A Shade of Vampire 89: A Sanctuary of Foes

by Bella Forrest

  “It bypasses our healing nature, then,” Derek muttered, though he wasn’t in any way displeased with the prospect. It didn’t really matter, anyway. We all needed protection and identification as originals, especially since we didn’t know when or how the doppelgangers would return—or if they’d return—but that was a whole different conversation.

  “It bypasses everything, including decay. Basically, even after you’re dead, after decomposition—after any form of destruction, for that matter—the affected skin cells of the tattoo will remain,” the Time Master explained. “Someone could burn you into a pile of ashes, and the tattoo would still survive.”

  Caleb cleared his throat. “Okay. But what if the clones figure it out and tattoo themselves using conventional methods? They can just flash the tattoo and get past our defenses, right?”

  “Oh, no,” Time said, chuckling, so sure of himself that I knew his solution was perfect. “The tattoos react in the presence of each other. You’ll feel it on your skin. And they’ll glow faintly. Trust me, you’ll know if you’re dealing with a fake.”

  I put out my hand. “Show me.”

  The Reaper obliged, gently pressing the tip of his blade against my wrist. Something burned through my skin, the sensation spreading all over me before gradually gathering to focus where the metal touched my wrist. I hissed from the increasing pain, but it was bearable. I looked as soon as he removed his scythe, but couldn’t see anything except the red blotch where I’d felt the burn.

  “Huh…” I mumbled as a symbol emerged with a tickling sensation. It was shaped like a stylized half-moon with three tiny runes along the outer curve. I ran my fingers over the tattoo, which was a peculiar shade of dark blue. It felt hard and rough, as if fragments of my skin had been morphed into metallic particles.

  “And now you’re branded,” Time said, moving to do the same to Derek. “I’ll be done with the entire island by tomorrow morning. It’s as fast as I can go, but I should be able to mark every original on this island and match the official number in Rose and Caleb’s report.”

  He brought us up to speed with progress from his side, particularly with Sidyan, Seeley, Nethissis, Kelara, and Soul’s endeavors to fortify The Shade’s defenses. We were moving like a well-oiled machine, but we were all under tremendous pressure as there was still an ongoing effort to find a way into the clones’ hidden dimension.

  “Assuming we can’t open portals into that realm, we will need the Daughters’ help with detecting any the copies might open from their side into ours. The witches aren’t getting anywhere, so I’m thinking we get the Daughters involved next. Something’s got to give eventually,” Derek said, touching his tattoo. I finally settled in the chair next to him, and we brought our hands close together. The marks responded. I felt it in my skin and bones, and the symbol itself lit up a brighter blue, burning slowly. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but it verified Time’s theory—we would be able to feel the authenticity of real Shadians. These tattoos were our best protection against future infiltration efforts, so the Reaper went on to mark Rose and Caleb before preparing to take on the rest of the island.

  “I know,” Time replied. “Sidyan will bring them over shortly. We would’ve teleported them sooner, but they weren’t that easy to find. It turns out they’ve been busy adding layers of magical protection to every planet in Eritopia after the clone attacks here. The Daughters were adamant about securing their realm before anyone else’s, especially after Viola was taken.”

  “How are they feeling?” I asked. “I assume Sidyan has spoken to them.”

  Time nodded. “They’re mad as hell, and they want Viola and Astra back.”

  “I can only imagine how Phoenix must be feeling. At least we know Viola isn’t dead or wounded, otherwise he’d have known through their bond.” Caleb sighed, then gave Rose a soft, lingering look. “I don’t know what I would do if they took you.”

  “There’s no use in dwelling over these emotions,” Time said as he stopped in the wide doorway. The moonlight shone around him, its milky light fractured as it flooded the Great Dome and stretched his shadow across the marbled floor. “They only waste energy that is better used in any other activity. Your people are missing, but we’ll figure out a way to get them back. I have never dealt with anything like this before. Of this magnitude, anyway. But if there’s one thing I have learned from my long existence and wide range of experiences, it’s that a solution exists for every problem in every world. Whether we will like the solution we find for this particular problem, that remains to be seen. One way or another, however, we will get to the bottom of this.”

