The Awakening

By

Dawn Carter

Rose Quartz Publishing

©2016 Dawn Carter

www.dawncarterbooks.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

ISBN: 0692557679

ISBN-13: 978-0692557679

Published by

Rose Quartz Publishing

Colonie, NY USA

www.rosequartzpublishing.com

First Edition: 2016

Rose Quartz Publishing

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing: Nat Burns

Cover Design: Shiralyn Lee

I can be walking down the street, or sitting in a restaurant when a new story or a continuation of a story comes to me. In that moment, I have to pause and write it down. When I start writing, I feel like I am only a tool used tell the story. It amazes me how each character seems to write their own adventure, and I am just the narrator telling their tale.

The writing is the easiest part. The hard work is the editing and that is where I have to acknowledge humbly each of my proofreaders. Each has taken my work, and with a subtle tone and dedication, has guided and endured the painful editing.

I have built a reputation for writing mysteries, romance, vampire, and paranormal romance. It has given me an outlet to allow the blood to flow and gain a new perspective for future novels. That has broadened my horizons and that of my readers.

Now on the subject of my readers, I want to say thank you. Each has given amazing support and encouragement via email and social media.

I also want to thank my good friend, beta reader, and biggest fan, Angela Mula, who has encouraged me to believe in myself and my writing.

In closing, I want to thank each of you who buy my books and leave such wonderful reviews.

~Dawn Carter~

I am honored that my children continue to encourage my love for writing, and have selflessly given up many hours of time with me as I follow my dreams.  I have found it is the strength we receive from those around us, who mean the most, which help us thrive and grow into the person we are meant to be.  Thank you my love for supporting me, and allowing me the space and time to live within each moment and emotion that gave my characters their own voice.

I would like to thank my beta reader Angela Mula and my proof reader Jeannie Cooper for the constant support and tactful way of pointing out errors or flow in my books. A special thanks to my wonderful illustrator Shiralyn Lee for creating beautiful and visually appealing book jackets, and to my editor Nat Burns who endured the painstaking editing. She took a well written story and made it that much better.

Awakened from eternal slumber

Her revenge held no bounds

Deliverance sought in numbers.

Far beyond any given light

Silence bloomed into the morning dawn

The dark figure stalks the night

Taken all those within its wake

The keeper of fate holds strong

Within her grasp, their souls she takes

Witnessed by the stillness cast

Of passing souls who come to die

An echo which came from the past

Winds of madness, screams arrive

Gathered under silent swell

Leaving nothing in its path alive

The dark figure stalks where hellhounds dwell

The essence woven upon the land

Where fears of the taken feel the pull of hell

Her wrath span beyond the light

Upon the hush horizon span

All beauty shed from dreary sight

In burning irons, torment and pain.

Delivering well a sought relief

The daylight cannot tame

The soul finding no peace

Wants of what she cannot have

Beguiled her heart a solemn grief

Soft and true a kiss so small

Until her heart cease to beat

By this night deaths hands call

Cease the beat of her breast

The heaven opens where death had stood

Taking flight unto eternal rest

I

Time of Solitude

The water along the shore cooled Tiffany’s bare feet.

As she walked the long stretch of beach, a tune from long ago played in her mind.  After bending down and bringing a hand full of water to her face, she lowered her head in the salt water and immersed her waist length brown hair.  The cool liquid felt good against her hot skin. As she bathed, she had the feeling that she was being watched.

Lifting her gaze slowly, her yellow eyes scanned one end of the beach to the next, then the brush behind her.  Tiffany shrugged off the uneasy feeling – no human could scale the rocks around the cove without being heard.

She loved her sanctuary, the east side of the island. Hidden by sharp rocks and boulders, it offered protection from the outside world, a world that would surely destroy her if they learned what she was.

After applying lavender soap and scrubbing the dirt away, she dove into the water and swam toward the rocky face of the island.  Upon the rocky shore, she reflected on her life.  It was her twenty first birthday in human years, yet she felt much older.

Born a vampire, Tiffany had desperately tried to fit in with the human race and still missed the connections she had once had.  But when the need to feed took control, in time, the people of the community she lived in realized it was she who was responsible for the increasing body count.

As a child, she used to wake in the night and wish for the sun.  The darkness worried her – even though she had nothing to fear. She imagined she was running from beasts with fantastic jaws, lurking just beyond the range of her vision.  As she aged and her powers increased, the knowledge of her true self emerged, and suddenly she no longer feared the dark – she embraced it.  The night provided her cover from the flesh and blood monsters of the day, the ones with guns and official badges, the ones who would be her judge, jury, and executioners in the name of religious belief.

During the moonlit nights, she blended into the city shadows, staying clear of the pools of yellow lights that flowed from streetlamps.  Also the neon and white lights that flooded from the bars and restaurants. But once they were extinguished, it was then she could feed on the stragglers on their way home.

In the light of day, she was like everyone else.  Once she was done with school, she started working a nine-to-five job. She paid her own rent and soon moved out of her foster parents’ home.  On the weekends she attended social events with friends and soon found her place amongst society.

It was good life. Food was abundant amongst the humans and when city officials first found the corpses left from her meals, no one knew it was her.  That changed on All Hallows Eve.  During a costume party, while dancing, her body floated into the air and began its metamorphosis.  The once hidden fangs protruded and the crowd scurried back, eyes fixed on her.  She had no control of what was happening to her.  She cried and begged for help. Instead, screams filled the room.  A loud voice screamed from the back of the room, bidding the watchers to kill it!

Fleeing her former life for safety, she now lived alone in isolation, on a deserted island.  She had not seen another living creature since that time. Most of the time she was okay with it, but the last decade had become overwhelming.  Tired of living off livestock, she had tried to end her life during the last full moon by cutting her wrists – to no avail. To be reborn and start anew was what she needed. She would need to leave the island and reinvent herself.  She would change her name and start again.

Just then, she could feel eyes on her again.  Scanning the area, Tiffany spun around. A beautiful, radiant woman stepped from the bushes.  Fear set in and, nostrils flared, Tiffany stepped back, ready to defend herself.

“It’s okay.  I’m not here to hurt you.”  The woman stepped forward, holding up her hand.

The smile on her face exuded beauty and peace, it was like nothing Tiffany had ever seen.  The woman was not human, yet she was not a vampire.  “Don’t come any closer,” she said.

“Do not fear me, I offer no threat.  I am here to lick my own wounds and reflect.”

Placing one foot behind the other, Tiffany kept three feet of distance between her and the woman.  “My name is Tiffany.  This is my beach, and I do not wish to share it with anyone.  I want you to leave.”

“I’m sure it is big enough for the both of us.  I wish not to be around the human race either.” The response came with a light chuckle, which tickled Tiffany’s ears.

“Who are you?  What are you?”  Nostrils flared trying to take in the woman’s scent.

Arching her brow, the woman offered her hand.  “I am Nira, a warrior of the gods.”

Hesitantly, Tiffany took her hand.  She could feel the power radiate into her own.  The once threatening feeling extinguished as she let the connection go.  “You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to.”

~~~~~

It was the rainy season on the island, yet the gloom that poured from the sky did not sway Tiffany’s mood.  It had been a year since Nira came into her life – and since then, nothing could dampen her spirits.

Little did Tiffany know that fate would soon prove her wrong.

As the clouds darkened, bringing the oncoming fall after their meeting, Nira’s mood had changed. She became distant.  Distraught, Tiffany had asked her what was wrong and Nira finally admitted that her heart belonged to another.  Yet Tiffany truly believed that Nira would learn to love her.

Eventually, Nira stopped resisting and spent her days and nights with Tiffany.  The first time they made love, Tiffany told her she loved her.  Nira did not say it back – she did not need to. Her actions, when she held her, had spoken to Tiffany louder than words.

And now a new season was approaching and the island would no longer be safe. New settlers inland were building resorts and townhomes quickly, and soon the island would be inundated by people.  Time was not on their side. Soon they would have to abandon their paradise.

Too excited to sleep, thinking about their life together, Tiffany leaned on one arm, watching Nira as she slept.  She was the most beautiful thing in her world. Though, in truth, Nira was the only thing in her world.

Lifting her hand, with the tips of her fingers, she stroked the long, light brown hair that flowed in waves down Nira’s muscular, toned frame. Content, a smile appeared on her lips as she slowly moved her eyes across her lover. Then the most amazing shade of amber twinkled and smoldered behind long lashes, brushing perfect cheekbones. Nira woke.

“Hey,” Nira said, when she caught the admiring glance.  “How long have you been up?”

“Only a few minutes,” she lied.

“May I ask why?  The sun has barely begun to rise,” Nira said with an annoyed frown.

“I’m too excited to sleep, I was thinking of starting work on better living accommodations for us.  This way we would not have to leave—we could fit in with the humans.”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.  This cave is not the most comfortable,” Nira mused, while rubbing the length of one arm.

“Well, I’d better get started.  I’ll be working on the other side of the mountain if you need me.”  Tiffany sighed, as she got up, disappointed that Nira showed no interest in helping her.

As if seeing the look of frustration in Tiffany’s eyes, Nira inhaled and reached out her hand.  “You don’t have to start this early, if you don’t want to.  Why don’t you come back to bed and watch the sunrise with me?”  Nira grabbed her hand provocatively.

It took all Tiffany’s strength not to climb back into bed. Instead, she leaned in and kissed her, then quickly turned her head before the tears spilled. “You have no idea how much I’d love to, Nira.  I know you are going to leave me soon.  I can feel it.”

Taking her hand, Nira kissed it gently.  “I never told you I was going to stay.  You know my heart belongs to Stephanie.”

Spinning around, the once yellow eyes became red.  “Why can’t you love me like that?  I have given you my heart, and yet you push me away.  I would make you happy, if you’d let me.”

The words echoed through the cave as the tone of her voice increased.  “She can never give you what I can.  I am immortal.  She will be dust one day.  Then what will you have?”

~~~~~

The words cut through Nira’s heart like a knife.  Tiffany’s words were true.  Stephanie was not immortal.  She would one day lose her.  That was her reason for not telling her she was still alive – the thought of going through the pain of losing her was too much.  It was easier to pretend as though she had died during the battle than to face Stephanie.  Synaria, liaison of the gods, was able to help her escape and had promised to keep her secret.  But there was not a day that she had not thought about the dark brown eyes, the plump pink lips, or the feel of the silky soft porcelain skin against her own.

When she’d come across Tiffany on the beach that day, the young, natural-born, vampire had offered a distraction.  Her plan originally was to teach–to show her the path of living without taking lives.  Then one day, while sleeping, Tiffany slid down next to her.

Nira did not realize how lonely she’d become until then, and she had not been able to resist.  Since that day, she’d regretted it.  When Tiffany admitted she had fallen in love with her, Nira had pretended like she didn’t hear. She focused on the waves as they crashed with fierce determination against the rocks.  She known then that it was time to leave.

Unable to focus, Nira stepped into the first morning light.  The sun against her skin tingled. She closed her eyes as she relished, for the countless time in a thousand years, what it was like to feel those rays again.  She was indeed still with Stephanie. It was the incantation that Stephanie had spun which gave her the ability to day walk.  It was with Stephanie’s help that she was able to defeat Azareth. It was not until the caverns came crumbling down around her, that she realized her path had changed.

From the distance, she could hear the repetitive strike of metal against metal ringing through the forest – it was the only indication of time passing.  The sound was beginning to get closer than before – it told her that the human race was ravishing the forest, and soon, resorts would take the land.  The advancement kept her focused on the job at hand.  They were making good progress and soon she would have to leave.

There was still work to do and evil to eradicate.  The gods had called upon her the night before last, had told her the lands would soon be infested once again by vampires.  The message was cryptic, but there was no mistaking the battle ahead.

Yet, her mind still struggled, she was sure that, when Azareth was taken out, all that he’d made had perished along with him.  The only one living vampire she knew of was Tiffany, and she was training her to never turn a human.  She had explained the consequences and detailed what had happened to Synaria.  Tiffany seemed to understand.

“It’s time, Nira,” A familiar voice filled the air around her.

“Where am I to go?”

“Back to the place you left your heart.”

“I cannot go back.”

“You must, it is your destiny.”  The air then became thick with a white fog, and before her, Athena, the goddess of war, appeared.  “You have brooded long enough, warrior.  It’s time you face your demons.  There is a war coming and you will need the witch’s help.”

Nira opened her mouth to protest, but she could not form any words.  The day had come, and as much as she wished it hadn’t, there was no way of getting around it.  So much time had lapsed since she left. Stephanie would never forgive her, nor would she ever trust her.

“I shall do as you ask,” she said finally, her eyes focused on the cliff’s edge.

“Leave tonight, Nira. Make amends, and prepare for the war.”

Falling on one knee, Nira bowed her head.  “As you wish, my goddess.”

The mouth of the cavern no longer glowed as the goddess of war vanished.

Hours passed. Nira gathered the few belongings she would need for the journey.  With a heavy heart, she climbed to the ridge.  Tiffany was hard at work – the foundation and the supporting walls of the shack were already completed.  She watched for several moments, as trees and limbs were bent to make the roof.  A home was being built with the intent to become a love cottage for the both of them.  Yet all good things come to an end. Tiffany knew the day would come when Nira would have to leave – there was no time for delays or emotional goodbyes.

Stepping closer, Nira set her bag down on the ground.  When Tiffany heard her, she spun around, and eyed the satchel.

“You’re leaving?”

Nira replied in a grave voice, “It’s time for me to go.  I just came to tell you that I’ll be taking off as the sun falls on the horizon.”

“Go then, leave me.”  The words had already left her mouth before she could take them back.  “When you least expect it, Nira, I will be there, in the dark, and when your little witch is unaware, I will take her as my pet.”

Tiffany’s tone was grave when she spoke again.  That is what worried Nira— the agony in the yellow eyes.  “I will never let you go, Nira, you have taken my heart.  You owe me hers.”

Not looking back, Nira took her leave.  “Be well, Tiffany, there is another for you,” she shot over her shoulder, as she climbed the rocks heading to the ridge.

Tiffany fell to her knees and watched as Nira walked away.  Banging the palm of her hand against her head, she screamed.  “I will find you, Nira, you will come back to me after I kill that witch and remove the spell she has on you.”

Infuriated, anger turned to rage – tools flew through the air, and the building that was meant to be their home was torn down with lightning speed and tossed into the water below.

Nira closed her eyes and inhaled a frustrated breath.  She had a bad feeling and knew the threat could not be taken lightly.

This too shall pass, she mused.  I will take care of your childish tantrum later.  I have to mend the hurt I caused.

“Nira, come back,” the echo of the screams filled the valley.  “I will not rest until you are mine, Nira.”

~~~~~

Time heals all wounds. Tiffany was sure of it, but even as the months passed, nothing eased the feeling of loss.  Nira was all she could think of – the taste of her lips, the feel of their bodies as they connected.  Her smile turned to a frown as she recalled the last words whispered in her ear.

I have to leave.

As much as she had begged her to stay, Nira stood firm, looking deep into her eyes and telling her she could not stay because her heart belonged to another.  Instantly, jealousy coursed through her veins once more.  As much as she tried to hold it in, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Just as she was about to stand, she smelled something in the air.  It was a fragrance like nothing she had ever smelled.  She glanced from side to side, still sitting on the yellow sand. A frustrated breath escaped when she saw that no one was there.  The warm sun no longer gave her comfort – all hope seemed to be lost— she was destined to be alone for all of eternity.

A breeze brushed against her skin, Tiffany jumped to her feet at the sound of her name being called, and she turned around and smiled.  “Nira, you came back.”

It was not Nira behind her, but a tall blonde who radiated like a crystal as the sun reflected off her.  “Who are you?”

“Come.” The figure stretched out her hand.

With no will of her own, Tiffany stepped forward until she was just inches from the glowing woman.  “Who are you?”

“I am Synaria, I sit at the right hand of the gods – we have been watching you.”  Her face was firm as she looked down upon the petite brunette.

“What do you want from me?”

“You wish harm upon the warrior and her future bride. We cannot allow that.”

“I don’t know who this warrior is.”  The look of confusion in the yellow eyes seemed to startle Synaria.

“Come and sit.”  Synaria pointed to a lone boulder several feet to her right.

Tiffany hesitated at first, then lowered her head and scooted across the smooth surface.  “I did as you asked.  Now, explain to me what you are talking about.”

Still standing, Synaria’s eyes scanned the rocky edge.  “The warrior I speak of is Nira.”

Bright eyes looked up.  “You know Nira?  Can you take me to her?”

Shaking her head, Synaria placed her hand on Tiffany’s shoulder.  “The warrior is destined to wed and your threats to interfere with the union will not be tolerated.”  Her voice never wavered.

“Nira is mine, she can’t marry the witch.  She just can’t!  That union will never happen.  I will stop it!”  Tears spilled from her eyes.  Heartbroken, Tiffany rose and turned to walk away but Synaria grabbed her by the arm.

“You have no choice.  The gods have spoken.”  Amber eyes locked with hers.  “Your childish tantrum has left me with no choice.”  With a lift of her hand, a yellow mist surrounded them, and transformed them into a cavern.  Steel chains now bound Tiffany’s torso.

In the dark tomb, she screamed, trying to break free.  “Let me go!”

“Days will turn to night and back to day, it is here you will remain.  The chains that bind you will hold you in place, until the last star burns from the heaven above.”  The chains started to glow until the metal turned orange.  Synaria spoke softly into her ear.  “Sleep will be your savior.”

When Tiffany looked to where Synaria had been standing, the space was filled with blackness.  She was alone, cursed to live the rest of eternity in the dark to starve until her body shriveled and turned to dust.

~~~~~

On the white sand, Nira stood, looking at the most beautiful creature she had ever laid eyes upon.  Slowly walking side by side, Bill Baxter, Stephanie’s father, led her down the path to Nira’s side.  He lowered his head as he let her loose, and then turned and kissed Stephanie on the cheek.

Standing face to face, Nira looked into the deep brown eyes and sighed.  “Stephanie, you are my warmth, my strength, my conscience and my heart.  It was you who breathed the breath back into this lifeless body.  Your strength gave me the courage to believe in love.”

Holding back tears, Stephanie reached out and took Nira by the hand.  “Nira, for as long as I can remember, I had walked the earth, never believing in humanity.  I was alone, frightened and had given up on life.  You saved me from death, but your love saved my soul.  You gave so freely, never asking for anything in return.  When you offered me your heart, you did so without reservation.  For that, I am eternally devoted to you.  I would be honored to share the rest of my existence by your side.  I love you, Nira.”

The audience stayed silent as a light bloomed in front of the lovers.

“As we gather here today,” Hera, the goddess of marriage, said.  “I bind in eternal matrimony, Nira O’Donnell, queen of the Gaelic clan and Stephanie Sullivan, formally Tamera Baxter of the Marai coven.  For all that is holy and good, I bind these two hearts together for the rest of all time.”

Nira let go of Stephanie’s hand and took the ring from Synaria.  “I place the ring upon your finger, and I bind my love to you for always.”

Stephanie took the ring from her father.  “I place this ring upon your finger, and I bind my love to you for always.”

Within that moment, the two lifted into the air for all to see.  “I introduce to each of you, Nira and Stephanie O’Donnell, warriors for all that is good.”

Nira looked down to the crowd of friends and family and then to Stephanie.  “How did you arrange this gathering?”

In the crowd of supernatural creatures below, Nira’s mother and father stood alongside the coven of witches.  “It is my wedding gift to you my love.”

Stephanie let go of Nira’s hand.  “Go spend time with them. They are only here for a few hours.  We have the rest of time together.”

~~~~~

The day had been more than Stephanie could have asked for.  Both their parents were there, and as Stephanie sat upon a rock watching everyone, she smiled.  Her father and mother had a few precious moments together, and Nira had her parents.

At the end of the festivities, they walked along the sandy beach, hand in hand, sitting upon a rock, watching the setting sun.

“How did you handle the situation with the coven—with them wanting you to have a child?”

“I will live forever, my love, they’re bloodline will forever live.”

Nira laughed.  “Well, then, are you ready to take on the world?”

Stephanie let out a hearty laugh.  “With you by my side, I can face anything.”

They had two days on the island before they were being flown to the Middle East to hunt down the shape shifter that had been ravishing humans.

II

Two Centuries Later

Stephanie continued with her spell, her thoughts clouded with worry.  She could feel danger stirring in the air, and it made it hard to concentrate on what she was doing.  She knew Nira could feel it, too. Whatever was about to happen, was going to be bad.

Behind the closed door, she chanted.  The room filled with an orange mist, the metal turned red, then blue before returning to its original shade of steel gray.  Just as she finished, Nira stormed through the door, wearing her annoyed expression again.

“Are you done yet?”  She asked, moving to kiss her.

“You can’t expect me to do my thing, if you rush me.”

“It never takes you this long to cast a spell.”

“No, it doesn’t, but then I don’t have you interrupting me every two minutes, either.”

Buckling her lips, Nira scanned the floor – arms crossed on her chest, she looked at the object in Stephanie’s hand.  It glowed bright in the dim room, the grim look turned to joy, and she took Stephanie into her arms.  “You did it.”

Each sword had seen so many battles across the centuries that, one by one, each had begun to fracture.  During the last battle, with a shape shifter, her sword had given way and broken at the helm, allowing the creature to get away.

“Yes, I did.”  Stephanie looked up shyly.  It had been more than two hundred years since she had promised her heart to Nira, yet each time she held her like that, it felt like the very first time.

“Why do you put up with me, lass?”

“Because I love you, silly.”

“Why don’t you come up stairs and show me.”

“Are you getting fresh with me, warrior?”

“I sure am, lass,” Nira said in her ear.

“You know, when you call me that, it causes me to become weak in the knees.”

Taking the sword from her hand, and tucking it into her belt, she swooped Stephanie into her arms. Then laughed.  “We can’t have you falling down.”

Laughter filled the hidden library as Nira spun around.

“Take me upstairs, warrior, my body aches for you,” Stephanie said.

“As you wish, lass, but I cannot give you all night. I have to hunt once the moon raises high in the sky.”

“Until then, you need to take care of your wife.”

“I never get tired of hearing those words,” Nira said, nibbling on Stephanie’s ear.  “My wife. You are more than that.  You are my right hand, and without you, I would not have a purpose.”

Nira carried Stephanie down the hall. Halfway up the stairs, Nira stopped and turned when Synaria slammed open the front door, fear in her eyes.

“We’ve got a problem.  You need to come at once.”

“What’s wrong?”  Stephanie asked.

“I found Nikki on the ground, passed out.”

Instantly, Nira set Stephanie on her feet, and rushed down the stairs.  “Where is she now?”

“I put her in Stephanie’s car, she needs to go to the hospital – there is a lot of blood.”

Panicked, Stephanie rushed down the stairs and out the door. She did not wait for Nira or Synaria.  There was no time to delay. Nikki’s life might depend on fast action.

When Nira entered the hospital, the smell of the dying hit her like stampeding horses.  It lay stagnant in the air as the fatally injured waited.  Nurses scurried around treating those with hope of survival, while trying to make the rest as comfortable as possible.

Shaking off an uneasy feeling, she quickly made her way to the prenatal ward.  It did not seem natural for women to give birth in this cold building.  In her time, women had children in their homes. They only brought someone in to help if they knew they were going to have a complicated birth.  With Nikki being ill, there was no other choice.  Outside the entrance to door, she prayed to the gods that all would be fine.

Once the door opened, Nira looked in to see Stephanie seated at the side of the bed holding Nikki’s hand.  Seeing Nikki beneath the dim light, reminded Nira of the beautiful Charisa, Nikki’s late mother.  The resemblance was uncanny—dark brown hair cut short so it only hung to her neck, eyes dark amber.  The only difference was the skin, pale with a tinge of green as a sheen of cold sweat clung to it.  Stephanie’s eyes drooped and she looked like she barely had the strength to move.

“How is she?”  Nira asked stepping in the room.  Stephanie did not need to answer, her eyes, filled with tears, said everything.

Nikki was weak, and Stephanie knew she would never survive the magical birth.  “You can do this, Nikki, just hold my hand.”  The calm in Stephanie’s voice never wavered.

Several pushes later, the air filled with an infant’s cry. Nikki smiled briefly as she lifted her finger and pointed to the child in the nurse’s arms.  “Your daughter, Stephanie. May you have a lifetime of joy.”  She closed her eyes and her body became still.

“Nikki!”  Stephanie screamed, but the lifeless hand did not move.

~~~~~

The way the clouds forbade any starlight to escape left a strange magic in the air.  Only a few hours had passed since Nikki had given birth to their daughter.  When her body failed, the hospital staff rushed her from the room as they worked feverishly trying to revive her, and took her to surgery.

Stephanie had confided in Nira her worry that the magical pregnancy was more than Nikki’s body could handle.  As much as she wanted to carry her own child, an immortal could not give birth.  Her body no longer aged, which meant the infant would not grow within her womb.  Nikki gave them hope – she offered to be their surrogate. The plan was to have a home birth using a midwife, so the laws of the land could not interfere.  Now they needed to come up with a plan so they would not lose their daughter.  Nira watched as Stephanie sat in a rocking chair admiring the little miracle she had produced.  She could not allow anyone to rip that away from her.

From behind, Synaria touched her arm.  “Have you heard anything yet?”

Nira shook her head and growled in frustration.  The only thing that mattered at that moment was her future, which sat beyond the window of the nursery.

“No worries, warrior, they will soon come with good news. We just need to be patient,” she said reassuringly.

“You didn’t see Nikki before they took her. She could barely move.”  Slamming her fist against her leg she spun around.  “If she does not make it, can you imagine what it will do to Stephanie? And what about the baby? We will have no legal rights to her.”  Her eyes filled with tears.

“Nikki made sure that would never happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“Upon her last visit to the mid-wife, her body had become frail.  She confided to me that she might not survive. I would have told you, but she swore me to secrecy.”

“Why would she not tell us?”

“She knew Stephanie would rather end the pregnancy than allow harm to come to her.  This was her gift to you for all you had done for her family during the years.”  In a tiny voice, she whispered.  “In my desk, the papers lay secure.  They name Stephanie as the biological mother, naming her as only the surrogate.”

Stephanie waved her hand and smiled, holding her new daughter so they could both see the tiny features.

“Bring those papers,” she said looking her new daughter.  “The only thing I want my lass to worry about is what to name our daughter.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Synaria replied with a sigh.

Not interested in furthering the conversation, Nira stepped into the small room.  “Can I hold her?”  she asked, not taking her eyes of her new daughter.

Stephanie gently lifted the child for Nira to hold – the blanket the baby was wrapped in slipped, revealing a small mark on her right arm.  It was small and red, but as she looked at it closely, the shape matched the same ruby crest on Stephanie’s necklace.  All she could do was stare, wide eyed, and gasp as she looked from Stephanie then back to the mark on the infant’s arm.

Stephanie laughed at her expression. “Our daughter is a very special little girl.”

“She sure is.  She is, after all, her mother’s daughter.  Have you decided on a name?”

“I have,” she mumbled, smiling.  “Tamera, after my mother.”

“I like it.”  She grinned her approval.

A knock on the door interrupted their brief moment – Nira instantly knew this was what they had been waiting for, so she handed the baby back to Stephanie and crossed the room in three quick strides.

When she stepped out and faced the doctor, the grim look upon his face needed no explanation.

“We did everything we could, I’m sorry.”  The tone in his voice was mixed with exhaustion and remorse.  His hazel eyes were dark as he met hers.  “Is there anyone we can contact?” he asked, easing his hands down the front of the blood stained hospital issued surgical gown.

“No, I have already notified the family.”  Nira said.

~~~~~

In the nursery, Nira mumbled softly over her shoulder, “It’s raining again.”  Hours had passed since the grim news had been given.

Disregarding the weather report, Stephanie sat forward.  “We need to find the doctor and see how Nikki is feeling.” The joy in her voice as she spoke was more than Nira could take.

The room felt like it was closing in.  It was hard to hide the truth from Stephanie, but when she rejoined her, she could not take away the joy in the beautiful dark eyes.

“Lass.” The tone in her voice became grim.  Down on one knee, she placed her hand on Stephanie’s knee.  “Nikki is gone.”

At first the news did not register.  “What do you mean gone?”

Lowering her eyes, Nira did not reply.

Clutching the child to her bosom, Stephanie cried.  “She can’t be!”

Outside the window, lightning and the sound of thunder crashed against the sky.  The way the clouds opened, gave the impression that the gods also cried for the loss of another beautiful soul.  Yet, Nira knew, not even the most sentimental at heart could be sad on a night as magical as this.  The gift given to them – would also one day become the savior of mankind.

~~~~~

The next morning, curtains drew away to reveal the chamber containing Nikki’s body.  There were several white sheets covering the bodies of others but the only one that mattered to Nira was Nikki.  Taller than most human women, Nikki’s length was more than six feet tall, with the most beautiful human features.  Throughout the years, Nikki’s mother, Charisa, never discussed the man who fathered her daughter, but Nira saw there was something special about Nikki.  It was not until Nikki had entered into adolescence that she could smell the magical sweet scent that pumped through her veins.  It was that of the Fae.  Nira watched as she grew, to see if she developed any magical powers, but she had seen none, but she knew that Nikki was special.

Nira held back the tears. She had failed in her promise to keep her safe from harm.  Even on her deathbed, she would not admit to Nira that she worried her daughter was at risk of being hunted by demonic creatures because of her bloodline.  Nira knew, but said nothing.  With her left hand, she stroked the mid-length brown hair, as her mind played Charisa’s last request in her memory.  ‘Take care of my daughter, keep her safe.’ When Nikki had offered to carry her and Stephanie’s child, she should have protested.

There was a buzz from inside her jacket.  It was her phone.

“Sorry,” she said to the mortician.  “I have to take this.  One moment.”  She retrieved the device and inhaled as Synaria’s name appeared.  Answering it, she spoke softly. “I am here arranging for the body to be moved.”

Synaria interrupted. “Stephanie wants her to be buried on the property.”

“I shall see to it.”

III

The Awakening

In the dark of her prison walls, Tiffany yearned for the sun.  To watch as the rays touched everything at one time. It was a boundless, almost endless energy, traveling to the smallest regions of the fragile earth.  How she missed Mother Nature’s strength, the progression of life.  Instead, she was forced to live only within her memories, as darkness had taken its stranglehold, squeezing her life until the only memories she had were a forgotten, almost lost dream.

The darkness robbed her of her senses and replaced it with paralyzing fear.  Muscles cramped, unable to move. The only way she knew she was still alive was because she could feel herself blink, eyelids still instinctively moisturizing the organs she had no current use for.  She was a predator, but the eyes and brain felt like prey in the utter black.

The void of the tomb had become deafening – days turned into years. Tiffany had no idea how long she had been imprisoned. She lost track after the first hundred years.  Death would have been kinder, yet she still managed to fall into an eternal sleep to stop the hunger. But now, suddenly, she was awake, hungry, and living within the nightmare of the never ending darkness.  Fighting against the cement tomb, she cried and begged for someone to save her.

No one came, but Mother Earth showed herself daily, as the roots above loudly made their way through the cracks in the ceiling.  If she could move, she could reach up, take hold, and dig her way out, but the chains held her in place.  Cursed by the incantation Synaria had forced upon her, Tiffany could not escape. One day, she reminded herself, one day she would free herself. On that day, she would kiss the land to remind her heart that she was not the only one there – that there was an entire planet of others.  Synaria took her freedom, but her desire to live, to seek revenge deepened, filling her with hope.

Tiffany’s cries filled the small space that confined her.  She had no concept of self and therefore no need to clutch at each passing moment or label it. Time was meaningless, yet she screamed. Water from the recent rains had seeped from the ground above, and the liquid swirled all around her. It filled her mouth, her nose, blurred her vision, and muffled her ears until her surroundings appeared to shift and sway, hopelessly out of mental focus.

Encountering an obstacle confounded her.  Had she been moving?  Was this some vast ocean and she a piece of flotsam at the will of the current?  But no, it was all around her. Her limited universe had a shell, a wall that enclosed her.  The walls closed in. With only her heartbeat to measure the passage of time, her brain battled with concepts newly gained or dimly remembered.  Nothing she could do or think changed her plight.  The barrier closed in, and the ocean drained until she lay curled tight, unable to stretch her limbs or lift her head.

When would this end?  How long could she survive trapped in this shrinking prison?  The walls grew tighter, hardening.  Bracing her limbs, she heaved, screaming at the pointlessness of her actions.  Kicking and clawing, she surrendered to panic.

As she lay, delirious from starvation and lack of human contact, Tiffany’s mind created a world in her head.  It played again and again when she could not take the darkness any longer.  When she heard the sounds of pebbles slamming against the wall of the corridor, she dismissed the noise as being a fake memory.

A half-mile above the shaft, Joseph and Christopher Ramsey had made their way through the opening of the cave.  They had been excavating the area for more than a year and had missed the hidden entrance.  Joseph had found a map hidden within their last cave and the markings gave him hope that it was direction to a lost treasure.  When he told Christopher, his younger brother, of what he found, the two searched the area for an entrance.

Along the rocky surface, they made their way through the cavern. A faint squeaking noise emerged from the depths.  As they crept closer, it grew louder.  Soon, they reached the heart of the tunnel. At first it was too dark to see much, even with the flashlight.  There was a crunch underfoot that sounded like they were walking on tiny bones.  When their eyes became more accustomed to the dim conditions, they could make out some motion above.  Turning their beams upward, they caught a glimpse of hundreds of bats with wings tucked in tight.  The moment the beams hit, the space above them was instantly alive with a flurry of black skin stretched across bone, like shadows blown about by the wind.

Within seconds, the swarm swooped, moving more like a liquid than a flock.  Before they could turn to run, the bats dived down toward them, then overhead until they disappeared down the dark corridor.

The light from their flashlights flickered, showing signs that it would soon die.  Christopher smacked it several times.  The light grew, brightening up a small entrance into another room.  Joseph nodded his head toward his brother, holding his finger to his mouth.  “It sounds like a beating heart,” he said, hesitating and holding his brother by the arm.

Then Christopher tripped and dropped the flashlight.  The light went out, and when he tried to turn it back on, it remained dark.  “It’s broken or the batteries are dead,” he moaned, hitting it against his hand several times.

“Keep moving.”  Christopher tapped his brother’s arm.  The center of the cave became engulfed in a chilling blackness.  Underfoot, loose stones shifted, twisting their ankles on the way. The noise of the disturbed rocks echoed off the dense stone walls.  The sound of water dripping was heard up ahead, but without any light shining into the black, there was no way to tell how deep it was, or if their next step would take them into frigid depths.  Stumbling blindly into the forest of stalactites and stalagmites – which littered the unforgiving floor, they moved slowly using the cold rocky surface to guide them.

In the dark tunnel, hemmed in by the perfect arching sandstone walls, there was something almost gleaming ahead.  Joseph dug in his pockets and pulled out a half empty packet of matches. He lit one. A wall, just feet away, wasn’t giving out light. It was more like it was being caught on a certain angle and reflecting back a brownish red hue.

Christopher laughed.  “What the hell is that?”

Just then Joseph dropped the match, and again they were buried in darkness, which seemed to oppress them like an awful weight.

“Stand still, I only have a few matches left,” Joseph whispered, striking it against the surface of the wall.  The soft beam lit the space and moved down the tunnel.  There was another room, a few feet ahead and they moved toward it slowly so as not to extinguish what light they had.  The closer they got, slight moans and a cry came from the dark space ahead.

Pulling off his flannel shirt, Christopher wrapped it around the flashlight and held it to the burning match in Joseph’s fingers.  Instantly, the material became engulfed in flames.

Joseph extended his arm halting his brother’s movement.  “Don’t move.  Can you hear that?”

Shaking his head, Christopher listened closely, but there was nothing.  “You’re hearing things, bro.”

Not convinced, Joseph shook his head.  “No, I know what I heard.”

More concerned with not getting lost, Christopher took several steps back.  “Let’s head back before the shirt burns up.”

Just then, another moan echoed through the cavern followed by the sound of a woman’s voice crying out.

“Did you hear that?” Joseph asked.

Christopher nodded.  “Where’s it coming from?”

“I think through there.”  Joseph pointed.

Slowly, taking small steps, they followed the cries.  “Please, help me,” a woman cried.

Joseph gasped and ran toward the cries.  Joseph’s eyes widened as he walked into the contrasting darkness of the cave.  Willing his eyes to adjust, he looked around.

“Hello?” he called, his eyes finally making out the shape of a body.  His vision showed what looked like a shriveled, skeleton like corpse against the stone.  He froze, looking upon the frail woman. When he stepped forward, he tripped, smacking his head against the stone bed.  Christopher ran to his side, setting the torch on the ground.  Blood was now oozing from his brother’s brow.  Helping him to his feet, he leaned against the rock formation. Blood dripped down upon the frail corpse.

“Help me,” the once frail voice became stronger as the life forced soaked into her mouth.

Christopher looked at her in the dimness, the light source still on the ground. He stretched out his hand and felt for the woman.

Lifting her up from the altar, Christopher cradled her shoulders.  Turning quickly, her eyes locked on him and eyes of yellow turned red.  Wrapping her arms tightly around his throat, her teeth came alive within her mouth, and hunger beat at her unmercifully.  The woman cried out as she buried her teeth in his tender skin.  She fed fiercely as the warm heavy liquid poured into her mouth, filling her.

~~~~~

Tiffany felt his energy ebb and flow from his veins, as his legs folded helplessly beneath him, and he sunk to ground, drained, his body becoming weak.

Feeling alive, she pulled away. Her heart pounded for the first time in centuries, the hunger, and thirst sated for the moment.  The chains that once bound her were now on the floor – her savior’s heart barely beating.

Recalling what Nira said about how her maker transformed her, she tore at the tender flesh on her wrist.

“Drink,” she hissed, covering his mouth.  “I have been here for a long time. It will be you who shows me the way of the lands.”

~~~~~

Within moments, Christopher gasped for breath, fighting the transformation on the cold ground. Then he stilled.  When the lifeless body once again moved – his senses were heightened, his body followed the scent that drifted toward him.  Power surged through hardened veins, ripping, tearing at the flesh that felt suddenly too tight.  Above, swooping in a dull roar in his ears, bats ascended back to their nest, shrouding the cavern ceiling in shades of silver and gray.  A feral growl erupted from his throat. As he stood, his body convulsed, twisted and contorted.  His head pounded as his teeth grew to razor sharp points.  His mind swarmed as he felt the last shreds of humanity slipping away from him.

Joseph, just feet away looked on, eyes wide as he cradled his legs.

“Feed,” she ordered, pointing to the man cowering in the corner.

Christopher’s nostrils flared from the smell of the blood that oozed from the open wound on Joseph’s head.  Instantly, he sprung into the air and charged forward, his teeth bared and drenched in blood as the needle-like points sank easily into tender flesh.

The pain was neither intense nor long-lasting, but he could feel his blood flow from the wound and with it, his life, as well.  The lips against his neck lapped at the blood flow.  Within seconds, his heartbeat hastened as it struggled to circulate the lessening supply of blood.  It was not long before darkness crept around the edges of his vision. He gasped several strangled breaths as the life continued to flow from his body.  The cold fingers of death tightened around him, pulling him closer, teeth digging in deeper, until his body collapsed.  Joseph slumped lifeless, drained of almost all his life force.  At the end, his body convulsed and gave one final struggle for life.

“Stop!”  Tiffany ordered pulling Christopher back.  Once he was behind her, she knelt down and dripped blood from the still open wound in her wrist.

The last image that graced his vision was when the torch of light rippled off the corpse like face.  Finally, the darkness engulfed him.  No bright light waited for him in death, nothing to lead him home.  Instead, he drifted in a sea of black for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality, was only a few moments.  When he woke, he could feel his back pressing against the solidity of the earth and knew he had rejoined the land of the living.  A pungent salty liquid was being dripped between his lips.  In those seconds, he found it glorious, and craved even more.  As he opened his eyes, glowing red eyes stared back. It was the monster that had drained his brother of life, and it was her blood he now tasted upon his lips.

Acting on some newfound instinct, Joseph rose and took the wrist, lapping at it hungrily.  He craved the new delicacy.  How warm and delicious it was upon his tongue.

Several hours passed after the transformation had taken Joseph.  Once he sat forward, he could feel the burning build within him.  He brushed a hand through his thick black hair, and cursed. “What did you do to me?”

Laughter filled the space around him.  “You are immortal. You will be my guide into the new world,” Tiffany snarled.  “Everything you ever wanted is yours.”

