Doppelganger Blood

by Bonnie Lamer

  Holding a hand up, I say, “I know what’s happening.” This stops the flow of words around the room.

  “How long were you gone?” Kallen asks.

  Confused, Tana says, “Gone?”

  “Xandra was pulled into Angel time,” Kallen explains. He’s getting really good at figuring this out.

  “The Angels told you what is going on?” Adriel asks, doubt leaking into her words.

  “Technically, it was a Seraph. Haniel to be exact.”

  Adriel’s face blanches and Raziel puts an arm around her waist to steady her. “Why is this a matter of Divine Grace?” she asks softly. I’m not sure if she’s expecting an answer or if she’s trying to figure it out herself.

  I’m going to give her the answer either way. “It’s a matter for the Seraphim because one of them used Divine Grace to plop a different me from a different universe into this one.”

  I have stunned the room into complete silence. I can even hear a cricket outside, adding to the dramatic effect. Several mouths open but no words come out. It is my Dad’s scientific curiosity which eventually finds a voice. “You are saying multiverses are a reality, not simply a theory?” He is so excited about this fact, I’m not sure he comprehends the seriousness of the situation which has been created by it.

  “Yes, it’s a reality. But now the matrix of this universe is in danger of crumbling if I don’t get rid of the other me.”

  Kallen’s sharp mind immediately understands the severity of the situation. “What do you mean by ‘get rid of’?”

  He already knows the answer but I’ll say it for everyone else’s benefit. “I have to kill her. Me.”

  My mother’s gasp is the loudest in the room. “Xandra, you cannot be serious.”

  “I wish I wasn’t,” I grumble. I’m fairly numb from an overload of information at the moment, but eventually the pressure of the Seraph’s request is going to make me fall into a fetal position and start sucking my thumb.

  “Well, that is plain ridiculous,” Tabitha exclaims. I agree.

  “Why is she on a killing spree?” Dagda asks, getting to the heart of the matter.

  “Because she’s killing people who stood against her in her realm to keep them from doing the same thing in this one. I’m pretty sure she wants to be Queen of our universe.” In reality, her plan is definitely flawed. She is simply creating different enemies who will cry out against her because she killed the ones they loved.

  “Do you expect the Dragons to believe such an outrageous story?” Tana asks.

  Does she think I’m making this up? “It’s the truth.”

  “But the Dragons are stubborn jackasses,” Dagda adds. Way to be positive, biological father of mine. His scowl in my direction tells me I haven’t gotten any better at keeping my thoughts to myself.

  “We need to make them believe it,” Tabitha says with more confidence than I have. Dagda’s right, the Dragons are stubborn jackasses.

  “Agreed,” Kallen says, tightening his arms around me.

  “When we find her, how will we know which one of you is our Xandra?” Kegan asks bringing up a valid point. “I doubt she’s going to say, ‘I’m the evil Xandra, kill me now’.”

  Life would be a heck of a lot simpler if she did. But he’s right, when I finally catch up to her she’s probably going to do her best to confuse everyone around us. Did I mention I hate Angels at the moment?

  “I will know the difference,” Kallen says leaving no room for doubt in his words. I pull his arms tighter around me in appreciation even if I do have room for doubt. This isn’t someone pretending to be me like the Apsaras did. This is me.

  “Before we can concentrate on finding your doppelgänger,” Dagda says even though the word doesn’t technically apply anymore, “we still need to respond to the Dragons’ declaration of war.”

  First things first, I guess. The idea of trying to convince the Dragons of the truth makes me nauseous. They’re never going to believe something so outrageous. Heck, I’m still having a hard time with it and I’m the star of this strange little drama.

  “They know of my Angel blood as well as yours and Adriel’s, they will believe,” Raziel says, speaking up for the first time since I dropped the Seraph bomb.

  Something tells me the Dragons aren’t the kind to believe in something simply because an Angel says it’s true. I manage to keep this thought in my head, though. No sense in burdening everyone else with my worry. They have enough of their own.

  Becoming eager to get this over with, I ask, “Who is coming with us?”

