Others in Black’s team took the opportunity to find food, leaving me and Black alone in the main hold, where we’d done most of our planning work.
“I’ve been fighting the introduction of that world here for years,” Black added, glancing at me. He grunted. “…and mostly losing.”
He gave me a longer look, his gold eyes holding a faint steel as they studied mine.
“I’m not going to give up, doc. But for now, we need them. I don’t have time to get them up to speed in other respects… much less convince them why it might be a good idea to adjust to this world, instead of the other way around. I’ll deal with that side of things when this is all over. I’ll even erase some of my people if I have to. I’ve let things get out of control ever since Brick took me in Los Angeles.”
Exhaling, he ran his fingers through his black hair.
“Of course, all of that will be moot if Brick manages to expose our species… in a way that sticks, I mean. Or if your Uncle Charles decides to go public.”
My eyes widened.
“You think he might do that?” I said. “Charles would? Why? He seemed dead against exposure before. He more or less threatened our lives on that very issue, as I recall.”
Black gave me a flat look. “Well, something’s changed. What do you think it is?”
Frowning back, I didn’t answer.
Mostly because I didn’t have one.
Even so, some part of me kept trying to puzzle it out. Remembering what happened to Uncle Charles in New Mexico, I wondered if that was connected somehow. Had that mess with Wolf and the alien vampires been the final straw for Lucky Lucifer? Watching Wolf murder seers as they walked through the last open door to his home world––had that done it?
Or was it something to do with the door itself?
Had something changed in him, seeing that final door close?
Or was it less existential than that? After being tied up and beaten by Wolf, had Uncle Charles simply decided, once and for all, that all compromise with humanity was impossible? Had he given up on living in peace with either of the two other races?
“Don’t worry, Miri.” Black softened his voice, pluming warmth at me. Leaning over the table, he kissed me on the mouth. “Really. We’ll talk about it later. Now isn’t the time.”
His reassurance wasn’t wholly convincing, but as usual, he was right. We couldn’t focus on that end of things now.
Black was right about something else, too.
In order to figure all of this out, we needed to be back on United States soil.
I LEANED AGAINST the side of the thick rubber raft, gasping as I got hit by bigger gusts of cold spray from the waves.
No one in the raft spoke, but I felt the minds around me alert, on edge.
I found my eyes returning to Black, again and again.
I knew I needed to be focused on where we were going, on what we’d do when we got there, but I was struggling to let go of the sex, and the conversation––or whatever that was––back in that ship’s cabin.
I still felt I hadn’t said enough to Black. Everything felt unmoored in me, in relation to him. I could feel that pressure on him, too, like a tangible force.
For the same reason, I wanted to let it go for now.
I needed to let it go, but I was struggling to do it anyway.
Staring out over the dark water, and the curls of white foam as we bounced over the wave crests in the raft, I shivered from the spray, even as I noted the air itself was humid and relatively warm. It seemed like forever that we went that way in the dark, until I found I could make out lights in the distance and realized we were approaching the shore.
Then we were past the first set of those lights, and into a narrower channel of water.
Seeing the shadowy forms of trees on either side of us, I realized we were likely entering the bayou area that made up most of the southeastern shore of Louisiana.
Got a ways to go yet, doc, Black confirmed in my mind. But yes, we’re technically back on U.S. soil.
I glanced at him, wondering again how much he’d heard of my thoughts.
Where are we landing exactly? I sent.
Lafitte… just south of there, technically. Unless something goes wrong. We’ll have a better idea when we get closer.
I frowned. Who’s waiting for us on the other side? Is it Easton and his people?
Black made a noncommittal gesture. They’ll be there. Should be, anyway.
Glancing around the raft, I noted we had all of the remaining refugee seers with us, along with Dex, Kiko, Nick, Angel, Cowboy, Manny, Lex and Lawless.
Who else? I sent, still frowning as I glanced at Black.
Cowboy’s got some people down here.
Surprise flickered through my mind.
Then I remembered that Cowboy was from somewhere around here. Before Black met him in that prison, he’d been arrested in Shreveport––at some kind of dive bar, if I wasn’t mistaken. I’d still never heard the full story about what he was in for, though.
I remembered Angel muttering something about that once, before they got together.
She’d probably been trying to talk herself out of getting involved with him, although I hadn’t realized that at the time. When Black met Cowboy in that prison in western Louisiana, he was definitely locked up because of something that happened here, in Louisiana.
Since it was a federal prison, it’s possible he was just caught in Louisiana, though.
I wondered if Cowboy was putting himself at risk, coming back here with us.
No more than the rest of us, doc, Black sent grimly. His release was legal, if that’s what you’re worried about. The Colonel took care of that. Same as with Easton, Frank, Joseph and the rest. Cowboy seemed to think there might be some local issues still, but we won’t be going to Shreveport, most likely.
I glanced at him, and that time he was looking at me.
I felt a plume of pain leave his light.
Before I could react, he averted his gaze, looking back towards shore.
