by T S Paul
“Hmm. I guess you would know then. How many languages do you speak then?” Verity asked.
“All of them. None of them. Pick. This is not my home. Not anymore. I live in the East among the Chin and the Nippon. This was a special mission for me.” Up ahead I saw the leather-covered door the slip of a girl mentioned.
“There is our target.”
Verity slowed and rubbed a pair of gold bracelets upon her arm. To my eyes, they looked like wearable money.
“You get the door, and I will immobilize the Necromancer,” Verity directed.
I gave her my sternest look but kicked the door in any way.
“Who dares?!” The man in the center of the room wasn’t dressed as the Emperor, but I would know him anywhere. The stink of death and destruction dripped from the pores of his body. The silk robes did little to hide that fact from me.
I felt, rather than saw, Verity’s attack. A wave of power flew past me engulfing Constantine. The Emperor froze in the very act of shouting for guards that came crashing in moments later. This was my job. I drew my sword and attacked. Using my vampiric speed, I overcame their defenses quickly.
“We need to go. There will be more where these came from,” I told Verity.
“I know. I must cancel the spell here, or all will be for naught.” The Witch was concentrating her power on a small crystal box in the center of a massive Magickal working. I could understand the language it was written in, but that was all. Aligned on all sides of the room were women. Most were only girls, but they were strapped hand and foot to the walls. A few were obviously dead. All were screaming in a dozen different languages.
“What about them?” I asked.
Verity shook her head. “Let the Sultan find them. We cannot save everyone. You know this, Aeliana.”
In this place no one was innocent. The palace was a known fleshpot. Even the churchmen here were corrupt. But I hated to leave them like this. “I understand. Can he travel?”
Grunting, she pushed the frozen Emperor into a standing position. Draping a hooded cloak over him, she rubbed her bracelets again and mumbled a few words. It was not a language I recognized. Which in itself was rare.
“Follow and stay quiet,” she ordered the Emperor, and he obeyed.
“Feng is waiting for us at the sewer entrance. Once we get inside the undercity, you must obey me to the letter. Unescorted humans are usually killed down there,” I explained as we walked.
“We will do as you say. Thank you, Aeliana,” Verity replied.
The roar of the siege guns was somehow louder as we exited the palace. There were fewer guards than before. A few times I could actually feel the earth move. Cocking my head to one side, I tried to filter out the sounds and hear the voices.
“What do you hear?” Verity asked.
“Trouble. Sultanate forces are entering the city in that direction,” I said as I pointed.
“The postern gate is that way. We must hurry. How far to the entrance?” Verity asked.
“Down that alley.” I pulled her and the cloaked Emperor down a dark, dank alleyway. Feng waved to me from the end.
“Cover yourself and make sure he obeys. Feng will take up the rear and defend us from cutpurses. I will give orders and expect to be obeyed. From this point forward, you and he are my blood slaves,” I ordered.
<<<>>>
Agatha’s reading of the event was almost spot on. Verity had left off my position and status within the Vampire race, but she had included much. Even my true name was listed. It was funny seeing it in writing after so long.
“Did you really rob a supply sergeant of his entire mule train to escape?” She pointed to the book in her hands.
“Not me. That was all your relative. Verity was a crazy woman. Even at her young age, she was very powerful. If I had stayed on that side of the world, we might have had a few adventures together. We parted ways on the road to Damascus. Traveling through the Greek provinces was more dangerous than entering the Sultanate. My Masters weren’t happy with the fall but didn’t blame me for it. No one but Feng knew of my participation, and he met with a legitimate accident during the sea voyage home,” I told her.
“What was Feng like?” Agatha asked.
“He was a pirate. When I first bound him, he was a pirate King. Not at all like that drunken rock star we watched that one night together. No. Feng was a butcher. He would ransom you and then eat you. My binding him was a kindness he didn’t earn or deserve,” I explained.
