A Shade of Vampire 84: A Memory of Time

by Forrest, Bella

  Normally, the Unending inside her would’ve strived for survival. But the girl had given up on living. Her body had already begun to shut down as her soul withered. She’d killed someone she loved, and she couldn’t forgive herself.

  “I had to end myself,” Valaine said in multiple voices.

  My breath got stuck in my throat. It wasn’t just Valaine talking anymore. All her reincarnations had returned. This was the Unending, awakened inside Valaine. I’d finally reached the first of the First Ten for a second time.

  This was the opportunity I’d been waiting for. It had come on the heels of great suffering and death, but it had come, nonetheless. I sat in front of Valaine, but I saw in the black depths of her eyes that she wasn’t alone. They’d all come to the surface.

  Phantom’s hand covered mine. “This is it. We’re getting closer.”

  My heart had stopped beating.

  Time had stopped flowing.

  Unending was reaching out to me.

  Esme

  With two teams deployed to search for the remaining Whips, my tasks were somewhat limited. Thayen stayed with the Visentis boys—under Kalla and Mira’s close supervision—so I didn’t have to worry about them for the time being. My brother was busy with Valaine, Phantom, and Morning, and there was nothing I could do to help them, either.

  I went on several patrols around the city, occasionally bumping into Nethissis and Seeley, but it was late at night, and there wasn’t a single soul around Roano. It was as if the darkness chased everyone and everything away from this place. Then again, the Nightmare Forest was very much alive and full of danger just fifty or sixty miles to the east.

  With every hour that passed, I became increasingly restless. Not bored but definitely restless, until I figured out what had been bugging me all along. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, however—I missed Kalon. I longed to see him, to touch him, to whisper in his ear and promise him that everything would be all right. Most of all, I yearned to see him awake and well, healthy and cheeky and playful as he’d always been.

  Newfound energy flowed through me as I made my way up to the north tower, wondering if I might be able to get a few minutes alone with Kalon. Time had mentioned that it wouldn’t be a good idea to wake him up, but I wanted to revisit that topic with him. The more selfish side of me ached for a reunion. I just needed to see Kalon awake and remind myself of why I was doing this.

  I reveled in the tomblike silence as I climbed the stone steps. When I reached the door leading into Kalon’s room, I knocked twice. Time came out, squinting. He looked as though I’d just woken him up. “I thought Reapers didn’t sleep,” I said.

  “We don’t. It’s a habit I picked up from the living,” he admitted. “I don’t really sleep. I just lie down and close my eyes and listen to the nothingness within. It’s very relaxing.”

  “Sorry if I disturbed you.”

  “No trouble at all. These are tough times, and I’m not always comfortable when left alone with my thoughts,” Time replied. “How can I help you?”

  I put on my most innocent smile. “Since you’re asking…”

  “Oh, Esme.” His expression changed from serene to sullen. “You want to wake him up.”

  “Is it really that big of a problem?”

  He shook his head. “Not really. But if we lose this fight, Kalon will die. Seeing him now will only make things worse for you.”

  “I appreciate your concern, but I can handle it,” I said. “I really want to see him. He needs me, if only for a few moments.”

  “There’s also the risk of him experiencing a surge in symptoms if he stays awake for too long. I’ve slowed down his metabolism with my ability, and once I bring him back to this normal time flow, the Black Fever might try to catch up. Emphasis on might. It’s not like I’ve dealt with Black Fever before coming here, so most of what I’m saying is theoretical, at best.”

  “So he can’t be up for more than what, a few minutes?”

  “At most,” Time replied. He stepped aside, allowing me to enter the room. “I can give you a few minutes without putting his health in danger. Sit there in the middle. I’ll bring him out.”

  I did as I was told, crossing my legs and waiting patiently. Time closed the door and walked toward me, presenting his scythe. Its blade glowed white as he cut through the air with it, creating a slit in the fabric of space. He had unfettered access to Soul’s interdimensional pocket. Reaching into the blackness that lay beyond, he pulled something out—I didn’t immediately understand what it was—a figure covered in layers of translucent glass.