“Let’s go, my brother,” Christopher said.  “The world is ours to take.”

Joseph looked at Tiffany and his brother and said nothing.  He could feel the burning inside, as the hunger increased.  As he followed them through the dark, the only thing he could think about was his wife and child.

“Follow me.”  Tiffany sprinted into the low underbrush as she stepped out of the mouth of the cave.  She moved with inhuman speed, unheeding of whether or not the others could keep up with her fast pace.  Her heart was pounding, her mind racing with anticipation of the coming revenge.  The scent of the tourists in the air was heavy, and she let it lead her.  The branches of the surrounding trees tore at her, pulling the dark locks of her hair loose around her face.  Tiffany pressed on. She gritted her teeth against the pain that came along with the loss of energy she’d suffered while held captive.

In the forest, emptiness greeted them. The humans that were once there, were gone.  Weak and needing to feed, Christopher’s lips curled back, exposing sharp fangs.  A thin smile curled her lips as she watched him through narrowed eyes, eyeing her creation, as eager to feed as she. Her smile faded at the sight of Joseph who stood behind, despair radiating from his pores.  It concerned her. She would have to keep an eye on him.

Her mind raced as she glanced up at the moon, hidden discreetly behind a thin cloud. She felt alive.  She sped on, wetting her lips as the wind picked up around her. Her hair spilled down her shoulders, now a solid chestnut tint.  She stopped abruptly and, gathering her energy, she lunged toward the nearest tree, scrambling up the ragged bark.  Her muscles clenched and tightened, allowing her to leap from one branch to the next, then onto the next tree, moving through the woods just as easily as any primate.  Her nails were razor sharp talons and she gripped each tree tightly, keeping up enough speed to survive for as long as she needed to.  Behind her sounded of her creations, breaking through the thick canopy in a rain of leaves and wood.  Their growls were feral, rippling through the silence.

Joseph raced alongside her, hunger surging through him.  When a deer was spotted in the opening, he faced the animal squarely, his lips turned up in a mocking grin, his breath even and still.  The prey’s pounding heart echoed in his mind. He rushed forward, barely swaying when his nails found the softness of its fur.  He spat a short stream of blood, wiping at his mouth, his dark eyes studying the deer intently. Guilt racked his mind, and he willed it to beg for its life.  It was at that moment that he felt his humanity leave his body.

The land seemed to call to him, whispering its secrets. Something had changed.  It frightened him to think evil that was taking control.  Anger swelled within him, as well as the desire to kill her, and put her back within the cave they’d rescued her from.  He snarled, nose flaring as he looked around.  He paused and had to admit, if he were to go against the dark one, he would have a very small chance at winning no matter how hard he tried.

IV

Impending Danger

Stephanie rested her forearm against the muggy windowpane and leaned her forehead against it as she tried to catch her breath.  Movement was an ambitious exploration into the intricacies of agony as the grief took hold.  Unfortunately, taking care of the baby and dealing with the death of her friend was a constant battle.  She wanted so badly to be happy, but her heart was being torn from her chest in grief.

The only thing Stephanie wanted to do was climb underneath the sheets and sleep, but Nira insisted that she get up and shuffle around the house at least once a day. To avoid depression, she claimed.  Stephanie tried to ignore Nira’s reasoning, even rationalizing that she took sadistic pleasure in making her deal with the loss.

She blamed herself for Nikki’s death – the need to parent a child overrode her common sense.  If she had never entrusted Nikki with the truth, or asked her to carry their child, she would still be alive.  She knew the toll of a magical pregnancy was too much on a human – if she would have put Nikki’s life in front of her own needs, Nikki would not have sacrificed.

No matter what she said, Nira insisted it was not her fault – that there was no way she could have known.  Stephanie argued that her desire to have a child clouded her better judgment. She knew the risks, yet she pushed them from her mind.  Depression set in and it was Nira who had to take on the parenting role.  Stephanie would just look upon the child and cry.  Yet it was now their job to protect and raise their child.

Looking down at the sleeping infant in the bassinette, a weary smile formed, but as she blinked the bleariness from her eyes, she realized that something beyond the windowpane was wrong.

“Nira…?” Her voice clawed its way out of her throat – swallowing hard what little moisture she had in her mouth. It felt like sandpaper going down.  The protection spell she put on the house showed signs of weakening.  Danger was nearing – a new demonic force was brewing from beyond the trees.  It was different from anything she’d felt before, the forces felt as if they were shifting, yet they stayed the same.  It confused her, she tried to focus on the trees, to see what was beyond but, in her mind, all that came were dark tunnels, blood splattered upon the walls within and demonic laughter.

“Nira!” she screamed, this time loader than before.  The feeling of dread built with each passing second.  Immediately she pulled the infant from the cradle and clutched her in her arms.  “I will keep you safe, little one.”

Within that moment, a bond like no other overcame her as she looked down into the hazelnut eyes.  When the baby looked up and cooed, Stephanie’s heart filled with a mixture of joy and fear, as she looked back out the window.

“What’s wrong?”  Nira asked, out of breath as she reached the door.

“Something is coming, Nira, I’ve been watching it grow steadily clearer.  Each day, the view out of this window gets more and more solid,” Stephanie’s said.

“What, lass, what is it you see?”

“A power beyond anything we have ever come across is building.  Beyond this windowpane, the visions of death grow, my love.”

“That…that can’t be right. Your visions are fooling you.”  Nira practically pressed her nose against the glass, as she peered carefully out at the foliage beyond the safety of woods, glass, and stone.  She did not have the abilities her wife had, yet at that moment, she could feel it, too.

Beside her, Stephanie cradled the infant.  “We need to get her to safety, my love.  I fear this battle to come is worse than anything we have ever fought.”

“There is no place safer for the baby than against your breast.”  Nira frowned, this was their daughter, and she would keep her safe.  “From beyond this land, any maleficent creature cannot cross, the spell you cast has protected it,” she continued, her voice throaty with pain and thick with bewilderment, as she watched her bride cradle their daughter.

Nothing could harm them there – she would know whether or not danger resided upon the landscape beyond their solitary confinement.  Nira had been looking through the same windows for almost two centuries, by human reckoning.  The paranormal or demonic forces beyond were as familiar to her as the creases upon the palms of her hands.

“This feels different, Nira,” Stephanie replied gravely from just behind her left shoulder.

It wasn’t the fear in Stephanie’s voice that alarmed Nira – it was the hope she heard there, as well, that made her skin flash cold.  Her stomach lurched from the words of doom, but mostly because she feared the loss of the life she had become accustomed to. The focus of her hopes and dreams, which she fought so hard for, could be in danger. As much as she protested, she could not take Stephanie’s warnings lightly.

“Go now, lass, cast a spell of protection for the child, and yourself.  I will set up a trap around the perimeter of the property.”  The look of concern grew in her brow as she looked into Stephanie’s eyes.  “Whatever is to come will not pass the threshold of this land.  You have my word.”

Stephanie nodded her understanding and stepped away slowly.  She knew Nira would protect them, yet at the same time, she had a feeling that what was about to come was stronger, more dangerous than they had come across and Nira would find she was powerless to stop it.  It was time to talk to the elders and ask for help.

In the darkened corridor leading to the hidden library, Stephanie reached behind the stack of bottles and pulled the lever.  She listened to the door creak open, and stepped into the dimly lit room.

The once dusty shelves had been cleaned. She was sure Nira knew she would bring the child into the room with her and would want it cleaned.  Even the spider webs that she had become accustomed to were no longer lining the corners of the walls.  She sat the baby carrier that cradled her daughter against the wall, and retrieved the candles and herbs, setting them down in the circle of protection.

Clearing her thoughts and steadying her breath, Stephanie lit the last candle before removing the charm she had worn since childhood from around her neck.  It was a gift from her parents and she prayed it would help.  Placing it in a bowl with the herbs, she closed her eyes.

“Spirits who lived yesterday, I call from my mind to yours, come back from the shadows into the light, and show yourself here.  Spirits, I have kept close to my heart come forth…so mote it be.”

When she opened her eyes, the candle flickered guiding the spirits to her.  To her right a silver mist evolved getting larger as it came closer, changing into a bluish purple fog. A form stepped out.  When Stephanie looked up, she saw the translucent form of her mother.  She looked upon Stephanie, a loving smile curving her mouth.  Love radiated from the dark eyes as they shone down upon the baby.

“You did well, Stephanie,” Tamera, Stephanie’s mother said.

“Blessed be to our future, yet I fear for her safety, mother. Something evil is coming that wishes her harm.”

Slender fingers caressed Stephanie’s arm.  “You have right to fear, my daughter, there is a darkness that has been unleashed. The visions are not clear yet, but the force is strong.”

Reaching down, Tamera brushed a hand against the tender skin of the baby’s cheek.  “Teach her the ways of the Marai, my daughter. She will one day be strong, and together, the darkness will hold no power against the two of you.”

To hear her mother’s warning, saying what she had already feared, Stephanie stepped from the circle and stood inches from her mother.  “Tell me what to do?”

“Until what hides in the dark comes into the light, there is nothing that can be done.  The force that lies in the unknown, hides.  Teach your daughter as I taught you.”

Stepping back in to the mist, Tamera turned and pointed to the infant.  “When the time comes, she will be ready.”

The sudden burst of anger that had filled Stephanie subsided, leaving only the burning embers of a deep fear in its place.  Once again spoken in riddles, she understood that her mother could not tell her what the future held, but in a subtle way, she had.

There was no time to delay, she knew within a few years she would have to teach her daughter how to protect herself and cast spells.  It was not clear what was about to come, but from the warning in her mother’s voice as she spoke, it was enough for Stephanie to know the battle would be to save mankind.

~~~~~

As the clouds that had covered the stars opened up, her pulse hummed in the twilight.  The dangers that stalked the dark of the city never ceased to amaze Nira, though she had seen many changes during countless years. One thing remained the same – its steady rhythm never faltered, and never had its urgent strength faded.  The city would surely stand forever and the people within would advance each night, unaware of the dark forces that were always present.

Her feet touched the asphalt streets and a shimming array of dazzling lights reflected every silent step in the puddles left from the downpour.  The urgency to stop what stalked the night propelled her forward without conscious thought.  Smells, new and old, drifted to and from her nose – urine, vomit, and stale garbage soiled the air from the alley.  There was a distinctive odor on every block, street corner, and alley.  The worst was the odor of drug smoke from shattered windows, and the ever-present nuance of fear from every sweating, sticky body that haunted the shadowed rows.

Nira kept her gait in rhythm with the city's pulse – hips swaying to its hungry music. The wind pushed the smells away, leaving her utterly dissatisfied and lustful for more.  A smile played on her lips, as she spotted the beasts, in the guise of lambs, prowling through the night's false darkness. It was a sniveling wretch that dared deem itself worthy of youth, of humanity, of the life it stole, and would soon find the tip of her sword.

“Only one will die tonight,” Nira snarled, jaw clenched. Her hands drifted down her elegant frame, which was neither as large in breast nor bony in waist as the poison of choice around the neighborhood.  Her hands were rough in texture, yet careful in touch – a woman who knew how to seduce beauty yet at the same time destroy the beast.  Nira was prepared for any situation.

Her footsteps ceased while her fingers teased the helm of the blade, her pulse easy beneath the calluses.  The streets around her were quiet, all lost souls tucked away for the night.  Without a second to spare, Nira lifted her blade, flew into the air, and with the bend of her wrist, she removed the head of the varmint that would have killed an innocent that night.  Instantly, the beast corpse fell to the ground.  Nira watched as she had done so many times in the past, until there was nothing left but ash.  The battlefield once again lay quiet.  The moon still shone, and the wind still blew, but somewhere another beast hid in the dark waiting on someone’s mother, father, brother, or sister.

“Sorry, handsome,” she breathed in and lifted her hands to her lips, lightly blowing a kiss.  “I would stay longer, but I have an appointment with another tonight.”  Her tone was soft, urgent, and firm.

As her emerald eyes shone in the broken light, a spark of recognition flickering within – nostrils flared again, there was another demonic scent that caught her attention.  Just as she was about to act, her mind clouded, a glint of knowing the hunt would keep her all night, brought her to a brief halt.

Stephanie will have to understand.

As she shook off the apprehension, determination took hold. Following the scent, she turned away, continuing her nightly determined steps to the chosen, to her next appointment – the prey.

To call the beast a victim would have been too kind.  Around the corner, a woman stood leaning against the building.  Her lips were glossy, stained with the most luxurious brand of waxen fats and oils on the market, her hair styled in silver locks, with golden highlights.  Her hands were buffed, smoothed, moistened to perfection, her nails shimmering seductively in their French facades. Her face, her sweet face, bore none of the alluring flaws of age, none of the wrinkles or blemishes or scars that told more stories than words could ever match.  Yet, the smell of the beast radiated from her pores.  Nira tucked the sword in her belt, as she casually made her way.  One step at a time, slow, in a seductive manner.  The woman smiled, put her finger into the air, and waved for Nira to come closer.  A smile stretched across her face, and she took two more steps then stopped.  The woman cocked her head to the left, taking Nira in.  It was then, the look of realization set in, and the woman frowned.

“You are the slayer.”

“No, I am a warrior, and you have taken your last skin.”

Before the beast could turn and run, Nira reached out, pulled the golden locks, and placed the blade to the creature’s throat.  “I free this soul of your torment.  You will stalk these fair streets no more.”  As the torso collapsed to the ground, Nira looked at the head dangling from her hand.  “What a waste,” she cursed, and threw it on the ground.

She scanned the area, ready to bait another.  The streets were empty, no other demonic presence within miles.  Nira grinned– a night with her wife was well overdo.  With determination, her feet carried her from the desolate district, stepping again in time with the city’s pulse.  Strong and sturdy, the city would surely stand, as it had stood for hundreds of years past, and a thousand years beyond.  She, the bloodstained warrior, would stand with it.

~~~~~

In the darkness of the room, Stephanie’s eyelids lifted.  From her sweat soaked abdomen came a delayed breath.  The whole of her body was warm and tingling with adrenaline, stuck like glue to the thick winter blankets.  She pushed off the tucked in layers with her knees and legs – laying in cold, wet fear.  Seconds before her eyelids parted, she thought her mind had cleared, she knew the images and fear that quickened her pulse weren’t caused by a standard nightmare or even a dream at all, or so she thought.

There were sounds of steps heading in her direction.  A thick, echo of footsteps from someone, or something as they moved forward with purpose toward her, outside her door- pursuing her through the musty steam that masked its identity.

Transported, she was cornered in a stairwell, she pushed her shaking body into the hot cement wall, fists curled in fearful anticipation for the great reveal, and then suddenly she was back in her bedroom, lying cowardly staring at the ceiling.  Shaking off the images that played in her mind, Stephanie closed her eyes tight for just one moment to quell her anxiety.  Easing the beat of her heart, she fumbled out of bed to find her footing at the side.  Stretching out her hand to touch the bassinette, she found comfort in the child’s presence.  Stephanie clung to her ability to deteriorate the memory of what she had felt in the dark.  Her fingers flipped on the lamp – a silhouette shot across her room, covering most of the bed in soft light, stopping where her head was meant to rest.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sucked on her lower lip, which had been dehydrated by the salty dew.  The faded teal clock flashed two a.m. – she had only slept for a few hours.  She stumbled back and sat down, as she looked around the room.  Silhouettes from the trees beyond the window danced in a fury across the high ceiling, and each sound of the child’s movement echoed, filling her with concern.

The sudden coolness of the tile beneath her feet – jolted her mind back into reality.  She reached for the round glass filled with water.  Her salty lips easily soaked up the liquid.  She looked to the table, devoid of decoration or personal junk, and rubbed her eyes once more. Next to the clock, the forgotten baby monitor, turned off and lying flat.  She picked it up and eyed it for a brief moment.  The infant cradled in the bassinette would not need it for now – her mother would never leave her side.

With her left hand, she brushed the curly dark strands of hair from her eyes.  Her direction shifted to the foliage beyond the window.  Directly in front, a tree branch moved with the wind, only visible because of the dull floodlights. It was an isolated view she wasn’t superbly thrilled about, but still, accepted.  Picking optimism, she felt it had to be better than a full view of the crowded city, which held nothing but danger beyond their land.  They were protected there, but for some reason, the home that she shared with Nira had started to feel like a prison. The confines of the walls where she had felt safe, no longer made her feel secure.  The protection spell usually gave her solace, yet, tonight, she was not so sure.  In the dark, a devious and malicious creature stalked – a force stronger than anything she had ever felt.  It was not close yet, but it would soon come.  It caused her alarm, and she second-guessed her own powers to protect the ones she loved.  With each beat of her heart, the danger beyond the valley seemed to inch its way closer.

Reaching for the edge of the bassinette with the tips of her fingers, Stephanie rocked the cradle.  “No harm will come to you, I have been entrusted with your safety, and I will defend that with my life.”

As the words crossed her lips, she knew what had to be done.  As the sun stretched across the land, she would cast a seeing spell upon Nira – an incantation only given to those of great strength and purity, allowing her to see the evil that hides behind the veil of innocence.  The elders would approve; she was sure of it. Nira, after all, was the purest heart she knew.  The gods would not have given her immortality to protect the land if she was not.

A rustling sound from the cradle stirred her thoughts back to her surroundings.  Leaning, she lifted the infant from the bed, and cradled her in her arms.

“You may not have come from my womb, my angel, but you are still my child.  When the time comes, you will see as we do, then the gods will shine down upon you and give to you the gift of time.  You will fight the evil of the land beside us.”

Tamera’s eyes opened – a grin stretched her lips.  Stephanie knew she could not understand her, yet within those few seconds, it was as if she could.  Stephanie stroked the soft dark curls but as soon as she raised her hand, they fell back into place.  “You are so beautiful, precious, a gift I never thought possible.  The bloodline of the Marai burns through your veins, and you will be the most powerful of all witches one day.”  Again, eyes opened, and a small hand clasped around Stephanie’s finger.  A spark shot into her limb, and she blinked back.  Her daughter, small and defenseless, was already gaining powers.

Relief curved the corner of her mouth as she placed the baby back in her cradle.  She sat back down and listened as the front door opened. It was Nira she sensed, after another successful night at keeping them and the city safe.  Ease filled her as she laid her head back on the pillow, eyes still wide open. She listened to Nira taking two steps at a time as she ran up the staircase.

“Hi, lass, I’m home,” Nira whispered as she opened the door.

“Hey, baby.  How did the night go?”  Stephanie tried to form a smile to hide the worried look that she knew must still be present behind her eyes.

With a few strides, Nira sat on the bed next to her.  She studied Stephanie, and frowned.  “What haunts you, lass?”

Turning her head lightly, Stephanie closed her eyes.  “I fear the dark forces are getting closer.”

Nira was not a stranger to impending dangers, but they could only fight what was before them – until then, she needed to ease Stephanie’s nerves.  “Lass, you worry too much, go take a shower, I will watch our daughter.”

With no argument, Stephanie stepped out of the room.  As the warm water welcomed her, she could feel the battle Nira was having on the other side of the door.  She grinned wickedly, imagining sucking, licking, and tasting the body that she missed and desired.  It had been a little more than a month since they’d made love.  The new baby and the need Nira had to hunt every night had both diminished their sex life.

Stephanie stepped out of the shower and dried herself before pulling off the cap that covered her long wavy- brown hair. No matter what her body wanted, she was tired.  It had been a long day – the baby demanded so much of her energy—and now all she wanted to do was climb back into bed and sleep.  She sighed, naked before the mirror, she looked at herself, studying her features and wondered what Nira still saw in her.

“You’re beautiful, Stephanie,” Nira proclaimed in a deep voice as she stepped in the steam filled room.

Before Stephanie could move, she found her wrists held behind her and a hand on her mouth.

“You should see what I see.  Beautiful brown eyes, a cute nose, a perfect mouth…shall I continue?”

Stephanie nodded. It was easy to get lost in her voice.  It was musical, hypnotic, arrogant, and playful.  She found herself wanting to see her face.

“No interrupting me then. I’ve missed you during the past month.”  Nira said, setting a series of gentle kisses along Stephanie’s shoulder.  Her hand skimmed along the delicate skin, lightly caressing a breast before moving down her taut stomach and petting the soft patch of hair above her wet folds.  Turning her head, Stephanie tried to see Nira in the mirror as she nuzzled her neck.  All she could see was her dark hair.

Lips brushing her throat, Nira whispered. “You’re beautiful.”

Unable to control herself, Stephanie guided Nira across the room.  Before she could take hold of her, Stephanie found herself on her back, head on a pillowed settee, as Nira’s strong left hand held her arms above her head.

“Tell me you want me, Stephanie.”

Blinking back, she looked up to the emerald eyes, and smiled.  “I want you, Nira.  You are all I’ve ever wanted.”

“Tell me what you see when you look at me like that?”

“You take my breath away,”

“Tell me more,” Nira purred in a husky voice, encouraging her to play her game.

Stephanie narrowed her eyes.  Since the day she was made immortal, her beautiful dark eyes now changed to the color of emeralds and sapphires depending on her mood.  Most of the time, she appeared edgy, irritated, her brows either cocked up with impatience or folded with sarcasm.  With a delicate nose, flawless porcelain skin, rosy puckered lips, and the shiniest, dark brown hair.  When Stephanie smiled, it made it hard for Nira to resist her.  Grinning for a moment before speaking, Stephanie shrugged.  “I see the most amazing woman. I see my heart, my one and only.”

“Lass, you have been my wife for more than two-hundred years, and you are as beautiful to me now as you were then.”  Nira lowered her mouth, engrossed in the energy between them.  Her free hand cupped the right breast, as her fingers tweaked the nipple.  Stephanie moaned and Nira circled the tip until it hardened.

Her hands still held above her head, Stephanie wiggled under her, spreading her legs, offering herself before crying out, “Please, Nira let me touch you.”  Aware of Nira’s movements between her legs – her body reaching for sexual release, she struggled to stay in the moment.  The more Nira ground against her, Stephanie felt high as if she were floating. Her groin tingled, spreading warmth through her core.  She whimpered in frustration.

Just as Stephanie thought she could not take it anymore, she felt Nira’s hand caressing her hot and swollen button, then moving lower. She heard the sharp intake of her breath.

“Lass, you smell delicious.”  Nira ran her finger across the wet lips of Stephanie’s mound – lifted them to her mouth, tasting the essence.  “Mmm, sweet like honey.”  Another moan and she lowered her mouth, dipping her tongue into wetness, nibbling and sucking on the swollen bud, moving in small circles – increasing the pressure.  The familiar sensation built in Stephanie’s core, just like it had every time they made love.

Stephanie squirmed underneath her, trying to pull Nira up, but she resisted.

“No, lass, when I am done,” Nira said teasingly.

Within seconds, she had Stephanie inhaling sharply, and her body stiffened as Nira sucked and licked with gradual strokes up the length of her engorged clit.  With the tip of her tongue, Nira gave a deft flick each time, before returning to the base.

Oh, my God, Stephanie’s mind cried as her body raced closer and closer toward hazy static, the spasms growing stronger with each moment.  The familiar tightening of her muscles had begun.  The first explosions were already detonating through her.  As her body slowly backed from the explosion of pleasure, Nira continued to pull and suck until Stephanie neared eternal bliss once again.

Lifting her gaze, Nira smirked as she slid two fingers deep inside her.  She stroked slowly, until the last of the elixir flowed from her lover.

It took several moments for the last aftershock to rip through Stephanie’s body, but once she gained her strength, she pushed Nira onto her back. She narrowed her eyes, and covered Nira’s mouth with her own.

“It’s my turn. I need to taste you,” she mumbled, while she made her way down, quickly thrusting Nira’s legs over her shoulders, and moving her tongue inside Nira’s wet center, only withdrawing slowly to heighten the pleasure, and then driving it back into her with long strokes, pushing her faster to orgasm.

Dizzy with desire, Nira cried out as Stephanie glided deeply into her moist, warm body.  Moving her hips, she met each sensation, slowly, steadily, increasing her pace as Stephanie worked Nira into ecstasy.

V

Taking a Bride

As the city lay asleep, Rhonda Fillmore ended her shift at the diner.  It was beginning to rain and she dreaded the long walk back to her apartment.  It was times like this when she wished she owned a car. And tonight, unfortunately, there was no taxi in sight.  With no other choice, she covered her head and started the long journey home.  There was a chill in the air as well.  The sidewalks had turned a darker shade of gray due to the rain, and the street sparkled under the corner streetlamp.  The play of light and shadows gave the illusion of tiny diamond chips mixed into the asphalt.  Long shadows, outside the light’s amber glow, looked like a pianist’s elegant fingers resting on piano keys, yet nothing moved.  Suddenly, there was a guttural scream followed by growling.  It was close by. Rhonda jumped, startled eyes wide with fear.  Chills ran a relay race up and down her spine.  There was more growling.  In response, a long hiss sounded and a trash can lid clattered in the alley.

Rhonda hurried and tried to clear the pounding heartbeat from her throat.  She spied the two cats fighting, laughed weakly, and took a second swallow, dislodging her still hammering heartbeat.  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly like she had been taught after a long work out.  It worked, so she took a second and released it.  Rhonda took a final nervous look around and then resumed her walk home.

Fifty yards later, she stopped. She could feel eyes on her, and she was sure that she heard the sound of the heel clicking against the ground. The sound stopped when she did. Needing to see who followed, Rhonda pretended to look at a storefront window display, but in reality, she scanned the street where she had last heard the sound.  The street was devoid of people, which was not unusual at this hour.

Feeling confident, she continued, this time, stepping as softly as she could.  Again the sounds of footsteps behind her but, when she spun around, there was nothing.  No movement or footsteps on the sidewalk except for her own.  Panicked, she spun back around and ran down the street – terrified.  Rounding the corner, she ran into something, and fell to her knees on the rough concrete.  Tears welled in her eyes as shivers of pain quickly scaled her spine.  When she stood and looked at herself, she found thin layers of skin ripped and the wound seeped a thin, bloody fluid.  When she looked up, there was nothing in her path.  Squinting, confused, her eyes darted all around but didn’t see anything.

Pulling herself to her feet, she dusted off the small stones lodged in her skin.  To her left, she heard the sound of shoes scuffing against the ground. In the shadows, the image of a dark silhouette stood, but it seemed to move.  Rhonda stared until her eyes teared, but it did not move.

“I’m losing my mind.” Rhonda laughed, bit her lip, wiped the perspiration from her palms onto her shorts, and walked on again, this time faster, until she was finally darting from one block to the next toward her apartment.

Her pace slowed as the building came into view. She was safe.  Pulling the keys from her pocket, they jingled in her hand as she lifted the key.  Just then, a demonic laugh came from behind.  The thumping of her heart found its home once more in her throat as she tried to force the key in.  It turned, and just as she reached to turn the door handle, a pain shot through her head, and she landed with a thump on the ground. All went black.

~~~~~

In and out of consciousness, suspended in a dark tunnel, Rhonda’s fingers held onto a thick chain threaded through metal cuffs attached to her wrists. Her bare feet brushed against the ground.  Small rivulets of blood ran from her wrists down her arm from the chafing of the metal.  She was half awake, and half dazed from the trauma of the attack.  When she finally managed to open her eyes, she saw,in the distance, a group of men and women huddled in the center of the tunnel.  The voices were not clear, but she did not need to know what they were saying.  The way she was shackled to the steel rafters above, was an indication that their intentions were not good.

Pretend like you are still out, Rhonda, the voice in her head screamed.  If they think you’re not awake, they will leave you alone, and maybe help will come.

“She’s mine,” one voice cried out.

“No, she’s mine,” a much louder male voice cried.

“You are both wrong.  Be gone with yourselves.  Leave me to feed!”  a woman ordered.

Rhonda shut her eyes tight – hoping that whatever the woman meant by feed had nothing to do with her.

“We are all equals.” The woman spoke, suddenly at her side.  “You are beautiful, and I’m sure you have your way with both men and women.  We show beauty in ourselves, not by the amount of paint we wear on our faces, or the muscle that bulges from our beneath our flesh.  Those who believe they are perfect, fail to see that they are uglier than those they claim are.  You will learn that you are now ugly, but when I bring you back, you will glow with more beauty than you ever thought you could.  But, don’t forget, you are no better than anyone else, not even the lowly scavengers I created.”

Turning her head, disgusted by what the woman said, she had watched her, green eyes narrowed, arms numb from being suspended.  She swallowed against her cottonmouth before looking into the cold, soulless yellow eyes.

“Please don’t hurt me,” her feeble cries echoed down the shaft.

A sudden blow sent her swinging against her bindings.  Through gritted teeth, she glanced up to see more blood ooze from beneath the metal of the cuffs.

“Please let me go, I promise I won’t tell anyone.”  Her cries went unanswered and fear set in when sharp white fangs came into view.  Knowing she was about to die, she spat blood, staining the woman’s face, then glared at her spitefully.  “Kill me then.”

“You do not understand!”  The woman roared angrily, her hands tightening into fists at her side.

Her eyes bulged, their yellow depths seeming to absorb all light, and her fangs gleamed in the dimness of the cavern.  “I am a hideous creation, an abomination and unworthy of being sheltered by the god’s holy light.  I have had to live like a rat to survive, no more I say.  Once I build an army of servants, we will rise, and take what is ours.”

“I understand,” Rhonda said, trying to reason.  “God has never done anything for me. I have had to scratch and beg for everything I have!”

Tiffany’s yellow eyes suddenly gleamed. A small smile tugged at her half upturned lips.  “This is why you are here—to learn to take what is yours, to show the world you are worthy.”

Laughter sprang from her, as she pressed her hands to Rhonda’s cheeks.  “I will be your queen, and I will show you things that you have never seen before. You will experience pleasures you never knew existed.  You will plead with me before I am done, to take you.”

With the tips of her nails, she tore through the material that covered the woman’s torso – silk porcelain skin lay beneath, begging to be touched.  She licked her lips, and forced a finger inside her center.  “You will want me day and night,” her voice had a soft, deadly quality to it, and Rhonda had to blink quickly to banish the tears of terror that stung her eyes.

Yellow eyes roamed the naked body, saw breasts standing at attention.  Raising one to her mouth, she suckled lightly at first, and the allowed new blood to ease down her throat – she stopped and whispered.  “Not yet, I want your heart beating beneath me.”

Her left hand moved down to the small of Rhonda’s back and Tiffany whispered in a soft voice.  “I know what I want.”  She closed her eyes as she released Rhonda from the shackles, and then leaned in, taking the woman’s limp frame into her embrace.  Her greedy fingers groped the breasts.  “Most don’t understand my preferences.  But you do, right?”

“Yes.” Rhonda’s voice quivered with a false hope of escaping.

Tiffany carried her with ease into the decrepit tunnel. “You will never want anything more.”  Her lips brushed Rhonda’s cheek.

The journey down the dark shaft was hot, smoke-filled, and littered with smoggy air, threatening to cloud her head preventing the fear of the unknown to kick in.  Tunnels led in different directions, and from them, groans, both male and female, tore at her ears.  The shrieks of pain and pleasure slashed through her mind – no matter which tunnel they seemed to go by, it was twice as disturbing as the one before.  On the dirty surface below, rats scurried in an attempt to get out of her way.  Rhonda mused they had the right idea, and if she had a chance, she would run just as fast.

As they passed the next tunnel, the smell of death and a rotting corpse stung at her nose and she had to stop herself from screaming.

Will she kill me and leave me with the rest of the dead? she wondered.

Even though she was weak and scared, she tried to map every exit and vent, marking each direction in the recesses of her mind.  The farther they moved down to tracks, the scent of pheromones from lust and sex made her stomach churn.  Rhonda’s mind swirled.

If she did not kill me, is this the life I will be forced to live?  Will I be damned to live eternity amongst them?

As much as she feared her fate, she also trembled with pleasure.  Drool pooled in her mouth, as the woman carrying her, stopped every few steps to touch, tease, and suck on her breasts.  To keep her mind focused, she reminded herself that her death would soon come.

Another twenty feet later, the woman carried her through a door with eager impatience, pinning her to a wall.  Within seconds, a tongue parted her freezing lips, searching and feeding on her tongue.  It no longer hurt – the tingling as their tongues moved together felt tantalizing and erotic.  Rhonda wanted her.  She no longer had the will to fight.

“If you are going to take me, then do so.”  When she opened her eyes, the woman pulled away, and a toothy grin, baring fangs, stared back.  “You like?” she purred, subtly disentangling her greedy hands from Rhonda’s body.

“I said take me!”  A sudden rush of anger gripped the core of her pulse causing it to skip erratically, excitedly, in her murky veins.

“As you wish,” she growled, kissing slowly down her neck in an attempt to stimulate pleasure.

The trail her tongue made down her torso burned, and growls turned to whimpers.  Her mind was now aware of the dangers.  She saw her surroundings.  In the corner, a makeshift bed, above, spiders and webs covered the surface of the walls.  Yet the woman who touched her made her feel as if her flesh held the sweetest nectar she had ever tasted.  Unable to keep focus, losing herself within the moment, Rhonda pushed her farther down, until the swollen mound that ached for release, filled the woman’s mouth.

“You will rule by my side,” Tiffany moaned, lifting Rhonda into the air, carrying her to the comforts of the bed.

“I’m too young to die.”

Keeping her hands on her shoulders, she lowered her lips to Rhonda’s ear.  “You will never die.  You will be reborn.”  Understanding the apprehension, Tiffany moved her lips against hers.  “I am far older than your oldest relative, I will never age, as you will not.”

“ I won’t?”  Slowly, Rhonda regained the truth.  The women who was enticing her was not a woman, but a vampire.  She had read about them in storybooks, but she’d never thought they were real.  The thought of being undead, of living off humans and never living a normal life again, was unacceptable.  As enticing as the thought of remaining young the rest of her life was, living like a rat in tunnels was not.  She began fighting against the iron grip, flailing beneath the fingers.

Without really trying, Tiffany held her down, straddling her bare waist. “It’s not as bad as you think, this humble space I live is only temporary.  Soon, you will live like a queen by my side in extravagant surroundings.  At your will, you will be able to command all that you want.”  Fangs moved down the slender neck, grazing the trembling veins.  “You will never feel pain, fear, or want for anything.”  With the slightest of pressure, she pushed the canines against her neck, just hard enough to cause pain without tearing her skin.  “I will give you all you ask.”

“Then please let me go,” she sobbed, squirming beneath her.  “Please, I'll do whatever you want, just don’t kill me.”

“Don’t kill you?”  A bout of laughter echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls.  A dark chuckle simmered at the edge of her laugh. “You don’t get it…you are already dead.”  Arching her head back, she pushed forward with force, slashing into the jugular.  Just before the beat of her heart ceased, Tiffany tore open her wrist, covering Rhonda’s mouth with her essence.  “Now drink, take me in, and when you wake, you will be mine forever more.”

Rhonda did as she was told, gripping the wrist held above her mouth, gulping mouthfuls of the red essence.  She would have continued, but Tiffany pulled her arm back.  “Your body will die soon.  When you open your eyes, you will come alive, your senses will be heightened, – and all you desire will be plentiful.”

~~~~~

In the dimly lit room, Tiffany watched as Rhonda’s body twitched and convulsed.  When the rising of the chest decreased, she knew it would not be much longer.  Her army was now building. She would be strong in numbers to get her revenge, and when the battle was done, they would rule the nights together.

Yet several hours went by and the women had not yet died. She had drained her, fed her the cursed blood, and the body had not died.

Was the beauty before her immune?  Had she done something wrong?  Her mind reeled with the questions.  Then it occurred to her, she had not drained her enough, the heart beneath her had not become weak enough.  A slight smile curved the corners of her mouth.

Maybe for now, this is how is should be.  A day walker to protect the clan.

When Rhonda finally opened her eyes, Tiffany looked down at the trembling woman before her, as much as she wanted to feel nothing – her heart went out to her.  The rush of her emotions beat at her inner demon, demanding more not less.  Tiffany was already on sensory overload, the last thing she needed now was to feel emotion, lest she be swept away.

The more she thought about it.  It would have been easier to just drain her and end any future complications, but she felt something, a sense of loneliness.  She tried to shake it off, but it would have been a lie, and she knew it.  At this moment, she wanted to feel every bit of her.  The soft skin beckoned, and the mark on Rhonda’s breast called to her.  The wetness between her legs, the combination of arousal and anxiety in her stomach increased.  She licked her lips and watched the movement of the woman who struggled beneath her.  The flick of her tongue was making her body harder than she thought possible.

Turning away, she fought once again against her inner demons, her heart still stung with betrayal, but her body yearned to be satisfied.  Slowly she disrobed, her clothes piled on the floor carelessly.  Her movements were slow, exaggerated, and erotic – she swung her hips.  The action made her breasts jiggle.  The woman beneath her smelled like peaches and cream, the lotion on her smooth skin mingled with her own musk, adding to her excitement.

Inching away, Rhonda tried not to cry out, but the more she moved, Tiffany growled and quickly climbed up on her.  Rhonda gasped and tried not to scream when she felt fingers between her legs.  There was no use in fighting it; the evil devouring her was not going to stop until she took what she wanted.

When Rhonda finally gave in and relaxed, Tiffany removed her fingers from the wet center and licked them.  She took her time, watching her.  Taking her was not enough. She wanted her to perform for her, to meet all her sexual desires.

“Get on top of me!”  Tiffany growled, lying on her back, facing her.  “Now!” she ordered.

Rhonda slowly sat up and straddled Tiffany’s hips.  She moved slowly on the hard center, but was halted by strong hands.

“Up here,” Tiffany curled her lip, extending her tongue out, flicking it in an up and down motion.

Obliging, Rhonda scooted up, the heat of her own desire teasing and tormenting.  She gasped when soft lips covered her clit, pulling and sucking on it.

Sensing Rhonda’s desire, Tiffany sunk her fangs into her soft skin, and drank in the sweetness.  Rhonda had no idea what had come over her as she rode her in a frenzy of movement.  Her body rose and fell, so she was filled then empty, tongue and fangs, a tool for mutual pleasure.  She wiggled and shook, her head thrown back, her hair flying.  With her first climax, Tiffany ceased the drinking and licked the wound she’d made, healing it.

Using her fingers, she kept up the pace long after Rhonda lost the energy to continue.  She gave her one climax after another, forcing her to shatter and grip her tighter as her insides spasmed all the while massaging her own body for release.  On and on, she forced her to ride her, up and down, repeatedly.  Her body milked her fingers, squeezing when she came yet again.

“Please, no more,” Rhonda begged, as her body shook once more.  She was sensitive, every movement now caused pain. “Now, I command you to please me.”

“You,” she muttered.

