by LK Kelley
“You bookies are in the wrong place. Not even alphabetized? Now, you...” she said to one of the books as she extracted it from its place, “…you should be with the larger books on the opposite.”
Gem placed the book on the other side of the room where she saw a few empty, and said, “Now, that's where you are supposed to be!”
Placing it into the empty opening, she proceeded to do the same with the other seven – until the last book. While it was not any larger than the others, when she reached down to pull on it, it wouldn’t budge. Looking at it further, she realized that it was a bit different by just a touch. Scratching her head, she realized that those eight books had all been protruding, but just in that one area of the entire CCR. But, why? Gem sat on the floor, and leaned sideways on her elbow, so she could look into the shelf, Gem aimed the tiny flashlight, into the spot. She still couldn’t see a thing, so Gem tried to pull the book out again. This time it moved easily, and she laid it gently on the floor, so she could shine the light behind it, again.
“That’s odd,” she mumbled to herself, noticing something unusual in the back. “What is that?”
For whatever reason, her light would not illuminate the object. Very strange, but finally, she laid on the floor, and reached into the lightless cubbyhole. Her fingers stroked something that made her hand draw back in disgust!
“Damnit!” Gem muttered, while trying to reach the book. Then, “Ewww! That’s so gross!”
Gem continued to try and grab hold of it, but she wasn't very successful. She pulled her hand back, and thought maybe it was the gloves keeping her from grasping it easily, so she yanked one off, and then stuck it back into the cubbyhole. Seconds later, she her hand away.
“Ewwww!!!! Yuk! It feels like very dry skin!” she said in astonishment.
She looked at her hands, but nothing was on either of them, nor the glove she had discarded. So, she decided to try again. Fumbling with her fingers, she reached back into the darkness, and traced the outline of the object. No doubt about it! It was a book. Then, she grabbed it, and tried to gently pull it out of the shelf. It was stuck! Knowing she shouldn’t do it, she tugged a bit harder. The book suddenly loosened, causing her to roll onto her back, while the book flew out of her hand hitting the opposite bookshelf.
“Shit!” Gem said, rubbing her head after hitting it on the floor.
She sat up, turned, and reached for the book. For the first time in the light of the room, she could look at it. Her mouth dropped open. It was flat black. It seemed to neither absorb nor reflect light. She flipped it back and forth in her hands. It really looked as if was made out of skin. Not unusual since there were all kinds of books with leather covers, but this one was like nothing she had ever seen before. She needed to get a better look at it.
“I wonder if Taylor might know what this is?” Her voice was definitely puzzled.
Gem stood, and with the book in hand, unlocked the door. Walking out of the room, she carried it into the light in the main room, laying it on the closest table to her, and just stared at it. She sniffed, and frowned. Was she detecting a faint odor coming from it? She leaned forward, and sniffed again drawing back in shock. It smelled as if it had been in a fire of some sort. It smelled of sulfur, and…burning flesh?? Gem gagged.
“What is this?” she whispered to herself, then paid attention to the cover, and an emblem on it. “Strange.”
Gem leaned over the book to try and see what was embossed onto the cover. It was a circle with something that looked like a triangle in the center...maybe a pyramid? There were other symbols on it as well. From the top, and clockwise, she puzzled over the others. At the right base of the triangle, there seemed to be something that looked like wavy lines. Hmmm. Perhaps that is supposed to be water? The next symbol was a mountain with smoke rising from it. Volcano, maybe? She couldn't see anything else, until she lifted her head a bit, and she saw two more. The center of the triangle was not a pyramid as she had first thought, but it was actually a huge, double mountain covered by something she couldn’t distinguish, and in the center of it was something swirling like a spiral. And, right in the center was a burst – kind of like ball lightning! She leaned back, and plopped down into the chair that was behind her. This was very odd to her. She had never seen a book like this one, and quite frankly, the embossed design looked a bit familiar. Gem was deep in thought, and did not hear Taylor walk up to her to peer over her shoulder.
“What did you find, bestie?” Taylor asked.
