by Jean Booth
She came with disheveled hair and frumpy clothing, brandishing a very large metal pipe. I ducked just as she swung, and heard a massive, juicy thwack behind me. I fell to the ground tangled with Stuart and covered with his blood, brains, and pieces of his skull.
“Asshole! How could you drug your own kind?” Her voice shrilled in anger. “Are you all right, Natasha?” I looked up at Victoria in all her brilliant rage and thought I was looking at an angel. It was the most I’d ever heard her speak, and the worst I’d ever seen her look, but she was beautiful.
“I think so. Will you help me up? I honestly don’t know how I’m even still conscious.” I lifted a gore-splattered hand, trying desperately not to think about the brains on my arms as she lifted me up. She sniffed my neck as she pulled me close.
“So, it’s true,” she said in awe, her expression mystified. “My master thought you might be the one, but he wasn’t sure. He sent me here to watch and protect you, if necessary. It was fortunate for you that Stuart attacked during the night, as I’m mostly useless during the day. Add that stupid drug to the mix and let’s just say that you are one lucky girl. You need to go get cleaned up somewhere where no one will see you. I’ll clean this up.” She gestured to the body still on deck. “Don’t speak of this to anyone. I’ll find you later.” With that, she lifted Stuart’s body as if he was nothing but a bag of flour and tossed him overboard. She removed her shirt to clean the deck, and I ran to my suite.
We arrived in Miami without any further incidents. No one noticed Stuart was missing until Maurice woke two hours before arriving in the Miami port. It was chaos as people looked around for the missing passenger. Maurice was devastated and I didn’t have the heart to tell him what had happened. Not that I could have even if I’d wanted to, he was surrounded by people. He was a very popular man, especially with a certain male crowd. Somehow, I knew he’d eventually be okay.
“I’m still going to come back with you, if that’s okay.” Keith’s voice intruded on my musings, mumbling something about his parents.
“I’m sorry things turned out how they did, Keith,” I replied, hoping he could hear the sincerity in my voice. “I do care about you, and I hope we can be friends.” Disappointment flashed across his face, and I knew that friendship between us would never exist. He believed he loved me, and while I truly cared for him, I could never love him as I did Raif.
“Of course. I’ll see you on the plane,” he replied, rushing off to meet back up with his friends before our departure from the ship. I secretly wondered how many other friendships I’d lose from this trip. It had started out so promising, but was ending with such heartbreak; it was hard to not be depressed. I held onto the flicker of life I could feel in my heart. Knowing that Raif was out there, waiting for me, kept me going.
Victoria met me on the docks. She hadn’t said anything to me since Stuart’s death the night before and for that I was grateful. It was not a night I wanted to remember. It was hard to believe that less than a week had passed since I’d boarded the ship. With all that had happened, I felt like years had gone by.
“You will come with me. Everything will be explained once we reach my master. Come.” Every inch of her was covered. Huge, dark tinted glasses covered half her face, while a scarf covered her mouth, obscuring any facial expression.
She had been dressed in a very similar manor when we’d gone diving. For someone so young, she really didn’t like the sun. I didn’t have anything pressing, and I was curious to know who’d sent her, so I followed her. We flagged a cab and I was surprised when we pulled up to the Krypt Keeper.
“Why are we going to a bar? I thought we had to meet your boss?” I was feeling uneasy about having gotten into a cab with someone who was essentially a stranger.
“We are. Come.” She got out of the cab and walked into the club as if she owned the place. I supposed I could have just asked the cabbie to take me somewhere else, anywhere else but here, but I felt that I owed her and her boss for protecting me.
The bar was much less magnificent during the day. The strobes were off, as were all the colored lights. It was still dimly lit; the only patrons sitting at the bar were drinking and watching the news before they headed home. I could smell their desperation to be free of their lives of monotony.
The men barely paid any attention to me or to Victoria, who’d begun to shed her many layers. She was down to a low-cut halter, snug, low-rise jeans, and black sling backs. She shook out her blonde hair, pushing her glasses on top of her head to reveal a bright red sunburn line that dissipated before my eyes.