“Yes, me.”  Lips mauled her neck, tickling as she whispered words of lust that only she could hear.

~~~~~

The thought of touching or putting her mouth on this woman made Rhonda sick.  It was against everything she believed in, but her life depended upon her compliance.  She forced herself to focus on the woman before her, meeting her pleasure.  Hesitantly, she slid two fingers into the wet center and pumped into her, slow at first, then harder, faster, deeper until she tilted her body to just the right angle and to Tiffany’s ecstasy.

It seemed like an eternity before she finally raised her head.  When she did, Tiffany smiled.  “You did well.”

Rhonda sighed, relieved she was not asked to do more.  What had transpired repulsed her, but what upset her the most, was how much she had enjoyed it.

VI

Evoking Powers

Five Years later

Sparks of light crossed the room, shattering the vase upon the fireplace mantle into a thousand pieces.  “Tamera!”  Stephanie cried as she ran into the room.  “What did I tell you about performing magic in the house?”

“But, Mama, look, I have lightning coming from my fingers, like the clouds do when it rains.”  Her dark locks covered her eyes when she spun around.

The innocent look in the brown eyes brought a smile to Stephanie’s lips.  As much as she tried to control her daughter, the powers that were flowing from her could not be stopped.  At age five, Tamera had the ability to pull the powers from the air, water, and earth.  There would be no stopping her one day, and Stephanie knew, with the right training, her daughter would outgrow her and Nira, and fight the demonic presence on the planet alone.

“That’s good honey but please not in the house.  Remember what I said?  You have the entire forest to command at your will, let’s go outside, and you can show me what you can do now.”

A giggle filled the space between then, and Tamera rushed into Stephanie’s arms.  “Come on, Mama.  Let me show you what I can do with the water.”

Several hours later, Stephanie shrugged. She had just witnessed Tamera make the water from the pond lift into the sky, and she watched in pure amazement when she saw with perfect clarity as fish swam within.  It frightened her that soon there would be nothing left she could teach her.  Tamera did not need to perform incantations – she could will anything with her mind, at age five, she was already more powerful than she was.

Had the queen of the Marai smiled down on her while she was in the womb, or was she the incarceration of the queen? Stephanie wondered.  Either way, the road ahead of them was going to be hard.

Nira watched from the window, she had no words for what she was feeling.  There was fear mixed with pride as she witnessed their daughter’s power grow – if they did not teach her the way of the gods, she could turn on them, and there would be nothing they could do to stop her.

Faith Nira, keep the faith.  She is a part of your beloved.  Nothing evil could come from her. With a heavy sigh, she did an about face and turned her attention to the swords laid out on the desk.  Stephanie had spelled each one – making each stronger and unbreakable.  When the forces shift and it was time to once again battle, she would be ready.

Nevertheless, the heavy feeling in her heart would not fade.  The visions Stephanie had been having were not to be taken lightly. Something more powerful than either of them would soon come, and as long as Tamera was still in training, she was still vulnerable.  Nira tried to imagine what it was, but nothing came. The werewolves had been destroyed and the shifters were her only struggle, but were easily beaten.  They were just harder to find, and just as she would locate one, it would disappear in a crowd of people – taking on the form of those around it.  Other than that, since Azareth had been destroyed and the warlock banished, there were only minute parasites to battle – they offered very little resistance.

Ready to battle evil, Nira gathered her sword.  It would not be much longer, the moon would soon shine down upon the city, and she would hunt.  Nira had a good idea where the master shape-shifter’s lair was.  There had been several unexplained deaths in the city near the historical district.  One report given was from the child of the latest victim. She said it was her uncle who had killed her father, yet he had been dead for several years.  The police laughed off the child’s explanation – Nira knew differently.  She had the advantage and the shifter would not see her coming.

In the meantime, she needed to tend to her daughter, Stephanie was doing a great job teaching her the ins and outs of magic, but it was her job to teach her the warrior way to protect herself.

“Tamera,” she called, as she waved for her to come to the house.

“Yes, Mama.”  Innocent brown eyes blinked at her.

“It’s time for your lessons.”

Narrowing her eyes, Stephanie looked up then back down.  “Go on, little one, I think Mom wants to talk to you.”

The look in Nira’s eyes concerned Stephanie.  She was well aware that their daughter’s abilities concerned her.  It worried her, as well. If evil were to capture Tamera, they could harness her powers and use them for ill.  All she needed was a few more years to teach her how to control her abilities, and to protect herself if it ever came down to it.  Until then, Nira would teach her how to fight.

~~~~~

From the rear of the house, laughter and the sound of metal slamming against metal echoed, Stephanie shot up when she heard Nira’s stern voice followed by the door opening.

“Your lesson is not through, come at me,” Nira challenged.

“I’m tired, Mama. I don’t want to play anymore.”

“Tamera, get back in here!”

The sound of footsteps running up the stairs and down the hall caused alarm.  Stephanie stepped to the bottom, ready to run up and find out what had Tamera upset, when Nira came out of the room.  “What just happened in there, Nira?”

“I worked her too hard.”  Nira huffed, frustration in her eyes.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, lass, our daughter is as stubborn as a mule, but her heart and mind are strong.”

“How did she do tonight?”

Nira rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “Not once did she hold the sword in her hands.  She controlled it with her mind and fought me.”

Blinking back, Stephanie gasped, “What?”

“I recorded it, care to watch?”

Nodding her head, Stephanie sat in the chair while Nira pulled the feed up on the laptop.  Tamera was seated at the other end of the room holding her doll.  With her right hand, she waved it in the air controlling the sword.  It was easy to see she was disinterested in the lesson.  “Oh, Nira, her powers are building by the day. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Have you spoken to the elders yet?”

“No,” she said in a low voice.  “I’m worried they will think she is dangerous.”

“Do you think she is?”

“I don’t know.  She’s more powerful than I am.”

“Can you bind her powers?”

Turning her head away, Stephanie cringed.  “I can’t do that Nira. You know she will be defenseless.”

With a calming hand, Nira placed it on Stephanie’s shoulder.  “Lass, we will keep her safe.”

With a heavy heart, Stephanie nodded her head.  Nira was right. With the increasing powers, if she did not do something soon, she would have no control of Tamera.  “I will do it tonight as she sleeps.”

~~~~~

Later, the sunset radiated across the clouds, turning it molten orange with bands of pink.  From the balcony, Stephanie looked on as day shifted into streams of gray, until it was the color of ash and soot.  There was no twilight, only blackness. The moon fought to come from behind the black stretch of clouds, yet there was beauty in them as they stretched across the sky, giving it a hazy, ominous feeling.  It was time for her to do as they discussed. As much as she knew it was the right thing to do, her heart felt heavy.  Suddenly Stephanie felt claustrophobic as she watched Nira leave the property, she wanted to run beside her and slay evils.  Anything was better than accomplishing the task ahead of her.

The longer she stood, the more she struggled.  There was no reason to delay the inevitable. She knew what she had to do.  Down the hall, Tamera lay asleep, Fanny, her favorite doll cuddled in her arms, unaware that her parents had made the final decision to stop her progress.  Just outside the door Stephanie stood, her shoulder leaning against the solid wood frame.  Guilt filled her as a knot formed in the pit of her abdomen.

Please forgive me for what I’m about to do.

With both hands, she pulled her long dark brown locks and put it in a ponytail.  Brown eyes scanned the hallway, as she made her way to the staircase.

The entrance into the pantry was dark. As she moved forward, she felt the floor creak under her feet.  Hidden behind canned goods along the wall, she felt the hidden lever.  With a hard yank, the handle pulled downward and the door to the library creaked open.

Stephanie sighed. It was the first time she was not looking forward to enclosing herself within the secret room.  During the centuries, she had done thousands of incantations within the enclosed space and relished each.  It was the one place she could be alone, cast spells and talk to her mother.

Alone, Stephanie pulled a book off the shelf.  Sitting on the floor, she was careful not to smudge the salt that outlined the pentagram there.  Stephanie laid the book on the floor in front of her, on command the book opened to the page she needed

She looked down upon the page, read the first line of the binding spell, and frowned.  The spell was more complicated than she remembered.  Tamera would have to digest a mixture of hexed herbs.  Lighting a white and purple candle and gathering a few more items, Stephanie found her place back on the floor.  Moments later, she combined hot water, mustard seeds, and the petals of a white rose.  She knew once ingested, Tamera would be powerless, but there was nothing else she could do.  It was not a matter of protecting her from others but protecting her from herself.  As soon as the concoction smoked, she read aloud.

“I bind you Tamera from using your powers, from casting spells, or manipulating objects.  I bind you until you turn the age of majority.  So mote it be.”

A vast blanket of white hung heavy in the room. It wrapped around her, looming like images from a forgotten dream.  She held out her hand and watched it become partially obscured as she chanted the spell again, conjuring the mist, drunk on her own powers, eyes twinkling as it swallowed every object and vanished into the corner.  She felt her guts twist in protest, as she poured the concoction in the glass.

It was done, but Stephanie knew if she woke Tamera to drink it she would not, and decided the best time to give it to her would be with her morning orange juice.

Once the mixture was set aside, Stephanie looked to the shelf of supplies.  If they were going to make it through this battle without Tamera, she had to make Nira that much stronger.

On each point of the pentagram, she placed red, green, and white candles.  In her lap, she poured several drops of lavender oil into a bowl of crushed herbs.

“I invoke the spirits, hear me now, hear my plea for Nira to see, the speed of a vampire, the sight of a hawk, to see evil coming in her thoughts.  Spirits fulfill my desire.  So mote it be.”

One by one, each candle flickered, rising smoke circling around her until it was touching each flame, connecting all as the fire danced three inches above the wicks, until each crackled and the flames died.

Stephanie inhaled a deep breath, she should have felt satisfied, but the glass filled with elixir to her right left her heart feeling heavy.

Just then, a shiver ran through her. She could feel an evil presence.  It was closer than she thought, and with each moment, it seemed to be strengthening.  Stephanie knew what she was about to do was wrong.  How could she leave Tamera defenseless, yet how could she risk the dark power that was ever so increasing, capturing their daughter?  The more she thought about it, the more torn she became.  Maybe if she cast a spell to control her powers, or put a limit on what she could do?  That was not the only option, there was an incantation that would transfer Tamera’s powers to her, so when the time came, she could defend Tamera and Nira.

She could not make the decision without discussing it with Nira first, but it was a better option than binding Tamera.  Smiling, Stephanie, put the elixir on the table, and abandoned it.

VII

The Escape

The still, silent, early morning breeze moved through the tunnels beneath the city. Joseph closed his eyes and breathed it in.  He missed watching the way the sky would lighten when the clouds moved, allowing the morning sun to fully rise, accompanied with blue, until dark clouds overtook, repeating the cycle again the next morning.  Yet what he missed the most was watching his daughter’s bright blue eyes dance in the sunlight as she played in the field of daffodils.

Immortality sucks.  The thought crept to the front of Joseph’s mind.  He slammed his fist into the makeshift punching bag one last time, forcing it to swing in a violent circle.  His pale yellow eyes narrowed once more to the corner where Rhonda had drifted into what looked like a peaceful slumber.  Running his fingers through his dark brown hair, he snarled.

It still did not make sense to him how Rhonda was no longer human, yet, she was not immortal.  She carried the best of both human and vampire. She did not need to feed on blood, yet she could not walk in the sun.  He pitied her, as each night he stood a few yards from the opening, and listened to his maker ravish her, knowing she was becoming weaker from starvation.  Each morning, when Tiffany had gone above, Joseph would bring her human food when he would go out at night to feed.  It was not a lot, but it was enough to keep her alive.  Then one day, his maker, who had become frustrated with her, abandoned her to survive on her own.

Tiffany had become bored with the clan, and during the light of day told Joseph he was in charge. She’d left, and had not returned and that was two weeks ago.  He tried to control the clan, but they had grown in numbers, and would not listen to him.  Many nights, he thought about leaving, as well, but he could not leave Rhonda. The other clan members were envious of her, and probably wanted her destroyed.  He didn’t know why, but he needed to protect her.  As much as she infuriated him at times, he liked her.

The motion coming from Rhonda’s rising and falling chest gave him pause. How he wished he were able to sleep like that.  He could not sleep anymore, and watching her slip away so peacefully filled him with resentment for the life that had been chosen for him.  Peace in his world was no longer was an option.  Everywhere he turned, he was reminded of the monster he had become, and he hated it. Most of all, he hated his maker.

He fought the smile playing at the corner of his lips when he studied Rhonda.  She made him feel human, yet he could make his existence easier if he could finish the job, turn her, and then she would be his.  He was worthy of being a king, and she would then serve him.  Since his maker had vanished, there was nothing for him to fear.

If his brother Christopher had listened and not ventured out of the tunnel so close to daylight, it would have been him in charge since he was the first turned, but he had not returned.  Joseph had no idea what had happened to him. The only assumption was that Christopher was destroyed by the morning light.  Poor fool, he thought, yet how fortunate to not live like a rodent.

A low growl formed in his throat at the thought. He hated the way they lived. They had been lowered to live amongst varmints, to please his maker and become a personal slave.  His maker had promised to move them above ground into better accommodations. Instead, she had seemed more concerned with building the colony of monsters he was now forced to live with.

“No more,” he snarled.  It was time to take what was his.  “Rhonda,” his deep baritone voice filled in the small concrete room, reverberating off the walls.  It was the voice of a man with power and confidence.  He covered the space between them in two strides holding out a hand to help her up.  A weak smile played across her full lips, and he knew she had been dreaming again.

“Sorry. Did I fall asleep?”  Her eyes were huge, wide, staring up at him from her small height.  She never admitted it, but he knew that, as much as she trusted him, at the same time, she was terrified of him. Naturally, she wasn't like him, and she saw the way he looked at her.  Joseph forced a smile.  It bothered him to see fear in her eyes, but she was half human, and that made her weak.

Losing the nerve, he pulled his hand free of her grip when she was steady on her feet again.  She stood staring, not saying anything, but he could read the question in her gaze.  “What is it?”

He couldn't hide the annoyance in his voice. She had been full of questions since the day she had arrived, three years past.  Her gaze faltered as she studied her feet.  Delicate fingers tangled around one another, and her narrow shoulders rose with her deep breathing.  Joseph waited, watching her dark hair slip across one pale shoulder, exposed by her torn blouse.

Irritated, he snarled.  “Why does she let us all live?”

Frustrated, he turned and flew across the room, making contact with the makeshift bag he had been beating on.

~~~~~

Afraid she’d angered him, Rhonda lowered her gaze.  She should have changed by now, but she hadn’t.  She was living between two realms, half human, and half inhuman.  She was sensitive to light, but it did not burn her skin. She had fangs, but she had no desire to feed.

“Will I ever be able to do those things you do, Joseph?” she asked haltingly.  “Will I always be this way?  Will I ever change, or feed?  Is there any difference between me and any other human at all?”

Arching his brow, he held his head up.  “I don’t know.  I think you may have some ability, but for some reason, your body resists.”

Her dark head shot up, her eyes wider than ever.  It was then she realized that she was not a monster.  If she could find her way out, she could leave, and none of the others could follow her.  “Then what am…?”  She let the question fade from her lips.  It was an empty response.  She already knew the answer; her body was immune against the virus the immortal carried.  She was destined to live between life and death.

“Each day you ask me the same things.  I don’t know anything.  You are like any other human.”  His features hardened, and he slammed the palm of his hand into his heavily muscled chest.

“Liar,” she hissed the word through bared teeth.  “Humans don’t live with vampires.  They don't see the things I see.”

~~~~~

Color rose high on her cheeks as anger radiated from every pore on her body, assailing his senses, he breathed in deep, suppressing the urge to take her in his arms.

Eyes watered, tears suspended in her eyes, her entire body trembled, and he could smell her anger. Potent anger.  It wasn't easy for her here, Tiffany had put a lot of pressure on her to be compliant and serve her.  He was not sure of how much more she could take.  The emotional torment she had been forced to live with tore at his heart.  There had been so many times he had fought with himself to leave, and take her away, but in the end, the thought of being wrong, the chance that Christopher was still alive and returning one day was enough to bring him to his knees.  This was where he belonged and nowhere else, so this was where she would have to belong, as well.  Joseph stood unwavering by Rhonda’s small frame.  So far he had done everything in his power to keep her safe, to keep her away from the other clan members, but with each passing day, it was getting harder.

Standing down, he allowed his body to relax, expelling a weary sigh.  He coined himself her protector, and there was no one left in the world for her but him, which was a trust he could not betray.  Rhonda held her trembling hands up in defeat.  Her eyes were haunted, and her face a mask of despair as she looked to the man who had become her family.

“Tell me what I should do, Joseph,” Her full lips trembled as if she struggled to keep her composure.

Joseph struggled to face her, the sound of her despair beat at him, made him squirm inwardly.  There was nothing he could do for her.  With him, he had always known who he was. He had never doubted his place, never had to wonder where he belonged.  Since his life was stolen, there was no other choice, but Rhonda still had a chance.  After all, she was still part human.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Rhonda.  You won’t ever have to have fear me, but I am not so sure about the others.  They are starting to get restless since the maker left.”

Rhonda nodded her understanding, her shoulders drooped in defeat as she turned and left the small space.

Joseph watched the dark opening she had disappeared through.  She had become more important to him than he had wanted her to be.  Somewhere along the line, he had weakened, but that would have to stop.  He no longer had the luxury of vulnerability or weakness.  If his maker ever returned and found out that he had been bringing her food from above, she would surely behead him.

In the dark, screams echoed down the shaft to where Rhonda stood. She pressed her palms against her ears.  The new vampires had been on the hunt, snatching pray from the platforms, as unsuspecting travelers waited for their commute.  Since the night her capturer had disappeared, she had been left alone, Joseph guarding her.

He allowed her to walk the corridor to gather her strength and secretly, she planned an escape. Each morning, after the savages found refuge to regenerate, she slipped down the dark shafts looking for a way out.

From the end of the long corridor, a whimper came from the dark – camouflaged in the blackness, huddled in the corner behind a packing crate, two large glassy eyes stared into hers.  Unable to discern more than a shady human form and the eyes, she was not sure how to proceed.

Alarmed when she realized it was a child, she stepped closer, looking in every direction.  “Shh,” she whispered, not wanting the others to hear.  Glancing behind the crate, she panicked knowing she needed to get the child to safety.

Making the decision to take the child and run, she took two steps closer; she looked to ensure no one was near.  Her hands trembled as she turned her attention to the child.  Rhonda slid the box across and hunkered down looking into the scared eyes.  Shuffling to one side, she made space for the little girl to climb into her arms.  Just then, Joseph appeared out of the darkness, she looked back and forth from the child then to Joseph.

“We have to get the child out of here,” she whispered, her eyes pleading for his help.

Sucking air through his tightened lips, he knelt alongside the child.  Slowly, the girl opened one eye, then the other.  Her eyes were huge round pools of darkness.  Fear shone out of them as she looked up.  Her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably, yet she did not cry out.

“Where did she come from?”  Joseph asked in a whisper, a smile on his face as he looked into the girl’s frightened eyes.  His chest tightened when he recalled one of the others carrying a woman begging and screaming for her child’s life.  His happiness had been stolen from him, and he would not allow them to do the same to an innocent child.  “You stay here with her, keep her quiet.  I’m going to get a blanket to cover her, so we can get her out of here.”

Rhonda cradled the girl in her arms, whispering for her to stay quiet.  She stood up, with the girl in her arms, when she heard footsteps approaching.  Her eyes widened and fear filled her when the dark figure stepped into the light, and it was not Joseph.

The clan member snarled, baring his teeth as he stepped closer.

“No, you can’t have her!”  Rhonda cried, huddling back down on the ground and covering the little girl with her own body.  Her eyes held tight, ready to defend the child with her own life.

In the darkness, she could hear the steps getting closer, then the sound of a thump.  A cold hand grasped her arm pulling her backward.  Just as she was about to scream, Joseph’s features came into view.  She looked and saw one of the clan member’s torso on the ground, blood oozing from the opening where the head once rested.

“Don’t look, let’s go!” he ordered, throwing the blanket on both of them, and warping down the long shaft, taking a quick left, then a right.

Once he made it into the light, he sat them both down and removed the blanket.  Rhonda looked up, as the platform came into view.  “Go, you are free, take her to safety, and hide.  They will kill the both of you if they find you.  Go, go now!”

He stepped back and looked down to the little girl whose eyes twinkled, a hesitant smile showed small, white teeth.  He knew once they realized he had killed one of their own to free Rhonda and the child, he would be killed.  That did not matter. He was tired of living like a rat in the tunnels anyway.

Rhonda smiled and picked up the child, which prompted the girl to reach out to Joseph.  He leaned closer and allowed her to touch his face.  For a brief moment, he felt human again, and with that, he lifted the two onto the platform.

“Now go.”  Before Rhonda could look back, Joseph disappeared.

VIII

The Crystal of the Fae

Tiffany’s pale fingers glided across the tall grass and flowers just barely missing them, as if her feet were not even touching the ground beneath her.  Another successful search had come to pass. In her satchel, she carried another one of the seven broken shards of the legendary crystal of the Fae.

Just hours before, Tiffany had traveled up and around the mountain road that weaved across Ireland’s rocky surface, the travels causing her body to become weary as the crystals drained her of energy.  She could no longer feel the wind, nor taste the air, or smell the forest the way that others could.  It was nothing like she had experienced.  Once in an open field, she fell to her knees and pulled the crystals from the satchel.  Connecting the three, they began to glow.  Suddenly, there was the appearance of flares from the sun, twisting around the tongue and head of what seemed like a huge flaming cobra materializing before her.  Tiffany shuffled back as another head materialized from the flames.  This new head looked like that of a giant eagle made of a dark green wind-like element.

A smirk indented the corner of her mouth, as she now had the power of wind and fire.  She needed the other four crystals to complete all the elements.

Once all seven pieces were found, and the crystal once again put back together, Tiffany would be strong enough to defeat her arch nemesis, Synaria.  The owner of all seven pieces would become powerful enough to rule the world.

“Three down,” she mused.

Tiffany had learned of the magical rock while in search of a place to live and build her clan. During a full moon, she happened across the faeries while traveling the lands of Ireland.

Strange creatures, she’d thought while watching them dance in the middle of the forest under the moonlight.  After feeding upon one, she learned of their secrets, the crystal they had once possessed to defeat the humans that had once stolen their daughters.

His tribe becoming small in number, Knockma, the king of the fairies of Connaught, feared the crystal of the Fae. It was a stone used to stop evil, but in the wrong hands, the owner of the stone would have control of all the elements, and could use it to destroy mankind.  The powerful crystal had been his treasure and had protected his colony throughout the centuries, but even he no longer trusted himself with it.  That is when he asked Calibell, the ruler of the army of the Sidh to protect it.  A thousand years had passed and Calibell had been forced underground, no longer strong enough to ward off evil, so he had dismembered it into seven pieces and hid each in different locations around the globe.  He tried to destroy them, but he, too, was under the brilliant curse that had made many wizards, witches, and vampires turn evil for power.  Once the green stone was dismembered, each piece changed to a different shade, holding its own power.

When Tiffany had learned of the stone, she could think of little else.  Three stones put together and she could feel the power already building within.  The first on her list for revenge would be the woman who had trapped her in the cave, and then, she would take from Nira what she loved the most, her bride.

However, unbeknown to Tiffany, the shift in power had awakened Calibell, the protector of the Fae.  In his vision, he saw that a woman vampire had found the first three crystals.  He could not allow her to find the fourth. He knew that if she did, it would guide her to the others.

The fairies were now small in number and could not stand against the vampire.  Calibell did not know what to do, yet he could not ignore it.  Once Tiffany came into power, she could easily destroy all the earth dwellers.  As much as he hated the pitiful humans, for forcing his kind underground, he could not stand idly by and allow the vampire to kill off his colony, as well.  He needed to get help. Once the dark evil harnessed the power, there would be nothing or no one strong enough to defeat her.

~~~~~

Traveling abroad, where the fourth crystal was hidden, with the sun rising on the horizon, Tiffany slipped through the door of a building.  She gazed out as the morning dew cast a dusty haze on the window.  She had felt the sun coming long before it arrived, a burning in the back of her mind. Her senses had immediately gone on high alert.  While she could walk in the light of day, she preferred to be indoors when the sun rose. She didn't like the feeling of not being at full power, as she was when the night caressed her skin, coaxing the power from her body like a lover’s stroke.

Having traveled for days, she could feel the toll that it had taken on her body.  She had not fed since her journey started.  All she could think about were the crystals, and now in hand, the three together in the satchel seemed to drain her.

Needing to rest, she looked around.  Stepping into the elevator, she pressed the button and leaned back as the rusted gears and cables squeaked and ground together, screaming in protest as if under great distress.  On the top floor, outside the penthouse, she listened at the locked door for the sound of heartbeats – there were none, it was quiet.

Forcing the door to open, she stepped in and looked around.  She laughed and was tempted to say, Honey, I’m home.  Yet, there was no one there to greet her, no one to ask if she was okay.

This will work just fine, she thought.  It was a step up from the dirty tunnels she had abandoned along with the mistake of a clan she’d created.  When she first set out to build her clan, her intentions were to create an army to help her in her quest.  The plan did not include young vampires running rampant, feeding on unfortunate men, women, and children who happened across their path.  That was not what she wanted, but as time passed, she realized that she had created monsters.  She did not kill. She only fed, and healed the meal of the night, leaving them with no memory of the feast.  Her creations eventually stopped turning their victims; instead they drained them of their lifeblood, only to discard the corpses within the tunnels.

The stench of death had become too much even for her. On many nights, she regretted turning them.  The day she left, she’d told Joseph she would return, giving him false hope that she would one-day return and move them into the world above.  She did have intentions to go back one day, but not to move them, but rather to end their existence.

~~~~~

In the loft, the heavy drapes were drawn across the floor to ceiling windows on one side of the luxury apartment, blocking out the sun that was rising steadily above the slowly waking city.  The rooms were large, the floor plan open and dark black marble stretched on endlessly. She saw her reflection in the polished surface as she moved forward, fatigue finally catching up with her.  The only furniture in the living space was an L-shaped sectional sofa positioned in the middle of the room.  There was a wide screen television on the wall and she laughed knowing she would never have watched it. It was just another prop in her life, something else to make her appear normal in a world she knew nothing about.  The occupants had also left a refrigerator stocked with food that she would never eat.

Tiffany climbed the spiraling staircase wearily. She paused, standing in the doorway to the only room with a queen sized bed. It was low to the ground, covered in a plush white duvet with no headboard, no footboard.  A plain dresser in black stood near the bathroom, and a worn chaise lounge stood solitary before the bedroom window.  The only luxury in the room was the sweeping white carpet. She stepped onto it, sighing as she sank into its softness.  It was not the most lavish of living, but it was much better than her past three accommodations.

She pulled her plain white T- shirt over her head, and dropped it to the floor, her beige cargo pants followed, and she stood naked, dropping onto the oversized bed, allowing the duvet to swallow her. She brought a slim hand up to the throbbing cuts along her stomach. They had been inflicted by the guardian of the third crystal – with rest they would heal.

Her life was nothing like how books or movies portrayed it – it was not sexy or glamorous.  It was blood, war, and pain.  People considered her a myth; something made up to frighten children.  Tiffany covered her face with her hands.  She rolled on to her side pulling the satchel to her side.  One by one she pulled out the crystals.  She only had three of the seven, but it would not take much longer to find the others.  Once she had them all, they would fuse together – the power within them would then be hers.  She could then control and conquer the world, but there was only one thing she wanted.

“Nira,” she muttered, a wide grin stretched across her face.

As much as she hated to admit it, she still wanted and desired her.  The heart that pounded hard in her chest only beat for one.  Nira was her first love, and she would help her see, it was her she wanted, not the witch.

IX

New Sight

In the midst of the chilling night, the weather was shifting and a frost had begun to cover the surrounding trees.  The clouds were painted a deep black, suggesting a massive ice storm was not far behind.  A sudden and powerful gust smashed through the open window, and the whispering winds caused the trees to bow from pressure.

Nira was sure that the creatures of the night had taken shelter, sensing it long before any man did.  She looked at her surroundings but they now appeared foreign to her.  She was no longer in her home, but that of another from long ago.  From the window, she watched as the wind suddenly stopped, just as quickly as it started, and the sky opened up.  Snowflakes fell, dancing with grace until they found the ground.  As the flakes fell faster becoming livelier, the sound of something cackling from beyond could be heard.  From the darkness, a figure draped in a sparkling white robe, his hair and beard wild and untamed.  The nose was long and pointed and the eyes above them were a deep blue, masked beneath a scowl.  His hands were clammy and white, while the fingers stretched in an inhuman fashion.

Above, the sky opened up even more, releasing a palette of hail, freezing rain, and sleet.  The figure was soaked in the storm’s rage, but his smile only grew wider.  His words loud and clear, coursed into the night.  “May the earth be trapped in an icy grip, may evil never make its trip!”

Out of the flurries, several faeries appeared beside him.  They chanted in their native, lyrical tongue, yet, she, the observer, could not understand what they were saying.  Each was dressed in a shimmering silk robe adorned in shiny, metallic trim.  They did not walk, but merely glided across the ground.

The elder of the faeries paused a moment, looked up to Nira and then called out to her. “I send you to your fate, warrior. It is your fate, you are man’s architect, we, are merely hapless pawns.  If we, the Fae, have been selected for extinction, then so it will be.  Not even you, in all your hubris, can prevent it.  A dark force has set to meddle with forces you can never hope to control.  Be swift in your journey to save the lands.”

Suddenly the figures disappeared as the snow fell faster and harder, making the air thick and cold.  The surrounding vegetation withered in the endless freeze.  The trees warped and pulled in unnatural ways.  They hung heavy with the weight of the ice on their shoulders.  Where there was once grass, was now a heavy canvas of frosted yellow weeds.  It was a frozen palace of winter’s design.

Eyes narrowed, she watched as the wind died, and then, once again, she saw in the distance the same band of elves at the edge of the forest, now dressed in red tunics with white trim dancing and chanting into the wind.

The lone figure continued to call out, as he walked around the land, shouting to the skies above.  The more he yelled, the more the wind blew.

Instantly, the ancient land of Ireland she had grown-up in, came into focus.  She felt her body transformed until she was no longer watching from the window, but standing next to the figure.  “Mankind needs your help,” he said in a monotone voice.  “Watch for me, warrior, as I will come to you.”

The elder of the faeries’ voice rose higher from the surrounding trees and shrieked into a loud blast.  The force of the explosion knocked Nira to the ground.

Abruptly, Nira sat up.  She was no longer in the forest but back in the room she shared with Stephanie.  Realizing it was nothing more than a dream, she breathed a weary sigh.  She had not dreamed in centuries, but now she was. What concerned her, was the message of doom from the mystical creatures.  Nira just wished she knew what she was up against.

X

Enlightenment

Alone in the library, Nira clung to the memories of the dream. It was almost daylight, and Stephanie would be up.  There were decisions and travel plans to be made.  The crackling from the fire eased her mind because it helped to keep her mind grounded.

The air was still. The flame from the candle barely flickered, yet it was steady and bright enough to relieve the darkness of the room.  The items around the candle cast shadows that radiated out like hands of an old analog clock.  The wick blackened and the wax slowly turned to liquid, running down the side onto the glass plate.  Nira smiled, she loved the quiet of the sleeping house, and it helped lessen the beat of her heart.  The dream was still vivid, and as she played out the scenes, the message in her mind slowly made sense.  Inhaling a deep breath, she looked to the window as a sliver of moonlight spilled into the room. Not enough to ignite the fiery hues of the room, but enough to navigate between the rough wooden chairs to the exit beyond.

Feeling claustrophobic, Nira opened the door to the outside world. A walk would help clear her mind.  Once the air filled her lungs, her senses came alive, as much as they once were when she was still a vampire.  She could smell everything, hear the beats of the hearts within the homes, and the wind as it whispered to her.

Yet the entire world beyond the property was silent, as if it ended in the night.  The sun was still resolutely below the horizon and the land still dark as if in a black and white movie.  As she closed her eyes, she felt the heady pull of her dream, beckoning her back to play.  Like a little kid playing on the swings who had been told it was time to go home.

At the water’s edge, she breathed in, allowing her mind to drift back.  Images played, and replayed for what seemed like hours, and when she reopened her eyes, streams of sunlight fell through the thick wall of trees, filling up every space between the leaves with warm, sugary light.  The rays tumbled down the strands of grass, which gleamed with the remains of morning dew.  The sky ripened from a fresh orange color into a pale blue.  To the right, wisps of white clouds stood unmoving.  They were thin, giving the appearance of light brush strokes on a blue canvas, or traces of powdered sugar on a baker’s azure countertop.

Nira smiled, it had been decades since she had taken a few moments to admire the beauty of the planet around her.  Inhaling a deep breath, she begrudgingly gathered her strength and headed back to the house.

Once inside, she turned and closed the door to the outside world. She turned to the light switch in the doorway and flicked it on, immediately the room was bathed in an unnatural electric glow.  The air was thick with the scent of coffee and although she drank in the aroma like everyone else, she would never drink it.  The mugs held bitterness – a human’s drug of choice.

“Good morning,” Stephanie’s voice came from the doorway.  “What time did you get up?”

“A few hours ago.”  Nira winced, stretching tired muscles.

“Come, eat, I made your favorite.”  Standing sideways, Stephanie waved her arm for Nira to step past her into the dining room.

At the table, fork in hand, Nira pushed eggs around her plate.  “I had a dream last night,” she said in a soft voice, eyes lifting to meet Stephanie’s.

“You did?”  Taken aback, Stephanie sat forward.  “What was it about?”

“It was a warning of some sort, and I think I have to travel to get the answers.”

“Travel where?”

“Back to my birth place.”

“Ireland?”

Nira nodded and explained the dream in detail.  By the time she finished Stephanie flashed her a smile.  “The spell has worked.”

“Yes, and I feel as I once did,” she replied in a tone filled with uncertainty.

“Good. So that means you have all the strength of a vampire without the urges.”  A satisfied grin spread across her lips.  “You should get stronger in time as the days pass.”

“Good morning, Mamas,” Tamera moaned, half asleep, her hair sticking up in several directions.  “Can I have cereal instead?” she asked, wrinkling her nose at the eggs.

“Just this once, angel, and eat it in the kitchen, I’m talking to mommy,” Stephanie replied, motioning her head toward the kitchen.

Nira raised her brow.  “Did you make the potion?”

Wincing, Stephanie nodded, then looked down.  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Are you having a change of heart, lass?”  Nira whispered rolling her eyes to the direction of kitchen door to make sure Tamera could not hear what they were talking about.

“I’m not comfortable binding her powers Nira. I’m afraid.”

“I am, as well, lass, but I am afraid of what might happen if we don’t.”

“Let me work with her. Our daughter is smart enough to not be taken in by evil.”

Nira hated to admit it, but she’d had the same thoughts and the same concerns.  Since the dream, whatever was coming, well, it might take all of them to vanquish the evil.  “For now, we will leave her as is, but if she becomes a concern, promise me you will follow through.”

“You have my word, but not to bind her,” Stephanie whispered and scooted closer.  “I found a spell where I harness her powers.  This way, I can protect her and you, if we need it.”

The smile that radiated from Stephanie comforted Nira.  Instead of responding, she pushed her plate away.  “Get the electronic book. I want you to help me look and see if there have been any suspicious deaths on my home soil.  Then we will discuss this plan of yours.”

A smile stretched Stephanie’s lips as she let out a laugh.  “It’s a laptop, Nira.”

“Yes, lass, the laptop.”  As much as she had become accustomed to modern technology, Nira had still not given in to it.  The Internet, as Stephanie referred to it, had guided them to many of crimes around the globe, yet it still confused her on how one used it to find the information.

The search did not take long. There had been more than fifty disappearances and a dozen suspicious deaths.  Each body had been found decapitated, yet there was no blood at the scene.

Nira raised her brow.  “What kind of monster would do this?”

“Could it be a pack of werewolves, Nira?”  As Stephanie read on, her brows raised.  For a second, she wanted to say it sounded like the work of vampires, but Nira had rid the world of them more than two centuries ago.

“I’m not sure, lass, but I am ready to get to the bottom of it.”  Nira was confident with the powers that Stephanie had bestowed upon her. She would be stronger and faster than any creature, yet aware it was wise to heed caution.

“Mamas,” Tamera chimed, skipping through the room.  “Is it time for my training? I promise I will try harder today.”

The conversation Stephanie had with her had been successful. She had told Tamera that Mama Nira was getting upset with her, and it hurt her feelings when she did not do as asked.  Tamera had promised she would try harder.

Nira smiled toward Stephanie who winked back.  “That’s a good girl. Mama is proud of you,” she said to their daughter, who was running through the house chasing a fly.

As promised, Tamera met each strike of the sword.  She maneuvered her body as Nira had taught her, and knelt down rolling out of the way as the sword crashed down on the ground next to her.  In her short life, she had become a master swordsman.  She was as good as Nira, if not better, with the ability to control the sword if it was knocked out of her hand.

When their training commenced, Stephanie had gathered two of Nira’s best swords and put them in an overnight shipping box.  The airlines would not allow her to take them through customs and there was no time for delays.

As much as she knew Nira would be unhappy, Stephanie dialed the number she had for Lorna, who now lived back on Irish soil, not far from the location of the murders.  Stephanie patiently listened to each ring, trying not to think how infuriated her wife would be with her.  When Lorna answered, half out of breath, Stephanie did not delay explaining what had been going on.  Lorna said nothing as she listened.

“Is Synaria there? I need to speak to her, as well,” she said, in a low voice, making sure Nira could not hear her.  “Also, I need you to watch for a package.  I am sending a crate overnight with Nira’s swords, I need to ensure the package will be safe and set aside for her once she arrives.”

“Synaria has not gotten back, but I will tell her to call you as soon as she does.” The sound in her tone was reluctant.  Stephanie knew Lorna was not in the mood to have another battle of wits with Nira.  It seemed since the day the gods agreed to remove the curse from Lorna and give her immortality to live as Synaria’s apprentice, Nira had distanced herself.  On several occasions, she had expressed her displeasure.

Stephanie knew there was nothing she could say to make Nira play nice.  Synaria had tried several times to reason with her. She had explained how hard it was being born into the curse, and the lonely journey—the worst part.  She explained that it was Lorna who had befriended her and given her hope in humanity.  She was her only friend and did not judge her for what she was, but who she was.  It was during those most vital years in Synaria’s life, when she found comfort in a human being besides her adopted parents.

When the time came, and they were separated, Synaria was once again on her own, in a world that would destroy her if they knew what she was.  Thousands of years had passed, and it was Lorna who once again saved Synaria’s life.  Lorna, at the age of majority, was captured and turned by Azareth, yet she never forgot Synaria’s words on how wrong it was to take a human’s life.  She suffered for thousands of years, half-starved as she had been forced to live with the clan, but in all that time, she never took a life.

Once Azareth was destroyed, Lorna asked Synaria for mercy, but Synaria refused to destroy her.  Lorna was distraught. She had no idea how to live within the modern world because Azareth refused to be part of it. Hating the way she lived, she had tried to take her own life, but nothing worked.  On the day of the final battle, she was once again among people and it frightened her because she no longer knew how to live among humans.  It if was not for Synaria’s gentle touch, and promise to show her the way, she would have found a way to die.  However, Synaria stood by her side, and helped her learn the new world.  Synaria had once been Nira’s teacher, and now she had become Lorna’s.  Synaria also had selfish reasons.  She was not done being a teacher or protector, and it felt good to be needed.

When the stopwatch blared, ending the session, Nira shot up the stairs to gather clothes to commence her travels.  Stephanie watched on. “I already had your two favorite swords shipped out for overnight delivery to the Clancy Resort for you, and I packed a suitcase.  It’s on the chair.”

Nira spun around and snarled at her wife. “You sent them where?”

Standing strong, Stephanie repeated the defense speech she had rehearsed.  “Nira, you cannot get the swords through customs, and there was no other place to send them.  The resort is near to where you need to be, and I thought, well, I thought, you would like to see Synaria.”

“Yes, I do want to see her.  It’s been way to long.”

Nira smiled, but her heart was heavy, filled with jealousy.  She wanted to see Synaria happy, but she did not feel the gods had thought it through, removing the curse from the Lorna when she had never served them.  She could have remained a vampire and became an apprentice.  Yet, the gods, without questioning Synaria’s request, gave Lorna the gift of immortality without her having to fight for more than a thousand years to obtain it.

It was not fair, yet she’d said very little.  Synaria had told her that this was the one thing she had asked of the gods for her years of service, so they’d granted it.  Since that day, they rarely talked.  The rift was still as strong, even after two hundred years.

Nira was angry with Stephanie for forcing her to face the woman who had been gifted so easily, but she also understood the reasoning.  She would also have a place to lay her head once she was there.

“Are you angry with me, warrior?”  Stephanie whispered from across the room when she saw the look in her wife’s eyes.

“No, lass, you acted accordingly.”  The formal response held a sharp tone.

Stephanie stepped forward, placing her hand on Nira’s arm, she smoothed it along its length.  “It was the only thing I could think of, my love.”

Turning to face Stephanie, Nira gave her an encouraging smile.  “You always take great care of me.  I will go and I shall not say a hurtful word.”

“Your flight leaves at eight in the morning. You have time to show me how much you love me.”  The teasing glimmer in Stephanie’s eyes as she rolled her eyes down Nira’s body caused her blood to burn in her veins.

“Ah, the princess has returned to her room for a nap. What do you have in mind?”

Tugging on Nira’s collar, Stephanie let out a hardy laugh.  “Let me show you, warrior.”

Stephanie led Nira from the room down in to the practice gym.

Nira frowned.  “This is not the idea of the workout I had in mind, lass.”

“Oh, but, as easy as it is to ravish your body, I would rather make sure your senses are sharp.”  Tossing Nira a sword, Stephanie taunted.  “Bring it, warrior, show me what you’ve got.”

With a wry smile, Nira warped with the same speed she had when she was cursed.  Sword held to Stephanie’s throat, she laughed.  “If this was a real battle, lass, you would already be dead.”

With the flick of a finger, Nira was flipped over Stephanie’s shoulder.  “If this was a battle, warrior, you would not succeed.  Close your eyes. Use all your senses and know my moves before I use them.”

Breathing in a slow and steady breath, Nira closed her eyes.  Using her senses, she listened to the ruffle of Stephanie’s shirt as she charged.  Flipping in the air, fingers wrapped tightly around the helm of the sword, she tipped it, knocking the dagger from Stephanie’s hand.

Blinking back, Stephanie grinned.  “Bravo, but not good enough.  I am not a warrior and not you’re equal, but Synaria is, I need you to battle with her.”

As if on cue, the door opened and in walked Synaria, her blonde hair draped elegantly over her slender shoulders.  “We have our work cut out for us, I see.”

Surprised, Nira spun around.  “It’s good to see you, my friend,” she said rolling her eyes up and bowing her head.

Nodding, Synaria stepped forward.  “It has been a long time, and from what Stephanie has said, it’s time we pull forces and prepare for the darkness,” she answered, but neglected to say how long it had been or why.  The day of Nikki’s funeral, Nira had asked her to leave.  She realized then she had made an error in judgment by inviting Lorna.

Retreating to the earlier stance, Nira held the sword in front of her.  “Come, Synaria, bring the wrath of the gods to my sword, and prepare me for battle.”

Pinning her hair into a bun, Synaria charged.  Metal clashed against metal, sending sparks flying.  Stephanie stepped back and, with a wave of her hand, she caused Nira to slip and fall.

Taken back, Nira shot her a hard glance.  “Stand back, lass, I cannot battle with you causing falters.”

“The darkness coming is very powerful. You need to be prepared for anything.”  The tone in her voice was not playful.  Throughout the rest of their practice, Stephanie made a point of causing her to fall and trip.  She would not admit it, but she feared Nira would not come home to her if she did not prepare her.

XI

Going Home

The early morning sea breeze had started to abate by the time Lorna finished her morning run. She headed toward the bathhouse for a quick shower before beginning the morning shift taking care of her guest.  Her body glowed with a patina of sweat as she trudged through the thick sand.  She glanced down the beach to see it was still vacant as she slipped into a beach chair to enjoy the waves. She knew the beach would soon have the end of the season sun worshipers coming out to cherish one of the last opportunities of the year to soak up the glorious rays.  Just a few more weeks and summer would be officially finished, and the quiet solitude of the sparkling beach would again be hers and Synaria’s.

Lorna had purchased the property soon after the curse was removed.  Nira had hinted that she would find happier surroundings if she returned back to Ireland.  Synaria had explained that Nira was not happy with the gods’ decision, and felt that it would prevent years of conflict if they were oceans apart.  Lorna had agreed and found the perfect location to settle. The beach was private and secluded, which made it easier for Synaria to train her.  The sugar white sands and the blue waters made for a serene backdrop to live for eternity, yet at the same time, provided a comfortable lifestyle.

Leaning back on the chair, she contemplated the past five thousand years of her shattered life.  If she had lived as a human, she would have been unhappily married to a man her father chose and left a legacy of children.  Instead, her mortal life had been stolen. One of Azareth’s monsters had taken her from her bed, fed on her feverishly, and then turned her.  Since then, she’d remained faithful to her humanity, and when saved by Synaria, Lorna had tried to put the pieces of her life back together.

Shaking her head, she sighed and slumped deeper in the chair and tried to dismiss the thoughts.  She had a wonderful life now, eager vacationers to visit with and a steadfast friend and lover in Synaria.

It was all worth it, she thought as she gazed across the calming waters.

The first few sunbathers started filling the white sands with umbrellas and towels just down the beach from her.  They nodded as they walked passed, and moved on, spreading blankets and lounge chairs that were accompanied by small coolers.  Lorna sat back and sighed as her quiet morning solitude was invaded.  It was times like this that she was glad the season was almost finished.

The calm of her surroundings no longer existed, so Lorna decided to hit the water to clear her thought. She could feel little rivers of sweat roll down her chest and back as she pulled off her shirt and shorts.

Taking one last glance down the beach, she headed for the surf.  Despite the heat, the water felt cooler and provided a welcome relief from the oppressive heat.  As she waded into the water, Lorna felt the heat leaving her body and imagined a faint hiss of steam as the cool waters rose past her waist.  She dove into the water and came back to the surface, slicking her shoulder length red hair back on her head. She squeezed out the excess, and let it drip back onto the glass-like surface of the water.

The surf was unusually calm, adding to her placid mood. Synaria and Nira would arrive in less than three hours, and she would once again be reminded of the displeasure Nira felt in her.  Shuddering at the thought, Lorna focused on the white sand and counted the number of sunbathers as she waded back to shore.  When she reached the sand, she patted off the water, put her shorts and sunglasses back on and leaned into her chair.

As she looked down the beach she saw the shimmers of heat radiating on the sand, giving the entire beach a mirage like feeling.  She must have closed her eyes for longer than she realized because when she reopened them, a lone white clad figure made its way down the beach.  Lorna’s eyes were glued to the cat-like movements of the woman as she made her way past the sunbathers and almost floated as she sat in the chair next to Lorna’s.

“How long have you been back?” she asked with a questioning smile.

“Well, hello to you, too.”  Synaria laughed.  “I arrived less than an hour ago.  I took my time coming down here because I knew you would be out here for your morning run.”

“I am done.  Nira, is she with you?”

“She is, and she is already out doing what Nira does.”

“How did everything go?”

“As well as can be expected. Nira is stubborn, but she will come around.”  Synaria said as she stood up, and stretched her tired muscles.

“Good,” Lorna’s voice faded, as she watched the thin white cotton dress reveal long tan legs and a gorgeous figure as it was pulled off over Synaria’s head.  She could feel herself swallow hard as curly blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail.  A flush of heat rushed to Lorna’s face when she realized she had been caught staring at the tantalizing beauty.  With tremendous will power she pulled her eyes away from the Synaria and gazed out to sea in an effort to calm her racing heart.  After all, there was nothing she could do with the guests only yards away.

As if reading her mind, Synaria took her right hand and traced a line in the heated oil down from her cleavage to directly above her pubic bone.  Lorna moaned softly as she watched her love softly stroke the skin, absentmindedly playing in the oil with her fingertips.

Lorna was captivated by Synaria’s movements. She could feel her nipples pressing hard against the fabric of her top and had to fight her hands from making the same movements down her own body.  Her body was screaming with need, as she watched Synaria tease with the lightest of touches.  Shaking her head, Lorna was unable to look away to end the torture.  There was no doubt left in Lorna’s mind how her evening would be spent.  She could feel the wetness as it flowed past her lips, soaking her shorts.

Enough was enough and she took Synaria by the hand.  “Be careful of your actions, we are not alone, a show would not be in our best interest.”

Synaria smiled as Lorna pulled away and slid the shorts down her long muscular legs and strode toward the water.

XII

The Alliance

The crimson sky became bright with stars, Synaria looked from the balcony, hopeful Nira would have already returned. The rain was coming down faster, causing puddles to look more like little rivers.  Slender fingers stroked up her arm.

“We will know something soon,” Lorna assured her.

“I hope so.”  Turning to face Lorna, Synaria smiled.  “It is nights like these that remind me of when I first moved across the ocean to New York City.”

“Was it as big as it is now?”

A smile curved the corner of her lip.  “Not quite. It was lovely and much simpler than it is now.”

“What was it like?”

“It was much different then, it was the time of prohibition, jazz music, and woman wore the fashion that clung to the body in all the right places.”  Synaria’s smile turned to a frown.  “Yet it was a difficult time, as well.”

“How’s that?”

“Women had no rights, and men, well, they took what they wanted from them.”

“How did Nira ever survive?”  Lorna laughed.

“Nira was not as rigid then as she is now, time and circumstance have made her this way.”  The bittersweet memories swelled in her mind.

Excited, Lorna clapped her hands, she loved hearing of Synaria’s adventures. She took Synaria’s hand.  “I would love to hear about it.”

“As you know, we lived all across the world, but New York offered us little hunts, so we found ways to feed, and live amongst the people.”  Synaria went into detail how Nira and she had lived in a community mostly populated by women who supported the war effort while their husbands were deployed.  Her voice dipped several times as she explained how she met Helena, a young blonde woman who had married at a young age like most of the woman during the time period.  She had married her high school sweetheart, who had then volunteered for the war effort and left for basic training soon after their wedding.  Childless, she worked long, tireless hours as a waitress to send money back home to Germany to her family.

“I was very fond of her. She had a smile that lit up any room,” her voice lowered.  “We had gotten to know one another and I learned so much about the American lifestyle from her.”

“If all the women were married, how did you explain that you were not?”

“I was creative. I had a fictitious husband also in the war.”  Synaria winked.  “There was no way back then for her to confirm my stories, so it was never questioned.  Besides, by then, we had become very close.”

“Where was Nira during this time?”

“Nira could not go out when the sun was high in the sky back then, so she stayed in, and would go out dancing amongst the humans at night. She ran an illegal gambling room behind a bar.”

Lorna sat upright, blinked back in surprise.  “Nira did what?”

Synaria laughed, “Nira took advantage of the time and lived for a decade, and she was not as worried about hunting then.”

“I would never have guessed.  So what happened to change her?”

“One day, I went to go and see Helena when I found two army suits visiting her. They told her that her husband had been killed while on the battlefield.  I took her inside the house and put her on the bed.”  She shuddered recalling how devastated her friend was.  “I took care of her that night, and on the third night, I held her and wiped away the tears. Then she pulled my face close to hers, stood up on her toes, and kissed my lips softly.”

A pinch of jealousy filled Lorna, and she rolled her eyes.  “What did you do?”

“I was taken aback, but it felt good, I was lonely, so instead of pulling away, I kissed her back.”  Synaria, closed her eyes, she was not willing to share more of the intimate moment.  She would then have to admit she had fallen in love with Helena.  The memory was still fresh.

One day, when Synaria returned from the store, Helena was gone. A note, addressed to Synaria, was all that was left.

‘Synaria, our time together will forever be burned in my mind.  I will relish the tender moments we shared.  Please do not look for me.  Yours eternally, Helena.’

The memory tugged at her heart and she looked away from Lorna’s questionings eyes.  “As I said, circumstances change everyone.”

“I get it. You had feelings for this woman, and you don’t want to discuss it.  Say no more, but what changed Nira?”

Inhaling a deep breath, Synaria leaned back into Lorna.  “Nira’s experience was much more damaging than mine.  Nira had taken in a family who had fallen onto hard times.  She watched the children grow, marry, have children of their own, and as all humans do, they died.  After so long, it took its toll on her heart, hardening it, until she distanced herself from all humans.”

“Then why does she hate me?”

“She does not hate you Lorna, I believe, she resents the fact that you had not suffered as she had done, to earn the right to become human again.”

“No, Synaria, I suffered many more years than she, and had seen more death and loss than she.”

“One day she will understand.”  Looking at the clock on the wall, she sighed.  “She should return shortly.”

XIII

Hope in the Darkness

The gray sky restlessly grumbled as thick blackened clouds were dragged down by the heavy rain.  The sound of the emptiness was disrupted by a loud, expressive boom of thunder.  Cold icy rain pierced Nira’s pale skin as she crossed the slippery path, her posture weakened by the weight of her soaked clothes.  The quality of darkness shifted in the sky as lightning streaked across, lighting her way.  Not far ahead, the familiar scent of a vampire lingered.  At first, she thought she was imagining it because she had destroyed all of Azareth’s clan.

Yet, just ahead, stalking in the night, she could hear their clamoring.  Darting from behind tall trees, she stalked closer, until the dark forms of two male vamps came into view.  Lifting the sword with both her hands, she charged forward. She flipped them in the air, and one by one the beheaded bodies fell to the ground.  The day of the final battle had killed the clan, but somehow, another one had been made.  It did not make sense to her. Once she killed Azareth, all that he turned had vanished along with him, and those turned by others had been killed in the blast.

Lifting her head, she caught the scent of another, yet this one was faint, not like those she killed.  Stepping forward slowly, an abandoned house came into view.  All the windows were boarded and it looked as if it had not been inhabited for some years.