  Several glances are exchanged around the room. Kegan is the first to respond. “Everyone.”

  A smile touches my lips briefly. How did I come to deserve such loyal and courageous friends and family? Probably by not killing everyone I don’t like. I’m certain that has something to do with it. Turning to Dagda, I ask, “Are you okay with that?”

  I suspect he knows that regardless of whatever he says, everyone will still be coming with us. Shrugging, he says, “Why not.” He has that ‘I really need a scotch chaser after this conversation’ look about him he gets when he agrees to something he doesn’t necessarily want to do. I truly am driving him to drink.

  “Is the plan to show up in front of the High Court and say our peace?” I ask, hoping the use of the word peace will be a good omen.

  “Should we not have a better plan?” Tana asks. Does she really need to go?

  “If you are able to suggest a better plan, my beloved, we are willing to listen.” Tana stares at her husband trying to determine if his statement was a rebuff or a true sentiment. It was probably a little of both.

  “Certainly the Dragon High Court is well protected. Are you certain we will be able to gain access to them?” she asks.

  “Xandra was successful in overpowering the biggest threat when we were there before,” Kallen tells her. “The Dragon guards should not be a problem.”

  The nausea factor going on in my stomach has tripled as I remember how I basically melted Ryu’s insides the last time I saw him. I have the feeling he’ll be ready for me this time. Craning my neck so I can see my husband’s beautiful face, I ask, “Don’t you think they’ve planned for this somehow?”

  Kallen shrugs. “Perhaps. It does not mean the Dragon will be any more successful this time than the last.”

  I’m not sure I deserve all the confidence he’s putting in his words. “You guys did help, remember. I didn’t take him on completely on my own.”

  “And we’ll help again if need be,” Adriel says firmly.

  I guess there’s only one thing left to do then. “Let’s go out on the beach. I don’t think Tabitha wants me opening a passage to another realm in her kitchen.”

  Narrowing her eyes at me, the plump Fairy says, “You are getting wiser every day.”

  Chapter 8

  Congregating on the beach, we begin to prepare ourselves mentally. Each face around me has a different degree of nervousness ranging from ‘we got this’ to ‘we’re all going to die’, but they are all prepared to face the Dragons. “I will go first and put up a wall of magic to protect the rest of you as you come through,” I say. No one argues with me.

  “I will follow with Kallen behind me,” Dagda says. “The rest of you will follow with Xandra’s parents entering last.” He earns respect points from me for referring to them as my parents instead of himself.

  “Why last?” Dad asks.

  Reading Dagda’s mind, I say, “You’re our secret weapon. If you can try to keep out of sight at first, it’ll have a bigger impact when we introduce you.”

  Facing my parents, Dagda says, “Please remember you are supposed to confirm the idea you are tethered to Xandra.” In other words, don’t do anything they’re not told to do. Dad bristles at his words, but Mom nods.

  Not able to put it off any longer, I close my eyes and imagine the cold, stone room where the Dragon High Court meets. As I peel back the fabric of the realms, I send magic forward, already c
reating a wall before the passageway is big enough to pass through. As expected, there are many angry Dragons waiting for us. I really, really hope we don’t die today.

  The Dragons watch as my entourage crowds behind me and my wall of magic. When my parents have stolen in after Kegan and Alita, I reach back and seal the realms. Hesitating only briefly as I ponder the cushion of a fast getaway. I suspect leaving the tear open would have some kind of dire consequences for the universe, though. No sense in making things worse.

  As soon as our way of escape is closed, the room heats up by about a thousand degrees. Why? Because twenty Dragons are breathing fire against my magic. It feels like we’re in a sauna with a broken heat gauge. We may sweat to death if this keeps up. Everyone is pulling magic to help bolster mine.

  “I thought you were powerful. My fur will turn to frizz if this keeps up.”

  “Your fur is not my primary concern here,” I mutter to Taz who followed me through the passageway.

  “It’s always about you,” Taz grumbles, moving behind me.

  “Enough,” a raspy voice says behind the row of fire breathing Dragons. Immediately, the flames are extinguished.