“Natasha, how good of you to visit again. I trust your vacation went well?” Stephan glided toward me, embracing me in a friendly hug. He was still magnificent with his molten silver eyes accented by just a hint of coal. I hugged him back.
“It was eventful. Victoria and I are here to meet her boss so I can thank him for sending her to watch out for me. She was a lifesaver.” He bowed, giving me his arm as he stood to walk me over to Victoria.
“Master,” she said bitterly as way of greeting, bowing low to kiss his hand. “I brought her back safely, just as you requested. There was one of the Earthen on board that was disposed of. He’d found a way to incapacitate the other clans. We’ll have to be more proactive in the future. I was not expecting an attack from one of our own. I hunger, and must rest. This has been a most unpleasant task for me. Do I have your leave?”
“Feed and sleep. We will talk of this attack tomorrow night. You’ve done well, Victoria.” Just before she ran off to the back hall I saw her slight smile of appreciation. It transformed her from pretty to breathtaking.
“So, you’re her boss? No offense, but why would a bar owner be interested in my welfare?” I appraised Stephan coolly. I casually removed my arm, standing across from him in a defensive posture.
“You may have already noticed that Victoria is not all that she seems to be. Neither am I. This club is not just a bar, either. I created this place to be a haven for the other Atlanteans that were trapped here after the island sank. I, myself, am from Atlantis.” He waited for me to grasp that knowledge and ordered us both drinks. I sat in stunned silence for a few minutes in the nearest chair, digesting the fact that not only had I visited a mythical country, but its inhabitants had also been living in our society for thousands of years without our knowledge.
“Please, go on. How’d you know my name before? Why’d you send Victoria? What’s going to happen to me now?” I was proud that my voice didn’t tremble.
“Lady Natasha, I intend you no harm. I was once Poseidon’s high priest sent with the troops to enlist Poseidon’s guidance during our plunder. It was a massive failure, as you know. We did not know that Atlantis had sunk until we tried to return, empty-handed. Our people were not welcomed into any other nation, so we drifted at sea. Poseidon would not answer my prayers for weeks, as he was so grieved by the betrayal of his kin and the loss of his mate. When he finally did answer, he was merely a shadow of the god he once was. He decreed that until Atlantis rose again and we had access to the healing waters, we’d live on the blood of our fellow man. It was our bloodshed that got us into this mess, so with bloodshed we would be forced to continue our existence.”
“Wow. So, what, you drink the blood of others to survive?” It was hard to miss the sarcasm in my voice. I downed my drink and put it back on the bar. Vampires. It was too much. I quietly remembered the kiss we’d shared before I left on the cruise. How he’d sucked on my neck in what I’d thought was an attempt to leave a hickey. I thought of Victoria’s sunburn from the few minutes we were out in the sun earlier, and started to tremble with real fear. “Are you trying to tell me that you and every Atlantean remaining on the surface are vampires? How could Victoria be out during the day if she is one of the bloodsucking horde?”
“Not all of us are vampires. The one you met on the ship was a member of a different clan, and therefore was destined to follow a different path than Victoria and me. Victoria can
still withstand a bit of sunlight to an extent, as she is not wholly Atlantean and still a relatively young vampire. The history of my kin is not pleasant.
“Very few of us survived our initial mission, even fewer wanted to live on blood for all of eternity. The idea of being immortal, surprisingly, does not appeal to everyone. Most of us had lost loved ones; families slaughtered by Poseidon’s rage, or they had succumbed to the anger of the other gods’ wrath. It was not just Zeus that we’d angered with our prideful arrogance, and most were not content to leave us exiled. I left behind a younger brother, who is now Poseidon’s new high priest.”
