She had her face tucked into Stone’s chest, and she was trembling.
I had forgotten that she was afraid of heights.
Poor Millie, I thought as we continued to go up and up until the cars looked like toys and the people like ants. Then suddenly everything outside the elevator disappeared as it entered a strangely colored pink mist.
“We enter Phoebus’ domain,” Marcel intoned reverentially. As an immortal I sensed the shift in reality. I had felt similar sensations, a dip in my stomach and an electric sizzle across my skin, when my father had taken me to the Underground to activate my night vision.
The car lurched to a sudden stop. The doors slid open again. The temperature on the other side was significantly warmer. The female elf stepped out into a long corridor with a high ceiling and smooth walls that seemed to be made of some kind of industrial metal, her form backlit by a curious patch of bright light behind her.
“You can put me down now,” Millie insisted but I wondered if that was a good idea. I didn’t know how much further we had to go and she already sounded out of breath.
Ignoring her demand Stone exited the elevator. Marcel and I followed. Heat without any moisture blasted my skin and made it difficult for me to breathe.
“Come along, creature.” Tipping her chin into it, seeming to revel in the radiation, the female elf motioned for Stone to accompany her. He did, but pivoted as if drawn toward a window cut in the metal that seemed to be the source of all the heat. Millie immediately threw her hand up to shield her eyes from the glare. Stone’s gargoyle ones widened but though his expression revealed his shock, he seemed otherwise immune.
Curious, I moved toward them. “How can this be?” I whispered as I stopped in front of the floor to ceiling pane using my hand to shade my gaze as I peered through it. The Louvre, the gardens, the river and ornate bridges, all were duplicated directly below where we stood. The perspective was all wrong. They had been much farther below before we passed through the pink cloud.
“You are at a viewing window above the City of Lights,” Marcel explained. “We are in an elevated corridor that traverses its entire length but is invisible to those below. We are much closer to the sun here. It will take a little while, but your eyes will eventually adjust.”
“But I don’t understand.” I blinked several times trying to wrap my head around all that he was saying. I seized on the first thing that didn’t make sense. “Paris is the City of Lights.”
“The original City of Lights,” he clarified.
Santa mierda.
Now that he pointed it out, I could tell that there was no way what we were looking at was earthly Paris. The light was too bright. It reminded me of the reflection of the sun off the ocean where the water intensified so much that you had to squint even when wearing sunglasses. Shielding my eyes with my hand, I tipped my face up to the endless bright blue sky outside the window. I couldn’t actually see the sun but I could feel the heat. It radiated off the glass in front of me.
As my eyes adjusted I began to notice additional details that didn’t match the city we had just sped through, mainly the fact that the inhabitants weren’t human. They were mostly turquoise skinned Sun Elves, plus quite a large contingent of fairies. Resembling sparkling daylight fireflies, the two-inch-high smaller kin of the elves hovered above manicured gardens filled with orange, yellow and purple tulips, and blush colored peonies. In addition to their hues matching their flowers I knew from my experience with them in the rainforest that they were totally symbiotic. If removed more than a couple of feet from the flower they represented, they perished. I also spotted a Centaur talking to a Dragonian with metallic scaled skin and slitted reptilian eyes, and a Dryad leaning against the trunk of a tree that looked like a sycamore. She almost perfectly blended in with it, a camouflage inherent in the tree spirit species.
The Light Immortal population of Phoebus’ City of Lights was not very diverse, nor was their attire. The males were dressed in skin tight britches and long coats like Leonardo had worn before we had disembarked from the boat, while the females wore dresses with low cut bodices and wide skirts. Watching them was like looking at the pages of a history book, the Renaissance era of Paris come to life.
I squinted into the distance at the heat wavering horizon and wondered just how far Phoebus’ kingdom extended and how many immortals lived within it. If his city had as large of a population as Paris and all were loyal to him that would make him a premier power to be reckoned with in the Immortal world and would tip the scale of competition between Zeus and Hades decidedly in Zeus’ favor.
