by Joe Fowler
“Me too.”
She was calm again.
It was also time we stopped talking. Damn.
“I better go. We’re flying out early.”
“Okay. I love you, Titan.”
“At least you said the right name this time. I love you, Arria.” I hung up with a smile on my face.
Chapter 13
I became used to using the flying time for quiet reflection. I knew it was the excitement of knowing I would see Arria again soon that made me feel like talking. I had Reptile go bring Lucy and Tammy up to the luxury section.
They sat down with their nervousness apparent in their every movement. I wondered briefly what Bear and the others had told them of old ones. I figured it was all bad and that was why they were so nervous.
“Don’t get used to being invited to this section but I wanted to tell you two how well you are doing. You both have strong gifts and could make it through the fights if you work hard at it. When you have the chance to train, you should do it.” I saw them relax and feel more comfortable with me. “Now, I’m sure you two have questions. Now would be a good time to ask me.”
I flashed back to Arria and me the night after my first fight. She let me ask a few questions after she saw how much stronger and faster I was than the normal newbies.
“We were told we wouldn’t get to see Bear, Donk, or Sparrow unless we win our freedom. Is there any way around that? We really miss them.” Lucy asked.
“Sorry, but no. That was mandated by the council. They were lenient with you and the ones who made you. We shouldn’t go against their commands.” A thought occurred to me then. I decided to follow up on it. “Most old ones have problems with the council. I am new to their ranks but I can both see and understand why they have problems. The council is overbearing and controlling to the point of being suffocating at times.”
Reptile perked up when he heard that. I smiled inwardly knowing I did the right thing.
“When will we fight again?” Tammy asked.
“Tomorrow night. We are flying to another event. We had short notice of it. You will usually have a little more time between events. Maybe it is better this way. The sooner you fight, the faster you get to see your loved ones.”
“Bear told me we get our new name when we reach the third fight. Have you decided on my name yet?” Lucy asked.
“I wanted to ask your opinion first. I think you should have a say since you will be the one carrying that name. Some old ones name their fighters according to their gift. Others name you whatever they feel like at the time. I kind of prefer the gift names but like I said, you are the ones who will have to live with it. I have thought Jet or Red for you Lucy, but if you have a different idea, let me know.”
“I like Jet.” Her smile confirmed her words. She was beaming.
“Good, that will be your name from now on. Tammy, I’ve been thinking of your name as well. You will still be Tammy until your third fight but I am finding it hard to name you. Your gift usually leads to names dealing with ghosts, fog, or other things that aren’t solid. If you have any ideas let me know. Be thinking about it anyway. I will try to speak with you again before it is time to decide.”
“I will.”
They were both relaxed now. Maybe they wouldn’t be so afraid when I was around.
“Lucy, I was glad you saw to use your speed more quickly. Never hesitate. As soon as the announcer is gone, strike.” I told her.
“That was what Reptile told me that first night. I was just scared. I will do better from now on.” She assured me.
“You did fine last night. Follow that plan and you will win your freedom. Speed is the best gift to have. Just so you know, the one you fought last night had illusions for his gift. If you had hesitated at all, you would have lost.”
I saw the alarm on her face. She wouldn’t have known how close to death she came. I told her to drive the point home in her mind.
“Tammy, you used your gift well. A mind reader is hard for your first night. That was what you faced.”
“How do you know what their gifts are?” Tammy asked.
Oops.
“Yours was easy to see. Remember, I went through the fights myself. I know what to look for. She was anticipating your moves right before you acted. If she had evasion, she would have been better at it than she was and her counters would have been more effective.” I turned to Lucy to explain her opponent. “The old one of the one you faced told me about his fighter’s gift. Usually when a fighter loses we don’t care what their gift was. Illusions are second only to speed when done right. Mind control is along the same level as far as some are concerned.”
“Some have mind control? Wow. How do you fight that?” Tammy asked.
“Don’t look your opponent in the eye until you know what their gift is. Lucy, you should attack before they have the chance to use it.” I had a thought then. “I am going to spend the next little bit of time helping you with something else. Mind readers can be dangerous in the arena but this is for other times as well. I want the two of you to listen closely. There are several ways to protect your thoughts…”
I entered Sabina’s meeting hall. Sabina was heading my way. She wore an amused smile.
“Greetings, Darius. I’m glad to welcome you.”
“Thank you, Sabina. I am happy you would have me.” We got the stupid protocols out of the way.
“So far you’ve done well from what I’ve heard. Both your fighters have good gifts and you do well with the betting. Some are starting to get jealous.” Sabina said, as we walked to join the seven old ones already here.
“I have been lucky so far. Let’s hope it will continue.” I was paying more attention to the group of old ones. Caleb, Petra, and Jonas were the only ones I knew.
Sabina saw my stare and smiled. She made the introductions.
“Darius, this is Saul, Orion, Helen, and Tigress. I believe you know the others.”
“Nice to meet all of you.” I felt bored having to do this over and over again.
“Caleb has told us some of you, Darius. It seems you are taking to this life well. I am glad to hear it.” Saul stated. He was tall with a stately bearing. He had a square jaw almost straight out of a comic book.