~~~~~

Inside the silent house, Rhonda and Amanda lay silent in the unfurnished room. They could hear the powerful winds of the storm blowing.  A flash of light followed by the sound of crackling thunder, then the tree outside exploded in flames – the fury of the gods unleashed, Rhonda was sure of it.  She was being punished, and the gods were angry.  She shook with fear, imagining the horrors this punishment would bring.

In the dark, she could sense the clan was close.  The beast that hunted her would soon be upon her, and would kill the child, or worse, force her to take the girl’s life.  Rhonda would rather die at the hand of the warrior of the gods, than be forced to kill an innocent.  The day she was stolen and forced to live in the tunnels, her life had changed, but she refused to become a monster.  Now she was in charge of the safety of a young child.

In the darkened room, her eyes darted from the windows, to the nails that held the boards in place – only small cracks were left, barely enough to see through.  Even though she and the young girl were secure in the confines, she did not feel as if they were safe, a quite unnatural feeling warned her that danger was approaching.  She was sure Tiffany had learned of her disappearance, and was out searching for her.  It would not take long. She felt their connection.

Scared and hallucinating, she lifted her hand to her forehead, beads of sweat soaking into the napkin she held.  The beat of her heart was still racing, as she looked across the room. In each corner, the mysterious woman mocked her, a menacing smirk.  Eyes the color of the night sky called her forward, pulling her, teasing her with promises of something more.

The repulsion that she had experienced, had vanished and her mind was temporarily clear.

Rhonda’s face, arms, and legs glistened with perspiration in the shadowy light that only came from a few holes in the boarded up windows.  Her thoughts swarmed, and she felt like she was about to vomit, but she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to focus.  A panic attack was coming on, and she knew that if she did not calm herself down in time, she would succumb and pass out.  Hands shaking, body trembling, Rhonda struggled to breathe.  She was out of Tiffany’s watchful eyes, but she could still see her, in her mind, piercing her brain, causing her body to physically hurt.

The red eyes, they had fire in them, fire that would consume the earth and crush everything in its path.  She felt it still within her, lingering in her thoughts. She feared them, and the way they forced her mind to do awful things.

“Rhonda!” a voice called, but she didn’t know whether or not it was the evil eyes or something else.  She sat up straight and the vision of Tiffany faded. Hissing a moan of relief; she looked around and saw innocent eyes staring down at her.  Bleakly looking up to the little girl that stood before her, the blue eyes dull from exhaustion and hunger, just like her own, but frowning with a look of worry.  She understood the fear, they were the hunted, there was nowhere to run until daylight, and they were both on the brink of starvation.

Rhonda held her hands out and Amanda rushed into them, wrapping her hands around Rhonda’s neck and squeezing tightly.  Rhonda felt the wet tears fall onto her skin, and hugged Amanda back.  “You’re safe with me.  I won’t let anyone harm you.”  The reassurance in her voice eased the tense muscles in the young girl’s shoulders.

“I want my mommy,” she cried.

“I know little one.”  She could not tell her the ugly truth, that her mother was either dead or undead by now.  Their eyes met, and each held the other’s gaze.  Rhonda took Amanda’s hand, and looked upon it. With the tip of her finger, she etched out the lines on her palm, traced them from start to finish – a frown creeping upon her brow.

“Amanda,” Rhonda suddenly said, shoving her hand back to her and sealing her eyes closed.  Her eyelids were quivering, as if she was holding in tears, and her teeth penetrating her lip making dark red blood appear.  “Do you have other family?”

“My nana, but I don’t know where she lives.”

Rhonda noticed that the young girl winced before putting her head down, allowing her hair fall in her face to cover the pain her eyes.  “I want my Mama,” she sobbed, through the flow of tears.

Rhonda just held her close, and when silence filled the room once more, she cupped Amanda’s chin.

“I know what you saw, that it wasn’t very pleasant,” she said meekly, her face expressionless as she stared into the tear stained eyes.  “I…I can’t fully explain to you what happened to your mom.”  She hesitated, inhaling a deep breath.  “Your mom is gone little one.  It’s just you and me now.”

“Did that awful man in that room kill my mommy?”

Nodding her head, she hesitated, and let out the breath she had been holding in.  She knew Amanda would ask her that.  “We can’t think about that right now, as soon as it’s safe, we need to go find your nana.”

“My nana was with Mommy and me.  The bad man took her, too.”

Closing her eyes, Rhonda shook her head.  “Do you have any other family?”

Amanda lowered her head, shaking it.  “No,” she said finally.

That was not what Rhonda wanted to hear.  There had to be someone. She was in no shape to take care of the girl.  She had not turned into a killer yet but Joseph said it could happen at any time.  For now, the girl was safe. Rhonda was still human – at least she thought she was.  The only craving she felt was for food and sleep, but when she did change, she was not sure she could stop herself from harming the child.

She looked to the girl, giving a brave attempt to appear strong and in control in an attempt to bolster the child’s confidence and courage.  It was all in vain.  The girl soon pulled away and curled into a ball by the fireplace, crying.

Rhonda wished she had the strength to protect her, keep her safe during the night, save her from the terrible fiends that hunted them. Her faith was all she had.  Around her neck, she clasped her small necklace and prayed.  Bargaining for the life of the girl she once was, to be spared for whatever faults she had, forgiveness for what she might have done.  She prayed to all of the gods, the saints, and to whomever would forgive her for sins of the past.

Since their escape was weeks past, she felt uneasy, and sleep would not come. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw the white fangs glistening in the dim light.  They were like daggers, made for ripping prey to shreds.  The eyes that taunted her were worse as they glowed red in the dark.  They resembled the eyes of a woman whose mind had descended into madness long ago.  A shiver ran down her spine.  Tiffany would soon find her, and their fate would be worse than death.

A dark thought struck her mind.  She looked at the girl with sorrow as she herself sank deeper into despair.  It would be merciful to end both their lives now.  At least it would be an act of love and not the instinctive mauling of a crazed monster.  It would be quick and painless, at least for the blonde haired girl.  She would never have to suffer the burning rays of the morning sun.

Just then, a crash louder than the crackling thunder and splashing rain outside sounded through the house as the wood and nails ripped from the window pane.  Jumping to her feet, she screamed.  “Amanda…get behind me!”

On hands and knees, the girl scurried across the floor and wrapped her arms around Rhonda’s legs.  They were out of time. The hunter had found them.

A dark silhouette stood in the door.  Rhonda flashed her fangs.  “You may kill me, but you will never harm this innocent child.  I did not ask for this, I did not want to be a monster, and I will kill you before you lay one hand upon her.”

The floor creaked, one, two, three, four, steps later, the dark figure came into focus.  It was not Tiffany. A strange woman stood a few feet from her, eyes peering deeply into her own.  Rhonda eyed the blade of the sword in her hands.  It was then she knew who the woman was, it was the warrior, the one Joseph warned her about.  There was hope after all.  “The girl was innocent; she had not been touched by the monster that fed on her mother.  I don’t care what you do to me, but please get her to safety.”

Lines creased Nira’s forehead as she looked to the girl, then back to the new vampire.  “Come here, little girl.”  She held out her hand. Instead, the girl rounded Rhonda’s legs.

“Don’t let her hurt me, Rhonda.”  Tears streamed down Amanda’s face as she clawed to get into her savior’s arms.

“Amanda, she’s one of the good guys, she will take you back to your family.”

Small eyes searched Nira’s.  “I want my mommy and daddy.”

“How long ago were you turned?”

“It’s been months, I think.”

“Have you fed?”

Wide eyed, Rhonda shook her head.  “No, never!  I am not a monster!”

Silence filled the space between them.  Nira was not sure what to do.  The woman stood just two feet from her, it would be so easy for her to take her head, yet she paused.  The new vampire was no different from her, when she was first turned.  There was still hope for her.  “I am Nira, come with me, if you both want to live.”

Hesitantly, Rhonda inched closer as Amanda latched her arms around her neck.  Keeping the pace, she followed Nira out the door and stepped into the rain.  Only a few yards from the door, she turned back to the shelter of the house, her mouth curved into a smile. Her prayers had been answered.

Nira moved quickly along the rocky surface, only looking back to make sure the woman and child were keeping pace.  The two-mile walk ended once the car came into view.  Nira was not sure what to do with the child, but the woman could be useful.

The ride back to the resort was quiet. From time to time, Nira would look at the woman who was leaning back in the seat, her eyes closed.  The young child laid in a fetal position, thumb in her mouth, still whimpering occasionally from the back seat.

This was a bad idea, Nira’s mind warned, but she could not turn back now.  It was obvious the vampires she had killed were hunting the two of them.

Nira called ahead to warn Synaria she would not be returning alone.  When she explained what she had found, Synaria did not reply, instead, her breathing became heavy and ragged.  “I will have Lorna draw a bath for the girl and a meal prepared.”

As soon as Nira entered, she was greeted by Lorna who was wearing a see-through sleeveless chiffon blouse, belted at her waist with a gold chain.  A diadem held her long red hair back, although strands of it had come loose and it curled around her face.

“Hello, Nira,” she said, her voice cool.

Nira nodded.  “Lorna.”

“It’s been too long, I hope while you are here, we can catch up.”

“There is work to be done. This is not a pleasure trip.”  Nira moved past her toward Synaria who was seated at a table sipping a beverage.  Just as she reached the table, she said.  “The car is in the back. I thought since they both needed to cleaned up, you wouldn’t want them to be seen by guests.  Please make sure the girl eats and has a bath.”

Lorna stepped forward, ready to retaliate and give Nira a piece of her mind.  There was no way she was going to allow her to come into her home and treat her like a mere servant. Before she could say anything, Synaria shot her a warning glance.

XIV

The Reveal

It had only been a day since Nira left, yet Stephanie was overwhelmed with a feeling of nostalgia as she paced the hallway.  Stephanie knew it was from the conversation she’d had with Tamera earlier that day. The curious child asked how she was born if she did not come from her Mama’s tummy.  Her young daughter’s mind was much too fragile to understand the complicated procedure of magical insemination.

Down the hall from her room, a solid oak door remained closed.  Nikki’s room was closed off after her death, and Stephanie had not had the heart to go back inside.  Stephanie placed her hand on the hard surface, breathing in the grief of the friend she had lost.  Feeling tears threatening, Stephanie opened the door and walked through the room. She picked up a black sweater draped over the back of the chair.  Years of dust had coated the fabric, but when she brought it up to her face, she could still smell her friend.  Sitting in the chair, Stephanie looked out the window and let the tears roll down her cheeks as she clutched the garment to her chest.  With the passing time, she had thought all of her tears for her friend had been shed, but she was wrong.  There were still so many missed memories flooding back.  She was so grateful for the sacrifices Nikki had made, and the miracle of new life created from the selfless act.

Eyes drifted to the desk, to a lone photograph encased in a frame.  Even though her vision was blurry, she knew who the two people in the photo were.  Fresh sorrow ripped through Stephanie.  The photo was taken a few weeks before Nikki had given birth to Tamera.

Picking up the frame, Stephanie gazed at her best friend’s bright green eyes. Even after all the passing years, Stephanie had never met anyone with eyes so enchanting.  Clutching the photo, Stephanie sat looking at herself in the mirror.  Her brown eyes were now red, her cheeks moist, and she wondered how she was going to be able to move past the pain she was feeling.

Maybe it was a mistake entering the room. Angry with herself for allowing Nikki to take the risk of carrying Tamera, she hit the top of the desk.  The mirror wobbled, and she heard something fall to the floor.  She leaned back, and on the floor was a notebook along with a piece of paper folded in thirds.  Picking them both up she set them on the desk, and her hands started to shake when she recognized the design of Nikki’s pendant, edged on the cover of the notebook. From the silver shading of the design, for a moment, the links of the chain looked as if they were alive, snaking and curling around one another.

Turning her attention to the folded paper, she played with the edges, opening it slowly.  She gasped as she read the first few lines.  It was a letter addressed to her from Nikki.

My dearest Stephanie,

I know when you find this note, I will have crossed over, joining my ancestors in the afterlife.  I look forward to seeing my mother once again, and just know, I am not scared.  Do not grieve for my death, but celebrate the many years we shared together.  You were the sister I never had, Stephanie, my best friend, my confidant, and my savior.  When I was just a child, and you looked as you do now, I recalled thinking you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and wanted so badly to be like you.  As I aged, I could feel things within me change, and I did not understand.  It was you who helped me grow into the woman I became.  We shared everything, and there was nothing you did not know about me, with one exception.  In my blood, a secret had never crossed my lips, a solemn promise I had been entrusted by my mother to never share.  It is time, my friend, that I give to you the same knowledge that I have been burdened to carry.

The awakening will be upon us.  With my death, the power of mankind will be in your hands to finish what I started.  In my blood flows that of my father, Morpheus, god of dreams.  My father, who made me, did so to help fulfill the prophecy.  It had been foretold that I was the chosen one to help bring mankind’s savior into the world.  The child that moves within my womb, the most powerful of the Marai, and your daughter, is the chosen one.

My blood, that also soars through her veins, will make her the most powerful of all beings on the planet.  Nurture her, and harness all that has been bequeathed.  Allow those of the mystical creatures to help in this journey.

I know this comes to you as a surprise, my sister.  But it is time. As my body becomes frail, and the child grows within me, dreams of what is to come invade my nights.  My time on this earth is almost coming to an end, but my legacy will always live on.  You cannot stop what is about to come Stephanie, but with Nira and the child’s help, you can stop it from destroying all that is good.  You will become her teacher, show her the way, and upon the child’s sixth birthday do not fear, she will come face-to-face with a dark and powerful force, but with your help, she can conquer the evil.  Tell her this, and have her recite it each day until then,

As night turns into day, evil has no place.  Bring only goodness from your wrath, sending all back into the past.  All the pain you have enforced will be felt within you now and forever more.

The note sent a shiver throughout Stephanie’s body.  She could remember Nikki talking about her father, but it never made sense, and when she was taken away, it was never mentioned again once she returned.  Nikki spent most of her time making up stories about fairies, elves, unicorns, and the awakening of an evil queen.  Then when her mother died, the fairy tales were never mentioned again.  Stephanie just thought it was a young girl’s imagination, but now, it seemed as if that was her way to tell of what was to come.

Stephanie’s fingers traced the crest on the battered cover of the notebook, curiously she opened it.  Tears stung her eyes as she gazed on Nikki’s handwriting.  It was the book of dreams, of what was to come.

A sudden chill in the air grew, causing the windows and mirror to fog.  “Who’s there?” her voice trembled.

There was no sound as a figure stepped from a bluish pastel mist.  “Do not fear,” the angelic voice spoke softly.

Tumbling from the chair to her knees, Stephanie hesitantly lifted her eyes. Green eyes looked down upon her.  “Nikki, is that you?”

“It is what you remember of me, my sister.”

“Oh, Nikki, I miss you so much.”

“I’ve always been here.”  The translucent figure moved closer placing her hand on Stephanie’s heart.

“If I would have known, I... I—”

“Shh, let your heart ease. I knew the risk upon carrying the child.  This was my destiny, the reason for my being.”

“Tell me then, what is to come?”  Pulling herself up to her feet, Stephanie stood inches from Nikki.  “Why is Tamera the one who has to face the evil?  She’s just a baby.”

“Her body may be young, my sister, but her soul is old, and she holds all the powers of the Marai.  Fear not for her, she will stand strong against the dark one when the day comes.”

“But, your letter said when she turns six.  That is only a month away.  She’s not ready!” her voice cracked.

“Remember what I wrote, I have already told you more than I should have.  Be well, my sister, fear not.”  She stepped back and disappeared.

“Nikki,” Stephanie called out.  “Don’t go!”

She blinked several times, her head spinning.  In all her years, she had never been afraid of anything to come, but the thought of Tamera standing against a powerful dark power, made her want to pack her up and run.

The rest of the evening, Stephanie could not shake the feeling of doom.  As powerful as her daughter has become, and as much training as Nira has given her, it would take experience and skill to go up against something old and powerful.  The thought of taking her powers started to look like the smart thing to do, yet from what Nikki had said, it was Tamera who would be the one who could defeat the evil.

Turning from her reflection in the mirror, Stephanie pulled the book into her hands, opened it up, and read.  Each page was filled with visions of things that have already passed.  She gasped as she read how Nikki had seen where Tamera would have the power to raise the waters.  It was described exactly as it happened.  She paused as the words on the page discussed how she and Nira feared the powers.  Everything that Nikki had written had happened.  She was only a third through the book by the time she came to things were still to come.  Closing her eyes, fear filled her.

Will it change what is to come to pass if I read it?  Snapping the book closed, Stephanie sat the book down and stepped away, she must have paced back and forth for hours, looking down at the leather bound book with each pass.

Giving in, she caressed her fingers along the top of the book and picked it up.  Tucking it under her arm, she spun around, looked from one end of the room to the other, and then did an about face and left the room, closing the door with a loud thump behind her.

It was not long before she was sitting erect in the hot tub, a glass of wine on the edge, and the book in her hands.  With the turn of each page, each word, her fingers slowly caressed the paper. Before her, a silent movie seemed to play.  Stephanie thought, as long as she did not read the book, she would not be chancing fate.  She watched, saw the figure, saw it transforming.  The face of what looked like a woman would not come into focus, yet she saw the rage in the eyes.

She saw, in the woman’s hand, a series of stones, each a different color. Once they touched, they melted into a rainbow of colors, and the figure of the woman changed.  One moment, she became translucent, then turned into fire, soon after, water washed over her and she took on the form of a snake, then a lion until she stood as tall as a dragon, but still had the characteristics of each of the transformations.  She was not human, nor animal, nor fire, nor water, instead, she was a combination of all as she floated on an earth that could not hold her.

Stephanie gasped and closed the book, suddenly feeling sick, she set it down and had to take slow breaths.  Whoever they were dealing with, was like nothing she had ever seen.  She needed answers and there was only one place to get them.

With a towel wrapped around her waist, Stephanie stepped quickly down the hall, pulled the lever on the wall, and went into the hidden library, closing and locking the door behind her.  On the table the elixir still rested, but the bluish color it once had, had now turned yellow.  Taking her eyes off the glass, she sat in the circle and lit each candle.

In a stern voice she called out. “Spirits who lived yesterday, I call from my mind to yours, come back from the shadows into the light and show yourselves here.  Spirit, I have kept close to my heart come forth…so mote it be.”

When she opened her eyes, the candle flickered, guiding the spirits to her.  To her right a silver mist evolved getting larger as it came closer.

“My daughter, you have called me forth in haste.” The voice came from the fog, but she did not show herself.  “You worry for not, have faith in the child.  When the battle comes, the evil cannot distinguish the pure light that comes from the eyes of innocence.”

“Please, Mother, come forth.”

Just then, her mother’s slender figure, dressed in a white gown, with eyes the same color as the daylight sky, stepped forth.  A smile stretched across her lips.

“My daughter, you are as beautiful as the last time I laid eyes upon you.  Why do you look so concerned? You need to have faith in the power of the Marai. We are strong, and our power is within you and in Tamera.”

“She is still too young, Mother, even though she has the power, she does not have the experience to fight such an evil.”

“Have faith in her abilities.  Her youth is what will defeat the dark one.”

“I have faith, Mother, but I have been thinking about taking her powers within me.”

“My daughter, do not act out of fear. Your haste and worry will be the end of you and all you have worked so hard for.  My granddaughter can and will defeat the dark woman.  If you try to change destiny, there will be consequences.”

Afraid to ask what would happen if she did interfere, Stephanie lowered her head.  She learned a long time ago that no matter what she did, she could not change what was meant to be.  When she looked up the glass that was on the table was now in her mother’s hand as she stepped back into the mist.

“Do nothing to change fate, my daughter. It has already been written.” Her voice faded as she disappeared.

For the first time, Stephanie felt like a young child being scolded by her mother, and as much as she did not want to accept it, it was true.

XV

The Hidden Truth Revealed

In the silence of the room, Rhonda prayed for death.  The safety of the silence she had dreaded for so long was now her heart’s sole desire.  She was safe for now, and she knew she should be grateful, but fear still resided within each nerve ending.  Her body rocked back and forth as she sat in the chair by the window.  Watery eyes remained fixed on the swaying palm tree just outside – the erratic waves of the leaves, the clanging of the chimes cut through the whispers of the wind.  She was safe, but there was a desperate voice that pounded in her eardrums – sending waves of pain into the recesses of her brain.

Beyond the door, Nira, the warrior of the gods, her savior, was deciding her fate.  So many questions ran throughout her mind as she watched a pair of seagulls’ soar in playful banter along the shore.  Would they allow her to live, or destroy her as they planned on doing to the one with the red eyes?  As much as she tried to push the fear from her mind, she could feel it.  The end is near, no matter what fate has in store for me, she thought.  It would not be much longer.

She started to regret what she had set into motion, but she’d made the right decision to get Amanda to safety.  No matter what was being decided, Amanda would be safe to live out her life.

A tap at the door jarred her from her thoughts.  “Yes,” she called out in a small voice.

“May I enter?”  Nira’s voice came from the other side of the door.

Rhonda stepped to the door, eying the handle fearfully. Her heart thundered in her ears.

“Please, come in,” she whispered, and stepped back, prepared for what was next to come.

Emerald eyes connected with hers. They were warm and gentle.  “Can we talk?”

“Yes, please, come inside.”  Waving her hand in the air, she directed Nira to sit.

Shaking her head, Nira walked past her and stood by the window, looking out.  “It’s beautiful here,” she said finally. She stepped sideways, and pointed to the chair next to her.

Once seated, Rhonda arched her brow, anticipating what was to come next.

“Tell me,” Nira broke the silence.

“What do you want to know?”

“Who was the one who took you?”

With a slight nod of her head Rhonda shifted in her seat.  “I was on my way home from work, and I was knocked out, when I woke up, my wrists were shackled to the ceiling of a railroad shaft.”

Nira took mental note of the little details.  “Who took you?”

Rhonda worked her memory. She had only referred to her as red eyes, but once she’d overheard Joseph call her by a name.  “Give me a minute. I can’t remember.”

“Start from when you woke-up, it will come to you.”

Each detail, from the time she was carried down the dark tunnel and forced to have sex with the woman, until just before she felt fangs puncture her skin painted a picture. Rhonda paused.  Her eyes lit up as she looked to the lamp next to the bed.  “Tiffany.Tiffany is her name.”

Screeches from the past began thundering in Nira’s head, words she had pushed to the recess of her mind now screamed at her.  I will get you back Nira, and I will kill the witch.

Stepping to the side, Nira paced back and forth, fingers moving through her dark blonde hair.  “Tell me where she is.”  Her green eyes flashed anger.

“I haven’t seen her in weeks, maybe a month.”

“Since you escaped?”

“No. She just left and never came back.”

“Where are the tunnels you resided in with her?”

“I don’t know the name of the streets, but I can show you.  It would have to be during the day, because she created a large number of monsters.”

“You’d better not be leading me into a trap.”

“I promise.  I’m telling you all that I know.”

she looked down to the shaken woman.  “We leave at daylight.  I will have a cloak brought to you to protect you from the sun.”

Before Rhonda could react, Nira sped from the room.

~~~~~

That night, Nira spent hours walking the span of the estate, studying the terrain, assessing the wind currents, and weighing the seemingly infinite possibilities the large land offered.  After thorough consideration, it seemed likely the battle would take place back on US soil.  Stephanie’s visions proved to be right. She said the darkness was nearing the land, and as far as Nira knew, Tiffany was already there.

“Are you making plans without me, warrior?”  Synaria’s familiar voice came from the darkness.

“This is not your battle, Synaria.  I created this situation, and I will end it.”

“The half breed told me what she shared with you, and I have to disagree.  I forced her into the dark, to starve and sleep. Her battle will be with me.”

Nira spun around.  “You promised no harm would come to her.”

“No harm did. She forced my hand, and Ares demanded she be controlled.”  With slender fingers, Synaria ran them across Nira’s shoulder.  “She left me no choice, Nira.”

“Then you shall join me at first light. We go to the tunnels of the clan and put an end to the monstrous acts.”

When Nira inched away, Synaria raised her hand and stepped back.  “On my bloodline, believe me, warrior, there was no other way.”

“There is always another way, Synaria. You just did as you always do and took the easy way out.”  Retreating around the corner, the wind currents on the property's north side rushed past Nira, awakening the stirring, haunting air.  A melodic essence cloaked the land and tempered fear.  Yet she feared nothing.

~~~~~

Curtains danced in autumn winds.  Their sheer white form, faint in the gray light, appeared as ghosts amid the shadows of the large room.  The winds commonly approached from the northern seacoast with impetuous turbulence and the cold, salty air entered the room through the large window that sat adjacent on the east wall.  Directly below, Rhonda lay curled in a fetal position, eyes wide open, under the healing shroud of the curtains. She was silently praying, silently watching.  Her hope for deliverance from her infliction was no longer in sight.  Her prayer for healing not heard.  She was free now, Amanda lay asleep, safe in the room next to her. Sshe could easily sit in the window when the sun rose over the horizon and end what the dark path that was in store for her.

Through Rhonda’s fragile sanity, evil schemes worked their way into her mind.  Terrible thoughts and visions invaded most of the waking hours and continued through most night.  The horrors of her experience surfaced from the darkness, the more they appeared, the more she wished for death.

I will never have a normal life again.  If I can’t live with humans, how will I survive? she cried inwardly.

A new gust lifted and stretched the curtains, unfolding a translucent herald above Rhonda.  The curtain’s sheerness and beauty lent a face to the invisible winds.  Her thoughts wandered, and her heart took the rhythm of a marching parade – delivering a loud echo through the most obscure channels of her mind.  Much like the wail of the northern winds that cried a lament in the distance.  Her eyes remained fixed on the curtains as she waited – anticipating death to strike her down.  She willed it and prayed Nira would be her deliverer.  On the threshold of consciousness and deep sleep, Rhonda prayed for mercy.

XVI

Cleaning House

Nira woke Rhonda before dawn. “Rise and shine, it’s time to go.”

The drive into the city at first was confusing, everything and every building looking alike, then she saw a familiar sign just up ahead.  “There, those stairs leading to the underground tracks.  Take the tracks to your right, and it is about a half a mile, I think, into the tunnel, but you will not miss it.  The smell will let you know you are there.”

Looking over her shoulder, to the back seat of the car where Rhonda was covered to protect her from the sun’s rays, Nira nodded.  “Stay covered, the window tint is not thick enough.  We will be back once it’s done.”