Apollyon was too feared and distrusted to have that many Dark Immortals gathered close to him in his domain of the In Between.
“Where is the court located?” I wondered.
“Inside the structure the humans call the Louvre.” Marcel pointed to the impressive multistoried walled fortress with the large rectangular interior courtyard. “The mortals’ pale imitation was once the palace of Louis XIV, their sun king, until he moved to Versailles.”
The walls of the immortal Sun God’s dwelling sparkled in the sun, the pink pennants flapping atop the corners flew his rising sun emblem proudly. The glittering clear blue surface of the Seine River, if it was even called that here, had been redirected around the entire complex forming a protective moat.
“You know that all great literature, art and architecture in the mortal realm comes from their dreams about our immortal world,” Marcel stated informatively
I nodded to acknowledge that I had heard him but I was still mesmerized by the view and that unusually bright light that seemed to make everything vivid and more real. I turned to get Millie’s opinion of Phoebus’ city but she answered before I could voice my question.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Her tone revealed her awe. “It’s like a fairytale.”
“Do not grow attached to it. Phoebus is the sole ruler within his domain. He has no tolerance for the moon or the creatures it spawns like you and your kind.” Marcel tugged on my wrist. “Come along, Seer. La Ville Sombre, the Dark City is on the other side of this one. That is your final destination.”
The long walk took us over slick floors through a wide corridor with distant lights several stories above us that only activated as we stepped beneath them. Stone ended up carrying Millie once again but this time it was at our captor’s insistence. She was not up to the strenuous pace the elves set, and the third time she fell to her knees stubbornly refusing my assistance or Stone’s they had removed any choice.
We came to a stop at the end of the tunnel. Black doors stood twenty feet tall in front of us and hummed with a warning that made my teeth hurt. I took an instinctive step back knowing they were solid obsidian. Marcel waved his hand in front of a panel. A light turned green and he motioned us to enter.
The first thing I noticed as I stepped inside was the cooler temperature. The second was the humidity. Then the smell, one that reminded me of our quarters on the ship. It wasn’t just the unpleasant odor of unwashed bodies. It was the pungent, eye watering stench of a population that had given into despair.
I didn’t want to be here.
La Ville Sombre.
The Dark City.
Not awe inspiring like the City of Lights. It was more like something out of a horror movie.
I grabbed Stone’s arm and spun for the doors, only to discover they had already closed behind us. My heart thrummed inside the confines of my chest. The small rectangular landing I stood on with its narrow catwalk of stairs down to the ground level felt like a trap. I glanced around looking for a way to escape from what appeared to be the scooped out innards of an abandoned skyscraper at least thirty stories tall.
Iron lattice that mimicked the crisscross harp pattern of the Eiffel Tower provided an outer framework but dark glass closed in all the gaps. Rows and rows of pods that I suspected were retrofitted cargo crates from the ship were precariously stacked on top of each other. Tattered curtains hung down
in front of the missing outward facing walls of each individual unit for privacy. Rickety ladders and scaffolding provided access to the upper level pods that nearly scraped the ceiling of the Spartan structure. Craning my neck, I hoped to see open sky somewhere up there. All I saw was a mismatched ceiling of dark glass and steel girders that had tangles of heavy electrical wires with lightly glowing filaments dripping from them like overgrown ivy.
There was only one additional source of light within the building and my despair joined theirs choking me as I stared in shock at the display beneath it
I didn’t even notice that Marcel had uncuffed me as I shuffled closer to Stone. He placed Millie’s feet gently on the platform and reached for one of her hands. I took the other, my twin’s fingers tightening around mine.
From a small hole in a section of glass in the ceiling far above us a single shaft of moonlight beamed down and illuminated a mere twenty-foot circle on the floor below. Clamoring and shoving for a position within that circle were at least a hundred desperate Dark Immortals. There would have been more but the rest were held back behind sawhorse barricades by grim faced vampires and demons holding spears and wearing sashes with a red eye emblazoned upon them.