“I met him. He was interesting.” It was the kindest thing I could have said. I thought about Atreyu and finally noticed the similarities between him and Stephan. The silver undertone of Stephan’s skin was slighter than Atreyu’s, but it was there now that I was looking for it. Their eyes were the same silver, and while Stephan had short, dark hair, he also had three thin braids woven in, but tucked away. While I could see a family resemblance, there was a distinct difference in their personalities. Atreyu had a power and vibrancy to him, while Stephan just seemed sad and worn.
Stephan nodded, continuing as if I hadn’t even spoken. “Life, as we had been accustomed to, no longer existed for us. We were outcasts. Poseidon guided us to this unclaimed land and here we have lived for over eleven thousand years. Of the one hundred twenty of us left from the failed plunder, only twenty remain in existence today.”
“What happened?” Lines appeared across his skin for a brief second, pain of thousands of years showing for a moment before disappearing. I almost regretted my question.
“That is not a story you need to hear just yet. Just know that while my people were excellent warriors, there was a limit to the amount of bloodshed even we could live with. Those of us that remain have had to learn to deal with the death we have caused.”
“Do you have to kill each time you feed?” I could barely hear my own voice, I wasn’t certain I wanted to know that answer. I liked Stephan. I didn’t want to know that he killed nightly to survive.
“No. There was a time when we didn’t know this, but we now mostly live off donors and excess blood from blood banks. There are also people who think they know about us, but believe we’re figments of their fantasies. They come to the clubs to feed us.”
I was at a loss for words. My disbelief and anger quickly faded with the intensity of his pain. His story was filled with loss and grief. I didn’t want him to continue, but there was still so much I wanted to know. There’d been too much heartache in recent days, I just couldn’t add to it. My questions could wait. I had a lifetime to figure out my new family, I didn’t have to peel the Band-Aid away so quickly.
“So, why a bar?”
“Excuse me?” He looked up at me, trying to gather control.
“You’ve been here for quite a while, so why a bar? Why even work at all? I’m sure you’re loaded. You should be, for living as long as you have. I’m curious as to why you’d choose to own a bar.” He looked at me for a few minutes gauging the sincerity in my change of subject.
“I like human interaction,” he finally said. I knew there was more, so I leaned back with an eyebrow raised, waiting for him to continue. “With my affliction, it’s easier to find willing donors in a public place where people are comfortable and slightly inebriated. This is also a haven for those that share the Atlantean bloodline. I am sure you’re aware that we all possess gifts of some kind?” I nodded. “Well, some handle it better than others. We also have discovered, quite by accident, that these gifts can occasionally be given to others. There are other places like this bar, set up by the remaining twenty. Here we can come and be accepted for the things that make us different. Here we cannot be hunted. Here we are welcomed, loved, and free.” I had thought to lighten the mood, but he was insisting on bringing things down.
“So, Victoria is one that you shared your gift with?”
“No, Victoria’s maker was cruel. The madness of being away from our people finally controlled his mind completely. He made dozens of half-breeds before he was stopped. I inherited most of them, as I am the oldest and strongest of us all. Victoria was one of the few that showed promise. It’s her choice to tell you of what happened, just know that she shares my hopes for the future.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“Whatever you wish, but know that you are always welcome here. We will train you as we try to protect you, or you can go back to your people and wait for Atlantis to rise. Whatever you choose, you must know that you cannot speak of Atlantis to anyone who has not been there or does not share one of our gifts. It is part of the curse of us being on the surface.
“Being alone here is difficult. If you decide that it is too burdensome, know that you will always have a home here. May the gods bless you with clear skies and strong winds at your back.” With those parting words he stood, gathered me in an embrace, and left me to decide what I wanted to do.
Without a clear idea of what I should do, or where I should go, I made my way back to my hotel room. Of all the things I didn’t know, one thing was clear. My life was completely different now. I already had enhanced vision and hearing, who knew what else might happen. Was I now considered a pure blood because I was mated to an Atlantean warrior? Would I be able to change too? Would the constant ache in my chest ever diminish? I wondered for the thousandth time what Raif was doing, and when we’d be together again.