  The Dragons step aside, clearing a path for us to behold King Myles. The old Dragon doesn’t bother to rise from his place behind the table of the High Court. “King Dagda, I see you have made the right choice. I did not expect you to hand deliver your daughter, though.” He knows something fishy is going on.

  Dagda inclines his head slightly in deference to the other King. “King Myles, I am afraid you misunderstand.” Not a great way to start out. Dragons don’t like to be told they’re wrong. Then again, who does? “I have come with news of a greater threat to your Kingdom. It was not the girl who stands before you who committed such a heinous crime against your crown.” Cue the fire breath. Kallen and Dagda both add their strength to my magical wall to keep it at bay.

  “You dare come before me and say I cannot believe mine own eyes?” the Dragon King bellows over the roar of his Dragons’ fire. “You and your paltry band of Fairies will be sent back to the realm of the Fae as nothing more than a pile of charred bones!”

  Yeah, that’s not going to work for me. Pulling back some of my magic from the wall, I fling it out toward the Dragons currently trying to melt us. Invisible ropes wrap around their snouts, forcing their mouths closed. Several of them have flames burst from their noses because they don’t douse their flames in time. From the looks of it, this is quite painful. I’m certain they no longer have nose hairs. Not wanting them to know they could easily break out of the bonds because I didn’t really put much magic in them, I was counting on surprise being the important element, I pull back and they are once again free to breathe fire on us if they choose.

  Fortunately, the Dragon King falls for it. With a glance down the table at a very sedate Ryu, King Myles’ eyes flit to me. This is what I wanted, but the cold, hard hatred in those black eyes will be making an appearance in my dreams from time to time, I just know it.

  “Have you come to kill us all, little Witch Fairy?” the King demands. “You will not find it so easy to defeat a clan of Dragons as you did to defeat only one.” His eyes flick back to Ryu and the latter averts his eyes, not wanting to see the shame and disappointment in his King’s glare.

  I’d feel badly for Ryu if he hadn’t tried to kill me. But, he did so I don’t. “I came to tell you what really happened. Will you hear the truth or are you going to continue to be obstinate?” Both of my shoulders have a firm hand fall on them, one belonging to Kallen and the other to Dagda. I don’t mind this so much as the rather painful pinch to my side. Adriel likes to be more obvious with her disapproval of my behavior. Trying not to flinch in pain, but failing miserably, I hurry to say, “You can believe what you saw. To a point.”

  “That was a pathetic attempt at mollification,” Taz snipes. If the Dragons weren’t watching us so closely, I’d try to kick him.

  Torn between hatred and curiosity, the Dragon King takes several minutes to respond. I wish Dragon faces were easier to read so I knew which way he’s leaning. With the unbending scales on their faces, they pretty much have one expression all the time.

  With a sweep of his taloned hand, the King gestures for the other Dragons to step aside. When I’m certain they are at least ten feet away from us, out of firing range, I nod to Dagda and Kallen and we drop our magic in a show of good faith. I hope we aren’t making a mistake. “Explain to me how watching you toss the head of one of my High Court at my feet is not an act of war.”

  As I internally debate if I’m the right one to explain things considering my ability to incriminate myself with my words, Raziel says, “It was not the Xandra who stands before you whom you saw. There is another, a twin if you like, who is treading a path of injustice throughout the realms.” I’m not sure if it’s a snort or a laugh that comes from Taz. Probably a combination of both.

  A twin? He really believes the Dragons are going to believe that? Kallen doubts this as well. “Not a twin in the traditional sense of the word,” he says. “The one you saw is not of this universe.” Definitely a laugh this time from Taz. Meeting sound ridiculous.

  Again, I wish the Dragons had better tells on their face for their moods. It is not until the Dragon King starts laughing that I know what he thinks of our explanation. “A twin from a different universe? You bring before me such an outlandish tale and expect me to believe it? Even the Goblins are not as unintelligent as you believe me to be.”

  “Hear, hear,” a small voice says from the end of the table. This is the first time I notice the tiny Goblin who must now sit on the High Court. At least I’ve done something good for this realm.