“These new friends, along with a few others have helped me tremendously.” I gestured to Petra and Caleb. “I am amazed how much fun the fights are when you’re not the one in the arena.”
Everyone laughed. I could see Petra was pleased with my response. Saul was studying me. I would guess he was here for that very reason. The others seemed more relaxed and agenda free. I knew that could change.
Emelia was announced. I was both happy and worried as Sabina went to greet her. Ghost’s warning came to mind. Evil. That isn’t an easy word to forget when used to describe someone I would be spending a lot of time around. Still, I was glad because she was familiar.
Sabina walked Emelia over to us and made more introductions. Emelia gave the proper amount of attention to everyone. She stood by my side.
“How many will be here tonight?” Emelia asked cheerfully.
“Thirteen. The card got much bigger last night when Petra called for you guys.” Sabina told us. She seemed to be enjoying something else. I guessed it was me.
“Who are we missing?” Saul asked.
“Phoenix, Abel, and Ephraim.” Sabina answered.
“Wow, Ephraim? He doesn’t get out much anymore.” Petra sounded shocked.
“Who is he? You sounded surprised.” Emelia noticed.
“He is one of the oldest of the non-council members. The last several times I saw him was when he held an event. He rarely travels. He stays at home.” Sabina informed her.
“Wow, I haven’t even seen my new home.” I remembered to say. The others smiled.
“You will have plenty of time for that. It is better to be out having fun anyway.” Jonas said. He seemed amused.
“I agree but I may need to go there to make sure things are running smoot
hly. Or at least see it. With what I paid for it, I should at least know what color the walls are.” They loved that one. Orion was doubled over from laughing. I didn’t think it was that funny.
“I think I am going to like you, Darius.” Helen said, as she laughed. Helen was obviously named as a Helen of Troy reference. She was beautiful. She might be the closest thing to Arria that I had seen. Close, but Arria was still more beautiful.
I noticed that Tigress wasn’t laughing as much. She smiled or frowned as the conversation went on but she held a mostly even temperament. She was compact with mean eyes.
Phoenix and Abel joined us around thirty minutes after Emelia. It was another thirty or so minutes before Ephraim was announced. After what Sabina told us, my curiosity was peaked. I turned to watch when he entered.
He was around 5’10, maybe 160lbs. He didn’t look impressive. He looked like he was the uncle that sat alone at a child’s birthday party. He was plain and all but screamed ‘wallflower’ in every way.
He and Sabina went through the protocols. When Sabina turned to lead him to join our group, he pulled her in for a private word. Sabina smiled and nodded.
“Since we’re all here now, let’s get the draw started.” Sabina began to head to the rear of the room. She surprised me with her thoughts. “Be very careful with Ephraim. As powerful as you are, he will kill you for little or no reason. My advice is to not speak to him at all. He is not one of the violator’s. I will try to keep between you since Arria would kill him and me if something happened but there are no guarantees. Ephraim is unstable.”
She was passed me so I didn’t need to acknowledge her message. I would heed her advice. If he attacked, I would try to defend and it would give me away even if I lived. ‘Darius’ wouldn’t stand a chance against someone as old as they are making Ephraim out to be. Titan might but I wouldn’t want to find out.
“Are there any exceptions needed?” Sabina looked around. No one spoke up so she began turning the drum.
My first fight was against Ephraim. Damn. Sabina continued on. My second fight was against Ephraim. Damn it. The draws continued. My third fight was against Orion. Whew!
The card was set. Most gathered for the betting. Ephraim said his goodbye quietly and left.
“He doesn’t make prefight bets. He hates the fights to be honest with you. I am still shocked he is here.” Sabina told me while she walked back to join us. She had seen my look as Ephraim left.
I gave Sabina a nod. She smiled. She was enjoying this.
They warned Orion about my third rounder having speed but he took the bet anyway. I was happy to hear it since Ephraim wouldn’t be betting. I was almost ashamed at myself for enjoying the wagering so much.
I heard Sabina hated missing out on the fun at Tristan’s. I began to wonder if she was hoping for the same kind of excitement at this event. I felt safe in knowing she would put forth the effort to keep me safe. The threat of Arria would make sure of that.
More small talk was shared before I made my exit. Nothing important happened.
“Hello?” Arria answered immediately.
“I need to know about Ephraim.” I got right to the point.
“He is there?” The shock registered clearly.
“Yes. Sabina gave me some warning about him but I need to know more. She said he was unstable and could attack. Even if I can fight someone that old, it would end the Darius ruse. No one would believe Darius could stand against Ephraim.”
“You’re right. The main thing is not to stare. He gets uncomfortable with that. He has no emotional control. I hope Sabina knows to keep her eyes open. This is the main reason I wanted one of the council present. Some of these old ones are dangerous, even to you.” Arria sounded worried.
“Sabina said she would try to remain in between us, just in case. She told me you would kill her and Ephraim if something happened to me. I don’t think the draw helped us at all. I face Ephraim for both of the first two rounds.”