  “Your optimism is somewhat refreshing,” Rose replied with a smile.

  “More like experienced realism,” Time shot back. “I shall see you soon.”

  We watched him check for a soul and apply the tattoo spell to every single Shadian currently working around the Great Dome, Shayla included, before he vanished into the redwoods. There was a certain sense of peace coming from the knowledge that we now had this surefire way of identifying ourselves. It certainly gave us a better edge in the upcoming battle.

  Our biggest problem was that we weren’t sure what said battle would entail, or when it would take place. As Safira and the other Daughters appeared beside Sidyan in the middle of the room, however, I knew we could only prepare for the worst while continuing to hope for the best. I actually liked the absence of a certain doom and gloom I’d seen covering The Shade in previous conflicts. Even Draven and Serena were upbeat, if not a little optimistic. Then again, they had a good reason—surely the clones would’ve made sure we found the bodies of those they’d taken from us. It meant Isabelle and the others were likely still alive.

  “I’m sorry we have to meet again in such unpleasant circumstances,” Safira said as she took my hands in hers and squeezed gently. I glanced at her sisters, noticing that Nova hadn’t come with them.

  “Me too, but at least we’re meeting again,” I replied with a dry chuckle. “Where’s the little one?”

  “There must always be a Daughter in Eritopia,” Chana said. “Nova is too young to deal with this issue you’re having—well, this issue we’re all having, since our sister and niece are also missing.”

  Rubia smiled. “Nova will do an excellent job of looking after Eritopia. She may be small and not fully developed, but she’s the fastest teleporter among us. If anyone can get close to omnipotence, it’s our darling Nova.”

  “It’s an honor to have you here,” Derek said as we both got up and hugged each of the Daughters. Their embraces felt warm and full of kindness, and I had yet to fully adjust to their almost violent beauty. They hadn’t abandoned their signature style—Nova and Viola were the only pale ones. Rubia, Ruelle, Safira, Effissa, Chana, Amassa and Nibel had gold skin and bright purplish-violet eyes behind long, curled black lashes. Their hairdos were works of art, sculptural buns and braids adorned with precious gemstones that matched the jewels covering their slender necks and wrists. They’d given up on the gold masks, but they hadn’t been able to surrender the fine silks that draped their goddess bodies. The seven of them were magnificent, and I always felt small in their presence.

  They’d come a long way, character-wise. They’d changed since Viola and Phoenix had married. Nova’s firecracker nature had played a part, since the Daughters had never had to actually raise one of their own. And when Astra came long, their entire world expanded because they weren’t the only ones anymore. Astra was proof that Daughters could create life of their own, though none had yet to consider similar steps. Looking after Eritopia took too much of their time, Chana had once said.

  “I believe we can be of assistance with the shimmering portals,” Nibel said once we finished greeting one another.

  Sidyan nodded. “You have our full support.”

  “Astra was able to sense the portals better just before and while they were opened,” I said. “Viola was still working on her ability, but there was hope.”

&nb
sp; “And we can also help verify souls across The Shade,” Chana added.

  Derek pointed toward the exit. “The Time Master is currently marking every original in The Shade. If one or more of you join him, it could help move things along. You wonderful ladies can verify the souls. He’ll show you how it’s done, since I’m told you weren’t even aware you had this ability. And Time can just apply the marks.”

  “Sounds like an excellent plan,” Safira said. She glanced over her shoulder at Effissa and Amassa. “You can help Time. The rest of us will work on a technique to quickly detect the location of these shimmering portals as they open. Perhaps we’ll have more luck than the witches thus far.” She turned to look at me. “I cannot promise any success. Astra may very well be unique in this aspect, perhaps a result of her genetic combination.”