Gem jumped in surprise, stepped back, and almost stepped on Taylor’s foot! She stumbled a bit, but Taylor grabbed her arm to steady her. Gem waved her hand at the book, and looked at Taylor.
“I found it in the CCR, Taylor. This has to be the strangest book I’ve ever seen! Have you ever seen anything remotely like it? It feels like scorched skin, and it smells very faintly of sulfur and burning flesh – as if it has been in a volcanic eruption!” Gem exclaimed.
Taylor’s eyes widened as her gaze fell on the book. She swallowed hard, and began to have a fit of coughing having drawn in air through her mouth in shock.
“You OK?” Gem asked, pounding on Taylor’s back.
Taylor glared at her while she coughed even more.
“Right. Dumb question. I’ll get you some water?”
Taylor nodded, and watched as Gem walked to the water fountain next to the restrooms. She turned and looked at the book, again. She knew she dare not touch it!
“No! It can’t be!” she exclaimed, knowing that it was real – the Codex – bound by the charred flesh of the enemy! The Codex! Only one book fit that description, and the faint smell of sulfur proved to her that that it was here, on the table, and in front of her! Taylor had long believed that it was something that had been made up by story tellers throughout the eons! Yet, here it was! In front of her! It was real! And...did that meant that the legend was really true?
“Holy crap!” Taylor mumbled under her breath.
She was beyond shock, and knew she had to get a hold of herself, before Gem returned carrying a mug of water. Taylor grabbed the mug from Gem, and started chugging it. Her throat was already dry, and while the water didn’t quench her thirst, at least it stopped her from coughing. She had to tell Rick and, now. They couldn’t risk the book out of their sight, even for a second! She’d have to get one of the tarps, so she could handle it. Then, she reconsidered using a tarp. The ancient lore was that nothing, and no one, could touch the book at all. At the moment, it never occurred to ask how Gem had brought it to the table.
Gem watched as Taylor’s cough subsided. As long as she had known Taylor, she had never seen her cough, get sick, or even look as shocked as she appeared to be. While Taylor was battling her cough, Gem reached toward the book, and though Taylor tried to scream at her to not touch it, she was unable to speak! That’s when she completely froze. Taylor suddenly realized that Gem had already touched it! Her eyes widened. There would be no way Gem could have taken the book from the CCR, and put it on the table! She should be dead! Yet, here it was – in front of her, and Gem was alive? How?
Gem turned from her friend to run her bare hand gently over the cover. Taylor continued to be stunned! According to their legends, the Codex was ancient, bound with the charred flesh from a burned enemy warrior in the Great Battle of The Warriors. But, it was not just any warrior.
Taylor searched what little information she had held within her mind. The battle had been so long ago, most of them had little knowledge of it. Her own parents had lived through it having been lucky enough to have survived. Few did, but since that time, the few Anaerris left had flourished, and their race continued, much to the ancients’ furor. The Council of Ancients had ordered their enemies to destroy her race completely. Why, no one really ever knew, but luckily, some on both sides refused to do so, and they bound together as allies, which continued even today. Her parents had told her some of their past, but believing that if they withheld the information, Taylor would be safe, apparen
tly was not happening with the discovery of the book. Whatever their reasoning, one thing was for sure. Jaxxon was the oldest of their enemies. He had lived through the destruction of the war, and survived. But, he wasn't exactly an enemy, now. He was more like an ally. Oh, they had their disagreements, but if she ever needed help, Taylor had no doubt he would have her back. Taylor had long believed that Jaxxon had his own agenda, but never could figure out what it was. Furthermore, it was also said that only one hundred warriors survived – fifty from each faction – with her Father being one of them, and Jaxx being another. It was also said that five, each, of both factions had decided to form a new Council of Ancients, and after they divested the original Council – the translation being killed – this group “ruled the roost”, so to speak. To defy them was to court one’s own death!
Her Father and a few others had struck a cease-fire, and had led the small remnant of both to Earth thousands of years ago. It was here that her Father had found his human mate, Sylvia, where she became a part of the supernatural world, and after the Blood Chain, her Father had given her an almost immortal life as long as he lived, and their daughter, Taryln, surprisinly inherited her Father’s immortality. That was something that none of them could ever have forseen! And, Taryln, in turn, passed that immortality to her mate, Richard.