“Oh, Cici,” Millie cried. “It’s horrible.”
It was heinous but that wasn’t harsh enough to describe the appalling nature of what we were witnessing. Pressure built behind my eyes and fury began to flow like hot lava within my veins.
Proud demons on their knees. Dark Elves crawling. Parents of both with their hands held together beseeching those with coveted spots within the moonlit circle to make room for their pallid faced children. Crimson eyed vampires taking advantage of the scrum plunged their incisors into the jugulars of the weaker ones who didn’t have the strength to press inside.
“Seer.”
I jumped and turned to glare at Marcel with warm tears on the chilled skin of my wet cheeks.
He inhaled sharply when he saw the accusation blazing from my glowing eyes. “Do not blame me. I am not responsible.”
“You are because you know and you allow that,” I spit out my abhorrence snapping my arm wide, “to continue.”
“You are new and naïve to the way of life as it is here.” His eyes narrowed. “And it is your people not my own who perpetuate this rationing of moonlight.” He stiffened suddenly as someone approached, their heavy footsteps clanging loudly on the metal stairs. I shifted closer to Stone as a seven-foot-tall demon with large curled horns and long black hair joined us on the landing. “Roderick.” Marcel gave the newcomer an exaggerated bow and lifted his chin. “I will take my leave. The seer and her charges are now in your care. Phoebus expects you to have her escorted to the morning court session.”
“Oh the supreme sparkplug does, does he?” The demon turned his dull onyx gaze on me slowly looking me over as if determining if I would make him a good bedmate. “She might be a little late. Did he specify whether or not she should be in any certain condition?”
What? I screeched inside my mind but was able to keep it together because of Stone’s cold but comforting presence at my side.
“He did.” Marcel avoided looking at me. He might have claimed he didn’t feel responsible for what went on down here, but I think his conscience told him something different. “He expects her to remain…pure and undefiled.”
“That will be difficult to achieve and will cost him dearly. I barely have the guards or resources I need as it is,” Roderick complained as another demon nearly as tall as he was armed with a wicked spear came to stand on his right side. Two female vampires with milk chocolate skin, full lips and black hair in short braids claimed the space on his left.
“I will relay your concerns.” A muscle twitched in Marcel’s jaw but that was the only outward evidence that he was intimidated by Roderick or the three Dark Immortals who had joined him.
“You do that.” Roderick’s expression revealed his disdain for the elves as he watched them depart, the female opening the door with a wave of the hand while Marcel guarded her back with his crossbow. After they were gone, Roderick turned back to regard me while his entourage seemed to size me up.
A defining moment.
I had to show my strength and conceal any hint of weakness just as Laveau and Leonardo had advised me.
“Roderick.” I let go of Millie’s hand, straightened my shoulders and stepped forward as if I weren’t afraid of him.
“Rod,” he corrected firmly and the demon and vamps snickered.
“Ok,” I allowed though I didn’t understand the importance of the distinction or why he and the others seemed to find it amusing.
“As in spare the rod, spoil the subjects,” he explained.
Santa mierda. Another sadistic demon like Apollyon who got off on inflicting pain on others.
“I’m Cecilia.” I kept my gaze steady and tried not to let any revulsion or fear show. I threw my arm to the side. “This is my sister Amelia and Stone our protector.”
“The blonde is a delectable morsel.” The demon on his right side grinned. “Looks like a Light Immortal. No doubt she’ll be a popular pet but let me have the first turn, Roderick.”
Stone growled.
“No way!” Millie’s arms went as straight as the demon’s spear at her sides.
“My sister is not to be touched.” Stomach churning, I lifted my chin and stepped between Stone and the demon before there could be any bloodshed.