“Why do it then?” Cat asked. She had been sitting in the chair opposite us, listening the entire time.
“Bind him? Because he was strong of body and mind. And I needed a new servant. My last one died of old age. Unlike the movies, being bound doesn’t extend your life. A servant is just as vulnerable as a regular human. Take those mercenaries that attacked us. Their Masters will know they failed, but he or she can easily make another. Feng served his purpose to me,” I remarked.
“Is Aeliana your real name?” Cat asked.
“It is. I was born Aeliana of Sirmium. Daughter of Apollodorus of Damascus, Architect to the Emperor. Almost two thousand years ago,” I told them.
“Why Anastasia?” Agatha asked.
“Why not? To tell you the truth, it was accidental. After my escapade with your ancestor, I returned to my assignment in the East. We had, and may still have, several major Vampire cities in that region. I negotiated many a trade agreement and kept way too many humans from killing themselves in tiny wars. The Boxer Rebellion was one of my few failures. The Chinese royal family refused to listen to outsiders. Especially those they considered supernatural, like Vampires. In 1914, I was in Japan settling a trade dispute between the cities of Arkaim and Yomi.” I leaned back on the airplane couch and looked at the two young women.
“You have to understand the people of that time period. Militaristic doesn’t even cut it when it comes to how crazy they could be. The Vampires were no less crazy. In 1904, the Japanese defeated the Russians in a small local war. They were fighting over territory and resources. The Japanese had a much stronger fleet and devastated the Russians. The Vampire nation controlled both governments at the time. The two Elders involved hated one another, so they allowed the humans to act out of turn. I was sent in to negotiate a reasonable settlement. The humans had their own settlement, but mine was the one that counted for us. I spent ten years running back and forth between the two of them. It didn’t help that the Russian Elder was related somehow to my own Master. Using the spell your family member gave me, I was able to break their hold on me. But it took centuries for me to master it.”
I glanced at the girls, and they were listening, but deep in thought.
“As I said it took years to come to an arrangement. And then war broke out in Europe. We in the East weren’t affected until the reports of Witches and Vampires started to be known. My Master in the West sent me a recall, but I ignored it. For the first time, I had free will. I made my own plans for the future, and they didn’t involve my father. It was the traders that fell first. They dropped dead right in front of me. Their bodies immediately decaying. We suspected the Master in Russia had died, but not the Purge. No one expected that. It went on and on and on as Vampires of all races and ages dropped dead in the streets. Yomi became a true city of the dead and Arkaim, my home, died. I learned later that the Tsar occupied it and built a huge tractor plant near there. City Forty, it is now called. My city is nothing but ruins now.”
“There was chaos in the streets both in the human cities and below in ours. Refugees flooded in from Arkaim, but they dropped dead as Elders died fighting each other. My Master wasn’t one of the fighters, so I was alone in my safety.”
Cat perked up. “Alone how?”
“I said I was from Sirmium. At its height, it was one of the later Roman Empire’s finest cities. Twelve Emperors were born there. While it has changed hands many times, the country is now called Serbia. At the time of the Purge, my Master was at home. At least I t
hink he was,” I answered.
“What happened?” Agatha asked.
“The human government was in chaos. Many of their long-term Vampire advisers were dead or gone. So they acted alone. The Japanese declared war on Germany along with half the world. Many in the foreign districts didn’t know which side to pick or even if they should stand up for themselves. With my immediate supervisors dead, I was in a unique position,” I explained.
“How so?”
I smiled at Cat. “No one alive remembered my name or my position within the Vampire delegation. They didn’t know my age or my lineage. Very few even knew I was a Vampire. Remembering the words of a woman I met thousands of years ago, I stopped being a Vampire and blended in. She told me there would come a time when escape seemed possible. She said to take it. So I did.”
“Just like that?” Agatha asked.
