, no harm will come to her aboard this ship, and we would see to her comfort. In the meantime, you and Brandr are to stay away from her.”
Jason stared mutinously at Alexios. Alexios’ lips quirked, half smiling as if amused. “Who is she?” Jason demanded.
“None of your concern for now.” Alexios waved his hand, dismissing him, and turned away.
Jason huffed and glared at Marius before storming from the room.
Marius chuckled. “Your sireling is in a foul mood. You should have seen the mess they made on Delta B.”
“Mmm. They’ll be back to sleep quickly enough if they don't behave,” Alexios murmured.
“Well, it seems like your ‘treasure’ is feeling better. She certainly gained an audience with Jason. Should I question her?” Marius asked. Not wanting to deal with another outburst like before, he hastily added, “Or would you like to do it?”
“Why don't you deal with the woman, and I’ll deal with our other guest?” Alexios replied.
Chapter 4
She stood near the metal door, listening for any more footsteps coming her way. She had just given a stellar performance to a young man called Jason. She didn’t know where she was, but she knew she didn't want to be here, and would use every trick she knew to escape. Luckily for her, Jason was sympathetic, surprised to even know she was here, and vowed to help her.
She smiled to herself, hoping her ploy would be enough to speed her release. She looked about. Perhaps she could find a weapon or tool of some sort to aid in her escape. There were no windows, but bright, white light seemed to emanate from the ceiling. What kind of torches gave out such a light? Strange boxes sat on the walls with various shapes on them as well, some with different colors and symbols; some flashed on and off periodically.
As she moved about the room she glimpsed her reflection on one box that had a reflective surface. She looked dreadful! Her dark, curly hair was matted and sticking out, her face smeared with dirt. But, her amber eyes shone brilliantly, practically golden, in contrast to her pitiful state, as if another person was peering out from within. She shrugged, deciding nothing could be done to improve her appearance and continued about the room, though she found nothing that might be used as a weapon or to help her escape.
Muffled voices approached the door. Had Jason come to her rescue? She had planned to be back in the bed by the time the door opened again, to continue her damsel routine, but the door slid open before she could move. To her disappointment, it was not Jason but the one called Marius.
“I see you’re well enough to be up and about. No signs of distress,” Marius said. She didn’t miss the amusement in his voice. Marius was going to be a difficult one.
“I have brought you something to eat. I hope it’s to your liking. We don't have a lot of rations on the ship.” He stepped in and placed a tray on the table.
She looked at it without addressing him. He watched her, which made her nervous. His dark eyes never left her face, as if he was waiting on something. She didn’t feel hungry, but she looked at the tray again and decided to eat something. She picked up what looked to be bread and bit into it. It tasted bitter, but she forced the bite down her throat. Next, she tried the brown lump to the side. It smelled like some kind of meat, but the scent turned her stomach. She retreated from the tray and eased herself back onto the bed. Marius still stood, watching.
“How long do you intend to keep me here?” she asked quietly, not feeling the bravado she felt before.
“That depends on you, young one. Why don’t you tell me who you are, and how you came to be in the capsule?”
Capsule? What was he talking about? “I don't know what you are referring to. I know not of this capsule,” she managed. She didn't want to be interrogated, especially when she didn't have answers to her own questions. She needed to turn this around and find out where she was being held.
Hiding her nerves as best as she could, she said, “You mentioned a ship. When next do we reach land, and which seaport do we travel to?”
Marius raised one eyebrow but didn't say anything. His staring was so impolite as to drive her crazy. She stared back, lifting her chin in haughty defiance. What happened next astonished her. Marius smiled wide, for the first time since she laid eyes on him. He was quite good-looking like that, she had to admit. The pearly whites against his smooth ebony skin was striking. He had what looked like tiny fangs, th
ough more likely some of his teeth were just sharper than others. Everyone had some imperfections, even him.
“So, you’ve determined tears won't work on me like they did Jason,” he chuckled. “Going for a more direct approach, I take it?”
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips but said nothing, which seemed to amuse him more.
“To answer your first question, we will be ‘landing’ in a few days, when I hope to see you permanently off this ship. But your second question intrigues me. We are not traveling to a seaport. We are headed to the orbital station Srian to dock for supplies."
She stared at him blankly. Was she supposed to understand what he was saying? All that registered was she could be off the ship in a few days, and that they both wanted her to be permanently off the ship.
“Follow me,” Marius said abruptly and started walking out the door.
She slid off the bed and followed. Marius walked down a dimly lit corridor and stopped at a rectangular window. It was night time she noticed, the stars twinkling in the distance.
“Take a look out the window and tell me what you see.” Marius gestured for her to stand by him.
She obeyed and looked out the window. Her jaw dropped. Complete blackness surrounded them. She couldn't make out any waves; the ship seemed to be hovering in darkness as far as she could see. In the distance, she saw a large, purple-and-green mist with a bluish, glowing center. Farther away, a large, green marble was suspended in the blackness, encircled by a ring of rocks. What was this ocean of black?
“That green planet over there is Merilos, home to the Stragpoli and Hossiperous people.” Marius pointed. “Being this close to the stars has always humbled me. Who’d have thought I would be able to travel among them.”
“Wh. . . what is this place?” She fell back. What gibberish was he spewing? Her head started to throb, and she found it difficult to breathe. The stars? Why did that resonate with her?