Feeling a reaction much closer to me, I turned my head and saw Holo looking at me, from right next to where I leaned against the raft’s rubber side. Jax and Jem had glanced my way as well, I realized, along with that other female seer, Yarli.
I still hadn’t talked to Yarli really, although I’d seen Angel in conversations with her a few times, along with Cowboy, Black, Dex and Kiko. Black mentioned in passing that Yarli and Jem had the highest sight ranks of the new seers, which brought a flicker of jealousy, I admit.
I knew that was my own insecurities though, and pretty idiotic.
Black also mentioned Yarli was the oldest seer in the group.
I never would have known that, looking at her. She looked like she was in her late twenties, or possibly her early thirties. She was also definitely the quietest of the immigrant seers, and the only seer I’d seen so far that looked African-American.
She was also stunningly beautiful, to the point where she almost didn’t look real to me when I’d first seen her in New Mexico. The other two female seers, Mika and Raven, both of them mostly Asian-looking––if in a decidedly “seer” way––were also beautiful, but not in the striking, dramatic way Yarli was.
Raven had a bit of a biker, tough-girl look to her.
Mika was more on the cute end of the spectrum, maybe in part because of her height.
Yarli, on the other hand, looked like a supermodel––or an A-list actress.
I couldn’t read any of their expressions exactly, but I could tell they felt at least some of what was going on with me and Black, and that they had thoughts about it. I had no idea what those thoughts were, but I definitely got the impression the issues between me and Black were somehow familiar to all of them.
Maybe it was more of a seer thing than I’d realized.
“…Or more of a Dehgoies thing,” Holo muttered from next to me.
I gave him a sharp look, but he only shrugged, his smile faintly apologetic.
Next to him, Jax suppressed a smile, as did Yarli, on his other side.
I was about to ask, when Black pinged me with his light.
I need you here, doc, he sent.
When I looked over, he motioned for me to join him on his side of the raft.
When I got up to accommodate him, Manny switched sides with me, presumably to keep the weight more evenly distributed.
Crouching, I made my way over to Black, who caught my arm once I was close enough and pulled me gently in front of him. Once I was situated and had my balance, he nudged my mind to look at the shore, specifically ahead of us, in the direction we were going.
Do you feel anything up there? he sent. Anything familiar?
Puzzled, I stretched out my light.
For a few seconds, I felt nothing at all.
Then I realized something about that quiet was familiar.
Immediately, my heart started pounding harder in my chest.
Black’s arm wound around me, pulling me tight up against him.
Hey, he sent, soft. He kissed the side of my face. It’s okay.
Those are vampires? I looked up and back at him. Jesus… Black. We have to turn around. We can’t go in here. It’s suicide.
He shook his head, slow. No, I don’t think so. We should be able to pass through if we’re careful. And if we don’t land anywhere. They’re not here for us.
How can you possibly know that?
He shrugged, giving me only a bare glance that time. I couldn’t really see his eyes in the shadowed part of the boat.
Part of the intel I got off Ravi and Brick in New York. This is one of the places they go to lay low. After what happened, I figured a lot of their leadership might relocate down here. For now, at least.
He glanced down at me again in the dark.
It’s an easy place to get lost, doc, especially for being inside the borders of the United States. It was probably this or moving off the continent altogether.
He gave me another bare glance.
Cowboy checked in with his people. What they told him about disappearances in the area and people having strange experiences seemed to support that hypothesis.
Pain hit at my chest as it sank in what he meant.
He learned this while he was letting the vampires feed on him. He pulled it off their minds while he was letting them feed on him and do whatever else with them. Seers couldn’t read vampires, not normally––they could only get inside a vampire mind while that vampire was feeding on them, and for a short time after, while their venom remained in their system.
Just the thought of it brought a wave of nausea.
It brought more than a small amount of pain too, not all of it the sex-pain variety.
Then, the full import of his words sank in.
Turning slowly, incredulously that time, I stared up at him. You’re taking us into a vampire sanctuary? On purpose?
Black’s lips pursed. You wanted to know what was going on, right? What I was thinking?
I continued to stare at him, stunned.
But why, Black?
His frown hardened. After a pause, he shrugged his muscular shoulders, gripping me tighter with his arm and hands.
I want to know what’s going on with Charles. He jerked his chin towards the shore. They keep tabs on him. They probably have spies with him. I’d be willing to bet they have more insight into his operation than anyone on our side right now.
Glancing down at me, he winced a little, maybe feeling my disbelief.
I know it’s risky, doc, he sent. But we don’t have a ton of options. I thought it might give us a place to start.
I continued to stare at him.
When he didn’t say anything more, I shook my head slowly.
How do we know Charles doesn’t have some kind of alliance with the vampires already? I sent finally, my thoughts still holding that disbelief. He let Brick go, didn’t he? Or told someone on the vampire side that Brick was being moved––?
No. Black looked down at me, shaking his head. No, I don’t think so.
What do you mean, you don’t think so? I frowned up at him. You don’t think Charles was behind that? You think it’s just a coincidence Brick got out now? Right after those Homeland Security agents came after you?