“Yes. I hopped a steamer headed toward North America and the United States. When I climbed on board, I had to give a name for the record. I chose one of the royal family of Russia. Just one more diversion. Casting the invisibility spell Verity gave me, I blended into the ship and disappeared. None came looking. You know the rest,” I answered.
“So now they want to kill you,” Agatha stated.
“Maybe. Once they find out who I am, they may try to recruit me. Roy and Tom filled me in on the current state of Vampire affairs, and it’s not pretty. They need leaders who are Elders and powerful. I just didn’t want to do the job. Still, don’t.”
“So why are you here then?” Cat asked.
I looked at the two of them and smiled. “I have few true friends. And you two are my best. Don’t think I didn’t notice the leading questions there. It’s better to settle this now than stretch it out. Someone would have found me before too long. Better it be my own people. Hiding in the modern world takes skill. Let’s just say I miss my computers and be done with it. OK?” I asked.
Both girls nodded to me.
“So, where are we going, anyway?” I peered out the window of the Learjet.
“At last someplace, you don’t know,” Agatha laughed.
“I’ve been hiding for a century.”
“Grandmother explained this to me. The council chambers used to be in a castle in France. She said it was inaccessible from the ground or air. The only way in was through a gate or portal. And only the Council members know which one to use to get there. The human government tried to take possession of the castle for some sort of museum.”
I laughed. “Let me guess, they moved it.”
“They did. And what a pain in the ass it was too. She said that the creation of portals is almost a lost art. Destroying them is easier. The new location is in Canada. St John’s, to be exact. I’m not sure of the actual location, but a car is supposed to meet us at the airport. The entire council is supposed to be there. Don’t be surprised if you see some old acquaintances. They’ve been recruiting,” Agatha remarked.
“From before or after I disappeared?” I asked.
“You tell us. She was talking about Peter Oldrock and one of the Unicorn elders. My father is the Master of Arms of the council,” Cat explained.
“Interesting.” And it was. I knew of the council. It was formed not long after my adventure in Constantinople. The species of the world wanted to be able to stop something like that from happening again.
“We should be landing in a few minutes,” Cat pointed out.
<<<>>>
“I call this emergency meeting to order.” Marcella Blackmore stood at the head of the long table of the Council.
“You interrupted a perfectly good nap, Marcella. What is it now?” Lord Vestri proclaimed.
“What now?” Lord Beorn pounded on the table.
Other cries of why and who echoed from the other members. Marcella ignored them all as she waited for order.
“Lord Clearchus, you have gotten your wish today. The Vampire known as Anastasia is here with my granddaughter to report to us,” Marcella spoke to the young-looking Vampire lord.
“Finally! Why wasn’t I informed of this sooner?” he accused her, standing in agitation.
Marcella allowed a faint gleam of Magick to light her eyes. “That is due to the fact you tried, and failed I might add, to take her from the custody of the FBI by force already.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, and I protest being accused of anything.” The Vampire lord pounded on the table.
“Of course you do. Do you wish to tell us why you tried to supersede this council’s order?” Marcella asked the Vampire.
“I still protest this blatant attempt to cast evil upon me. I have done nothing wrong. I demand that this woman is presented in front of this body, and she identifies which clan or city she belongs to. This very body’s treaty clearly states that all paranormals must be identified by their leaders and shall not, I repeat, shall not, misrepresent themselves to any government or representative of said government.” Clearchus pounded on the table again.
“She’s right behind you, actually,” Marcella pointed out.
Lord Clearchus waved his arms and shouted, “What do you mean she’s right behind me?”
The Vampire lord spun around and caught sight of me and my entourage. All he could say was one word, “You!!”
“Yes. Me. Why don’t you sit yourself down, Clearchus, and listen for a change?” Using all my power, I forced the younger Vampire to obey me.
All the delegates watched in shock as I forced the man to sit. “Isn’t that better? Now. Why am I here?”