  We had considered that possibility. If true, that would be unfortunate, since Astra was in the clone realm. But as I listened to the Daughters and the plan laid out before us, I had a feeling the Time Master would be proven right.

  To every problem there was a solution. A long time ago, Derek had taught me that in order for a solution to truly work, one had to break it down into manageable pieces. We had the pieces now, and the will to push through. All we had to do was put it all together. With my husband beside me, with our children and our Shade family, with our friends and allies, I had enough faith to keep me going. Thayen was out there doing the same.

  What kind of parents would we be if we didn’t rise to this challenge?

  Tristan

  Anunit took us away from Rothko. She didn’t want to be there for another second. Her job was done, and she’d gotten what she’d wanted for so long. Unending and I were complicit, but with Death’s approval. But there was a lot we still didn’t know, so we were cautious about everything Anunit told us.

  She brought us to a different realm, another world far from the Earthly Dimension. There were plenty of civilizations beyond our galaxy besides Visio, some of which GASP had discovered. But this wasn’t one of them. This was a foreign land with an interesting geography, comprised mostly of barren mountain ranges with massive snowcaps and lush, deep valleys split by wide rivers. The sky was a soft pink, and there was a distant reddish sun barely glinting in the East.

  “What is this place?” Unending asked.

  Her tone was wrought with tension. We were convinced Anunit had lied about her interference with our retrieval mission in the soul fae village. Her presence had triggered Joy’s wrath, forcing us to leave one hell of a mess behind. I wasn’t too concerned with what Death thought about our way of handling things—she’d lied about so many things, including the soul fae and Joy’s existence. It actually made me wonder what other secrets she might have been keeping.

  “It’s called Dain. The people here named it after Da, the force of nature that made them,” Anunit said. “They have an interesting mythology, and their cities are beautiful. I haven’t seen buildings like theirs before. They only build along the rivers. Few Dainians venture beyond the valleys. Apparently, there are legends about frightening monsters that turned the mountains dry and cold. They actually believe in this stuff, so they keep their distance. I haven’t had the time to properly study the ridges, but—”

  “What are we doing here?” Unending cut her off.

  It made Anunit sigh softly. “You’re still mad at me.”

  “Damn right, I am.”

  “You have a funny way of doing business, throwing us to the lions like that,” I said. “Well, throwing us to Joy like that.”

  “Hey, I said I was sorry,” Anunit replied, her brow furrowed. “What more do you want me to do? Grovel for your forgiveness? Not going to happen. I’m still the only one who can make your family dreams come true, so maybe show me a little more respect.”

  She did still have that leverage in her favor, though Unending and I were increasingly more curious about her other activities—mainly, the endeavors she wasn’t telling us about. “When are you going to use the Mixer?” I asked her.

  She’d slipped it onto her wrist, wearing it as a bracelet. “Soon. I need a full triple moon for the spell to work. Death magic can be annoyingly specific.”

  “Let me guess, Dain has three moons,” Unending said.

  “Yup. So, tonight is the night. It’s still morning here, but that’s okay. Let me show you around.”

  “How will an amplified scythe help you, exactly?” I replied. “Will it make your Concealment spells more powerful?”

  Anunit nodded. “More effective and longer lasting, which means I can stay in one place for weeks, even months, before Death or any of her minions catch on.”

  “I still can’t believe Reapers were willing to part with their scythes, with parts of themselves, just to get living bodies,” Unending said, gazing out into the distance. “I know I’m obviously willing to do some crazy things for the same, but my weapon is where I draw the line, and you both know it. My scythe is a part of me. I would never hand it over to anyone, especially in a trade. It’s unfathomable.” We’d emerged on a dry hilltop, and the view before us was truly stunning. To the left and to the right there were mountains—dark gray stone with jagged ridges and a yellowish tundra-like shrubbery covering the base. Snow covered the upper half, causing a beautiful contrast with the vibrant greenery of the valley in between. A river snaked through the land, and giant trees and brick towers rose along with it. The city was big but not massive. There were plenty of buildings, though not enough to suffocate the nature that had developed along the river.