No. I don’t think it’s a coincidence, doc.
I stared up at him. Again, I felt frustratingly out of my league.
I had no idea what he was thinking.
Exhaling, he pulled me against his chest again, kissing the side of my face, cradling me in his arms. He pulsed so much warmth and heat into my light, I had trouble thinking straight. I felt it relax something deep in my mind and light, enough that I was thinking clearly again, almost in straight lines.
Miri, he sent, soft. It’s normal for both of us to be off-balance right now. Try to remember that, okay? And try to remember you’re not always thinking clearly because of it. You’re not “out of your league” in this… you just don’t know the players as well as I do. Even your Uncle Charles. I’ve been in this shit-show with him for decades. I know him better than you do… at least when it comes to this kind of thing.
Squeezing me against him harder, he sent enough heat into my body that my breath stopped, causing me to clutch at his arms. I felt love in his light, a kind of frustrated, heated love that blanked out my mind.
We’ll talk more about everything you told me earlier, his mind murmured. You were wrong about a lot, doc, but we don’t have time to talk about it now. I understand a lot more now, though. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.
I nodded, suddenly fighting tears.
Me too, I told him.
We’ll talk about that later, okay? He held me tighter. Right now, I really need your mind. Our lives depend on it. All of our lives, including all of our friends, including these asshole “immigrants” as you think of them.
Feeling me roll my eyes, he clutched me tighter. I saw him smiling in my mind, but I didn’t feel much humor on him.
I need to get you up to speed as quickly as I can, doc, he added. We have a little time, so I wanted to do it now. I want to tell you everything I’m thinking about this, so you can help me with our approach. Is that okay?
I nodded again, feeling that hard knot in my chest relax more.
Yes, I sent, wiping my face, still nodding. Yes. That would be really good, Black. I would really appreciate that.
Okay, he sent. This isn’t a fucking favor though, doc. I need your help, okay? Try to remember that, and listen with that in mind, okay?
He shook me a little, without loosening his hold on my chest.
I mean it, doc. Try to let go of the stuff with us for this, okay? I’m not fucking humoring you, or doing this to placate you. I really fucking need you. All right?
I nodded again.
All right.
I couldn’t tell for sure if I totally believed him, but my mind grew calmer, more still.
It wasn’t quite my clinical mind, but it was closer than I’d been probably since New York. It was at least a part of me that could view this through a more rational lens.
Apparently it was enough of a change to satisfy Black.
Exhaling, he began to talk.
He still talked only in my mind.
As he did, he sent pictures, even data, while his soft words ran in the background, his emotions only partly muted. He sent me a lot, rather than verbalize it in words––rather, it came in a kind of packed, condensed form that mixed everything else in with his explanations.
The narrative itself remained more or less linear, though.
The longer he talked, the more I found myself letting go of my bizarre emotional reactions and just listening, until I was gripping his arms, concentrating with all of my might, fighting to think through everything he was telling me.
12
LUCKY LUCIFER
WHEN WE FIRST met, your uncle tried to recruit me… pretty much right off the bat.
Black
’s light continued to warm mine.
Looking out over the water, he massaged my side with strong fingers.
He walked right up to me in a bar in Saigon, surrounded by about six of his seers. He saw me as young. Easy to impress. And to intimidate, of course. He probably thought he would rock my world, just by having his own group of seers on this version of Earth. Hell, he probably thought he’d rock my world just by being older and seer.
Black grunted, shaking his head.
He wasn’t wrong, he conceded. I was pretty blown away… at first.
Shaking his head, he shrugged, shivering a bit against the spray from the boat.
They were the first seers I’d seen on this version of Earth. Truthfully, up until then, I thought there was a pretty good chance I was on my own.
Grunting a little, he glanced down at me in the dark.
He made some pretty critical mistakes with me, though, Miri… even then. I was young, sure. But he really treated me like a dumb kid, someone with no experience at all. I suppose that was a fair assumption to make, given my age, and the fact that most of his seers came here as civilians––most of them ex-domestic slaves of whatever kind. I was that too, but I was also more than that. He was wrong to assume I was as naïve as the rest.
Pulling me deeper against his chest, he sighed.
I told you I’d been recruited before, back on Old Earth. Because of that, I knew right off what he wanted from me. I’d gotten the same speeches, heard a lot of the same words, and by recruiters with more genuine heart than he had. My handler back on Old Earth was actually a pretty decent guy. Even when he was trying to manipulate me in various ways, his heart shone through. I couldn’t help but like the bastard, even when he pissed me off.
Black shrugged.
Still. I’d started pushing back on him, too.
Squeezing me against his chest in a hug, he sighed.
I didn’t feel that with your uncle, he admitted. He pushed some of the same buttons, but I’d already gained some skepticism by the time I left Old Earth. In some ways, my dislike of being controlled comes as much from that terrorist group on Old Earth as it does from even being a slave. I think it hurt more, having it done to me by my own kind.
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