Marcella looked at Agatha, who only smiled at her. “Your fellow Vampire there insisted that you were some sort of rebel or something. He demanded that we force you to present yourself. How did you do that?”
I stepped over to the table and looked down at Clearchus. The past thousand years or so hadn’t been kind to him. He looked well used. “I’m older than he is. By about five hundred years, actually. He and the other Elders are right that I’m a rebel. I wanted to be left alone.”
“Long time no see, brother.” I looked at the younger Vampire and smiled. “You may speak.”
“You’re dead!” The words spit right out of his mouth.
Wiping my face off I replied, “Not so much. Did you miss me?”
“Father said you were dead. He’s never wrong. This woman is an imposter!” Clearchus stood and started to shout.
“Sit down and shut up,” I directed. Clearchus sat on the ground suddenly and shook his head violently as no words came out.
“Your name is obviously not Anastasia. Who are you and what is your lineage?” Marcella asked.
“My name is Aeliana of Sirmium. I'm known as the Daughter of the Architect in some Vampire circles. My clan is the same as his. He’s my brother once removed by five centuries. I was the ambassador to Yomi when it all fell apart after the Purge. So I left,” I answered.
“That is an oversimplification I think. Will my granddaughter be able to tell us more?” Marcella asked.
“Maybe. Not without forcing her. I doubt you have the strength to do it though. I can settle this. Does he have communication with his father?” I asked.
Everyone at the table looked at Clearchus, but no one spoke. “I’ll take that as a no.” I pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number from memory. As the phone rang, I mentally dropped the shield that protected me for more than a century.
The phone picked up, and a man’s voice answered. I pressed speaker on the phone. “Hello, who’s there?”
“Have you forgotten me as well, Father?” I answered.
“Aeliana. You do live. I had wondered.” Knowing he was extending out his personal Magick, I cut the conversation short.
“You can call off your dogs. I’m here now.”
“The Vampire people need you. They need your experience and your power. A Vampire that can exist alone for more than a century is one that we need to rule, not hide. You are Royal by Birth and by action. We need your strength,” Alukah pointed out.
“I don’t want to work for you. You hate women,” I told him.
There was nothing, but silence on the other end of the line and then a new voice cut in.
A voice I hadn’t heard in almost two thousand years spoke to me, “Aeliana. I’m calling in my favor. I helped you to survive, and now you must do the same for our people.”
I almost dropped the phone in shock. “Varro, damn you! Why didn’t you stay dead? I mourned you.”
There was an almost nibbling feeling at the back of my brain that caused me to stop whining and concentrate. I slammed my shields back into place and reactivated the invisibility spell. “No one controls me, Alukah. No one.”
“Aeliana girl, would you really confine all of us to the pit without even trying to help?” Varro asked.
I looked at Agatha. She led the team and was one of my twinges of destiny. Cat stood in that category as well. “What do I do?”
“Negotiate,” was her reply.
So, I made a deal. Ten months out of the year I would work for the FBI if they would have me. The rest of the time I would serve as Elder for one of the cities. I could change the deal at will, if the Vampire’s refused to accept me, a woman, over them.
<<<>>>
Cat plopped down on one of the Learjet’s couches. “That was anticlimactic.”
“I don’t understand. Why did you give in and allow them to dictate terms?” Agatha asked.
I stared out the window of the plane at the airport. “I’m touched by the Gods. I see and hear things that aren't there sometimes. I get this nudge when I’m to save someone or influence them. I got one of them during the negotiations. I’m supposed to go. Maybe it won’t be so bad.”
“I see the Gods too, remember? Be careful with them. They lie,” Agatha replied.
“My Goddess is Hecate. Crossing her can be quite dangerous,” I answered.
“Oh. Her. Yes. Pay attention to those nudges, then. She wouldn’t lie to you.”
I smiled at the young Witch. “No, she won’t. What are your plans now, Agatha?”
She looked at me. “Same as usual. Hunt down the bad guy’s and don’t die.”