“I don’t think you get a say in it.” The demon with the spear looked amused and opened his mouth to say more but Roderick silenced him with an abrupt gesture and a warning side glance.
“Enough!” Roderick shouted his coal eyes shining with heightened emotion. The two vamps shifted uneasily. “What makes you think you are in any position to tell my second or anyone else what to do?” His horns elongated and I gulped when I noticed that the sharp points were red and glistening with blood. “This is my city.” I held steady but only just as Roderick circled me. “And you’re only a little girl. A sweet piece of ass. A new plaything for Phoebus. Nothing more.” He slapped me on my rear so hard it stung.
I stumbled forward, righted myself and whirled around to keep my eyes on Roderick while sending Stone a cautionary glance to stand down, since he appeared a moment away from attempting to annihilate my tormentor.
Maybe Stone could best him.
Maybe he couldn’t.
Maybe out of necessity he would have to try to sooner rather than later.
But I felt that we first needed to establish ourselves and gain a clearer understanding of our situation.
Allies who are enemies. Foes who are friends.
Leonardo’s cryptic warning began to make more sense. I needed to figure out who was who and which was which.
“You will keep your hands off of me and my sister, Roderick.”
“Or you’ll do what exactly?” He lifted a dark brow his expression making it clear that he thought I was incapable of backing up my bravado.
“Or I’ll be unhappy. And if I’m unhappy I can’t think straight. And if I can’t think straight then I can’t use my powers. And if I can’t use my powers… Phoebus will be very displeased with you. Won’t he?”
“Well, well, well.” Surprise widened his eyes. “We can’t have that, can we?” The glow in his eyes simmered. Definitely an enemy. “From now on your happiness will be my utmost concern.” He lifted an arm. “Catonia! Evercy!” he shouted and the vamps straightened to attention. “Take the seer to her lovely accommodations and,” he paused and grinned maniacally, “make sure she learns my rules.”
The two female vampires led the way, and we followed winding through the lanes between pod stacks, the malodorous stench of the place growing stronger as we went. But I found that my emotions became more settled the further we got from that scene of desperation under the moon.
I didn’t see any other captives but I could feel their eyes on our procession and more than once I saw movement behind curtains, some on
the ground level and some higher up.
As we continued I noticed that the vampires were taller than I had originally imagined. Roderick and the other demon had overshadowed them, but they had to be at least six feet tall. The fact that they were unarmed gave me no comfort. It made me more wary in fact because I suspected that they didn’t need weapons.
All vamps had speed, strength and retractable razor sharp nails and fangs that made them formidable foes. These two wore track suits like our own only theirs had been modified. The longs sleeves had been ripped, the tails of their shirts ripped to reveal taut midriffs, and their pants had been cut off at the knees leaving their long legs unencumbered so they could use them to run down their opponents.
The further we walked the narrower the spaces became between dwellings. Pods that had been rundown looking already became more so. The gloom grew more oppressive, but my night vision enhanced eyes adjusted to it a lot more quickly than they had to the glare at the City of Lights.
I glanced at Millie. She trodded between Stone and me. She seemed to be doing alright. Her steps were slow but more certain here as if the familiar darkness of our kind comforted her.
I reached for her and squeezed her hand noticing that her skin was damp. In this part of the building a light drizzle was falling down from rusty ductwork overhead. Millie’s gaze met mine and we exchanged a commiserative glance, both our eyes softly glowing as we sidestepped a puddle. We were both frightened but unlike before, we now had each other.
The vamps stopped in front of a pod with a sagging roof and only half a curtain. Despite its sad state of repair, I was actually relieved it was on the ground since Millie was afraid of heights. But it wasn’t lost on me that Roderick had intentionally given us accommodations in the most run down section of the La Ville Sombre.
“Seer, this is where we will leave you, but Evercy and I would have a word first.” Her crimson gaze slid over my sister and Stone before returning to me. “With you alone,” she clarified. “If it pleases you.”
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