Her mind traveled back over the long years to remember something she had heard. She had been little, and had deliberately been eavesdropping on her Mom and Dad. What eight year old Taryln had overheard, she didn't really understand. It was in the evening, after their dinner, that she had heard low voices. Inching closer to her Father’s study door that was almost shut, she saw a small crack just large enough for her to hear them speak. She remembered it well, and why it had been engraved on her mind, she just didn't understand. Whatever evil tracked their race was within it, but it also came with a blunt warning. She remembered the description of it listening to them.
“It was written by an Anaerris,” her Father had told her Mother.
“Who?” she had asked.
“The survivor who changed, Millicent.”
“What the hell does that mean, Jacol?” His name had been misinterpreted to Jacob, and except for their home, everyone else called him by that name including the Federal Government.
“Neither I, nor anyone else, knows who it was. We only know that she was ‘changed’, and if I really let myself believe she changed into what, it could be disastrous for the Anaerris.”
“So, not even me will you trust with this secret?” she asked wistfully.
He had taken her into his arms, and kissed her head.
“No, my love. Not even you. If I dare mention it, it is possible that the Council of Ancients may hear, and a death would be on my hands.”
“Whose death?” When Jacol had not answered, she huffed, and said, “Well, what can you tell me? What does this book look like?” she asked.
“It is said to be made of the charred skin of two warriors – one from each race.”
Its cover was the charred skin of both Anaerris and Onaerris! Now, she remembered! And, that accounted for the sulfur smell that Gem had told her that she had scented.
“Within the book, it is said that the pages are a thin, solid silver, which was carved with our history, its destruction, and what will come.”
“Will come?”
“Yes. I only know that the one who wrote it would have been called ‘witch’ by humans, only she was much more. She was also a ‘seer’ - one who could see the future. She and her mate fled at the end of the battle long ago, and neither of us know where they are. We do not wish to know. Knowing would put us all in danger. Only Jaxx and I managed to make it to Earth bringing a few survivors with us. We never knew what happened to the other two.”
“I thought that there were only four of you?” Millicent asked in surprise.
“That is the official story. We brought, as I have told you, a few with us.”
“Anaerris, though?”
“It is what I thought, but now, I am unsure,” he told her.
“Taryln?” she whispered in terror as it dawned on her that if they could find them, they would learn about their children!
“They must not know about any of our children. Taylor was an incredible gift. We were always told that we are not compatible with humans, because of our physiologies. And, quite frankly, we were never designed to procreate. Or, so we thought. We know that it is not true, now.”
Millicent looked into his eyes.
“Then your belief was flawed. We are physically compatible for children, obviously,” she told him with a sneer, brushing his brown, shoulder-length hair away from his face.
“Well, that truth cannot be denied,” he answered, laughing.
He stopped to look at his mate. Why the hell had he not seen this before?
“I mean, if it changed for your people, then why could it not change for the others?” she reasoned.
“Hell! It never occurred to me to think of why it changed. I was so excited when you gave birth to Taryln, I never thought about the rest!” How dumb could he have been! “If the few who had children with human women, then, our race would survive – diluted, yes, but it would survive! You are brilliant!” he had told her, and picked her up swinging her around.
“OK. To keep Taryln safe, we never speak of this again,” she said breathlessly, when he put her back down.
“Agreed,” he answered. “There is one, though, who will come. And, that person will be the only one who will be able to touch the book.”
“Who would that be?” her Mother had asked curiously.
“Legend has it that this person would be known as the Jewel of Anaerris.”
Taylor had seen her Mother look into her mate’s eyes, and nodded. She never asked again – at least within Taylor’s hearing. It had been a long time since she had thought of her real name, Taryln, but when she chose her human name, now, she was grateful. Now that she thought about it, one more time came to her. When she turned sixteen, her parents had mentioned it one more time to each other. That the person would be was half-Anaerris, half-human, but that the true powers would not manifest until taking a mate. They had explained a bit of everything through the years, but not all. They were killed a week later in an odd freak car wreck that severed their heads – the only way they really could die.