As soon as they stepped out and the doors were shut, Rhonda wanted to run out after them, and beg for Joseph’s life, but they had already crossed the street and descended the steps.  “I’m sorry, Joseph,” she cried out, covering her eyes as tears spilled.

~~~~~

In the darkness Nira stalked slowly, Synaria fast on her heels, both listening to the sounds of rustling feet.  When the first figure came into view, Nira thrust her body through the air, and with the swipe of her blade, she sliced the man in half.  His body convulsed in violent contortions and his lips still moved as if he were reciting a lengthy poem, but instead of poetic composition, a high pitched wheezing ensued.

From behind, in the dark, she could hear hundreds of feet hammering against the hard surface, rushing toward them.  Synaria stepped into place, her back against Nira’s, a sword in each of their hands.  They each used the other, so as not to allow their backs to go unguarded.  When Nira swung her sword, taking many heads from the shoulders of the clan, Synaria rushed forward to the ones rushing around her side, taking the heads of those who got close enough.

“I want them taken down… now!”  Nira shouted breaking their connection as she ducked, and dove into the oncoming mob.

None feared her blade, one by one they rushed her, and as they did, she took the head.  It all seemed too easy, as if they wanted to die.  Yet, there were a few who avoided the tip of her blade, and rushed at her from different directions.  To avoid being captured, Nira flung through the air – slicing and cutting limbs as she came down, until all the walking corpses closest to her fell to the ground.

She had never taken on so many at one time and the muscles in her arms trembled.

The last few stepped back, ready to retreat.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Nira snarled, and swung her blade into the air, impaling one to the stone wall. She advanced, pulling hard on the hilt until it released its hold, and then forced it upward, cutting the undead fiend in half.  She stood in a fighting stance, waiting for the next attack, but none came.  The blood on the blade traversed the length of the weapon in thick, lacy red strands, and dripped against her hand.

Listening, she could hear the sound of running feet down the long tunnel.  “This way,” she yelled waving her hand to Synaria.  In the dark, she met the clan, huddled together.  She saw the fear in their faces, and could have taken pity, but they were not worthy.  Their curse needed to end today.  Lunging forward, she had struck down as many as she could reach and then started after the ones who ran, the red stained sword poised for action.  She listened and moved forward, Synaria by her side.  Out of the shadows, the last few figures attacked.  She leaped into the air, striking her targets.

The last body dropped. Nira snarled and looked to Synaria, her heart pounding hard in her chest, adrenalin coursed, pushing her on.  It’s almost done, Nira thought, listening for any other movement.  All the while, the irregular clanking splintered within her mind, as the voice from the past continued to torment her thoughts.

The clanging of the sword had died away.  The shouting of the slaughter was hushed.  Silence lay on the cold ground.  The light from the few scattered lamps shone down upon where the dead lay in a heap.  Nira's motionless hand still gripped the hilt as a last invocation of victory.  She looked down upon the slain creatures that had once been human.  Her weapon rocked gently in her hand, the hilt of her sword gently nudging her hard leather belt.

The new circumstances, which lead up to the battle, wove through the outer reaches of her thoughts.  Synaria will answer for the lack of foresight, Nira mused.  She was tired of cleaning up her mess, yet deep down, she knew that it was originally her own fault.  Nevertheless, placing blame now was not solving anything. She would need to exercise profound tolerance to the sudden onslaught – in spite of a growing desire to remedy the situation.  The fears that were rising from the darkness would need to be handled swiftly and carefully.

Walking back into the light, Nira breathed in the clean air. Her nose had been assaulted by the smell of rotting corpses, and it lingered all around her.  As they reached the car, Synaria was the first to climb in the driver’s seat, she looked over her shoulder, Rhonda was still there, tears staining her cheeks.

“There is nothing left to fear, they are all dead.”

The sobs became louder.  “He was not like them. He was a good man.”

“Who?”  Nira asked closing the door.

“Joseph. He’s the one who took care of me and helped me get away.”

Nira looked to Synaria and shrugged, it would have been so easy to say something snide, but she felt saddened that Rhonda cared so deeply.  “He will not have to live like that anymore, Rhonda, he is now free.”  Her voice was calming, yet she knew it did not make the situation any easier for Rhonda.

By the time they reached the estate, Lorna had already been shopping for clothes to fit Amanda, and had given her a bath.  She was sitting in the large foyer playing with a few Barbie dolls and a Ken doll.  Guests, ranging in all ages, were either sitting and talking or checking out.  When the bright eyes captured Nira’s as she watched them walked in, it only took a few seconds before she ran and jumped into Nira’s arms.

“Nira, can you take me to my family now?”

The way Amanda wrapped her arms around her neck and snuggled into her, Nira’s heart melted.  The child was not much younger than that of her own daughter.  In a soft voice, Nira spoke to her. “When we know it’s safe, you have my word we will locate your family and you will be reunited with them.”

“Okay,” she chimed, kissing Nira on the cheek.

Rhonda shot her a glance, closed her eyes, and shook her head.  Inhaling a frustrated breath, Nira lowered Amanda to her feet.  “Why don’t you go and ask Lorna to take you out to the pond so you can feed the geese.”  She smiled nodding her head to Lorna.

“Come on, little one. I have some fresh pastries in the kitchen.  We can have a picnic.”

Amanda giggled and skipped past Rhonda and Synaria and took Lorna by the hand.  As soon as she was gone, Nira motioned Rhonda to have a seat.  “Care to tell me what you know about her family?”

“They were captured the night I got away.  I asked Amanda about her family, and I don’t think there are any others.”  Rhonda adjusted the sunglasses, the light that was coming in from the window burned her eyes.  “Can we go into a room with no windows, please?”

“Let’s go into the office. I can close the shades and draw the curtains.”  As they followed behind Synaria.  Rhonda had to pull the jacket over her head as they walked down the hall, having forgotten that there was a sunroof along the hall.

For the next few hours, Nira and Synaria pulled everything they could from Rhonda’s memory.  It was the little details Rhonda thought insignificant that were actually the most important details that Nira needed to know.

The one thing that baffled them was why Rhonda had not fully turned, but Nira had learned many years ago to not question what fate had in store.

Rhonda retired early that night. Amanda had fallen asleep watching a show on the television, and Synaria and Lorna were taking a late night swim.  Yet for Nira, the night was anything but relaxing.  The trip back to her birthplace had been long overdue.  With the members of the clan destroyed, she needed to go to the place where she had played as a child.

On foot, she walked along the hillside.  The hills were a patchwork of green made even more so by the shadows of the passing clouds.

She walked with determination. Leaves blanketed the ground with brilliant hues allowing shafts of white to penetrate the canopy once more.  The beginning bitter blast of the pending winter stripped the limbs bare leaving the trees naked.  They were no more than fancy sticks, which offered no protection from anything, including themselves.

The café was just yards ahead, glistened in the first golden rays of the day.  Nira saw the beginning of the winter’s frost clinging, jewel-like to the ‘O’Riley’s’ sign hanging from a chain above the quiet sidewalk.  Her face turned upward at the sight of a flower planter on the other side of the window to the right.  It hung, giving new blooms of sunny yellows and hot pinks through the springtime.  In the quiet, she could hear the heartbeat of the city, quiet, like the ticking of an old grandfather clock.  Though she was in no hurry, she kept walking. The café was not her destination, just a microcosm of happy memories of years past.

Nira recalled the last time she had been in her home country. It had been spring.  She was a new vampire, still learning the ways. Her family had since died, one by one with the passing of time.  The melancholy feeling still resided today.  Yet, the land had changed.  The trees were gone and the land that stretched for miles was no longer barren. In its place stood a small city.

How she missed the early mornings, the breeze that would swell from the ocean, and how the silhouette of the mountains contrasted against the crimson sky and brought new life to the land.  Back then, life was simple. There was no drone of cars, or screech of tires, the only sounds were the seagulls, as the men fished off the water hoping to catch the colony’s meal for the night.

Men and women spoke in person, children played and helped their parents throughout the day.  There were no phones, no emails, and most importantly, neighbors helped one another to build and feed their families.

Things did not always get better as time advances forward.  Nira frowned, looking upon the still quiet streets.  She looked at the hard surface beneath her feet covering the ground that used to support the home where she was born.  How she wished she could turn back the hands of time for just a moment, and kiss the hand of her mother, wrap her arms around her father’s neck, and tell them once more that she loved them

Breathing in the memory, she stepped forward to where a kitten sat, howling and looking for its mother.  Picking it up, she stroked the soft fur and it purred in response.  “There, there little one, I have the perfect little girl who will love you.”  The kitten rubbed its head against Nira’s hand to get her to continue the petting.  She chuckled, and tucked it inside her jacket.

The walk back to the resort was short lived. When the building came into view, the first morning light shone down upon the white pillars.  Nira cocked her head and admired how lovely it actually was.  In her resentment for Lorna, she had not noticed the perfection of the property.  ‘Stephanie would love to come here,’ she mused, and then a crease indented her forehead.  They had been so busy ridding the supernatural creatures from the land, that they had not explored and enjoyed life.

It’s time I take my family on a vacation, she thought. Tamera has not once stepped foot off the property and there is an entire world for her to see.

Stroking the kitten once more, Nira smiled.

XVII

Finding the Fourth Crystal

On the other side of the Atlantic, Tiffany slowly recovered from the vision she’d had earlier that day.  In her mind, she could feel each assault, every slice of the blade as Nira took one by one, her creation’s lives.

She had been in the park, sitting on a bench biding her time for the Chicago Museum of Natural History to open, to retrieve the fourth crystal that was on display there.  She had fallen, clutching at her neck, as it felt as if her head was being ripped from it. On her knees, she screamed. Onlookers ran to her side, trying to help.  She held her hand into the air, warning them to stay away, and then the assault attacked her arms, then her chest.  Within seconds, she was on the ground, and in her mind, she saw the strike of the blade.  Even though it was not actually cutting her, it felt as if it were.

She saw the blonde, the one who locked her away in the cave, then Nira, coming toward her, blade raised, slicing through her limbs.  In that moment, it occurred to her that her children were being destroyed, and she could feel what they felt.

A single woman, ignoring her cries for the crowd to stay away, ran to her side, knelt down, and tried to support her head.  Tiffany looked to her, eyes red as fire, a demonic scream forced its way from the center of her chest, the woman, fell back, and her body convulsed.  Tiffany scampered to her knees, teeth bared. She hissed at the crowd.  She could not control her nature.  She leaped forward and men and women alike jumped back, some gasped, some screamed.

Not backing down, she leaned in, ready to pounce when the doors to the building opened, a single guard moving outside.  Tiffany growled and leapt into the crowd, knocking away whomever was in her way. She warped past the man, into the open door, and smashed the glass that encased the crystal.  Once in her hand, she turned, looked to the few workers who stood there.  She laughed a wicked, almost demonic laugh and warped back out the door she had entered.

Once in the darkened room of her the motel room, Tiffany sat at the edge of the bed, she could still feel each assault to her body.  Yet, they were not all dead, she could still feel life, a life she had made, but she could not see which one.  She knew from the moment she turned Christopher and Joseph, there was a connection, but she had never paid much attention to it.  By the time she had reached a few hundred, she had started to despise the creatures she had made, yet they were still a part of her.  Now they were gone, she felt like a part of her was dead, yet she was relieved, Nira had saved her the time it would take to travel back and finish the job herself.  The thought gave her pause.

I might not have been able to do it, not if I could feel their death.

Shaking away the images, she smiled, it was time to concentrate on her plans to get revenge against Synaria, and she needed to become more inventive, since she her secret was out.  There was no time to delay the inevitable; she now had to act fast, before she was caught.

As the Thursday sun was slinking away and making room for the night, Tiffany arrived back at the penthouse where she had been staying, but the owners had returned, leaving her with no options.  None of that mattered now as she waited for the elevator door to open.  She turned back to quickly scan her footsteps and mused, ‘No matter what, it was a very good day, very good indeed.’  She patted the satchel that held all four crystals.  It would not take long for her to get the others, and soon, she would be the most powerful being on the planet, and not even the gods would be able to stop her.

Scanning her memory, Tiffany replayed the many stories Nira had told her about the town she lived in.  She had never said what state or city, but she was very specific about landmarks.  It was time she used the access that modern technology offered.

In the time she spent teaching Joseph and Christopher, they had introduced her to the new world.  Until the power on Christopher’s tablet died, he had eagerly showed her how to search the World Wide Web, going as far as creating a Facebook account for her.  The picture he took of her was flattering and she enjoyed the connections she had made.  Of course, he was the one who replied to comments for her, and navigated it, but she was sure it would not be hard to figure out.  The only problem was getting her hands on a device.

“Think, where was it he said had computers for anyone to use?”  She huffed when the memory evaded her.  Walking the stretch of road, she saw a sign that read internet café. Peeking her head in, she saw several people sitting around, each with a computer, but there were none empty.

A woman who had eased past her, accidently bumped into Tiffany’s arm.  “I’m sorry,” her voice was distant as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

Tiffany spun her head around, she needed help, and the woman was the first to acknowledge her.  In the sweetest voice she could conjure. “That’s okay, but maybe you can assist me.  I need to find where I can use a computer for free?”

“Sure.”  She pointed to the building down the block.  “The library allows you to use theirs for an hour each day.”

Still holding her smile, Tiffany thanked the girl and pushed past.  She had to learn to fit in with the mortals.  It was a start in the right direction.  When she looked over her shoulder though, the girl who had just been helpful looked better as her evening meal.  Keep your mind on the prize Tiffany.

Behind the privacy screen, Tiffany looked at the blank screen, she had no idea what to do next.  She touched the screen trying to make the picture of the earth open up, but nothing happened.  She slapped her head and cursed as she watched others use the little black ball next to the device with the letters.  She watched closely, and smiled.  It did not take long to figure it out, and was slowly typing the places Nira had mentioned in the search box.  The amount of data that came back overwhelmed her and nothing seemed to pinpoint a city.  Then she remembered Nira mentioning a great man named John F. Kennedy being killed and the impact it had.  Searching his name, there was just as much data that fluttered back, but it all mentioned the same things.  ‘President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas’

The words echoed in her mind.  When she read that there was a large X where he has been killed, Tiffany knew she had the right place.  The only thing she had to do was learn how to get there from any city she was in.  She would need a map of the land.

“I like the city of Chicago. It’s too bad the rest of the crystals and Nira were not here,” Tiffany muttered and continued her search.

It had been an hour and half and the librarian had reminded Tiffany several times that she had gone past the allotted time.  Tiffany had flashed a smile and asked for more time. Reluctantly she’d said okay, but now there were others waiting.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but I need this computer now.”

“That’s fine, I have what I need.”

~~~~~

In the outskirts of Kansas City, Tiffany sat in an empty field, alone.  Other than the night sky and fields of corn and livestock, there was no one else for miles. She eyed the crystals, which were laid out upon the material of the satchel.  For some reason they would not fuse together as they had before.  It did not make sense and then the more she looked the newly gathered rock, she saw in the outer edge, etched in black, the word ‘replica’.  She cursed aloud, causing the birds that perched within the grove to stir and take flight.

Drained, unable to warp any farther from lack of sleep, and nourishment, Tiffany found the nearest establishment.  A single red door stood between her and rest.  She entered the bed and breakfast.

An apple-shaped woman, with a round head, indented dimples and gray eyes eagerly stepped out from behind the counter.  “Can I help you?”

“Do you have a room available?” Tiffany asked, feeling for the paper money in her pocket.

“I do.  Will you be also wanting meals included?”

“No, that will not be necessary.”  Her voice faded as she sized up the woman, planning to make her the evening meal.

In the small room, there was a single bed to the left and a nightstand, lamp, and a clock that illuminated on top.  It was not the most lavish of rooms, but better than the motel she had stayed in while in Chicago.

As the moon inched into the sky, Tiffany waited patiently for the woman to retire into slumber. Tiffany would then feed as she slept, leaving no marks.  It was time to heed caution. She had only harnessed half the strength needed from the crystals.  Without the fourth one, she had no idea how to locate the rest. It was a cruel trick played by the humans, but there was nothing she could do. She risked being exposed the day she’d found the useless rock.

Looking at the reflection of herself in the mirror, she eyed the slender frame. She had remained young, fit, and perfect from the day she turned twenty-five.  Time would always be on her side, but it was also her curse.  The years of loneliness were cruel, but what hurt the most, was the day Nira had walked away from her, throwing her away like yesterday’s trash.  She could not understand why, the way Nira looked at her, held, and made love to her each night, had said more than words.  The only explanation was that the witch had her under a spell, otherwise she would never have left her.  It was time to reclaim what was hers, she was closer now, and once fully regenerated and had built back her strength, she would be on Nira’s doorstep.  Once there, she could check for weaknesses.

Behind the oak door, the innkeeper’s breath steadied, it was what Tiffany had been waiting for.  Night was when people were different, where the animals roamed forests and small and fearful creatures hid in dread.  Tiffany chuckled, she feared nothing, and she was the creature they had to watch out for, because if ever their shadow touched her, the morning light would never find them again.

For a moment, as the blood eased down Tiffany’s throat, she could feel her body getting stronger.  Pulling away, she licked the wounds and watched them heal.  She could have easily drained the woman or either turned her or left her to rot.  Deciding neither would benefit her journey, Tiffany turned away.

She remembered when she was lured into the cavern, the unknown void where she’d lain so long in silence.  The first few days were just a foreshadowing of her future home, once her mind left her frail body.  She’d reclined upon ageless stone, listening to the growing formations.  “I will destroy the tall blonde, and I will take the powers from the witch and Nira will see that it was me she was meant to be with.”

With a wicked laugh, even foreign to her, she stood beneath the full moon, her voice carrying across the land.  “You cannot escape fate, Nira. I have the power of air and land—you cannot deny me what is mine!”

XVIII

Time to Regroup

Precautions were set in place.  The early hours in the day served Nira well, but as dusk approached daylight, things would dramatically change.  She sat on the stoop of the resort looking upon the land.  The recent past had arrived in fragmented form from Rhonda’s memory. In Nira’s head, she could hear the echo of laughter.  She blinked several times in the hopes of seeing a clearer picture of who it was haunting her visions.  The hideous laughter grew louder in her ears, a hard clash against the bellows, as the impending danger elevated to near hysteria.  A sudden horror pierced deep into her heart.  The demonic laughter of the beast held a disturbing quality, which chilled her blood.

Tiffany was either close, or getting stronger, Nira could feel it.  Her wrath was nearing, and she needed to be ready.  Stepping back in the house, she saw that Synaria sat alone at the table. With a heavy thud, she fell into the seat and sighed.

Synaria saw the despair in her eyes.  “Are you sure you want to take the child across the pond, Nira?”  Synaria scanned her eyes across the morning paper, a pastime she’d learned to enjoy to keep up with modern times.

“We can’t leave her unprotected.”

“As you wish. Lorna has the jet reserved to take off at noon, travel documents are waiting for us at the airport for the child and the half-breed.”

“You should stop calling her that. She will be useful to us, and there is a reason she is what she is.”

Ignoring Nira’s outburst, Synaria stood and placed her hands flat on the table.  “Lorna is coming along, and I don’t want to hear anything from you about it.”

The corner of her lip curled up, yet Nira said nothing.  There was no use holding a grudge, and as a person, she still had not decided if she liked Lorna.  “Just keep her out of my way.”

Before Synaria could respond, Amanda skipped in the room singing.  “I got all my stuff in the bag, can I go play with the ducks now?”

Nira nodded. Her heart was still heavy from her morning journey, and her mood sour.  “I’ll gather my things.  Can you have my swords shipped back for me when I go into the city?”

“Lorna has already taken care of that, warrior.”

Twitching her lips, Nira stood, inhaled, and retreated, before she said something that would cause her and Synaria to be at odds once more.

Needing to catch a few hours of sleep, Nira laid her head on the pillow, her mind still swelling with memories.  She closed her eyes, and tried to turn them off, yet the images of her last night as a human evaded her thoughts, the night that changed her life forever.

Her parents had promised her to wed the priest’s son.  She could not stand the sight of him, and begged her parents to let her be, to find a mate of her own suiting.  They said it was her destiny.

As the moon rose high in the midnight sky, Nira peeked out to see if anyone was still awake.  She was restless, and needed to find the voices in the dark that kept calling out for her.  She crept slowly through the forest when she heard chanting.  She tried hard to see it in her mind, but as much as she tried to see what was waiting beyond the light that filtered in through the dense trees overhead, she couldn’t.  Off in the distance, a pale firelight glowed, the sound of burning wood popped, and crackled beneath the sound of bare feet dancing on the ground.

She moved in closer, and saw there were a band of vampires dancing in the crisp air that flowed down from the mountains.  The sky was clear but she was hidden beyond their sight, behind the trees.  She was tempted to run into their lair so they would take her with them.  Turn her, or kill her, or anything that would end her pending marriage in the spring, but before she could step forward, a voice flowing through the air warned her to back away slowly.  She had no idea where it was coming from, but she listened.  It was the same voice she’d heard each night, calling out to her, so she stepped back quietly, trying not to step on twigs.

Once clear and on the beach, she balanced herself upon the wet sand.  In the moonlight she saw a blonde, flawless woman who smelled like exotic flowers.

“Come to me,” the woman called out.

With no will of her own, Nira moved closer, but her feet did not move.  Instead, they glided just inches above the sand.

“You are beautiful,” the woman spoke, her voice soft and wise, seeming almost enthralled.

The way her eyes glowed red with silver specks dancing throughout had Nira mesmerized. She had never seen another like her.

“I want you.”  It was those three words that had Nira’s attention, and had her backing away from the woman.  Nira nervously smiled and felt a chill go down her spine at the tone of her voice.  There was no explanation needed, because Nira already understood.  It was not a human speaking.  It was something else, and she knew, her mortal life was soon going to end.

Before Nira could retreat, she gasped in pain as sharp fangs were buried into her neck, and her body became limp, weak, and almost lifeless, she leaned helplessly in the woman’s arms.  The blonde held on tight, pressing deeper into the flesh, sucking Nira’s lifeblood, and the last thing she remembered before darkness pulled her the rest of the way in, were the soft words whispering in her ear.  “You are mine.”

Nira heard those last words before she died, and then woke into the world of unknown hunger and darkness.

Since then, she had fought by Synaria’s side as a warrior for the gods for more than a thousand years.  Once she fulfilled her promise to rid the clan from the earth, the gods gave in to her request to marry Stephanie, making Stephanie immortal and removing her curse.

Restless, she rolled and watched the hands on the clock illuminate, changing one minute at a time.

“Nira.” A voice sounded on the other side of the door.  Nira sat up and rubbed her eyes looking around.  She had fallen asleep after all, and now she felt more tired than she had before she lay down.  When she looked at the time, it became apparent why Synaria was knocking.  It was almost time to leave for the airport.

“Give me a minute and I will be down.” She yawned and stretched, putting her hands behind her head.  It won’t be much longer before I have to explain to Stephanie why I’m bringing home guests, she thought.

As the plane sped down the strip of the small airport, Rhonda gripped the armrest, her ears popping as the plane climbed.  There was nothing that scared her, nothing she would not try at least once, but as many times as she had allowed the metal bird to take her where she needed to go, the feeling of anxiety never lessened.

Amanda, who was sitting in the seat next to her, pointed to the different shapes the clouds made outside the window, yet Rhonda could not look. Only once had she sat in one of the seats by the window, and she refused to look out.

She was not alone, Nira, who sat with her eyes locked forward, sunk in her seat as the single engine jet circled twice, flying lower as it descended toward the runway that seemed almost unreachable.  From her seat, as much as she hated to look, Nira saw the control tower, made of concrete and glass, two planes, already on the ground, surrounded by service trucks come into view.  As the wheels came in contact with the tarmac, it caused Nira to jerk in her seat.

Amanda, becoming quickly bored of the two-hour flight to London, had fallen fast asleep.  Rhonda touched her arm, shaking it gently.  “Time to get up, princess.”

Bright eyes scanned hers, and then shot to the side to look out the window.  “Are we in Nira’s country yet?”

“Not yet, we have to get on a big plane now that will fly us across the ocean.”  As she heard herself say the statement, it caused her stomach to churn.

Once she set foot in the terminal, Rhonda’s heart rate had accelerated and her mind replayed the stories she had heard about the recent crashes.  Her conscious mind knew it was safer to fly than to drive or cross the road on foot, yet for some reason, anxiety set in.  It took twenty minutes to calm her breathing, before she laughed, as she scolded herself for acting like a frightened child, ‘For someone who had survived the pits of hell, you fear the strangest of things.’

Amanda was attached to the stitching of her slacks. Rhonda heaved the duffel bag over her shoulder, adjusted the scarf on her head to ensure it covered her face, protecting the sensitive skin from the sun’s rays, and stepped next to Nira, whose eyes were captivated by the glowing billboards announcing the arrivals and departures.

“How much longer do we have before we take off again?”

“In an hour,” Nira said over her shoulder.  She could smell the fear radiate from Rhonda.

Watching another plane land from the window behind Nira’s shoulder, Rhonda’s stomach heaved once more.  She moved back, taking Amanda by the hand, sitting her on her lap in the darkest corner.  The cacophony of noises smashed against her eardrums, even the voices of the young and old rang loud and echoed.  Her senses had become heightened, causing her mind to spin.  When the suitcase thudded onto the conveyer belt, she covered her ears with both hands, trying not to scream, Rhonda bit down on her bottom lip.

“Are you okay Rhonda?”

She saw Amanda’s lips moving, but she could no longer hear her.  The only sounds that filled the spaces in her mind were that of airplanes taking off or landing on the tarmac runway, yet her eyes saw the look of anticipation in the faces of those who were leaving on vacation.

‘What is happening to me?  Am I finally starting to turn?’  Rhonda’s mind screamed.

As fast as the banging in her head started, it stopped, and the only sounds she could hear were seasonal music and Amanda, asking her if she was okay.

“Yes,” she replied finally, in a soft voice and pulled the girl into her arms.  “I think this will be a good trip, and we need to get away from here.”

“Rhonda?”  The bright eyes searched hers.  “Will I ever see my family again?”

Hesitating, holding back the tears, Rhonda shook her head.  “I’m afraid not.”

“Did the bad people kill them?”

“Yes, princess, but you have me, Nira, and the others.”  Forming a smile, she continued in a playful tone. “And from what I was told, Nira has a little girl your age that you will get to play with when we get where we are going.”

The innocent beamed and she bounced in Rhonda’s lap, clapping her hands.  Before she continued the series of questions, a loud voice from the speakers above announced the boarding of their plane.

One by one, they piled into the large Boeing 747 jumbo jet, Rhonda’s anxiety dissipated as she stepped over the threshold and smiled stiffly at the flight attendant.

~~~~~

The road leading to the house was dark, the moon hidden behind the clouds and making the path look ominous.  Nira clutched the carrier holding the kitten, sticking her fingers through the holes in the crate, scratching behind its ears.

It purred in response and Nira smiled.  ‘This little lady will be a distraction to soothe Stephanie, when she learns the infliction one of her guests has.”

As soon as the car pulled in the circular driveway, the front door flung open, Tamera shot down the stairs, her dark locks flying in the wind.  “Mama, you’re home.”

Nira barely had a chance to step out of the car before Tamera jumped into her arms.

“Come on, let’s go inside. I have a surprise for you.”

“Yeah? What is it, Mama?”

“Go on in and you will see in a moment.”

Jumping down, Tamera skipped quickly up the steps and ran in the house calling for Stephanie.  “Mama, Mama’s home.”

From the top of the stairs, Stephanie’s voice filtered down.  “I’ll be down in a minute, tell Mama I just got out of the shower.”

“Okay, Mama.”

Nira barely had a chance to cross the threshold, and the kitten started to meow and cry.  Tamera, who was in earshot, ran to the door and screeched.  “A cat, is it ours?  Can I name it?”  The eager girl had not even noticed Amanda, who was standing next to Rhonda, just feet from her.

“Yes, you can, she’s yours.”

Eager fingers took the cat carrier from Nira and ran back into the library.  The kitten was already cradled in her arms when Nira rounded the corner.  “Where’s Mama?”

“She just got out of the shower and will be down in a minute.”  The animated response caused Nira to laugh.

Lorna and Synaria rushed Rhonda and Amanda to the kitchen before Stephanie came down and saw them.  It would give Nira a chance to explain what had happened and why she brought them with her.

The wait was not long. When Stephanie walked into the room, saw the kitten and Nira sitting on the floor she frowned.  “Seriously, a cat, Nira?”

“Yes, I found her and I remembered Tamera begging for one.”

“Hmm, and you could not call and talk to me about it?”

Ignoring the question, Nira looked to Tamera.  “Have you come up with a name?”

“I want to call her Mathilda.  Isn’t it a nice name, Mama?”  She held the calico up for Stephanie to see.

“Yes baby, it’s a beautiful name.”  She shot Nira a glance.  “I hope you brought a litter box, cat food and other things it will need.”

Laughing, Nira cringed.  She had never been one to think of the obvious.

“Great, I will go to the store before it closes.”

“I’ll go, but before I do, I need to tell you something else.”

Lowering her head, brow furrowed, Stephanie tapped her foot.  “There’s more?”

Nira sent Tamera to the kitchen to give the kitten milk and quickly explained all the details of the trip.

“What!  Why on earth would you bring them here?” she shouted.

“Stephanie, lower your voice please.”

“We cannot be the child’s guardians, Nira.”  Stephanie breathed in and looked to the other room where the girl and woman stood – carefully choosing her words.  “I’m sorry if I’m speaking out of line, but do you think it wise, Nira?  I mean, she’s not one of…well, us…I know you trust her, but…what if she turns?”

“If she was meant to turn, she would have already.”

“What are we supposed to tell Tamera?”

Tamera’s ears perked as soon as her name was mentioned and with a sudden burst of energy, she turned and ran next to the couch, and very delicately, cradled Stephanie’s hand.

Stephanie looked at Tamera, flashed her daughter a smile, though rather quick and artificial.  “It’s bed time for you,” Stephanie voice was cool, smooth, and calming.  “Let’s go.”

She patted her on the arm, stopped, and looked to Nira.  “We will finish this conversation in a little while.”  Half smiling, she followed Tamera up the stairs, cursing under her breath.

In the library, Nira listened to the voices that floated down to her.  No matter what Stephanie said or thought, she could not allow Rhonda or the child to be hunted like wild animals.  They were safe with them for now. She just needed to figure out long-term arrangement for the pair.

Recalling Stephanie’s reaction, Nira almost laughed, it was in her throat, but she held it in.  Instead she coughed.  Almost fifteen-hundred-years she feared nothing, but when Stephanie was angry, everyone knew to fall silent.

‘Oh crap!’ she whispered to herself.  ‘She will not let me live this down for centuries to come.’  Listening to the laughter that filtered down, Nira smiled.  ‘My lass is nothing but consistent, and I know, she will come around.’

~~~~~

Dusk hung in the late August sky like a cold, orange quilt fading into the depths of twilight.  This particular night, like many in the past, Stephanie lay on her side - arms wrapped around her front with knees drawn close to her chest - rocking in the cool softness of her bed.  Her eyes strained skyward, fixed on the graceful waves of gray overhead.  Just down the hall, in the spare room, one door down from Tamera’s, Rhonda, the half human and half vampire slept.  It made her nervous.  Nira insisted there was nothing to fear, but for Stephanie, she could not take the chance and risk the lives of her family.  After dinner, unbeknown to Nira, Stephanie had cast a spell upon Tamera’s bedroom door preventing supernatural creatures to enter.  It was a desperate gesture, but she refused to allow her daughter to become prey.

When both girls were tucked in for the night, Stephanie joined Nira in the small office.

“We need to talk,” Stephanie said, her voice unwavering and firm.

“I know we do, but before you start, let me explain my reasoning.”

Stephanie leaned back against the desk, arms tucked into her chest.  “Don’t bother, Lorna already explained the why’s.”

“Then you understand the urgency behind my decision?”

Lowering her head, Stephanie nodded.  As much as she wanted to be angry with Nira, she just could not.  “Yes, but it does not make me feel any better about it.”

“Lass,” she paused, and patted her lap for Stephanie to sit.  To her dismay, Stephanie stood unmoving.  With a heavy sigh, she continued. “Rhonda is our only connection to Tiffany.  We need her to draw her out.”

A loud sound echoed the room when Stephanie threw the stapler across the room.  “That is what I want to talk about.”

Lowering her gaze, Nira exhaled.  “I know this is all my fault, I should have never….”

Interrupting, Stephanie yelled at her “No, you should have not slept with her!  However, I forgave you long ago for your transgression, but now it is back, and our daughter is the one who was chosen to battle.”

Shaking her head, Nira looked up wide-eyed.  “Did you have another vision?”

Closing her eyes, Stephanie shook her head, dark locks of hair falling from the bun at her nape.  “I had a visitor.”

“Who?”  Nira stood.

“Sit. It was nothing like that.  Nikki came to me while I was in her room.”  Nira said nothing as Stephanie went into detail about the encounter.  It did not surprise her as stranger things had happened.  Her concern was not about the prophecy but of Stephanie, and how she had dealt with the visit. And then the guilt that surely followed.

“Lass,” Nira finally spoke.  “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Nira, but I worry.  Tamera is so young, and it concerns me she will not be strong enough to withstand a battle.”

That was also Nira’s fear, which was why she wanted their daughter’s powers bound.  The temptation to suggest it again caught in her throat, but she never found words.  Contemplating what to do, Nira, reached across the desk for the spell book Stephanie had been reading earlier.  “Come first light, I will train Tamera,” Her voice lowered as she held the book out to Stephanie.  “After her afternoon nap, you shall work on her incantations.”

Stephanie dismissed the book and stepped back.  “Come first light, my love, I will work with Tamera.  Her need to harness her abilities are far more important than waving a sword.”  The finality in her voice left no room for discussion.  Nira stood unmoving and silent, and once Stephanie retreated, she returned to her seat.

As the house fell silent, and all were asleep, Nira remained seated in the chair by the window, watching as the leaves from the old elm tree danced.

A noise, familiar in its character, sounded deep within the house, she knew that a human presence had to have caused it.  The sound was neither loud nor extended, but certainly originating from the east side.  She listened. The noise was undeniably some kind of scraping, almost exactly how a wooden chair leg would sound, dragging across the floor.  She was sure no one else was awake, apart from the rodents who were preoccupied with hunting for leftover morsels, and Tamera’s cat Mathilda, who was most likely stalking slowly behind them.

Weary, Nira reached for the black handle of the blade dangling out of her belt loop.

Neurons firing at light speed, she mentally scrolled through all benign and malevolent possibilities that might have caused that sound.  She pivoted and tried to decide her next move.  Nostrils flared and pupils dilated.

“Who's there?” she called, edging around the far side of the kitchen and moving with stealth, closer to the common area between the two rooms.  From her position, she glimpsed the fireplace and mantel, which was set into the corner of the large dining room.  The large framed mirror above the hearth provided a reflective view of the room, and showed no one was hiding up against the wall waiting to pounce.  The room was still cloaked in shadows, as the kitchen coveted most of the light.

Slowly, with precision, she stepped into the library, the arteries on each side of her neck pulsed with anxiety as she flipped the light switch on.

Her eyes furtively danced around the familiar space – nothing or no one was there.  On second scan, when she looked closer, there was something on the edge of the coffee table, two small round circles of milky fluid.

That is when she heard it, the sounds of giggles.  Running up the stairs, glasses in hand, Tamera and Amanda scampered up.  Nira laughed, and lowered the blade.

XIX

Giving In

From her spot in the library, Rhonda listened to Amanda and Tamera play, and at her feet, wrapping its body around Rhonda’s leg, Mathilda purred.  Rhonda smiled, the longhaired feline reminded her of the cat she’d once had.  She recognized the cries, and knelt down.  “Would you like some milk?”  It was not her home, but she was sure the mistresses of the house would not mind the act of kindness.

Mathilda meowed louder, and rubbed along her pant leg.  “Come on then, I’ll get you some.”

Just as Mathilda, the longhaired cat cleared the threshold to the dining area, she stopped dead in her tracks, and hissed like a venomous snake.  Her back arched into a steep pinnacle and she growled at someone or something in that room.  Without warning, Mathilda sprang into the air, claws extended, body twisting, flipping into an epic battle of protection.

Rhonda, who heard the uproar, rushed into the room, her eyes searching, but it was difficult to distinguish what the cat was going after in the animated frenzy.  It lasted only mere seconds before Mathilda turned and fled the area, bolting back through the kitchen and up the wooden stairs.

Rhonda, for the most part, was left dumbfounded after watching the cat’s display.  Yet, as she looked around the exquisite dining room, her mouth hung open.  The walls were covered with a shimmering gold paper and in the middle of the ceiling above the carved oak table was a candelabra.  Down the center of the table was a runner with Celtic designs woven in gold and green into the fabric, and at the entrance of the room were two floor-to-ceiling French doors, left ajar to let in the crisp night air.  The polished silver cutlery was heavy to the hand and shone brightly in the white light.  At each place, stood a tall empty wine glass, and there were beautiful folded napkins to match the runner.  All that was missing was the food and the guests.  She looked at the silverware, and for once was grateful for the etiquette classes she’d been forced to take.

Laughing, she walked to the back of the house and watched on as Stephanie assisted the young girl to cause a solid object to vanish into thin air and materialize again in her hand.  She watched on, her head spinning.  There was so much she did not know. The world of fairy tales she had read as a child, actually existed.

Voices from the other room filtered to her ears.  “We have to find a way for Tiffany to learn we have her here.  That will be the only way to draw her out.”

Rhonda gasped when it occurred that it was she who was being used as the bait.  Each individual bone of her vertebrae instantly froze into a cube of ice.  Sickened, she ran past the entrance to the room, stopping long enough for them to know she heard, then ran up the staircase to her bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her.  In an attempt to keep the others out, she dragged a chair from the vanity and slid the back up under the knob.

She went to the window, which overlooked the brook but her eyes lost focus.  By default, it reflected her image in the glass.  Startled by her own reflection, Rhonda stepped back, giving in to her state of mind.  She stroked the silky dark hair, which was largely still in place despite the recent events downstairs.  Although her brow was furrowed, her eyes remained fixed and dominated by fear.

Closing the long drapes to remove the fear of what stalked beyond the trees, the air trapped in her lungs, escaped in a primal utterance she did not know she was capable of producing.  She crossed the room in an instant, and went to the barricaded door.  Leaning in, she placed her ear to the surface and strained to hear anything out of the ordinary.  Nothing.  Not even the playful banter of the cat.

Rhonda felt trapped, and there was no one to call for help.

Who would believe me anyway?  Her mind laughed at the thought.  If I called the constable, they would lock me away with the rest of the insane. Since the day Rhonda had been captured, tortured, and forced to do unmentionable acts, she had tried to think of it as a mere nightmare.  It was easier that way for her, but now, the truth, the ugly reality was being forced into the forefront of her mind, and she thought she was going insane.

She needed to get away, run, and never look back.  Instantly she tore the chair away and flung open the door.  In six long strides down the hallway, she passed each closed door as she reached the stairway.  All she had to do was run down, and in seconds, she would be out of the house.

At the top of the landing she froze

What would I do after that?  I am in a strange land and I don’t know where to go, she thought.  At the height of terror, at the top of the stairs, she felt a strong push.  For a brief second, she looked down to the door, and again regained her diminished determination.

I’ll figure it out when I get out there.

One, two, three, four strides down, skipping several steps along the way, she tripped, lost her balance, and went crashing forward down the entire flight.  Tumbling and rolling out of control, she spilled onto the floor.  For what seemed like an eternity, she looked up to the tall solid wood door.  She looked at it, and her body trembled.  She could feel the red-eyed woman close as she lay before it.  She did not know what was worse.  Death would be kinder, her mind screamed.

Dazed, her prime objective to get out still resonated within her.  She tried to get up, but the unknown held her in place.  With blurred vision, she wiped away the tears that flowed.  Then she saw a purple mist, unlike anything she had ever seen, form at the bottom of the landing.  She watched with curious eyes, and for some reason, she was not afraid.  The feeling of love radiated from within it.  Rhonda pulled herself into a seated position, wrapping her arms around her legs, pulling them close to her chest.  When a figure stepped out, she scooted back, but the solid door prevented any farther movement.

“Do not fear me,” a woman said. She was dressed in a white silk gown with long flowing hair and eyes the color of the sky.  “You have been given a gift, my child, you are one who can walk amongst the dead and the living, your heart still pure and un-tampered.  Do not let the unknown guide your fear—there is nothing here to be frightened of.”

The woman stepped closer, holding out her hand.  Rhonda hesitantly took it.  Within the grasp, her mind opened and she saw a beautiful land, with no pain and images of those who had died smiling and waving.  “Those who have left you behind, they have never gone far.  Each paved the way, protecting you.  Have faith in that, and one day, many years from now, when your time comes to leave this world, it will be those who you love, that will greet you.”

The vision ended as the woman let her hand fall to her side, before Rhonda could say anything, the woman stepped back into the mist and she was gone.  Clearing her thoughts, Rhonda looked on the opposite wall, behind the clock face. Both hands were almost together on the twelve.  She attempted to get up, but her legs would not support her.  On the floor, legs parted, palms of her hands supporting her chin, she sat confused, trying to comprehend the phenomenon.

Several moments later, she painfully dragged herself up from the floor and collapsed against the wall.  The ordeal had been overwhelming, but for the first time in months, she was filled with hope.  There was more to the life she was forced to live. And even though she was trapped in a foreign land, away from all she knew, the uneasy feeling that had occupied her stomach had vanished.

Needing the cool air, Rhonda turned the door handle, stopping long enough to look over her shoulder to make sure she was alone.

Outside, the only light was from the sun fading fast behind the clouds. Rhonda walked the perimeter of the property for some time. It was getting harder to see, yet she did not care.  For the first time in months she felt free and she could breathe easily.  The farther she walked down the long trail along the creek, she saw the highest points of the gothic exterior of the house.  The tall arched windows flanked the north and south were already cloaked completely in darkness.  Only a few feeble rays from the stars managed to penetrate the large panels of trees that formed the crowning entrance of the property.  Above, diminished light filtered weakly through the higher clerestory glazing, casting an eerie shadow out across the land.

Rhonda watched bats playfully swarm down upon the water off in the distance, then swoop back up. She laughed when she saw them clearly as the moon slowly ascended through the parting curtains, its soft, ivory light shimmering across the dark waters of the creek.  She felt safe, even though she could sense the hidden dangers in the darkness.