  “Kalon,” I whispered.

  He settled him on the floor in front of me and pressed three fingers into the glass. It rippled and peeled away like tape until Kalon was revealed. Time leaned closer and whispered something in his ear. Kalon’s eyes popped open, and he sucked in a deep breath.

  My heart skipped a beat as Kalon sat up, slightly confused from his intense slumber. He saw Time before he noticed me, but when our eyes met, a smile spread across his face.

  “Esme!” he exclaimed, throwing his arm out and pulling me into a hug.

  Time moved away and vanished, giving us some much-needed privacy. I melted in his embrace, warmth filling my body to the brim like liquid sunshine. His scent flooded my nostrils—a mixture of musk and leather that made the rest of my senses flicker. And when his lips found mine, I tasted heaven. We kissed as though we’d been apart for years rather than hours. We kissed as though this was our last night in this world. Like every second mattered more than anything.

  “How long have I been under?” he asked, his breath tickling my skin.

  “Just a few hours,” I said. “And we can’t keep you awake for more than a few minutes right now. There’s a risk of the Black Fever symptoms coming back twice as hard. You’re being kept in a form of suspended animation. As soon as you’re out here, things might get rough.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” he said, caressing my face and running his hands through my hair. “How are you holding up?”

  Dark veins had begun making their way up the side of his neck, a sign that the Black Fever still had a grip on him, and that it would not let him go that easily. “I’m okay… Can’t help but feel responsible for your situation.”

  “Don’t,” he said, shaking his head. “You ran. You did your best, considering that you were faced with an impossible choice. I would’ve hesitated, too, if it had been one of my brothers in Tristan’s place. But you pulled through. We just weren’t fast enough. Her darkness caught us.”

  “I guess…”

  “What’s the plan, going forward?” he asked.

  “I’m just looking after the boys, keeping an eye on the city. We’ve sent a couple of crews out to hunt down the Whips before Danika gets to them.”

  He frowned, understandably confused. “I think I’ve got some catching up to do.”

  “You most certainly do.” I chuckled, then did my best to summarize everything we had learned from Derek regarding Danika, the Whips, and the Spirit Bender’s soul shards. The more I told him, the bigger and rounder his eyes grew, horror gradually settling onto his features.

  “And my mother?” he managed, his voice barely audible.

  “We don’t know where she is, but chances are she’s coming for one of you,” I replied. “She’ll need to transfer her shard into a son in order to survive Danika’s mission. We were all thinking that Petra might target you—the eldest living son, the one who ruined everything for her.”

  Kalon sighed, his gaze wandering to the side. “It’s me she’ll want to kill, yes. Ansel, Tudyk, and Moore are still young. According to her logic, their minds can still be shaped and molded to her will.”

  “It’s unlikely she’ll find us here,” I said. “Roano is protected with twice as much Word and death magic than Orvis was. Besides, we’re eight hundred miles from the imperial city. Out of all the places on Visio, what are the odds she’d come straight to us?”

 
; “I wouldn’t underestimate her,” Kalon replied. “She’s a menace, and I can’t let her anywhere near the boys. I need to be awake, Esme. You can’t put me back to sleep. My mother is coming, and Danika will be needing Thayen’s heart. I can’t let that happen.”

  His heart rate was spiking. I could hear it drumming in my ears as he grew restless and agitated. I put my hands on his shoulders, trying to hold him down. “Kalon, you’re sick. You’ll get sicker if you stay awake, and you’ll be of no use to anyone if you die.”

  “At least I’ll die fighting,” he shot back, anger making the blue in his eyes brighter.

  “You will do no such thing!” I cried out. “I love you, and I’m not going to lose you. Do you hear me?”

  He shook his head, his pained expression breaking my heart. “Esme, it’s not just about us anymore. She’s coming, and she won’t stop until she takes my brothers back. I can’t let her poison their minds again. I just can’t.”