Taylor frowned. She had always believed it to be an accident, but now, she wasn’t so sure any more especially with the book right here in front of her. It was hard to kill their kind, but Taylor had never questioned it. However, was it really an accident? Or, were they set up to take a fall? She knew that at some point, she would have to investigate it, but right now, the dilemma of the book was far more important.
No matter what, the idea of touching the book would mean death. There was only one could touch it. This person would be born of the one who had written the book. Only he, or she, would be able to touch it. All others would be killed instantly! But, why could Gem touch it? She was human, right? Yet, Gem held it in her hands without any problem! Taylor’s eyes widened in shock. Why wasn’t Gem dead? A sudden thought appeared within her mind, that she rejected just as fast. No! Her mind and heart just could not accept what it was trying to tell her!
“Who the hell are you, Gem?” she thought. “What the hell are you?”
The obvious reason was something that Taylor's vast mind refused to acknowledge. The idea was totally stupid! That’s when Taylor realized that the old woman who had donated her library to them could not have been just any old woman! She had to be one of them! She had to be Anaerris! All Taylor knew about the book was that it was one of the most famous books in the supernatural world, that it was written by an Anaerris, and that it had disappeared eons ago. Most of them had long stopped believing it existed. And, finally, the Jewel of Anaerris would be the one who could touch it! Yet, now, it turns up in this very library? Her mind finally righted itself, and the truth finally grabbed her. She could not deny it any lo
nger.
“Damn!” she said to herself as she walked back to the desk leaving Gem holding and petting the book with what looked like complete affection! Now, she had to talk to Jaxx. If Jaxxon was her mate, then he would be at the forefront of one of the biggest mysteries of their entire age – and Gem was his destiny! “Damn!” Taylor repeated under her breath.
Jaxx parked his car in the library parking lot, and sat trying to figure out whether he should go into the building, or not. Last night had been momentous – both for him and for Gem. She had no idea that she was his mate, and even he was still having trouble believing it himself! So, how was he going to tell her who he was, what he was, and that she was his mate, when he couldn’t accept it? But, still. How was this possible? He was doomed to never have a mate. The Fates decreed it as so. So, exactly what had happened? How could his destiny have been changed? How could he have a mate? Too many questions, and not one, fucking answer! His hands rested on the top of the steering wheel as he lowered his head to rest against them. As much as he tried, the idea of seeing Gem this afternoon was causing excitement to build inside, and he felt his hard-on growing by the second. He needed her. Needed to thrust into her body…to mark her as his, as his kind did with their mates. But, she was of another race! This just couldn't happen, yet it had! He reached down to straighten his cock that had curled around in his tight, black jeans causing him discomfort. His hard-on kept growing. He needed to complete the bond with Gem. He ran his fingers through his hair, and wondered why in the hell the Creator had seen fit to give him a mate now? A mate! After all this time?
His logical mind was trying to drum some sense into him, while his heart told him to take his mate, mark her, and imbue her with his own powers! Then, he remembered the council! Shit! He was sent here to do two things. One, find the Anaerris Jewel, and dispose of whoever it was, and two, find the book, and return it to them. So far, he had been zero for all. He had found neither after five years. The council was on his back, as usual, with orders and demands. He was sent, because he was their tracker – and the best. But, this was threatening his emotions, and it was very foreign to him. Emotions were not something that he understood. As long as his mate was not marked, his body and mind would not – could not – focus. The council had believed, as did he, that he would never find a mate. It was not in his destiny. Well, that was all shot to hell, now! He should report to them immediately, but for some odd reason, he didn’t want to do it. His protective side came up to greet him. Jaxx did not want them to know about Gem, because he was afraid they would take their anger and hatred out on her. Sighing, he raised his head, and opened the door. As he walked toward the library, his protection suddenly grew to urgency, and he picked up his pace as he ran up the stairs. Something was wrong. Very wrong. And, Gem was in danger. He knew it!