Something deep within her, a sense of knowing everything would be okay, coursed through her veins. She had accepted her fate.  Her mortality was at stake, but she didn’t fear it, as she once had.  There were worse things than death— she could still be under the control of the one with red eyes.

The night quickly passed as she walked, it was not until an orange hew illuminated from the east, that she realized how time had evaded her consciousness.  Needing to get to the safety of the house before the sun started its climb, Rhonda yet paused, as the wind picked up, blowing cool air on her face, as she looked over the water.  The fear that found home in her heart had dissipated and been replaced with courage so foreign to her, she had no idea where it came from.  Smiling, she turned quickly, scanned the surrounding area, and sped as quickly as her legs would take her back to the house.  It was time to fight alongside Nira and Synaria. If it took her last breath, she would eagerly give it, to see Tiffany destroyed.

XX

Saying Goodbye

Falling to the ground, hunching his body, Joseph clutched at his head. He could feel his maker calling to him.  Resisting, he knew a plan needed to be made and, as his mind searched for answers, it settled into his spirit like a lone seed waiting for nurture.  Soon, details emerged and matured.  Initially, the idea to kill Tiffany controlled his every thought until it formed from revenge into amusement.  When he first considered it, he never seriously imagined carrying through with it, though he had often marveled at the plan’s true wickedness.

The maker had taken everything from him. he’d lost his family, never to watch his daughter mature into a woman. He watched from a distance as his wife paced back and forth each night wondering what had happened to her husband.  If she only knew. The only reason he kept his distance was— how could she wrap her mind around what had happened to him?  He was no longer human; he was a slave to the night.

The thought of killing her, the one who made him into a hideous creature, plagued his every thought.  Before he could move forward, there were still a few things he had to do.  Stepping out into the night air, Joseph listened to the sleeping houses around him.  The nightly dew greeted him, he breathed it in and looked up to the window to his daughter’s room.  He had been living like a mole beneath his house since the night Rhonda had escaped.  He could no longer live with the creatures of the tunnel.  The screams of the nightly kills were driving him toward insanity.  It had not occurred to him that before Rhonda had fled to safety, she had been his only saving grace, his only link to humanity.

It’s time. He stepped farther into the yard where the evening sky cast a magical silver mixed with gray, as a light, cold rain fell.  Silently, he entered the home he shared with his family and stood outside his daughter’s door watching her sleep.  A smile stretched across his lips, and he whispered silently. “I will always love you.”

Moving down the hall, he stood just above his wife, Cindy. She began to wake as small droplets of water dripped from his wet hair onto her face.  He knelt to lean in close to her head.

“Don’t try to speak,” Joseph whispered.  He paused for a moment.  “I had to come and tell you goodbye.”

“My God, Joseph, where have you been?  I’ve been sick with worry.”

“Shh, please let me continue.  It’s important for you to know that this has been difficult for me.  I am no longer the man you once knew.”  Joseph looked at the ring on her finger.

“I don’t understand.”  Cindy tried to sit up, but Joseph held her in place.

“I’m sorry,” he said.  “Please forgive me, Cindy, this was not my choice.”  He became quiet as if waiting for a response.

Cindy looked up confused, and lifted her hand up and caressed his face.  Inching back, he moved her hand away, and lifted his index finger to his lips and exposed one fang. “I am not who I once used to be. What we had, we can't have that anymore.”  His gaze pierced Cindy’s bewildered eyes.

Her lips started moving, but only a slight whimper could be heard.  He reached to gently wipe the tears from her face.  “Shh, I just came to say goodbye, my love.”  Joseph smiled as he leaned in to kiss his wife’s forehead, and as quick as he had appeared, he was gone.

Cindy shot up out of the bed and ran to the half open front door, ran down the stairs into the street and cried for Joseph to come back.

Three blocks down, Joseph turned and listened to her cries.  She will be at peace now’ he thought.  A sudden burst of pain wrenched his heart, causing him to stop and look back.  His breathing became rapid, as his eyes strained.  He’d done the right thing and he knew it. But now it was time to find Tiffany and kill her.

He paused, and listened for the pull of Tiffany’s voice, yet he could not pinpoint where it was coming from.  Throughout the night, he walked, farther to the edge of the island.  It was then he knew he was in the right direction, yet a body of water stood between them.  Dawn would only be a few hours away; it was not the right time to search.  His revenge would have to come another day.

XXI

Opening Their Hearts

Across the room, Nira could hear the children play and laugh and the sound broke her heart.  Tamera had become fond of Amanda, and had asked earlier that day if she could live with them forever and become her sister. Nira said nothing.  There would be no way they could take on the child, and she decided that, before the girls became too attached to one another, she had to ship Amanda back to Ireland. A child advocate would have to decide the next course of action.

Hours of research and several calls ended in frustration, Nira leaned her head back and huffed.  It was just her luck that Amanda had no living relatives.  On the night Rhonda rescued the young child from the tunnels, her parents, as well as her grandmother, had been killed.  There was an easy out. She could take the child back to Ireland, and drop her off at the constable’s office, and they would put her into a foster home where she would eventually be adopted.  She shook her head. That was not going to work either.  On more than one occasion, Stephanie had shared the horror stories of what it was like growing up in foster care.

For a moment, Nira rationalized raising another child. They had the room, and it would be good for Tamera, but one day her daughter would stop aging, and Amanda would not.  She could not put Amanda through more pain than what she had suffered already.

“Is everything okay?”  Stephanie’s voice sounded next to her.

“Define okay, lass.  We have an evil to fight, and the wee one there has no way of protecting herself.”  Nira did not have to explain she was talking about Amanda, Stephanie understood, she had been listening to Nira on the phone.

“My love, we have a large home, and if the battle comes to our doorstep, we can put Amanda in my old hidden room.”

The reassuring smile that radiated from Stephanie should have made Nira feel better, but it did not.  There were other factors to consider.  “What happens when she ages and Tamera has to say goodbye?”

“My love, our daughter will see many people leave this world, just as you and I have.  It will hurt, but it will make her stronger.  She will see how fragile mortals are, and why we fight so hard.”

“You are right.” Nira’s voice was low.

“I can feel the battle within you.”  Looping her hand through Nira’s arm, she whispered to her. “You did not find her by accident, my love, you were drawn to where Amanda was hidden.  It is no different than when you happened across this house.  You did not know then that this was the house I lived in with my parents.  The same house that held the spell books that would banish the warlock.  Fate pushed you then, and it is pushing us now.”

Smiling, Nira kissed Stephanie on the cheek.  “You are right.”  She could still remember like it was yesterday, how she felt the first time that she had seen the house.  The realtor hadn’t wanted to show it to her – he said no one had lived there in many years.  It was too rundown, too old, and most likely haunted.  Nira had already seen it from afar and knew it would work well for what she wanted.  She needed an out of the way home, away from the city, but close enough to hunt.  No matter how much he tried to discourage her, there was just something about it that seemed to say, ‘I’ve been waiting for you.  Where have you been?  Come inside and see.’

Who would have guessed that the home that called to her before she had ever met Stephanie was actually Stephanie’s childhood home?  Destiny has a way making things happen.  She smiled, looking across the room to where Tamera and Amanda sat playing cards.

“We have a lot to arrange if we are going to raise her as our own.”

“Documentation will not be hard. Synaria and I had already discussed it.”

Taken back, Nira cocked her head, brow lifted.  “You have already decided to keep her without talking to me?”

“No, my love.  I heard Tamera ask you, and I went to Synaria.  She said if we decided to raise her as our own, she could get all the legal documents for us.  No decision was made without you, but I wanted to see if we did decide together to keep her, we could.”  Grimacing, Stephanie raised her brows, pulling back to lock eyes.  The last thing she wanted to was upset Nira, yet she refused to let the girl grow up as she had.

“Lass, we cannot act in haste before the dangers have ceased.”  Nira waited for an objection, yet none came.  “Stephanie, are you all right?  You seem distracted for some reason.”

Nira turned to face her and saw Stephanie’s eyes were nearly all white, like round lifeless pearls in her sockets.  Gasping, sitting back, she learned during these times, Stephanie had fallen into one of her trances where she saw into the future, past, or something that was happening at this very moment.

~~~~~

In her mind, a silhouette slowly leaned out of the darkness – allowing the light to fully reveal her face.  Fury gleamed from her gaze as she penetrated the eyes looking back at her, talking as if it was she who was the receiver of the message.

“You thought they could hide you, Synaria?  Did you think you could hide forever from what you've done?”  Rage spewed from her fractured smile.  “Your moment has arrived,” Tiffany cried out.  “You stole my life and ripped away my dignity, and now, the time has come for your soul to be torn from you.”

Below Tiffany’s feet, her silhouette reared, as three candles flickered.  Reaching, she lifted the center candle high above her head with both hands.  A loud whoosh sound filled the room before the candle completely fell from her grasp.

A spectator, Stephanie watched on as Synaria fell to her knees, tears staining her checks as she held Lorna’s lifeless body in her arms.  “How does it feel to have lost all that you love?”  With a wave of her hand, a dark shadow in the form of a serpent stepped out of the fog.  The beast, bared its fangs and ripped at her flesh, Synaria was helpless, unable to move or defend herself.

Stephanie screamed in her mind for it to stop, but it moved forward in its journey until the neck supporting Synaria’s head was removed from the torso.

“No, stop, help her!”  Stephanie screamed out, filling the room in which she sat.  Nira took her in her arms, shaking her, trying to bring her out.

Slowly, the white that filled her eye sockets, turned darker, until Stephanie’s vision was back in the room with Nira and the hideous scene had vanished.  Tears pooled in her eyes until the swell spilled.  “Nira, she’s going to die, we have to stop her.”

Blinking back, Nira asked, desperation in her voice.  “Who, who’s going to die.”

“Lorna and Synaria. A woman, dark flowing hair, red eyes that fluctuate between red and black, whose powers are like no others I have ever seen, is coming.”

~~~~~

“Lass, no harm will come to them,” she lied. Nira had no idea what to do, or how to stop Tiffany, or if it was Tiffany Stephanie had seen.  The young woman she had shared her a year of her life with had only the powers of a vampire, and from what Stephanie had described, there was much more.

Lifting Stephanie into her arms, she carried up the stairs to their room, her distraught wife, had been shaken so badly that the color had drained from her face.

Nira held her close, but her own nerves could not settle, the vision Stephanie had concerned her, she needed answers, but she had no idea where to seek them.

In her office, Nira jotted down several notes, making a graph of all the details.  She was coming up empty, nothing was making sense. She had thought it was Tiffany who was coming after them, but the dark force, was not Tiffany, but that of a demonic powerful presence.  Yet the vision Stephanie had, the description of the woman, it sounded so much like Tiffany.

Running her hand through her hair, her amber eyes searched the room for answers. Just then, a scream rang out. Dropping her pen on the desk, Nira ran from the office, back up the stairs, and into her bedroom.  Stephanie was gone.

“Stephanie where are you?” she yelled as she ran back down the stairs to the front hallway.  Standing at the bottom of the stairs, she shouted again, “Stephanie, where are you?” She was no longer able to keep the impatience out of her voice.  Where was she?  The library!  Her mind came alive with the answer.

Down the hall, she ran, taking a swift left into the pantry.  The door to the small space was partially open.  Breathing easy, she stepped forward.  Stephanie was in the circle, calling out to the Marai.  Knowing to not interrupt, she slowly stepped back, the floorboards under her feet creaking.

“Nira,” Stephanie’s voice filtered from the other side of the wooden door.

Stephanie waved her in, pointing her finger toward the chair. She continued the chant.  Her mind struggled to focus, the horrors in her mind still lingered.  The scene, which she so reluctantly witnessed, would forever be etched into the fabric of her soul unless she could stop it.  “I need you in here, I am going to conjure the images from my vision before us. I need you to be here to witness it.

Nira agreed, sat silently watching, and listening.

“I call to the power of the Marai, pull from my mind the beast before me, show me in action what had been shown to me in my mind.  So mote it be.”  Stephanie called out, repeating the chant several times.

As a black mist grew in the center of the room, fear pounded within Nira’s heart.  A figure, cloaked in darkness, stepped out.  No words came.

The pounding increased within Stephanie’s chest, becoming more and more erratic, as the woman behind the cloak of darkness came into view.  Violent thrusts erupted into stabbing pain, ripping through the walls of her frantic heart, as she witnessed again the same gruesome scene, Synaria kneeling, dying.  The internal onslaught caused her to stumble backward in agony – ushering in a period of blackness.  It was then that she realized the proximity of the beast would soon be upon them.

Nira watched on, in horror, as she, too, witnessed the gruesome act.  When the dark figure turned her face, and came into view, Nira shuddered.  It was Tiffany after all, but it was not the same Tiffany she knew, this vision was dark, controlled, and powerful, not the reckless insecure woman she had come to know.

Once the assault had ended and the dark cloud dissipated, Nira looked to Stephanie, who was now kneeling down within the circle – face white and drained.

Stepping into the circle, Nira lifted Stephanie into her arms.  Surprisingly, Stephanie didn’t protest.  Behind her, she closed the door, carrying Stephanie up the stairs to their bedroom.  Stephanie collapsed the second her head hit the pillow.  The experience had drained her.

~~~~~

Rhonda stood, mouth hanging open, as she watched from the door as the figure grew, and then Tiffany came into focus.  As she witnessed Lorna and Synaria struck down, panic set in and she ran back up the stairs, locking the door to her room behind her.

With the blanket covering her head, cloaking herself in darkness, Rhonda worked her memory.  Nira had asked her to recall all the details of that dreadful time she’d spent with Tiffany.  Some of the torment was so horrendous, she’d blocked the memory, but as time passed, her recollection became more acute, and with that, fluttered back to her.

Afraid she would lose what she had remembered, Rhonda reached for a pen and pad of paper on the nightstand and wrote down everything.  It sickened her, but there was something in the information that she was sure would help.

XXII

Keeper of the Fae

Returning from his quest, Calibell entered the dark landscape of the forest.  Silence hung over the valley like a heavy veil, even the normal chatter of smaller animals was absent.  Normally the soft patter of leaves could be heard as the trees changed their colors, but even that was muted, perhaps by the opaque, gray tendrils of mist that flooded the exposed roots.  They lapped against his feet in small, eddying currents, the larger sheets of viscous air blocking his vision.

The ancient fairy was tall, not unnaturally so, but still head and shoulders above most of his village.  His dark gray hair hung close to his head, except for the longer locks in the front that marked his status as a warrior.  His skin was fairly smooth, white from living below ground, and his features handsome.

He squinted to try and see farther into the distance, the deep jade of his eyes enhanced by the surrounding darkness.  An uneasy chill passed through his body— a thrill of fear in the draft of wind that crept out from beyond.

Past the ring of trees staggering about the edge of the meadow, the air swooshed past him.  His breath was harsh in his ears in the unnatural silence of the forest, his nerves on edge.  Calibell’s eyes darted from one end of the forest to the other, praying that his colony would be lurking behind the thick shrouds.

In the silence, he could feel a shift in power. Something was different, and the usual fairies that played were nowhere to be seen.  He found that unusual, as they never ventured away from the safety of the sacred land   He had a bad feeling the dark one had gotten to them, or out of fear, they’d fled to safer territory.  It had taken him two days to reach the location of the fourth stone.  Once in the manmade building, he’d collected the green stone, and replaced it with a replica he found on a shelf with a dozen others.  He had no choice but to act fast. When he learned the crystal was no longer in the caverns, he’d cast a location spell to find where it had been taken.  It was easier than he thought.  Once cloaked, the humans could not see him.  Unsuspecting guards and museum staff did not even see him when he lifted it from the casing.

Preventing the shift in powers, it was time to get help to stop the dark one, and retrieve the first three.  He had already reached out to the warrior in her dreams, yet she had still not searched him out.  His powers were beyond that of all the other fairies, but he was not strong enough to fight the dark one alone.  Calibell tried to swallow, his throat dry.  Beyond any of the creatures that he had imagined, he believed in the steel that Nira, the warrior of the gods held, honed to rival the sharpest sword.  The physical manifestation of her courage kept her grounded.  He had reached out to her, yet she did not come to him, he would have to go to her.

Finally, he broke through the underbrush that surrounded the outer edge in the forest that the elders had strategically positioned when the village had first been built. It was in the heart of the forest, blocked from view by the mightiest trees.  A river ran by one side of it for bathing and springs of fresh water welled from the center of the village, outside the clutches of the Matriarch.  It was reaching the cusp of the year, the verdant colors of the trees changing for the rich tones of the autumn season.  In the middle of an open field, Calibell waved his arms into the air.  “With the power of the wind and the speed of lightening, take me on my journey to the land of the Warrior.”

Within seconds, the wind picked up, and he was lifted into the air.  Moving with the power of the wind, across the ocean, and the land.  His lungs filled with air, causing his chest to bloat.  It hurt, but he could not stop now, he pushed forward and followed the scent to the only one he knew could help.

Free falling, he glided down, the wind pushing against him, causing resistance.  Less than a hundred feet from the ground, he turned his body upright, and braced for the hard landing.  Once landing on the hard surface of the ground, the air rushed from his lungs.  It took several seconds to regain his strength.

I’m not a young fairy anymore, his mind warned.

Looking around the property, he lifted his chin, taking in the scent of the warrior. He laughed deeply and menacingly, his voice carrying in the wind, awakening the people in the house.  “Warrior of the gods, you are ordered to stand before me!”  His tall slender body stood erect, his staff set firmly in the ground.  The white silk cloak covered his pointed ears.

One by one, lights turned on from the second floor of the house.

~~~~~

Nira stood looking out the window, and beneath her, on the ground, the same figure that had appeared to her in her dreams was looking up at her.

‘No, no, this can’t be, her mind screamed.

Tucking her sword in her belt loop, Nira ran from the room, down the hall and with one swoop, she landed on the floor below.  Inhaling, she drew the sword, and lifted it as she opened the door.  Adjusting her vision, she saw the image was in the same spot looking at her.

“Introduce yourself,” she called out.

“Warrior, it is I, Calibell, protector of the mystical land of the Fae.”  As he moved forward, it did not look as though his feet were touching the ground.

Nira stood in a battle stance, she knew of Calibell, but she needed to be sure he meant her, and the occupants of the house no harm.  “State your purpose, fairy,” Nira called out once more, this time holding her sword in front of her.

His movements halted and he looked on.  “We are in great danger from the dark one, and if we do not stop her, she will become the most powerful mystical creature.”

Nira absorbed his warning, and lowered her hands, allowing the point of the sword to settle on the top of her boot.  “Come forth, and be warned, no trickery.”

His head nodded and within a single blink, he was inches from her.  “We do not have time to wait, the dark one has found the fourth crystal.”

Brow lifted, Nira cocked her head to the side.  “What is this about crystals?”

He bowed his head.  “If I may?”  He raised his hand to the door.

Nira stepped aside, and watched him walk in. Behind her shoulder, Synaria moved in closer, her golden blonde hair draped delicately over her shoulder. Synaria had a slight knowledge of the fairies, knowing each held a different ability. Some were skilled in healing, some could read minds, or control the minds of others.  From what Synaria knew of Calibell, he was the oldest of the Fae, was in charge of finding targets that had been causing trouble in the land. He was also exceptional at bending the elements, and saw the past, but only glimpses of the future.

“Is this the one from your dream?” she whispered to Nira when she walked past.  Nira did not say anything, just nodded.

In the formal library, Calibell made his way toward a leather chair that was placed across from a long couch.  His eyes left Nira’s for a brief moment as he sat.  He crossed his legs as his eyes refocused with undiminished intensity.  The smile never left his thin lips, as he reached down to his right side and placing a crimson pouch on his lap.  His long slender fingers gently stroked the cloth flat.

An unsettling silence arrived for another long moment, as he accepted a cup of green tea. He nodded gratitude and then went into detail, only pausing as he sipped on the hot beverage.  Nira listened carefully, and occasionally would look over her shoulder to the staircase where Stephanie, Tamera, Amanda, and Rhonda sat quietly.

He paused, watching as Tamera wiggled her fingers at him, and he allowed a hearty laugh to burst from deep within him, and then rested, as his long fingernails continued to stroke the bag.

Silence washed through the room.  Nira’s throat felt almost closed, it was as if the creature before her was peering into her soul.

Synaria stood at the window looking out, half listening as she expected to see others come from the trees surrounding the property and charge the house. From time to time, she would look to Lorna who had joined her, then back over her shoulder.  Yet all was silent.  Calibell had taken a huge risk coming to them, and she knew it.  She had not anticipated Tiffany escaping when she trapped her within the cave.  Now that she had, Synaria knew Tiffany was seeking revenge, and a pissed off day walking vampire with the power of the crystal of the Fae, was dangerous.

“So how do we stop her?” Synaria interrupted.

“The dark one is becoming stronger.  She cannot complete the ring of fire without all the crystals fused.  Since I am in possession of the fourth, the final crystals will not come together without it, but she still has the power to locate it, and I cannot defeat her.”  He pulled the green crystal from inside his robe, lifting it into the air, and then handing it to Nira.  “If by chance, she is able to get this stone along with the others, she will harness the power, all the powers of the elements, and will become unstoppable.”

She looked to the glowing rock, then back to Calibell.  “What are you needing of me?”

“You are mankind’s last hope.”  Lifting the cup to his lips, he took a gulp of the tea.  “Protect the stone, warrior, and get the others and send them into the void where humans nor Fae can find them.”

That was not what Synaria wanted to hear.  It was time for them to pull all their resources.  Nira, she and Lorna would have to split up and get the last three crystals before Tiffany could find them, Stephanie would have to send the third stone into the abyss, and Rhonda would have to close her mind from Tiffany locating her until they returned.  “We will need the location for the remaining stones if we are going to stop her.

Nodding his understanding, Calibell pulled the ancient map from inside his cloak.  “When I was in flight, I could feel her life force closing in.  You will have to move with the wind to get to them before she locates the last three.”

Nira studied the map, and wrote down the locations for each crystal onto three separate sheets of papers.  Rolling her eyes up, she looked to Synaria, then Lorna.  “It will take all three of us to accomplish this.”  Nira then looked to Stephanie, who was still cradling Tamera in her arms, “Put the girls to bed. We will be downstairs in the room of maps.”

As Stephanie made her way up the winding stairs, Nira ushered Calibell, Synaria, and Lorna down the set of stairs that led into a room with wall-to-wall carpeting and a huge fireplace.  Against the wall, Nira pushed a spot and the panel moved, opening to another room.  Each filed in one by one.

“Have a seat, I have all the maps we need,” she said, flipping the light switch on the inside wall.  Maps of every city on every continent lined the walls.  “Sit,” she added, spreading out the world map across the large round table.

The rest of the evening they sat around the table outlining the quickest routes to collect the crystals.  Calibell looked to Synaria who would whisper into Lorna’s ear from time to time.  His eyes narrowed as he watched the way the two women would touch one another delicately.

“How are we coming along?”  Stephanie asked.  It had taken a long time to calm the girls down, and Rhonda had a lot of questions of her own.  Stephanie answered them, and then took the paper Rhonda had made of little things Tiffany had said to her in the heat of passion.

“Almost done.”  Synaria smiled, rubbing Lora’s leg under the table.

Stephanie found the closest seat to Nira, and looked at the map. She had missed the earlier discussion, but from the three red circles on the map, she deducted they were planning their next move.  Half listening, Stephanie looked around the room, Nira had changed it but the walls were still wood-paneled as she remembered from the last time she had been in there, the worn green carpet gone, and hard wood flooring replaced, stained a warm red.  The same lamps set off to the side of the entrance clung to brackets on the wall between huge oil portraits framed with silver.

The room still held the history of her childhood, but with modern trappings, as well. A plasma television was mounted on the wall and below it, scattered maps lined the walls.  On the east wall, the same oil paintings of Nira dressed in ancient clothing.  She found it funny, because all Nira had to do was put on the costumes of the past, and the resemblance would still be the exact same.

“Ready for bed, lass,” Nira spoke softly, standing above Stephanie.

Startled, she looked up, she had been so engulfed in thought, she had not heard anything they had said.  “Yes, and I made up a room for him, if he’s staying the night.”

“That will not be necessary, I have to return to the forest.”

Not taking no for an answer, Stephanie stood, pointed to the door and replied in a firm voice.  “The room is already made up, you just arrived, and once you have had a good night’s rest, then you can start your travels.”

Thin lips curved and he nodded.  “I learned to never disagree with the mistress of the manor.”

Nira held back the laugh at the sight of Stephanie puckering her lips.  There were two words that should never be used in the same sentence, mistress, and Stephanie.  She learned that the hard way when Stephanie snapped at her, saying it made her sound like the other woman.

“I’ll show him the way,” Synaria stepped in and held her hand in the air.  Calibell stopped, turned and looked at Nira, and then to Stephanie.  He had heard the stories that the warrior had taken a bride, as much as it did not agree with his beliefs, he knew if Nira had a reason to fight, she would do so swiftly.  Waving his hand in the air, he chanted under his breath.

“A good deed, a memorable night, and tomorrow you shall fight.”

It was a passion spell he had only cast for newlyweds, so their chamber would be filled with passion, but he wanted to remind the warrior what she was fighting for.  He smiled when he saw Nira’s smile transform, and her eyes widen.

~~~~~

Back in their room, Nira never took her eyes from Stephanie.  “Lass, would you like to join me for a glass of wine in front of the fire?”

Her eyes sparkled.  “I would love that, Nira.”  It had been so long since they had spent a night alone.

Nira smiled, holding out her hand.  “Or we could skip the wine and retire.”

Stephanie’s eyes grew wet with happiness as she pulled Nira close. “I’ve missed you, warrior.”

For a moment, Nira relaxed in Stephanie’s embrace. She loved Stephanie’s kisses, she loved the connection they shared.  The way she seemed to desire her. However, at that moment her own need couldn’t be quieted with her pleasure.  She needed to make Stephanie her wife now.  Closing the door, she turned back, pulled Stephanie into her embrace, and lowered her on the chaise lounge in the corner of the room.

“You are my destiny,” Nira whispered.  The words rolled off her lips and collided with her sweet breath. A soft moan, as Stephanie’s body clung to her more eagerly than Nira had expected, yielding to her touch, imprinting her love with each kiss along the delicate skin.

Stephanie cupped small round breasts topped with dark pink nipples, the soft skin yielding to her touch.

In response, Nira’s rolled Stephanie, her elegant long fingers extended from slim hands, moving downward, pulling long legs up and wrapping them around her waist.  The smell of Stephanie’s desire rose and Nira inhaled.  There was always something so enthralling about her scent, something so foreign, yet so familiar all at the same time.  No other scent compared to hers.  Rich, dark, it engulfed her, cocooned her in an aura of warmth and softness.  The spell she was under pulled her, making her want more.

“I want to taste you, I want to put my fingers inside you and feel the walls pulsate as I make you come.  Then I want to suckle on the juice as it flows from deep within you.”  Nira moaned. She was alive with need and desire.

“Your scent calls for me,” Nira snarled, pushed Stephanie’s legs apart, and moved down, not hesitating in her journey.  Immediately, she pulled the hard clit into her mouth, sucking while putting a finger deep into Stephanie, moving it, caressing the snug walls.  As the walls started to tighten, she plunged in, faster and deeper.  As the first cry of pleasure rang in her ears, an orgasm erupted within her own moist folds.

Collapsing, Nira’s breath raged, and she was still feeling the pulsating between her own legs. Reaching down, with her fingers, she caressed the swollen mound beneath her.  As the heat swelled once more, she licked and sucked the folds, dipping her tongue inside Stephanie, sucking the juices.  The taste was euphoric increasing her need to come again.  She moved in circular motions and could feel the tension within her build.  Needing Stephanie to come with her, Nira pulled the tender flesh back into her mouth, and with precision and expertise, she flicked her tongue, sucking harder.  As Stephanie arched her back, and bit on the bottom of her lip, Nira could not hold it, or stop the explosion ripping from her groin, sending shockwaves throughout her torso.

Moments later, when both their bodies calmed, Nira crawled up slowly, setting a series of gentle kisses along the way.

“That was not fair,” Stephanie moaned.  “I wanted to make you come.”

A wry smile curved the corner of Nira’s lip.  “I could not help it, lass, you tasted so good, and my body needed release.”

Pouting, Stephanie pinched Nira’s side.  “Next time, I will have my way with you.”

“Who said I was done,” Nira teased, as she rolled and pulled Stephanie on top of her.

Relaxed, with a steady breath, Stephanie leaned into Nira. The strong arms pulled her closer and wrapped around her waist.  “Thank you, for tonight,” Stephanie whispered in her ear.

Their fingers locked together similar to puzzle pieces.  As the soft skin of Nira’s mouth left the side of Stephanie’s face, it left a burning trail.

“No, thank you.  You have given life back to this restless body,” the words spilled into Stephanie’s ear and into her heart. Before she could speak, Nira cupped her face filling her mouth with her.

At first, the kiss was soft, enticing, and sensual, but as it lingered, so did the intensity.  Nira had denied herself, and here in her arms was the most beautiful woman she had ever met.

Stephanie pulled back and started to make her journey down when Nira held her in place.  Hands that had killed thousands, caressed down, handling the delicate lines of Stephanie’s lean symmetrical body.  Nira’s heart pounded harder against her chest as she pulled her closer.  Slipping her tongue inside Stephanie’s mouth once more, Stephanie broke the connection and raised her body above her, dragging her nails along Nira’s arms and across her rising and falling chest, leaving clear white lines in Nira’s flesh.  The sensation of the nails felt electrical on her skin, tingling beneath the gentle burn.

Nira sighed, letting her head roll back. She could feel Stephanie’s eyes on her.  She moaned as delicate fingers closed around the areola, squeezing it gently.  Arching back, she could feel a finger slide into the folds of her wet lips.

Nira squirmed under Stephanie’s touch, a soft moan escaping her. Cupping her breast in one hand, Stephanie raised the nipple to her tongue, flicking and lapping at it before sucking it between her lips hungrily.

It felt like a mouthful of hot coals as she clamped down onto her nipple.  The soft skin between her legs begged for more. Nira was not sure how much more she could take as she watched Stephanie caress and stroke the soft tissue, bringing on a powerful orgasm.

Leaning back down, Stephanie flicked her tongue against Nira’s parted lips, while her hands roamed, uninhibited, across tender flesh.  Nira drew her fingers up Stephanie’s back, sliding them around her side, up her cleavage.

“No,” Stephanie ordered, moving her hand away.  “It’s my turn.”

Nira felt her nipples jutting against her. Reaching a hand between their bodies Stephanie cupped one breast, taking the weight of it in her hand.  She leaned forward to take the dark nub into her mouth, savoring the taste, and circling her tongue around it.  Nira arched back, pushing her breast against Stephanie’s hungry mouth.  Her hands were holding Stephanie’s head to her breast, allowing her body undulate with the movements.

Silky hair brushed against Nira’s skin like a feather, as Stephanie lowered herself on her, blowing softly upon the sensitive skin, making it twitch within the coolness of her breath.

Taking her fingers, lowering them past Nira’s stomach, between the wet folds, Stephanie began caressing along the tip of the hard clit.  Her touch hardened it further between her skillful fingers, but she needed more, much more, she needed to taste the sweet elixir from the wetness that caused her hand to slide in easily.

Within seconds, Nira inhaled sharply, as Stephanie sucked and licked with gradual strokes up the length of her engorged petals.  With the tip of her tongue, Stephanie gave her hooded clit a deft flick each time, before returning to the base. She felt the overwhelming sensations of Nira’s approaching orgasm coursing through her fingers.

Fuck, Nira’s mind cried as her body raced closer and closer toward hazy static, the spasms growing stronger with each moment.  “Harder, don’t stop.” Nira hissed, her mind churned in mental chaos, trying to pierce the fog and bring herself back from the brink she was about to careen over, but it was to no avail.  The familiar tightening of her muscles had begun.  The first explosions were already detonating through her.  As her body slowly backed from the explosion of pleasure, Stephanie stepped it up and sucked until bliss coursed through her limbs once more.

Stephanie was not done yet, she narrowed her tongue and thrust it up inside Nira, only withdrawing to slowly heighten the pleasure. When the body beneath her stiffened, she drove it back into her with long electric strokes pushing farther, faster, until Nira’s tight space contracted around her tongue.  Lifting her hips to meet the sensation, Nira pulled Stephanie’s head into her until the last gasp orgasms reached the surface and caused her body to convulse.

Throughout the rest of the night, their bodies were filled with euphoria, guilty pleasures, and rapturous gratification.  As the world around them exploded into warm wet blackness, the heat of their bodies rose in the chilled air of the room.  Both lost in the ecstasy of one another.

When they finally collapsed, Nira laid her head into the crook of Stephanie’s neck, closed her eyes, and within seconds, was fast asleep.

~~~~~

Synaria breathed in, happy that Nira and Stephanie had finally ended the night of torture to her ears.  She could still hear a pin drop, it was the one gift she had asked to keep, but tonight, it seemed to be more of a curse.

Lorna, who was tired, had fallen asleep as soon as they reached the room.  Synaria, looked to the sleeping woman, watching as her chest rose and fell.  She felt as if her life had reached full circle the night she learned Lorna had been turned.

It was on the night she was captured by the clan.  She was perched on the roof of a building, looking out across the city below. She watched closely as a few clan members stalked.  She recalled feeling the cell phone vibrate in her jacket and she knew she should have answered it. Instead, she lunged forward, and dropped down the six stories to the ground.  Before she could run, she was grabbed from behind and dropped with incredible force.  The man’s power could have broken a human’s spine with one punch, but it only knocked the air from Synaria’s lungs.

‘You will come with us or I will not hesitate to take your head.’ She recalled the way his voice spoke the words in her ear.  Instinctively, she flung him off her, putting enough space between them to take flight, but before she could, a familiar face smashed her head against the building.  Fearing the worst, she staggered back to her feet.  Synaria knew that they were both clan members, fallen, from the bright color in their eyes.  She didn’t realize the full extent of the damage to her head until she saw blood mixing with the rain water, making its way to the drain.  Adrenaline pumped through her, and she swallowed hard, arching her back, ready to strike with everything she had.  She knew she was stronger than them both.  However, their combined strength and speed overlapped hers with ease.

“You caught me off guard,” Synaria managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.  “I lost concentration for one second and you took advantage.  For that, I applaud you.”

“My queen,” the girl spoke, her voice soft.  Synaria’s eyes widened when she recognized the same face she had grown to know from childhood.

The man waved his hand to her for silence.  Ignoring his request, the girl repeated the phrase. “My queen!”  Then she pulled the other clan member back, shielding Synaria from him.

Infuriated by her defiance, he plunged a six-inch blade into the girl’s throat.  Her blood squirted across Synaria face, and then he licked the blood from the blade.  The girl staggered back, falling down, all the while trying to kick him away.

It was just him now, and Synaria could easily overpower him.  Synaria lashed out at the man, and took the blade from his hand.  Ready to battle, Synaria stared at him for a moment.  Just as she was rushing in for the kill, another clan member pressed a sword against her throat, and a third rushed in and held her hands behind her back.  The troops had arrived. She was no match against the masses.

In an attempt to escape, Synaria smiled, and said in a superior tone. “Now, now, boys let’s play nice.”  She realized early in life the best weapon was a dose of sarcasm when trying to escape, but as soon as she spoke, several other clan members surrounded her.

“Shut up,” she heard one of them say, and through her peripheral vision, she glanced at the clan member behind her. She had been sloppy, before she could react, the sound of her neck snapping in her ears blinded her, and then all went black.

They had taken her to the Azareth, and when she woke, he took pleasure in torturing her, yet, all she could think about was her lifelong friend, the one who had defended her.

More than a thousand years had passed, yet the feeling of Lorna near still had sent a sliver of hope into her heart.  An ally in the midst of the lion’s den, Synaria knew they would escape, and they did, but the outcome was not what she expected.  With Lorna’s help, they were able to get Stephanie, who had also been captured by Azareth, out of the cave and into the light.  Nira who had breached the caverns, and helped them escape, had run back in to end the five-thousand-year torment Azareth had ravished upon humanity.  Something went wrong, the explosives had gone off before Nira could get out, and she was trapped within.

Synaria sighed, the aftermath, the despair, and the torment Stephanie had suffered as a result had devastated her.  Yet at that moment, it all seemed like a dream.  The three of them, stood on the sand, then the loud blast, and the mouth of the cavern had caved in and dust filled the air.

For hours afterwards, Stephanie didn’t move.  She stood still, her hands folded rigidly in front of her, and her eyes so far away that Synaria doubted she had any idea of what went on around her.  It was as if, just for a time, she had taken herself to another place.

Synaria tried to console her.  She understood the loss.  She loved Nira, as well.  There had been only one, who Synaria dreamt of suffering a long, drawn-out death, and it was not Nira.  She recalled feeling cheated, and was sure at the moment of his death that it had not been bloody enough, or painful enough.  Azareth deserved to suffer because he was a horrifying creature who deserved no mercy and no leniency.  She remembered wishing she could share better news with Stephanie, but she could not feel Nira anymore, their connection was broken, and that only happened upon death. If she could, she would had ripped away at the rocks and dirt and look for her, but she was no match for the cave-in.  If Nira was still alive, there was no way to get her out.

The time afterward was horrific. Stephanie had barred herself in the tiny room where she’d slept as a child.  She did not want to see anyone.  She later learned it had taken all Stephanie’s strength not to cast a hex upon her, because she blamed her.

She tried to console Stephanie, but she pushed her away.  Synaria had never felt so helpless than the day she stood in the doorway staring through the opening to where Stephanie sat on the floor.

Keeping the promise to Nira, to take care of Stephanie if anything happened to her, she pushed the door open and took a step forward.  When Stephanie didn’t move, she cleared her throat.  Stephanie’s head snapped up, her eyes flashing in alarm.  Her stance was immediately defensive and automatic.  The response cut into her heart.

“Why did you take her from me?”  Stephanie asked bluntly.

She didn’t need Stephanie to guilt her, she did enough of it on her own.  If she had not been reckless, when Azareth and the warlock attacked, they would never have captured them.

Synaria lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug that shrouded her in a look of utter defeat.

Never had Synaria witnessed such expressive eyes, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.  Every emotion was there to see in the dark pools.  One had only to look closely, to know what she was feeling.

“I loved her, too, Stephanie.”

Stephanie flinched at the response, but surely Stephanie knew Synaria had never been one to mince words. In fact, she was far superior with honeyed words and never feared speaking her mind.

She pushed herself from the mat, retreated a few feet away before turning, her arms securely folded on her chest.  Again, Synaria noted the protectiveness of Stephanie’s stance.  It was as if every movement were for the sole purpose of self-preservation.  “I wish you would leave,” she said in a careful tone, not caring how or if she hurt Synaria’s feelings.

Perplexed by the abrupt change Synaria merely nodded.  “I do not wish to remain here any longer.  I only stayed to make sure you were okay.”

Stephanie’s brows drew together as she stared at her in disbelief.  “I’m never going to be okay.  My heart has been torn from my chest.”

Her hands fluttered nervously, and she rubbed her eyes self-consciously before pulling her hair forward to hide them.  “I am never going to be fine, Synaria, Nira was my soul mate, and now she’s gone.”

Perhaps Synaria hadn’t fully believed the truth of what the stars foretold, but she had to face the fact that Nira and Stephanie were made for one another.  More color stained Stephanie’s cheeks, and her eyes flashed with hurt.  There was nothing about Stephanie’s grief that made any sense to Synaria, and she had no idea what it was like having her heart torn from her chest.

Synaria inched back away from the room.  A thunderstorm was coming, the ominous dark clouds gathered above, looming over them.  There was a sudden downpour and through the rain drenched air, came the first long low rumbles of thunder crashing around them. The violent, unforgiving wind raced through the open windows, and the clatter of loose roof tiles could be heard from above. It was like the heavens had opened up and cried in grief along with them.

There were no words to express her understanding; Stephanie needed to feel the loss.  The only thing Synaria could offer at that moment was an ear when and if Stephanie needed it.

Just down the hall Lorna waited. Synaria gained her side, and together they stepped out the front door to start a new life together.  Synaria had decisions to make.  Everything had changed since Lorna was found. She had two choices, join the gods or live for eternity with Lorna, both appealing, but she was still uncertain.  The grief she held close to her heart for the loss of Nira, was overwhelming.  She did not tell Stephanie that she had tried to dig through the tunnel to reach Nira later that night, but she could not get through. The only assumption she could come up with was that Nira had died within the explosion, or that Azareth had taken her head.  There was no longer a connection to Azareth either, so she was sure he was dead, as well.  The bittersweet moment held so much pain, and Synaria needed to put space between her and all the memories.