  “Please, listen to me,” I said, hugging him tightly. “We’ve got this covered. The city is safe for now, and I am keeping a close eye on the boys. Petra is never going to take them away from you, I promise. But Ansel, Tudyk, Moore… they need you. They need their big brother, and if you die before we can save you—it’s not right, Kalon. It’s not fair.”

  “Esme, my love, they’re my only family right now. I must protect them.”

  He pulled away from me, trying to get up. The Black Fever had begun to weaken him, and he had a hard time pushing himself to his knees. I tried to hold him down, but we were both struggling. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I hated having to do this, but there wasn’t a better choice available. As if summoned, Time reappeared in the corner, sullenly walking toward us.

  “Please, Kalon. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be,” I said, but my beloved wouldn’t listen. “You’ll only make it worse for yourself, and you’ll put your brothers at risk of infection, too!”

  Kalon stilled, reason finally kicking in. Time reached him and placed a hand on top of his head. Kalon’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed into a deep sleep. I cried hard for the better part of a minute as I stared at him, wondering whether we’d actually manage to save him. With Petra actively looking for Kalon and his brothers, the stakes were higher than ever. My nerves were crumbling, and I wasn’t sure I’d last until the very end.

  “I’m sorry, Esme. I did warn you.”

  “Yes, you did. But I needed to see him,” I murmured. “I’m not sorry.”

  “I have to take him back.”

  Time scooped Kalon up in his arms as the protective spell wrapped itself around his body like before, layer upon layer of translucent glass. What little light there was in the room reflected across the surface, fractured in thousands of colored flakes. Moments later, he was delivered back to the darkness inside the interdimensional pocket, and I felt empty and alone once more.

  “There’s nothing more you can do for him,” Time said.

  I got up, my knees weak. He gripped my shoulder, beckoning me to look up at him. He smiled gently, and I found sympathy in his galaxy eyes. Normally, one’s gaze spoke volumes, but it was much harder to read a Reaper’s emotions. Time, however, seemed to have found a way—or so I thought, anyway. Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe everything was finally getting to me, and I’d begun to hallucinate, to see things that weren’t really there.

  “How long do you think he has?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Time replied. “It could be several weeks, provided he stays under my temporal spell. In a natural environment—”

  “Maybe less, considering the intensity of his exposure to Black Fever,” I muttered. “I know the odds out here. I just wanted to know his odds in there.”

  “The more you think about it, the worse it’ll be.”

  I tried to keep myself together, but the longer Time looked at me, the more I began to unravel. Unable to control the grief, I started crying again. The Reaper sighed and took me in his arms while I let it all out. Hiding my face in his coat, I sobbed and screamed and released all the angst, all the pain that had plagued me from the moment I’d watched Kalon fall under the Black Fever’s influence. My heart was broken a million times over, and I could see no way out of this mess. Time held me tight, allowing me to release every emotion I’d bottled up over the past couple of weeks.

  It felt good. Peaceful even, until I noticed something odd. There was no sound. Not a peep. Nestled in Time’s arms, it was eerily quiet, as if nothing functioned anymore. As if the world had stopped spinning altogether. Time, real time, stood still.

  Sniffing, I pulled my head back to look at the Reaper. “What are you doing?”

  “Giving you an inkling of peace and quiet,” he replied. “I thought you might appreciate it. I can let time flow again, if you wish.”

  “That’s kind of you,” I said, wiping my tears and taking a couple of steps back. “I’m better now. Thanks.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re welcome.”

  He snapped his fingers, and something came alive within me. I could feel the flow of time again. It was so strange to have been the only one moving and breathing while everything else had stopped. What an incredible power he had.

  “I would advise you to reduce your visits here,” Time said. “At the risk of repeating myself, it doesn’t do you any good to be around Kalon right now.”