Keith was happy during the whole flight, chatting about all the things we would do when we got back. It had been years since he’d been back to see his family and it appeared he was really going to try to give this friendship thing a shot. I tried to share his enthusiasm. It was difficult to be excited with him because I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I got home. All I knew was I was very excited to see Ashlyn and Katie—I missed them both terribly.
I also wasn’t feeling very well. I’d woken up feeling distracted and not like myself. I half-listened to Keith’s rant about the changes he was going to make to his parent’s company as I tried to pinpoint exactly why I felt so strange.
“It’s gone!” I hadn’t meant to exclaim out loud.
“What’s gone? Did you lose the bracelet I gave you? I can get you another one if you want.” He grabbed my hand to see. I snatched it away, not wanting him to notice that I was still wearing my wedding band.
“No, I still have that. I put it on the other wrist, see?” I showed him my right hand where the little silver bracelet shone on my wrist. “I’ve been having a weird sense of misery lately, and I just realized that when I woke up this morning, it was gone. I feel at peace, it’s wonderful.”
We smiled at each other. I was happy to finally feel peace again, and Keith thought I was finally getting over my issues. I let him think whatever he wanted as long as he was happy. He still had my hand in his and was caressing it with his thumb. Between that soft caress, his quiet, happy aura, and the fact that I wasn’t radiating pain at the moment, I was able to sleep the whole flight home. When I woke, I was still feeling off, but it was different. It wasn’t Raif I was feeling, but my own unease.
Katie and Ashlyn were waiting for me at baggage claim. Ash was holding a bear as big as her with a big sign that said, “Welcome Home, Aunt Tash!” It was written with every color crayon in her crayon box except orange. Ash hated orange. I smiled as I saw them. If I had to be without my mate, life couldn’t be sweeter than to be with them. I ran up to Ashlyn, scooping her and the bear into a giant hug and tickled her side. She smelled of innocence and home and I couldn’t help but smile at her.
“Aunt Tash, stop!” she squealed. I settled her against my hip.
“Hey, booger, I missed you,” I said as I squeezed her again. “I think you grew another three feet while I was gone.”
“Nope, but I made you a poster and Bear wanted to hold it. He missed your lame stories. I told him we’d have a good one tonight, just like you promised. He wante
d to make sure you were really coming home. Who’s that?” She pointed over my shoulder to Keith. I’d hoped he’d give me some time with my family, but apparently not. I had no idea how to introduce her to him, as he wasn’t what he wanted to be with me and never would be.
“This is my friend, Keith. Your mom and I were friends with him before you were born and I ran into him on the ship. Hey, Katie, you remember Keith, right?” I glanced over to Katie who was pale and visibly trembling. I could tell she was trying to get herself under control, but couldn’t figure out the cause to her extreme reaction. I turned to her and gathered her into my free arm. Together, Ash and I hugged Katie. We were all smiling, even if Katie’s was a bit forced. I was happy our little family was complete again.
Keith said hello to them and made an excuse to leave, promising to see me sometime later. He surprised me by giving me a kiss on my cheek just before he walked off. Ash thought this was fantastic. She teased me about cooties and kissing in trees for the entire ride home. Katie was uncharacteristically silent.
“I picked up a shift and have to work tonight. Are you okay with watching Ash?” she asked abruptly as we walked through the door.
“Sure, I just thought we’d do something together tonight, I haven’t seen either of you in a week. Are you okay?” I asked.
“Just tired. I’m glad you’re home, though. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?” With that she turned and walked to her room. I was very leery as I watched her leave.
“Okay, Ash, it’s just you and me tonight. What do you want for dinner?”
“Ice cream. The good stuff that they make on those stone things. Mom’s been making me eat healthy all week. It’s gross. Where’s my stuff?” She demanded, arms on hips.
“My goodness, I’m home a whole two minutes and you are already demanding things.” I comically placed the back of my hand on my forehead and rolled it as I bowed to her. “Your highness, please forgive me.”