Taking one last look back over her shoulder, she wiped the tears that stained her face.  “It’s just you and me, Lorna, and we have a lot to figure out.”

“As long as I am by your side, my queen.”  They both moved forward, never looking back.

Lorna admitted a century later that she feared Synaria would leave her.  Synaria had mentioned her place was with the gods.

Together, they had gone back to the cavern, each digging, pulling boulders and rocks from the entrance.  It took time, but once they were in the heart of the cave, Nira was found buried beneath rubble, in a heavy eternal slumber.  It took several weeks and Lorna and Synaria took turns around the clock to help Nira’s wounds heal, and once they had, she left in the middle of the night.

It was not until a year later, when Nira had returned from her sabbatical that she reached out to Synaria.  Life was not easy at first for her or Nira.  All that while, unbeknownst to Stephanie, Nira had been alive.  They had kept up the façade that Nira had perished.  So, when Nira had told her she wanted to reclaim her life, Synaria shuddered.  Her first thought was how Stephanie would react, then the anger that would follow.  A powerful witch was not the best person to piss off, and Synaria was glad it was not her who had to face the wrath.  She did not tell Nira, but she had watched over Stephanie and was impressed with how her powers had grown.

With a gentle hand, Nira helped Stephanie understand that she only stayed away so she could live, eventually marry, and maybe have children.  The response she received would have made a grown man cry, yet the angry heart still loved Nira, and soon forgave her.

XXIII

The Quest

Pre-dawn, moments before the sun climbed up over the horizon, Calibell stalked around the property chanting.  His powers were beginning to fail, an unfortunate event for all fairies who reached the maximum age.  The timing was bad and was sooner than he’d planned.  His body was aging, becoming weaker, and with his failing powers, he would soon lose all his mystical powers – becoming as defenseless as a human.  He still had so much to do before his final transformation.  He was calm in the knowledge that the warrior would finish what he had started, yet saddened that it would no longer be him who ruled the powers of good.

The coming transformation became apparent moments after he cast the spell upon Nira and Stephanie.  It took all of his strength to climb the stairs to his chambers.  Taking several more steps forward, he looked upon the trees of the strange land.  This would now be his home, he would not be able to make the trip back to the forest, he felt weak, not just weak, but his life was slipping from him.

As a young fairy, he was told, that once a fairy had lived beyond their normal given age range of two thousand years, their bodies give way to allow a new fairy to take their place.  He had thought that it was just a tale as he had now lived more than four thousand years, and had felt strong enough to go on another four thousand. Yet he had overexerted himself.  The last battle he had encountered was when the kings of the land had taken the fairy maidens as their brides.  The army of elves and fairies fought against the humans, but to no avail, and they were forced deep into the forest to live underground.

With the last of his energy, he raised his hands into the air and called out. “I call to the power of the wind, protect those of this land, and guide them in their travels.”  Within seconds, air rushed around him, picking up the fallen leaves.  The vortex held him in place as it swirled around him, through him, and then exploded, covering the surrounding landscape.

Feeling faint, he knelt down on one knee, and gasped several times before falling backward.  The wings that had taken him on many travels had spread out, cushioning his fall, then began to fade, until they were gone.  When he opened his eyes, he could feel the transformation. No longer fairy, he was nothing more than a mere mortal, no power, and unable to take flight.  When the transformation had ceased, he sat up, lifting his right hand. He moved it across smooth pink skin.  His long gray hair was now short, dark, almost black in color.

The years of experience wiped away like a painter’s canvas, taking the imperfection of years, and replacing them with a youthful man.

From the house, he could hear movement yet; he was still much too weak to move.

~~~~~

Biding her time, Nira stepped from the house and looked to the woods.  They were still cloaked completely by darkness, and only a few feeble rays from the rising sun managed to penetrate through the large ancient trees that covered the surroundings.  Furrowing her brow, she looked around, there was something in the air, she could feel the strength lifting her and filling her with a power.  Shaking off the feeling, believing that it was the anticipation of the upcoming journey, she stretched her limbs.  Throughout the battles Nira had fought, none had given her the determination that now coursed through her veins.  This was just not any evil, but one that threatened her family.

Over her shoulder, Nira listened as Synaria and Lorna stepped out and joined her.  “Are you prepared to do this?”

“It will be a long journey, but if we travel with the wind, we can return within a fortnight.”

Nira spun around. “No, we shall be back before the moon rises high in the sky.”

“That is imposable, Nira,” Lorna spoke up.

Curling up her lip, Nira snarled. “If you go to your destination swiftly, there will be no delays.”

Synaria patted Lorna on the shoulder. “It would take at least two nights to get to the locations, Nira, but with a few calls, I can see if we can get assistance to shorten the journey.”

Nira said nothing. Turning her head; she faced forward, breathing in the morning dew.

The morning sun peeked through a hazy screen of clouds, painting the sky an elaborate mix of bloodied, vibrant reds, intertwined with the smoky grays that permeated the skyward canvas.

At the window, Stephanie watched as the trio stood in mist, planning their travels.  The curtains in front of the window suddenly shifted, and her deep brown hair fanned on her shoulders like a settling dust cloud.  It would be a long day, she had been up hours before Nira had gotten out of the bed, and she tried to go back to sleep, failing each time as her mind would not release its hold on her.

Looking onward, she saw a figure on the ground just beyond the row of ancient oak trees.  Eyeing carefully, she saw the figure move.  Concerned, she opened the window and stepped on the balcony.

“Nira,” she pointed in the direction.  “Someone is there.”

Swiftly, Nira sped forward.  As the cloaked figure sat up, her eyes studied his weakened state.  “Who are you?”  Her nostrils flared, sword in her hand.

“It is I, Calibell, warrior.”  Once on firm footing, he looked to her, eyes glazed as his met hers.

“How can this be?”  Nira studied him.

“My powers are gone.  I am humbled before you.”

His height and clothing matched that of the fairy, but his long thin nose, now small and his pointed chin now square and strong.  “I don’t understand.”

“There is nothing for you to understand. A fairy is only given so long before they are no more.  My mystical powers have been stripped, and it is now time for me to take on a bride and pass my gifts down to an heir.”

Behind Nira, Synaria stood, Lorna trailing behind.  “I have heard of such things.  You will need to be taken back to your kind or find a familiar and breed here.”  There was a nonchalant tone in her voice.  Synaria had met several of Calibell’s kind during the years, and already knew how the shift in their powers worked.

Extending her hand, Lorna took Calibell’s hand.  “I will help you back into the house.”

Synaria followed and once in the house, her palms beat against the passing walls when turning the corner.  Nira watched on, her brow still furrowed, as she was about to object, instead she worked her jaw, as if considering what to say.

Halfway down the stairs, Stephanie stopped abruptly.  “Who is that?”

Ignoring Stephanie’s outburst, Nira rubbed her chin thoughtfully.  “What do we do now if he cannot control the crystals?”

“It is not I who controls the crystals, warrior.  There is no man or fairy who can, that is why they were separated.”  Waving his hand to Stephanie, he ushered her forward.

As Stephanie stepped closer, it made sense to her now.  The change in his appearance did not mask the eyes she had studied the night before.  Yet, as she watched, it felt like an intrusion.  Suddenly Stephanie’s eye grew wide.

“It is not safe for you here,” Stephanie cried remembering the writings in one of the many books she had read on the mystical Fae.  Unlike the fairies of most modern folklore, the few fairies that still inhabited the island of Ireland did not have wings or run around naked.  In fact, they fit in modern day society and no one the wiser.  However, the elders, such as Calibell, still bore brown-green camouflaged wings, invisible to the human eye.  Yet as modern as their guise allowed them, Calibell, as well as the others, preferred to live in the confines of the forest. Once the transformation took hold, they would no longer have to mask their real form.  Yet, even in the form of a human, dark paranormal creatures would find him to feed upon his mystical blood.

“Stephanie is right,” Synaria’s voice came from behind.  “He will be in danger here with us gone.  Yet, Stephanie, you can send him to the astral planes to keep him safe until we return.”

Raising her brow, Stephanie thought about the suggestion.  She had sent many dangerous artifacts to the other dimensions but never a living and breathing creature.  “I…I have never….” she paused and turned to Nira.  “I don’t know if I can.”

“I can return him to his land, and then set out for the crystal.”

“No, Nira, that will delay your return, and you need to return as soon as possible.”  Synaria objected, but when Nira narrowed her eyes, she saw the anger build behind them.

“Let me try to see if I can cloak him in the plains first,” Stephanie said, rubbing Nira’s arm.

Nira nodded, and stepped aside.  “We leave in one hour, if you cannot, I shall take him, and there will be no other discussion.”  She stood firm looking at Synaria, ready to argue if needed.

No other words were spoken as Stephanie led Calibell from the room, down the hall, through the pantry, and into the entrance of the hidden room.  She could have cast the spell anywhere, but with the tension building between Synaria and Nira, she needed to focus upon the astral world, where he would be safe, and not on the power struggle between the two.

In the room, she sat him in the circle next to her, and with her hand in his, she called out.  “For all things can be seen, and unseen, the world between death and life, remove Calibell from my sight.”  When she opened her eyes, Calibell sat, his form becoming translucent.  “Don’t fight it,” she whispered, squeezing his hand.  Then he was gone.  Stephanie smiled, and then frowned, hoping she could bring him back.

Standing side-by-side, Synaria and Nira watched on, and stood silent as he vanished before their eyes.

“Don’t ever piss her off,” Nira teased.

~~~~~

An eerie silence reigned over the estate, as the dark spruce forest on either side of the road danced in the wind.  There were no more leaves and each limb looked like it was leaning toward another.  The girls were sleeping, Rhonda in her room, yet Stephanie felt alone.  Feeling uneasy, she watched from the balcony, the stained glass windows closed behind her.  It was cold outside, yet Stephanie was warm.  A fever unlike anything she had ever felt, built within and she heaved a weary sigh.  There was nothing she could do until Nira returned.

She shook her head. She knew she was capable of protecting her family if she had to. The unknown did not scare her.

The hallway to the pantry was dark and her footsteps echoed sharply around the deserted house.  As she moved down the hall, she felt the floor creak under her feet with each step.  She had paid close attention to the way Synaria opened the hidden room, and felt along the wall behind the cans of vegetables, after a moment she felt the lever.  With a hard yank, the handle pulled downward, and the room came into view.

This was the only room in the house that stood against time.  Centuries of artifacts, scrolls, and books still lined the walls and shelves, just as it had the first time she had seen it.

The rotting wooden door creaked when opened or closed, and as she moved forward, the wood beneath her feet creaked, echoing, and invading the silence that hung like a cloak around the house.

Stephanie pulled the book off the shelf.  She laid the book on the floor but before she could do anything, the book opened, and the pages turned magically on their own.

Lighting a white and purple candle she repeated the incantation three times as she had done so many times before.  “I call to the powers that be, fill me with the vision of that which cannot be seen.”

When she was done, nothing had changed. She would not know more until either Synaria or Nira returned or unless the dark power crossed the barrier of the property.

Gathering a few more herbs, Stephanie sat on the floor.  Her powers had increased so much during the years, and her abilities to pull more from the elements around her had recently increased.  It was not enough, and as much as she believed in what Nikki had said in its entirety, Stephanie was not confident that if faced with evil, she would be able to defeat it, and she was not taking any chances now that Nira was gone.

“From the cradle of the babe, and the powers within, combine until all is one.”  A golden mist poured from each corner, from between each book on the shelf, circled around her, and lifted her into the air.  Her body spun around counter clockwise several times, before lowering back down with a thump.  Just when she thought it was through, her body felt as if it was falling, and then the ceiling above her head opened up.  Her eyes widened, just above, orbs of blue, lilac, green, and yellow rushed toward her, slamming into her with force causing her shoulders to be pinned to the floor.  Once it subsided, and the ceiling closed, she lay still, looking up, her breath ragged.

As soon as it was finished, Stephanie stumbled up, almost tripping as she stepped out of the room, closed the door behind her, and maneuvered to the curved staircase. Looking up, before she began the climb, one step at a time, pausing every few steps, as she looked over her shoulder.  There was something in the air, a different feeling, something she had not felt before.

Laying in the middle of the mahogany bed, she listened to the children run and play, Rhonda’s voice carrying down the hall, as she controlled the hyper children.  Her eyes were heavy, her body weak, Stephanie closed her eyes and drifted slowly into slumber.

The evening sky adorned with hues of brilliant colors.  Birds chirped, and the early crickets started to sing.  Stephanie stood on a high balcony, leaning against the rails, feeling the warmth of the setting sun on her skin, a ritual she had done each day.  A cool breeze gently caressed her face, moving through her long hair like the hands of a lover.  Her eyes gazed across the trees that littered the land before her.  She loved it here, but she loved being near Nira more.

In the center of the forest was a solid oak door, standing seven feet tall.  The surface was dark and rough in the twilight and emitted an unearthly glow.  She moved toward it without walking or making any conscious decision to move.  As she approached, she saw that the surface was not solid. In fact, it was the entrance to a cave.  In the dark, she saw herself or a likeness of herself in, but the woman who stood in the darkness was older, with graying hair, age lines covering her face.  The image held out its hand, but when she did not extend her own, the image stepped back, lowering its head, eyes pleading.

The same unnatural fog that filled her dreams each night accompanied swirls of pastel colors.  The liquid image mocked her as it danced around, cloaking the image before her, then becoming solid and swallowing the older image of herself.  All around her, the sound of music played, a soft whisper from within the cave darkness called out.  The tightly knitted darkness interwove, until the black mass reached out for her, grabbing at her hands and pulling her in.  She broke free and stumbled back, her hands and feet moving her back across rocks.  She could feel it getting closer, pulling at her until everything blurred, and no matter which direction she crawled, it pulled her back to the same spot at the mouth of the cave.

There was no escape. All around her, she could hear a loud clicking noise.  She shot around, looking, but no one was there.  Suddenly, she was transformed from her spot on the hard surface, and was lying on her back, chains holding her down.  She could hear her voice screaming out for someone to save her, but in the dark, there was no one.  She was alone, and scared.  In the dark, she could feel her body fail her, sinking into the stone, her bones sticking out just beneath thin layers of skin.  Suddenly an ear-splitting scream came from the dark, blood dripping from the corners of her mouth.  The body beneath her, was still, and she saw her wrist torn open, feeding the man.  She yelled for it to stop, but there was no sound.  When he lunged forward to escape, she fell back, landing on the hard ground beneath.

Then her dream shifted.  She was no longer in the dark room.  Her eyes were waiting for the torment to come, and the wait was not long.  A figure slowly emerged from the blackness around her, a slender young woman, long dark hair, dressed in blue jeans and t-shirt, stalking toward her.  Eyes red as fire, sharp white fangs protruding from her mouth. In her hand, she carried a satchel. She chanted, and was suddenly transformed into a mist, floating above her head. Stephanie saw the torment and jealousy in the woman’s eyes.  She looked upon Stephanie, and in a subtle tone she spoke.  “She is mine; you have taken all I had.  Either you return her to me, or I will take everything you love from you.”  The woman came to a sudden stop before her, and then she was gone.

Pulling herself from the dream, Stephanie sat up, her breath ragged in her ears.  She looked to the closed door, and slowed her breathing down.

“You cannot have her,” Stephanie said.

Instantly, she jumped from her bed, and ran down the stairs.  The house was silent, and when she looked out the window, she knew why.  Stephanie had been asleep all day.  Still feeling the fog of sleep, she looked around.  The dream was a warning, and if she did not do something to protect herself and the children, the image from her dream would be upon them before Nira returned.  In the silent room of the main library, Stephanie sat reading several ancient scrolls.  It had been a long time and she dug for older effective spells, her eyes scanning each word.  With salt and holy water, she sprinkled along the window frames and the entrances of each door.  It was an effective warding off evil technique but not effective to stop a born vampire unless she cast a hex on each window and entrance.  On the floor in the large library, she laid out candles and herbs, and then cleaned the surface, drawing with white chalk upon the floor a pentagram.  She had always kept her spell casting to the small room, but she needed to harness all the energies around her.

Laying the book on her lap, she turned the pages until the spell she was looking for appeared.  “Okay, I can do this.”

Holding a doll that she had made the last time she was in the library, she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

Sitting in the circle of candles with the book balanced on her drawn-up knees, Stephanie thought about whether it was right or wrong to call out to the dark spirits.  There was no time to think. She laid the book on the floor, took the bottle of oil, and anointed the item within the pentagram.

Furrowing her brows, Stephanie looked down at the words on the open page and instinctively took leaves and rose oil and poured each of them into a bowl, and then added nine drops of blood of a dragon, slowly grinding the mixture together while holding it above the doll.

Placing the doll in the bowl, she chanted, “Oh, dark one who wishes us harm, I bind you from crossing the threshold of this dwelling.  So mote it be.”

The pitch in her voice was raised and harsh, it no longer sounded like Stephanie.  “Oh, dark one who wish us harm, I bind you from crossing the threshold of this dwelling.  So mote it be,” she repeated and then her head dropped.  When she opened her eyes, she looked around.  The candles still flickered brightly, the doll lay saturated in the bowl.

The flames from the candles stood like menacing guards, as if their long swaying flames would reach out and grab any passer-by.  She called to the spirits of nature to do her bidding, tapping into the power of the earth like her ancestors once had.  When she looked toward the windowpane, it glowed green.  The spell had worked, but the only problem was, they would be like prisoners in the house.  They would only be safe as long as they remained in the house.

Still concerned about Rhonda’s intentions or the possibility she could turn, or be controlled by Tiffany, Stephanie jumped up, and ran across the room, up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.  After a moment of hesitation outside the door, she tapped lightly.  At first there was no answer, so she tapped harder.

“Yes,” Rhonda’s voice came from the other side.

“May I come in?”

Just then the door opened and a sleepy eyes looked into hers.  “Ma’am, is there something I can help you with?”

“I would like to discuss a few things with you.”

Opening the door wider, Rhonda stepped aside.  “Please, come in.”

In the dimly lit room, Stephanie looked around the room she had once slept in when she was first brought to the manor.  A smile stretched across her lips and she sat in the black leather chair closest to the fireplace.  “Join me.”  Stephanie pointed to the chair next to hers.

Taking small steps, Rhonda rounded the chair and sat.  “Is there something you need to know?”  The strong Irish accent became more profound with each word.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Sitting back, Rhonda rounded her eyes.  “You are here to find out if I am a threat to you and your daughter.  I take it you don’t want to know my life as a child, with my mum and dad.”

Grimacing, Stephanie frowned.  “I don’t mean to intrude, but yes, you are correct.  It is my job to protect my family.”

Rhonda sighed, and took her time going into each detail from the day she was taken. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke, and the only time a smile would form, was when she spoke of Joseph.

“He was a good man from what you have said.”

“I would not have survived without him.” Her voice wavered as she thought back to the day Nira and Synaria destroyed the clan.  “I never had a chance to thank him.”

Instantly, Stephanie developed a fondness for the woman.  “Let’s go outside for an evening walk.”  She asked, just needing to confirm one last thing.  If Rhonda could enter back into the house with no problem, then there would be nothing to worry about.

“That would be lovely.” Rhonda smiled. She had been feeling like a prisoner in the house, and the only thing that had kept her sane was the rambunctious cat and the children.  Turning around, she reached for the sweater on the end of her bed, and happily strolled past Stephanie and started the journey down the spiral staircase.  Once on the other side of the back door, looking out upon the pond, Rhonda breathed and sighed.

“It’s a beautiful night,” Stephanie said from behind.

“It’s lovely here, you have a beautiful home.”

“Would you like some tea?”  Stepping backward, Stephanie waited for Rhonda to come back in and join her.

She did not move for several moments as she watched a few raccoons play by the water.  Looking over her shoulder, she eyed Stephanie, who was pouring hot water into two cups.  “That smells wonderful,” Rhonda said in a low voice as she turned and stepped back inside.

Stephanie lifted her eyes and smiled.  “How about we build a fire and you can tell me about your childhood?”

“I would like that.”

For hours, the pair sat sipping tea, basking in the heat from the flames.  For the first time since the whole ordeal had begun, Rhonda’s eyes danced and she laughed, her dark brown hair, tucked behind her ears, exposing flawless skin.

It was then Stephanie saw what Nira had seen, that this woman was yet another victim, and not a lost cause.

XXIV

A Lonely Road

The shimmering light from the moon illuminated the road Tiffany walked upon.  The image of one of her creations called to her, yet each time she tried to hone in on the signal, it would disappear.  Frustration rose, causing her to scream out.  “This is the trickery of the witch.”

Walking in circles, she fumed, her anger increasing with each passing second.  The signal had led her this far, but then it was gone.  “What a strange land,” she mused, looking toward the open road and the surrounding flatlands.  There were no trees for miles, no mountains or hills, but there was one constant— little bushes, prickly to the touch, covering the land. They would break away and roll with the wind.

The road ahead called to her, yet she did not know which direction to go in. In the distance she saw golden-tawny grass in a checker-board pattern swaying in the breeze. The grass was surrounded by bales of hay that laid scattered on the cropped meadow, like toys left behind by some messy celestial child.  Each one a fat, golden domino bound tight by orange twine.  The golden hues seemed infinite under the pale night, each strand in its own unique variation.

In the distance, light soared across the sky followed by loud booms of crackling.  Tiffany needed to find shelter.  Looking across a large field, a small-framed building sat abandoned. It was not the most ideal place to rest, but it was not the worst.  She made her way there, her black boots soiled as she stepped in mounds of manure.  Disgusting, she thought, wrinkling her nose. She removed the muddied articles of clothing as soon as she entered the small building.

It was dark but dry, there were no comforts but she was safe.  Tiffany had learned to appreciate the smallest of amenities when she was finally released from her prison in the cave, yet she still craved more.  Dusting the dirt from a single spot on the floor, she leaned back, sliding down, until she was sitting looking around the darkened room.  She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her shins.  All at once, loneliness overcame her, wretched memories swirled around her head. She squeezed her eyes shut.  Claustrophobia had become her gift and her curse.  It reminded her she was alive because it was her driving force to inflict Synaria with the same grief and loneliness she had forced upon her.

In the darkened room, she must have fallen asleep, because when her eyes fluttered open once more, subtle rays of light filtered through the cracks in the rotting wood.  She laughed and stood, she had made it through the night in the small room.  Making her way out of the shed, she stepped into the dew of the morning.  The sun was still hidden behind thick clouds. She stretched and moved along the mud layered in uneven patches on the sloped weather-beaten farmland.  The smell of manure hung thick along with the subtler scent of a slaughter.  She climbed over a poorly constructed large fence of wooden planks and chicken wire that seemed to flex and bow.  Farther up and to the left there were two stables of rotting wood with a corrugated metal roof.  She eyed the decrepit sight and moved forward across the quilt-like fields of golden brown, and green squares that appeared to be held together by thick green stitching of the hedgerows.  It rose and fell like giant waves on a gentle ocean and was dotted with animals.  Occasionally, woods separated the fields.

Tiffany was tired, she had been traveling for days, from one side of the globe and back, she needed a shower, clean clothes and she needed to feed.  A smile curved her lips. A farmhouse was across the pasture, the occupants already up, and taking care of the land.  Surely she could be convincing and plea to their generosity.  That was one thing she’d learned quickly since she entered the strange state of Texas.  The people were very gracious and eager to help their neighbors.

As anticipated, the woman who ran the house welcomed her in, offered to cook her a meal, and showed her to a room where she could freshen up.  When she walked in, she eyed the dilapidated room. The paint on the walls was peeled and at the base of the faucet, water leaked, but it was scrupulously clean. The old tarnished mirror sparkled in the morning light, and the bath, even though chipped, it was as brilliant as any in a showroom.  Once alone, she looked to the carefully folded fluffy towels that were on a chair in the corner.  It was not the Ritz, but that did not matter.

Stripping away clothes, she stepped into the refreshing shower, and the pearls of cool water welcomed her as they caressed her skin.  Water always made her feel peaceful.  Using a cleansing technique, she learned from a meditation book, she asked the water to dissolve all thoughts and emotions tied to Nira.  She envisioned the water extinguishing the flaming emotions and dissolving them.

The water cascaded down, dripping along her sides, and her mind faded into dullness.  The sensation of the steamy water calmed her, taking her mind off things.  Her thoughts swirled, standing under the waterfall of sprinkles.  From beneath the water she heard a light tap at the door followed by someone entering and draping something over the chair.  Just before the door closed, a small voice spoke. “I left you some fresh clothes on the counter.”

It was nearing night by the time the man of the house returned, Tiffany had already thanked Helen, the woman of the house for her hospitality and slipped out the back door.  Tiffany was weak with hunger and could have fed off Helen, but the woman was refreshingly delightful, and when Tiffany described in detail the land of water Nira had relayed to her, where she had lived, Helen was eager to help give her directions to the nearby city of Dallas.  She had still not gained her strength, so she listened, and once she heard the clatter of pots and pans, she slipped into the barn and took liberty to feed off the cow, and then sped through the field of corn toward the road.

She had only traveled a few hours before she stood below a sign that read Dallas, Texas.  Tiffany pulled the three crystals from her bag, she knew she was getting closer, she could feel it.  Holding the glowing rocks in the air, she called out. “I call upon the power of the wind, and of the land, I call to you to show me where Nira O’Donnell, daughter of the king and queen of the Gaelic clan.”

She closed her eyes as the wind picked up everything for miles. Tumbleweeds swirled in the air amidst the tall metal windmills.  Tiffany’s eyes widened, sand and red clay burning her eyes.  In the center, an opening appeared. She eyed it, then stepped forward, and once within the center, it felt like it lifted her in the air, carrying her across the land, yet her feet never left the hard ground below. Instead, it pushed her forward.  Every fiber of her being commanded her to run, but she was as rooted to the spot as the towering flora around her.  Suddenly she could feel her feet separate from the ground, the myriad of green hues was punctuated with shafts of light pushing through the gaps of dust and soil.

Wrapping herself in the long silky cloak that gleamed in the starlight, the wind took hold of it, and flicked it about her making it crack like a silken sail.  It took fronds of her hair making it look like lashes that beat against her face and head.

Covering her eyes to protect them from the glass like shards of sand that cut into them, she hunched forward, held her breath, her legs against the gale of pressure building on her chest, hitting her face like it intended to go right through her.  With eyes squinted to let only enough light in to navigate, she never slackened her pace. Each step took her closer to Nira.

Like that hands of a mother, the wind set her down on the sand near a one level home.  The windows were boarded but her nostrils flared into the air. There was no scent of life, yet the closer she stepped to the abandoned home, the more she caught the faint scent of Nira.  This was the home she’d once lived in, and had abandoned. She was close now.

She could sense her creation was closer now, as well. Even if they had been oceans apart, she would still be able to sense her.  That was the curse of creating another, but in this case, it was a gift.  Nira had taken her, and since her blood coursed through her lover’s veins, she would be able to find her anywhere.

XXV

The Storm

A gust of wind whipped into Rhonda's face, at first she thought the window had flown open, yet as her eyes widened she watched the setting change completely.  She cautiously raised her head, looking across the landscape.  Blinking back, ready to hide her eyes as the sun shone brightly above her, she realized she had not burned from the sun’s rays. She looked up, then turned her gaze to the beautiful meadow just outside the window.  The circle of trees bloomed in decorative colors of red and green. Though the branches were still horribly twisted, they did not look as menacing or unnatural as they once had.  Suddenly, the scene transformed, and she was now standing amongst tall grass and wildflowers.  A slight smile curved the corner of her mouth as her eyes danced, taking in the beauty.  It had been so long since she had been able to walk beneath the warm rays of the sun.  Spinning in circles, arms spread out on each side of her, the long white nightgown circled around her legs.  The joy was short lived as the scenery changed once more. She was now standing over a hole, deep in the ground, and in the center rested an open coffin.  Her heart pounded in her chest and her mind screamed for her to run as fast as she could and not look back, but her legs would not move.

Inhaling, biting back the tears, she leaned forward. The glare of the sunlight on the glass surface shone straight into Rhonda's eyes, blinding her until she moved forward a bit more.  “Oh, God!” She choked in horror.  It was her, lying hands crossed on her chest.  She wanted to scream, but she could not take in a breath.  She could not breathe.

“No!”  She said, with the only breath she had left.  In her mind, she screamed it.  No, no, no, no, no!  Needing to remove the image before her, she ripped her gaze away.

“This can’t be,” she wheezed out, barely hearing herself.  When she opened her eyes, she realized why she could not breathe or do anything.  She was no longer standing as an observer, but stuck inside the coffin, the lid over her.  She looked at her reflection in the lid, saw her wide, yellow eyes that were dulling.  She cried out again, clasped both of her hands together tightly, and swung sideways as hard as she could.  The casing around her broke into large planks, falling out of the silver frame, and everything around her plunged into darkness.

She tried to claw herself from the abyss, but the harder she kicked and screamed, the deeper she fell.  With a heavy painful thump, she landed on a hard surface.  She swept her eyes from side-to-side, and that is when it occurred to her she was now back in the darkened bedroom, lying flat on the floor.

She sighed. It was just a dream.

Sitting up, her back against the bed, she held her hands to her head.  Just as she was about to pull herself up, she heard a creaking noise to the left.  Immediately, she turned her head to the side and listened.  The door leading into the hallway moved, or at least she thought it had, but she was not too sure.  Her senses jolted, the memory of the pain and horror from her dream state slowly hiding in her head once more. She waited, watching the door, and when nothing happened after a few moments, Rhonda calmed her racing heart and sighed.

Not wanting to be alone, Rhonda hoped that Stephanie would still be awake.  Reaching for door handle, she stopped in her tracks, she was sure she heard a low raspy whisper.  Turning around, she scanned the room. There was nothing, but the voice got louder in her ears.

‘I’m coming for you!’ the voice that tormented her shouted.

Instantly, Rhonda’s voice disappeared, and only left a distressed scrape in her throat.

‘What, you have nothing to say to your maker, but you have had a lot to say to so many.’  The deep voice hissed gutturally, hot into her ear, yet sending a deep chill through her body.  There was no one there, but she could feel a hand gripping hard on the back of her neck.

She turned her head only to stare into eyes that pierced her like a dagger, the same red, sinister eyes that haunted her every waking moment, stealing every bit of happiness that Rhonda had held onto.  Yet, she was not there, but Rhonda could feel her as if Tiffany was physically there.  She tried to block it out, thrashing and kicking in her mind until she finally gave up tired and weary.

“Rhonda…Rhonda...”  The voice called to her, but it seemed so far away.  She ran toward the voice, but there was a large locked door between her and the other side.  She pounded and screamed upon the hard solid surface.  It was then, when she was ready to give up and give into the dark one who was stealing her thoughts that the door opened.  On the other side, Stephanie stood, arms wide open. She rushed into them, sobbing.

“Are you okay?”  Stephanie asked, leaning above Rhonda.

When she looked up, her eyes scanned side-to-side.  She was not standing, there was no door, she was lying in the bed.  The sudden rush of tears rushed down her face as she sat up and took Stephanie into her embrace.  “She’s coming.  She knows I’m here.”

“Who?”

“Tiffany, she knows I’m here.”

“How do you know?”  Concerned, Stephanie lifted Rhonda’s gaze to meet hers.”

“She was in my dream.…”  She turned her head, looking toward the window.  “At least I think it was a dream.  I don’t know, I don’t know anything anymore!”

“No, you were just dreaming.”

“I don’t know, it felt so real.”

“Nightmares are like that, I have them, too.”

Pulling away, putting distance between she and Stephanie, Rhonda shot up gasping for air. She could feel the perspiration sliding down her arms, forehead, and stomach as she tumbled out of the bed.  Her mind still reeled with the images of her, the evil dark woman with the evil laugh and poisonous red eyes.  With each beat of her heart, she could sense her getting closer, as though she could almost feel the hate pulsing through her own veins.  Stumbling to the chair she sat down, it would be so easy to take what Stephanie said and laugh it off, but, somehow, she just knew.

“I need some air,” Rhonda spoke after few minutes, then slid on her shoes.

Outside the air was oddly warm, the clouds thick and dark as they hid the moon from everyone’s sight.  Rhonda hesitated and closed her eyes, letting the cool night wind blow at her face.  What was she to do?

She sighed heavily, her voice wavering as she opened her mouth.  “Joseph…” she choked, she was sure she could feel him, but that could not be, he had surly perished with the rest of the monsters who dwelled within the tunnels.  She felt uneasy now, her head already beginning a pounding headache from the speed of the wind that blew into her face. An idea sank in deeply, the notion shocking her instantly, her eyes widening with absolute surprise.  She needed to transform, something told her she had to, before something awful happened, but the thought of turning into one of the monsters she despised made her sick.  She closed her eyes and concentrated.  She felt her blood running faster, yet nothing happened.

The wind increased, blowing her hair into her eyes and obscuring her view.  A low rumble off in the distance, with a deep sounding echo, shattered the silence of the forest.  She glanced northward; her keen eyesight narrowed her search to a migration of dark clouds, which basked in the forbidden shadow.  The hair on the nape of her neck rose, evoking a shiver from her.  Many times, Nira told her to never venture beyond the border and control of the property. She had not, and goosebumps covered her flesh at the thought.  For some odd reason, the brewing storm put her on edge.  She could not quite put her finger on it, but something did not feel right.  With an audible sigh, she cleared her mind of the troublesome thoughts and started down the path in long strides.

In her dream, she recalled thinking she needed to change.  If she could, she would be able to leave with inhuman speed and disappear.  It was not fair living her life in limbo.  She had fangs within her mouth, they were not pronounced like that of Tiffany or Joseph’s, but they were still there.  She had no desire to feed, yet human food did not satisfy her hunger.  She could not warp like a vampire, but her keen sight and hearing were sharp.  Yet, she could not dwell within the sun, at least, she was sure she could not.  The more she thought about it, she had never tested the daylight, and when she was in the car with the hoodie over her head, out with Synaria and Nira, she recalled the sun not bothering her eyes.  It was as if she had almost all the best qualities of a vampire, yet, the only one she desired was not bestowed upon her.

XXVI

The Stillness

From the balcony, Stephanie watched Rhonda walk along the path. Worried, she retrieved the cell phone and for a moment, she cradled it in her hand.  She was grateful that the girls were sleeping—it gave her a moment of silence to decide her next move.

Tapping her fingers on the keys, she clicked send.  In her ear, the phone rang several times before Nira answered.  “Where are you now?”  She listened as Nira explained the reasons for the delay in getting the crystal.  Apparently the diamond cavern it had been hidden in, had since been excavated, and sold.  It took her half the day making phone calls to find out who the stone had been sold to, and another few hours convincing the owner to sell it to her.  At a higher cost than he had paid for it, and most likely a solid portion of Tamera’s college fund went to buy the crystal, but as soon as she had it in her possession, she would be on her way back.

“Good, I need you home as fast as possible, I think Tiffany pulled Rhonda’s location from her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes and no, but I don’t want to risk her showing up while you are gone.”  Stephanie paused to watch Rhonda skip rocks on the water.  “Have you spoken to Synaria or Lorna?”

“Yes.  Synaria should be back by the morning, and Lorna is delayed due to weather in the arctic.  I will not be able to get a flight out until tomorrow afternoon, and will arrive Tuesday evening.”

Stephanie became increasing quiet while Nira spoke.

Should I tell her about the dream I had? she wondered.

Shaking her head, Stephanie decided it would do no good to worry her, she still could not get back any sooner.  As she thought more about it, she wanted to ask why they had traveled to get the stones now, especially since Tiffany had not gotten the crucial stone to lead her to the others.  If she had thought about it prior to them leaving, she would have told them to wait.

“Lass, why are you so quiet,” Nira’s voice beamed into her ear.

“I’m just thinking.”

“When my wife thinks, I shudder.”  Nira laughed.