  “You are an old fool if you dismiss our explanation out of hand,” Tabitha says. Good thing she’s not in slapping range or the King of the Dragons would have a sore spot on the back of his head. I fully believe one of Tabitha’s slaps is powerful enough to penetrate Dragon scale.

  “Ah, the mother of the Goblins has returned,” King Myles mocks causing Tabitha to redden from her hairline to the collar of her blouse. “I do not care to hear from you or the rest of your gaggle of fools.”

  Blunt and to the point. Yup, good thing he’s not in slapping range. Knowing the situation is taking a turn for the worse, Dagda says, “These fine Fairies have accompanied us to bear witness to the truth.”

  The Dragon King snorts and smoke flows from his nostrils. “The word of a Fairy means nothing to me.”

  “How about the word of spirits?” I blurt out. Might as well bring out the big guns. Right on cue, Mom and Dad slip out from behind Kegan and Alita. The clan of Dragons shuffles back until they hit walls and each other in their desire to be as far from the ghosts as possible.

  King Myles’ eyes widen in fear and even he backs away from the table. “What trickery is this?”

  “No trickery, these are my parents,” I say calmly.

  “Greetings,” Dad says somewhat stiffly. I’m surprised he is able to say that much. He and Mom are in awe of the Dragons. I told them they were real, but seeing them in person is much more powerful than words. Mom is terrified.

  “I’m not ready for them to move on to the next plane yet, so I’m keeping them here with me,” I say, trying to give off a ‘loving daughter’ air.

  “Ryu, rid us of these…these hideous creatures,” the King demands.

  “Hey, they’re not hideous!” I say, insulted he would say such a thing. “They’re beautiful.”

  “Perhaps this is not the time to worry about their beauty,” Kallen says softly.

  With a huff, I say, “Fine.” To King Myles, I say, “Ryu can do his worst, he will not affect the hold I have on my parents.”

  Speaking for the first time since we arrived, Ryu begins the exorcism spell as he timidly moves closer to us. Mom and Dad try not to look scared. “Spirit in unrest, soul in pain, come to me, find peace again. Leave this world of longing and woe, sorrow filled days no longer you’ll know. Your
soul I release and you shall rest in peace.” Good to know the spell is universal. A clutching of my stomach muscles is the only sign of my fear, afraid this time it might actually work.

  As Kallen fully expected, it doesn’t. Mom and Dad are still here. “I’m sorry, but you can’t break my hold on them with an exorcism spell. But nice try,” I say. I’m glad Ryu didn’t dare come too close to us, otherwise we’d all have third degree burns about now. He displays his anger over my mocking with an impressive breath of fire.

  “Why have you brought these atrocities with you?” King Myles demands. Hmm, why did we bring them? I’m not really clear on that yet, either. Just for the fear factor, I guess.

  “We brought them to show you the repercussions of war with the Fae,” Dagda says in his best King voice. It’s velvety smooth with a healthy amount of steel laced through it. “Though there would be causalities on both sides, only those of the Fae would be allowed to move on.”

  Whoa, I’m not sure I can back up that threat. I don’t know how or why I am able to anchor Mom and Dad. Meaning, I wouldn’t have the first clue how to tether Dragon spirits. I try really hard not to let it show on my face. To be on the safe side, I turn my back to the High Court and pretend to discuss something important with Alita. It takes her a second to figure out I desperately need a distraction to save face. When she does, she surprises all of us by speaking to the Dragons. “Xandra’s is not the only useful skill in war. I am able to sense black magic and warn others of its use before it is used against them.” Meaning, no dirty spells in this war. Even Dagda looks back at her with pride over her courage of saying this aloud to the Dragons. Kegan wraps a loving arm around his beautiful, waif-like wife.

  When I feel my face is properly schooled, I turn back to the stunned Dragon King. We didn’t share any of these abilities the last time we were here. “Look, we could stand here all day and threaten this and that without accomplishing anything. Will you please just let me explain what is happening and then maybe we can all work together to stop it. Yours isn’t the only realm being affected and the only chance we have is to stick together.”