  I spotted movement on the water. A plethora of boats with white sails moved in different directions. Birds flew above the city—massive creatures with yellowish wings that circled over the elevated, open-air plazas. I could see why Anunit had been fascinated by Dain’s cities. They were certainly beautiful, featuring architecture unique to their settlement alone.

  “You’re willing to do me a favor later without knowing what that favor is,” Anunit said, with a wry smile. “I’d say that’s almost as bad as surrendering your scythe. How do you know I won’t ask for it?”

  Unending scoffed. “You wouldn’t be so foolish. Even my power wouldn’t protect you against Death if you pulled such a stunt. Besides, she’d be able to track you. She marked my energy signature after the whole Visio debacle, so I wouldn’t be separated from my scythe ever again. She always knows where it is now.” Upon noticing Anunit’s concern darkening her brows, she was quick to improvise. “Worry not. I’ve got spells of my own to counteract that. But said spells will fade if the scythe leaves my possession.”

  “Hah. Figures,” Anunit scoffed. “I’m not worried. I figure Death would’ve come over herself by now if she knew of our joined company. See, Unending? I have put my trust in you. Remember that.”

  “I will. It’s much appreciated.”

  “Anyway, people will go to great lengths to get what they want. I don’t blame my clients for what they did. Frankly, I think they were so disconnected from their existence that giving me their scythes felt more liberating than anything else.” Anunit pointed toward the city. “Come on, you have to see the Dainians. They’re a treat!”

  We teleported away from the hill to the southern edge of the city, right onto the middle of a stone bridge. From up close, I could see a dozen of these structures built over the river—enormous things made entirely from limestone blocks, each about six feet long and wide, and about four feet thick. They’d been polished to perfection, smooth as marble. None of the residents could see us, but I could certainly see them.

  They were strange creatures, indeed. Remarkably tall—at least eight feet on average, I realized—and slender, with bony arms and legs. They had humanoid features and nearly translucent skin. Their eyes were wide and warm, reminding me of puppies. Their fashion was modest and simple—mostly tailored animal hides and neatly trimmed fur vests, boots and minimalist gold jewelry in the form of necklaces and bracelets.

  “I get that they’re tall, bu
t their body mass doesn’t explain the labor they would have had to put into building these bridges,” I said, taking another moment to observe the Dainians’ graceful walk. They were delicate, practically gliding across the cobblestone pavement. Carriages made of metal and wood were pulled over the bridge by donkey-like creatures, stocky animals with bulging muscles and long black manes.

  “They didn’t build the bridges. The stone giants built them,” Anunit replied.

  “The what, now?” What she described sounded like the Dearghs of Calliope, but those were creatures of earth and fire, with lava flowing through their stone bodies and dependent on the volcanoes from which they’d come. I wondered if Dain had the same, or if these were a different kind of creature altogether.

  She chuckled. “Stone giants. They live in the mountains.”

  “Volcanoes?” I asked.

  “No, plain mountains. I don’t know of any surface volcanoes here,” Anunit said, thus shedding light on my little Deargh/stone giant mystery. “The Dainians have never seen a giant. They were told by their ‘god’ that they would have bridges, centuries ago, and all they had to do was sleep with their windows shuttered for one night. He warned them that if anyone so much as peeked toward the river, the stone giants would leave the bridges unfinished. So, the Dainians did as they were told. They went to bed before midnight, the shutters pulled everywhere.”

  “Are you reciting local folklore?” Unending asked, slightly confused.

  The female Dainians had long clothes made of brownish leather, their chests covered with ensembles of gold disks. The males wore pants and hide shirts with fur vests on top. They carried themselves with a certain grace that I’d only seen in ballet dancers before. It was a beautiful sight, and the anthropologist in me had a ton of questions. I dared not indulge them, however, since I wasn’t sure how long we’d be there. We’d only had hours in the soul fae village. On Dain, we would maybe get more, until the triple full moons, but it wasn’t enough.