  “I love him. I can’t just leave him here…”

  “Esme, I knew love once, too. And while it is a wonderful thing that I would do anything to experience again, I also remember how easily it can cloud one’s judgment. I see you. I see what you are capable of. You represent the highest tier of your species. This world and many others beyond have high hopes for you. Victory requires dedication and concentration. A clear mind. A clear heart. You have neither right now.”

  I lowered my eyes, begrudgingly admitting to myself that he was right. If I wanted even the slightest chance of walking out of here with Kalon alive and healthy, I’d have to find my strength again.

  Sofia’s voice came through on the comms system, startling me. “Esme! Esme, where are you?” she called out. I pressed the button on my earpiece.

  “I’m in the north tower,” I said, glancing at Time. “What’s wrong?”

  “You need to come to the south tower. Now!”

  The urgency of her request made my pulse quicken. Without hesitation, I headed straight for the door. Time came after me. “What is it?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, but it can’t be good,” I replied.

  It wasn’t like Sofia to just reach out like that without giving me any details. Something was going on by the south tower, and I suspected I might need my pulverizer weapon handy. It looked like fate still had a couple of curve balls to throw at me.

  I’d have to keep playing, then.

  Esme

  “You have to be kidding me!” I’d reached the southern tower. There wasn’t much left of it, except for its crumbling base. It had been built on the edge of the city by the once-tall gates. We could see everything down the road from here, including Petra Visentis. Somehow, she’d made her way all the way here.

  Here, of all places.

  Time shushed me. “Keep your voice down. She can’t see past the protective shield, but she can still hear you.”

  “What is she doing here?!” I croaked, and Time brought an arm up to hold me back.

  “Mind your temper,” he hissed. “You can’t let her get to you like this, Esme.”

  I took a deep breath, standing in the middle of the cobbled road. Ahead, Sofia and Derek were already watching Petra as she looked around, trying to figure out what she might find beyond the spell. Kemi had joined them. No one said anything. My blood ran cold. Our worst-case scenario had already come true, and I had no idea how we were going to fix it.

  “I’m good,” I told Time. “Let’s go.”

  By the time we reached Sofia, Derek, and Kemi, Petra was trying to touch the shield. I
t zapped her, and she jerked her hand back, cursing under her breath. Her silver hair was pulled back beneath a black leather hood. I caught glimpses of a dark blue velvet dress as she moved along the shield, probably looking for a way through.

  “She must’ve heard about Orvis,” Sofia whispered in my ear. “The shield didn’t exactly surprise her.”

  “How is she here?” I whispered back.

  Sofia didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything. She’s been here for about ten minutes, trying to get in.”

  Petra got zapped again. She licked the tip of her throbbing index finger, her brows furrowed as she looked my way. I knew she couldn’t see me, but it still felt like she was peering right into my soul. I shivered, both hands gripping the pulverizer weapon.

  “I could kill her right now.” I sighed. “Maybe I’ll turn the Spirit Bender shard to ashes, too. What’s stopping me?”

  “Absolutely nothing,” Derek replied, his voice low. “But I, like you, am curious about how she came to Roano. If she can find this place after two million years of abandonment, Corbin might do the same. There are only so many lucky breaks we can get out of this world.”

  “So, what? We engage her?” I asked, and Derek thought about it.

  “I’m here,” Lumi said from behind us, gasping. “Oh dear.”

  I didn’t even need to turn around to know the expression on her face. It was a mixture of fear and bewilderment and anger, much like mine. Lumi stepped forward until her shoulder was next to mine.

  “Yeah, we’ve got a problem,” I grumbled.

  “Has she said anything?” Lumi asked.

  “Nope. She’s been checking the shield,” Sofia said.

  Petra revealed her scythe, its blade glinting beneath the moonlight. She pressed its tip into the shield’s membrane, and it shimmered in faint ripples upon contact. Smiling, she tried to pierce through, but the entire protective dome moaned as light flickered across, coming from all over and concentrating into her scythe.