A smiled curved Stephanie’s lips, Nira always seemed to make light of any situation.  “I love you, warrior, please come home quickly.”

~~~~~

Nira said nothing. She could hear the change in Stephanie’s tone, there was more than what she was saying.  “I have something else to see to, lass. I will call you back when I have an answer.”  Nira disconnected the call and dialed Synaria’s number.

Phone in hand, Nira stood just outside the den, looking upon ugly portraits of the owner of the crystal’s deceased relatives.  Their deep hollow pupils whispered softly to her.  They taunted her, as if they hid sacred secrets of generations in an unknown language.  Their canvas eyes possess the wisdom of a millennium, yet the ignorance of a fool.  They all have in common some features of her host.  That immaculate posture and those strong, high cheekbones – immaculately carved.  As she left the message for Synaria to call her back, her host statically examines her.  A glass of some brand of alcohol over thick ice cubes in one hand, his other hand in the pocket of his sweater.

“Is there a problem?”  His face was hard and masculine, yet with extended youth.  He took a gulp of the whiskey, his grim face creased as he watched her.

“Not at all.”  She raised her brow, looking down upon the device in her hand.  “I am trying to get an earlier flight out in the morning.”

“I could arrange an early flight on my private jet.”  A faint smile played around the corners of his mouth, one that did not touch his eyes.  “There is no such beauty that pales in comparison to you, and for you, I am at your disposal.”

Lifting her eyes, Nira blinked back.  She was not sure if he was just being generous or if he had other intentions in mind.  She would be more than happy to take him up on the use of his jet, but not if it came at a price she was not willing to pay.  “That is gracious of you.  I can pay you for the use of it.”

Puffing on a large cigar, his eyes rolled up and down Nira’s torso.  Taken aback she raised her brow.

Oh no, I don’t think so, mister, she fumed inside. She removed her eyes from his.

“We could come to an arrangement,” his voice soft, his eyes filled with desire.

“No, that will not be necessary, I will be more than happy to pay you for your generosity.”

Turning his gaze, he worked the fine hairs of his mustache between his fingers, his eyes narrowed upon a bottle of brandy.  “I see.”

The tone in his voice was unsettling. Nira watched as he refilled the glass, and lifted it to his mouth, taking a huge swig.  She knew if he was to try anything with her, she could easily take him, but that was not why she was there, she needed the crystal.  His tall frame spun around, and he walked clumsily to the window, opening the drape just enough to look out.  Nira thought his build odd, she saw that in his younger years he’d been handsome, but now, his face was mostly obscured by a gray scraggly beard that clung to his skin like winter ravaged ivy tendrils.  When he turned, he met her gaze with the shyness of a child, yet his half-familiar features were devoid of warmth, like they were stolen.

The silence became defending, Nira looked to her watch and stepped back.  “I will return in the morning to get the crystal.”

“That won’t be necessary.”  He held up his hand, walked to the other side of the room. Both hands reached up, pulling a painting of a younger version of himself from the wall.  Behind it, a wall safe came into view.  A pad was on the outside, in the shape of his hand, he pressed his palm against it, and within seconds it clicked open.  He paused momentarily, looked back to the stunned woman, and opened it.  Inside the open safe, a green stone shone bright.  “I will have a plane at the runway waiting for you within an hour.”  His voiced faded as he pulled the glowing object from the safe and handed it to her.

“I thought….”

“I needed to ensure your intentions were pure,” he interrupted.

“I don’t understand.”

When he turned to face Nira, his features transformed into a smile.  “I know of the stone’s history.  I also knew from a vision I had that two women would come searching for it.  One evil, and one good, the woman with the dark flowing hair had already come a few days ago.  I watched her from afar as she spoke to my representative, and I saw the evil radiate from her.  I told my solicitor to inform her the stone had been sold already.”  He paused.  “I have been waiting for you.”

Nira smiled warmly.  “It will be hidden in a place where no one can find it.”

Concerned, he stepped closer.  “She has evil intentions. See that she does not get it.”

With the nod of her head, Nira retreated back, thanked him and left.

Nira still needed to travel just under nine thousand miles to get home.  It was times like this she missed being a vampire. She could have used her powers of warp speed, and travel through the water, getting back in half the time.  That was the only thing she missed, the only thing she hungered for now was human food and the love of her family.

She watched the plane descend, the glow of runway lights blinking in the haze of fog. She held the bag with the crystal tightly in her hands.  Her mind prayed that there would be no delays. She could feel the building danger the moment she’d held the stone for the first time.  In her mind she saw Tiffany standing at the gate of her property, she saw another figure, that of a man. She could not make him out, yet the feeling that radiated from him was not threatening.  He was not with Tiffany, yet he was there in the background, watching, and waiting.

There was no time to worry about him. It was about the safety of her family, her only solace. Synaria would be arriving back within hours.  Synaria would not allow harm to come to Stephanie, Rhonda or the children.  Her mind suddenly reeled. Rhonda, it is she who would show Tiffany the way.

She had forgotten that when she was still cursed, Synaria could easily find her.  It was a bond that the maker had with their pets.  She only had moments before they landed and the stewardesses would allow the travelers to exit the plane, but she could not wait.  Lowering her head, she pressed the home button on the phone, it rang in her ears.

“Hi, Mama,” Tamera chimed.

Holding her breath, she whispered. “Hi, princess, where’s Mama?”

“I think she’s upstairs.”

“Go give her the phone, now.”

“Okay, Mama, but when are you going to be home?”

“Soon. Go give Mama the phone.”

“Ma’am,” a woman’s voice came from above her.  “You can’t be on the phone until we are landed.”

“This is important,” Nira insisted, trying to remain calm.

“Please put the electronic device away.”

Clinking the end button just as she heard Stephanie’s voice come through, she placed it in her pocket.  With a pleasant smile, she nodded her head, brows lifted, she looked forward.  Nira mused she could have told the woman that the call was to save mankind, but that would not have gone over too well.  Who would believe she was more than fifteen hundred years old, and the warrior of the gods?

Tucking her blonde hair behind her ears, she tapped the phone with her finger.  She could text Stephanie, but in an arrogant, stubborn moment, she insisted she would not need to learn how.  Stephanie warned her, she would not know she would need to use it until the time came, and it would smart if she learned.  Why didn’t I just do as she asked? her mind questioned.

Moments later, the wheels squealed as they met the tarmac, Nira sat forward, ready to shoot out of her seat the second the door to the plane opened.  She had already removed her seatbelt, the woman next to her frowning and shaking her head.

“You should put that back on, what if we can’t stop?”

Nira said nothing, she was in no mood to have banter with the nosy body in the seat next to her who had talked nonstop for the past two hours.

XXVII

Deal with The Devil

Earlier that day, along the shore, Tiffany walked barefoot, allowing the sand between her toes.  This was the first time since Nira had left her on the island of her homeland, that she felt close to her.  The horizon was still a brilliant reddish hue as the sun sunk deep leaving the ocean before her in blackness.  “It’s almost time,” she breathed aloud.

Turning back around, she took the several steps to the house, eyeing the wood that enclosed the door. With little effort, she yanked it toward her, the nails screeching as they separated from the frame.  A smile curved her lips as she pushed the door open, and she crossed the threshold.  In each direction her eyes scanned, furniture and pictures still lined the room. On further inspection, she would never have imagined no one lived there other than the dust that laid thick upon the surface of the objects.

Closing her eyes, she recalled Nira’s words from the island, the description of the rooms, and the location of her bedroom.  With each step, the boards underfoot creaked with age. It was obvious the structure was no longer stable.  Nostrils flared as she followed the scent, and when she rounded the corner, and opened the door, the single oak bed with aged tattered sheets came into view.

Standing before it, she ran her fingers across the surface.

This is the bed Nira had spoken of, the place she slept and found comfort. Falling face forward, Tiffany imagined it was the bed she and Nira shared.  Just then, another scent filled her nostrils; it was not that of Nira, the only conclusion was it was the witch.  “You will not keep her from me.”  She cursed under her breath.

Removing herself from the bed, she dashed from the house, searching for the cave Nira had told her about.  The cave where she had lain trapped after the battle.

After hours of searching, she stood before the gaping hole in the mountain, littered with large boulders, leaving only a small space to climb into.  Tiffany stopped momentarily to look over her shoulder to the star lit night sky.  Breathing a heavy sigh, she stepped inside the cavern where the darkness felt like it stretched for eternity.  The invisible force crushed her, squeezing the life out of her.  She stopped. Panic set in as the darkness pulled the breath from her lungs.

“This will not stop me,” she cursed and moved forward.  The stones had shown her what lied beneath the ground, the dark one from the past who would help her in the quest.  They would both get what they wanted.

Large stones littered the floor causing her to trip, luckily for her keen eyesight, she saw past the dark.  Life held no sway or meaning in a place where time stood still, but there were answers, something within the darkness of the tunnels to help her in her quest.

Deep under the earth, she stopped at a pool of water, watching as a rodent drank from the trickle of water.  The liquid flowed incessantly across the smooth stone, in almost total silence. The only sound that could be heard was her soft breathing, echoing off the walls of the underground chamber.  Bypassing the water as Nira had explained she had done, she melded into the darkness, darting from place to place, following the movement of her hands, through the trickle of water.

Stepping into the opened chamber of rooms, a gallery of caverns, that she was sure no human had ever fully explored, she started to make her way down the slope, toward the center.  The ground still showed evidence of hundreds of dead, and she could feel them all through the soft skin on her hands and the soles of her feet.  She slipped her hand into her pouch, closing her fist around the stones, and wrenched them out.  The darkness became bright as the crystals slowly pulsated the light, bouncing off the walls.  Turning, she recoiled when she noticed a shadow by the entrance.  She hissed, her heart throbbing, unsure of how to react.  In the dark, a man stumbled, and moved toward her.  His graying skin showed no life, his frail body held no strength.  There was no reason to fear him, yet she struggled to speak.

No words were spoken, but she could hear his thoughts telling her to follow him.  Yet he still reached out a skeleton like hand, and pointed to the end of the chamber, to a passage that crept upward.  “Climb,” he said softly, and turned.  He slipped off into the darkness, leaving her hesitant.

Even though she was unsure, she climbed.  The passage was tight, and the jutting shards of rock blocked her way.  Sometimes, she had to squeeze through narrow passages in between them, or go back and scramble through a different vent in the rock.  She always climbed, always traveled upward, even at times using her sharp talons to scale up vertical sheets of glistening rock.

As she climbed, her world started to change.  A trickle of water was falling from above, as well as strange murmuring, echoes of sounds so confusing that she did not understand them.  In addition, as she climbed farther upward, she started to notice the light all around her.  Light that increased to the point of being even stronger than the light of the crystals.  At first she stopped, panicked, but she would have to face him and beg his help to get what she wanted.  Therefore, she climbed on, even when her mind begged her to retreat.  Nearing the top, she saw it, a light.  The tunnel ended, leading into a monstrous chamber.  Steadying herself, shivering with fear, she leapt from the passage into the air and the light.

She eyed the corpse like man, who would be consumed by the sunlight, had he entered beyond the safety of the cavern.  He stumbled to the chair in his chamber, and looked upon her with dark eyes.  “You have come to save me from eternal death?”

In a low voice, with an air of confidence, Tiffany replied, “I have come to bring you out and to seek revenge against those who have wronged you.”

His last memory was of the slayer blade slicing into his neck, his head falling to the ground feet from his torso.  Yet, he did not die, he just existed.  It was not until a cave dweller searching for treasures had found him, and unknowingly when lifting his head from the ground, cut his hand on the sharp fangs.  Instantly, blood trickled into the mouth of the hea; and when the cave dweller tossed the head to the ground, it slowly connected back to the body, regenerating.  Since then, Azareth had not left the cave. His only source of blood was that of the rats that came down from the city.  Looking at Tiffany, he had thought he was dreaming.

Tiffany could hear his thoughts, she shifted her footing and held up the crystals.  “I have the power which will help us both.”

He eyed the stones and shrugged his shoulders.  He knew of no witchery with stones that would help.  “Tell me why I should not kill you?”

Tiffany laughed. “I am immortal, and you cannot kill me.”  Turning her back, she steadied her breathing.  She could simply leave this dwelling and leave him to live like he had been, or she could put her cards on the table and gain his trust.  “How badly would you like to get revenge against your maker?”

His eyes became increasingly red at the mention of Synaria, and with a new found strength he stood.  “Can you make this happen?”

“Not alone, but with your help, we can both get what we want.”

XXVIII

The Dead Have Risen

Taking a moment to orientate herself in the heavy fog, Stephanie turned toward the right and slowly put one foot in front of the other, feeling her way through the underbrush.  Her hand hit a tree and she groped about it for the side where the moss grew, away from the sun.  Her bearings found, she veered left.  There should be a clearing due north if she held to her path.

Batting at the air in front of her, she tried to scan the area.  The curtain of fog grew thicker.  Nothing could be seen through it.  Stephanie sighed.  She ought to know these woods like the back of her hand; she had played in them enough as a child.

Past the ring of trees, staggering about the edge of the meadow the air was no clearer.  Her breath was loud in her ears in the unnatural silence of the forest. Her nerves were on edge.  Stephanie’s eyes darted from one bank of fog to another, praying that nothing would be lurking behind the thick shrouds.

The physical manifestation of her courage kept her grounded.  Finally, she broke through the underbrush that surrounded the outer edge of the property.  The mist had thinned significantly since she had first started running, but the horizon was still mostly hidden.

From the dark, a figure stepped out, he was cloaked, but she saw his face, it was the same face that had haunted her dreams for more than two hundred years.  Azareth? her mind screamed.  Fighting to regain her footing, she retreated and ran.  Sadistic laughter floating to ears.

“Mama, the phone.”  Sitting upright, Stephanie gasped for breath.  She looked all around, and then narrowed her gaze onto Tamera who was holding out the cell phone.

Taking the phone, she said hello, but the phone disconnected.  “Who was on the phone, baby?”  “It was Mama,” Tamera giggled, jumped on the bed, and cuddled into her mother’s arms.

Still feeling the effect of the dream, Stephanie immediately redialed Nira, but it went straight to voicemail.  “Did she say why she was calling?”

“No, Mama, she just told me to give you the phone.”

Setting the phone down, Stephanie took Tamera’s hand.  “Time for you to go to bed, little one.”

“I’m not tired, Mama, I want to practice what you taught me.”

Stephanie narrowed her gaze. “Do you feel like you have to?”

Tamera shrugged her shoulders.  “I had a dream that a bad man was coming.”

The heart that pounded in Stephanie’s chest found residence in her throat.  The recent dream fluttered back.  Azareth.  There was an emptiness in her and she gripped her stomach in a sudden uneasiness.

Just then the phone beside her rang, in desperation she fumbled with it trying to answer. “Nira,” Stephanie said as soon as it reached her ear.

“Lass, is everything okay?”  Nira asked, hearing the desperation in her wife’s voice.

“I’m not sure, but I need to talk to you. Hold on a second.” Turning to Tamera, Stephanie pointed for her to leave the room.

“But Mama, I want to practice, I’m not tired.”

“Go Tamera. I’ll come in and get you as soon as I talk to Mama.”

“Okay.”

Turning her attention back to the phone in her hand, Stephanie lifted it back to her ear. “Nira, are you sure Azareth is dead?”

The question threw Nira off balance, she had not heard his name in two centuries, and for Stephanie to be questioning his existence made her stomach churn. “Lass, I took his head, why are you asking?”

“I dreamt of him, and Tamera saw a bad man coming.”

“I’m sure he is gone.”

“Warrior, I’m not sure, my dream vision has never been wrong, and our daughter said she saw an evil man.”

“I will be home sooner than I said, I got an early flight so I will be home by nightfall.  In the meantime, Synaria will be there. I don’t want you to leave the property.”

Stephanie said nothing. All she could think of was finding out if Azareth was still alive.  There was only one way to know and that would be to go back to the cave.

“Lass,” Nira interrupted her thoughts. “I’m getting ready to board the plane. I have to hang up.”

“Safe travels, my love. I will be here waiting for you when you get home.”  Stephanie needed answers, yet she could not go again through the horror of the day he captured her.  Yet the memory swelled in her mind. Stephanie had no more spirit left in her to continue.  She would rather die than allow this devil to take her again.

~~~~~

At the mouth of the cave, Synaria stood, and listened for movement from within.  There was nothing distinct, but the explosion had created larger craters from within and even if she tried, she could never find him inside.

Turning her gaze out over the horizon, she breathed in the salt air, and stepped down the stretch of beach.  The house was just up ahead.  She had not returned to the property since she had secured it.  A scent caused her senses to become alert, instantly she shot around.  It was familiar, she would know it anywhere, and it was indeed Azareth.

My husband, you have returned.

Her stomach lurched at the thought of her past once again haunting her.  How can this be?  Even the gods had said he had perished in the battle.

Stepping to the edge of the water, she called out.  “How can this be?  Why have you not come to tell me he has risen?”  Angry, Synaria stomped around waiting for a response but there was none.  Since the day she stepped down from sitting by their side to join Lorna, they had shut her out.  “Don’t ignore me, we have evil dwelling upon the land, and I will remove it, but I need your help.”  Again, moments passed, and there was no response.

Storming off, Synaria walked the water’s edge, the salt from the water staining her pant legs.  Just as she reached the edge of the beach property, her eyes widened when she saw the wood panel leading into the front door removed.  Slowly, with caution, she stepped upon the porch, the boards beneath her feet creaked.  Nothing inside was disturbed, but someone had obviously been there.

Needing to make sure Stephanie and the houseguest were fine, Synaria started up the trail to the street. She had just made it to the car when she heard her name being called.  Her eyes scanned the area and when she turned around, her heart pounding in her chest, Stephanie had pulled up behind her.

“What are you doing here, Nira said she told you to stay on the property.”

“I had to check for myself.”

“I did. We need to get back now, it’s not safe here.”

The statement was all Stephanie needed to know. Her worst fears had come to pass.  Azareth was alive, and they were all in danger.  Preparing to mask the property once more, Stephanie needed more supplies to perform the spell.

“Meet me back at the house.  I need to get a few herbs from the store.”

“Tell me what you need, I will get it.  It would be in the best interest of the child if you were there with her.”

“Tamera is her name, Synaria, and she is fine within the confines of the house.  I have a spell on the property.”

“Let me get what you need, I would feel better knowing you were there with her.”

Rolling her eyes, Stephanie gave her the list, and turned her eyes forward.  “Nira will be home before nightfall.”

“I have spoken with her.  Please hear me, she would take my head if she knew I put you in danger.”

Stephanie laughed, “Like you have that kind of power anymore.”

The comment stung, but Stephanie was right.  Other than enjoying immortality, she no longer had any powers.  She could no longer hear thoughts, she could not fly with the wind, and the gods had turned their backs on her.

XXIX

The Battle

Suddenly the swollen sky erupted, dumping torrents of rain on the ground outside the window.  Jagged shafts of lightning struck repeatedly across the sky, accompanied by booms of thunder that shook the land.  When Stephanie reached to close the French windows, something beyond the trees chilled her blood.  A pair of flaming red eyes scanned the valley. A sphere of crackling energy engulfed the figure's hands, which glowed an eerie blue.  The blast from passing lightning revealed the torso of a man.

It was close to dusk. In less than an hour Nira would be home, but Stephanie feared she would not make it in time.  The growing power beyond the land was manifesting. She felt it as if it were already there, beyond the trees, hiding in the shadows.

~~~~~

Synaria felt it, too, and remained on alert, periodically taking the four-wheeler across the land, ensuring that nothing evil had crossed the barrier.  The spell Stephanie had cast was strong, but Synaria was still unsure if the powers of the few crystals Tiffany possessed were strong enough to breach it.

Riding along the edge of the property, rain stinging her skin, she looked to the heavens.  In a deep determined voice, Synaria called out once more.  “Athena, I call to you, goddess of war, hear me.”

Another streak of lightning soared across the sky. The loud blast of thunder that followed died quickly, replaced by a soothing voice.  “You call to us, Synaria, asking for our assistance, which we will grant, but it will come with a price.”  Just then, the rain ceased, in a circumference of several feet around her.

Turning off the engine of the four-wheeler, Synaria spun around.  “What price, my goddess?”  She would agree to almost anything at this point, no matter how much she loved her life now. She missed the life she’d left behind.

Above her and all around, a silver mist swirled. A yellow hued figure came into focus, dressed in a silver dress, Athena stepped forward, her golden hair flowed in waves through the air.  “The evil you created has returned and his wrath is great.  It will be you who will need to put an end to his resurrection. Your blood will be shed during this battle.  Once the earth is quiet once more, you will once again become the teacher.”

“I don’t understand, my goddess,” Synaria said in a low voice.

“There will be many others who will follow, who need guidance. The heartbroken one—she will be a worthy adversary.  If you succeed in your quest, others will come, teach them and we will shine down upon you once more.”

“My goddess, I am humbled before you.  I have made human decisions and for that, I earned your disgrace.  I shall honor my commitment as an immortal teacher,” she said, bowing her head.

~~~~~

From the window, Stephanie watched as the goddess disappeared into the void of the mist.  It warmed her heart to know that the gods had forgiven Synaria.

Blessed be, she thought.  It was time Synaria stopped throwing away her gift of immortality.

Awareness arrived piece-by-piece as Stephanie’s senses emerged from hibernation.  Unconnected random thoughts sparked like fireworks – it filled her mouth, her nose, blurred her vision, and muffled her ears until her surroundings appeared to shift and sway, hopelessly out of focus.  She was not sleeping, yet visions forced themselves upon her.  Stephanie held her head. She saw them coming, Tiffany first, Azareth stalking in the back.

They were running out of time, and Nira had not yet returned.  Stephanie focused on the images, taking in each detail. Her thoughts cleared, sharpened to the point where she was ready to face the past, yet at the same time, she feared for the future.  The walls closed in. With only her heartbeat to measure the passage of time, her brain battled with concepts newly gained or dimly remembered.  Nothing she could do or think could change what was about to happen.  If she did not act quickly, Synaria would die.

Waving her hands into the air, Stephanie called to the powers of the Marai.

“For all that has yet to come, has the shift in power begun?  For all that is unseen, show me.  So mote it be.”  She repeated the incantation several times.  Taking her mother’s hand, Tamera repeated it with her.  Stephanie could feel the power from her young daughter shoot like a power surge into her hand, up her arm, until it reached the retina of her eyes.

A swirling vortex of energy provided an ominous background.  Stephanie knew the vortex was the portal that would open the door to the astral world, and then the fourth crystal would be within Tiffany’s grasp.  She knew she could not let that happen.  Within the swirl, images played.

Beyond the trees, Synaria stood, Tiffany stalking from behind, Azareth just feet away.  Taken by surprise and forced to her knees, Synaria was at the mercy of the evil.  From the dark, another figure emerged, his eyes glowed red, anger bared across his lips, he growled then charged, taking the sword from Azareth’s hand. He turned and, with inhuman speed, knocked Tiffany off her feet.

“Run,” Stephanie heard him yell.

The vision she had, different from the last, had disappeared.  There was now someone else there, but who?

“Tamera, I want you to put Rhonda and Amanda in the hidden bedroom, the time is coming close, and I want to make sure they are safe.”

“Okay, Mama.  Does that mean the mad lady will come tonight?”

“I think so, baby.”

“I’m ready, Mama, I’ve been practicing.”

Kneeling down, Stephanie pulled Tamera into her embrace.  “I don’t want you doing anything unless there is no other choice.  Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Mama.”

A scream from downstairs filled their ears. Stephanie stood, pulling Tamera by the hand and stepping in front of her.  “Stay here and hide.  I’ll go see what it is.”

Taking the back staircase, Stephanie stepped from the dark and searched for the source of the scream.  On the floor, Rhonda lay in a fetal position.  Her hands were clasped over her ears.  “No, stop, I won’t.”  She screamed again.

Running to her side, lifting her head, Stephanie searched the glazed-over eyes.  “Rhonda, pull out of it, break the hold.”  Her voice never wavered though—she knew the look, the trancelike state.  Tiffany was claiming her, wanting her to invite her onto the property.  “Rhonda, break the connection!”

Bloodshot eyes scanned Stephanie’s, pulling her into her embrace, with a crushing grasp, Rhonda allowed herself to cry.  “She’s here, she wants me to go to her.”  In her mind, the red eyes pierced the dark, with a single finger curling upward, calling her forward.

“I know,” Stephanie soothed.  “You have to close your mind to her, don’t let her take control of you.”

“I’m trying.”  Hot and sweaty, Rhonda pulled away, scooting back on the floor, she crawled to the chair and pulled herself up.  “I need your help, I’m not strong enough to tell her no.”

Pacing for several moments, Stephanie tried to find a solution, but she had none, there was nothing she could do to break the hold the maker had.  She watched Rhonda sit on the couch, hands pressing against her temples as blood red tears stained her cheeks.  Reaching her hand out, she caressed Rhonda’s shoulder.  “Come on, let me take you to your room so you can rest.”

A loud, dark demonic voice came from within Rhonda, “Don’t you touch me.”  Her eyes rolled up, a deep red replacing the yellow, fangs protruding.

Stepping back, Stephanie stumbled and fell to the floor with a loud thump, her hand in the air ready to defend herself.  Her vision was impaired because the dark locks of her hair were covering her eyes.

“Think about what you are doing,” Stephanie cried out.

There was no response, no movement. Shaken, she lifted her hand to her face removing the strands of hair.  She had to blink back several times, Rhonda was now gone.  Shuffling to her feet, she ran from room to room, she was nowhere to be found.  In her throat, her heart pounded, fear immediately took residence in her heart.

“Tamera,” she screamed.  “Take Amanda to the room, and seal the entrance with a binding spell.

“What’s wrong, Mama?”

“Don’t ask, Tamera, just do it.”

Spinning around, Stephanie ran back down the stairs, opened the front door and looked on past the trees.  “Synaria,” her voice carried.  “It’s time, get back now.”

It was too late.  Beyond the row of cedar trees, she could hear the wicked laugh.  Slowly, one foot in front of the other, Stephanie moved with caution, stopping just feet from the flow of voices.  Peering around the large tree, she watched the scene unfold.

“You forced me into the dark, the barrier closed in on me, I was unable to stretch my limbs or lift my head.  You left me kicking and clawing as I surrendered to panic.”  Tiffany cursed, her eyes focused down on the helpless woman.  Drawing in deep shuddering breaths of victory, tearing at her bottom lip with her teeth, she swooped forward, tucking her chin tight to her body and slamming hard into Synaria. She pitched face first onto the ground, Tiffany’s foot pressed to the small of her back, a blade suspended inches above her head.

Synaria lay dazed, trying to look up to the woman with the sword.

“Stop,” Stephanie screamed, waved her hand, causing Tiffany to fly into the air and smash against a tree.  Immediately, she ran to Synaria’s side, the assistance halted, when her attention was drawn by the sound of clashing weapons.  Just inches from her, the man from her vision had mounted the steps and landed a flurry of blows to Tiffany’s arm.

~~~~~

His sword arm shook from exertion as he leveled his blade toward her.  Tiffany fixed her eyes on her prey.  She could smell victory.  He was weak, and he had no knowledge of sword fighting.  His eyes followed her every move, yet he kept a respectable distance from her blade.  She mistook the gleam twinkling in his gaze, as he rushed toward her and dealt a clean blow.  The edge of his blade nicked the side of her face, leaving a thin red line.

Something warm and wet trickled down her cheek.  When she touched her fingers on the wound, blood appeared on the tips of her fingers.  She cocked her head in approval then rushed ahead.

Allowing him only a brief respite, she lunged out at him again.  He confronted her forthright attack as if he had been expecting it, resulting in their blades clashing together in a crisscross of steel.  Further blows were exchanged in a heated battle for victory.  As their battle unfolded, their movements became more fervent.  Their swords clanged together in a vicious onslaught, rebounding and sparking.  Joseph’s unrelenting blows rained upon her without an end.  He had deceived her into thinking he had been fatigued.  His newfound strength put her on the defensive.

Their swords interlocked once again, but this time there was a weakening in his stance.  She felt his blade falter against hers and using the error against him, she wound her sword around his and jerked back.  The sudden movement disarmed him before he could register what had happened.  She rushed forward with the speed and ferocity of a charging boar, and swung her blade in a deadly arc.

A voice from the dark screamed, begging for her to stop.  Tiffany shot around, Rhonda stepped out of the shadows.  “Don’t! No more killing.  I will go with you.”

A smile curved Tiffany’s lips, quickly replaced by a snarl.  “Do you think you hold that kind of power over me.  You are a traitor, a common whore who gave her body so willingly to me.”

Licking her lips, she slid one finger down the blade’s spine, her eyes carefully following its course, and twirled it several times for good measure.  Rhonda took a step back, the wind from the sword becoming too close for comfort, and watched Tiffany perform an intricate back hand throw with it, switching arms, and presenting the hilt toward her.

There was movement behind her, though she dared not turn toward it.  There was an internal warning scream, screaming ferociously in her brain.  Tiffany instinctively knew that her heart would not withstand the sight of what loomed over her.  Fear froze every fiber of her being, while her heart sent pounding to her throat like an angry entrapped beast.

Flying down upon her, Joseph plunged forward, blade facing down toward her head.  Tiffany instantly jumped out of the way, and within seconds, a string of curses unraveled from her tongue, like yarn unfurling, as he advanced.  Her red eyes burned with anger.  He tried to dodge a swing from her blade, but it struck his side and he tumbled to the dirt.  He looked upward, into the red eyes.  He fought valiantly, as if he prayed that heaven would accept him, and allow him to go home.  She shuffled toward him. He saw the dislocated jaw showing a torn tongue and bloodstained razor sharp, savage teeth.  Unexpected, a flame of anger seemed to ignite within him.  He let out a piercing screech, jumped to his feet, and charged toward her with fury.

She narrowed her gaze, challenging him to make the first move.  While scrutinizing his every movement, she allowed her sword arm to relax.  The tip of her blade twitched with anticipation.

Widening the gap between them, she planted her feet firmly apart and awaited Joseph with raised sword.  He concentrated his yellow eyes on hers and moved inward.  They circled one another, eyes locked, the tips of their blades softly skimming one another in a deadly dance.  This was a game she was all too familiar with, thanks to Nira who had taught her how to duel.

Once their blades untangled, Joseph used his strength to move forward and shove her to the ground.  Before he could pin her down, as he had planned to do, she swung her left foot out.  Joseph’s feet folded beneath him and he fell on top of her.

Stephanie watched as Rhonda stood dazed as if she had no will of her own. Synaria and Azareth were no longer within sight.  In her ear, she could hear Tamera whisper, yet when she spun around, her daughter was not there.  She was calling out to her, using the power they shared.  On the balcony, her daughter’s figure came into view, her arms stretched out, and swirls of clouds built up around her.  Her small voice blared across the land.

Tiffany, who had plunged her sword into Joseph’s chest, pulled herself up and looked to the child, then back to Stephanie.  She stumbled back, realizing that Nira had made a child with the witch.  Sudden rage replaced the sudden sadness, and she stepped back. With her free hand, she pulled the crystals from the bag, raised them above her head, and called for the powers within to heed her will.  “Destroy them all.”

Gusts of dirt and wind swirled like a demonic vortex around her and out of the center, a serpent made of fire slithered out.  It hissed, and its red eyes fixed on Stephanie.  It lunged forward, striking its target, but it could not penetrate the barrier set around her.  Stephanie opened her eyes, still standing, she watched the serpent fail again.  It shook her at first, but she knew her daughter had protected her.  It gave her a second to survey the area. The man who was fighting Tiffany was on the ground, she was not sure if he was dead or alive.  She had to think of something quick.  Focusing on her daughter, she whispered, “Are you ready?”

Tamera’s voice rang in her ears.  “Yes, Mama. Say it with me, Mama.”

Raising her hands, Stephanie chanted, joining Tamera in unison. “I call to the power of mother earth, water, air, and fire, remove this evil sight before me.”  Just then, the water from the pond lifted and flowed in a sudden rush onto the serpent.  It struggled against the onslaught, but soon withered and all that was left was smoke.

“Crystals!”  Tamera called out, and the stones within Tiffany’s grasp broke free, separating and floating above.  Tamera waved her hand and the stones moved through the air.  Tiffany jumped trying to grab them, but they were out of her reach.

~~~~~

Tiffany felt a swift, cool pressure on the back of her neck.  Immediate confusion cast her thoughts into tangled disarray.  An urgency to take a breath of air overwhelmed her but the ability to breathe seemed suddenly absent.  A long, thin piece of metal appeared before her, swiftly moving down and away from where she stood.  Her bewilderment intensified, overwhelming her spirit.  Equilibrium became nonexistent when she felt the separation from her body.  A brief flash of a large figure passed before her sight.  A dull thud sound immediately followed, driving an echo through her brain.  Her perspective abruptly changed to a level span of an old plank floor.  It was as if she was lying flat on her stomach with her right ear pressed against the hard ground.  Her eyes rapidly blinked, while her thoughts scattered and faded.

An odd sensation of being lifted and turned about was felt.  Her line of sight brushed past Joseph and stopped before a body lying in the dirt.  The horror intensified when she realized the body was her own headless form.

“Nooooo!”  With her own scream ringing in her ears, her eyes blinking frantically, searching for familiarity – her mind seeking understanding.

Standing above, Joseph looked down, and blinked back in confusion.  His maker was still alive, beheaded, and yet not dead.  He spun around to Stephanie who pulled herself forward.

“I don’t understand.”

“She cannot be killed, but she will never hurt another soul.”

It had only been several moments since the clangor of the swords had died away, the shouting of the slaughter hushed.  The pale bleak moon that glittered so blindingly above the trees, struck sheens of silver from the blade where the Tiffany’s body lay, the nerveless hand gripping the broken hilt.  There was a moment when Stephanie and Tiffany locked eyes, the pain still behind Tiffany’s gaze.  Stephanie pitied her. It was the feeling of betrayal that had blinded all the good within her heart.  That was a curse that Nira would have to live with.

“Stephanie!”  Nira yelled, running.  She had just reached the house, when she saw the water, and Tamera standing on the edge of the balcony.

“Over here,” Stephanie called back.  She was happy to hear Nira’s voice, but the view before her had her confused.  The man who had beheaded Tiffany was consoling Rhonda. The gash in his chest had healed and the only sign that he had been impaled was the split in the shirt and the residue of blood.  She concluded he was vampire, as well. One of Tiffany’s, she assumed.

Nira went into warrior mode the second she saw the male vampire holding Rhonda, she lifted her sword, ready to strike, but a tight grip to her arm pulled her back.  “No, slayer, he saved us.”

Rhonda looked to Nira, and lowered her gaze, a blush burned on her cheeks.  “This is Joseph.”

Wide eyed, Nira extended her hand to him.  “Thank you.”

“Do not thank me. I am no better than the beast that made me.  If you want to repay my actions, then have no mercy and put me out of my misery.”

Rhonda, reached for his arm. With her other hand, she lifted it and stroked the side of his cheek.  “I wish to also share the same fate.”

“It is not my duty to take either of your lives, you are not a danger.  If you wish to end the curse, I will be happy to take you to see your last sunrise.”

Rhonda smiled. “I would like that. Care to join me Joseph?”

Nodding, he took her hand.  “I said goodbye to my wife. I tried to help her understand.”

Tears welled in Rhonda’s eyes. She knew the torture Joseph had felt since he had been separated from his daughter, Susie, and his wife.  “You did the right thing.  I have no one to say goodbye to.”

Taking her hand, he breathed in then turned his head to Nira.  “At first light, I would love to be sitting by the ocean.”

Nira held back the tears. she understood the draw to the water, the beauty as the sun climbed on the horizon.  It was a vision she had sought the night Stephanie had come into her life.

XXX

The Final Sunrise

It was almost time, as the golden light was just an hour away from rising at the horizon, sending all the dark things back to the shadows.  Along the landscape, dew dripped off the tree leaves and birds chirped on the branches.  Synaria stumbled back onto the land, bruised and battered.

Nira stood at the edge of the property, arms crossed, and blew out a frustrated sigh.  She laughed. As always, she did not stay mad at Synaria for long.  “Where have you been? I’ve been worried.”

Synaria explained how she had followed Azareth when he retreated.  She found him hiding within a storm drain, like a rat.  His body was still too frail to take on the witch, and when Tiffany found herself battling one of her own children, he knew he had made a mistake.  He begged Synaria for his life, but she took no mercy.  They fought, and rolled along the muddy trail until he lost his balance and landed upon spikes from farm equipment, which impaled him.  It was a quick and painless death.  Synaria had grabbed a shovel and removed his head.  There would be no more resurrections.  With the wood chipper just feet away, she had tossed the head into the machine and turned it on.

“Then it’s done.”

“Is it?  Where is Tiffany?”

“In a box.”

“And the others?”

“I guess you are referring to our other guest.”  Nira inhaled, it pulled at her heart to think about the death sentence about to be passed down.  Nira explain her mixed feelings about allowing Joseph and Rhonda their request.

Stepping over the threshold, Nira scanned for the occupants.

“It’s time, warrior,” Joseph hissed.

From the rear of the room, Rhonda stepped out and spoke to him.  “Care to join me in a final sunrise?”

Turning his head, he held out his hand to her.  “It’s a date.”

~~~~~

Within the hour, on the rocky surface overlooking the water, Joseph pulled Rhonda into his arms.  “I never told you, but you gave me back the part of me she took.”

“How did I do that?”  Rhonda turned her head sideways.

“You reminded what it was like to be human.”

Taking his hand in her own, she smiled.  “Then we will go out together, with dignity and pride.”

The ocean was icy black before them, cold and unwavering.  Even though Joseph was not drowning in its blackness, his breath labored as he cupped Rhonda’s hand, pulling it hard as his sight strained for meaningful direction.  A shimmer of fleeting light appeared in the distance, but it was very brief.  Joseph’s thoughts began to wander, to thoughts of his little girl, laughing as she played.  He could hear it now, in the midst of fighting to keep his mind strong.  The sound of her laughter heightened the desire to end the wickedness within him.  He was no longer her father, but a monster created from the pits of hell.  He blinked back tears when her face appeared and faded within the presence of the water.  He saw the light again. It wavered in an amber hue on the horizon.

Rhonda gripped his hand, inhaling hard. It was almost time.  The light of the day would end their darkness and, as much as she embraced it, it scared her.  Life had not been kind to her, she still had not lived, no one who would miss her, and all her chances to find happiness were gone.

In the distance from where they sat, shimmers of light rose from below.  The glow’s reach faded just as quickly in the pitch, teasing them – revealing nothing beyond the gloom.  It was as if it were torturing them, delaying the inevitable.

Rhonda looked down at the hand intertwined in her own and it occurred to her that this was the closest she had allowed someone to be in her life.  Since childhood, she had pushed anyone away who offered kindness, suspicious that they were only being nice because they wanted something.  That was a hard lesson she’d learned from her mother.  The only time she was kind or showed emotion to her, was when she wanted something in return.

Breathing in, she sat erect, ready for the next phase in her journey.  At the edge of the horizon, a subtle glow would rise, bringing with it eternal slumber to the two of them.

They sat, holding one another, looking on.  As if on command, the clouds parted and the light inched its way from behind.  They shifted and waited for death, but as the sun grew higher into the sky, their bodies only became warm from the morning glow.

~~~~~

From a distance, Nira and Stephanie watched on.  It broke Nira’s heart to see the two who had so much to live for, lose everything.  “For once, if the gods were to gift anyone, I wish they would have returned them back to their human form.”

Stephanie nodded as a single tear ran down her cheek, she was not sure how much she could watch, but she understood they needed to be there, in case they changed their minds.  They could not risk allowing vampires to roam the world.

Stephanie watched on as the two remained whole, then looked to Nira.  “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”  Releasing Stephanie’s hand, she stepped forward, Joseph looked over his shoulder.  His eyes were blurred with tears, his face flushed pink.

Nira understood then. She moved close and patted him on the shoulder.  “The gods shone down upon you.  Go back to living your lives.”

Rhonda sat looking at her skin, then feeling for the fangs that used to protrude from her mouth.  They were gone, her body once again feeling alive.  “We didn’t burn up, we’re human again.”  Lifting her arms, she threw them around Joseph’s neck.

“How?” he asked, his eyes searching Rhonda’s.

The smiling eyes searching her own, the yellow glow gone, replaced by a warm brown, the same color she imagined Joseph’s eyes would be if he were still human.

“You were given a second chance, so don’t blow it.”  Stephanie’s voice came up from behind.

Hand in hand Nira watched the two run into the water, splashing and laughing.

“Did you know this would happen?”  Stephanie teased, pinching Nira.

“No, but I’d hoped.”  Holding out her hand, she studied her love.  “Care to join me in eternity, lass?”

With a warm smile, Stephanie accepted her hand.  “Absolutely.”

~~~~~

In the library, a light pastel mist filled the room as Stephanie chanted.

“From the outer realm of reality in the astral world, bring forth Calibell back in human form. So mote it be.”

Repeating the incantation several times, the room became dark except for an oval circle just inches from the bookshelf, the edges like fine flames from a chandelier candle.  “Come forth, Calibell,” she said, her voice raised.

The hue around her became stagnant as an image stepped forth.  One leg stepped out from within, and standing before her was tall, handsome, Calibell.

“It is done?”

“Yes, we succeeded, and it is safe to return you to your country.”

“Indeed, I have to find my colony and rebuild.”

In the foyer, Joseph played with Amanda and Tamera.  Stephanie laughed when she heard him say, ‘You’re it.’  She was not sure who was enjoying themselves more, the overactive children, or him.  As she rounded the corner into the dining room, Rhonda sat, her hands covering her face.

“What’s wrong?”  The concern in Stephanie’s voice was sincere.

“I’m just thinking, that’s all.”  Rhonda cleared her throat. Furrowing her brow, she looked up.

“About?”

“What I’m going to do now.  It’s been so long since I’ve been gone, I’m sure I no longer have an apartment, and I’m not sure I can go back to the way things were.”  Tears filled her eyes as she searched Stephanie’s.

“You will have to find your way again,” Calibell’s deep voice filled the space when he spoke.

Rhonda looked up, her eyes wide as she studied his features.  She marveled as if not believing her eyes. He looked nothing like he had the first time she had laid eyes upon him.

Stephanie held back the smile, it was obvious by the way Rhonda looked at Calibell that she was attracted to him, and when she looked to Calibell, he had the same smitten look in his eyes.  “I’m sorry, you have not officially met.  Calibell, this is Rhonda.”

Clumsily, he stepped forward, reaching out for her hand. As they connected, one could almost feel the sparks that shot through them.

Another love match.  Stephanie laughed inwardly.

Stepping backward slowly, trying not to disturb the two, Stephanie rounded the corner in search of Nira.  She needed to discuss the future of the crystals before Synaria and Lorna left to take the houseguests back to their country.

Still there was one unanswered question.  Why did Rhonda never turn?  Stephanie was sure one day she would learn why, but until that day, she still had other demons plaguing her mind.

The decision had been made to cast the crystals into the astral plain where no mortal or immortal could retrieve them.  That was an easy task to accomplish, but Stephanie hated to part with them.  As she held them in her hands, the power within them had strengthened her insight, but she was aware how that power could easily manipulate the owner.

In the circle, she took one last glance at the glowing stones in her hand. She sighed, inhaling as she battled against the drawing stones.  “To the power of the abyss, the depth of darkness, the protector of the unknown.  Take the stones and mask them in the dark, keeping hands abet.  So mote it be.”

In the center of the room, a black vortex opened. Streaks of lightning flashed from its depth.  Stephanie eyes widened as a ghostly hand reached from the void and wrapped the skeleton like fingers around the stones, retracting them back into the dark.  For a moment, the dark hole remained opened. Stephanie could feel the gentle hand of the wind coming from within.  It caressed her cheek, then it was gone.

The room became increasingly quiet as Stephanie sat on the floor looking at the centuries of books and scrolls that lined the shelves.  She smiled. One day, she would give them all to her daughter, who would then take the role of the most powerful of the Marai.  In the meantime, her young witch needed to enjoy her childhood.

Nira listened to the commotion on the lower level.  Her strong jaw lifted in a proud, pleasant smile as she listened to the children.  Her home had come alive with laughter, something she had not heard in years.  Nira had just been struggling with Stephanie’s request to raise Amanda, but the more she listened, it occurred it was not for her, but for her daughter.

“Can I speak to you?”  Nira’s voice preceded her entry into the room.

Synaria and Lorna turned.

“Have you made a decision?” Synaria smiled, as if knowing that it would not take long for Nira to see that they needed the child as much as she needed them.

“I have.  If you can get the paperwork we need.”

“I already have it.  I knew you would change your mind.”

Nira smiled, holding back a laugh.  There were only two people who knew her better than she knew herself, and that was Stephanie and Synaria.

The End

Other books by Dawn Carter:

The Crossroads

Heart of Fire

Heart of Vengeance

Out of the Mist

The Fallen

Forever Yours

Murder by Proxy

www.dawncarterbooks.com

Table of Contents

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