“Actually, that isn’t so bad. Ephraim doesn’t care if he loses.”
“Good, one less thing to worry over. How goes it on what we discussed? Will we get to make an appearance together?” I asked. This was what I was most interested in. If Ephraim killed me, so be it. Continuing to be without Arria was unthinkable.
“Ghost and I convinced them. We are planning to have Darius be called in for some paperwork. We will give you enough to use to convince Reptile and anyone who asks. Make excuses during the after party for not attending the next event.”
“Already started working toward that possibility. I was joking earlier about not even knowing the color of my walls. The old ones got a laugh out of it. It should be easy to take it the rest of the way.” I assured her.
“Good. Keep thinking ahead. We need you to let us know where Emelia and that group will be going when they leave Sabina’s. I will call and be added to the card.” I was liking the sound of that.
“This is a wonderful thing. I might have messed things up by telling my pilot to head to Feng’s so I could see you again. I was getting tempted to do that.”
“For someone as old as I am, I would have expected more patience from myself. It is getting very difficult for me too.” Arria paused. “Back on topic! Who else is there?”
“Petra, Emelia, Jonas, Abel, Caleb, and Phoenix that I already knew. Ephraim, Saul, Orion, Helen, and Tigress that are new to me. I remember what you said about Saul. I know he is one of the known violators. He was studying me intensely earlier. Petra must have already told him of my interest.”
“Helen and Orion are middle of the road but they wouldn’t be part of the illegal stuff. They love the mingling part of the events more than the fights. Tigress could be part of it. I would still keep your eyes on Jonas and Petra. She may claim that she wasn’t involved but we don’t really know. Abel and Caleb shouldn’t be ruled out either. Phoenix isn’t a concern.”
“I will keep my eyes open. The mind reading gift is useless. Abel is a mind reader so everyone is closed off to guard against him. They might close their minds off anyway. Most old ones are paranoid.” I snorted with that last statement.
“Most have some underhanded dealings. They have to be paranoid. They know the difficulty in trusting each other. I told you about this early on. Vampires are self-serving and can’t be trusted.”
“I remember. That was the day I fell in love with you. Your mind was open and I saw the warmth in you.”
Arria was quiet then. I was busy remembering that day in her suite. She was so intimidating to me then but the longer we talked the more I saw of her goodness. It was a great memory for me.
“We will see each other soon. I keep telling myself that. Now we know it is the truth.”
“I’m smiling already.” I lied. I wanted to be there now.
“Call me after the fights.”
“I will.” I sighed. “Until then.”
“Bye.”
We disconnected.
I was finishing getting dressed when there was a knock on my door. I answered quickly suppressing my smile. Arria would answer before the sound of the first knock was fully heard. She was becoming my only thought.
It was Emelia and Petra.
“Welcome! I hoped at least one of you would join me as I met my newbie. Can I hope for two?” I tried to make my performance as sincere as possible. My previous thoughts of Arria helped since the smile was just below the surface when I answered the door.
“That’s the plan. We thought we’d join you.” Petra seemed pleased. Emelia had a confusing smile but I tried not to worry over it.
We walked through Sabina’s aqua colored corridors to the lobby room. We shared light small talk on the way. Ephraim was a common topic.
“He’s so strange. I know I don’t know him but he gives me the willies.” Emelia admitted.
“He has that effect on people.” Petra sounded amused. “Just make sure you don’t stare at him. He has been known to kill for less. Sabina will keep him in li
ne.”
“Where are the next events?” Emelia asked.
“I’ve heard of a few. We will probably be going to Orion’s. Since he is here it would seem rude to say no. He already has things in motion to host an event three days from now.” Petra informed us.
I made sure to suppress my joy. Three days would give me and Arria plenty of time together. I knew some of that would be spent on the plane but we would still get enough time together.
“I am trying to decide if I want to skip an event and see my new home. It will give me the chance to put my affairs in order.” I said, to lay the groundwork.
“That is understandable. We all must do so from time to time. I usually host when I feel that is necessary but you might not be ready for that.” Petra commented.
“We will miss you. I’ve gotten to like having you around.” Emelia sounded sincere. She was confusing but was making me think the best of her more and more. I hoped she didn’t turn out as bad as Ghost said.
“I feel the same. I consider the two of you as my best friends at the moment. So many of our kind cannot be trusted. I have seen nothing to make me doubt either of you.” I lied.
We were approaching the chairs in the lobby room. I played the gentleman and made sure they were comfortable before I sat.
“It is good to hear you say that. I wanted to make sure you know how bad some of our kind can be. We have not discussed that enough yet.” Petra was beaming.
I could see her excitement over her presumed influence on me. Emelia was watching closely. She didn’t look as happy.
Reptile entered then. He was leading Jenna. I was disappointed that her gift was strength but I made sure not to let it show. I was lucky with the first two, I knew not to complain.
Jenna’s mind was in turmoil. Donk had told her that strength was iffy at best. Her pretty eyes bore the same turmoil. She was thin but carried herself well. She had shoulder length blonde hair and a dimpled chin.